Disclaimer: I disown myself from owning Naruto & Company.

THESE FOOLISH THINGS

By ardenilia

SUMMARY: What foolish things you ask? Falling in love blindly is one of them of course. Because of this, Temari knew better not to ever trust any man again. Well, that is until Shikamaru came along and voluntary playing a role inside her life; from an 'enemy' to a friend and protector. Just when she thought the windows of her sealed heart will finally be opened once again, her past life and his supposed 'future' came to shatter their dreams and hopes together. AU fic. Modern settings.

Future Pairings: Will soon be revealed gradually. Yes, ShikaTema will not be getting all the limelight to themselves.

Author's Note: Thanks a lot to my lovely reviewers and I brought forward my deepest apologies for not being able to reply to you all personally. I promise I'll get back to you guys A.S.A.P. In the meantime, please don't stop reading my fic, because I'll keep on writing when knowing that there are readers who enjoy my story.

By the way, you all would find out who's our mysterious 'man' in this chapter. Although, I might have revealed who he is to some of you guys. Gomen for the confusion.

Forgive me for the first few chapters, you will see our favorite girl's interaction with another male character and not with Shika. I hope my fellow ShikaTema fans would be patient with me. Enjoy!

This chapter is a flashback.

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CHAPTER 2

Against All Odds

Tokyo, July 2000

"You WHAT!"

"Tenten…you don't have to look so petrified!"

The brunette shook her head in confusion, before fixing her eyes back to Temari. Her blonde roommate was quite different from most girls but she didn't expect her to this extend. Especially when a glittery yet foreign object rooted on Temari's RING finger. Yeah, you got the picture.

Somehow the headstrong, tomboyish Temari does not fit together with any pieces of jewellery.

"Am I missing something here…- I mean I know you're dating our senior, and like for how long?"

"Less than a year, but…-"

"Exactly. Now, all of a sudden you're engaged!" Tenten's eyes grew wider as she crossed her arms over her chest, looking like a mother who is trying to put some sense into her bratty teenage daughter's mind.

Temari stood still, leaning against the window of their small dormitory room. Her eyes lingered around the room, brushing across the posters of Hoobastank, Ayumi Hamasaki and several miniature fans and scrolls stuck on the walls before resting on Tenten, who sat in front of her desk wearing a very disapproving look.

"Are you pregnant?" Tenten asked suspiciously, her posture rigid for a moment.

"Hell, NO! What makes you think like that?"

The brown-eyed girl rubbed her forehead in confusion. "That's the most logical explanation I could think of at the moment"

"I'm not that cheap. We've never even crossed that border yet"

"Is that so? What about those marks on your neck?"

"What?" Temari's hand went up to her neck and she winced at the slightest contact. 'Oh shit! I forgot about it' "Is it obvious?"

"I didn't remember it was there yesterday" Tenten swore she would miss the spot if Temari didn't move so much. The pinkish marks were hidden under the collars of her tee.

"Tenten, we didn't have sex last night or even any time before if you want to know but that's not the point here!"

"Okay…alright. Jeez, don't lash out at me just because I happened to care about my best friend"

"Sorry Ten…" She picked herself up to find a place on her bed. The bed bounced slightly upon having her weight. "I didn't know what drove me to make such haste decision but I love him very, very much. And I don't think I can live without him after knowing that he's very serious in having a future with me"

"Do you trust him?"

"This is so not me speaking…" She let out a small laugh as she looked up to her roommate. "But yes I do. With all my heart"

"Although I felt that you might be making a mistake. But if you're happy then, why shouldn't I? Besides, it's not like the wedding's tomorrow. Have you told your dad?"

The smile turned into a frown. "Not yet, but we're planning to meet our parents next week"

"I must admit though, that you're a very lucky girl to be able to tame the wild, rich Uchiha boy," Tenten said with a shrug of understanding as she turned on her PC.

"Really? He's wild, pompous and arrogant all right"

Tenten raised an eyebrow upon hearing Temari's response, a light smile gracing her lips.

