Chapter 26: Rise and Shine

The sun rose up over the horizon at last, and the villages Hokage's monument lit up from dawn sunlight. The birds chirping grew louder and more prominent as the morning sun scanned across the shaded city side.

The sun poured through the doorway of Sakura's balcony door, finding its way to the bed on the right side of the room. The sunlight crept up the side of the bed, and Naruto's slumbering body, until in reached his eyes. The light passed over his face, causing him to wake, holding his hand up to the light shielding his eyes.

"Morning already...?" He tried to rise up from his prone position, until he noticed that his other arm was caught onto something. He looked over with squinted and groggy eyes, to see Sakura still sleeping attached to his arm affectionately. Naruto looked down pleasantly, "I'll stay with her until she wakes..." He stared up at the ceiling with wonder flowing through his mind. "...what a weird night..."

In the forest right outside of Konoha, the trees rustled quietly, as the morning sounds began ringing about. The breeze blew the leaves and debris around, and the weather was seemingly perfect.

Shino woke, to find himself leaning against a tree in a sitting position. He looked up slightly confused, "Why am I here? Where's Romi?" He got up, and looked around calmly as usual. He started wandering around, while keeping alert for any signs of the missing Romi. He headed through a patch of bushes towards a small brook.

He glanced over at the river bank, to see Romi there collecting water. "Oh, Hi Shino! I'm sorry I felt you sleeping like that, you just seemed so peaceful, and I didn't want to wake you." She held up the filled pitcher of water, "I was going to try to make something for you to surprise you before you woke up..."

He started walking over towards her, "Oh it's ok... I'm sorry I ruined your surprise though."

She looked back, "No, no... I'll just make you something now, instead!" She smiles, and looked back at the brook, continuing with what she was doing before he arrived.

After some time, she had made some rice she had handy, and was packing it together as Shino watched. "Why don't you help her or something...?" He bent down next to her, while she packed the rice together, "...Can I help you out at all...?"

She looked up to him and smiled, "Sure!" She handed him the rice ball she was working on, "...try it and tell me how I did..."

Shino looked down at his hand, which now had a molded rice ball in it. His eyebrow raised up questionably, since that wasn't what he had in mind. "Oh well... I am kind of hungry anyways..." He bit into the ball happily, and took a long deep swallow. He bounced back in amazement, "Whoa... this is good..."

She shot up in excitement, "You think so?! Awww...!" She leaned forward into Shino, and kissed him lightly on the cheek, "You're so sweet, everyone said you weren't very talkative... I'm glad they were wrong."

Shino's eyebrows both raised up, and he sighed in relief, "...I'm glad I met Romi, and I'm glad Hinata got me to open up a little too... Thanks Hinata..."

Romi finished packing the rest of her things up, and bounced up, "So... what do you want to do now?!"

Shino sat there thinking of what she'd like to do, rather than thinking of what he'd rather do. He remembered what Hinata had said before, about how people will like him no matter what. Shino took a deep breath and looked back at Romi, "You want to... go collect bugs with me? I'm way down on my collection, and thought you might want to come with me."

Romi looked back at him and smiled, "Me too! And that sounds like fun, where should we go, then?"

Shino relaxed himself and lit up, "Let's go back into town to get our insect boxes first..."

Romi closed her eyes, smiled, and nodded, "Yup!"

Shikamaru lay comfortably across Ino's bed, still sleeping soundly with a grin on his face.

Suddenly, Ino dove onto him, wrapping her arms around his neck, while waking him from his pleasant slumber. "Shikamaru! Wake up lazy!" she yelled in a playful tone.

Shikamaru groaned, "Wow... what an annoyance, she didn't let me sleep most of the night with her obsessive kissing... I need SLEEP!" He rolled his eyes in frustration, "I'm getting up already!"

"We're going to the center of the city today, so get up and get ready, ok?" Ino joyfully headed over to her closet and started getting out her clothes.

Shikamaru popped his head up, "What do you mean we're going? You mean you're going because I'm not..."

Ino dives over towards Shikamaru, and viciously grabs him by his shirt, telling him in a very intimidating fashion, "WE'RE going, and you're going to like it! Got it?!"

Shikamaru grew real small, "Ok..."

She backed up and regained her happy attitude, "Good! Thanks sweetie!"

Shikamaru sighed, "I'm just like my father now, eh... at least it's for someone I love I guess..." He opened his eyes, and saw Ino in from of him half naked in her underwear, and recoiled in surprise, "Ino?! What are you doing!"

Ino rolled her eyes, "Pshh, I'm getting dressed, what's the big deal?" Just as she said that, her door opened behind her. It was Inoshi who came in, and looked in shock at Ino. "DAD!?"

"Eh!? I'm sorry honey!" He leaned back out of the doorway in embarrassment, until he noticed Shikamaru sitting up on Ino's bed. His eyes filled with flames of anger, and he grunted like a raging bull.

Shikamaru suddenly struck with fear, "Crap!"

Inoshi pointed to him slowly, "You..." He clinched his fist threateningly, "... I said no funny business!"

Shikamaru shot up in a panic and headed out the window as fast as he could, "Time to go!"

Inoshi blasted by Ino and reached for Shikamaru's neck, "Come back here you scoundrel!"

"Dad, no! Stop! Don't hurt him, it's not his fault!" Ino pleaded as he father crawled out the window and chased Shikamaru outside. Inoshi's war cries died off as the two disappeared off in the distance. "... poor Shikamaru!"