DAY TWO AFTERNOON
I sighed as I brought down my bow after using up all of my arrows. Sakura, who was training beside me, stopped as well to look at me.
"What's wrong, Ten?" she asked as we both walked towards the straw target we use at school.
"I just feel more tired than usual with all the gawking and following," I answered as I started pulling my arrow out of the straw.
With those words, my club mates who were gawking turned away and started picking their arrows up as well. No one was allowed to get their arrows when someone was still shooting to avoid unwanted accidents.
"You really can't blame them, Tenten," Sakura shrugged, waving an arrow between us. "You did just came out of Neji Hyuga's limo,"
"Why does that sound far more dirty than what really happened?" I sighed as we walked back. "It's not like they caught us doing anything redhanded,"
"You were caught 'red handed'. You were holding hands,"
I gave Sakura a playful punch in the shoulder at those words. "First of all, ew. Secondly, he was just helping me out out the car,"
"Out of the car he used to pick you up,"
I stopped walking and glared at her, putting my hands on my waist. "Seriously, whose side are you on?"
She laughed at me as she led me towards the back of the archery dojo we were in. We both sat down on the wooden floor with our backs leaning on the walls.
"No, Ten, seriously. It's just that this is Neji Hyuga we're talking about, you know? The Neji Hyuga," she started, putting an emphasis on his name as she repeated. "Even if you guys had a bet, did you ever thought he would be coming to pick you up,"
"Well, I'll be less grumpy if I didn't have to walk to school," I shrugged, unable to see what she was pointing at and she sighed at me. My defensive nature kicked in. "Well, what about you, then? You didn't show up for our morning practice!"
"I slept in late," she answered in a flash and I smirked.
Sakura gets nervous about lying and more so about hiding things from me.. So, I raised a brow at her and she couldn't look me in the eyes. Within a minute she sighed and pulled me in, a little too rough 'cause I felt my brain shake, for a whisper.
"I ate breakfast with Sasuke and we traveled to school together. Though, we had to walk separately when we neared because you know? We didn't forget that he has fangirls unlike you and Hyuga,"
My eyes widened in shock as I pulled myself away from her slightly to take a proper look at her face. Sakura was as pink as her hair. I searched her expression for a telltale sign she was lying but I found none. So, I pulled her closer to me. Of course, just as roughly as she did to me.
"Seriously?" I asked and she nodded, unable to keep her eyes on mine. "You finally managed to burn through all those layers of ice covering him?"
"Tenten!" she chastised but I could see her lips twitching for a laugh.
I shrugged as I pulled back once more and leaned back down on the wall again. "Uh," I breathe. Unable to believe that Sakura had managed to thaw that thing Sasuke Uchiha liked to call heart.
"He's not that bad," she defended, obviously offended at my reaction.
"Seriously, Sakura? Not that bad? He's way up there with Hyuga," I raised a hand way above my head to present her a physical graph of how high I was talking about. "So, are you dating now? I mean–it's a meal. You guys are childhood friends. It's not like you haven't shared a meal once, yeah? His fangirls don't even bother you when you talk to him because they know how scary you aaarrreee!" Those last words left my mouth in a shriek as Sakura slapped me on the shoulder as hard as she could.
Then she raised a hand and started playing with strands of her hair and I almost gagged at the sight. Sakura was obviously head over heels in love with a man I wasn't even sure had a pulse due to how cold he was. Granted, I barely spoke with the guy. But that was his problem. I tried to get to know him after knowing he was the guy Sakura had been crushing on for like. . . Forever. But whenever I started a conversation with him he would just answer with a 'hn'. If that was even a word.
Sakura swore he could talk but I was starting to doubt that.
"We are," she answered. "He asked me out,"
I whipped my head in Sakura's direction so fast I gave myself a whiplash. My eyes were definitely as wide as a coin. I was beyond shocked. "He? As in HE was the one who asked you out and not the other way around?"
She nodded in answer. I lifted a hand towards my face. I played with my chin between my thumb and pointer finger trying to imagine Sasuke Uchiha being a boyfriend. I closed my eyes. I envision him being sweet at breakfast. He would feed Sakura and smile at her.
"Argh!" I groaned as shivers went down my spine at that scary thought.
"Tenten!" Sakura scolded, trying to sound affronted but the smile on her lips told me otherwise. "I know what you're imagining. He's not like that. But he does show me his gentle side,"
I turned to her. Frozen in place. "Gentle? Are we talking about the same person here, Sakura! You might be imagining this after all these years!"
"Tenten!!!" she screamed and I ran laughing.
Despite all that I said, I was happy for Sakura. And she knew that. But still–we're not friends if I wouldn't make fun of her first relationship, right?
Suddenly, there was shrieking inside the dojo. Sakura and I stopped playing cat and mouse and stood with our hands on our waist. As captain and vice-captain, we were in charge of making sure the dojo was treated with respect. Playful noises are accepted but such loud shrieking are not.
