To Be A Ninja | Shikamaru Nara

Chapter Three

Day Two

The next morning, the girls were up first and already at the bathhouse. Which it seemed they had made it there without any problems.
Shikamaru glanced at Naruto who was eating ramen for breakfast, nothing new. Wondering if his friend would ever get sick of eating ramen.

"What do you think of Jade?" Shikamaru questioned, wanting to know Narutos input on the guard. Naruto slurped up another bite, before he spoke. Not wanting to talk with a mouth full. "Hmm, she seems really nice but also scary." Naruto laughed, not really sure how to describe 'Jade.'
"Not that kind of thinking. I'm talking about if you think she's suspicious?" Naruto arched a brow, humming in his thoughts as he never really thought about the guard in that way. Overall, she seemed okay to him. Just he wasn't sure why Shikamaru felt off about her.

Though majority of the time when Shikamaru had a gut feeling about something, they turned out right. "Maybe?" Was all he could say in reply. "You could try keeping an eye on her, if you really do suspect something?" Naruto suggested. Shikamaru nodded, maybe he should? Just he needed to make sure it wasn't obvious that he suspects her.

"Hey, you both ready?" Jade approached the two sitting at the table. Asami beside her, however she wasn't in her normal guard outfit. Instead, she was in a kimono? "Why are you both in kimonos?" Shikamaru asked the pair. "Well Lad- Jade, has never experienced a festival before so I wanted to have her experience it some more." Jade almost slipped up, but at least they didn't catch on. Naruto glanced at Shikamaru then the girls. "You really haven't been to one before?" Naruto was shocked, though he probably should figure since some guards are always on duty.

"Ah..yeah." Asami felt awkward admitting it, Naruto just smiled. "We really shouldn't be wasting time having fun. We should be focusing on the mission." Shikamaru, of course was the one who is all about getting missions done. Instead of delaying them any longer just to have "fun."

Naruto just gave his friend a huge stank eye. "What?" He really didn't understand why Naruto gave him that look.
"You're gonna crush her dreams, just let it slide for once?" Naruto begged for the girls.

"Naruto, its fine. There's plenty of other times I could come back." Asami assured him, however he didn't accept her words. "Shikamaru, we're going to at least stay until they have fireworks. Deal?" Naruto was standing up at the table, hand above the surface as he waited for his friend to agree.

Shikamaru was slightly taken a back by Narutos actions, but it was normal for Naruto to act like this. To make other people feel happy, that was just his charm.
Sadly, there was no way out of this. Naruto would just grunt the whole way back to the village if he denied the 'deal.'

"Fine."
Naruto smiled as he glanced at the girls. "So what's the first thing you want to try?" He asked Asami. Jade had already known everything around here, since she was allowed to spend her time freely when she was a child.
Asami rubbed the back of her neck as she wasn't so sure what to do first. She only got to look around the place.

"Maybe that fish place?" She wasn't sure what it was called, but she thought it was cute to catch little fishes that way.
Naruto blinked for a moment, trying to figure out what she was talking about. "Do you mean, Kingyo Sukui?" He chuckled as she nodded her head. "Yeah, that thing where you catch the little gold fishes." Asami smiled as Naruto glanced at Jade and Shikamaru. "Shall we all go? Or do you both want to do something else?"

Jade shook her head. "No, I would like to stick by her side." She smiled at Asami.
"And I suppose I don't have a choice." Shikamaru complained as he stood up. "Then it's settle!" Naruto beamed, placing the money down quickly. Wanting to hurry to try and do everything before the night comes.

Asami glanced at Jade as Naruto grabbed Asamis hand. Leading the way out of the small restaurant. "Does he have this charm with everyone?" Jade asked, as her and Shikamaru were left behind. "Charm?" Confused to what she had meant by that.

"As in, making others around him happy?" Naruto gave off this vibe that made everyone around him have a change of heart. She only wondered if he could help Asami with going against her parents.
Knowing how much Asami didn't want this marriage to happen.

"Leave it to Naruto to make anyone have a second thought. He's made quite the impression on so many out there, even from rouge Ninjas." Shikamaru enjoyed the bond he had with Naruto. He was really going places in the future.

Jade stared at him, noticing how much people must of admired Naruto in their Village.

"By the way, I heard you were suppose to be very bratty or sassy?" He really went there, his thoughts speaking out loud. Jade froze, uncertain of how to explain that. Should she just say it's a rumor? A lot of people never met Asami, so maybe she could pull it off?

"I-"

"I'm glad to see that was just a rumor." Shikamaru cut her off, giving a smile. "You will love the person you'll be seeing. He's intelligent, respectful, sort of comes off as cold hearted, but really he's got a warm heart." He added, Neji probably wouldn't be able to stand someone like her bodyguard.

••

"That was so amazing!" Asami chuckled as they played the last game. Naruto didn't mind spending some money on her, if it meant her getting to experience things she won't be able to do when she returns home.

"So we can start heading out then?" Shikamaru rose a brow her way, of course she glared at him in response. "I suppose."

Is she really glaring at me?

He never understood what her problem was with him. Asami glanced at Jade, smiling. "I'm glad you had fun, but he's right. We really should start heading out now." Jade didn't want to stay in one place for to long, in case someone found out who they were. Asami was the daughter of a wealthy family, word gets out that she isn't at home where she is usually at. There's bound to be someone after them.

Asami heaved out a long sigh. "Yeah, wouldn't want to make him angry."

Shikamaru caught on to what she said, but what exactly did she mean by that? Sort of sound like- No, there's no way they switched places. Why would he even think that? Shaking the thought off. That was a very big assumption to assume.

Maybe he's overthinking.

"Alright, let's head back and change. Then we can get going." Naruto smiled as they all headed back to their rooms they were staying at.

"Wait! What about the fireworks?" Asami asked Naruto who had completely forgot about it. "Ah that's right! Um, why don't you and Shikamaru go to it and me and Lady Asami will pack up?" Naruto suggested, Jade did not like the idea of splitting up even for a small amount of time. Asami glanced at Jade, trying to show that it will be fine.

Shikamaru just sighed, not wanting to be stuck with Jade.