Ignoring the signs he had posted all over the trees and plants, I barged straight into Neji's house and made a beeline for his room.

“Hey! Wake up!” I pounded on his closed door and waited impatiently for the late riser to get up. I was about to bash the door down when Neji wrenched it open and glared at me with all his might.

“What the hell are you doing?!” he screamed, spraying spittle all over the place. I grinned.

“Good morning.” I cheerfully ruffled his still messy hair with annoying chirpiness. He swatted my hand away and growled me for being a rude and impudent person. I smiled and let him rant on about nothing, not taking any of whatever he was saying in at all.

“Ugh.” he said and retreated into his room to put some clothes on.

“Poo eah, go for a wash.” I teased and ambled into the kitchen for something to eat. I opened the fridge and was very disapointed with what was in front of me. Since there wasn't much, I settled on low fat, floor flavoured yoghurt. “Neji, you need to go shopping. There's no food.” I called out and got some tea brewing.

“That's because you eat it all.” Neji emerged with a holey shirt that advertised Karin's Emporium and a pair of stubbies that looked to be a wee bit tight. I snorted at his appearance and he jabbed me in the forehead. Do we have a great friendship or what?

Neji settled himself at the dining room table and looked me up and down and cringed. “You were with Kakashi again last night, weren't you.” he demanded and scolded. He didn't approve at all that Kakashi and I were more than friends but less than lovers. We liked each other but weren't looking for a long term commitment. “He's much too old for you.”

“So? What's your point?” I retorted and the kettle whistled, the signal that the tea was ready. Pouring it from the kettle and into two cups, I brought the tea to the table and sat across from Neji. “Anyway, how's Tenten?”

Neji tried to keep his scowl in place but it was ruined by the red colour creeping into his cheeks. He was so cute! I chuckled and suggested that he could ask her out on a date or something. It wasn't as if she would say no because she liked him and we both knew it.

“No! I'll enjoy my crush in private, thank you.”

He usually never showed any emotions or feelings for anyone with the exception of me. I had been harping on about him getting with Tenten for a while but that hasn't worked so far and I was determined to see that he'd open up to someone else. Tenten's a nice girl and not all that ugly either so as far as I was concerned, she was perfect for Neji.

“C'mon, you know she likes you.”

“Shut up.” He crossed his arms and sighed irritably. End of discussion. I sighed in reply and tweaked his nose just to piss him off. Twiddling my fingers at Neji, I reminded him that we were suppose to go to Lord Hiashi's for dinner and I saw myself out. I looked up and down the empty street and took a moment to think. The sound of people training was faint but I could just make out who they were. A bright idea struck me and I felt myself grinning ridiculously. It was time to recruit a couple of friends into 'Operation: Bird meets Brain.'

*

“I dunno, I don't wanna play little kids games and look like a dork.” Gai confessed. I stared at him long and hard and mentally shook my head. He couldn't get anymore dorky even if he tried.

“I think it is a splendid idea! Count me in!” Lee shouted gleefully, punching the air. “Gai Sensei, you must aid me in this operation. What greater mission is there than one of the heart?”

“Alright Lee! You've convinced me! Besides, I know quite a bit about love myself.” Gai pulled a big thumbs up and smiled that sparkly smile of his and got one back from Lee. They were both pulling thumbs at each other and I rolled my eyes. I guess I was wrong about Gai not getting anymore dorky. They looked like a pair of idiots.

“So you'll help me out?” I asked, bringing them back down to Earth. They both nodded eagerly and crouched down beside me.

“What shall we do?” Gai asked.

*

For three months, Gai, Lee and I had tried desperately to get Neji and Tenten together but we had totally failed and it all because of us. Rock Lee would forget the objective of our missions and blow our cover my declaring that he would defeat Neji and grimace as soon as he opened his mouth. Gai would giggle and Tenten would hear and throw Kunai at him and use her sensei for target practice where as Neji would see me and give me the mega evils. Once I fell out of the tree but most embarrasing time was when we saw them coming and I dove into the bush where Gai and Lee were hiding and accidentally farted. We all laughed out loud and Tenten turned into the scariest person I had ever seen. She beat us into a bloody pulp and Neji just smiled at me. Jerk.