"Quiet!" I ordered and all shrieking stopped. "What is this behavior you are displaying in our dojo?"
"We're sorry, captain!" they all answered simultaneously with a bow, even the men despite that they didn't made a noise.
I raised a hand towards my chin once more and titled my head to the side as I thought. "Have I been too lenient recently?"
"That's coming from a captain playing chase with her vice-captain?" a male voice asked behind me.
I turned around towards the entrance of the dojo. I glared at the man standing there. He was not wearing a karate gi so I assumed his club activities had ended. He was holding his school bag on his left hand, flung over his shoulder. His right hand inside his pocket and I cursed all his existence. He was just standing there yet his presence was undeniable.
"You do not get to criticize my way as captain, Hyuga. Your members might not be allowed to laugh and play but I encourage it," I answered, stalking towards him.
All the members standing between us quickly jumped to the side as their eyes reflected fear.
"Be that as it may, there are certain things I still forbid. Just because a club has to be proper does not mean they cannot have fun and vice-versa," I stopped in front of him. And because of the agari-kamachi, for the first time he and I were the same height. "Do you understand me, Hyuga?"
He nodded. Hyuga was smart enough to admit when he was the one in the wrong. I then turned my back to him and walked towards the middle of the dojo once more. Sakura walked towards me, her eyes shining in delight as if telling me 'go girl'. I gave her a sly smile as she called for a huddle.
Once we were done, the archery club members started leaving for their respective changing room. Sakura and I were the last to leave as we had to close the dojo. As we exited, I saw Hyuga still standing outside, waiting for me. I frowned at him as he kicked away from the wall he was leaning at.
"Why are you still here?" I asked, slightly tilting my head in confusion.
He stopped in front of me and Sakura. "I'll take you home,"
I rolled my eyes at him as Sakura squealed beside me. "You need to convince me, Hyuga. Not date me. Besides, there's no way I'm going to be seen with you ever again!"
We started walking and he paced himself with us. "How would I convince you then if I can't be with you?"
I shrugged. "Not my problem. Maybe make a presentation or something? But don't ever pick me up again, you hear?"
"What's the problem? Do you like walking more?" he asked.
I stopped on my tracks, Thumping my feets for added effects. I gritted my teeth at him. "Did you not see the reaction we received this morning? Were you not there with me?"
He actually had the gall to look confused. "Look here, Hyuga. You have to be aware how women act around you," he smirked and I kicked his shin. "I am too young to be this stressed. And I definitely do not want to be killed because of you,"
He knelt to the ground to rub his injured shin. He looked up at me. "You know you just had to agree to help the club and all this would be done with,"
I gave him a taunting laugh as I flung my school bag over my free shoulder because my archery case was on the other one. "And make it all so easy for you? Let me tell you this, Hyuga,"
I knelt down in front of him as well and put my lips close to his ear to whisper, "As much as you hate me, I loathe you more. Unlike you though, I do not try to hide it and talk about it behind the person's back," I then stood up straight and saw Sakura's confused look because I made sure she wouldn't hear it. I looked down at Hyuga's kneeling figure and decided to add more.
"The only reason why I even gave you seven days to convince me was because you're Hinata's cousin," and with that, I pulled Sakura away with me.
I continued to walk without looking back but in my peripheral vision, I saw Sakura had more than once.
"Are you sure that's fine?" she asked as Hyuga vanished from our sight.
"It's fine. Anyway, Ino and Hinata's waiting for us at the gates," I answered and saw our two other friends at the same time. I raised a hand and waved at them.
Once we reached them, Ino wasted no time in teasing me about coming to school with Hyuga. I rolled my eyes at her but laughed with them nonetheless. Hinata was allowed to walk with us after school since we usually go to a family restaurant to talk and whatnot but her chauffeur would always pick her up with no exception.
"Seriously though, Tenten," Ino continued as she flung a piece of fries at me which I caught with my mouth. "All the cheerleaders were talking about this morning. Half of them are huge Neji Hyuga fans so they were there as well. No one was expecting you to get out of the car after him!"
"I'm glad to know half of you girls are normal," I quipped but she shook her head at me.
"Nah, half of them are Sasuke Uchiha's," she responded.
Hinata took a sip of her mango shake before speaking, "I actually thought you would be going home with Neji today, Tenten. I remember him asking me what time your club ends,"
"Oh yeah, about that!" I turned to her, standing up from my seat suddenly remembering something. "How did your cousin find out my address? Tell me you did not!"
She shook her head vehemently at me. "No, I swear I didn't, Ten!" she squeaked.
I furrowed my brows at her answer and plopped back down into my chair, crossing my arms over my chest. "How did he know, then?" I asked, tilting my head to the side.
Hinata played with her fingers as she looked up at me below her lashes. "Hanabi told him," she answered, her voice low.
My mouth dropped open in shock. Sakura put a nugget on my open mouth and I started chewing. Hanabi only came to my house once. Once! And she already remembered that? Damn Hyugas and their exceptional memories!