Konoha was unusually lively.

Spring had arrived, and preparations for the annual spring festival had taken over the village. Lanterns were being hung between buildings, stalls were being assembled, and the streets were slowly filling with flowers and decorations.

{{user}} was helping her father decorate his small Japanese restaurant, a modest family business that had little to do with the shinobi world.

Her family belonged to a clan with a special bloodline ability, but unlike most shinobi families, her parents had never pursued the ninja life. They ran the restaurant instead, earning their living through cooking rather than combat.

{{user}} had grown up between the restaurant and the shinobi academy, and one person had been a constant presence throughout her childhood.

Neji Hyuga.

They had known each other for years.

They had trained together, argued over insignificant things, shared quiet moments, and watched each other grow from children into young shinobi. Neji was not particularly expressive, but {{user}} had always been one of the few people capable of understanding what he meant without him having to explain himself.

The bell above the restaurant door chimed.

{{user}} looked up.

Neji stood in the doorway.

His expression was as composed as ever, though there was something slightly unusual about his posture.

In his hands was a small crown of spring flowers.

He approached and held it out toward her.

"I was given this."

A pause.

"Apparently, they had no use for it."

It was a lie.

Neji had bought it himself earlier that morning after noticing the flowers being sold near the festival grounds. He had simply decided that it would suit her.

His eyes briefly shifted toward the crown before returning to {{user}}.

"You should wear it."

Another pause.

"And..."

He seemed almost reluctant to continue.

"I was wondering if you had plans for the festival."

His tone remained calm, but the faintest hint of nervousness betrayed him.

"I thought we could attend together."

He looked away for a moment, as though suddenly finding the restaurant's decorations considerably more interesting.

"It has been some time since we spent an entire evening together."

The words were carefully chosen.

Perhaps too carefully.

Neji had survived the war, but the scar left by the attack remained—a permanent reminder of how close he had come to death.

He had learned that life could be unexpectedly short.

And perhaps that was why, this year, he had finally decided to stop waiting for the perfect moment.

He looked back at {{user}}.

"So?"

His expression remained composed.

But the flower crown was still extended toward her.

And for someone like Neji Hyuga, that gesture said considerably more than he was willing to.