Hey everyone! I should really be in bed right now but I'm awake with severe ligament stretching pain cause these things happen when you're pregnant, which I am. xD So I decided to just go ahead and post another chapter cause I am kidding myself if I think I'm getting to sleep before 2 am. Thank you to everyone who reviewed and added this story to their alerts! It really means a lot to me guys! :)

Disclaimer: If I really owned Naruto, these characters would be better known, you know? I mean, anyone with an OC would make them a canon character if they suddenly had rights to the series, am I right? ;D *cricket chirps* No? So it's just me. Okaaay then~ .w.b


Nozomi's ears perked up at the sound of knocking, and she opened one eye sleepily. Who could that be? Few knew where she lived, and the one person she saw on a daily basis was away.

She covered her mouth to stifle the yawn that came out as she peeled herself from the bed, stretching. A gasp escaped her as she glanced at the clock at her bed side. 'Oh no! I slept through my alarm!'

Another round of raps sounded from outside, and the brunette hurriedly undid the lock and opened the door. "Hello?"

"I was just beginning to wonder if you were home." Shizune laughed softly from the doorway, and Nozomi sweat dropped.

"Sorry about that. I slept through my alarm, otherwise I would've been up." She murmured, flashing a toothy, apologetic grin.

The Hokage's assistant regarded her with amusement and tsk-tsked. "Too many late nights?"

When the brunette's jaw dropped open, she chuckled. "Yes, I know about your night time training. Iruka reports to us, remember?"

Nozomi said nothing, bracing herself for the scolding that she was sure was coming.

"Don't worry, I'm not here to lecture you. That would be Tsunade-sama's job, anyway." Shizune paused. "In fact, she's the reason I'm here. She wants to see you right away."

She shook her head as the girl's brows knit together worriedly. "No, it's not about the training sessions." Shizune fought back an urge to laugh at the girl's obvious relief. "Anyways, she's waiting so don't take too long, Nozomi-chan."

Nozomi nodded her understanding, and Shizune took her leave.

As the brunette got dressed and brushed her hair, a wide smile spread across her face. She was meeting Choji and Shikamaru for lunch, and she was really looking forward to it. She'd realized that she had feelings for Shikamaru. He was so accepting of her, and a great listener too (though she sometimes wondered how much he really heard while he was daydreaming). It didn't hurt that he was handsome too, she thought with a giggle. Hopefully the Hokage wouldn't keep her too long, or else she would be late.

Nozomi slipped on her sandals and left, praying that the streets wouldn't be too crowded. Tsunade wasn't exactly known for being a patient woman...

…..

"Iruka says that you've been doing well." Tsunade spoke, watching Nozomi from behind her desk. "Tell me, how confident are you in your ability to wield chakra?"

The girl blanched at the question, caught off guard. "Well, it's, um...It's getting there." She replied, grinning nervously.

Tsunade's lips curved into a smirk at the modest answer. She glanced at a document on her desk for a moment before looking back at the brunette. "According to this report, you've almost mastered the clone jutsu. Show me."

Nozomi glanced around the room uncertainly. "….In here…?"

The blond haired woman nodded, folding her arms across her chest as she leaned back in her chair. "I'm not asking you to spar in here. I just want to see your progress for myself."

Feeling her face warm up with embarrassment, the brunette nodded, taking a deep breath. "Alright..." She brought her hands together, crossing her index and middle fingers and closed her eyes in concentration. "Clone jutsu!"

A Nozomi duplicate poofed into existence and grinned. "How's that, Hokage-sama?"

Tsunade rose from her seat and stepped forward. Giving the clone a once over, she gave the ninja-to-be a small smile. "You're close to mastering this jutsu. Just pay a little more attention to detail."

Nozomi nodded as she released the jutsu, dispelling the clone. "Thank you. I'll keep working on it." She promised with a smile. The Hokage's praise made it worth all the extra practice time she'd been putting in.

"Now that I've seen for myself, I agree with Iruka." Tsunade said as she resumed her previous position behind her desk.

The brunette snapped out of her thoughts at the woman's words and tilted her head in confusion. "Agree? About what?"

Tsunade smirked for a moment before fixing her with a serious look. "Study hard, Nozomi, and prepare yourself. You'll be taking the graduation exam soon." She said calmly.

Nozomi's eyes widened at this news, and she gulped. "H-how soon are we talking?"

