Set me free (Neji Hyuga love story)

Chapter 16

Akane walked into the dining room following Yuki the maid and Tenten. The boys were already there, including Gai sensei although father and son were currently nowhere to be seen. The dining room table was rather small and was centered in the large dining room. There were three chairs down the longest sides of the table and one chair on either end at the head of the table. On the left side sat Gai Sensei, Lee and then Neji in the end. He didn't look happy to be there. He had his arms crosses and there was a scowl on his face.

"Please take a seat." Said Yuki with a smile. Tenten sat opposite Gai sensei and Akane sat opposite Lee next to her. Yuki bowed and left the room leaving the shinobi alone.

"I wonder what we are having for dinner. I am starving." Said Lee.

"If it's anything like the rest of the house it'll be good." Tenten told him.

"Indeed it shall. Let's enjoy ourselves as well as get the mission done." Said Gai sensei.

"Yes Gai sensei." Lee called. Akane heard Tenten sigh next to her and the door to the dining room opened and the Mayor and Itsuki entered the room. Itsuki walked over to the enter chair next to Akane and smiled at her.

"May I have the honour of sitting next to you?" He asked. Akane felt her cheeks heat up a little.

"Er-Um yes of course." She eventually got out. Itsuki took his seat and Akane decided to look at her lap, not noticing Neji's rather angry stare. The Mayor sat down at the head of the table next to Tenten and Gai sensei just as the maid's began bringing the food in. There were many of them, placing delicious and expensive looking dishes on the table. There was sushi, tempura, three different types of foods, fresh salad, ramen and even takoyaki. There was too much food for 7 people that was for sure.

"I wish to thank you shinobi for coming and I welcome you to our town." Said the Mayor with a warm smile. "Please tuck in." As soon as he had said it Lee was already up, taking what he wanted and placing it on his place. Tenten, Gai sensei and the Mayor soon followed after him while Akane simply watched. She hadn't ever seen so much food on show at one sitting. Seeing the ramen made her think of Naruto, she would much rather have been having dinner with him at Ichiraku's. Neji hadn't moved either, he seemed to be just watching everything happen. The Mayor and Gai sensei were engaged in a conversation and Tenten kept telling Lee to slow down or not put so much on his plate.

"Are you alright Akane?" Itsuki asked her with a worried expression.

"Oh I'm fine thank you. I'm just not used to seeing so much food before me." She replied with a smile.

"Sorry about that. My Father likes to show off when we have guests."

"That's alright." She said finally making a move to pick up some food before Lee ate it all. Neji made a move for some noodles too although he was listening to the conversation that was taking place opposite him.

"Will you be taking part in the festival?" He asked her.

"I don't believe so. We are here in a mission, so other things have to come second to that."

"I see but that is a shame. I would have liked to go with you."

"W-with me?"

"Yes."

"But why?"

"Well why not?"

"Because you and I have only just met. I wouldn't have thought you would want to spend your birthday with someone you hardly know."

"I think that's the best way to spend a birthday. Being able to get to know a beautiful woman like you is nothing to turn my nose up at. However I cannot do that if you will not be at the festival and that is a shame."

"If you really feel that way...maybe we can get to know each other a little better now. I mean we are eating dinner together, it would be impolite not to make table conversation." Itsuki smiled.

"Indeed it would. Alright then tell me Akane what is your favourite colour?" Akane let out a small laugh.

"Of all the things you could have asked I was not expecting that."

"A person's favorite colour is a very important thing." Itsuki said not helping but to smile at her light and cheerful laugh.

"Alight then, my favourite colour is red."

"And why is that?" Akane thought for a moment before she answered.

"I think it's because it can be a soft or a harsh colour. It's the colour of blood and yet it is also the colour associated with love."

"Very interesting reasons."

"May I ask yours?"

"Of course. Mine is blue because I find it a very calm and relaxing colour. It's the colour of the sky and the mediterranean water."

"I can see that." Akane said with a nod.

"And what are you family like?" He asked. Akane froze, what was she meant to say to that? Oh yeah they're all dead. She couldn't say that. Telling him they were dead would only make the mood glum and she didn't want that. She couldn't deal with talking about her parents.

"Just like every other family I guess. I'm an only child though, what about you? Have you got any siblings?" She asked moving the conversation off her. Itsuki didn't seem to notice what she did but Neji clearly had. She had told him that she had lost her Father and she had never mentioned her Mother, leading him to believe that she too was dead.

"No I don't. For now it's just my Father and I although he has been talking about me settling down with a girl for a while now."

"But you're still so young." She commented.

"Yes well my Father seems to think that I'm much too immature to become the mayor and that if I find a girl and marry her then I will settle down a little. Although I've never actually met a girl that I have loved. There are plenty of girls that I like but none that I have loved."

"Maybe you just haven't found the right girl yet then." Akane suggested with a smile. Itsuki smiled at her warmly.

"Maybe..."