A/N: First of all, I want to apologize for any grammar mistakes. This is unbetaed version. I wrote this between pains (fever, allergies and tummy ache) so let's just say it is not my best work. But I really want to post this on time, so...I post it anyway.

This is originally going to be a oneshot, but then I thought why not separate it? It's in two parts anyway. So here goes the first part for Shikamaru's birthday.

Happy Birthday, Shikamaru!

LJ 30 Kisses Challenge, Theme 30: Kiss.

Disclaimer: Naruto is fully owned by Masashi Kishimoto. I just borrow them for the pleasure of ShikaxIno fans.

"You still have room for that?" Shikamaru asked Choji, as he was about to start on his birthday cake.

Choji gave him a strange look. "How long have you known me? You should know by now that I never turned down food. Besides," his eyes turned dreamy. "This is your birthday cake. So, no matter how full I am, I just have to eat it."

Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "What do you mean it's my birthday cake? Ino baked us a cake every year. What's the difference?"

"The difference is," Choji grinned. "Yours is more delicious."

"It's not. It tastes just the same. It even looks the same. Besides, my cake is nothing special compared to yours. I mean, it's one third the size of your cake!"

"But your cake is much, much tastier." Choji licked his fingers thoughtfully. "I don't know how to explain it but it's like there's a special ingredient Ino used just on your cake only. Don't give me that look. I know what I'm talking about. I'm an expert on food."

"Oh, well…if you say so." Shikamaru shrugged and plopped on his bed, too tired to argue and too full from the dinner he ate before.

"So, what did she give you?"

Shikamaru looked at a beautifully wrapped box sitting on the edge of his bed. It seemed so far away and he was too lazy to get back up and open it. "I don't know."

"Aren't you going to open it?"

"Hmm…maybe tomorrow."

"But I want to see it!" Choji insisted. "If you don't open it, I will."

Shikamaru glared at Choji for a second before scowling then lazily got up and picked the box. It wasn't like he minded Choji to open his present for him but right now Choji was eating his cake and his fingers were full with the icing; chocolate icing. He didn't want his present – whatever it was – to be ruined, because only God knew how Ino will get if she learned about it. She must've thought he didn't appreciate her present or something.

So he opened the box, ever so careful, and as expected, a hand-made birthday card was found on top of the box. It was like the same birthday card he received every year; written inside with Ino's beautiful penmanship was words of birthday greetings and wishes, complete with some neat sketching of balloon hearts, confetti and birthday cakes. And at the corner of the card was her signature: Love, Ino.

Shikamaru hid his smile as he put the card aside and opened the box.

"What is it?" Choji asked impatiently.

Shikamaru removed the delicate white crepe paper covering his present and took his present out. "A sweater," he answered, holding it within arms length for Choji to see.

"Hand-knitted?"

It was obviously not, judging from the material only. It was soft to the touch, light and airy, and when Shikamaru ran his fingers over the sweater, it felt smooth and had a touch of luxuriousness. He read the label. "No. Cashmere."

Choji frowned. "Cashmere? That's not very Ino-ish, don't you think?"

Still inspecting the sweater, Shikamaru answered absent-mindedly. "She changed the tradition this year."

"Change how?"

Shikamaru put the sweater down carefully and looked at his best friend. "She gets to give 'the expensive gift' and I'm 'something that money can't buy'."

"Why?"

Shikamaru shrugged. "She wants to trouble me, what else?"

Choji grinned. "Well, I think you should be grateful."

"After I saved up all year?"

"You can use the money for something else."

"Like what?"

"Like…invite her to dinner or…or a date."

Shikamaru snorted. "That's exactly the kind of expensive gift I always give her."

It was true. The birthday ritual began back when they were still children. It started on the day they were being put in the same team. During the introductions, they learned that their birthdays were so close to each other. In fact, it was only a day apart. And Ino, being Ino, being the most troublesome girl he'd ever met suggested the most troublesome thing; exchanging birthday present.

Completely clueless about what to give to a girl, he'd taken Ino out on her birthday so that she could pick her birthday present herself. He considered his idea was perfect because he'd only had to follow her around and pay for whatever she picked, right? Well, he was wrong. He had no idea that Ino was a big spender and that her hobby was shopping, so it really surprised him how his plan backfired on him. At the end of the day, he was completely exhausted from entering shop after shop and carrying Ino's shopping bags. As if all that wasn't enough, she had the nerve to ask him to buy her dinner at an expensive restaurant!

He'd felt some sort of injustice at first, because for his birthday, Ino only gave him a cake she baked herself and a nicely made birthday card. She didn't spend a penny (well, maybe a bit for the cake's ingredients and the card) while for her birthday, he'd spend all the money he'd saved from missions and made himself her slave for the entire day. But after some time, after getting used to the greedy side of her, he'd found that he didn't mind at all. It saved him the trouble for finding the perfect birthday present for her every year, and most importantly, Ino seemed happier that way. So he figured it was quite worth it. Ino's satisfied smile made up for everything.

And as for his birthday present, Ino always give him something she made herself, which he didn't mind, because for him her handmade birthday presents were more valuable than any other expensive gifts. He couldn't get it anywhere. Even Choji didn't get the same kind of birthday present, except for the cake. Somehow Ino's slightly different treatment towards him made him felt strangely special in her eyes.

