I complicated our lives by falling in love with her. I don't know what to do. It's not like I wanted to. It just happened. I'm Chouji. Akimichi Chouji. I've watched this girl every since I came back from the Sound 5 hunt for Sasuke and after I was hospitalized. My friend also loves her. Her and my other teamate, Yamanaka Ino. The one I love has golden hair in four pigtails and a fan. Yes. It's Temari. This is how our lives got changed forever.

My friend, Nara Shikamaru, and I walked up to our special place to watch the clouds go by while eating chips. This was where we first met. We've been friends ever since we were little. "Say, Chouji?"

"Huh?"

"Who should I choose?"

"Huh?" I was mystified on what he was saying. "What are you talking about?"

"Ino? Or Temari?"

I gasped. I didn't know he had feelings for her as well. "Choose Ino. She's smart, leaderful, and powerful."

"Yeah, but Temari is powerful, delicate..."

"Go with Ino!" I snapped, blushing. I didn't want hear another word about her from him.

"Geez, Chouji. What's gotten into you?"

"Um...Oh...n-nothing..." I looked away.

On our way back towards the bridge, we saw Temari and Ino talking to eachother. "Say, Shikamaru. Go tell her."

"Right." We ran up to the girls and Shikamaru tapped Ino on the shoulder. When she turned around, Shikamaru kissed her. They both blushed. I watched Temari glare at Shikamaru and Ino. I was both happy and sad at the same time. I wanted Shikamaru not to love Temari, but I didn't want Temari to still love Shikamaru.

"Don't worry," I told her.

"Huh?" Her blue eyes looked at me.

"I'm sure that you'll find a man that's better than Shikamaru."

"Really?"

"Yeah! I believe so!" I said, smiling and blushing.

"I guess so. So, who do you have in mind, Chouji?"

I blushed. I can't believe she knew my name. I wanted to say, "me" but the words wouldn't come out. "I-I don't know. How do you know my name?"

"Ino won't stop talking about you and Shikamaru. I'm-"

"Temari," I interrupted.

"How'd you know?"

"Shikamaru wouldn't stop talking about you and Ino."

"That makes me feel a little better."

"Anyway, where are you gonna go now?"

"Probably back to my brothers."

"Where are they?"

"With Baki, probably."

"Want me to walk you there?"

"No. I know the way." She walked pass me and I watched her walk. I fell on my butt.

I sighed. "Wheeew! That went smooooothly!"

"Hi, guys!" yelled Asuma.

"Asuma-sensei!" we all yelled.

"Listen, we have a S rank mission. It's not just us, but also Team 7 and Baki's team."

"Naruto, Sakura, Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro?" I asked.

"Yeah. There's a war going in the Land of Water."

We all gasped. I ran over to the group. "What's the war about?"

"I didn't get the specifics, but it's a war that just started. We got the word from one of our spy ninjas."

"I see," I said. "If it's a war, we have to stop it!"

"Good thinking, Chouji," said Asuma.

"It's not like you to do something like this," said Ino.

"Um...Well...I-I've changed!"

"Good for you. Now, we shall all meet here in one hour. Be on time," he said, departing.

I ran home and packed all my chips, ninja tools, and medicinal things. I then ran back to the bridge. I was hoping to be the first one there, but I wasn't. Temari and her team were already there. "Temari!" I yelled.

"Chouji!"

"When'd you get here?"

"We just got here."

"Temari, how do you know him?" asked Kankuro.

"I just met him before I came to you guys."

"Okay."

We waited untill everyone else came. While we were waiting, we didn't talk. There were quick glances at eachother, but nothing more. Next came Shikamaru and Ino. Temari looked at them and then at the floor. I still couldn't stand seeing her look sad over Shikamaru. "Temari?"

"Yes?" she asked, looking at me.

"Please...Please don't be sad over Shikamaru. It pains me to see you be sad."

"Chouji..."

That's when Naruto came between me and Temari. "Ooo! Looks like someone has the hots!" Naruto teased. We both blushed. I covered Naruto's mouth and dragged him away.

"When did you get here?" I asked him.

"Just now! Sakura too."

"Where's Kakashi?"

"I don't know. Late as always, I suppose."

"Are you talking about me?" asked Kakashi, appearing behind Naruto. Naruto squeeled like a little girl.

"Kakashi-sensei! Don't scare me like that!"

"Sorry."

"Good! Now that we're all here," said Asuma, walking to the bridge, "we can start the mission."