"But he's one hell of a kisser"

The brunette's mouth gaped open in disbelief. "You're one hormonal freak you know that? ...But, from the marks on your neck, I couldn't object to your statement"

"Tenten!" Temari threw a cushion pillow and it headed straight towards her roommate. Unfortunately, Tenten was quite reflexive and she caught it with just one hand.

The pair broke into a loud laughter before Tenten urged Temari on the importance of birth control and contraception, much to the blonde's amusement. No matter what, Temari was glad that she could share her secrets and talk about things with Tenten. Things that she can't confide with her 'estranged' father. In a lot of ways, Tenten was like a sister to her. Both shared several similar qualities like interest in martial arts, ardent fans of J-Rock and shared the same dislike of girlish stuffs like most of the spoilt, pampered princesses in their dormitory does.

"Do you mind keeping it down, nerds!" A strained female voice spoke in a harsh tone.

They turned their heads towards the door to find the all too familiar face of Reika Haibara, the so-called hottest and most sought-after girl in Tokyo Univ. The only daughter of one of Japan's richest industrial conglomerate and a cross breed of Asian and English blood. A fact that made her felt like she's levels higher than any other female population in the college and thus, should be treated like royalty or a diva.

'Speaking of princesses. Look who the Devil brought in?' Tenten gritted her teeth in annoyance. The dark-haired she-devil stood elegantly at the doorpost, with a mocking smile on her face and one hand rested on the door whilst the other on her shapely hips. She stood in the same pose that had been in every guy's wild imagination and fantasies. To Tenten, she looked more like she's suffering a back ache and really tried hard to support the weight of her 'artificial' boobs. And not forgetting the "I'm-better-than-Temari-but-the-fact-is-I'm-not" syndrome.

Temari narrowed her eyes at the spoilt brat, standing with her nose in the air. "What do you want Your Royal Crankiness?"

Reika's grin grew more sardonically as she shifted her weight on to one leg, intentionally pushing her chest forward just to piss Temari off. That act alone caused Tenten to roll her eyes in revulsion while restraining herself from gagging. Temari on the other hand, remain unfazed.

"My, my…you're a sarcastic little bitch ain't ya?" Reika spoke in her 'holier-than-thou' attitude. But, before Temari could fend off her spiteful remark, Tenten shot up and stand stiff before the conniving girl. "Who are you calling a bitch!"

Temari looked at her roommate. "Tenten, calm down" And she looked back at their uninvited guest. "And you, what do you want Haibara? If you're looking for trouble, this ain't the place. The Head student's right next door you know"

"Move over, tramp" Reika shoved Tenten aside, causing a hiss from the bun-haired girl. She stepped into the room, eyeing everything inside in distaste with the air of superiority. She walked in her trademark strut that had guys drool over. She's the type of person who was born to be an oppressor. Who believed that girls wanted to be in her shoes and guys wanted to be with her. 'Really, she needs to put out the air in her puny head' Temari thought bitterly. She stopped right in front of Temari who is still sitting on her bed.

"The looks of you just despise me, Sabakuno. Don't be so full of yourself. Who do you think you are to challenge me? I'm far better than you and you know it" She looked down at the pig-tailed blonde and ridiculed her.

Temari just put on a very boring expression while trying to hide her engagement ring away from Reika's sharp piercing gaze. She's not a troublemaker and she doesn't intend to be one today.

Reika grew irritated upon seeing that Temari could remain calm and still unperturbed. And she hates it when Temari, her rival seems in control. She poked at the blonde's right shoulder blade, earning a glare from Temari. "Don't ever touch me"

"If not, what?" She poked again.

Tenten burst out in anger. "Hey, push her again, I'm gonna bust your brain!"

Reika turned her head around with disgust. "Oh, it seems like your lap dog's angry, Temari"

Temari's patience had reached its limit. "That's it! You can mess with me, but you don't mess with my friends, or I'll make sure your life's a living hell. And I'm sure Little Princess Reika won't like it one bit"

The snobbish girl scoffed in return. "You arrogant chit. I don't know what Itachi-sama sees in you. You're harsh, un-ladylike. He should've been with someone better"

Tenten laughed sarcastically. "Like you? Give me a break"

Reika's icy glare was fixed sharply at Temari. "I'm gonna let him see what kind of person you really are, Temari. Then he'll know that I'm the woman that he really wants"

Temari let out a bitter laugh. "I've been hearing that sentence for uncountable times now that it started to burn my ears. Good luck with that, Haibara. Now, I know you can find your way out" She tilted her head towards the oak-wood door.

