A/N: Another update! I'm as surprised as you are! This is actually one of the easiest stories for me to update, especially when one of my random Let's-go-write-as-Shikamaru moods hit. Gotta apologize if anyone's too OOC, but hey, I really can see Shikamaru's friends giving him a hard time about this. ;)

Dear Journal:

Okay, so I caved and went to see Ino.

Of course the entire peanut gallery decided to tag along.

That is, Choji, Kiba, Tenten, and Lee all decided to come with me so they could 'have my back'.

Shino stayed 20 feet back from us with his hands in his pockets.

Neji was a little more stealthy about it, but he was there, too.

My troublesome friends aside, when I got there I asked Ino if anyone odd had come in to buy a bouquet.

She knew exactly what I was talking about.

Why, you ask?

Because Hinata had told her.

How did Hinata know?

Because one of the irritating people that came with me told her. Probably Kiba or Shino. Though I'm starting to wonder if maybe it was Neji.

Anyway, she told me (okay, us) that she didn't know who bought those flowers, but she'd keep an eye out for me.

Then she winked at me. How kind of her.

That girl is such a gossip, now everyone is going to know.

Just like how we all now know that Iruka came in all flustered yesterday to buy lilies, two other people I don't really know nor care about are buying flowers for some chunin I don't know, and how Naruto bought tulips for some reason he refused to disclose to Ino (I don't blame him).

I gave up and left while she was telling the others about her recent suspicions that Gai has a lady friend.

I'm going to go see Kurenai, maybe she'll have some better advice.

Who the hell would want to go out with Gai, anyway?

Your non-gossiping author,

Shikamaru

I already asked Kurenai-sensei, and she didn't have much to say in advice, sorry.

And Hinata didn't hear it from me.

- Shino

You wouldn't happen to have heard who Gai-sensei's new...aquantance was, did you? Not that I care, I'm just surprised he hasn't been shouting it at us during our team's missions, that's all.

And I did not tell Lady Hinata, nor was I following you. I just happened to be in the neighborhood.

- Neji, still exasperated

I have to be more careful when and where I write in here.

Otherwise, I might misplace it outside of the Yamanaka Flower Shop, where random Aburame's and Hyuuga's can find it and write in it.

The least Neji could have done was handed it to me, instead of throwing it at me from down the street.

He should know my reflexes still aren't on par after Gaara's assassination attempt.

It left a huge bump on my head.

Your abused author,

Shikamaru

Sorry, I forgot.

And you were looking right at me!

- an apologetic Neji

That last message came to me in the form of a paper airplane.

Was he seriously using his Byakugan to read my journal?

Your bewildered author,

Shikamaru

A/N: While I'm at it, I want to thank WatchingAsYouFall for reviewing every chapter, that made my day, and was one of the reasons I decided to write this chapter. I also want to thank Gaaralover2247, Crazydoglover, and animedude16, my other frequent reviewers...you guys are awesome! Thanks to all of you! ^_^

Also, if anyone is interested, I've decided to do Shikaku's journal as well, though it's not cannon to this story. It's called 'Me & My Shadow: Words to My Son (By Shikaku Nara)'. Well, I say journal, but it's more of a memoir for Shikamaru. Anyway, feel free to check it out! ^_^