A: There was no explanation needed for that last one.

N: Just Shika being crazy.

A: Do you think it was a bit obvious?

N: Very. You're a 'tard for giving them that much.

A: Fuck damn it. PS Check out my cousin's penname: Cheif Kenji (I spell check for him).

The alarm clock rang. Kankuro groaned. Ino muttered to herself. Chouji said, "Five more minutes, huh?"

Kankuro jumped in surprise. There were people in his apartment. Then, he remembered why. His friends. Imagine that. Kankuro had friends.

"I have to get to work, guys," He said, sleepily. He got up and started searching the floor for something.

"Work?" Chouji clambered up and picked up his scarf.

"Some people have to work for a living, Chouji…" He said, exasperated. He found what he was looking for on the floor: A button-up black shirt. He put it on as Ino got up.

"Where do you work?" She went into the bathroom and started putting on her makeup. Purple lipstick, like she used to wear when she had red hair.

"You'll see when we get there," Kankuro replied, grinning.

--------Seven hours earlier--------

Chouji was lying on the floor, black eyes wide open. Kankuro noticed that, while Ino was fast asleep, and he himself was drifting off, that his new friend was completely awake. He sat up on the couch, rubbed his eyes, and asked, "Insomnia?"

"Huh? Oh. Yeah." Chouji rolled over to face Kankuro, who got up and walked to the bathroom. When he came back, he held a pillbox, which he tossed to Chouji. "Sleeping pills?" Read Chouji.

"You're not the only insomniac in the world… Gaara-" He didn't finish the sentence. He choked up at the mention of his little brother.

"Have Temari and Gaara… ever been to see you?" Chouji asked tentatively.

"Not once," Kankuro replied, downcast.

"But you have these pills because… If Gaara did visit, he'd need them… But he never has? You must think about them a lot," concern rang out in the boy's voice.

"Yeah. All the time…" Kankuro slipped back under the blanket, slightly ashamed of himself for showing so much emotion.

-----Present time. Sort of. Present for them, I guess. I shut up and type now. . -----

When they reached the café Kankuro worked at, Ino took one look and burst out laughing. "Oh my god!" She exclaimed. "I was on my way to this very café yesterday!"

Readers: Uh-oh. This is the… and last chapter…

Author: Yep. That's right. This is the same-

Narrator: Back to work! -cracks whip-

"Shikamaru and I, we used to go here a lot! You work here?"

"…Yeah…" Kankuro was slightly taken aback by her outburst. When they went in, Chouji held the door for Ino. Kankuro smirked again.

Ino and Chouji sat down at a table near the counter. From there they had a decent vantage point of all the customers and employees, and Kankuro making the coffee. The guy at the cash register…

He had a white hooded sweatshirt, khaki jeans, and black Beatle-style shades. There was a sharp glare in his hidden eyes, which seemed to be directed towards Kankuro at every opportunity. Kankuro glared back. They worked pretty well together besides that.

And boy, did Kankuro work. "This is weird," said Chouji, staring at his new friend apologize to a stuck-up guy with a ponytail for 'taking too long,' "And I don't like it. Look at him, groveling before these frickin' yuppies. It's not right."

"I know, but what can you do? That's what the real world is like," Ino said sadly.

"The real world?! This ain't the real world, Ino! How can this be the real world? I've been there. It's not all about jobs and money and getting your stupid coffee on time-That isn't life! Life is about friends and… well…"

'DO IT!' Screamed his brain. His mouth finally responded with…

"Life is about love, Ino. And I… I…" He stammered, willing himself to just say it already!

"Hey guys, I'm swamped. How about you go see some sights? You are in the city after all."

"In a minute," Ino said, muttering, "Good coffee."

Kankuro had interrupted at the worst time… Or maybe it was the best time, because of what occurred a few seconds later:

The door opened, making a familiar ding!

"Jimmy?" Shikamaru said, sighting Chouji at the table. Sitting next to her. Chouji quickly stood up. "Having… fun?" Shikamaru seethed, not hiding his anger and disgust.