"I'll evaluate you again beforehand, but at this rate it'll be no more than about a month from now." Came the Hokage's reply. She pursed her lips as she noticed how pale the girl suddenly looked. "Is there a problem?"

"Is there a problem?!" Nozomi echoed, her eyes darting up to meet Tsunade's in disbelief. "Umm yeah! I'm nowhere near ready to graduate! I can't even do the transformation jutsu! With all due respect, I need more time…"

"That's what Iruka is here for. Have him help you after class if need be." Tsunade replied with a shrug of her shoulders.

"But...but…" The brunette's voice trembled as she searched for a reason to postpone her test.

The Hokage's face softened slightly at the girl's shaking shoulders. "I know you're feeling rushed, but Iruka and I believe that you are ready. It's time you moved up."

"But what if I let you guys down?!" Nozomi blurted out, looking away uncomfortably. "What if I fail?"

"I doubt you will," Tsunade began, "but if you're worried, keep practicing. There's no such thing as being too prepared in the ninja world. It's better than over thinking things."

With a soft sigh, the brunette nodded her head. "You're right…" She inhaled deeply and let it out, feeling the tension slowly filter out of her body. "I guess there's no other choice." Giving a confident smile, the girl clenched her fists tightly in determination. "I'll do my best to make sure I'm ready."

Only after she'd been dismissed, and the door closed behind her did the smile leave her face, and she gritted her teeth, trying to ignore the nervous butterflies in her stomach.

…..

Nozomi reached the designated meeting spot and looked around. Her lips turned up in a small smile as she spotted her friends, and she approached them, raising her hand in greeting. "Hey."

Choji looked up at her and gave her a mock reproachful look. "Where have you been? You're late!"

The brunette smiled sheepishly. "Sorry. I got called to the Hokage's office, and it took longer than expected." She held up the bento box she was carrying. "I brought rice balls." She took one out and held it out as a peace offering.

"You brought us food?!" Choji exclaimed. In one swift movement, he leapt up from his seat and swiped the rice ball from her hand. "You're forgiven." He said through a mouthful of rice as he sat back down, munching happily.

Shikamaru smirked at the boy but said nothing, privately thinking how typical it was of Choji to take food as a bribe. He turned to Nozomi and quirked an eyebrow. "I'm assuming there's one for me, too."

The brunette nodded, stepping closer to Shikamaru. "Of course!" She pulled out another of the rice balls and held it out, a shy smile spreading across her face. "Um...here you go, Shikamaru-kun..."

Shikamaru gave her a skeptical look as he noticed the pink tint on her face. What was she blushing for?

Coughing awkwardly as she realized he was staring at her, Nozomi turned to Choji. "What do you think?" She chuckled, noticing that he'd already finished and was picking the remaining grains of rice from his face. "I made them myself. I hope it was tasty!"

Choji gave her a big grin and a thumbs up, nodding his head vigorously. "That really hit the spot! I wish I had another one!"

"Really? Well…" Nozomi glanced back at Shikamaru, realizing he still hadn't taken the rice ball from her. Maybe he wasn't hungry and just didn't want to hurt her feelings? She looked back at Choji once more. "Well...I don't think Shikamaru-kun wants his, so if you want-"

Just then, Shikamaru reached out and took the offered rice ball from her. He wasn't hungry, but the look on Nozomi's face had screamed rejection, and an upset girl was a drag to be around. It was easier to eat the food and keep her happy.

'He's eating my food!' Nozomi screamed in her mind, trying not to grin like an idiot as she watched him eat. 'I hope he likes it!'

As if sensing her thoughts, the Nara gave a nod of approval, and she swore she was so happy she could have melted. 'He-he likes it! Go, me!'

She must have looked overly happy because Shikamaru raised an eyebrow at her, and she laughed sheepishly, quickly looking down at her bento.

Choji watched as the brunette took out her own rice ball, and she giggled, noticing the hopeful look on his face. "Here, Choji-kun. You can have mine. I'm not really hungry." Nozomi held out the last rice ball toward her food loving friend, and he eagerly took it.

"You're not just gonna stand there the whole time, are you?"

Shikamaru's question took Nozomi by surprise, and she shook her head, swallowing hard as she realized the one spot available was next to him. 'I've got to relax. A negative reaction will only make the guy suspicious, and I'm not ready to confess my feelings!'