Everyone gulped, except for the senseis. They were used to wars. We walked all the way to the southeastern coast and took a boat to the Land of Water. I was suprised. No one had come to attack us. "Asuma-sensei?" I whispered.

"What is it?"

"How come no one's come to attack us?"

"Because every ninja in the land is fighting the war."

"Who are they fighting?"

"Us."

I gasped. Our land has been peaceful, we wouldn't want to start a war! The only times we have is because of Orochimaru, that's all! Oh, I forgot about Kyuubi. "Why us?"

"I'm not really sure. I think it started as an accident. One of our jonin supposedly accidentally shot an innocent kid during a battle. The parents killed the ninja that did it, then everyone broke into a war."

"All that because of one dead child?" asked Ino.

"Gaara, are you feeling..." Kankuro looked behind him to see Gaara hanging over the edge of the boat. "...okay?"

"Kankuro...I think I get sea sick..."

"You do look green," said Temari.

"Are we there yet?!" yelled Naruto.

"Shut up, Naruto!" Sakura yelled, quietly.

"If they hear you, they'll kill us," the sailor told us.

Untill we got to the shore, we were silent. We got off and the sailor sailed away. We walked to Tazuna's house. Naruto told me that he was the bridge builder that they protected. "Tazuna-san?" asked Sakura.

An old man opened the door. "What do you...Oh...It's you guys."

"Hi! Mind if we stay here untill we finish the war?" asked Kakashi.

"Not at all. Amari will be pleased to see Naruto again."

We walked into the house. "Say, who are the other people?"

"Baki and his squad Temari, Gaara, and Kankuro. Asuma and his squad Ino, Shikamaru, and Chouji," Kakashi told him.

"I see. Amari! Come down here!"

A young boy ran down the stairs. "Yes?" He looked behind him and his face lit up. "Naruto!" he yelled. He hugged him.

"Hello again, Amari."

"Oh, Tazuna-san?" asked Sakura.

"Yeah?"

"What did you end up naming the bridge?"

"The Great Naruto Bridge."

"What?" asked everyone.

"Hey, where's that guy with the adittude?"

"He left. He got kidnapped and then ran away," said Naruto.

"I see..."

"Well, is there anywhere we can train?" I asked.

"Yeah, the forest on the outskirts of town."

"Thanks!" Naruto and I ran our the door.

We got to the forest and started performing jutsus and training our chakra. After a hour of training, Naruto went back to the house to grab some food. I stayed. I wanted to impress Temari to make her like me. I continued training. I think another hour went by untill I heard leaves rustling and crunching behind me. I turned around and there was Temari. I started blushing. "T-Temari! What are you doing here?'

"I should be asking that question. It's been two hours since you left. See? It's getting dark."

"But what are you doing here?"

"I wanted to see if you were alright," she replied, blushing.

She was worried about me? I thought to myself, and I started blushing.

"Here. I-I thought you might be hungry," she said, handing me some rice balls.

"Thank you," I said, taking them.

Naruto came after I had finished eating. "Guys! Why don't you go to the house and rest? I'll train now, dattebuyo."

"You sure?" asked Temari.

"Yeah."

So Temari and I left for the house. This was the first time we've been alone. We were both blushing and didn't say a word. Halfway home, Temari suddenly said, "Why do you want to train so hard?"

"Well, you see, there's someone precious to me, and I want to make that person happy, no matter what."

"I see. This person must mean alot to you."

Wait! She might be thinking about Shikamaru! Ack! She might think I'm gay now! Nooo!! Bad wording!!! Oh well...Can't change the past...What's done it done... We finally came back home.

"Temari! You're back! Come on. Let's go to bed. We start tomorrow," said Kankuro.

"'Kay. Night, Chouji."

I blushed. "Night, Temari."

"Come on, Chouji. Let's go to bed as well."

"Where's Ino?"

"Asleep. Everyone, except Naruto, is asleep. Let's go."

"Okay." We walked to our rooms and as soon as I laied down, I fell asleep.

The next morning, I heard Kankuro yelling about in his room. Something about Temari. I walked over to his room. "What's wrong?"

"I've searched everywhere for Temari, and I can't find her!"

"What?!" I ran out of the house. I looked all around the area, then I went to see if she was at the training spot. I fell to my knees. I pounded the ground with my fists. "Temari..." Tears started to streak down my face. Plop! Plop! She couldn't be dead. She couldn't. I burst into tears at the thought of that. My heart ached. I burst into tears. "Temari!!!!!" I yelled.