Indirect

It had taken Asuma nearly three years to convince Chouji to go on a healthy food regime. It took one betrayed, territorial look from Naruto to undo everything.

"Sakura-chan!" whined Naruto. "How could you do that to me?"

His teammate rolled her eyes. "I don't see what the big deal is."

The blonde was aghast. "The big deal? You… you… k-k-ki – Chouji!" The larger boy blinked as Naruto suddenly rounded on him. His face was red, but not quite with anger. "How could you do that to me? I trusted you! That was not cool, man!"

Chouji opened his mouth, but Sakura beat him to it. "Naruto. All I did was take a bite of his watermelon."

Sadly, that really was the truth.

He'd started off with apples at first, but they didn't last at all. Three bites and it was gone. Chouji didn't like that, so he went to the grocer's and bought himself a giant watermelon which he carried under his arm and cut slices from whenever he felt like it. The workout it was giving him was just an added bonus. It was a win-win situation. Well, it had been until he'd run into Sakura, who was starved after a long spar with Naruto. It had still been a win-win situation when Chouji had offered her a bitten slice of watermelon. Until Naruto went berserk and wailed like a child who'd lost his toy.

And now, here they were.

"Sakura-chan! You don't love me anymore!"

"What? Why do you think I – ugh, you know what? You're right. I don't."

Naruto practically fell at her feet. "But… but… Sakura-chan!"

Sakura crossed her arms and frowned down at him. Chouji noticed her cheeks assuming a similar shade to her hair. "You're being melodramatic. It's just watermelon."

"No! You k-k-k-kis-kis-"

"Kissed?" Chouji wondered.

"Yes!" Naruto cried, just as Sakura yelled a horrified, "What? No!"

Chouji was sorry he'd said anything.

"You kissed him!"

"Chouji-kun was just being nice and sharing watermelon with me!"

"But you took a bite where he'd already taken one!"

"So?"

"So you kissed him!"

"What? Naruto, I am seriously about to hit you. Listen: I. Did. Not. Kiss. Him."

Before Naruto could further argue his case, Chouji came up with the perfect solution. He tapped the other boy and held out the offending watermelon slice. "Want a bite too, Naruto?"

Naruto eyed the offering suspiciously. He should obliterate the thing for violating his Sakura-chan. But… it was such a hot day and he was soaked in sweat… and Sakura-chan's lips had… "Fine," he relented. "But I still don't trust you, Chouji. I still can't believe you… mm, this is good!"

"Biggest one in the store," Chouji couldn't help but boast.

Naruto's eyes widened. "Which store?"

In between directions and various food recommendations, the two boys eventually realised that Sakura had stalked off without a word, her face red.

"Sakura-chan?" Naruto called after her, confused. "Chouji, what'd I do?"

Chouji lifted a shoulder in a don't-look-at-me shrug.

"I don't get it…" Then Naruto paled. He stared bug-eyed at Chouji, then at the watermelon and back again, and finally dropped it as if burned. Chouji dived for it, ready to let loose at Naruto for wasting food, but the loud blonde was already halfway down the street. "Sakura-chan! I didn't kiss him, I swear! Sakuraaaaa!"

Chouji watched his friends squabble in the middle of Konoha's main street. He thoughtfully took another large bite out of the watermelon slice. He didn't understand those two, but at least the food was good. He was still going back to chips though.