"C'mon, sit down already. Shikamaru won't bite, you know!" Choji chimed in, nearly choking on his mouth full of food as he laughed at the startled look the girl gave him.

Nozomi made a face at the boy and sank into the open seat, keeping her eyes trained on her lap. Just being this close to her crush made her heart race. On one hand, it made for a good distraction from the bomb that the Hokage had dropped on her, but being this close made her all sorts of nervous, and she had a feeling he could tell.

She sensed it when Shikamaru turned to look at her, and she leaned back to gaze at the sky, trying to distract herself. 'Maybe if I relax and don't pay him any extra attention..' Slowly her eyes closed and she sighed softly, a small smile appearing on her face.

"Nozomi-san."

Those four syllables caused her eyes to flutter open, and she glanced at the boy she'd been trying not to think about. "What is it?"

Instead of speaking, Shikamaru held out his rice ball, and she sat up straight, confusion in her eyes. "Uh...do you not like it?" She asked, trying not to show how crushed she felt at the idea.

Shikamaru's eyebrows arched and he shook his head. "No, it's good." He gave her a knowing look that made her feel like he knew all her secrets, and she tried not to squirm uncomfortably as she looked away again.

After a moment, the dark haired boy shoved the rice ball into her hands. "Here. You need this more than I do. No matter what's bothering you, it's not worth skipping a meal over."

Nozomi's eyes darted back to him in surprise, her mouth agape as she processed his words. "What makes you think something's bothering me?" She mumbled, taking a small bite of the rice ball.

"You're going out of your way to avoid talking to me right now and that's not like you at all." Shikamaru's lips quirked into a half smile as she choked, staring at him wide eyed. "You thought I wouldn't notice?"

"You can't get anything past somebody as sharp as Shikamaru." Choji cut in, grinning.

Shikamaru smirked and went on. "You're also a terrible liar. Something's on your mind, and it's written all over your face so let's hear it." He placed a hand on his temple, looking exaggeratedly tired. "It'd be a real drag to have to force it out of you…"

'But I was thinking about my feelings for you!'

Nozomi gritted her teeth, trying not to panic. There was no way she could tell him that in front of Choji -it'd be way too embarrassing! Still, she knew the two boys would find a way to make her talk if she didn't say something soon.

"Alright, alright." She grumbled. If they really wanted to know what was on her mind, then she'd tell them what had happened Hokage Tower. It wasn't a total lie, since the whole thing was bothering her.

With a deep breath, she recounted her visit with Tsunade, from the near definite countdown she now faced until her exam to how nervous she felt.

"So...that's it. What I was thinking about." She finished lamely with a shaky laugh.

"Wow, congratulations." Choji breathed, smiling. "I'm sure you'll do great!"

"Thanks." Nozomi grinned, avoiding Shikamaru's narrow eyed stare. Clearly, he hadn't been fooled.

"..I don't think that's really it.."

Her eyes widened at the dark haired boy's words and she bit her lip. If she didn't do something, and now, he was gonna out her! "Uh..Shikamaru-kun! Choji-kun!"

The two boys looked at her questioningly, and she hesitated. Great, now what was she supposed to say? She'd only called them to try and cut off Shikamaru, but now she wasn't sure how to go about changing the subject. "Um...What's the testing like at the Academy, anyway?"

Shikamaru shrugged, crossing his arms. So, she wasn't going to tell them after all. Fine. He'd get the truth out of her some other time. "It's a real pain, but there's no getting around it so just be prepared."

Nozomi sighed inwardly and nodded to show that she'd heard him, grateful that her hastily thought up question seemed to have changed the subject for now.

Choji frowned at the dark haired boy's answer and gave him a shove, making him fall sideways onto Nozomi's lap. "Ahh, don't listen to Shikamaru, Nozomi-chan! Anything that requires effort is a pain in his opinion!" He paused, shaking his head. "Just think about it like this. If someone as unmotivated as him could graduate, a hard worker like you will have no problem at all!"

When nobody answered he looked at the brunette, snorting in amusement when he saw the red face she sported as she pushed Shikamaru away and jumped to her feet. Apparently, she'd decided against sitting next to him after all.

Shikamaru frowned at the girl's abruptness, apologizing and rolling his eyes as he processed Choji's teasing words. "Oh, please. This coming from a guy who could be bribed to blow off a mission if food is involved." He retorted.

