Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

Beta by Lovely Patty!

Honorific dictionary:
Bocchan- Young Master
Sama- Master/Lady
San-Miss/Mr/Mrs
Kun-attachment between friends.
Sensei-Teacher/Novelist/Doctor (Sakura is referring to Kakashi as a doctor)
Dono-Miss/Mr/Mrs (formal)

***

The Fragrance of Love and Wine

Chapter I: The Transitory Moments of A Changing Life

-4 July, 1903: Ushiku, Japan-


The call of a new day pulled him back from his heavy slumber, much to his own reluctance. Was it really morning already or was someone playing with the rooster again? He shifted slightly on his bed to squint at the open window from which he had climbed through last night. Sunlight poured through the window in small patches, touching every crook and corner of darkness that was cowering underneath the tables and chairs, warming up the previously cold and neglected room. Deciding it was better to go back to sleep, Neji closed his eyes, allowing the shadows behind his retinas to once again be the shield from the new day.

Waking up meant having to meet with the Main House members and he wasn’t in the mood to be lectured so early in the morning.

The smell of alcohol and vomit clung to his robes like cheap perfume, probably because he had thoughtlessly climbed into the bed after a night of celebration without changing. His usually starched, white shirt was tarnished with odd stains of yellow; the brown plaid vest was in an equally miserable state. He pulled the white sheets over his head, ignoring the loud cries of both animals and humans alike on the other side of his door. A light tap on the door indicated that it was due time he woke up.

He threw the bed coverings aside and sat up. “What is it?”

“Your water is ready for you Neji-bocchan.”

“Come in.”

Neji nodded, waving a hand to usher the servant away before pushing himself off of the bed to approach the awaiting silver pan. Only then did the fullness of last night’s events come slamming back with ridiculous ferocity. His body became overwhelmed with the onslaught of fatigue, the effects of a hang over he supposed. The steps that led him to the round wooden table were awkward. While one foot seemed to walk in one direction, the other refused to abide by his commands. The pain, which coursed through his brain, left him unsettled, as the dark room became a steady blur of gray and black. A migraine from the excess consumption of alcohol, he concluded shortly there after.

The water rippled as he dipped a genteel hand into the polished wash pan, carefully cleaning away the dirt and grime lodged deep under the surface of his nails. His pale eyes lingered over the reflection peering under him. A familiar impassive, unblemished face glanced up at him from the translucent water; white eyes conveying little emotions, a high slender nose, perfectly arched brown eyebrows framed his eyes. His usual low ponytail was unkempt; strands of loose hair falling from the black band which held it.

Neji pulled the white face towel from under the pan and dipped it into the water, soaking it thoroughly before bringing it up to his face. The cool fabric glided over the bridge of his nose, onto the underside of his neck, then over his eyes. Even as the towel fell away, everything that had been there before remained perfect.

He was perfect.

He made it an effort to be so.

How long has it been since the beginning of the Meiji Restoration? Thirteen years? Maybe fourteen? In a world driven by constant vanity, it was the survival of those whom where born with privileges. Poor, inadequate humans had no position in the new Meiji Era. It was the pursuit of change that garnered success and those that resisted it, became the victims of the past. They lived in a new era, an era where supposed ‘freedom’ was free to not only that of the aristocratic hierarchy, but to that of the working class as well. Where was this so-called ‘autonomy’?

He lifted his head away from the pan to stare at the calendar. White eyes widened as they fell upon the circled date after traveling through rows of criss-crosses. Multitasking, Neji moved to unbutton the wrinkled vest slowly with his nimble fingers while approaching the calendar nailed onto the cracked plaster wall. So yesterday had been his birthday? The arrival into manhood now that he was eighteen years of age signified a newborn independence. And yet, he couldn’t see beyond the doors of this cubicle of a room. This was the world in which the Main House had so vigilantly constructed for him.

Once again, a light knock was issued from his door, dispersing his scattered thoughts. He stripped the offending shirt off and donned a freshly pressed one. His plaid auburn pants weren’t tarnish to the point that it would’ve been deemed indecent so they stayed on. Taking a deep breath, Neji walked over to the door, sliding the wooden door to reveal his guest.

“I’m……that is….”

Neji looked on at his cousin with distaste adorning the normally emotionless face. Here was the rightful heir to the winery business, this meek stuttering idiot of a girl. The girl that had ripped him away from what should have been rightfully his in the first place. When he spoke, his contempt for the trembling girl was well hidden. “May I help you Hinata-sama?”

If anything, she seemed to become even more uncomfortable under his intense gaze, not that he was making any effort in the first place to strike fear into her. It was just in her timid nature to withdraw from human contact. His eyes never missed any sign of weakness she chose to blatantly offer.
Some would even call him blessed for having such powerful insight for one so young.

“Father told me…that..you….were to deliver the flasks of sake to the next village,” Hinata averted her pale eyes to avoid looking at her emotionless cousin. Yet, there were things to be done, sake to be sold. “I’m…going to wait…for you outside.”“Don’t. Just leave the carts there and I’ll deliver them to the storage after I’m dressed.” That signaled her escape, which she gladly took without a second thought.

“I’ll…see..you later then, Neji-niisan.”

“Goodbye, Hinata-sama.”

***

It had rained the previous night, leaving the damp earth raw and naked. All that meant for her was more debris to brush aside. She did have the crisp air to be thankful for though. Working under the burning sun, sweating profusely with each stroke of her mop against the wooden floor always left her weary at night. Even though she had a long day of cleaning ahead of her, the weather was very much agreeable.

She had woken early to greet the new day. It was always best to wake early each day to avoid the Main House family members. They had a tendency to have, as Chouji would kindly put it, a stick shoved in several uncomfortable places. Hence, that would explain the reason behind their crankiness each day.

The Hyuuga manor was formidable to begin with, almost a village of it’s own. Those who were the considered relations of the Main House lived within the confines of the main mansion. While the others, branch members, were left to live in small houses behind the barnyard. When she had first arrived to work, she had found herself lost from its vastness. The sizeable estate also left her working endlessly, from one end to another. However, she had never actually cleaned the insides of the Main House. It simply just wasn’t part of her duty.

Picking up the broom lying on top of the hay pile, she gave the sweeping utensil a few tentative brushes. “Alright boys, up and at it! I’ll sweep the barnyard and you can handle the bags of rice. Make sure to sack them up properly in the barn or the Mistress will give all of you a severe beating.” Her eyebrows knotted in frustration when not one of the boys stirred from her call.

Yamanaka Ino frowned in confusion as the moving bodies failed to comply with her orders. They were simple, move the sacks of rice from the barnyard, back into the barn itself. Was the task really that hard or were the workers just resisting?

Her hands clutched onto the stalk of the wooden broom tightly as the distance between the brunette decreased with each heavy step. She felt the sopping dirt seep into the thin soles of her slippers, but it did little to dwindle her hasty gait. Who dared to snooze right under her nose? Who told him to sleep because she certainly had not!

