present day -

"I believe that you are all ready for the Chunin Exams." Gai Sensei looked at his four students, each one strong in their own way.

"Really Gai Sensei?!" Lee was practically jumping for joy.

"Really."

Lee grabbed your hands and pulled you to your feet, spinning you around and laughing. "Yay! I cannot wait! This will be fun, right (Y/N)!"

Caught up in his excitement you nodded and gave a laugh of your own. Lee pulled you close, hugging you tight.

You hoped he couldn't feel the way your heart sped up from his touch.

Lee let you go and ran over to Gai, jabbering about one thing or another.

"Well, someone's happy." You didn't bother to turn towards Tenten's voice. After all, whether you looked at her or not didn't really make a difference.

"Yeah..."

"You have that moony tone in your voice again."

You swatted at her, you hand connecting with her shoulder. She leaped back and said, "It always freaks me out how you know where everything is."

"I'm just blind." You said. "Not blind, deaf, and dumb."

Lee turned from where he stood next to Gai and shouted, "DO NOT CALL (Y/N) DUMB TENTEN, I AM SICK OF YOUR CRAP!"

"I DIDN'T!!" Tenten yelled back.

He only responded with, "SURE!" before going back to his conversation with Gai Sensei.

You were laughing so hard your sides hurt. "You just got told, Tenten!"

"I didn't even do anything!"

"Sure."

"Don't give me that!"

"Really, are you two seven?" Neji's cold voice reached your ears and you crossed your arms.

"Yeah, Tenten, are you seven?"

"He was talking to you too!!"

"Uh huh. LEE!"

"YES?"

"TENTEN IS BULLYING ME AGAIN!"

Tenten had time to say, "Oh crap," before Lee ran towards her so fast he vanished. One minute Tenten was in front of you, the next she was up a tree, yelling at Lee to "Get me down this instant!"

Lee ignored her, turning instead to you and scooping you up in his arms. "She was not doing anything, was she?"

"Not really, but I felt attacked."

Lee chuckled and rested his forehead against yours. Held close to him, your arms around his neck, so close you could feel his breath, you could almost convince yourself that he loved you the same way you loved him.

But he loved another girl. One of the new Genin named Sakura. At least, that's what he always said.

Putting you on your feet, Lee rubbed your head one last time before bouncing back over to Gai.

"Hey, Neji?"

"What?"

"You ever been in love?"

"No, I can't say that I have."

"Good for you. Because it hurts like h-"

Before you could finish, Gai called you over and you shrugged before running after him and Lee.

Maybe if you were lucky, this 'Sakura' girl would be a heartless little 'B', and Lee would get over her.

Hopefully.