"How about this one?" Ino strut outside the fitting room, in her 20th outfit – a tight fitting jean mini skirt and a tan coloured strapless top revealing her toned stomach – she placed her hands on her hips impatiently, "Shikamaru!" Shikamaru woke up abruptly from a comfortable nap. He gave a grumpy snarl and shrugged. The crowd of perverted old men and hormonal teenage boys that had gathered to ogle at her began to drool and have nosebleeds, mumbling things like: "Damn, how'd he score that? What a lucky guy!" But Shikamaru was less than please. Yup, he had been dragged to the mall for 4 hours (at least) to watch Ino pick out an outfit for a date with another guy, Sai, of all people. That guy barely understood life itself, let alone girls; after all, Shika was still trying to figure out women himself.
"You are zero help! I'm just gonna get the first one I tried on, ugh!" Ino scoffed and stomped back into the fitting room. The crowd got a little disappointed and began to disperse. Finally. Shika groaned internally. Why did she have to try on all those things just to pick the first one? Women are really complicated.
Later that night, Ino was freaking out, panicking, trying on all kinds of combinations of purses and shoes. "Should I try on some jackets? Or should I not bring one in case it gets cold so he could – EEEP – lend me his?!" Ino squeled, but was dismayed and annoyed when she turned away from her mirror and noticed Shikamaru fast asleep on her bed, snuggled up with her stuffed piglet. She rolled her eyes and kept weighing her options when the sound of a doorbell caught her attention and woke up Shikamaru.
"Ino…you're…er…Sai-san is here…" Inoichi called with a hint of bitterness. He couldn't believe his little princess was going out with a different guy again, someone he didn't even know or trust. Besides, Sai really gave him the creeps, he just wished Ino would give up and marry Shikamaru already. Ino gasped happily and turned to Shika.
"C'mon!" She gave him a couple smacks on the leg, trying to get him up.
"What are you doing? What if he finds out I'm here?"
"Exactly! Guys need some competition!" She paused and turned for the door, "Or you know, the illusion of it." That just irked Shikamaru. There were a thousand things wrong with that statement. First of all, guys (at least Shikamaru) hated competing for girls. And now he was just some sort of tool or accessory being used to make another guy jealous? Nonetheless, he knew better than to defy Ino, and he got up slowly and dragged himself behind her, pouting.
When they got downstairs, Sai wasn't the least bit jealous. If anything, he was happy to see Shikamaru. Poor guy, he just really wanted a friend. He had no idea what he was getting into, going out on a date with Ino.
"Are you coming with us? I'm glad to hear the book was wrong about the unpopularity of polygamy." Sai smiled innocently. Ino, her father, and Shikamaru all flushed red and nearly fainted.
"Hahaha! Sai-kun, you are sooo funny, isn't he?" Ino laughed nervously, nudging Shikamaru harshly in the side until he played along. Inoichi went from crimson to pale but he just gave a hesitant wave as Sai and Ino headed off. Before Shikamaru went the other way to his house, Inoichi grabbed him by the arm and pulled him in closer. Shikamaru's eyes grew thrice their size.
"I swear it's not like that! I didn't even watch her change, I swear, I was sleeping!" Shikamaru began to stammer nervously, fearing the wrath of Inoichi.
"No no!" Inoichi loosened his grip and patted Shikamaru on the shoulder, "I trust you…" He started; Shikamaru began to breathe normally again, "That's why I want you to make sure this 'Sai-kun' doesn't try anything funny." Shikamaru raised an eyebrow.
"You want me to…spy on them?" Shikamaru squinted; he was clearly not up for that.
"Well…" Inoichi thought for a moment, "Well, yes. Honestly, that guy is weird."
"He's…harmless." Shikamaru admitted, "I would probably worry for him more than Ino." He immediately regretted saying that once he saw the look on Inoichi's face, this was his precious daughter. He struggled to explain himself, but all that came out was, "Okay, I'll do it." And he immediately regretted that, too. But he was stuck.