“What are you doing, Shikamaru? I don’t remember the Main House paying you for being lazy.” She fumed hotly at the sleeping form. His laziness was infamous and yet they still hadn’t bothered to relieve him of his job, which was beyond even her. The humidity also did little to ease her anger as she approached the young man.

He snorted out loudly before propping himself on the sacks of rice he had so carefully built to sustain his weight. “Che, I don’t recall them paying you to be a banshee.” That ripped a head-splitting screech from her lips, much to his chagrin. “Alright, alright. I’ll get to work. Feh, women.”

“Who is in charge of this?” A look of disapproval was written clearly across his handsome face. Surely they could have provided the Main House with better service than this. Loose bags of rice lay thoughtlessly thrown upon the ground, while the grains of rice nearly covered the entirety of the dirt road.

The two friends immediately ceased their argument to greet the recognizable voice.

“Good Morning, Neji-bocchan!” The two called out, their heads bowing in respect as the young master made his way to them.

Neji nodded, indicating that they could once again lift their heads up. “I want to know where the carts are. The ones that Hisashi-sama had left for me to deliver to the next town.”

“Hisashi-sama left the sake in front of the storage room, I think. Would you like me to direct you to the room, Neji-bocchan?” Ino offered politely, although her mind wanted otherwise.

“Alright,” With a curt wave, Neji left to do his biddings.

This was a man that held all the power in his hands and yet had nothing at all, someone she definitely didn’t want to deal with. She had always found it strange how he chose to separate himself from the rest of the family. Even though Hyuuga Neji was the third successor of the family business, and he, by no means, led an arduous life, had a drawback with his life. What that hitch was exactly, she couldn’t see. The death of his father had left him the master of the Branch family, granting him power to rule over them as well as the winery shop. He held the shop records, and watched over the labor. And yet, he seemed to have some form of bitterness that loomed as constant as life.

It was no mystery that his father had been the younger twin of the two Hyuugas born. So that separated him from living the life of luxury and of even more extravagance? According to her schedule, a usual morning did not usually consist of rendezous with angst-ridden young men.

“Did you hear about last night?” Ino asked under her breath. It wasn’t a rhetorical question so he chose to shrug slothfully in response. She was going to tell him whether he had answered ‘yes’ or ‘no.’ “Well, they said that Neji-bocchan got extremely drunk, to the point that he dared to attack Hisashi-sama. Not physically, of course. They said he-”

An anguished howl split the crisp air, cutting through her gossip. Ino rushed frantically into the barn where the cry had initially came from. Shoving the door aside, she ran inside with Shikamaru following quickly in her steps. Sure enough, she found her childhood friend sprawled under the heavy bags of rice but made no move to help him. Shikamaru was quick on his feet to lift the weight off of his friend. “Thanks for coming, Shikamaru. I thought I was going to die.”

“Can I ask you what on earth you were doing in here the first place, Chouji? If I remember correctly, they placed you on the fields, didn’t they?”
Chouji shook his head tentatively, a red flush covering his portly face. “It’s just, I couldn’t do the work because it was too hot so I thought I could come in here and help Shikamaru out.” He looked up to see the expression on her face before pressing to get a word of approval from her. “I know what you’re going to say Ino. I promise I won’t be lazy! I’ll work extra hard here.”

“I guess you can stay here. You know it’s not up to me, who’s allowed to stay and who has to leave, Chouji. If I could, Shikamaru would be out on the fields right now, working himself crazy for the money he makes.” Ino commented wearily.

It was only a half-truth. No doubt, Shikamaru would’ve probably somehow found another way to doze away like he usually did, staring at the endless blue skies like they once had in their childhood. Those were pleasant memories of a remembered time. In a time where there weren’t as many anxieties of where the next meal was coming from or whether they had enough to pay for the landlord or not. But now they resided in a new era. The dangers of changes were still new to them since they were born in an old system only to grow up in a new government. That wasn’t to say that she didn’t welcome the new changes. Opportunities blossomed for those who were willing to work hard to earn a living to sustain themselves. She, like her friends, worked to maintain a family of at last two.

Her father had been involved in the coming forth of the new government himself. Although, she was never told the full extent of his accomplishments, it left little doubt in her mind how powerful an influence he was in their village. Every one of the civilians in the village held some form of respect for him, even the Hyuugas. In many ways, even their fathers shared the same destinies hers had. Very much like the three of them, their predecessors were as close as curry and rice. One could even be led to believe that it was predestined; the three were born to be friends.

Shikamaru turned to face the blonde woman. An eyebrow arched up in curiosity as he tried to read her thoughts, which he soon found was pointless. “Women are so confusing.”

“You just work too hard, Ino.” The pudgy youth announced, pulling what she guessed was food from his large bag. A large black box was placed in front of them as the taller boy moved to join his friend. Chouji patted the empty seat beside him upon the dry hay. “Take a break and have some lunch with us! If you work too hard and die, who’s going to be around to yell at us for being lazy?”

Sighing, the blonde girl brought a hand up to message the oncoming headache. In many ways, her two friends remained as untouched as ever. “I don’t know…”

She eyed the open door, contemplating whether taking a break with her companions was worth it. “We might get fired if they catch us, guys. I really need this job to support my family. You know how father can’t work because he recently got that injury on his knee.”

“I brought some dangos for you,” Shikamaru produced a tray of miniature sticky rice balls draped in sweet sauce. She mentally cursed her friend for knowing her lifelong weakness. Even as she tried to reason against joining them, her determination steadily crumbled away as her clutch on the broom fell. “I know you want it, Ino. I made it especially for you, you know? Why don’t you stop being so troublesome and just join us.”

Finally agreeing, the blonde growled, setting aside the broom before succumbing to her friend’s wishes, all three of them temporarily forgetting the burdens that their young shoulders carried, which had predestined them to live their lives in bitter destitution.

***

“Will you get up already, Old Man?” Jiraiya watched as the young man, barely seventeen summers passed, rushed from one side of the house to another, grabbing whatever articles, happened to fall in his path. The two of them lived in a remotely small house. Calling it a shack wasn’t getting more toward the technical end, but they led relatively easy lives. It wasn’t anything to be proud of, a small bed for himself while Naruto slumbered upon the clay floor after a long day’s work each night. It had been that way since they had first bought the house and only through Jiraiya’s insistent complaints had the blonde forfeited the comforts of his bed, earning a pan in his face and several salted jellyfishes to decorate the reddening flesh.

A typical day consisted of him sleeping away from an intense night of ‘studying’ and Naruto finding odd bits of after school jobs here and there in order to support them. With what little money he made from selling his novels, Jiraiya would save just enough to send the small boy off to school. There were days when he, himself, would decline his sacred sake in exchange for paying for Naruto’s tuition.

Although recently, he had personally built a raft for the blonde youth, allowing him to ferry passengers from one bank of the river to another. It was proved to be both lucrative and convenient since they did not have to pay any type of fee to any landlord. Their home was located relatively near the dock. So right after school every single day at exactly three in the afternoon, Naruto would run home from class, backpack still slung over his shoulder, and greet his waiting customers with a wave of his hand, his face still perspiring after his mad dash from school.

