Author's Note: I hope you enjoy. Please rate and review. I would appreciate it very much =)
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. This story was based on the manga Tears of Goldfish in Tsumi Koi.
...
Fireworks. Yukata. Summer.
I had my first kiss with a boy named Hyuuga Neji. There was an explosion of colour in the sky. I wore my white yukata. It was a hot summer's night. We were ten.
…
"I SAW IT!" Naruto announced to his fellow classmates. "Neji and Tenten were kissing yesterday!"
The two children mentioned immediately perked up, their faces flushed bright red, as everyone in the classroom began gasping and chattering amongst themselves.
"Is that true?" Sakura inquired shyly.
"That's disgusting!" Naruto laughed as the rest of the boys started snickering at the pair.
"T-That's not true!" Tenten shouted as she stood up from her desk. "We…we wouldn't do something like that…" her words trailed off as she felt a pair of eyes on the back of her head. Turning around to meet that pair of eyes, the first thing she noticed was the hurt she saw in them.
In the weeks that followed, they began avoiding each other. Conversations were the first to go. Next were their smiles. And it wasn't long until she, herself, was gone.
…
Tenten let out a heavy sigh as she approached the school gate. It had been five years since she moved away from the city. And now, she was back. Learning from Sakura that he would be in the same school had turned her feelings of excitement into those of worry and unease. Things between them had changed after that incident, and she hadn't exactly improved on the situation by leaving town without telling him.
Why did I say something like that?
They were only children, and it was a long time ago, but that memory had always haunted her throughout the years. Because of her mistake, she had lost not just her first love, but also her best friend. The way she left things hadn't exactly been ideal, and she couldn't help but wonder how he would react to seeing her again.
…
Her hazel brown eyes widened as her gaze landed on a familiar figure. His silky black hair, his milky white eyes, his pale skin. Hardly anything about him had changed yet as her gaze continued to be fixated on him, she felt as though she were staring at a complete stranger.
…
Tenten leaned against the school gate as she scanned for him amongst the students walking past. The day had gone by almost too quickly, and she hadn't found the time to talk to him during the day. Having overheard that he had club activities that day, she decided to stay behind after school for him to have a chance to talk. As she struggled to gather her thoughts in anticipation, she managed to spot him approaching from afar. Taking in a deep breath to steady her nerves, she gathered the courage to put up a brave front and tried her best to put on a convincing smile as he neared. Taking a small step forward towards him, she raised a hand as though to greet him.
Their eyes met for a brief moment before he averted his gaze and continued to walk past her, as if he hadn't seen her. She turned around immediately and called out to him, in hopes that he had ignored her thinking that she had been someone else, but it was a wasted effort as he kept on walking.
The brunette felt her heart sunk at the sight of his back getting smaller as the distance between them grew
…
"I don't think I'll be going to the festival." Tenten smiled as she declined the invitations from her friends.
"Eh? Why not?" Sakura frowned, "It'll be fun! We can all wear yukatas and watch the fireworks together."
Ino nodded in agreement "I think red would go well with you."
"Hey Neji," Sakura called out, brewing a feeling of slight discomfort in the brunette girl, "what colour yukata do you think Tenten would suit?"
Sakura, you and your big mouth! Why did you have to ask him th-
"How would I know?"
Tenten was dejected at Neji's indifference, though she had already expected as much.
"But…" he added as he turned away from the girls, much to her surprise, "I like white."
…
"What do you think?" Sakura asked as she stepped out of the changing room in a pink yukata with chrysanthemum patterns.
"It looks good!" Tenten clapped as Sakura gave a little twirl to show her friends the full design of her chosen yukata.
"It's perfect!" Ino grinned, proud of herself for picking that garment that Sakura was wearing.
"I'll take it!"
Tenten's eyes wandered around the store as they took in the beauty of all the traditional garments that were on display until finally, her eyes landed on a particular yukata. It was a white yukata embroided with peonies, much like the one she had when she was young.
"I like white"
His words came to mind as she continued to admire the garment while she waited for Sakura to change out of hers, and she felt a small smile creep up on her face.
The one I wore that time was white too…but it's probably just a coincidence.
"Why don't you get it if you like it?" the sudden voice snapped Tenten out of her thoughts.
"No, it's fine Ino. I'm not going anyways."
…
"Hey…when did you have your first kiss?"
"HUH?!" Tenten choked on her drink at the sudden question. "Why are you asking?"
"Oh, nothing really." Ino shrugged. "I was watching this show last night about this group of girls that go on a show and basically compete with each other to date this one guy. And in last night's episode, the guy kissed a girl on their first date. So I was wondering if that was normal. So, did you have yours?"
"Yeah…when I was ten."
Her eyes shifted down to her desk as she answered, knowing fully well that Neji was within earshot of this conversation.