“Guys, I'm gettting fed up with this and we keep getting caught.” I confessed with a tired sighed.

“I agree. Not one of our operations have been successful and not even Gai Sensei's wisdom in love had helped us.” Lee said, his attitude put out.

I nodded and plonked onto the ground. “Not to metion they always know we're there.” I bit my lip and absently twirled a twig in my fingers.

“And to make things worse, Kakashi knows about us and he laughs at me everytime he sees me.”

We all looked at each other and blew out a collective, exasperated sigh.

Neji and Tenten were watching from a safe distance, trying really hard not to laugh too loud. They had known all along what we were doing and found the sad attempts hilarious.

“Neji,” Tenten whispered, a smile clear on her pretty face “does your friend always do stuff like this?”

Neji tucked his smile away and tried to act cold and serious. “Yes. It is absurd but she means well.”

“I know that, otherwise you wouldn't value her opinion as much as you do. Even though you try to hide your feeling, you love her.”

Neji glanced side long at Tenten and felt his cheeks beginning to burn up. He had butterflies in his stomach and he was finding it hard to breathe.

“Hey, you okay? You look a little red.” Tenten was clearly concerned and brought her hand up to his forehead to check his temperature.

“I'm fine.” he attempted to sound haughty but Neji was distracted by how close their faces were. He stared at Tenten's mouth and licked his lips nervously. Neji dropped his cold attitude and took the plunge. He leant forward until his lips touched hers, the first time he'd ever done anything like that. Tenten was caught by surprise and gasped. Then she smiled and returned his kiss and closed her eyes.

They were so preoccupied that they failed to see that Lee, Gai and I were watching and silently high fiving each other. I had brought Kakashi into the picture and he suggested that we'd pretend like we were giving up and he'd signal us if anything happened. Simple and yet brilliant.

Things started to get a little raunchy between my best friend and Tenten so I dragged the guys away before anything more happened and they'd get nose bleeds.We met up with Kakashi who was reading his favourite book. Again.

“Ah... the power of youth.” Gai said dreamily and petted Lee on the head. I grinned and snuggled up to Kakashi, rubbing my face into his shoulder.

“I guess the score weighs in your favour, aye buddy?” Gai grinned and held his fist up. “Fine. As promised I will do 500 push ups on the burning embers at the festival next week. Hoo haa!”

“Yes Gai Sensei! I will help you by doing so as well!” Lee screamed enthusiastically. Sensei and student ran off to do goodness knows what and I hoped they weren't really going to keep up those self imposed rules. I watched them go, amused. Kakashi was shaking with laughter though he made no sound.

“My place tonight?” he asked slyly and somehow his hand found it's way up my shirt and he was doing some very clever things in there.

“Mmm, tonight.” I glanced up at the clock tower. 11 o'clock. “Change of plans. How about now?”

“Sure. I'll tell the kids I got lost on the path of life.”

*

Ignoring the signs he had posted all over the trees and plants, I barged straight into Neji's house and made a beeline for his room.

“Hey! Wake up!” I pounded on his closed door and waited impatiently for the late riser to get up. I was about to bash the door down when Tenten wrenched the door open and glared at me with all her might.

“He's asleep.” she mumbled and stepped out into the hallway, closing the door firmly behind her.

“You look like you got some last night.” I remarked and she blushed a million shades of red. “Does this mean you two are officially together now?”

Tenten locked her hands behind her back and scuffed the floor with her foot nervously. She's so shy!

“Good. 'Cause I'm over coming here every morning to wake him up so he's not late.”

“I heard that,” a muffled voice from inside the bedroom grumbled. I laughed, twiddled my fingers at Tenten and saw myself out.

Am I the bestest best friend ever, or what?