“Alright, already. I’m up, brat. Don’t forget to bring home some of that sake from the inn.”

“That was a one time deal, and beside, you have arms and legs. Go make us some money so I don’t have to fish for jellyfish again. Unlike you, I get sick after eating salted jellyfish with rice for an entire month!” The blonde explained angrily while trying to tie the small embroidery upon his bright orange shirt.

A subtle wind caught his attention as he kneeled over to reach for his matching pants. When had there been such a big hole in the wall? It hadn’t been there last night when he arrived home…

“For God’s sake, you useless old fart! Couldn’t you at least have used the door? I mean, there’s a good reason why we had one built in the first place right?” He yanked the article over his legs, unbuttoning them once they rode beneath his slender waist. Naruto glanced at his weathered condition. So now getting new clothes would also become a part of his already immense agenda.

Naruto blinked his large blue eyes before sighing exhaustedly. Pieces of paper, both crumbled and unused, laid scattered around the outline of the man’s bed. “Can you please at least do something about the mess on your bed? I spend half of the money we make, or I make sounds better actually, to buy you paper. Do you have any idea how expensive it is? Can’t you be a lot more careful with what you write? I don’t get it in the first place. What is it exactly that you write in your novels?”

The white haired-man took on a sudden sparkle and pulled away the covers of his bed to show the blonde what he had been hiding underneath him in the first place. Naruto stumbled backward, away from the bed in alarm. “What the hell is that? That’s what you take my hard earn money to do? Draw girls in…those offending articles of clothing?”

“Tsk…tsk. You just don’t appreciate real art, brat.”

If he had been near the bed, Naruto was sure he would’ve fallen upon it by now. Instead, he chose to gather the compost. “I think you’re going to have to redefine your definition of art.” He mumbled, looking at his reflection from the broken mirror next to the wrecked window.

“What are you doing now?”

“I’m not sure. Something just feels like it’s missing, but I can’t put my thumb on what it is exactly.” Naruto scratched his golden locks as his eyes scanned over the room. The hand stopped when he realized what it was he had been searching for in the first place. “Where is my bandanna?”

“Which one?”

“The ONLY one, old man! You know, the one that’s orange with the blue spirals on it.” The blank look on Jiraiya’s face “For god sake’s do something!

"At this rate I’m going to be spending the rest of my life making money to support a drunken old fool who writes pornographic novels. Aren’t you ashamed of yourself?”

He stared back at the accusing blonde boy.

Naruto reeled back in incredulity. To think if this man hadn’t been almost a nanny to him, he would have found his drunken self out on the streets. “You really aren’t ashamed? How can you admit something like that with such a straight face on?”

“The bandanna is on your head already. Hurry up or you’re going to be late for school.” Jiraiya announced, fully getting off of the bed to approach the youth. “Work hard, brat.”

The blonde rolled his eyes in answer. “Shouldn’t I be saying the same for you? Sometimes I wonder who’s the guardian around here. Anyway, the leftovers are on top of the table. Heat them up with the stove when you’re hungry.”

He laughed shortly before rubbing the blonde’s locks, making the head accessory fall into the azure eyes. To think a kid would be the one giving orders twenty years ago would have been out of the question. “Just go already.”

With a minute smile and a trouble-free wave, Naruto departed into another day.

***

-4 July, 1903: Wakkanai, Japan-

He hadn’t arrived at the shores of Hokkaido expecting such a large mass of people to greet them, or to welcome the homecoming passengers. The saline sea breeze had left him more than just a little uncomfortable; so at the first sight of land, a feeling of relief rushed through the core of his soul.

“Come on, Sasuke. It really wasn’t that bad, was it now? Here you were upset about traveling for more than three days on the sea.” Sasuke turned to face his accomplice, albeit reluctantly. Sharing one cabinet with the man had left him even more nauseated than he had first anticipated. Living in such tight corridors meant having little privacy and he was none too happy to be forced into it. By all means, Kakashi wasn’t bad company at all. The doctor spent most of his time reading novels, and from the looks of them, they weren’t of any type of medical context.

“If you weren’t my doctor, I would’ve thrown you off of this stupid boat with my own hands.” The raven-haired Uchiha sneered through his teeth as Hatake Kakashi leaned onto the metal rails, joining the many tight bodies that had also decided that it was best to greet their loved ones at a distance first. A familiar face amongst the crowd on land immediately sent him staggering away to hide behind the packed bodies.

“What is she doing here?” Sasuke screamed over the boisterous crowd, irritation evident in his barking voice. There were a number of adjectives, which could be used to describe him. Lone, stoic, dark, all of those words were practically his trademark. At that present moment, the words: wary, angry, and annoyed seemed to fit him a whole lot better.

“I sent a telegram to Sakura-dono telling her that you would arrive within a week’s notice when we were staying at that inn located in Moscow. She was quite ecstatic that we were returning to Japan and told me that she would take upon herself to greet us when the White Maiden docks upon the shores of Hokkaido. So don’t blame me for telling her that that we were arriving here…”

Sasuke glared at the young doctor, knowing that his downfall was at hand. One by one the people departed from the ship to meet their loved ones. He followed the moving mass without a second thought, hoping that somehow his worries would float away with the flying clouds above him, to the floating water beneath.

Closing the distance once they got on land, the pink haired girl offered the weary travelers an earnest smile. Sakura hesitantly knelt in salutation before speaking, her voice nervous from his presence he supposed. “How was the trip, Doctor? Did you sleep and eat well? I heard that the Russians were barbaric with their European ways. They didn’t bother you too much, did they?”

“No more savage than we are, Sakura-dono. Perhaps you can show us to where we are staying?” Kakashi commented tolerantly, earning a stare from both youths.

“If it isn’t too disrespectful for me to ask you, Kakashi-sensei. Why are you still wearing your white mask?” Sakura asked politely, wanting to move away from the topic. The edginess in his voice had indicated that she had mistakenly treaded into delicate territory. A new subject matter was the best way to go.

“Oh, this?” Kakashi took the bait and answered, all thoughts of her vulgar remark wiped from his mind. “The mask makes me feel a lot more comfortable. It also blocks off the negative energy which radiates in mass proportions from my dear seventeen-year-old patient.”

The pink haired girl nodded in understanding, sidestepping to reach the awaiting carriage. She waited until they got on before stepping in after them. “Take us to the Haruno resident four blocks down to the right,” She turned back to the two men.

“How about you, Sasuke-kun? Your lungs are no longer bothering you, I hope?”

“Thank you for your concern, but I’m fine.” Sasuke answered offhandedly. “How long do we have to stay at the Haruno’s, Kakashi? I want to get back to Ushiku as soon as possible.”

The silver-haired doctor caught the hurt look flash blatantly across the young girl’s face and reprimanded his young patient for being insensitive. “We will stay as long as I see fit. You are in no shape to do anything other than rest. I will see to it that you won’t move any other part of your body when we reach the Haruno’s residency. You should be grateful that we are allowed to stay at all.”

