Temari walked through the streets brightly lit up with different colours, and could not help but smile. Little kids were playing with firecrackers, adults all dressed up and laughing heartily with one another. It was truly a festival. She spotted Hinata and rushed over. Her friend was looking stunning, adorned with a silky purple kimono, long hair pulled up into a bun and secured with two silver chopsticks. She stopped short when she saw the bright red blush on Hinata's face. She could only be talking to one person.
"HAHAHA! This is the best festival ever!" The loud, boisterous voice of Naruto resonated around the festival, seemingly fueling the cheerful spirit. Hinata nodded vigorously, smiling shyly at him. Temari shook her head. They so obviously liked each other, they just needed a lottle courage! Time to give Hinata a little nudge. She hid behind a trash can near the two of them, and used her fan to shoot forth a stream of wind, just enough to knock her forward- into the arms of Naruto. Hinata looked up, red faced and in shock while Naruto smiled at her, blushing a little himself. "You okay?" She nodded vigorously, and he subtly took her hand into his. As the two walked away, Hinata looked over her shoulder to throw an appreciative glance at Temari. Temari smiled. That's one couple down, she thought. Catching a glance of Shikamaru's relaxed figure, she sighed. One to go.
The girl ended on a particularly high note, and Temari felt butterflies in her stomach. As the crowd started to cheer and applaud, the butterflies turned into snakes and churned non-stop. "Next up, it's Temari!" Polite applause met the MC's words, mainly due to the fact that Temari was not especially well known in Konoha. She lifted up the hem of her long skirt and glided onto the stage. With a shaky hand, she clasped the microphone, and nodded towards the band to start. A slow, melodious tune poured out of the instruments, and Temari's throat tightened.
"Don't you see me?"
She croaked out, cringing at how her nerves shook her voice. Someone in the crowd chuckled, and her stomach clenched painfully.
"I feel as though
If I go
I won't be missed."
This was not going well! Her voice was raspy and barely a whisper, making the crowd look confusedly at each other. Just when she was about to panic, her eyes fell upon Shikamaru who was (finally!) looking at her intently. Something snapped into place, and she was taken back into the mood that she had felt when first writing the song.
"Can't you open your eyes?"
The line came out clear, strong and unwavering, stirring the crowd. Temari smiled, she had finally found her voice.
"Can't you take me in?
Can't you realise that the one you are looking for
Is the one right in front of your face?"
Her voice rose in volume and passion, and the drums were struck to signify the start of the energetic chorus.
"I'm invisible to you!"
Temari pointed at the crowd to encourage them to echo her. The crowd cried out excitedly: "To you!"
"You have no clue!"
(No clue)
"You look right past me
Like there's nothing to see"
(Nothing to see!)
The drumbeat diminished as the haunting melody was played once again.
"Even though you're all there is in my world..."
Temari made eye contact with Shikamaru and directed the next words to him.
"Looks like I'll never be your girl"
The crowd was in a trance as she started the next slow verse.
"Don't you know me?
I feel as though
You think of me so" She caught the eye of Shikamaru again. He look entranced.
"Differently from how I think of you"
He raised an eyebrow, and she smirked.
"HIT IT! I'm invisible to you!"
Once again, she gestured to the crowd to echo her.
"(To you!)" They cried in unison, the teenagers even jumping to the beat of the upbeat tune.
"You have no clue!"
"(No clue!)"
"You look right past me
Like there's nothing to see
(Nothing to see!)" The beat immediately dropped into the slow, haunting melody of the last lines.
"Even though you're all there is in my world
Looks like I'll never be your girl"
Temari closed her eyes, her body swaying with the music, just whispering out the last line of the song.
"Looks like I'll never be your girl"
The crowd roared, and Temari happily noticed the difference between the first applause she had received and this one. She bowed happily as the crowd started to chant. "Temari! Temari! Temari!" The MC tried to take over, but the crowd wouldn't let her gain control.
"TEMARI! TEMARI! TEMARI!"
"OKAY EVERYONE!" The MC resorted to shouting, and the sound of the crowd diminished slowly. "That wraps up out Original Song Compettion, the judging will be done soon!" The crowd clapped happily, and Temari felt nervous. Will she win? She spotted Shikamaru smiling and making his way over to her. Maybe I've won a bigger prize... She thought happily.