Previously...

Sakura grinned, slinging an arm around each of her roommates, "We are going to have so much fun playing together!"

Hinata and Tenten glanced at each other. What had they gotten themselves into?

So then...

"I'm about to become a gaming widow," Temari declared gloomily. She had her jacket on, her purse over her shoulder, and an overnight bag in her hand, but she still looked back at her three roommates with an overly dramatic sigh.

"Go get Shikamaru-senpai to comfort you," Tenten retorted absentmindedly, "Hey Sakura-chan, didn't I already choose an in-game name?"

"He's almost as bad with his online Go," Temari muttered.

"No, you chose an account name. This is the one that your character will go by and other people will recognize you as," Sakura said as the three of them all ignored Temari's disgruntled muttering.

"I'm leaving, and I'm going to spend the night with Shikamaru if any of you care!" Temari announced loudly.

"See you t-tomorrow, Tema-chan," Hinata called, not looking up from where she was trying to decide between pastel lavender and pastel lilac for her avatar's eye colour.

"Bye Temari-chan!" Tenten chirped, "So can I use the same name for my character then?"

"See ya Temari-chan," Sakura was still looking over Tenten's shoulder at her username, "Yes, yes you can. Although if it's your main, it just means that if you're ever on the forums, you'll be more identifiable."

Temari shook her head and smiled fondly at the three of them. Since Tenten and Hinata were both engrossed in creating their characters, and Sakura was trying to get them to hurry up (they'd been at it for the past half hour for crying out loud), Temari decided to just make a graceful exit and leave them to it.

"Okay, I think I'm good. Hurry up already, Hinata-chan," Tenten muttered as she fought with the controls in the newbie area, "Sakura-chan, why can't I-"

"No- Don't - you have to - Here, let me," Sakura nudged Tenten aside. Tenten ceded her seat to her, watching as Sakura opened the menu that Tenten had ignored.

"I-I'm almost done," Hinata said, as her fingers hesitated over the keyboard, "I just need to come up with a name. D-Don't rush me, okay? This is hard."

"Look, don't even bother with the W, A, S, and D keys, just change your keybinds and use your mouse," Sakura explained.

"Change my what now?" Tenten watched her, baffled.

"The keys you press to ...," Sakura was about to show her, when a knock came from the door, "Door's open! Just come in." They all figured it would just be Temari coming back because she forgot something, so none of them bothered to look up until Hinata's soft voice called possibly the last name she had been expecting.

"Neji-niisama," Hinata sounded surprised and hesitant, "I wasn't expecting you."

"I have found phone messages to be an inefficient way to communicate with you," Neji glanced at her. Hinata flushed and looked down at her phone, a bit guiltily.

"Who's this, Hinata-chan?" Tenten looked up at the block of wood that had just walked into their dorm. Sakura didn't recognize him either, but she remembered the name from the forum incident.

"Th-this is my older cousin, Hyuuga Neji," Hinata introduced him briefly. "M-My apologies, Nii-sama. These are my roommates, Haruno Sakura and Higurashi Tenten."

"Hello," Tenten tried to smile brightly, but she was a bit alarmed when Sakura barely acknowledged him. She kind of understood why when Hinata's cousin simply gave them both a stony look, though. What a block of wood.

"What brings you all the way here? It must be time-sensitive," Hinata asked.

"It is. Applications for summer internships at the embassy have just opened for a brief period. It is an excellent opportunity. Uncle has asked me to tell you to not miss this chance and submit your resume in a timely manner," Neji said, "The Ambassador is an old friend of Uncle's, so he's willing to overlook many of your deficiencies."

Tenten frowned. She didn't have much experience with families, but she was pretty sure this was not how an older cousin should be talking to his younger cousin. He was mean.

Hinata bit her lip. There was a tone Tenten had never heard before in her voice, one of grievance and irritation, when she replied, "W-would this be a coding opportunity, by chance? or have anything at all to do with computer science? Neji-niisama, y-you do remember what my major is, right?"

"Don't be childish," Neji reprimanded her, "We're simply thinking of your future."

"Don't speak to Hinata like that," Sakura snapped. She glared at Neji with undisguised hostility. Tenten wasn't all that happy with him either.

"Outsiders need not interfere with our family's business," He said, not at all politely. From where he was standing in the room, Tenten saw him peer at Sakura's screen and sneer, "Especially not outsiders with poor prioritization. Don't you have school work to do?"

Tenten snorted. Out of all people to say that to... Sakura-chan? Hah! She caught the blockhead cousin looking at her when she laughed at him, so she beamed an especially charming smile at him. He seems like the kind of guy who that would piss right off. Sure enough, Mr. Rude looked away from her.

"N-Not that it's any of your business, but w-we're preparing for our internships. I-in a gaming company," Hinata replied defensively.

"An internship with a gaming company?" Neji raised an eyebrow, "You believe that that's the best use of your time, energy and education?"