“Whatever.”

Kakashi leered at the young raven-haired man. Leave it to the stoic Uchiha to be completely anti-social. “So what are we having for dinner Sakura-dono?”
She lifted her head up, happy to be of some assistance. “What would you like, Kakashi-sensei?”

“I’d like…”

And so the rest of the trip to the Haruno’s consisted of a list of what Kakashi would’ve liked for dinner. Sakura nodded with enthusiasm with each word the doctor spoke while Sasuke chose to stare at the passing scenery outside of his window.

***

Preview:

“Miss? Miss? You must ferry me across the river. I have a deliver to make to the other town so please be hasty about it!”

“I don’t have to ‘be hasty’ anything. Now if you don’t mind, I’m going back to my school work.”

“Miss…”

“Hey, if you’re trying to address me, at least get the gender right?”

***

“Can you feel that, Ino?”

“Who would sneak into the barnyard at this hour of the night though? Didn’t you lock the door carefully?”

“Damn, this is so troublesome. There just has to be a thief running around this late at night.”

“Don’t worry! I’ll catch him and take him down myself!”

“Or not. We should just report this to a branch member. They can handle this.”

***

A/N: What do I have to say about this? It’s a cross between Country Spirit and Rurouni Kenshin. To address the couples in this fic, there’s certainly going to be yaoi so if this isn’t your kind of fic, please don’t read it. Initially, I was going to have it be NejiNaru. We’ll see how things go. The next chapter will undoubtedly be about Neji or Ino.... Probably then….. who knows? Have fun while reading my first fic and if you care enough, leave a review.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.
Note: My Fic is now a semi-doujinshi...visit here *art still in work of course*
http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/16117846/

Beta by Lovely Patty!

Honorific dictionary:
Bocchan- Young Master
Sama- Master/Lady
San-Miss/Mr/Mrs
Kun-attachment between friends.
Sensei-Teacher/Novelist/Doctor (Sakura is referring to Kakashi as a doctor)
Dono-Miss/Mr/Mrs (formal)
Yakuza-Mafia-like

Pairings:
NejiNaru
One-sided SakuSasu
SasuNaru(future)
InoShika
...(for now)

***

The Fragrance of Love and Wine

Chapter II: Extreme Astonishment! A Chance Meeting!

Just as the servant girl had told him, Neji found two carefully wrapped wooden crates awaiting his attention. The difficult part of the task proved to be moving the saké. Once assured that the goods were indeed safe, He turned his attention to the earth around him. In his life, the only change which he welcomed came from mother nature itself because the world would be much too bare with fixated perfections. That was the only exception he ever made.

Pools of raindrops had left the countryside mud-spattered. The sound of low whispering branches of dripping trees met his ears whilst he made his way through the forest roads lined with water-laden hedgerows.

He sighed tiredly, adjusting his hold on the boxes, while berating himself for being too proud to accept any offered assistance. Soon the path broke into a clearing where a large river met the edge of the woodland. Neji proceeded down the terrace, his white eyes no longer fixated upon any particular article other than the blue horizon, which met the apex of the tree canopies.

There were no sounds from the rippling tide. Not even the dense maple trees rustled as the usual gusty breeze slacked over their end-branches, dripping with dew. The songbirds had become quiet upon their branches, choosing to bask in the silence, which the belligerent storm offered in its wake. He allowed his entire being to merge with the serenity, his steps becoming rhythmic with the white wispy clouds looming overhead.

It wasn’t often that he was given permission to leave the manor, and even fewer times to actually meander to another village. There was always a reason for his departure of the sanctuary though, usually business reasons, like delivering saké and such. It was menial labor, not worthy of his time.

But he enjoyed it, enjoyed the small bit of independence he momentarily gained as each step carried him further and further away from his cage. He cherished every instant away from his imposing family. Out here in the real world, there was no one to decide his fate for him. No one could tell him what to do or what to say. His silver eyes followed the riverbed, becoming mesmerized by the steady, monotonous flow of the crystal clear rivulet.

The peaceful scenery was shattered when a painstakingly shrill cry caught his attention, nearly causing him to drop the sake. Neji lowered the boxes to search for the owner of the voice. His eyes landed on a short figure lost in thought.

“Miss? Miss? You must ferry me across the river. I have a delivery to make to the other town so please be hasty about it!”

“I don’t have to ‘be hasty’ anything. Now if you don’t mind, I’ll take my leave of you. I have schoolwork to tend to.” Naruto spat bitterly at the voice, apparently not caring the slightest that a patron was waiting to be serviced.

“Miss…”

“Hey, if you’re trying to address me, at least get the gender right?” Naruto answered while pulling on the weathered ropes, and gripping onto them tightly until his knuckles turned red, still refusing to acknowledge the boy looming behind him.

“I don’t care what you are…I just need you to ferry me across the river.” Neji replied shortly, his patience finally wearing thin. “I don’t have time to deal with your stubbornness.”

It was as if the world chose him to be the victim of all bullying. It was him who was the obvious target and even now a complete utter stranger mocked him. He wasn’t in the mood to work after being publicly berated by his teacher. If anything, he should have been somewhere incinerating all copies of The Tales of Genji.

Sure he had arrived later than usual, but he still wasn’t the last one to enter class. Yet, the older man targeted him out, demanding that he recite a most…passionate passage from the novel. Naruto shivered at the memory as he clumsily fumbled over each word on the page, his hands shaking from their contemptuous eyes.

The class barked with mirth while he floundered helplessly under the intense gaze of his uncaring teacher. If anything, he blushed twice as hard before giving up and hoping the earth would somehow open up to swallow him alive. However, hadn’t it become an everyday event to see how they could somehow cause even more damage? He wasn’t sure...but he wasn’t one to give up.

After finishing the first passage, his mortification grew to a new level as the black characters upon the brittle page threatened to engulf him. He had long ago learned that his teacher loved to make his life a living nightmare, but this was just plain hatred. Not only did he have to dissect each word, he had to provide his daily insight upon the events occurring within the scenes of the book.

Now, he was by no means innocent. Naruto would scoff had someone asked him whether or not he knew how a man and a woman worked. Living with a drunken pervert educates one about the birds and the bees. But this dealt with emotion, emotions which he had never felt. So how did one go around explaining something that one has never experienced? So he did the most logical thing that came to mind.

He ran away, which led him to his present predicament, at the edge of the riverbed, staring at his reflection with a flushed face while dealing with an impatient customer whom he had little desire to work with. How hard could it be to find some peace around here?

Naruto continued to feint disinterest in the person behind him by keeping his back turned. He wondered when the other man would finally get the message and disappear. An awkward silence fell between them until it became even too much for Neji.

“Are you going to give me a ride or not?” Neji asked once again, his voice bordering on anger for being spoken to in such an insulting tone. It wasn’t only the tone of his voice, however, but the fact that the blonde refused to turn around to respond to him at all. He wasn’t one to be ignored.

