Hello everyone, I would like to thank you all from the bottom of my heart for reviewing this. The following people are deserving of the kindest words of thanks! Social Disorder, Lady Dragonand as always, Fanficfanatic940. I was also generously inducted into a C2 for Temari pairingsTemari AI. If you enjoy this work, I'm sure you will find others in that collection that are also just as (or more-so) enjoyable as this one. Thank you all for reading and if you would be so kind as to leave me a review, I most usually reply (Unless I know you IRL and I'll be talking to you on MSN, my darlings.) Enjoy!

Is beauty more important that love? Is love more important that responsibility?

There was a pause in the parlor as Temari entered. The sweet smell of Jasmine still lingered in her hair, and her eyes were green-glazed like polished gems upon a blank canvas of white cream makeup. Even Shino's breath was lost, his vision blurred until the only thing that was visible was her lips curling into a trained "Good morning, everyone."

Shino shook his head; it was no wonder young men from all over the region would visit for the express purpose of experiencing this moment. He stood to greet her, and slid across the floor fluidly and met her palm, pulling her hand in hand to his table. The room was silent, in awe of only a mortal like Shino having the power to touch a forbidden goddess. After being formally introduced to the guests that hid their trepidation behind their suits and collars, looking more like a group of European gentlemen than Japanese business men, Temari took her place beside Shino and waited patiently for the meeting to begin. The times were changing, and like so many other traditions, the tea house was more of a tourist attraction than a timeless cultural experience.

The men ordered their drinks, and Temari served them as they discussed their industry plans. They were a small trading company that was banking in Yokohama's large port and distributing European goods to outlet stores around Japan. Shino was delighted to hear about the western food that they were planning to bring in the coming months.

The men tipped wealthily to their hostess and thanked Shino for the private meeting with her. They left and the younger maids escorted them to the train station, leaving Temari and Shino alone for the hours that it took to show them all the sights around town. Shino let down his façade of the stoic entrepreneur and show his softer, caring side that only Temari had recently come to know.

"Temari," Shino was whispering words that were only for her ears, "today there are no other reservations. If you're free, would you like to spend the day with me?"

"Of course, Aburame-dono," She smiled.

He never knew if she was playing her part as his employee, or if she was pretending to be his humble geisha servant, or if her smile was as bashful and genuine as it seemed. And she, in turn, never quite understood how to erase the baked on labels of which her profession required. Underneath all the convenient cover-ups that being a geisha supplied, her natural personality wasn't as tame or calm as her outward expression fooled others into thinking otherwise.

She was naturally attractive and easy to get along with. Shino found no contest in letting his innermost thoughts flow when she was the only one around, a connection that had grown over three years since his fifteenth birthday. Soon enough, when the end of January had come, he was going to reach the age of when most men in his family married. Eighteen years old, and he still was stuck on her; a wife that would never truly be only his.

However, this didn't stop him. He calculated that in one short year, he would have Temari for his own and she would settle down with him to start a family.

"Our New Year celebration was quite enjoyable, Aburam-"

"I wish you would call me Shino, there is no one around to judge our formality."

"Oh, of course. Shino, it was very fun."

"I agree, it seemed that most people will be returning next year because of it."

"I think so too, Shino." It was hard to say his name without hesitation, "business is going to kick up a lot more this year."

"Why do you think so?"

"Well, you're going to be an adult starting in only a very short time."

A pause; tension grew between them like a hidden glass wall. He knew what his responsibilities to his family were, and she knew her place as a geisha. There was no room for romance in either of their occupations, but something greater than obligation linked them together, something not quite definable.

He sighed and pushed his glasses tighter to the brim of his nose. "Hmm."

"What is it?" She leaned in, resting her head on the ball of her left palm; eyes wide and wild.

"There are just a lot of things on my mind." He clenched his fingers into a tight ball.

Temari moved her arm off her chin and placed her hand on Shino's tense fist. "You can tell me what is wrong. I'll listen."

His hand eased and wrapped around hers as he unwrinkled his brows and threw off his intense expression into a composed smile. Holding her hand in his, he cleared his throat, ready to explain to her all the troubles of owning up to his father's expectations and settling down with a wife before his nineteenth birthday. He wished he could speak his mind about wanting his last name to be her own, he wanted to, but the words were so difficult to find.

"Temari, there are many things that will change when I'm 18. Allow me to expla—"

"Master Aburame! We're hooooome!" Young voices filled the room as the maids returned, throwing their shoes off and cleaning all around Shino and Temari. Had it really been two hours?Shino thought as he quickly whipped his serpent-like arm from Temari's grasp. The young women didn't notice how close they were sitting, as they were more focused on returning to their duties and cleaning up from the business guests.

Temari looked away, into the distant window that hung beside the Aburame family crest; black brushstrokes on white parchment, centuries old. Shino studied her face and followed her eyes which traced the calligraphy next to the window.

"What are you looking at, Temari?"

"It is nothing, Aburame-dono, thank you for your concern." The inflection in her tone returned to the reserved voice of a geisha. She was no longer the caring woman he had spoken with earlier, but a taciturn maiden. Her smile was no longer genuine and recognizable, but a meek curl at either end of her lip.

The mask was no longer lifted, even for Shino. He was now her master, her owner. He cursed his disposition and returned to his own masquerade. Though the thoughts lingered in the back of his mind. Will I ever get the chance to share with her how I feel the deepest? Or will my father find a more suitable wife for this family.

There was a stir in the front room, and Shibi's voice could be heard.

"Father," Shino blinked uncontrollably.

"Shino," There was urgency in his voice; the words he chose were clearly of great importance. "I had to come and visit you today, as in only a week's time you will be eighteen years old and will fully take on your title as the ochaya owner."

"I understand my responsibilities. I don't need a reminder, so this must be about something else?"

"Yes, it's about the matter of marriage. My son, you must take a wife by midnight of the 23rd of January, or you will be replaced by the next heir in line."

Midnight, no! He can't be serious. I could manage to be married in a year, but one week? "And if I should refuse, and wait the year I was granted before?"

"I'm afraid that you cannot refuse, or your mother and I will be forced to make a match for you; an arranged marriage."

Thank you everyone! I will update again as soon as possible.