Reika growled in dissatisfaction. She strode towards the door, stomping her stilettos on the carpet. Before she walked out, she glowered at Temari. Like a cobra hissing of defeat at a more significant eagle. "I always get what I want, Sabakuno. And, I've set my sights on Itachi-sama, I'll never give up on him"

'This bitch is insane!' Tenten shook her head and decided to drop the anvil on the brainless female. "Hey Haibara! I've got news for you-"

"Tenten, no…-"

"Sorry to burst your bubble, but Uchiha's taken. He's engaged to Temari" Tenten finished the sentence with a satisfied expression on her face while Temari could only slap her forehead in response.

"WHAT!" Reika shouted. Her eyes widened in skepticism. "That is one nasty joke"

"This is not a joke. It's true. They're getting married. So, you might as well find another guy"

"Liars! That's a cheap trick you're pulling, Sabakuno. You are a slu-"

"Yo! We're finished here" Temari raised her hands in front of her, unintentionally flashing her newly-engagement ring, much to the other girl's dismay.

Tenten decided to drive Reika up the wall by saying, "If you think we're lying, you should ask 'Itachi-sama' himself. But, don't bother. You'll only be hearing the same thing. You should realize something though, Haibara. No matter what you try, Temari will always be light years ahead of you. You couldn't even be half the person she is"

The door was slammed shut by one unsatisfied and bridling heiress.

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Kobe, August 2000

SLAP!

She knew that coming here wasn't a good idea from the start but her fiancé insisted that they do. Instead of the blessing that they hoped, they got cursing in return. Temari's hand move to cover her now reddening skin. She could feel the hot, stinging pain on her cheek. Tears had started to pool at the brims of her turquoise eyes. She couldn't believe that her father had hit her in front of the household.

"Daddy!" She tried to touch her father's shoulder only to be heaved away by the 45 year old business mogul. Temari almost fell to the cold, marble floor on her knees. Save for a pair of warm, familiar hands. Her fiancé helped her to stand up on her wobbly legs as he held her close in his arms.

"Do you realize the consequences of your action? How dare you defy me, Temari? You ungrateful daughter!" Her father's loud voice thundered throughout the living room of the large mansion of the Sabakuno family.

Itachi's hand tightened around Temari's shoulder in a reassuring manner. "Sir, we assure you that we do not came here to defy you or-"

"Silence! This is between me and my daughter"

Itachi's eyebrow twitched in annoyance. He's starting to lose his temper. "Sir, I came here with respect to ask for your daughter's hand in a proper way"

"This is not a place for you to speak, boy"

"How can I shut myself up when you're disrespecting you own daughter!" Itachi exclaimed at the older man. Temari looked up at Itachi while pleading a silent 'no' only to be ignored by him. For once, she swore she could see Itachi's jet-black eyes turned into a forebodingly crimson color.

"Don't you dare tell me how I handle my family, young man. Anyway, what could I expect from a typical Uchiha. Ill-mannered and so full of yourself. You feel so mighty high that you just couldn't grip into reality and you wouldn't care what other people think" Temari's dam broke that instant. Fresh tears started to roll down her rosy cheeks, burning into the strike mark her father imprinted before.

"You may not bringing my family into this, 'Sir'-"

He received a glare from the portentous man. "It's not enough that your father had almost burnt my business into ashes and now, he had his son trying to ruin this family by stealing my daughter from me!"

Temari decided she had enough.

"Daddy, stop. This is not about your business or whatever happened between you and Itachi's father. This is about me." She placed her shaky hands to her heart. "My happiness. Do you even care how I feel?" She gasped once before inhaling once again. She closed her eyes once, letting another pearl-shaped tear sliding down her disappointed face. "I don't want to negotiate with a businessman; I want to have a talk with my father"

The towering figure of her father turned his back against them. "Then, I can't help you with that. This meeting is over"

"Daddy, no!"