"Hey!" Choji threw his hands out in protest. "That's not true!"

Both Nozomi and Shikamaru stared at him in disbelief and he shrugged, scratching his head sheepishly. "Okay, maybe it is..."

His friends burst into laughter, and after a few seconds of mock scowling at them, Choji joined in.

The guys moved on to a completely unrelated topic and Nozomi sighed, relaxing her tense shoulders. 'Looks like I'm off the hook.' She took a bite of her lunch and smiled, letting her gaze wander over their surroundings.

A chill ran up her spine when she suddenly locked eyes with Shikamaru. He may have been talking with Choji, but he was staring intently in her direction. The corners of his lips turned up slightly into a knowing smirk as he caught her eye and Nozomi bit her lip.

'Oh Kami! Don't tell me he's gonna try to make me tell them what I was thinking about now!' Panic ran rampant through Nozomi and she looked away, feeling unnerved.

Shikamaru's brows furrowed at her skittish behavior, and he narrowed his eyes, looking away. Choji may believe that she was just distant because of her upcoming exam, but he knew better. Something else was up, and he was going to find out.

Unfortunately, he and Choji had to go meet the rest of Team 10 for training now, so whatever her secret was, it was safe for now. He'd have to get it out of her next time.

Nozomi watched as her two friends stood and stretched, Shikamaru complaining about what a drag it was having scheduled functions like this, while Choji wondered out loud if Asuma would take them out to eat afterward.

"Tell Asuma-sensei I said hello!" She said, waving as her friends walked away.

"Will do!" Choji replied. "Hey! You should come along the next time he takes us for barbeque!"

"What? Me? Um...well…" A timid smile appeared on Nozomi's face. "I'd love to, but I can't afford to eat out.." She mumbled sheepishly.

"If Asuma-sensei can afford to pay for Choji to eat, I'm sure he can handle one more." Shikamaru smirked, ignoring the look his teammate gave him for his comment. He'd been asking for that one ever since he started poking fun at his work ethics. "Besides, Ino's asking about you."

"Ino…?"

Nozomi grimaced, recalling her first and only meeting with the girl. She'd entered the Yamanaka flower shop, finding the scents more appealing than normal due to her heightened sense of smell. Ino had shown up, commenting that her behavior matched her appearance - she must really be in touch with her inner feline to have purred like that! It was unlike Nozomi to lash out like she had, but she'd been embarrassed and had run off before Ino could reply.

Choji snickered at the girl's apparent distaste toward his female teammate. "Don't worry, we'll keep her in line for ya."

'Yeah right,' Shikamaru thought, rolling his eyes, 'She's the one who calls the shots in this team.'

"...I'll think about it." A drop of sweat rolled down Nozomi's head as she nodded, not looking very convinced. "Anyways, I don't want you guys to be late so see you later!"

The boys nodded, and with one final wave, they were off.

…..

Since she had nowhere to be, and she didn't practice her jutsu until the evening, Nozomi explored the village. The looks that the villagers threw her way were something she no longer concerned herself with. If they didn't like her, then oh well. That was their problem.

Gradually, her thoughts turned to her impending exam, and she clenched her fists so hard her claws dug into her skin, making it bleed. Iruka-sensei and the Hokage were putting their faith in her, and she wanted to make them proud, but what if she couldn't do it?

Her friends had done all they could to reassure her, and she appreciated their efforts, but she still couldn't help feeling nervous. Shikamaru and Choji had been given much more time to hone their skills before taking the test. What if she wasn't ready when the time came?

"Hello, Nozomi-san!"

Nozomi had been so caught up in her own thoughts, that she'd failed to notice the green eyes watching her, so she jumped when she glanced up and locked stares with Naruto's teammate, Sakura.

By now, Nozomi had met the genin her age, and she got along with most of them, aside from Ino and those on Team 8 (Shino's bugs creeped her out; Hinata stuttered so much it was hard to understand the poor girl, let alone carry a conversation with her; Kiba...she'd gotten off on the wrong foot with him from the get go). Sakura, however was a different story.

The brunette made a face, remembering the day she'd met the girl, and the awkwardness she'd caused. She had been carefully avoiding crossing paths with the pinkette ever since. It figured that the one time she let down her guard this happened!

Realizing that Sakura was waiting for her to answer, Nozomi nodded stiffly. "Hi, Sakura-san."

