[ShikaTema] Serendipity

Chapter 27: The Trio

After all that had happened, Shikamaru and Temari figured that they should clean themselves first. Because of that idea, Temari went to her temporary home in Suna with the lad. And from there, they took a bath.

Shikamaru just finished his turn; if Temari didn't insist on making Shikamaru clean himself first, she definitely could have finished taking a bath already. There were series of battles of no, you go first and no, you should before they agreed on the same conclusion. The battle had ended with the statement "You should go first because you're a guest". Since Shikamaru dislikes arguing with women, not just with Temari, he followed what she wanted to happen.

Whilst Temari was out, things such as what had happened back in the hot springs of Konoha flashed back. There was nothing he could do but carve a silly smile on his lips. Shikamaru still couldn't believe what he just achieved these past few days.

Still reminiscing, Shikamaru also remembered Temari's figure. What the hell am I thinking? He mentally ruffled his hair for having unnecessary things in his mind, especially his future wife's body. However, since he is a guy, he was unable to stop his fantasies to overcome him. Shikamaru began imagining how perfect her body was, picturing it made him drool a bit.

"...kamaru? Shikamaru!"

Jolted, the teen looked at the direction where the voice was coming from. Just as what he was thinking fit the current state of Temari. She was dressed in towels--her body and her blonde hair.

"Y-Yeah, what?"

"What do you mean what? Aren't we here to discuss the whereabouts of the culprit?"

"Uh, yeah. But before that, dress up."

"You don't have to remind me," she replied in a stoic manner, just the usual way a woman from Suna--especially like her--would do.

It took her a few minutes before coming out from the room where she changed her clothes. It was back to her usual outfit--the black kimono, her tessen behind her, her hair tied in four ponytails. Though Shikamaru wouldn't verbally admit, he knew Temari was sexier when she was wearing just the towels.

"What are you staring at for?" Asked Temari this time, now finding his actions too weird to continue discussing about the culprit's whereabouts.

"Ah, what?" He replied, completely spacing out.

Sighing, Temari continued. "Shikamaru, if you don't feel well, we can do this some other time. Go on and take a rest. I'll just patrol around the village."

"No, I'm fine. Besides, we have to do this soon or that man will be ahead of us," he stated, atmosphere starting to become serious.

After fixing herself, Temari sat on the empty chair resting across to where Shikamaru was sitting so they could discuss the matter easily. "The last letter delivered to us said that the culprit was and still is in Suna, here. I've contacted and assigned jounins and chuunins to scatter around the village and find something odd. I've also told them to search down isolated places. Upon doing and finding so, I've told them to report as soon as they could."

"Good plan. But don't you think the culprit knows people would look for him in isolated places? He would definitely be around blending with people."

"I predicted that happening. So I've sent Matsuri, Yukata and Mikoshi to blend with people; wearing the uniform is out of their duties right now, of course," explained Temari further. "The village is still closed; no one can come or leave. Sakura is still here, she volunteered to be one of the shinobi who would blend with the villagers."

"As expected. However, it is also possible that an outsider would help him escape."

"Gaara and Kankuro had tracked the culprit down, and he had no assistants upon making all these mess. He is alone here in Suna. His only power is to reanimate dead people; but that has been taken care of. Also, a barrier was made right after Gaara made an order that the village should be closed. So, we should be able to find him easier than these past few days."

"Good plan," commented Shikamaru. "Also, about the proposal-"

"Temari-san!" An exclaim came from the outside. Footsteps were heard running upwards to meet the blonde lass, pants also conquering the place. "Temari-san!" Called Matsuri, now in a calmer tone. "Sakura-san found the culprit!"

"Wow~," Yukata said out of the blue, hands entwined with each other as she admired the view. "Shikamaru-san and Temari-san inside one house; I wonder what they did before we came here~"

Shikamaru was taken aback.

Temari blinked two times in surprise.

Mikoshi slightly elbowed Yukata, but that didn't stop her from admiring the two.

"What non-sense are you blabbering about?! State your report!"

Upon hearing Temari actually harshly order them around, Yukata flinched back in reality, the three of them saluted whilst standing firm as if that of a soldier and began saying what they had to deliver. "Sakura-san found the culprit; coordinates 300,272. The culprit is currently...eating ramen."

"Eating ramen?" Shikamaru and Temari questioned.

"His name is Jinbou," ended Matsuri, closing the paper full of her reports.

Shikamaru sighed for a second, not surprisingly that he got a new plan in mind. "From the battle we had before, he did say he wanted to make Temari his. In order for us to get the culprit...," he glanced at the sandy blonde female, then returned his gazes back to the three other shinobi of Suna. "To lure him, we have to use Temari."

"Temari-san?! But, Shikamaru-san, Temari-san was hurt before, done by that culprit. We couldn't risk that happening!"

"Temari is not that stupid to be stabbed twice," cleared the male. "She can do it."

Without complaints, Temari made her response. "What do I need to do?"

"You have to act as if you're vulnerable. Cry. As if your boyfriend left you."

"You?" Repeated the wind user in a soft mumble, for a second had forgotten that there were people around them who didn't know about how well they are together.

"Kyaaah!" Squealed Yukata. "You and Temari-san are already in a relationsh-"

Mikoshi covered her mouth.

"Uhh, don't mind Yukata, Temari-san, Shikamaru-san...," she said nervously, sweat almost dropping.

"Yeah," replied Shikamaru to Temari. "You have to pretend we broke up or something like that. Pretty corny but I'm sure he'll take the bait."

The lass nodded, then glanced at Matsuri. "His current location?"

"Moving north, Temari-san! 432,845."

"Let's go and put an end to this."