The slightly aged face of her father did not display any betraying emotion. In a monotonous tone, he dropped the tail end of the situation. "You can no longer call me that, young lady. I deny your existence in this family and from my will. Starting now, I had never had any daughter, especially one who dared to go against my words and dared to fraternize with my enemy's son. You're a disappointment"

"No! No! Daddy, please" Temari shook her head in disbelief, trying to broke out from Itachi's hold only to be pulled back by him.

"George!" The old man barked, calling out for one of the butlers. A middle-aged man, dressed in tux appeared. "Yes, Sir?" He asked in perfect English.

"Show them the way out" George bowed in obedience and started to make his way towards the young couple. The young man stood rigid, with George's young mistress held protectively in his hands. She was practically sobbing and refused to look at George, who had been like her father to her, in the eye.

Itachi raised his hand at George. "We can certainly find our way out. Thank you"

George could only watch helplessly with his old, gray eyes as the couple turned around to make their exit.

But Itachi wouldn't do so until he gave Temari's father a piece of his mind. "What happened between you and my father is not my doing. Temari was wrong about you. You are an irresponsible, cold-hearted man who does not deserve the right to sire such a wonderful woman like her. That is one fact that I admit I owe to you"

George could see the corners of his master's lips curved into a frown.

"Speak what you want, boy. When you go to your father, don't be surprised if he treats you the same way. In reality, your father is way more vindictive than me"

Itachi walked away, his hand gripped Temari's in a tight lock. Temari looked back with tears streaming down her cheeks as she took upon her father's image, one last time. She found it difficult to move but Itachi's strength was all she needed. She gave her favorite butler a small, bitter smile before she stepped out of the door. Away from this house…forever.

George's eyes drooped low in sympathy. 'I'm very sorry, Lady Temari. No matter where you are, 'ol George's prayers and blessings will always be with you'. He couldn't help but let a single tear dropped down his slightly wrinkled skin as the family that he had served for more than three decades came to such an end. An unforgettable event that will be forever marked in the family's history, in irony to the exclusion of a family member's existence.

'I could only hope that young master Kankurou and young master Gaara won't go on a rampage when they find out what happened today'

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Tokyo, August 2000

The Uchiha family was one family who roots deeply for tradition and they rather die before breaking any one of them. The conventionality includes family business, acquaintances of the same social status, rivals, full obedience to the head of the family and last but not least, arranged marriages.

And, today…a family member is determined to break that restricting tradition and it all because of…

"Love?" The older Uchiha laughed upon his own remark, as if the foreign word was only meant for idiotic people. He rested himself on his personal chair, made from imported leather. Donning a designer's executive suit and a pipe in one hand, that man held an aura of power and high pride. His dark eyes fixed on his own flesh and blood, his eldest son who inherited his spark, spunk and desire for power. Unfortunately, that's not what he is seeing right now. His eyes were of the ones in love. He looked weak. Pathetic.

He scanned over the golden-haired girl sitting beside his son, intimately close. High cheekbones, slightly tanned yet clear skin, free of freckles or blemish. And not forgetting, well-endowed with a proportional height. She looked like a typical rich man's daughter though it completely contrasted with the fact that she was an orphan, according to Itachi. Yes, she's beautiful. So what? He had seen many other young women, far more beautiful and perfect than this girl. Not to mention, from the same social status and prestigious families. Far more suitable for his son.

"I though you had better judgment, son" He said in a deep, low voice before taking a smoke from his cigar.

"I'm old enough to make my own decisions. I believed that I'm doing the right thing by marrying the woman that I love" Itachi spoke confidently, although he seemed to be less interested in the conversation. All he wanted was to introduce his future wife to his family and they could carry on with their respective lives.

The older man posed a questioning gaze to Temari. "How old are you, girl?"

