Naruto Citrus

NejiTen

This is an AU where Tenten is a famous singer who is acting as Hinata's mentor, and Neji is a businessman.

"Tenten, would you do the honors?"

I graciously accepted the oversized pair of scissors and snipped the ribbon tied up across the entrance of the brand-new club: Evolve.

"We're officially open for business!"

If it wasn't evident by the name or the fact that I was doing the opening ceremony, Evolve's owned by Evolution Entertainment. Kakashi picked the perfect location for it, too. It's on 5th street, surrounded loosely by various other upscale stores and restaurants, but not so close that the loud music would be a bother.

The crowd cheered, and I soon led the way inside the fresh new club.

The massive dance floor was mainly a matte black with an unbelievable amount of glitter, but the small lines between the tiles were lined with led lights of all different colors.

It was truly remarkable on the inside. Very few lights were hanging from the ceiling, most of which were at the massive "E" shaped bar. Obviously, the "E" stands for Evolve and was manned by two bartenders instead of one.

The middle section of the "E" cut the bar in two, and one bartender handled a half of the letter. The middle section had a fish tank running from the bar to the ceiling, but instead of fish on the inside, little electronic jellyfish were swimming about that also glowed to the beat of whatever music was playing. I could go on and on about all the fancy details of the bar, but that would take forever, and I just don't have the time for that.

Since I'm hosting the grand opening, I'm expected to stay until close at two thirty in the morning. Since the ribbon cutting was at nine p.m. sharp, I had a long night ahead.

The hours passed slowly. They were filled with mingling and accepting invitations to dance when I didn't want to, but I didn't have a choice. Kakashi agreed to give me a substantial bonus for hosting this event, so it's my fault for accepting.

Around eleven or twelve, I finally managed to slip away and sat at the furthest end of the bar where I wouldn't be seen by those on the dance floor. I'd only be noticed if they were headed to sit at the same bar.

I enjoy clubbing as much as the next girl, but it's not fun when I don't know anyone there. No one could fit the event into their schedule, which I didn't take offense to because everyone has their own lives, and I know that. It doesn't help that it's the middle of the week and not a weekend. I just wish I had at least one familiar person nearby.

A drink slid before me, pulling me from my self-pitying thoughts. I looked at the black marble-topped counter to see a clear bubbly drink. The quiet bartender gestured with his thumb when I gave him a confused look. I scoured the bar for who'd sent the glass and was pleasantly surprised to see none other than Neji Hyuuga. I offered him a smile, a wordless invitation to join me. He rose from his seat and came around to sit next to me. I clinked my glass gently against his, and we both drank silently. Despite having been at the bar for a few hours, I hadn't had many drinks, so I barely had a buzz.

My eyes traveled up and down his body as he finished his glass of what looked like whisky. It surprised me how handsome the businessman looked. When he visited the agency, I noticed he was a looker, but somehow I hadn't realized just how gorgeous he was. Neji was wearing that suit, damn it. If I had to guess, he hadn't changed after leaving his job. The top two buttons of his shirt were undone, his tie was loosened, and his hair was free rather than being tied loosely like the last time I saw him.

His high cheekbones and full lips looked almost regal, making it hard for me to control the blush that rose to my cheeks when he glanced over and caught me checking him out. The Hyuuga man offered a hint of a smile before motioning to the bartender so his glass would be refilled. I grinned sheepishly before averting my gaze down to my glass.