When the glare became too much, Naruto stood up and landed gracefully on top of the dirt bed. One glance at the rude person and he found himself already disliking the other young man immensely. It was brazenly obvious that this man wasn’t a person to be reckoned with, but a part of him wanted to push the other’s buttons for a reason he couldn’t comprehend. Everything from the neatly tied ponytail to the polished black leather shoes annoyed him incessantly. “What are you deaf? I said I’m busy so go away.”

Gritting his teeth, Neji fought the strong urge to toss the parcel in his hold in exchange of thoroughly beating up the insolent boatswain. No one spoke to him like that.

“…aren’t you supposed to be making money by ferrying people across the river?”

“…aren’t you supposed to be gone now after I told you to leave?”

He remained rooted on the spot, a determined frown upon his face indicating that he was going to be ferried across the river, whether Naruto felt like doing it or not. “Enough.”

Naruto stiffened at the commanding words but remained relax. So this person wasn’t going to leave him alone, then let him face the consequences of disturbing his peace. His mind formulated a plan and he quickly set it to work. This prank was going to be rich.

“Hop on then, young master.” He spat out with uncharacteristic sweetness. Neji hadn’t missed the sudden change in temperament but the urgency behind his chore forced him to overlook the transformation. He pushed his pole deep into the clear water, propelling the raft away from the banks of the river.

Neji placed the saké safely beside himself before settling down himself, still eyeing the other boy’s backside. Just as the reached the middle of the stream, Naruto pulled his hands away from the paddle and dropped it into the raft. They stayed still until anxiety over took the older boy.

Neji didn’t blink. “What’s wrong? Why aren’t we moving?”

“…because I don’t want to? I think I twisted my arm while I was pulling the extra weight.” Naruto glanced over at the crates, which had been securely placed beside the taller young man. A cheeky smile formed upon his lip “Oh, dear… I don't think I have the ability to do this much work!”

Neji lifted his head, staring in silence as the blonde released the ropes to walk over to his side of the raft. Without so much as a word, Naruto tipped the crates into the rushing currents, a look of approval on his face.

“What are you doing?”

The blonde gave him an awkward smile, turning around to show him his back once again to the shocked boy sitting behind him. “I think I just dumped your luggage into the river! Hmm…you should really dive for it but be careful! I heard the river is really deep.” His smile became a jeering grin as he could practically feel the silver eyes threatening to burn the backside of his head, but made no move to explain his previous actions. Let the bastard get what he deserved for bothering him in the first place.

“Do you have any idea what you just did?” Neji growled, his voice never passing its initial softness. A dispassionate wave answered his question.

“Who do you think you are? You can’t just walk around acting like you’re the prince of the whole freaking world! I don't have to listen to you. You have no right to tell me that I'm worth absolutely nothing.”

“Hyuuga Neji.”

“Say what?”

"I said my name is Hyuuga Neji."

Naruto pivoted his body around to stare at the sitting young man, hoping that he hadn’t heard correctly and by some strange chance this was all just a joke. He folded his hands, a sign of disbelief flashing across his tanned face. He closed his eyes briefly before finding his voice. “I don’t believe you.”

“You don’t have to…but you better jump into the river and retrieve the saké yourself or I’ll have you arrested for deliberate sabotage.” Neji warned while inspecting the depth of the river. It certainly was deep.

He felt some part of him sink in dismay, and then hefted the paddle back into his hands and driving the raft onto the other side of the bay.Damn the world for being cruel to him. Not only had he had a bad run-in with his teacher at school, but now with the Hyuugas too? Naruto glanced at the distance between the raft and river groove. There was no chance in the world he could’ve run away from this dilemma.

Although it was better to try than to just give up.

The raft landed on the opposite side with a soft thud as the rim collided into the shore. Just as he made a move to break into a run, a strong hand latched itself onto his forearm, causing him to wince from the sudden pressure before it pulled away. He attempted to rise an arm to attack the other boy for daring to make contact with him, but it refused to move.

“What the hell did you do to me? Why can’t I move my arm?” Naruto screeched, his blue eyes dilating in fear. He wasn’t stupid and soon realized that Neji had done something to his arm.

“I won’t fix it until you pay for the alcohol, so you’re not going anywhere.” Neji answered abruptly, breaking into the other’s thoughts.

“I don’t have any money,” was his invariable answer, and in turn his response was a curt shrug. He didn’t care what type of problems this bumbling idiot had, just the need to somehow repay for the lost goods.

Just as he opened his mouth to express his precise thoughts, a slight hand came up to tug on the cuff of his sleeve. His words were held as Naruto articulated his words through gritted teeth. He resisted the urge to slap the offending hand away but stilled when Naruto lowered his head to speak.

“Please…don’t arrest me. I don’t want to be a bother to the old man. I don’t have anyone who will get me out of jail or work to feed and pay our living expenses. I’ll do anything to repay you.” If only he could’ve learned how to act like a rational person and not be quick of temper. He noted that it was much too late, even for an apology. His heartbeat sped up in fear of being imprisoned.

Glancing at the warm blue skies ahead of him, Neji noticed how it was only early in the afternoon. The walk to the next village would take at least another hour or so. “Come with me then.”
It wasn’t a request but a command. Naruto closed his eyes in relief, willing his racing heart to calm itself once more. Although, that was an odd request, he quickly nodded in agreement.
Once Neji started walking away, he followed behind. “Where are we going
then?”

“First we’re going to the next village and apologizing for the reason behind why they won’t get their saké today because you were stupid enough to dump their order into the river. Then I’ll take you home and have the Main family deal with you.” Neji explained in a straightforward, business-like tone.

“The Main family? What are you people…some kind of yakuza?” That didn’t sound good at all. Maybe it was better to take his chances with the police.

“No.”

His blue eyes leveled onto the back of the taller young man's neck. “What are they going to do with me?”

“Stop talking.”

Another command.

“Yes, Neji-bocchan.”

***

They arrived at the village about two hours later. His blue eyes widened considerably when they entered the unknown village. It was his first time being far away from home and the thought excited him.

His enthusiasm died when they drew near a house decorated in complete pink and red. He forced himself to keep stride with Neji, rushing to his side, and stopped altogether.

“We’re here.” Naruto heard the other boy whisper and walked pass the draped entranced hall. The smell of overly saccharine perfume with a hint of sweat engulfed all of his senses. He felt baffled when hordes of girls, all scantly dress flocked to him in vigor. This was a new one.

“Please do come in. We have some of the best girls in the whole village. What types would you like? Perhaps petite ones?” A particularly voluptuous woman in her early primes asked him.

Neji gave them a warning glare, which made the mass back away. “Take me to you owner.” He announced to the nearest working girl, his other hand reaching out to wrench the blonde closer to him as they proceeded up the lavish stairs and down a hallway filled with lustful moans, which he chose to ignore. A grand set of doors opened, prompting them to enter. The next sight sickened him to the core of his soul.

A man, much passed his prime, laid sprawled on an elegant bed while a small girl rode him. Even when the new occupants entered the room, the couple on the bed made no move to stop. He stared at her milky backside, her virginal white kimono resting at the slender of her waist as she pushed herself up and down. Their ragged breathing echoed abundantly around the massive room.