Hesitantly, she dared herself to stare back into the threatening glare with almost the same intensity. "22, Uchiha-sama"

"And, my son's 23. Still young enough to make such big decisions in life, no? Don't you think so?"

"Pardon me, Uchiha-sama. Age does not determine a person's capability to live independently and make decisions concerning their life on their own"

"Temari…" Itachi grumbled in a warning tone.

"What?" She turned her head to the raven-haired man and found his face formed a disappointing look. "You stood up for me before, why can't I do the same?"

Itachi replied in a whispered-like tone. "This is different. Let me do all the talking, okay?"

It brought a shock to the older man. For all these times, no one had dared to speak back to him. Not even his sons. This girl was something alright and he now knew what had caught his son's attention.

"As much as I'm impressed with your guts girl, I could see that you're hot-headed as well. Unfortunately, that's not the kind of woman that I want my son to socialize with. You see, I have planned his future long before he was born and somehow, you are not in it"

"Father!" Itachi snapped. He couldn't believe that this was the same man that he grew to respect years before.

Ignoring his son, his eyes never leave the silhouette of the young girl. His tone grew harder as he spoke. "I hope you understand this. Our family has our own tradition and I do not want it to be broken by my son just because of love, as he claimed or maybe lust, in my word. He will marry when I said so and he will marry the person that I chose for him. And that is something you cannot change!"

The younger man's temper frayed. "I had enough with this tradition issue. I'm not going through with it" Itachi stood up, grabbing Temari by the hand. "Whether you like it or not, I'm going to marry Temari. No matter what"

His father snickered upon his statement. "With that said, it's clearly visible that you've made up your mind. By refusing the family beliefs, you're refusing to be apart of the family itself. Rest assured that you won't have anything more to do either with this family or the company"

"What do you mean?"

"If you think you're old enough to make your decisions, then you're old enough to make your own living. I won't have anything to do with it"

"Fine. We don't need your money either" He walked composedly to the door, but not before Temari gave the man a slight bow. She was not raised to be ill-mannered, especially to older people, no matter how much she hated that person.

"Come on, Temari"

With that, the couple walked away just like they had before. As they stood outside, Temari pulled Itachi to her. "I'm sorry for everything, Itachi. I never meant for you to fight with your father and having yourself disown and I-"

"Hey, hey…" He cupped her face in his hands and stroked her soft skin, gently. "We're both disowned but that doesn't mean it's the end of the world for us. Our love is strong enough. We'll make it through" He smiled and pulled her into a deep embrace.

Kissing her forehead, he looked down at her. "Against all odds, Tem. We'll make it through"

"Yeah, we will" She gave him a reassuring smile too, the smile that could melt the coldest climate. That's all he needed to move forward.

Oblivious to them, a figure of a teenage boy stood tall behind the glass windows of the manor. Not missing a single moment of the exchange between the young couple.

"Nii-san…" 'He looks really happy for the first time'

"Sasuke…go back to your room"

"Why do you have to fight with nii-san? He didn't do anything wrong. You don't have to throw him out of the house"

"The topic's not up for debate, young man. Don't worry; your brother will be back. He won't last long enough out there" The older man blew out dark, grey smokes after puffing away at his pipe.

The teenage boy grunted in reply, making his way upstairs. All the while mumbling words like 'senile' and 'tobacco addict'.

His eyes trailed along Sasuke, storming upstairs. He had another son, so he doesn't have anything to worry about.

Despite all that, he had high hopes for his eldest and he's not giving up. Taking one last puff, he took out his mobile phone and punched a few buttons.

"I want you to keep a close watch on my eldest"

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End Of Chapter 2

End Notes: Sorry if you think that I kinda used just any state names in Japan that I happened to know. Hey, I've never been to Japan but I heard from a few people that Tokyo and Kobe are one of the most modern and lively cities in the Orient country. Even if I'm wrong, let's just pretend it does, ne?

By the way, their old men seem to be mean. I couldn't help but write them like that. However, they are not the main antagonists here. In fact, they are the ones who CREATED the antagonist.

Take care. See ya next chappie! R, R, R & R! (Rest, Relax, Read, Review)

Love,

ardenilia