Playing Catch The Soul (NejiTen Story)

Memory 5: Neji's Fight: Age 10

Present TenTen's POV

I watched as Neji started to strategize. Sharingan can be used if you look at the person's finger or eyes, your stuck in a trap. So instead, he looked directly at his feet to sense Sasuke's movement and increase in chakra to increase on the speed of the way he runs. Also to predict when he will go.

"Sasuke-Kun what are you trying to do, kill him?!" Kakashi complained. "Shut up," Sasuke murmured. "Yeah go Neji-Kun! We have fai-," Rock Lee was speaking when TenTen covered his mouth. "Shhh. Neji-Kun needs to concentrate," TenTen said. "Oh who am I kidding? I can't even watch," TenTen said covering her eyes.

Even if Neji couldn't see his hands and when he strikes, he was good at predicting movement. Neji even blocked the attacks he made with his fists and weapons. It was amazing. Sasuke himself did grow angry.

"Thousand Shuriken!!" Sasuke yelled doing a rare hand seal. Neji looked up. But with this move, Neji was easily blocking it as he put himself in a blue ball that deflected each weapon. "Wait was he going easy on me?!" TenTen yelled. "I thought you weren't watching," Rock Lee chuckled.

"Dammit...," Sasuke said and balled his hands into fists. "Your stronger than you look, woman, Sasuke said. "I am not a woman. I am Neji Hyūga. Part of the Hyūga clan and a royal bloodline," Neji said sounding serious. "That's true but you're nothing but talk," Sasuke said. Neji grit his teeth and was the one who attacked Sasuke first.

From what I didn't know, Neji could close his eyes while still activating "Byakugan". This happens by the amount of chakra that goes to his eyes. So he may not see the person, but he can see the chakra holes and the type of chakra flow. Even though it requires a lot of chakra and he might not have a lot to attack.

He started to do Gentle Fist and attacked Sasuke's weak spots. But they weren't much since he had some technique to prevent Neji from seeing them. Sasuke was a prodigy, from what I've heard.

"Yeah go Sasuke-Kun!" Sakura cheered. "What are you cheering for, Sakura-Chan? Sasuke-Kun might kill his opponent," Kakashi said. Sakura's eyes widened and sat down quietly. "If you kill me, won't you be charged for crime?" Neji asked and kept his distance. "I'll live. You won't," Sasuke said pulling out a sword.

Neji can't sense this. Sword fighting doesn't require chakra unless it's for some sort of weapon combo. But Sasuke's a prodigy he might already know not to use chakra on his sword fighting. Unless he does use it for speed and agility. And if Neji opened his eyes, he'll see his finger which will send him in the Sharingan trap.

"Neji-Kun he's using a sword!" TenTen yelled. Neji's eyes quickly opened. But it was a mistake. He looked directly at Sasuke's eyes by accident. Quickly Neji fell to the ground looking like he was still trying to attack with his eyes closed. "Neji-Kun!" TenTen yelled as her and Rock Lee went on the battle field.

"Sasuke-San, you know I'll have to discipline you," Kakashi said and lead him out of the large building while he went back inside to check on Neji. "I think I might be able to help. I'm a medical ninja Gai-Sensei," Sakura mentioned and her and Naruto got on the battlefield to check what was going on with Neji. Gai shook his head.

"He just needs someone to focus chakra to him," Kakashi said. Without thinking, TenTen quickly volunteered and focused chakra to her hand and touched Neji as his eyes opened again and he stopped looking like he was attacking earlier. "TenTen-Chan?" Neji asked. TenTen nodded and smiled. "Your okay," TenTen said.

Without thinking, Neji ran up to TenTen and embraced her tight.

"TenTen-Chan I thought you were dead! Sasuke-San attacked you, I couldn't defend you, t-then you...," Neji said as TenTen was lightly blushing. She looked away while she hugged Neji back. "You died TenTen-Chan. I didn't know how I was going to live with myself. I could have saved you, b-but I was weak TenTen-Chan. I couldn't...," Neji said almost sounding like he was actually crying.

