The Tale of the Dove and the Orphan (Completed 2017)

Chapter One

Neji knocked on the door of Tenten's home, expecting her to answer right away or at least within five minutes or so.

She didn't

Neji didn't know whether he should be irked because he was forced to travel to her house, or worried.

She usually never missed practice and he knew for sure that she wasn't at that time of the month just yet, which he regrettably had to deal with beforehand, raging emotions and all.

He sighed and called out, "Tenten, are you home?"

'Of course she would be,' he thought.

However, the signs started to point towards what he didn't find logical. Sighing, he turned around and headed back to the village.

Neji was still unsure as to why Tenten decided to stay out in the middle of the woods, unprotected and on her own.

At least, he thought she was always on her own. He never thought much about the kunoichi. Hell, he never really cared for her, and she got on his nerves constantly.

He knew from time to time that what he said really got to her, but he sometimes wondered if what he said depressed her inside.

Shaking away the thoughts, he quickened his pace; planning to head towards the training grounds once he passed the gates. However, he stopped short when he saw Tenten up ahead, walking slowly towards the gates.

He began to walk up to her, but stopped once more when he realized she was crying.

She was dressed differently, almost in all black, and had a bundle of flowers in her hands. Neji would've assumed that she had just come from the gravesite, but if that were the case she might've left the flowers.

Tenten didn't notice Neji until she was twenty feet away from him. She blankly stared at him, her crying all but stopping. 

"N-Neji," she said, her voice quiet and shaky. Neji didn't know what to say or how to react to Tenten, but it was evident he had to say something. He cleared his voice, trying to sound as formal as possible, "I went by your house to check up on you."

She looked at him like he spoke foreign words and he corrected himself by adding, "You didn't show up to practice. It was unlike you so I was sent to um... fetch you."

Tenten's face returned to normal – as much normal as she could muster – and she nodded, saying, "Oh, I see. I'm sorry, I should've told Guy Sensei sooner, but I'm not training today."

Neji looked at her sideways. "Not training?" he asked.

She nodded and wiped her eyes. "Tell him I'll explain tomorrow. I promise. Just... Right now, it isn't a good time."

Neji nodded slowly, unsure of what to say at that point.

Feeling just as awkward, Tenten walked by him and out the gates. He watched her slowly walk down the trail and out of sight.

For a minute, he pondered. He could either go to Guy and express that she wasn't coming, or he could follow her and at least go back with a proper reason other than she simply didn't want to. 

Ignoring the warnings his head was setting off, Neji proceeded to run back out the gates. He activated his Byakugan and tried to track her, but to no avail. He sighed and skidded to a stop.

'This is stupid', he thought. 'So what if Tenten was crying? Why should I care?' Neji sighed as he once again activated his Byakugan once more, looking around for any faint signal of her chakra. "What a bother," he mumbled, sounding like another familiar shinobi as he began to sprint towards her home.