It has been days since Shikamaru kept thinking about the female, and probably, today would be the same thing. The two went out from the hot spring together. Unfortunately, Naruto was about to pass by when they did. And, of course, he saw them.
Aggressively pointing towards the two rather comically, Naruto's hues formed into a big white circle. "Aaaah, you two!" He called, definitely surprised of what he saw.
Shikamaru and Temari stopped from their tracks and glanced at the blonde male with a rather surprised facial expression. "What is it now, Naruto?" Asked Shikamaru.
He stomped his right foot once. "Don't you what is it now me, Shikamaru! You two went out from the same room! Why was she with you in there?! What do you think would I picture in mind?!" Asked Naruto rather simultaneously.
"Please, with him?" Asked Temari, looking at the lively shinobi with a bit of disbelief in her vert orbs.
The smartass sighed. "What a drag. It was an accident-"
"Accident, my ass! What relationship do you have with Shikamaru?!" Asked the male, glancing at Temari after.
"Spill it out," agreed Rock Lee, who appeared out of nowhere.
Chouji nodded as he ate his favourite junk food; he also appeared out of nowhere.
With a large smirk on his face, Naruto turned to Rock Lee. "I knew you'd feel the same way, bushy-brows!"
Temari sighed, facial expression was still. "He escorted me here, and decided to take a dip. I let him went first because I felt something was wrong, and as my escort, he had to check it for my safety. The sign before he entered was left for women, right for men. I turned away to think of what was wrong. But when I turned back, the sign said left for men, right for women. So, simply put, both of us got in the same room."
"How can you guys act so casual after that incident? When I met Tsunade-baachan inside without me knowing that she was there, I couldn't face her at all! And Shizune-neechan, and Kurenai-sensei, and Anko-sensei-"
"Seriously, luck just isn't on your side," said Chouji rather comically.
"Stop jumping into conclusions, Naruto," continued Temari, ignoring the male's follow-up statements.
"What!" Replied Naruto. "Shikamaru told me that too!"
"Same here," reacted Chouji.
"Here too," replied Rock Lee.
"Anyway," began Shikamaru, his facial expression hadn't changed at all, even if it was all about the person he admires the most, but denies it anyway. "She needs to go back to Suna soon; she shouldn't get her village unattended too long. Gaara might need her now. We'll go ahead."
Both proceeded to make their paths towards the opened gate of Konoha.
'We'? Shouldn't Temari be the only person who should go ahead, without him? Naruto's thumb was on his chin as he thought deeply of his suspicions about the two. After a few seconds, a grin ran across his lips. "Lee!" Called the male, which he got a nod as the other's response.
Confused, Chouji asked Naruto. "Naruto, where are you going? What are you gonna do?"
"Huh?" It took him a few moments before he managed to make a reply. "We're just going to stalk them."
"Why does it bother you so much? I mean, if they have something going on between them, why don't you just let them be?" He asked, actually making sense. "Isn't a relationship only about two people in love with each other? We don't matter at all," Chouji is Shikamaru's closest friend, therefore, his argument contained something else. Yet, for now, the only thing Ino and him know was it is one-sided.
"They have to be true to themselves," argued Rock Lee. "They have to express how they love each other. Hiding it from someone else won't help at all," continued the slimmer male, his eyes burning with passion. "Besides, it would just be hard for them to contain it inside. Sometimes, things need to be released. Before it's too late."
A sigh escaped their chubby fella's lips. "What if they are true to themselves and they just don't show it around people because they want to maintain low profile, and they want people to look at them like the usual they do? What if they show affection towards each other only when they are alone?"
Chouji's question made the other two shinobi think.
"I know a plan," started the blonde, the grin was back on his lips. "Lee, we're gonna continue what we started so we could find out!" Naruto vanished off from their sights. Rock Lee followed, leaving Chouji behind.
Where are those two? Where are those two..?
Naruto's hues glanced around, Ichiraku's smell was getting his attention. Hmm, this smell makes me hungry! He landed near the shop, only to see the two familiar figures he was looking for. "Lee!" He called the other who was busy looking for Temari and Shikamaru too. Naruto motioned for Rock Lee to come closer and hide themselves.
"Naruto-kun, they really are together! You're so amazing!"
"I told you, right?" The grin was still carved on his lips. "And they said she's...who's she again?"
