[kararayn]

Chapter 3 - Lunchroom

Left curious, and confused, she made her way to the lunchroom. Knowing better then to eat what was provided, she sat down as the first empty table she could find. Scanning her eyes over the room, she covered her mouth to keep from laughing. Tenten was with Neji, sitting at their usual table. Lee was obviously regaling them with some message of youth, as he was bouncing around excitedly again. Kiba was laughing. Shino was smirking behind his hoodie. And Hinata was watching it all, quietly smiling as well.

On the table beside that, were the newest couple, Ino and Chouji. Apparently Ino had learned to cook, and he was trying out what she had made. She smirked when she noticed Sai, and Shikamaru were into another debate. Chuckling, she noticed Sakura was fuming, as she turned away from Sasuke, when he approached. He smirked, and sat down anyway. Naruto was following behind him, energetically telling him a story of some sort.

A tap on the shoulder, snapped her out of it. She turned around to look, and blinked with surprise. He yanked her up out of the seat, and pulled her towards the tables she'd been looking at only a moment before. "Neji! What the heck do you think your doing?!" she demanded to know, as she started dragging him back toward where she'd been.

"Getting you in the loop." he hoisted her over his shoulder, and she struggled to get down the whole way there.

"Put...me...down..now!" she protested.

"As you wish." He dropped her to the ground.

"Did you have to do it that way?" she stood up, and brushed herself off. She glared at him, only to have her eyes widen in horror, as she realized he'd dropped her right in front of the table.

"Hi Kumi - chan!" Naruto spoke up first, cheerfully. She was speechless, and shut her mouth. She clenched her hands into fists, and glared at her offender. Neji only chuckled, looking smug. An idea came to mind, she smiled. Walking calmly over to him, she pounced, and tackled - hugged him.

"Oof!" he grunted, and fell to the ground. The others only stared, or fell into laughter. "What was that for?!"

"For what you did!" she told him.

"Fine...okay.." he was turning red, and facepalmed. "Can you get off me now please?" She looked down, and realized the way they'd landed, she was straddling his lap.

"Oh my fucking god!" she jumped off, and to her feet. She was beet red. She buried her face in her hands.

"Nice one, Kumi." Sasuke smirked.

"Shut...up.."

"Make me." he dared, and she punched him across the cheek. "What the heck!" he demanded.

"I'm going now. Cya Neji.." she was completely red, and fled to the empty table. Burying her face in her arm, she groaned as someone yanked her up out of her seat.

"How dare you touch Sasuke, you bitch!"

"Great. Just what I need.." she sighed, and glared at Sakura.

"What is that supposed to mean!" the other girl shrieked.

"For you to back off. I don't give a damn because I'm not a fangirl like you!"

"How dare you!" Sakura punched her across the face. Smirking, she began walking away. Glaring at her back, she grabbed the pink - haired offended by her hair, and bashed her head against the table. Pinning her with her hands behind her back, and with a knee in her spine, she growled.

"Back the hell off." Kumi warned, before letting her go, and shoving her back to the tables.

"Kumi.." a calmer voice spoke.

"Neji.." she sighed.

"Calm down." he told her, and patted her head.

"Fine.." she pouted.

"How do you two know each other?" Naruto popped out from behind the Hyuuga.

"Neighbors." they replied in unison.

"For how long?" he tilted his head to the side.

"Six years." they said again, before looking at each other and laughing.

"HOW COULD YOU HAVE?!" Naruto yelled, shocked.

"I d- don't know her..." Hinata spoke quietly.

"Of course not. Your usually away when she comes over." Neji snorted.

"How was she not in school before last year?"

"I was homeschooled.." she spoke quietly.

"Wait..what? Seriously?" Kiba asked.

"I had to be. My mother was sick at the time."

"For how long?"

"Nine years..."

"Well, since your in school, she must be better, right?" Naruto asked., cheerfully.

"She's dead." Neji answered for her, flatly.

"What about her dad then?"

"He's been missing for a long time now." she laughed to show it wasn't a big deal.

"Wait..wait..so you live alone?" he asked, tilting his head to the side.

"Aside from the cats." Neji grumbled, rubbing a scratch on his arm. She chuckled.

"Cats?" Sasuke asked then.

"She has an hyperactive furball...and then she insists on taking care of like all the ones from the neighborhood!" he explained.

"I'm a sucker for animals.." she shrugged.

"Why cats?" Naruto asked.

"My mom got me Tobi."

"She got you a cat named after the mass murderer?" Sasuke raised his brow.

"Yep."

"You realize your gonna have to explain that to them, right?" Neji blinked at her.

"Maybe later." she laughed.

"Why later?" Naruto asked, just before the bell rang.

"That's why." she walked to class.