He was pretty sure he was called in yesterday by the Hokage and was requested to escort some foreign person around the city today – he wasn't sure if it was a shinobi or a kunoichi but he doesn't care anyway. It's still troublesome. Kotetsu and Izumo would probably just get someone to tour the person around. At the moment, he was eating at Yakiniku Q with his teammates and Sai – who was apparently Ino's boyfriend. Sigh. Lately, he felt like he was somehow detached to the world; accidentally zoning out things even important ones like missions.

"Hey look! It's Temari!"

"Where?!" he looked up from his plate of meat and searched the place for any blonde pigtailed kunoichi.

"See! I told you it works every time he zones out on us." she pointedly looked at Chouji who was grinning.

"That was… cruel of you." Shikamaru smiled a little bit. He tried shrugging off this feeling in the pit of his stomach and when he deemed it impossible to do so, he quickly finished his food and excused himself.

"I'll go ahead, guys. It's been a while since I've last been cloud-gazing," he mumbled as he left some money. "I need some peace and sleep."

"Okay! Take care then!"

"Goodbye!"

He raised a hand to signal them that he heard them and began walking towards his favorite place. He doesn't know what's wrong with him – his father? No. Although he still misses his dad, it was quite bearable now. His mom? She's been quite quiet ever since his dad… passed away but she's starting to regain normalcy. She is starting to nag him again. Maybe his friends then? Nah. Chouji and Ino were still the same old Chouji and Ino he knew from before despite… what happened. It also isn't Sai even though he was still quite creepy-looking. Sigh. So what's bothering him then? Work? Not really. Naruto? Possibly, but no. He's annoying and that's already normal.

Arriving the place, he immediately lays down on the grass and observes the clouds. They're so free. Oh, how he wishes to be like them. As he was about to close his eyes, a certain cloud catches his attention. It was quite familiar and it brought him peace as he admires its beauty. It was shaped like… a fan, Temari's fan to be exact. Thinking about it brought a new feeling in his chest and stomach and he wondered if it was Temari – the reason for his dilemma.

Temari. It has been a while since he last saw her. He brought her to Naruto and Hinata's wedding as his date and that was six months ago. Being the Kazekage's sister, Temari had a lot on her hands and he understood this. He, himself, had been really busy ever since he became the sixth Hokage's advisor and he started helping Naruto to achieve his dream of being Hokage.

He blinks then shakes his head, trying to get rid of the thoughts about the blonde kunoichi. He should be thankful that she was not right here to make his life more troublesome than it is now. He should be happy but he's obviously far from being one. No Temari meant no arguments. None of that meant no trouble and no trouble was equal to boring. Sigh. That was it then. He then concludes that he was bored and that – even though he doesn't want to admit it – he misses her. The emptiness arises once again and he frowns. Tem, I miss you. I-i hope to see you again soon. With that, he sleeps away his problems.

He was awakened by someone hitting his stomach. Hard, that is. "What the –?" he spluttered profanities, doubling over.

"FUCKING. IDIOT!" That voice. He looked up and saw Temari glowering down on him, hitting him with every word she said. Her eyes were – fucking scary. Shit! What the hell did he do?!

"Temari?! What the hell are you doing here? And why the hell are you hitting me, you troublesome woman?!" he grunted. He can't believe he missed this mad woman a while ago. The hell with it! He looked at him, disbelief all over her face.

"W-WHY? WHY?!" she laughed mirthlessly. Oh no. This is not good. "YOU'RE ASKING ME WHY I'M HERE?! YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO MEET ME AT THE GATE AWHILE AGO, YOU PINEAPPLE-HEAD! IM GOING TO KILL YOU!" she smacked him again. Shit, that was painful. Wait, WHAT?

"M-meet you?!" he did not recall anyone telling him that Temari was going here. Heck, he would have known if she was to meet him!

"YES! ARE YOU DEAF OR SOMETHING?" she paced in front of him making him dizzy. The poor grass. "DID YOU HIT YOUR HEAD ON A ROCK WHILE SLEEPING?! YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO ESCORT ME TO THE HOKAGE! DID YOU?! NO! I SEE YOU HERE DOZING YOUR ASS OFF WHILE YOU STOOD ME UP! I SWEAR, NARA, YOU'RE GOING TO BE FUCKING DEAD, YOU ASS!" Ow. Sigh. She sounds really serious, huh?

He tried standing up, clutching his sore stomach, and looked her in the eye. "I didn't 'stood' you up, woman! I don't recall being assigned to any –" Then he realized something. She was the foreign person he was supposed to meet hours ago. "OH!" Shit. He's dead as good. He should have listened to Kakashi when he assigned him to this mission.

"OH?! IS THAT ALL YOU'VE GOT TO SAY? HALF A FUCKING YEAR, NARA, AND THIS IS WHAT I GET?" she stormed off to the direction she came from while shouting "I HATE YOU NARA!" He flinched, letting the words affect him more than it should.

Sigh. He should probably make it up to her. "Hey! Wait, you troublesome woman! Let me explain! Temari!" He ran after her and called her name but she kept on walking. Woman, do you really have to be this difficult? This is so troublesome. She'll probably inflict more pain on him if he does this but what can he do?

He used his shadow possession jutsu on her to stop her from walking. "I know you're really going to kill me after this but can you please let me explain, Tem?" He was met with silence. Sigh. She's really mad then. He walked towards her, freeing her from the shadows, then hesitated for a bit before hugging her. "It's not that I forgot. I just wasn't listening when it was assigned to me. I've been really missing you, and I haven't been myself lately because of it. If I had known that it was you, you know I would have met you there. You know that." He waits for her reply but she once again stays silent. This is going to be so cheesy. He kisses her left cheek and she blushes. Cute – no, gorgeous.

"I missed you, troublesome woman." He smiled, careful not to show it to her. He felt her punching him in the stomach not so lightly once again before melting into his hug.

"I may have not missed you less." She said. He understood what she meant. He smiled at her and she returned it with her smirk. She broke away from his hug then smacked his head. Shit, that was – Argh! Woman, what the hell is wrong with you! "But that does not mean you're going to get away with this. Hmph!" She turned then walked again. "Let's go eat barbecue!" she called out.

Heh. Of course, she was bound to do it. Teasing her lightly, he replied with a simple "Yes, ma'am!"

"HURRY UP! YOU ALREADY STOOD ME UP!" He frowned. Again with that?

"You're not going to let me off of this, are you?"

"No! Now shut up and come here!" Sigh.

I am so whipped. Oh well, what a drag.