“Hmm, this is way too easy!” Nine-year-old Tenten said to herself as she placed her gift on Rock Lee’s mailbox. A week ago, the Starlets had decided to hold a Christmas party, but instead of the customary exchange gift thing, they opted for a Kris Kringle, wherein each of them would pick a name from Sir Kakashi’s fish bowl and become that person’s Santa until Christmas eve, which would be tonight, when he or she would reveal his/her identity to the recipient already.

Her chosen alias was Lancelot, for how would Lee imagine that it was her hiding behind that male name?

She closed the door of Lee’s mailbox, grinning with much satisfaction, and then sauntered towards her magic laboratory to perform her daily afternoon sorcery exercises.

To her surprise, she found a small note on her lab table. Curiously, she took it and read the contents, almost certain as to who left this.

“I knew it.” She folded the letter smilingly and tucked it in her pocket. It had been a week since she started receiving little notes from someone named ‘Me’. More than his originality in coming up with Kris Kringle aliases, what sparked her interest was he never gave material gifts, just as the rest of them usually did. All he had given her were notes—brief lines that complimented her subtly in her everyday activities.

Today’s message stated: Good speech.

At first, she had no idea what the note was talking about. And then it her: she remembered that this morning, Kurenai-sensei and the rest of the class applauded her for successfully defending her side of the argument against the arrogant Hyuuga Neji regarding the importance of women learning a certain degree of taijutsu too.

And strangely, she felt good, despite the lack of believable spirit in his words. It was as if the reluctance of the writer to voice out this sentiment made the compliment even more special.

In her mind, she ran through the possible people who could be ‘Me’. This person had to be her classmate, or someone she interacts with in the classroom, or how else would this mystery person know about almost all the daily highlights of her life?

She perked up when she felt a pair of eyes watching her from somewhere. She was not mistaken, for from the doorway stood the young earl of the Hyuuga court, watching her quietly.

“W-What are you doing here?” she asked, immediately infuriated. She couldn’t pinpoint what exactly is it about this word-thrifty young lord that always puts her on the defensive. Maybe it was the fact that he easily stole the limelight from her as the single best student in Kurenai-sensei’s class on the first day he arrived in the palace. Or maybe it was because his limelight grew bigger when he single-handedly finished the Kin Unification code that eroded the centuries-old hierarchy of power of the oldest, most respected family in the kingdom of Hidden Leaf. Perhaps because he would clearly show her and Lee every time that he was a pedestal ahead of them, may it be in combat or academic skills.

One thing was for sure though: she disliked him LOTS.

“I noticed you smiling alone, witch,” he said calmly. “People do not normally smile goofily just for the heck of it.”

“Maybe I’m not normal!” She placed her hands on her hips.

“That put one of my many doubts on you to rest.” He remained unperturbed despite the belligerent look on the young mage’s face.

She groaned. “Well, now that your doubts are confirmed, GET OUT OF HERE!” She stuck her tongue out at him. “You are getting in the way of my sorcery exercises.”

“Exercises that consist of reading stupid notes?” he asked.

“They’re not stupid! This person who took time to write me these happens to be a person who has a human sensitivity that you brutes lack glaringly,” she said proudly. “This person wouldn’t write these things if he or she doesn’t know me well, or if he or she is as unfeeling as you.”

She couldn’t describe the look on the boy’s face after what she said. Yet it was enough to make her heart skip a beat—something that started to happen frequently ever since the boy arrived in the court.

“You don’t know anything, witch, so don’t act like a know-it-all.” He turned his back on her and started to head for the door.

She felt a surge of triumph within her. She won this round! Wanting to relish the feeling some more, she called on him. “Earl Hyuuga Neji, leaving so soon? Can’t stand a little debate, huh?”

He faced her, and then smiled sardonically. “And can’t you stand not seeing me all the time?”

“N-Nani—“ To her dismay, she felt her cheeks turn warm and her heart react again. This was the first time that he started to speak to her this way. And this was her first taste of… hinted romance. Those mushy tales that only girls like Lady Haruno and Lady Yamanaka share with each other.

She was a girl, and no doubt, she had to face that…that doom sooner or later.

But of all people, why did it have to be with Earl Hyuuga Neji?

“Heh.” He looked satisfied with her reaction and speechlessness.

Quickly, she struggled for her composure. “Hmp!” As much as she hated to admit it, she knew that once again, she lost to Hyuuga Neji.

And worse, he knew it. His trademark victorious smirk said it all.

“Go to hell!” She reached for the doorknob and slammed the heavy wooden door right on his face.

…………………….

Special Chapter = Neji x Tenten

……………………..

“Damn!” Tenten sat down the bed, taking quick deep breaths. “Calm down, girl. You can remedy this situation. You still have time. You can still undo the situation…”

Silence as Lee gaped from the doorway.

