"What?!" Naruto exclaimed, crying waterfall tears, "How could you be so cruel?!"
Feeling everyone's gazes on her, Masaki scratched her cheek, blushing and laughing nervously. "Well, you see... I was kinda used to guys asking me that sort of thing... so it didn't really mean anything..."
"WHAT?!" both Kiba and Naruto were shocked beyond belief by this, "Gejimayu, are you hearing this?"
Lee grinned weakly, attempting to hide the jealousy he felt- it was unbecoming, and not to mention ungentlemanly. "I already knew that Masaki-chan has many admirers." determination lit in his eyes, "It just means I have to work harder to make her happy!"
The girls of the group seemed slightly envious, but otherwise in disbelief of the pair's relationship dynamic. "Wow," Ino muttered to Masaki, "You've really got yourself in a good place with him, haven't you?"
Despite the joking smirk on the Yamanaka's face, the Ao clan girl flushed even darker, "N-no! It's not like that-"
"You're all missing the point, kure!" Konohamaru cut in in frustration, "That didn't do much of anything! What other tips do you have?"
Lee stopped thoughtfully. "Well..."
Tip Number Two: Let Her Know Just How Special She Is!
Lee was heartbroken. His teammates were astounded as to how anyone could become so infatuated with a person without even knowing them, and yet here Lee was, living evidence, moping because Masaki-chan called him a weirdo.
"I don't get why you're so beat up by this!" Tenten said incredulously, "You barely even know this girl!"
"Tenten, this is Lee we're talking about here..." Neji pointed out, arms folded, "Why are you so surprised?"
The kunoichi just sighed. If only that, the taijutsu user's ability to fall in and out of infatuation so rapidly was amazing. Even so, this was getting out of hand. She flopped to sit down beside her teammate, patting his back and finally speaking up,
"Look, you just have to persevere and eventually you'll win her over-"
"Eh? I did not say that!" Tenten cut in, a mixture of shock and irritation showing through in her tone. "I told you to give up, baka!"
"Really?" Lee asked, confused, "That's not how I remember it..."
"That's because you have selective hearing!! Baka!" the kunoichi said, but her teammate had already returned to regailing his tale.
"You're right, Tenten!" The raven-haired shinobi exclaimed, flames of determination blazing in his eyes, "I just have to let her know how special she is and keep trying, then I'll win Masaki-chan over for sure!"
And that was how it began.
Lee began a village-wide search for his dear Masaki; since it seemed she was not at the library at this time he would have to find her elsewhere. He scratched his cheek, "If I were a beautiful flower, where would I be..?" then, his expression lit up, and he formed several hand signs, "Transformation jutsu!"-
"Wait wait wait- I thought you couldn't use ninjutsu?" Kiba demanded, tired of the seemingly bogus story. "You're just making this up as you go along, aren't you?" the Inuzuka stopped still as he realised that Lee was now wearing a flower costume, and sighed. What kind of transformation jutsu was that? "I... stand corrected..."
Lee's appearance rapidly changed to that of a beatiful red rose- the flower of love to represent the blossoming emotions he felt for his dear Masaki-chan. (As you can see, Lee's heart is a fickle one. Sakura knows this well.)
