At the dining table, it was obvious that two people weren't in the mood for talking. Tenten was looking down on her bowl of choco rice, taking slow bites. Neji also had his head down, as if counting the rice bits.

Hinata was cutting the fish into smaller pieces for her husband. Gai, of course had to ask why she does that.

Naruto was the one who answered. "If I do it by myself, I only eat the skin part."

"What? You only eat the skin?" Gai was astonished. "Do you know that the skin is oily? Do you want to get skin cancer?"

Tenten coughed, and Neji automatically handed her a glass. The young lady paused, then just stared at him.

Was she touched by my thoughtfulness? Neji wondered, encouraged. A second later, it hit him.

The glass didn't have any water.

The young man took it back, embarrassed.

Hinata seized the chance to make the two talk. After all, they're not the only ones annoyed by the silence reigning inside the Hyuuga mansion.

"Kuya Neji, did you have an argument with Miss Tenten?" Direct approach was what Hinata thought as the best strategy to shock the truth out of these two.

It was Neji's turn to cough. "A-argument? O-Of course not. W-Whatever made you think of that? A-And if ever we did argue, is that wrong? When did arguing defy clan laws? And what do you people care about our business? There's nothing you could do to help!"

Everyone gaped at him.

The young man dropped his head, the last remaining ounce of pride hidden deep inside him destroyed.

"What can you say about that?" Hinata uttered, glancing at the chicharon vendor.

"I got my choco rice mix right," replied Tenten, shrugging.

The clan heiress could only sigh.

"I sense a fraction between you," started Gai, always the advocate of world peace and harmony.

"Friction," Neji corrected.

"He finally admitted it! He and Tenten are fighting!" said Naruto cheerfully.

"I didn't admit anything!" snapped the young Hyuuga.

"You said it yourself! There's friction between you two!"

"I was merely correcting Gai!"

"Whatever!" A huge grin plastered on Uzumaki Naruto's face.

"I DID NOT ADMIT ANYTHING!"

"K-Kuya Neji, would you please sit down," Hinata immediately intervened, sweatdropping. She noticed the death grip of her cousin on his fork ready to target-shot her husband.

"You don't need to worry, Sir Gai."

Everybody was silenced when the chicharon vendor spoke up. Tenten continued. "If there's anything wrong, it will end today."

She's finally going to forgive me? Neji wondered, renewed hope flickered in his eyes.

It was ignored by the young lady. "I'll be leaving this place later."

…