A/N: Nobody knows Cantonese? Well...me neither :P but that doesn't really matter because the way to answer Chap 24 is just beneath your finger tips...
—o0o—
The Ring
"I'm really sorry, Shikamaru," Ino mutters.
"Tch," Shikamaru mumbles tonelessly. "I know you mean well but leaving that message for me to see is wrong."
Ino blinks. "What message?"
"Don't pretend. The people at the bar saw you come and go."
Ino cries defensively, "I didn't write any message—"
"If not you then who did?" rasps Shikamaru. "And why are you apologizing?"
"Err because you know that list you gave me to deliver to Temari..." Ino gulps slowly, "...I kinda made some changes to it."
"What?!" Shikamaru roars.
"Don't be angry," Ino murmurs. "I told her too last night and she already chew me out."
"Ino, that message was to tell her, I don't care that her brothers are onto us," Shikamaru utters, striving to be calm.
"Well, I'm sorry alright!" scowls Ino. "And I told her it was my fault but then ultimately she forgave me saying it was actually your fault for using a dirty paper that I just couldn't stand giving it to her."
Tch, troublesome. Arguing with women is pointless. Shikamaru can only shrug. "Just answer me this. That message with the cards, was that you?"
"What message?"
"Ino, if you're messing with me—"
"Swear," Ino speaks convincingly, "it wasn't me!"
"So that message was really from Temari?"
Upon seeing Ino stomping her foot, sure that the message was definitely not from her, Shikamaru re-states with a wide grin breaking from his face, "So the message was from Temari."
Baffled by Shikamaru's keen reaction, Ino asks, "Why? What did the message say?"
"None of your business." Shikamaru smirks, taking the sting off his words.
Ino harrumphs. "If you won't tell me, I won't tell what else Temari said last night."
Shikamaru shrugs his shoulders, uninterested. "I'll just ask her that."
"She said you gave away what was hers..." Ino prevaricates.
It is then that it hits Shikamaru—the ring. He belatedly recalls he gave the ring to someone last night but he doesn't actually remember who.
Oh shit! Temari's ring is missing! How can he see her without it?...He can't. He must find the blasted ring first.
—o0o—
~2 10 14AF P 2 11 14~
A/N: And yes I'm aware, that not everyone appreciates the 'game'...which makes me—really— appreciative of those that tried figuring things out. Even if you did not arrive with the answer, I appreciate the fact that you tried. Heck, I'll probably give up too with some of these if I wasn't the one making it :)