Chapter 1 - Neji's Too Slow

It was raining. But the brown-haired kunoichi didn't notice. Even though the rain soaked through her thin clothes, and
poured down her neck, she didn't feel it. Her destination was anywhere except Konoha. She just stood there, in the
middle of the lane, looking up at the ashen sky. She heard footsteps behind her, and she whipped around quickly,
holding a kunai.

"Tenten! Easy!"
"Neji?"
"Yeah. It's me. Why did you run?"

His long hair was soaked, so was he. The sight of her teammate made her want to tell him the truth, why she had really
run. Up to now, she hadn't told anyone. But she felt she could confide in Neji. Then again, she reminded herself, she
couldn't really trust anyone anymore. But before she knew it, the words were coming out of her mouth faster than the
lightning struck. "I was afraid," she said. "I didn't know what to do. The Konohans accused me of a crime I didn't
commit. I didn't want to leave you, Neji. I really didn't. But I had to go, or I would've been killed. That's why..." she
gulped, "why I had to run."

Neji stood there in shock, poring over the astonishing words he had just heard. The fact that was going around town
was that someone, a girl, had been accused for Shino's accidental murder. But he didn't know it would be his own
teammate, Tenten. If he had known, he probably wouldn't have tried to cover up for the Aburame. By the time he found
his voice again, Tenten was off and running. She wasn't running too fast, so Neji could easily catch up to her. But he
didn't run. He didn't try to catch his teammate. It seemed as though he was glued to the spot. Then he finally found
enough strength to yell, "Wait, Tenten!" His effort was worthless. It was too late. The running girl was nowhere to be
seen.

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