"Y-Yes," Hinata said. The cousins looked at each other in a weird staring contest that made Sakura and Tenten worry about Hinata. They could both see how white her knuckles were turning on her mouse. But Hinata didn't back down.

Go Hinata-chan! Tenten wanted to cheer. The tension was so thick, though, she was afraid to say anything lest it snap back in her face.

Surprisingly, it was the overbearing cousin that gave in first. "Very well then. You can inform Uncle of how you've chosen to waste your summer. He'll need to inform the ambassador and arrange the apartment for you."

"R-Really?" Hinata asked, surprised.

"You're old enough to waste your time however you want, even if it is wasting your time on games," Neji said dismissively, turning to leave, "Just don't drag me into however you choose to disappoint Uncle." He moved to leave their dorm without another word.

"You're such a condescending asshole," Sakura finally lashed out.

Not to mention the Hyuuga cousins, even Tenten's jaw dropped at her outburst. They all stared at her, but Sakura was so angry she looked like she was about to punch Neji. The target himself took one inadvertent step back. Sakura-chan?!

"For one thing, you don't know anything about any of us, including your own damn cousin apparently, so don't come in and flaunt your condescending attitude," She ranted, "For another thing, gaming is an amazing new cultural medium that connects millions of people, builds lifelong friendships, and tells stories in a more immersive and unique way than ever before. So take your judgemental snobbery and shove it up your-"

"Sakura-chan!" Hinata exclaimed. Her cousin started to look a particularly lovely shade of puce, "I-I know you're trying to stand up for me, b-but..."

Sakura looked at Hinata and then stopped, looking slightly embarrassed but still defiant. Tenten kind of wished Sakura had finished telling him to shove it where the sun don't shine, but they both knew how nervous Hinata was about her family disapproving and pulling her out of the dorms. So Sakura sighed and gave in, "I apologize for my rudeness."

"I didn't expect anything more from you, Haruno-san," Neji said, "I apologize for intruding. Hinata-sama, contact your father so I don't report about your situation."

With one more significant look at Hinata, he strode out of the dorm.

"What an ass!" Sakura yelled as soon as the door closed, "I'm sorry, Hinata-chan, but-"

"I-I understand," Hinata smiled wanly, "Neji-niisama has a talent for... well. Th-there's a reason he's in foreign languages and not diplomacy."

Tenten snorted, "He's certainly special." She said with a grin, "I see why you don't hang out with him that often, Hinata-chan."

Hinata sighed, "Neji-niisama j-just has a complex about certain things. H-He was really nice to m-me when we were growing up, but... w-well, for some reason, w-we're no longer as we were back then. I think it's because Father never gave him the same access to the family n-network, and h-he resents me because I-I don't want it. So now..." she looked down, lost in her own thoughts.

Sakura and Tenten looked at each other, both sensing that they'd stepped on an emotional landmine, and both made a tactical decision to retreat and change the subject.

"Alright, get out of my seat and get your own laptop, Sakura-chan," Tenten complained, bumping the other girl with her hip, "Hinata-chan, are you done yet?"

Hinata blinked, breaking out of her sad memories, and clicked a couple of things, "O-Oh uhm, yeah. I just... g-give me a minute. Yeah. I'm done. Wh-where do we go now?"

"Welcome to the Way of the Ninja, ladies," Sakura grinned, bringing her laptop over.

＼(＾∀＾)メ(＾∀＾)メ(＾∀＾)ノ

Neji ignored the weird looks he got as he left the women's dorms, too engrossed in his own thoughts. Hinata-chan used to be so cute and obedient. I wonder what happened to her.

He'd helped her reach the lofty standards the Hyuuga had demanded, helped her cultivate the proper etiquette and bearing a Hyuuga Heiress required, and even ensured she surrounded herself with the proper companions. It was what he should do, as her older cousin.

Yet he'd been forced to leave her behind in High school. He hadn't thought too much about it at the time - she'd have to become independent eventually - but who'd have thought she'd broken out in this mad idea of studying computer science instead of becoming a diplomat? It was simply a waste of the etiquette and bearing she'd cultivated since childhood, not to mention the extensive education as a Hyuuga Heiress.

To him, it was like watching a pilot making a living as a delivery driver. Neji couldn't bear to watch it, never mind the stumbling block it represented to his own career.

As he reached his dorm, though, he thought of the small smile he'd seen on her face as Hinata played with her roommates. He'd noticed another thing, too - her forehead was no longer always so creased with worries. He supposed he should be grateful to those girls for that.

They'd been acceptable companions in the initial background checks - the Suna family was a well-known HR software company in Sunagakure that their family had a lukewarm relationship with, while that Higurashi girl was an orphan whose parents had both died in an industrial accident, leaving her with a large enough settlement to live independently and attend a top university without a scholarship.

That Haruno girl though...