"Temari-san. Please stop forgetting her name, Naruto-kun," Rock Lee replied rather comically.
"Yeah, Temari!" Continued the male. "And they even said she had to go back to Suna soon! Why are they still in-"
Naruto and Rock Lee's whispered conversation was halted when they heard Shikamaru speak up.
"Here, shrimp," the pair of chopsticks with a shrimp in the middle of it was pushed forward by Shikamaru as he casually fed the female.
Without hesitation, Temari turned to him, opened her mouth and ate the shrimp.
Their facial expressions didn't change at all.
"Wooow!" Rock Lee expressed, pretty amused. His eyes were glowing in awe as he continued to savour a sight of them.
"Friends don't normally feed each other like that!" Argued the lad. "Look, even Teuchi-san's getting really curious about them. I'm so curious right now I want to approach them!"
But as soon as he made his first step forward, he was pulled back by his friend. "Stop, Naruto-kun!" He began. "I thought you want to know things about them? Stalking is much more preferred to do, since you've tried to squeeze them before and they didn't even spill anything related to that."
Taking the argument in, Naruto nodded in agreement. "Yeah, you're right..."
Thus, they decided to keep stalking the two.
"Judging from it, they don't look like they are in a relationship at all. Basing on their expressions, though. But if you see how they interact with each other, you'll start doubting your thought of 'they aren't in a relationship at all' and began thinking that 'are they actually together?' or 'these two are together? It looks really impossible'."
"I can't argue with you about that," replied Naruto.
Temari finished her ramen, so as Shikamaru. The male paid the right amount that they needed to pay, and eventually left the amenity.
"They're leaving?!"
"Hurry, Naruto-kun, and follow them! Don't lose theeem!" They jumped on the rooftops of the houses in Konoha, eyes not removing off from them. "Guys normally pay for a date, right? Don't you think-"
"Maybe... Iruka-sensei pays for me when he sees me in Ichiraku, though. So... That's a bit off," before Rock Lee could assume things once again, Naruto made another sentence. "Ooh! They are talking about something! Can you hear them?!"
"Not at all, Naruto-kun!"
"Sorry, you had to pay for that. I forgot my Ryo back in Suna. I'll just pay you back if ever I'd return here."
"Don't worry about it-"
"Besides, you were at fault, scattering all those chuunin exams papers all over the place," the female chuckled. "This is almost like your treat for me to keep quiet and not tell Hokage-sama of your failures. Seriously, though. What were you thinking before?"
"Man, what a drag. Just let it pass, it already happened," he said, scratching the back of his head.
Only a chuckle was replied by the maize-haired female.
When they began proceeding near the Konoha's opened gates, Shikamaru and Temari were halted by Kotetsu, one of the jounins assigned to be at the entrance of the said village. "Sorry to interrupt your softy moments, Shikamaru, Temari-san," he began.
Softy moments..? Thought Shikamaru.
"The Kazekage had just sent a message for you, Temari-san," the male handed her a scroll, which would contain the words Gaara had sent her.
Since they weren't hiding anything, Temari opened and read the scroll in front of Shikamaru and Kotetsu, enough for them to hear. "Temari, your stay in Konoha will be extended due to people trapped in the bridge leading back here. Worry not, the issue's been taken care of by Suna. These people have already been rescued, and now staying in one of our inns inside the village. If there's a news, I'd send you a letter as soon as possible. I'd call you if we need you over here. For now, enjoy your time with...," her words trailed off, not wanting to read the next sentences. She continued to the next paragraph of the letter. "...That I am not sure until when you would be there, but you will be summoned once you are in need to be here. Help the people of our allies and our allies itself. Be safe, Temari."
Kotetsu couldn't help but flash a small smirk on his lips, the size where it would be unnoticeable. Then, he glanced at Shikamaru, which made the male shudder in surprise. What... What's wrong with this person..? The smartass thought, completely confused.
Temari looked up at him. She wasn't too stupid to not realise he was smirking. "What's with that look?" Her facial expression's the usual one, that one when Shikamaru claims she's scarier than his mom.
"Nothing, Temari-san. Please enjoy your stay," he bowed as he respected the Princess of Suna, then motione his farewell. "Well, then. I'll be off," he vanished off from their sights before they could even react.
Gaara probably knows something.