"It isn't like that, Shika. She just gave me a ride yesterday is all!" Chouji exclaimed, trying to hide his blush.

"Of course," he spat.

"Hey… This is him? This is Shikamaru?" Kankuro took a much-needed break to talk to them.

"Yeah," Shikamaru said, looking more than slightly annoyed.

"Huh. I thought you'd be taller."

"Who the hell are you?"

"Name's Kankuro."

"What? Temari's loser brother?!"

"Loser brother?!"

"Yeah. I want you to leave her and Gaara alone. Is bothering them the best way you can think of to spend your time?"

"No. I have a job."

"So, that's the best way then?" He shot all three of them a glare. Chouji shrunk back a little. Shikamaru turned to go.

"W-wait, Shikamaru!"

"Whatever." He said, exiting the café.

"WHAT'S HIS PROBLEM?!" Ino and Kankuro roared at Chouji. He looked down.

"He… I… He's just confused right now. He isn't normally like this. I know he sees like a jerk, but he's my best friend. And Ino… You loved him once. Remember? He's really a good friend, I just don't know what's gotten into him lately…"

"The Devil maybe," remarked Kankuro. Chouji looked down. He had looked sad when Shikamaru left, but now he looked… distressed. Ino did something then, that she never thought she'd do.

"Hey, Chouji… Wanna go to the park or something?" He looked up.

"…Are… Are you ask-"

"I'll take that as a, 'Yes Ino. It would be lovely to go to the park with you. Alone.' As if on… a date." She said, smiling. Kankuro's smirk spread into a grin so wide, it caused his eyes to close.

"Hey," interrupted the cashier, whose nametag said Shino, "Someone graffiti'd the bathroom again."

"I'll get it," sighed Kankuro. He grabbed a mop and walked into the bathroom, muttering, "Third time this month. God damn it all to hell."

"He isn't a Mexican," Chouji said to himself, "Maybe I should stop graffiti-ing bathrooms. After all, it's guys like that who… Um… I just said that out loud, didn't I?"

"Let's go, Jimmy." Ino playfully pulled him out the door.

Shikamaru drove back to his house slowly and deliberately. He needed time to think…

Chouji was there. And Ino was there. In the same café. At the same time. At the same table. Together. There was only one reason for that.

Chouji using her cell phone. Chouji blushing. Blushing! There was no other explanation. Chouji and Ino…

Were on a date.

And that Kankuro was an asshole. For one thing, Shikamaru was most certainly not short. Kankuro was just taller than him. He was taller than Temari. "I should have rubbed it in his face that I'm dating his sister,' He thought. Yeah, that would have hit a nerve.

When he returned to his house, he stepped into his bedroom to find Temari, Gaara, and Naruto sitting there, watching the small black and white television set, which wasn't unusual. What was unusual about this scene was the fact that Naruto was macking a girl with short black hair, a girl Shikamaru had known for years, but had never actually known.

Whatsername.

"Naruto… And… Whatsername?" He said, sitting down on the bed.

"Her name is Hinata." Naruto growled.

"H-hello, Shikamaru-kun," Hinata said, nervously pushing her fingers together.

"They're living together now," Temari cooed mockingly. Naruto and Hinata blushed and turned away. Shikamaru laid back.

"Good for you Naruto… God, I just wanna sleep." He yawned. He decided to keep the disgusting bit of information gleaned from his little trip to the city to himself. He just didn't know why. Temari lay down next to him.

"Oh, Shikamaru. If my little brother and these innocent minors weren't here I'd fuck you so hard right now…" She said, giving him her patented half-smile. He lifted his head and kissed her.

"Get over it," Gaara muttered, staring at the screen, "I have cake and Blue's Clues is on."

Naruto and Hinata were too busy to talk.

"Young love," said Temari in mock breathlessness.

A: I finally got those four toghether!

N: Took you long enough.

A: Shut up. I needed to build on Chouji a bit.

N: Oh, ya. Seven chapters of building up. :P

A: I listened to Holiday as I finished this.

THIS IS OUR LIVES ON HOLIDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!