Sakura's smile faded as the girl's stare dropped back to the ground, and she clicked her tongue. Something seemed off about her, but she knew better not to pry. At least, not until she got to know the girl, which was just what she was trying to do now.

"So...you headed anywhere?" She asked, trying to make conversation.

Nozomi shook her head hesitantly, slowly raising her gaze from the dirt to meet the green eyes before her. "Not really...just walking to walk. Why?"

Sakura raised an eyebrow at the mistrusting tone in the girl's voice, but shrugged it off. "Do you mind if I join you?" She gave the brunette a warm smile. "It would be nice to get to know a fellow kunoichi."

Nozomi's mouth pressed into a firm line as her brows furrowed. "I'm not a kunoichi yet." She said after a pause, and Sakura resisted the urge to facepalm at the girl's unfriendly demeanor.

"You know what I mean!" She said quickly. "There's not a lot of girls our age in this line of work, so I want to know those who are. Besides, you'll be one after you graduate from the Academy, right?"

The brunette's lips curved into the faintest of smiles as she nodded slightly. "Right."

She hesitated, unsure what to say now. For whatever reason, Sakura wanted to be friends, or at least get to know her. Their meeting had been awkward, but when she thought about it, Sakura had been teasing Naruto, not her. Maybe things would be different this time.

Deciding to give the girl a chance, Nozomi gave a more genuine smile. "Um...I've never had any girlfriends, so I don't know what we're supposed to talk about. If that's okay with you, it's okay with me."

Sakura didn't seem to mind. She talked and Nozomi listened, nodding and speaking when necessary. After hours of talking about anything Sakura could think of, they came to one of the village's many training grounds. Nozomi wanted to keep walking, but the girl was clearly getting tired, so she joined her on a large, flat stone.

So far, she'd been right about Sakura. Without Naruto around, the girl hadn't even tried to tease her. She'd proven to be good company, and helped keep her mind off her worries. Nozomi had been enthralled as Sakura told her about Team 7's first real mission in the Land of Waves. She knew now that she'd been wrong to write the girl off as a potential friend. Hopefully they could hang out more in the future.

"Nozomi-san?" Sakura leaned forward, forcing the brunette to look at her. "I can't help noticing something's bothering you."

Surprised gold eyes turned on her, and she bit her tongue, trying not to giggle. Did Nozomi really think she'd kept her in the dark? In order to figure out how she was feeling, one needed only to watch her face. The girl was an open book.

"Anyways, if you need to talk about something, anything at all, I'm here." Sakura smiled. "There's some things you can only talk about with another girl, right?"

Nozomi nodded slowly. "You're right." There was a long pause as the brunette looked away, appearing to be at war with her own thoughts. Finally, she looked back at the pinkette.

"...I saw the Hokage today." She said slowly, her voice sounding strained. "She said I'll be taking the graduation exam soon. I'm happy, but it's so soon and I'm kinda scared." The brunette hung her head, hoping she'd made the right choice being so open with the girl.

Sakura's eyebrows arched at this new information, and she gave the girl an incredulous look. No wonder she was so distant and distracted!

"I don't blame you." She began slowly. "On the day of my test I was nervous too." She grimaced at the memory. "So nervous that I yelled at Naruto just for wishing me luck." She smirked as she heard Nozomi snicker under her breath.

"The test might seem scary, but it's really not. It's worth it when Iruka-sensei gives you your headband." Noticing how intently the brunette was listening, Sakura laid a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "You'll do just fine, Nozomi-san."

Surprise flashed across Nozomi's face for a moment before her eyes softened, and she gave the pinkette a grateful look. "Thanks, Sakura-san."

"Anytime." Sakura replied, and the two girls grinned at each other, slowly letting their gazes travel up to the sky.

A gasp escaped Nozomi as she realized that the day was nearly over. Had she really spent that much time just talking with Sakura?

Said kunoichi watched as her friend got up and followed her lead, frowning. "What's wrong?"

Nozomi gave the pinkette an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, but I have to go now. It's getting late and there's something I need to do." She turned to leave, glancing over her shoulder. "Thanks for hanging out with me. Let's do it again sometime, maybe?"

The uncertainty in her voice was not lost on Sakura, and she grinned at the brunette. "Of course. I'll see you later!"

A relieved look appeared on Nozomi's face, and she beamed, bidding her farewell and running off.

