I Am Not a Secret to be Kept (A Neji Hyuga Love Story) - Book one [Discontinued]

Chapter 8

I looked up and started blushing. Neji wasn't much taller than me, but I was looking down. "I'm sorry, Hyuga-san." He looked at me. "Hey, aren't you that girl from yesterday?" he asked. I froze. I hadn't realized anyone had noticed me.

"Maybe?" I said, turning away, even though I was trying to go in the opposite direction. He grabbed my shoulders, and I blushed. My gosh, what was wrong with me? I tried to act more like my normal self. "Is there something you need?" I asked cooly, in an attempt to get away.

"Don't." he said in a voice that made me freeze. "Who are you, really? And why are you here?" "I'm Kazumi Tsukino." I said, regaining my composure. "And I'm here for..." I paused. "Revenge." I thought I heard him say something under his breath, like, "Another deranged mad for revenge person?"

I glared at him. I hadn't gotten a good look at him and he was SO HOT. "Enough of the fangirling." I told myself. "I am not mad." I said to him. He smirked at me. "Oh yeah? Then what are you?" I shrugged and walked away. I'd had enough.

When I got like this, I was so close to exploding. I walked down the street, expecting him to stop me, but when I looked back, he was gone. "What were you thinking?" I asked myself, scolding my stupidity. "He was the guy that you liked. I suppose people are different in person."

I sighed to myself. "Kazumi-chan!" I heard that familiar annoying voice. "Naruto-kun?" I asked, turning around. I watched as Naruto caught up to me. "What is it?" I said as I started walking. "I passed Neji (kun) and he was smirking to himself. Do you know what that's about?" he asked.

I shook my head. "No idea." I lied. "Okay." he shrugged. "Anyway, have you heard about the contest they're holding?" I shook my head. "Whoever wins get 1,000,000 yen." he said. "What?" I exclaimed. That was enough to pay off my rent, and extra. "Why didn't you tell me about this, baka?"

Naruto frowned at me. "I am not stupid!" he raged. "What's this contest about?" I asked, changing the subject. "Well, you're supposed to go into the forest and find twenty red and blue striped berries." Naruto said. Then he grinned at me.

"Of course, if you enter, you're not going to win." I glared at him. "Why's that?" I asked. "Because I'm entering! And I'm going to win!" he yelled, pumped. I whacked his head. "You wish." I said. He ignored me. "Just think of how much ramen I could buy." he said gleefully.

"Still stuck on ramen." I thought to myself. "Where do you enter?" I asked him. He pointed at a small stand that we had just walked past. It was so bright and flashy, I couldn't believe we passed it. "Excuse me." I said, running off. I left him in the street and ran to the stand.

"I heard you were running a contest?" I said to the people at the stand. One of them nodded. "Sign here." they said in a funny accent I hadn't heard before. "Um, okay." I said, signing a sheet of paper. "The contest is going to be at the forest." I nodded. Then I forgot what I went out for.

"What?" I asked, confused. I shrugged and turned away from the stand. "Don't forget, the contest is tomorrow." One of them said. I nodded absent-mindedly and walked away. Returning to my apartment, I saw Yume waiting for me. "Nya." she said. I ignored her and laid down on the floor. "I really need to get a bed." I thought to myself, waiting for the sleep to approach.

"Have you found them yet?" I looked up and saw Yume. "No." I shook my head. "Give me more time." "Heh." she grinned evilly. "You're not going to get more time. Find them." "But," I said, wanting an answer, if only one. "What is the reward."

She grinned again. "Why would you ask? You already know..." She faded away, and I was left to my own thoughts. "How can I choose?" I wondered to myself. "Time is short. I don't want to kill anyone, but..." I thought of Neji's face. I shook my head. "Time in the dream realm is short." Yume said.

I woke up, startled. I glared at Yume, mad at her for giving me such bad dreams. "Silly cat." I muttered to myself. Then I remembered. Today was the day of the contest. I jumped up and dressed quickly. Then, opening the door, I ran down the street and all the way out to the forest.

No one was there. "Go!" someone said, pushing me into the forest. "The contest has already started!" "What?" I thought to myself. "I thought I was on time." I spotted something red and bent down to look at it. A tiny bug head popped up and I reeled back.

"Definitely not a berry." I said to myself, hopping through the trees. I spotted another patch of red, but I was more careful this time. I poked it with a stick, and when it didn't move, I picked it up. "Right there." I heard a gravely voice say behind me.

"What? Who's there?" I asked, whipping around. I heard a chuckle. "Stay still, tiny birdie." I recognized that accent. The man from the stand. I turned around and started running. "You can't run forever!" I heard him say, then a big booming chuckle followed.

"What have I gotten myself into?" I wondered as I raced away. The contest didn't matter anymore. Nothing did, except for getting away. "But." I slowed down a bit as a thought came to me. "What if they're the one who changed Yume?"

I was not afraid to admit I was scared. But people did crazy things for love. "How can you be sure you love him?" I asked myself. "I just know." I responded to myself. I was crazy. "Heh. I caught up to you." Someone whispered into my ear.