"It is a part of what I am, who I am, and I know that it will never stop changing. But, there is a thing I can count on to be constant, and that is my love for you." Hinata spoke strongly, and with a conviction so powerful that all of the listeners were leaning forward, faces still with rapt attention. She blushed under the close scrutiny of their eyes and looked down once again to the poem she was reading from.

"When your eyes watch me, and when you touch my hand, I know. When we sit watching the autumn leaves fall in silence, I know. When we are far apart, and I think of you and smile, I know. I can only wait for you to understand, and if you never do, then I will do everything I can to make you happy, and it will keep my soul at peace."

The pale girl rolled up the poem and bowed to her audience, who, for the most part, were murmuring approval and nodding. Her long, dark lavender yukata swept along the stage at she stepped down. A young man with a lovely tenor voice was next, singing an old love ballad.

Hinata joined with the crowd, sighing with relief and graciously accepting the compliments that were quietly offered. She made her way to the back where the one member of her family who could come was waiting for her.

Neji held out a simple red rose, and Hinata happily took it, smelling the sweet fragrance that issued from the pedals. "T-thank you Neji-nii-san, it's lovely."

"You performed well. You deserve it." He responded blankly, motioning towards the door. Hinata nodded and, holding the rose tenderly, left the tea house.

Once out on the street, she let Neji take the lead and followed just beside him and a half-step behind. Her concentration was on the soft rose and the graceful bend of the stem. Neji noticed her eyebrows furrow, and tilted his head towards her slightly to let her know that he was listening.

"Neji-nii-san, d-do you really think that I did well?" Neji stared straight ahead, watching out of the corner of his eye how Hinata was slowly twirling the rose in nervousness. He didn't understand why women always needed to be reassured so often. Tenten wasn't nearly as bad as his cousin, but all women had their moments.

"Yes, you did very well." Neji assured her, then remembered that women needed to be convinced of these obvious facts. "Everyone was listening through the entire poem." Neji didn't know what more he could say to convince her, and was glad when it seemed to be enough.

Hinata smiled self-consciously, putting the rose under her nose again to hide her mouth. Neji didn't understand. Hinata had done well, especially under the pressure of being asked to perform at the last minute. Yet, she felt embarrassed of her pride, and of her accomplishment.

They continued walking along the mid-sized avenue, not jumping from roof to roof as Neji would've preferred, as it was faster and much more direct, because of Hinata's long and restrictive yukata. Neji had nothing to say, and so said nothing, and Hinata began to once again fidget with the lovely and carefully chosen flower.

"Hinata-sama, why didn't you want to stay to watch the other performers?" Neji asked. He could sense that his cousin was finding his silence oppressive, but he knew she would never initiate conversation if she could help it.

"U-um, I, uh..." Hinata seemed startled that he had broken the silence. It was not in his nature to be so giving to his cousin, but for some reason he felt in a good enough mood to be pleasant. Perhaps it was the nice weather, or perhaps it was that he and his team were taking the next two days off from missions in order to rest. Perhaps it was just something in the air, but Neji felt relaxed enough to hold a conversation with the future head of their clan.

"Well, I didn't want t-to, um, waste y-your time, Neji-nii-san... I'm s-sorry, did you w-want to stay?" Hinata asked hesitantly, clutching the rose to her chest. Neji slowly blinked, and shrugged deliberately.

"It didn't matter to me. I came to see you." Hinata blushed and smiled self-consciously once again. Neji paused for a moment, and then stopped entirely. Surprised, his cousin nearly ran into him, but instead bent to the side and gracefully sidestepped around him.

"N-Neji-nii-san?" Hinata asked; her uncertainty very clear in her posture and tone. Neji stared straight ahead for a moment, thinking to himself before he came to a decision. He turned towards Hinata, and she leaned back, away from his intense stare.

"Why..." Neji paused and closed his eyes. "Why are you so embarrassed when I compliment you? It's irritating." Hinata's eyes went wide, and the rose went up again to cover her mouth. Normally, Neji would've just knocked the flower out of her delicate grip, but for some inexplicable reason, he was feeling generous today.

Hinata almost flinched away when her cousin gently pulled her hands down, away from her face. "Neji-nii-san, I..." Hinata wanted to look her cousin in the eye, she wanted to be brave and spit out the truth, tell him why, but...

Neji knew the moment that Hinata fell back inside of herself; when her eyes dropped down to stare at his knees, and her shoulders hunched forward a little more. It was when her eyebrows drew together and downwards slightly, and her frown became a little more apparent on her pale face.

Normally, Neji would've demanded an explanation, and wouldn't have stopped until he got a satisfactory one. However... there had to be something in the air. Neji inhaled and exhaled purposefully, not sighing, because he was physically and psychologically incapable of sighing, and started walking back to the Hyuuga Compound. Hinata followed, just beside him and a half-step behind.