“WHO AM I FRIGGIN’ LYING TO? I’M IN TROUBLE!!!” She massaged her aching temples. “Oh god, Neji is going to break my neck if he finds out about the potion. I, of all people, should know that if there’s one thing he hates more than agreeing with Prince Sasuke about ANYTHING, it’s being manipulated.”

“Onee-san, why don’t you just confess to him what we did? The moon is not yet there, so there must still be an effect. Maybe he’s too in love with you to kill you. If you survive this night, then things would be already easy tomorrow. You can get a Visa or something and move to another kingdom far, far away from here, and—“

“Shut up, Lee.”

“Yeah.”

Tenten bit on her thumb nervously. “If I only knew that things would turn out this way…”

“Then you could have given me the potion instead?” guessed Rock Lee.

“…then I would have found a way to make the effect permanent.” The minute those words escaped her lips, her eyes widened. She looked up and saw the mirrored reaction of her friend.

“Onee-san…oh no…OH NO! The potion is dilemma enough! No, don’t tell me that you…” His face fell. “Kami-sama, you did, didn’t you?” Lee sat down beside her, shaking his head sadly. “Nee-san, I want to whack your head right now…”

“Gee, that’s comforting,” she mumbled, leaning her head on his shoulder.

“…but I won’t, because if Sir Gai would be in this situation, he would make use of his golden wisdom and boundless energy to cheer you up… and help you secure a Visa, find another palace—“

“Lee, do you know that murder sounds good right now?” She groaned audibly. “I’m serious. I think I love him.”

“You think?” He laughed. “You mean you’re not sure?”

“I’ve never been in love with anyone else, so where would I get my comparison and analysis?” she asked, rolling her eyes. “All I know is that I want to see him every day, and be with him, and talk with him…”

“You sound like a stalker.”

“…and when he holds me, it feels so right. There are times that I am afraid to touch him, because my desire to keep him might prevail…and I don’t want him to know that.” Her voice turned softer. “What if I scare him and he runs away?” She clasped his hand. “Maybe it’s not really the thought of Neji killing me once he finds out about our prank that scares me.” Her eyes shook with her voice. “It’s the thought of losing him that scares me the most…”

Lee looked at her sympathetically. “Onee-san…”

She momentarily allowed her self to drift to the past.

.

.

.

“And now, the revelations will begin as we give our gifts in open!” announced Kakashi cheerfully to the small crowd gathered in the grand ballroom of the palace. “And to whoever is holding my gift, I hope that it’s not some autographed piece of used underwear like the last time I received!”

The adults’ faces darkened. Trust Kakashi and his candid tongue to say the darnest, most irreverent things in the unlikeliest of times.

He cheerfully took out his fishing bowl and picked out a name. “Please come here, whoever is receiving gifts from…oh my, what a creative name this is…he must have spent a lot of time and energy to come up with this one…”

Young Tenten felt herself tense. At last, she was going to meet ‘Me’ in person! Now she could thank him for all those little notes that made her one week happy, even in its own little way. And she could finally show that Earl Hyuuga Neji who had some nerve ridiculing the efforts of that person…

“Green Spandex of Youth! Where is the very lucky recipient of Green Spandex of Youth?” asked Kakashi, looking around.

Gai, a.k.a. Green Spandex of Youth, waved at Neji, who seemed to had been just forced to walk to the center and receive the gift from the Starlet. Despite herself, the mage snickered at the earl, who obviously looked embarrassed as he received –what else, but green spandex of youth body suit—from the very cheerful Sir Maito Gai.

Beside her, Lee gnashed his teeth. “Gah, Neji-san is soooo lucky! Why didn’t I get that suit too?”

She shrugged. “I have a feeling that if you ask Hyuuga Neji for it, he would give that to you right away.”

“You think so?”

“Yup.”

“But that suit is so precious…” They turned their attention to the Bruce Lee-like Starlet proclaiming to everyone the merits of this…ah…Green Spandex Pants of Youth.

“Many tests had been conducted on this piece of fabric, and every time, TIME AFTER TIME, experts all agree that the flow of air and energy is stimulated by these beautiful flowing lines done in art and style. Once you wear it, I tell you, it would IMMEDIATELY become a habit! And of course, I would allow you, Hyuuga Neji to wear it all the time, so you can experience as well the magic of this amazing breakthrough in fashion for ninjas!” Gai raised a thumbs-up and gave his trademark killer smile.

Neji blinked, and then sighed. He took the gift anyway.

Kakashi coughed, and then proceeded to the next name. “Our next revelation is…” He blinked, and then laughed. “Okaaay, who’s getting gifts from Icha Icha Ichiraku Inc?”

“Damn,” hissed Sasuke from the corner, eyes wide. “I should have known…” He groaned some more as he headed for the white-haired Starlet, who handed his gift to the prince with utmost yuletide cheer.

