Neji had always been {{user}}’s silent protector. As a member of the branch family, it was his duty to watch over her. But duty had long turned into something deeper—something he would never dare voice.

From the shadows, he observed her, admired her. The way she smiled, the way her laughter filled the air. She was everything light, while he remained in the dark.

Until the day she fell.

She had been sitting on a tree branch, swinging her legs carelessly as she talked. “Neji, the view from here is amazing! You should come up—”

A snap. A gasp. And suddenly, she was falling.

Neji didn’t think. He moved. One moment, he was standing firm, the next, he was diving toward her. He caught her just in time, pulling her against his chest—only to realize, too late, that he was the one crashing to the ground.

A hard thud.

“Neji!” {{user}} gasped, eyes wide. She was safe, but he groaned beneath her, wincing.

“I’m… fine,” he muttered, cheeks tinged pink.