Naruto glanced over at his companion and was shocked to find his face remaining impassive to the scene in front of them. He, on the other hand, was both appalled and embarrassed for interrupting in the midst of their lovemaking.

Clearing his throat to announce his presence, the old patron averted his attention from the girl to himself. “I am here on behalf of the Hyuuga Saké business, Fujitaka-san”

The elder man quickly shoved the girl away from him when she ceased to get off of him. A swipe of his hand left her face red, eyelashes lowering over her dark eyes to halt the oncoming tears. “Go clean yourself, slut. I have business to address. Get the big mistress to bring my opium to me.”

“You must be Neji-bocchan….”

Whatever came next, he wasn’t quite sure. His attention was focused solely on the deflated figure on the ground, trying to soak in what just had occurred. She was slight of form, far too young to be doing this to anyone. She resembled a china doll, with legs wide open. Her wet lashes, her slack limbs...it was all too much.

He turned on his heel and ran to the door, colliding into another person holding a tray, but continued until he was out of the vicinity. The blonde suddenly felt very cold and knew that the burning image of that girl would become a part of his nightmares for a while.

Naruto slumped against the walls of the old building, allowing the coldness of the concrete to temporarily bring him back to earth. He sucked in the precious oxygen his body so desired for, creating a burning sensation at the back of his throat but did nothing to stop. His eyes laced over the clear sky unconsciously, allowing the passing birds to bring some sense of time back into him.The experience had been surreal, almost as though he were in another place entirely.

He gazed down at the large stain, which had gathered from the saké spilt on his shirt from his hurried dash through the prostitution house. Furiously rubbing it to rid himself of the blemish, he failed to notice the approaching Hyuuga. His mind replayed the events with vapid clarity. The hands, so many of them had reached out to him, for what he wasn’t sure.

It wasn’t like he had any money to offer them in the first place. All of the females were dressed in a familiar wanton manner, wearing little to nothing. However, what left his mouth dry and lips chapped was the final scene before he completely snapped.

“Why did you run away?”

“Why didn’t you tell me we were going to a…that place!” His functioning hand scraped the chipped walls in an effort to stop himself from tipping over as he felt the unsettling bile rise pass his dry throat, leaving an altogether putrid numbness, but his mind wanted otherwise. He wanted to return to that same room and rip that disgusting man limb from limb. “Why would you do business in a place like that?”

The meeting had unnerved him to no ends. While Neji handled it like a seasoned professional, he had to constantly fight the oncoming urge of regurgitating upon the regal carpet of that same room where that small girl had rocked back and forth, almost mechanically. The smell of burning opium left him sickened, yearning for the fresh air he had once taken for granted.

After declaring it more then enough, he rushed out of the brothel without so much as a look back, ignoring the commanding call from the other boy. Slowly he lifted his head to face the other boy. When he spoke, his words were barely recognizable to himself. “How do you do that?”

“Do what?” Neji asked impassively as he walked to the cowering form. The negotiations went by rather quickly, arriving at an agreement for him to deliver another batch by the end of the week.

“Deal with people like that? How can you be in a place like that and not have it bear any sort of mark upon your conscience? Those women…those girls…”

“It is their destiny to live the way they do. There is nothing we can do for them so there is no point in feinting any type of sympathy.” He explained in a tone of infinite patience.

Remaining downcast, Naruto wouldn’t look at him, he couldn’t. He was too horrified from the other’s answer to find his waning voice. He looked ready to burst into a rampage when Neji sighed softly, walking away from him and beginning the journey home.

***

“What are you going to do to me? I don’t have any money to pay for the saké.” The blonde repeated for the millionth time that day, knowing that he was going to be dealt punishment regardless.

“I know.” He wasn’t sure what had possessed him to bring the blonde along with him after the idiot had unwisely cast the saké into the runnel. His actions bewildered him in numerous ways.

“Just go home.” Neji concluded, sidestepping to get on shore from the rocking raft.

Pausing in his ministrations, Naruto tied the last knot on the pole before straightening himself up from his crouching position. “You’re a really confusing person, you know that?”

“…”

“What should I do?” He asked finally.

“Don’t worry about it.”

“You’re not so bad.” Naruto said with a clear, very honest voice. He blinked in surprise when the other grabbed his arm and gave it a thoughtful look. A negligent finger traced hands, passing his wrist and stopped at his elbow.

To the blonde’s immense gratefulness, Neji kneaded the numb sensation in his forearm away. He said finally, “You should be able to move it now. I released the blocked pressure points in your arm. Douse some cold water on top of it and all should be well.”

Grinning cheekily, Naruto placed a hand onto Neji’s shoulder in a gesture of friendship. “You really aren’t that bad at all.”

“Whatever. Just go away.”

“I’ll see later you then!” With a bright smile and a slight wave, Naruto rushed off into the sunset, leaving him behind to wonder about the last comment.

“See you later…?” Neji chuckled under his breath, shoving his hands into his pockets and made his way back to the manor.

***

Ino walked to the open gates of the Hyuuga Manor, emptying the water basin into the sooty streets. The cold water flowed through the creaks, before seeping into the earth itself. It was dark, although not too dark. She hoisted the dimly lit blaze higher up to reveal a part of a shadowed form. Where was he going this late at night and around here for that matter?

She had no time to say anything when someone moved to relieve her of the basin in her hands. Ino turned her head over her shoulder to thank him and turned back only to meet an empty road. Questioning what she saw mentally, the blonde girl shook her head and closed the barn door.

“Are you read to go home yet?” Ino said, turning to face her friend. “I’m completely put out with all of the work they’ve placed on me today!”

Massaging her sore shoulders, she locked the barn door and proceeded to check up on the storage one last time before completely retiring. She had come down earlier but it was always better to be safe than sorry.

Her shadowed blue eyes roamed over the open entrance, surveying the odd scene with a look of confusion upon her face. Lifting the night lantern higher, Ino moved closer to the storage room to investigate the dark shack.

Her fingers traced over the door with apprehension, taking note of how the entry had been thoughtlessly broken through, leaving behind small chips of paint and splinters of wood. Recollecting the day’s actions, she realized that she had indeed closed off the storage room earlier.

“That’s strange…I don’t remember leaving the storage room open. I just closed it before I went to the barn. Did you reopen it, Shikamaru? You know you're not allowed in here! If you're going to be lazy go and sleep somewhere else!” Ino whispered softly as her friend leaned in to observe the damage. The look on his face told more than actual words.

Rubbing the bottom of his chin, the boy answered with a reassuring firmness. There was no point in scaring her. “No, but don’t worry. I’m right here.” She gave him an odd look, telling him it was hard enough for him to protect himself much less her.

“What was that? You heard that too didn’t you? I bet it’s a ghost trying to haunt us for not properly cleaning the storage room. It’s getting revenge because of your laziness, bum!” Her brain clicked on, random images of possible occurrences that could have involved the break-in of the room. All of them had nothing to do with her friend.