TenTen smiled as if she was enjoying the feeling of her arms wrapped around him. Or it was the fact that the Hyūga was worried about her. "I'm here now, Neji-Kun. It was just an illusion. Just don't worry about me," TenTen said. I watched as Neji's eyes widened and a red blush formed on his face. He quickly released TenTen and rubbed the back of his neck, looking the other direction.

"Oh, those Hyūga's and blushing," I said with a smirk on my face while I was crying in the inside. Neji's blush is what I remembered the most about him. His flustered face always avoiding my eyes while he stammered. I always found it cute. But he was such a Tsundere. Saying he's red because of an illness, blah blah blah.

"Sorry, TenTen-Chan. I probably made you feel uncomfortable," Neji said doing that adorable flustered thing I remember all the time I see his face. TenTen just giggled. "Not at all Neji-Kun. You've actually never hugged me before," TenTen smiled while I noticed a small blush on her face, too. After that, there was an awkward silence that lasted a minute.

Of course, Naruto and Rock Lee were the ones to break the silence. "Hey, Sakura-Chan! Why don't I treat you to ramen? Like a date," Naruto asked Sakura. She shrugged looking a bit uncomfortable. "No I better tag along Sakura-Chan," Rock Lee said leaning an elbow on Sakura's shoulder. Sakura inhaled deeply with a smile on her face it was almost creepy.

Of course, she punched their faces.

Neji and TenTen exchanged glances. TenTen giggled and Neji slightly smiled. He didn't look as red as before, but he was trying to attempt to hold her hand. Oh that was right. Neji had some sort of crush before he confessed. But he always liked Hinata so I never understood him.

"Come on guys, let's just go to ramen altogether then," TenTen said and crossed her arms with a smirk that formed on her face. She crossed her arms right when Neji was about a centimeter close to touching her hand with his. Neji sighed and acted like his normal self, always trying to act like the mature one in every situation. Showing no emotions, whatsoever.

I heard a familiar laugh and saw a familiar person with a surrounding blue aura. "TenTen-Chan, you were one of my best friends, yet you couldn't understand how I actually felt back then," Neji said and tears spilled from my eyes. All of a sudden Neji walked up to me and caressed my cheek wiping my tears away. "Don't cry TenTen-Chan," Neji said.

"N-Neji-Kun why couldn't you stay?" I asked as I put my hands on his wrists. All he did was put my hands down and hold them, intertwining my fingers with his. "You should go see the rest of your memories. I'm just distracting you," Neji said smiling.

"N-Neji-Kun but I'm only reliving these memories with you because of you," I said still crying and wiping my own tears. Neji's smile faded as he himself, started to fade again.

"Arigato TenTen-Chan."

Was what he said before fading again. I couldn't help but cry again. Kakashi started acting all weird. "What is it, Kakashi-Sensei?" Sakura asked. Kakashi shook his head. "Nothing. I just thought I felt a soul's presence," Kakashi said. TenTen yelped. Neji slightly smirked. "Are you scared?" Neji asked. TenTen couldn't help but laugh.

"Maybe it's yours from the future!" TenTen said, laughing. "No maybe it's yours!" Neji said and slightly chuckled. "It couldn't be mine because my knight in shining armor would save me!" TenTen said laughing. Neji's eyes widened again and the redness formed on his face again.

"Um, Neji-Kun you look a little red. Is it a rash, or something? Illness?" TenTen asked with concern. Neji shook his head and looked the other direction, clearly flustered. The awkward silence was back. But interrupted with the sound of Naruto's roaring stomach.

"Come on, guys! I wanna go to ramen already!" Naruto complained. TenTen giggled. Neji smiled. "Okay then," Neji said. Gai was walking with Kakashi while Gai was talking about how well he trained us. Rock Lee and Naruto were surrounding Sakura. TenTen and Neji were walking together in awkward silence.

And I was following them alone, though I would feel happier if the present Neji was at my side. I tried to make myself happier by walking next to the ten-year-old Neji. Though I wanted the Neji I recently saw that was telling me not to cry. But he was dead, who can I not cry?