Sakura shook her head, a knowing smirk on her face. She had a pretty good idea what Nozomi was up to, thanks to a conversation she'd had with Kakashi-sensei.

The jounin had asked if she knew what kind of relationship Nozomi had with Naruto. Curious, she'd asked why he wanted to know, and Kakashi explained that he'd found the girl asleep on Naruto's roof a couple days ago. "I have a hunch she's been going there ever since he left with Master Jiraiya." He'd confided in her.

Wanting to see for herself, Sakura had followed the brunette around that same day, careful to keep enough distance that she wouldn't sense her. Sure enough, as the sun dipped lower in the sky, Nozomi had made her way to Naruto's apartment. She'd climbed onto the roof, and sat there until after dark, talking to herself too softly to be understood.

Not that Sakura had needed to hear to understand what was up. Obviously, Nozomi missed her idiotic teammate. This made her wonder what the boy was to her, and she'd decided to befriend the brunette. With a little patience and some luck, she knew she'd get her answer. For now, she'd just enjoy having a new friend.

…..

The sun had vanished by the time Nozomi reached Naruto's apartment and climbed onto the roof. A strangled noise of frustration escaped as she realized she'd missed seeing the sunset, and she plopped onto her back. It had become a habit to end each day here, watching the sunset and gazing at the stars. After her first visit ended with her falling asleep only to be awoken by a suspicious Kakashi, she'd been careful not to stay too long.

A soft sigh escaped the brunette as she shook her head. First, she'd met him when he escorted her wasted roommate home, and now that! She was never going to have a normal encounter with the silver haired jounin, was she?

Nozomi sighed softly and gazed up at the darkening sky. If anybody asked she'd deny it, but visiting Naruto's home was how she dealt with his absence. He may be away, but she could still feel his presence here, and that helped ease her loneliness.

A soft smile spread across her face as the moon came out, its presence serving to make the twinkling stars even brighter. 'I hope everything is going well, Naruto-kun. I sure miss you.'

She may have friends like Choji, Shikamaru, and even Sakura now, but still. None of them would ever be able to replace Naruto. He held a special place in her heart, having been her first real friend, as well as the first person to really accept her. No matter how many new ties she might form, she'd continue to miss his presence in her life.

After a while, Nozomi sat up and yawned. She'd stayed out later than she normally did, but that was because she'd missed the sunset. Not that she could complain. She had found yet another friend in one of the most unlikely people. The brunette climbed down from the rooftop, and with one last glance at the apartment, she set off.

She hadn't been walking long when she heard her name, and she glanced around, surprised to see Shikamaru leaning against a nearby building.

"What are you doing out here so late?" He asked as he approached her. "Won't your family be worried?"

His question was like a bucket of cold water being poured over Nozomi's head, and she glanced away as she confessed that she had no family. She hadn't meant to keep it a secret from her new friends -it simply hadn't come up until now.

The suspicion vanished from Shikamaru's face, and his eyes widened slightly at her words. "How long…?"

His question may have been left unfinished, but Nozomi understood what he was getting at, and she pinned her ears back uncomfortably. "I've been alone for quite a while now." After a sort pause, a small smile graced her features. "It's thanks to Naruto-kun that I'm even here. If he hadn't found me, I'm not sure what would've happened to me."

Shikamaru listened, noting the warmth in her eyes when she spoke of the blond. 'I wonder if she realizes how much she talks about him.' He suppressed a grin, rolling his eyes. 'Probably not.'

"So, where were you on your way to right now?" He asked, forcing the thought away for now.

"Actually, I was heading home." Nozomi replied, and he nodded.

"I'll tell you what," He said, "I'll make sure you get there safely, to make up for asking something so insensitive."

"You mean...walk me home?" Nozomi shook her head quickly. "No! D-don't worry about it! It's not like you knew, so I'm not mad at you for asking! I should've told you a long time ago. You don't need to make anything up!"

It was enough that she'd run into her crush at night; walking with him would be too awkward, especially after what had happened during lunch. Her eyes widened as a thought struck her. What if he was doing this so he could find out what she'd been hiding before?!

"It doesn't matter. The streets aren't safe at night for a woman." A small smirk tugged at Shikamaru's lips as he watched the emotions play on her face. There was that faint blush again. This time he'd find out what she was hiding.