“It’s just the wind, Ino.” The dark branches scraped against the thick windows as the night wind danced through the trees. He was worried himself though.

The room was of great importance, stowing the majority of the produced saké. Locks of different types had been guardedly placed on the door to protect the assets inside. The Hyuugas had handed her one of the main keys after she had showed herself worthy of their trust. That had been many months ago, and now this had to happen! They were going to blame her for sure.

Shikamaru sighed heavily before gently tugging on the obviously troubled girl’s hand, leading her cautiously into the dark room. He had personally never entered the room, not only because he thought it to be too troublesome, but simply because it was considered off-limits.

“There’s no point in worrying about it now. We should just see what’s happened and report to the Hyuugas tomorrow.” He ensured her, although wary of the dangers himself.

His fingers tightened soothingly when she said nothing in response. A quiet Ino was a bad type of Ino. A bossy Ino was the best way to go. After a few steps past the broken door, he paused and released her hand. “You should wait outside. I’ll go and see what happened by myself.”

“I’m not scared!” Ino replied, although her voice lacked the conviction she so desperately sought for. Sure she was scared, anyone would've been. However, she had an image of confidence to maintain.

"Che...do what you want. I don't get women sometimes," Shikarmaru sighed, knowing that Ino wasn't going to change her mind no matter how many times he plead.

The blackness within the quarters left it difficult to see, and with what little light they had, he pieced the crime scene together. The thief left various signs of being an amateur; lids of crates thrown thoughtlessly aside, pieces of broken glass that had once held the alcohol littered the ground. But why would the bandit bother to destroy any of the saké if it was his objective to steal it in the first place.

So he drew another conclusion. This had to be an act of sabotage, be it random or not.

He swore loudly when a sharp edge ripped past his shorts, breaking the callous skin lying
underneath.

“Did you just hear a moan?” Ino unconsciously pushed closer to the taller young man, seeking safety from whatever stood in the darkness. “I’m too beautiful to die! I swear when I find whoever is behind this, I’ll kill them with my own hands! This means that I’ll have to clean this whole room again tomorrow!”

“Gee…this is almost romantic, don’t you think?” She murmured quietly, a hint of sarcasm leaking through her words. Her grasp tensed further when a piece of glass cut through the soles of her feet. A low hiss of breath tickled his ear

“Yeah, sure whatever. Just don’t squeeze my hand so hard, Ino.”

She giggled uneasily and released her punishing grip on his hand. “Shut up and be a man! You should be privileged to have such a pretty girl holding your hand.”

“We’re not going to find anything here tonight. Let’s just head back and tell them what happened here.”

“But…”

“Don’t worry. Nothing will happen to you, okay? I’ll explain it to them and you’ll get to go home afterward.” He answered, cutting her words short.

“It’s not that! I’m not scared of what will happen to me.” Ino insisted bravely before turning around and walking back into the courtyard.

The walk back to the entrance of the main manor was the longest one she had ever endured in her entire seventeen years of existence. A feeling of turbulence consumed her as she allowed herself to be led to the ominous house. Shikamaru knocked on the door and a servant pushed it open.

“I just wanted to tell you that the storage room was broken into last night. We couldn’t find the culprit, but we did find an article of clothing left behind. I don’t know who it belongs to.” The servant nodded in understanding and shut the door once again.

After a few more moments passed, Ino grew impatient and proceeded to bang upon the wooden gates herself. A new person answered this time. “Someone has broken into the storage room. Can we request an audience with one of the Hyuugas? Oh…pardon my intrusiveness, Hanabi-sama.” Ino lowered herself in apology.

“I see. How much of the asset was stolen?” Hanabi offered a dismissive gesture, telling them that they were not to blame.

“That’s the strange thing though. There wasn’t anything missing, just destroyed. Would you like me to go and search the vicinities, Hanabi-sama?”
Ino whispered urgently in response.

The main house member shook her head, “It’s fine. I’ll report it to father and see what course of action he wants us to pursue. May I ask who was in charge of the storage room at that point in time then?”

Alarm spread through her like wild fire, “I was, but I swear I didn’t have anything to do with it!”

“I know you didn’t, Ino-san. You can go home now. Everything can be discussed tomorrow when the family wakes up.”

“Okay…”

“Wait….Ino-san. Can you tell me who the last person that entered the storage room before you?” Hanabi asked in a serious tone.

“Neji-bocchan was the last one to enter, Hanabi-sama” The cogs in her head set to work after her accusation was uttered. Ino raised her hands in front of her mouth to clasp it in shock before drawing them away.

“But I’m not saying that he was the one that did it! Please don’t mind me. I’m probably not thinking properly after the incident. Perhaps there was someone other than Neji-bocchan.” She added hastily, knowing that the damage had been done. Damn her stupid, senseless mouth. The look on Hanabi’s face indicated that she hadn’t heard the addition at the end.

“You are dismissed. I shall address this problem tomorrow, until then you may assume your previous actions.”

Just as the mansion became nothing more than a speck behind them, Ino released her breath which she hadn’t even notice she had held in the first place. Shikamaru opened his mouth to speak but closed it when he realized that it was better to remain just as they were, quiet.

Once the two friends reached a fork in the road, they came to a standstill. A bit of her fervor seemed to be missing as she spoke, “You better get your behind to work on time tomorrow or I’ll drag you out of your sleep. Tell Chouji that includes him as well.”

“Yes, madam! Her friend saluted in a teasing manner before becoming serious once more, “Hey, just chill. I don’t think Neji did anything so stop worrying about it so much. It’s probably someone else. All of your worrying is making it even more troublesome.”

“I hope so and you find everything troublesome, Shikamaru.” Ino said, wishing with every thread of life in her body that his words would become reality.

***

He pulled the door to his room open when someone rapped on it. A well-known face was revealed behind the paper door.

“Good evening, Neji-niisan. How was the trip across the river?”

“Fine, Hanabi-sama.”

“You should rest now since it’s been a long day. Would you like to relieve me of the funds which you have collected from our patron?”

“I apologize to you, but I do not have it. I shall explain what happened to Hiashi-sama immediately in the morning about what occurred.” Neji explained to the awaiting figure, his white eyes looking pointedly at her own.

“I understand. Please excuse me then, I must get back to the Main House before father becomes worried about my absence. I shall mention to father what has happened. Perhaps you can stop by the manor tomorrow morning and speak to him? Please do not let me keep you then. Good night, Neji-niisan.”

It wasn’t to be a good night for Neji though. His thoughts raced back and forth restlessly, from the boy named Naruto to the stoic face of his young cousin

***

His eyes snapped open at the appropriate time, plain white bed linens statuesquely tucked over lithe form, while the blank chalky canopy stared at him. He shifted on the hard surface of his wooden bed but made no move to get off, waiting for his disoriented mind to collect its self. At some point, which he couldn’t figure out, his thoughts became turbid, a jumble of words and events passing by, only to be washed away by a pigment of endless blue.

