Tell |NejiTen

Tell|| Part Six

Neji? Who's Neji?

Echoing voices filled his ears as his mind swam deeper into unconsciousness. His head felt heavy with confusion. 

Just what is happening?

∞

The hissing of oil as the vegetables hit it filled the kitchen. Hanabi didn't really have that much enthusiasm and she tossed the vegetables quite sadly. The aroma smelled great but it wasn't enough to cheer up Hanabi. Hikaru has been discharged from the hospital a day after he was admitted. The doctors insisted that they should take Hikaru out of the village to take it to a mental institution since they couldn't do anything about it. 

Hanabi's knuckles turned a shade lighter as she thought about what they said. They were absolutely annoying. They waved off her son's condition and they immediately pushed the patient away. When her son woke up, the only thing he did was to stare blankly and muttered something under his breath and when Hanabi asked what he said, he would just shake his head and say something in gibberish.

"What's that burning scent?" Konohamaru called upstairs.

Blinking, Hanabi called back, "I don't know..."

Konohamaru rushed to her side and was shocked, "It's your cooking!"

Hanabi turned to him, "My what?"

Konohamaru pulled Hanabi back and held her in his arms protectively, "Your dish is on fire!"

Hanabi's lips went agape as she saw the flames that danced in the frying pan. She was too distracted in thinking that she didn't even realize that her dish was slowly burning away. Konohamaru was trying to fan out the flames which only made it worse. The fire grew and Konohamaru swore under his breath. Hanabi hurriedly ran to the tap and grabbed a basin and filled it with water then doused the flames with it. Eventually, the flames died out and left a trail of its unpleasant stench.

"Well," Konohamaru pressed the bridge of his nose, "That was fiery."

Hanabi picked up the pan, "Shut up." The pan clattered to the floor and she hissed, clutching her hot fingers, "Ouch! It's hot."

Konohamaru took her hands and inspected her reddish fingers. "Come here," He wrapped her into an embrace, "It's because you were just shocked by the puns. I said 'That was fiery' and then you told me to shut up  and said 'It's hot.'. Too many puns, don't you think?"

Hanabi's lips formed a smile. It was sweet for Konohamaru to cheer her up in a time like this. 

"Yeah," She managed a weak laugh but her small joy was shattered the weight she's been carrying in her chest. Her eyes were soon clouded with tears and fell to the floor right beside the half-burnt vegetables that scattered across the surface. She gripped tightly to Konohamaru's shirt. She shook as she sobbed.

"Hey," Konohamaru patted her shoulder, "It's okay-"

His voice trailed off with a smudge of hesitance.

It's not okay.

"It's not!" Hanabi cried and looked at him eye-to-eye, her eyes teary, "Hikaru is suffering and the doctors and nurses are acting like shit! When I try to talk to him about it, he just shakes it off."

Konohamaru bit his lip. It's his fault for saying such lies.

"And then you tell me it's okay?" Hanabi raised her voice, "How is this supposed to be okay? Explain it to me!"

Konohamaru started to panic. He gulped, "Come on, Hanabi. My tongue...just happened to slip."

Beads went rolling down his neck. This isn't gonna look pretty. Well, Konohamaru pulled the wrong card.