"Really? That's pretty early!" Ino gaped. "I didn't even have my first kiss with Sai until it was our one month."
"Yeah…" Tenten gave a small sheepish smile. "With my classmate."
Naruto who had been chatting with the boys perked up when he caught onto the girls' conversation.
"What about you Neji?" Ino inquired out of curiosity, ignorant to his past with her now fidgeting friend.
Tenten slowly turned her head slightly to meet his eyes for a brief moment before he looked away and answered.
"Last year."
I see…the kiss with me didn't count. I only have myself to blame for that…
…
"Oi Neji! Switch with me! Pleaseeee?"
His eyebrows twitched as Naruto begged him loudly despite being right next to him. He was tugging on his arm, and despite Neji's hard efforts at shaking his hands off of him, Naruto held on as tight as he could as though his life depended on it.
"I'm begging you, it's just for today!"
"No." Neji refused.
"PLEASE!"
The look in the blonde's eyes told him that he wasn't going to give up, and Neji resigned himself to accept his offer for the sake of getting himself rid of his annoying classmate as soon as possible. "Fine, I'll do it. Now let go of my arm."
Naruto grinned as he pumped his fist in victory. "Thanks man! I owe you one."
…
Standing in front of the door, Neji sighed as he silently cursed at himself for agreeing to Naruto's plea for him to take over his after school duties for the day. Sliding the door open, his eyes widened when he saw her sitting at her desk, recording the entries for the class diary. He immediately shook off his shocked expression and returned his face to one with no emotions when she looked up to him.
Tenten's hands trembled slightly as Neji approached her. It wasn't long ago that Tenten was cursing at Naruto for leaving her alone to finish both of their after school duties, and now, she wasn't sure if she should thank him or curse him even more. Not wanting to seem weak, she steadied her hand as he neared and continued on with her work. The boy pulled out the chair in front of her desk and turned it around and sat down to face her.
"I can do the rest."
Without words, she silently passed the book on to Neji, handing him her pen as well. Her heart jumped at the slight contact between their hands when she handed him the pen, and she had to count internally to steady herself as she felt her cheeks grow hot.
She wondered to herself if it was because it was the first time in years since she made any physical contact with him, but the slight touch made her feel as though she wanted to test the boundaries. With her eyes down, she rested her hands on her small desk so that her right hand would be in slight contact with his left. Much to her surprise and relief, Neji didn't move his hand to avoid hers, and the two sat there silently as he continued on with the work. And she found a slight comfort in his silent company.
Thank you, Naruto.
…
"You came!" Sakura and Ino smiled in unison at the sight of Tenten in her white yukata. "You could have done something different to your hair though." Ino pouted when she saw that Tenten had worn her hair in her trademark twin buns.
Sakura nudged Ino and gave her a disapproving look. "That doesn't matter. I'm just glad you're here!"
Tenten smiled as she joined her friends to visit the various stalls that were set up for the festival. She smiled as she looked down to look at the yukata she had on, glad that she had returned to the store to purchase it. looking up to take in the festive mood of the crowd, she noticed a very familiar figure walking past.
Neji?
Instinctively, she left her friends and tried to navigate herself through the crowd, looking for him.
"Hey! Where are you going?"
Sakura smiled a knowing smile as she stopped Ino from following after Tenten. "It's fine. Let her go. Let's go meet up with Sai and Sasuke."
…
Tenten was panting heavily as she reached for the wooden ledge of the bridge for support. "It's impossible…" she breathed. "Of course he's not here."
She leaned over the ledge and sighed at herself, embarrassed at sight of her own reflection in the river. Her eyes widened when she saw a familiar face materialise in the river's reflection, and turned to face the boy beside her.
"Neji…" she called out ever so softly, "Why are you here?"
"To watch the fireworks." he answered nonchalantly, looking up towards the sky.
"Are you still mad about what happened?" she asked, her eyes still fixated on him.
"I'm not the type to hold grudges."
"If that's true, then why were you avoiding me all this time?" she asked, reverting her eyes back to her reflection. "You wouldn't even look me in the eyes."
"Why do I have to look at your face?"
"See? You're still angry." she sighed. The girl paused to take in a deep breath as she settled her nerves before she continued on, "I'm really sorry. All this time, I've always wanted to apologize to you. I spoke without thinking and I ended up hurting you and I ran away from it."
"You're a no-good woman. But…" Neji spoke in a quiet and gentle voice, "I missed you. Why do I still miss you?"
His reply shocked her, and she felt her face heat. "Even now, I still hold onto the memory of that night." she said as she turned to him. "My feelings for you haven't changed since that day."
"My feelings haven't changed either." he replied. He was now meeting her eyes, his cheeks lightly flushed with the slightest lift of the corners of his lips. A small yet tender smile.
…
…
…
"Who did you kiss last year?"
"Oh…it was a lie."