[ShikaTema] Serendipity

Chapter 14: Casually

"Is it....her?"

"Yeah. She's just here for business, anyway. So I can't really look at her beyond that. Of being more than friends, that is. Of even being my wife, in the first place," the latter scoffed. "Heh, I'm pretty sure she's not interested about such things."

Geez, why am I even denying everything? And why am I telling her about all of these?

"Why don't you go and follow her? I'm sure she's not that far yet. Even if she's not interested, you should tell her. Who knows what she thinks about you, right? Shikamaru-san," the female took a deep breath. "If you truly love someone, you can do anything for her. If you love her, you can tell her about your feelings. If you love her, you'd take whatever the risk is, even if she doesn't feel the same way."

Lightened, Shikamaru looked at Shiho as she made a lot of points. "Thanks, I'll..," he scratched the back of his head. "I'll do that soon." I already have done it, anyway.

"Soon?!" Repeated Shiho. "Why not do it now, Shikamaru-san?! 'Soon' might be too late!"

He nodded. "Yeah, thanks, Shiho."

As Shikamaru vanished off from her sight to find the oldest of the Sand Siblings, Shiho's tears followed the path of her cheeks. Those tears splashed themselves on the cold, cemented grounds of Konoha. Since Shikamaru didn't look at her as she expected him to care, her hues furrowed in anger, the path of her tears could still be seen. "Why did you have to lie, Shikamaru-san? You will pay for this."

What a drag. Shikamaru gasped a bit when he somehow had recalled where Temari would be. "Hokage's headquarters, of course. How can I be so forgetful?" He scratched the back of his head in annoyance then sighed, vanishing into thin air after.

When he had showed himself again, Ino was already standing in front of him. "I-Ino?"

"Hn, I've been looking at you since you entered the village, Shikamaru. What's the problem? You seem like in a hurry," before Shikamaru could reply, Ino started another. "By the way, isn't Temari with you? I mean, she's visiting Konoha again, for, I don't know what but... Aren't you suppose to be doing your job?"

"As her escort?"

"No, idiot! The confession!" Said Ino, quite aggravated.

Shikamaru was taken aback. He sighed once again. "Uh, I...'m actually looking for her; have you seen her?" I don't. I know where she's waiting. I just need to divert Ino and Chouji's attention off from our relationship. I promised myself this will remain low profile.

"I think she's in the Hokage's headquarters right now. Go for it, Shikamaru! Me and Chouji will be rooting for you!"

"Thanks, Ino," once again, Shikamaru left.

"So, he...dumped Ms. Shiho?" Asked Chouji.

Ino turned to him. "What do you think?" She asked back, shoving at Chouji the obvious and then ate one ball of the dango she was holding.

---

The two, as told, were outside the Hokage's headquarters, leaning on its walls. They were currently waiting for Shizune to go out from the room and tell them if they could speak to the Hokage already. There were buzzes made inside, a sign that they were talking about something--probably important things to be tended to soon. Patiently, like what they've done for each other, they waited outside, until Shizune says so.

"Are you two over on the discussion?"

"Yeah. It's not something important, anyway."

With usual facial expression, she looked up at him. "It wasn't? But I heard she confessed to you."

Almost falling off from leaning on the wall comically, Shikamaru managed to regain himself. "She did confess, but it wasn't like I feel something for her too, you know."

"You turned her down?"

"Yeah. It will be troublesome if I make her hope that I can return her feelings, or I will be able to learn to love her or something like that," besides, I already love someone else.

"I see."

"What do you want for a man?"

"Wha- What's with that sudden quest-"

"Just answer it."

"Too blunt, Shikamaru. Too blunt!" Whispered Ino as she and Chouji glanced from behind the tree near the shop. "Could you put a bit of romance in it, at least?"

"Well, that's Shikamaru. What would you expect from him?" He replied, munching on his favourite junk food.

Well, Chouji's right.

"The most description of a man I really like wouldn't be you, of course, that's a given," joked Temari, which she assumed Shikamaru took as too. "Probably, Sasuke?" She chuckled.

"I love you, Temari. I won't fall for that. You're just trying to make me jealous. Besides, Sasuke's already courting Sakura. So, I don't see that happening. After all, you just told me you lo-"

Temari smiled. "You kept complaining, you're like a girl. You're a sexist--like this has to be done by a man and vice versa crap. You kept saying I am troublesome. You said I am too noisy and you didn't want to talk to me or something along that. You said I'm the cruelest kunoichi around and that I'm scary. But why me? You're too hard to predict," her facial expression loosen, her hues casting down.

"Because this is love we're talking about, Temari," he replied, which made the female mentally flinch. "When it is about love, it is unconditional. You can't tell yourself who to love, you can't choose who and how to love. It comes. If it's not, it goes. It's simple as that. I am saying this not because I want to embarrass myself, I'm telling you this because I love you, Temari. And I wouldn't hesitate to make you a part of my family... My wife." There were pink tints across his face, but he's keeping it just like that. "I don't need reasons to fall in love, Temari. I am smart enough to know that I am in love." Damn... Why am I feeling nervous? I've already confessed to her but... Geez, this woman sure is making everything hard for me.

Ino raised her right fist up high, screaming inside that Shikamaru finally had let his feelings out. "Yeah, you got this, Shikamaru! Make her yours!" Her eyes turned into comical arrows, showing how excited she was for the female's reply. Surprisingly, there wasn't a tint of shock on Temari's face when Shikamaru told her he loves her.

But no matter how many times I have to confess, I will confess. This is a man's work, after all.

"Pfft-" started Temari. "I didn't know you'd look uncool saying things to me like that," she said. "Again."

"Hey," replied Shikamaru. "I'm trying to be serious here."

"Did I hear right, Chouji? Again? Did Temari just say again?"

Chouji nodded, but was unsure. "I think she did say again."

Temari let out a soft laugh. "Silly. You already have everything I want for a man to be, Shikamaru. Besides," she cut off. "Nara as a surname won't be that bad," then grinned at him.