So the ritual began; he giving her the expensive gifts each year and she something that money can't buy, which was completely fine for both of them.

But now, after following the same ritual for more than five years, she had to ruin it.

"So, what are you going to give her?" Choji suddenly asked.

Shikamaru sighed. "That's the problem. I still don't have any ideas."

"Her birthday's tomorrow."

"I know."

"She'll be mad if you show up without a present."

"I know." He sighed again. "How troublesome…"

Choji surveyed the room, looking at Ino's past birthday gifts to Shikamaru. "How about you make her a card?"

"You know my art sucks."

"Bake her a cake?"

"And you know very well that I can't bake or cook at all."

Choji's gaze fell on a jar on the desk. "How about origami? Fold paper cranes for her so that any of her wishes will come true?"

"No time. And even if I start it last year, I wouldn't be able to finish it."

"Yeah, you're that lazy."

Shikamaru groaned. "Everything's fine until she had to change the tradition."

"Maybe she feels sorry for you? You know, for spending that much money on her every year?"

Shikamaru sighed. "Personally, I don't really mind. It saves me the trouble for finding the perfect gift and…she's happier that way."

Choji grinned. "And the reason why you like to make her happy is…?"

"Don't be ridiculous, Choji. You know she's easier to deal with if she's happy."

"And when she's happy, she'll smile at you and laughs with you, probably hug you and kiss you, right?"

"Only on the cheek." Shikamaru gritted his teeth, but cannot help himself from blushing.

"And that makes you happy, right?"

"There's nothing extraordinary about that, Choji. She kisses us both." Shikamaru scowled. But it was the truth. Heck, any boy will be happy to be kissed by a beautiful girl like Ino. "Look," he pointed at the clock. "It's late. Why don't you go home?"

"Later." Choji answered stubbornly. "I'll stay; just in case you need my help or something."

"You're not helping me now."

"Oh, we'll think of something." Choji smiled, assuring him. "But for now, let me see you in that sweater."

"So troublesome…"

"Come on, put it on!" Choji insisted. "If you don't, I'll wear it."

"Tch." Shikamaru quickly grabbed the sweater before Choji could touch it with his dirty fingers and put it on.

"Oh, it looks good on you. Ino have such a fine taste. And the color matches your eyes, too."

Shikamaru studied himself in the mirror and he had to admit that Choji was right. The sweater really looked good on him. It was V-necked, long-sleeved, fitted him well and it felt so comfortable and warm. The color was dark brown; usually one of his color of choices.

Choji sighed. "I wish I could get a cashmere sweater for my birthday, too."

"Don't be ridiculous. This is nothing compared to your present, or should I say, presents?"

"Yeah, but still…yours is more special. Cashmere. I wonder where she got that. It's so rare…"

"Probably from some international catalogues or something." Shikamaru took off the sweater and put his previous T-shirt back on. Then once again, he plopped on the bed. "You know Ino. Always up to date on fashion."

"I think you should give her a scarf, you know, to go with your sweater." Choji had a maniacal glint in his eyes.

"And do you expect me to knit? That's impossible. And why should I give her something that matched?"

Choji shrugged. "Erm…for subtly saying that she's yours?"

"Where the heck did that come from?"

"Oh, like I didn't notice that she got your heart forever. Duh."

"You're being troublesome. I don't want to talk about this."

"If you don't make her your wife, I will."

Shikamaru glared at him. "And why's that? You don't even like her."

"Nope, not in that way. But she's one hell of a good cook. She could make me happy everyday."

"Oh, please."

"I'm serious, Shikamaru."

"Yeah, right."

"It's true. I'm really – What's that?"

"What?"

Choji pointed at his sweater. "There's something shining on your sweater."

"Huh?" Shikamaru got up and picked up his sweater and examined it. True, there was something reflecting the light from the lamp above his head.

Choji peered up close. "Is that a…heart?"

Shikamaru studied the sleeve carefully. Sure enough, it was a heart like Choji had said. A tiny, gold heart-shaped pendant, pinned inside one of the sleeves. "Yeah…"

"Do you think all Cashmere sweaters had a gold heart sewn inside its sleeve? Is that what makes it expensive?"

Shikamaru didn't answer.

"I wonder what it means…"

A heart on his sleeve? Why did Ino put a heart on his sleeve?

Then he remembered what Choji had said earlier.

"Erm…for subtly saying that she's yours?"

Was this Ino's subtle way to say that he was hers? But that was impossible. It was absurd, unreal. She couldn't possibly had feelings for him…could she? Who was he to compete with other boys in her life? He was plain and ordinary, lazy, unmotivated. The only extraordinary thing about him was only his IQ and he wasn't sure if the trait alone could attract Ino or not. She was a beautiful girl, who always had eyes for pretty boys. He didn't fit in that category.

"But your cake is much, much tastier. I don't know how to explain it but it's like there's a special ingredient Ino used just on your cake only…"

Ah… He couldn't help but grinning widely.

"I think it's just this one sweater, Choji."

Choji frowned. "And the meaning? You've figured it out already?"

He nodded, although he wasn't entirely sure. But he decided to take the risk just for this one time.

Now he knew what to give her.

The idea is borrowed from Gossip Girl.