Neji frowned at the thought, and laughed loudly at the absurdity, which had been summoned from the corner of his mind. How could one person display such diverse emotions to a stranger? Happy smiles…petulant snorts…dismayed frowns. This was a person whom wore his affectivity upon his sleeves, and yet he couldn’t figure what this person believed in or what he was made of.

It took him a total of fifteen minutes to prepare for his meeting with the Main leader. He wasn’t dressed in anything too elegant, just his brown slacks and casual white shirt. Neji greeted the people which offered their morning salutations with a nod and immediately made his way to the main manor.

The atmosphere surrounding the main manor had always left him both wary and tense at the same time ever since he was a child. At first, the reasons were petty. He disliked the way there seemed to be absolutely no life within the confines of the elegantly carved gates. It felt like a prison and each time he had entered with his father, a sense of foreboding would enwrap his soul. The grounds were cut and trimmed to perfection, almost seemingly static,

Neji thought. It wasn’t his place to think so, but that was how he felt since childhood when his father would bring him to a hearing with the main house. It wasn’t exactly common that the two branches would come in contact, but each one left a mark.

“Neji-niisan…fa-father is waiting for you by the p-pond.” Hinata called out timidly, her hands twisting in her sleeves. Neji nodded in greeting and proceeded to the location.

By the pond stood his father’s elder twin brother by fifteen minutes as he had been told countless of times. The only difference was that he felt no warmth radiate from the identical face whatsoever. It was better off that way.

"Hiashi-sama…” Neji lowered his upper body in greeting but his uncle paid him little acknowledgement.

“There was a break-in in the storage room last night as one of the servants had told Hanabi. She said that you were the last person to be in the room.”

The voice was cold, merciless. “And you do not have the money from the negotiations either. How will you explain yourself to me, nephew?”

Neji straightened himself and answered, his voice austere when he spoke. “I dropped the delivery into the river due to my own clumsiness. Please let me repay you for my mistake. As for the break-in of the storage room, I’m afraid I had nothing to do with it.”

A moment of silence passed and then Hiashi sent him away. “I shall take the money from under your name. You may leave then.”

***

Days later Neji found himself at the rim of the riverbed, facing the back of a certain blonde. He couldn’t explain what brought him there in the first place. It just happened. Before he even thought twice about where his feet were taking him, his body followed a resonating voice deep inside.

“What are you doing here?”

“I don’t know…”

Naruto gave him a look of surprise before throwing his books aside to unhook the rope from the metal pole keeping the raft anchored from the rushing torrents. He felt the other watch him work silently, but chose not to comment. His practiced hands worked with ease, pulling the rope away and twisting it into a bundle before tucking them back onto the raft.

“Are you going to sit there all day?”

“Maybe…”

“Suit yourself then.”

He couldn’t understand what was so fascinating about the blonde in front of him. Sure, it was strange to find a Japanese person with golden blonde hair and such a rich shade of blue eyes. Naruto was by no means ugly, although not exactly the essence of utter beauty either. The boy was certainly comely in a simple way though.

Simplicity wasn’t so bad if it came in ribbons of gold and azure.

“Do you want to share?” He stiffened when the small box was thrust a mere inch away from his nose.

“My lunch…there’s too much of it because the old pervert ate out again when I told him not to. I made enough for two people, but I don’t want to throw away the leftovers. It’s not good to waste food. It’s not like its good food any way, so don’t expect too much. I mean, you must eat food that comes from all around the world, like China or something so this must not taste very good at all or anyth-”

“I don’t mind.”

Neji found himself staring at the boy sitting beside him in question, taking in each and every one of his actions. Then he spoke without a second thought, “Where did you get those marks?”

“Oh these?” Naruto turned to him, lowering his chopsticks with a look of curiosity on his face. The blonde traced the marks on his face subtly, taking a deep breath and then answered. “I got them from falling down from a tree after the old man told me not to climb it when I was a child. Apparently I got it when I was a child because I really don’t remember what happened. It’s all really fuzzy.”

“I wonder what really happened sometimes...at least that's what Jiraiya told me. I'm not so sure I should believe him though. He drinks too much to be considered a reliable source of information. "

"It is better to be ignorant than mistaken,” Neji commented quietly, picking up a suspicious piece of rice before slipping it into his mouth. “You live with someone else?”

“Of course! I live with the perverted old man in that shack over there.”

“There are a lot of perverted old men around here, Naruto.” He said in a sense of stateliness. His opinion of the boy being sensible or even remotely
intelligent was quickly dwindling.

“His name’s Jiraiya.”

“Jiraiya?” Why did that name sound familiar? Had he heard his father mention it when he was younger?

Each day after that followed in the same manner. Whenever he found free time, Neji would escape from the confines of his lonely home and join the blonde by the riverside until it became a custom for him to appear precisely after his duties had been fulfilled, and Naruto had finished all of his jobs after school.

And each time, some how, the walk home felt lonelier and lonelier. There were feelings churning inside of him, which could possibly erupt at any unknown second, feelings he himself could not fully grasp. They were by no means unpleasant, but rather foreign and unusual. Characterless particles seemed less empty with each time he met Naruto, taking on a life of its own where it once had been flat. He lifted his head to trace the receding clouds upon the setting sky.

There was a creak in his deeply frozen heart. A creak that threatened to melt away from the most delicate touch of an intimate person, and he was all too uncertain of what that could possibly mean for him.

He arrived at the front entrance of the house all too soon for his taste. Just as he stepped passed the doorway, a voice caught him from walking any further.

“You’ve been disappearing a lot, Neji-niisan…” Neji felt his stomach curl in trepidation, but said nothing in response. Her words came out like black silk, soft and dangerous. It wasn’t a question, but a declaration. “Perhaps you should check in with me before leaving again? The Main House doesn’t want one of its best branch members to fall into any type of predicament now.”

Whatever type of agitation he felt was immediately suppressed as he answered promptly, showing little discomposure from the girl’s poisonous words. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Hanabi-sama.”

“You know very well what I’m talking about, Neji-niisan. I wish not to repeat myself more than is necessary. If you are found out of place again, father will deal with you. I assure you that he will not be so lenient as I am.”

“I understand.”

***


Preview:

"I SWEAR I DIDN'T DO IT!"

"..I know you didn't Naruto..."

"But they won't listen to me! WHY?...You don't believe me either do you? You're just like them too."

"No!"


***

A/N: Alright...fixed w/e seemed out of place. Yeah, I'm going to start avoiding the westerner influences. It just seems like something Naruto would say too… I’m not going to tell the mass what the pairings are going to be…you’ll just have to read and find out for yourself. Nothing…I repeat…NOTHING is set in stone. Even the initial couple, so don’t get too comfortable with them yet. So that explains why I didn’t give it a Sasusaku warning…I shouldn’t have given it a NejiNaru warning either. Well, because it might not be that or it might just be that! Who knows? Whatever, just review if you want. I hope you liked it! *Smiles*

Thanks to Anon, eta_carinae23, ppchan, chebbi, and akuma_river for reviewing. Sorry if I didn't address your questions. I figure it'd be better if I just started working on the next chapter, ne?