'He wouldn't worry if he knew all that I was capable of.' Nozomi mused, trying to calm herself. They were alone now, and she doubted he'd hesitate to ask her what her problem was if she acted weird like before. She was yanked from her thoughts as the boy said her name, and she looked at him curiously.

"I said lead the way." Shikamaru resisted the urge to facepalm as he realized she hadn't even been listening. "I don't know where you live."

"Oh, right." Nozomi mumbled, taking the lead.

After a few minutes, she paused, no longer hearing him and she looked back, sweat dropping. When had she gotten so much farther ahead? She noticed the annoyed look on his face and winced. 'I guess the idea of walking together in the dark made me so nervous I walked too fast.'

"Sorry." She murmured when he caught up.

Shikamaru only sighed, grumbling incoherently under his breath. "Just stay next to me. I can't protect you if you get so far ahead."

An awkward silence settled over the two as they resumed walking. Nozomi tried to focus on the road, but she couldn't help sneaking peeks at the boy when he wasn't looking. In this lighting, he looked more handsome than usual, she realized, blushing faintly as her heart began to race.

Sensing her stare, Shikamaru's eyes slid sideways, locking with hers, and her fur fluffed up as she quickly looked away. 'Shikamaru-kun's already onto me!' She thought, breathing deeply to try and calm down some. 'I should just tell him. Who knows when we'll be alone like this again? I have to try!'

"Shikamaru-kun?" She gathered all of her courage as he turned his stare on her again. "Uhh..umm...Why were you out so late?" It took all the brunette's willpower not to facepalm as the words left her mouth. What a coward.

Shikamaru regarded her suspiciously for a moment before shrugging his shoulders. "Just thinking." Apparently, that was all he was going to say, as he turned his attention back to the road, and Nozomi sighed inwardly, berating herself for chickening out.

Finally, they reached the apartment, and Nozomi started toward the steps. After a moment's deliberation, she turned, deciding to try again. "Um...I need to tell you something important."

The dark haired boy, having turned to leave turned once more to face her, looking mildly curious. "Go ahead." He replied. Maybe she was going to explain what was going on with her at lunch. This was his opportunity to get answers, but he had yet to think of a way to ask her, so he'd let her be.

"...Okay." Nozomi took a deep breath, trying to calm the rush of nervousness that had suddenly flooded her. "I know we haven't known each other very long, but I...um….you see, I….I…."

The boy's eyes narrowed slightly, as he tried to decipher the meaning behind her words. In that moment, her courage abandoned her, leaving her feeling like a frightened kitten, and she took a step backwards. "..You know, never mind...it's not that important."

Shikamaru watched, bewildered as Nozomi shifted from serious to skittish and reached out for her. "Nozomi-san, something's up with you, and I want to know what it is."

Nozomi's eyes widened as his hand grazed her arm, and she scrambled out of his reach nervously. "It's just that...forget it. Thanks for walking me home." Before the boy could respond, she dashed up the steps and disappeared into her apartment.

Letting his hand drop back to his side, the Nara exhaled heavily, and turned to leave. Now he'd have to wait until the next time he saw her. 'Troublesome women…'

A few minutes later, the door opened and Nozomi peeked out. A mix of relief and frustration welled up inside her as she saw that the object of her affections was gone.

Why did she freeze up like that? Hadn't she decided that she was going to tell him? Now things were going to be awkward between them!

Shaking her head, the brunette closed and locked the door and began making herself a cup of ramen. She'd normally be in bed by now, but she was too keyed up to sleep, and she knew better than to train in this state. Hopefully a hot meal would help her relax.

When the ramen was ready, she took it to the table and sat down. She stared into space as she slurped her noodles, thinking about the botched up attempt to admit her feelings. She hated to admit it, but she needed help.

Only...who could she ask? The Hokage had more important things to do than help her figure out how to talk to her crush, and she could never discuss this with Choji. Sakura came to mind then, and Nozomi smiled. The girl had said that she could talk to her about anything. Hopefully the pinkette would be able to help her come up with a solution.

After tonight, she knew she wouldn't be able to face Shikamaru until she was ready to confess.

To be continued


Hehehe more twists for you! Let me know what ya thought, I really do enjoy reading everyone's feedback. ^^ And now, I'm off to figure out how the heck I'm gonna fall asleep tonight...err..today. -w-; Later!

~NinjaKitty91