Her family had seemed respectable enough, even if they were only barely making ends meet with their little bakery. While a more elevated background would have been preferred had Hinata-sama been pursuing the diplomatic path, the family wasn't choosy, The girl herself had achieved outstanding scholastic results, otherwise, she would have never been able to attend Konoha U with her family's meagre resources.

But after that picture... No. He could not allow such a blemish near Hinata-sama, even if she was no longer going down the diplomatic path.

Neji stared at his computer for the fiftieth time since that incident. He'd only begun to track down the source when everything was just gone. Any traces of the original post, the convenience store's footage from the past week where the original picture was from, even all the screenshots he took - all of it was gone.

He could not simply let it go. But he could no longer proceed with his original approach. Given the rudeness she'd shown him in Hinata-sama's dormitory, his reliable Plan B, befriending the suspect and getting their trust, wouldn't work either.

However... What did she say again?

Gaming is an amazing new cultural medium that connects millions of people and builds lifelong friendships?

If she won't tell me in person, perhaps... Perhaps SharpandPointy will.

His eyes fell to his laptop again, and slowly his fingers typed something into the search bar. He was quite grateful for the extensive memory training that all Hyuuga children received and the glimpse of that Haruno girl's screen he'd seen from over her shoulder.

Way of the Ninja.

(￢_￢;)

"Oh come on!" Tenten exclaimed in disbelief, "How come you get such a cool bloodline limit Hinata-chan? I just got this weapon forging aptitude!"

"W-what is it?" Hinata turned quizzically to Sakura.

"The Byakugan is one of the rarer bloodline limits in the game," Sakura explained. Even she was a bit jealous of Hinata. "Basically it lets you see all the opponents weak spots and aim directly at those, and you can also see chakra in the environment, not just in your body map. It's a bit overwhelming, but once you get the hang of it, you'll be invincible. It's a one in ten thousand ability - you're unlikely to meet another Byakugan user on the server. You're so lucky, Hinata-chan."

"O-Oh," Hinata looked a bit overwhelmed.

"Also, Tenten-chan, that forging aptitude can make you a lot of gold in-game. It may not be as rare as Hinata-chan's limit, but it's still really good," Sakura let out an exasperated sigh, "Damn, how'd I end up with the most boring limit?"

"I can make money?" Tenten perked up, "I like money."

"Lots of it once you get to higher levels. With that bloodline ability, you probably have the highest chance of making the most powerful weapons in the game. Here, let me give you some basic supplies so you can try it out. Remember to make me something powerful when you get to the top," Sakura grinned at her. Sakura wasn't a forger, but it was inevitable for every ninja to pick up some raw materials of every kind. She'd been too lazy to get rid of her most basic mats, but if she gave them to Tenten, she could make good use of them.

"S-Sakura-chan, don't you have to go for tutoring soon?" Hinata asked, suddenly checking her watch.

With Hinata's reminder, Sakura checked the time as well, "I have a few more minutes, but yeah. If you guys want to keep playing though, you'll do better if you have a mentor. Hang on, let me see who from my friend list are online."

"W-Won't that be boring for them though? W-We don't want to impose on your friends...," Hinata worried.

"No, higher-level players get scaled down in lower level areas, and lower level missions can be quite valuable because fewer players will do the content and gather the materials. Besides, they get an experience boost by being your mentor. It's a win-win situation for everyone, frankly," Sakura explained as she scrolled.

Her cursor hovered over two names in particular. Would they? They seemed nice enough... They're certainly strong enough...

[Whisper to OldRamenMan] SakuraBlossom: Hey, Old Man, can I ask you a favour?
[Whisper] OldRamenMan: What's up, 3SIL?
[Whisper to OldRamenMan] SakuraBlossom: My roommates just started with Way
[Whisper to OldRamenMan] SakuraBlossom: I have to go, but they want to keep playing
[Whisper to OldRamenMan] SakuraBlossom: Can you and Wulf mentor them?
[Whisper] OldRamenMan: Lemme ask Wulf
[Whisper to OldRamenMan] SakuraBlossom: Sure
[Whisper to OldRamenMan] SakuraBlossom: lmk soon cause I g2g
[Whisper] OldRamenMan: He's got one question
[Whisper] OldRamenMan: Are they cute girls?

( ^ __ ^ )

Oh Neji, your EQ is so deplorable.

I do enjoy writing him, though, as much as I want to punch him at times. Also, thank you everyone for your patience while I took a week off for my mental health, and Reglee for making time to Beta even with their busy schedule. The Words I Want to Say will also get an update soonish (I think I underestimated exactly how much of a slow burn this story would be, and how much writing a slow burn would make me itch for shipper fluff), but honestly, when writing isn't fun, I gotta take a break. I'm back up to a bit of a backlog for the beta though, so all is well! I hope you enjoyed the installment and as always, comments, reviews, kudos, favourites, bookmarks, and flying airplane banners always make my day. Stay safe and stay healthy, guys, and see you soon!