Sasuke eyed the man suspiciously. “This thing is not the continuation of those adult doujinshi anthologies you had been sending me for one week already, right?”

“Nah. This one will rock your socks, Sasuke. A perfect way to celebrate virility—er, puberty.” He grinned affably. “Merry christmas, Your Highness!”

“Heh.” The prince grumpily headed back to his seat, the nine-year-old boy wondering what he would do with the For Mature Readers selections.

“Two identities had already been revealed. The next one is…ooh, I see…you guys had been working very hard on coming up with unforgettable aliases.” He waved the piece of paper. “Will the recipient of ‘Me’ come here please?”

Tenten’s eyes lit up. “That’s my Santa!” She excitedly headed for Sir Kakashi, but she slammed right on Neji. She groaned. “Hyuuga Neji, out of my way! They’re calling for me!”

“They’re calling for me too,” he said quietly.

This nearly made her stumble. “W-What?”

Kakashi set his eyes on the youngsters. “Hey, you two, hurry up! We still have more revelations to unmask, you know.”

The two looked at each other, and then walked towards the platform where the Starlet stood.

“So who’s ‘Me’?” asked the man smilingly.

“That would be me,” said Neji.

She cocked her eyebrow at him, determined not to let him show how nervous she was. “Don’t tell me it’s another note again, Hyuuga Neji, although I am puzzled what motivated you into writing those—oh!” Her eyes widened when he took a small box out of his pocket.

Kakashi looked on curiously. “No offense, Earl Neji, but you two are too young for marriage…”

Tenten nervously opened the box as the boy looked on quietly. Her eyes shook with much pleasure and surprise when she saw the daintiest, most adorable pair of silk ribbons for the hair lying in the foam of the box. She absent-mindedly took out the ribbons and held it high for everyone to see. She thought she could hear the envious whispers of Lady Yamanaka and the others, and she couldn’t feel any prouder. No doubt, she got one of the best gifts in the Kris Kringle.

As soon as she got back to her place, she excused herself from the party and went outside, excited to try on her hair ribbons. She went to the fountain and decided to use its pool reflection as a mirror. She knelt down by it and started to tie the ribbons around her hair, careful not to bend the fabric too much.

“I should have brought a comb,” she said after a while, exasperated when some strands of her hair fell down on the sides of her face again. She had always secretly wished that her hair would be more like Lady Haruno’s always silky and shiny and so soft to touch.

“Does it fit?”

Her eyes fell on the figure’s reflection standing next to her. Earl Hyuuga Neji was looking at her hair ribbons, his expression somewhat less vacant than usual. She smiled. Maybe he wasn’t that numb after all—the Christmas spirit seeped into his system too.

She looked up at him, grinning. This was their first encounter that none of them greeted each other with sarcasm or vexing. Maybe she too, had been taken in by the Christmas spirit. “It’s too beautiful for my hair.”

“Really, huh?” He took one part of the ribbon from her. “Try to put it in your hair again.”

She nodded, and then combed her mane with her fingers. She did a quick braided knot on it, and he bent down towards her and tied the silk ribbon around her hair. His fingers were nimble and quick, and his touch was feathery and light on her hair, almost prompting her to shiver involuntarily.

“Alright, do the other one,” he ordered. She tied the other side of her hair, and he proceeded to tie it again. All that time, she bit her lip from gasping. This proximity between them was unfamiliar, and she was afraid that she didn’t know how to deal with this, even with her best wits.

Fortunately, it was over after some seconds. He stepped away and gazed at her quietly, for the first time not sporting any sign of his vintage smirk. She turned her eyes at her reflection and burst into a delighted peal of laughter when she saw how lovely it was on her hair. “Wow, this suits me really well!” She smiled. “Thanks!”

He nodded stiffly and then proceeded to go.

“N-Neji…those notes you wrote me…” She looked at him intently. “Did you mean them?”

He shrugged.

“Never mind. I still thank you for them all the same.” She turned her attention back to her reflection, liking the way her silk ribbons danced in the breeze.

And then came a voice barely audible, and it was so soft and so rather unexpected, that she thought it would have just been the wind, but she knew it in her heart that it wasn’t.

“Merry Christmas, Tenten.”

.

.

.

“Onee-san, the moon has already risen. It’s time for you to see Neji-san already,” said Lee, snapping her out of her trance.

She sighed, and then got up. “I can do this…” She clasped her hands together. “It’s not so bad. I mean, at least I had the chance to love him openly, even for a while.”

“Tenten’ nee-san…”

“I could live with that, I guess.” She forced a smile. “Ah well, for our last meeting, I would have to look my best!” She went to her closet and scanned her wardrobe.

Behind her, Lee smiled. “You still have a way to keep him even if the effect of the love potion wears off.”

“Hmm?” She turned to him, puzzled.

“Make him fall in love with you again, this time with your own charms.”

………………..

to be continued

…………………..