Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto; Masashi Kishimoto does. So sue me!

Chapter One: Question

"And who knows the answer to this question?" Iruka asked his class. There were only two people that raised their hands: Sakura and Ino. He stared at the two kunoichi and thought, Are they trying to get Sasuke's attention again? Why don't they just give it a rest? Oh well. They'll eventually learn.

"Shino, do you know what the answer is?" Iruka asked.

The young boy looked back from staring out into space. He looked rather nervous. "I am sorry," he replied. "What was the question again?"

Iruka sighed. "Shino, move over next to Shikamaru," he told the boy. "Maybe you'll pay better attention and not daydream as often."

Shino heard lots of stifled giggles in the room as he took his backpack and moved himself over next to the Nara boy. He didn't exactly get along too well with Shikamaru, but he wasn't about to get into trouble again.

Shikamaru glanced over at the Aburame boy that sat next to him and gave out a silent sigh. He grinned, but he made sure the no one else saw it. He glanced over at Naruto, who was sleeping again. He snickered. That Uzumaki kid is gonna get his ass kicked one of these days by Iruka-sensei if he doesn't watch himself, he thought.

Iruka sighed. "Now, does anyone else know the answer?" he asked the class. Sakura and Ino's hands shot up again, but Iruka ignored them and called on Sasuke. "Do you know it?" he asked the boy.

Sasuke looked up and said, "Looks like the time when this village signed a treaty with the Hidden Sand."

Iruka beamed. "Correct!" he told him. Everyone else groaned. Sasuke always had the right answers. Even though he was anti-social, he seemed a little more talkative today. He also kept glancing at Naruto every once in a while, but no one could figure out why.

The bell rang, and everyone (except Shino, Shikamaru and Sasuke) jumped up and ran towards the door. "Remember that your reports are due on Thursday!" Iruka yelled above the noise. He looked at the Aburame boy and said, "Shino, stay here. We need to talk."

Shino looked at Iruka and followed him into the office next to the classroom. He sat down in front of the desk and Iruka sat behind it.

"Now," he said to Shino. "What's the reason that you seem to be daydreaming more often in class? Is there something going on that you want to tell me about?"

Shino shook his head. "Nothing is bothering me, Iruka-sensei," he replied in a polite tone. He wasn't about to tell a teacher his feelings about anything. Not even if he was being tortured to death.

Iruka-sensei sighed. "All right, Shino," he said finally. "You can go. If you ever want to tell me anything, feel free to do so, okay?"

Shino nodded, bowed and walked out of the room. He was exiting the hallway that led to the front doors to the academy when he heard a voice calling his name.

"Shino!" yelled Shikamaru. "I was wondering if I could come over to your house and get some help with homework."

"You are smart, Shikamaru," Shino replied. "You do not need my help. Besides, I am in a hurry. I promised my mother that I would help her cook dinner tonight. Now, if you will excuse me." With that, he ran towards the direction of his house.

Shikamaru looked in the direction Shino had run. "Help cook dinner?" he asked curiously. "Why would he do that?" He looked at the ground. "I didn't even need his help in homework. I wanted to ask him a question. Why didn't I just ask him? Why are my palms sweaty? I didn't even ask him, but I have butterflies in my stomach. I'm going to find Kakashi-sensei. Maybe I can ask him what I should do."

Little did he know, Shino had arrived in his room and flung himself on his bed. Why would Shikamaru need my help with homework? Shino thought to himself. He could just come up with an answer and it would be right. I, on the other hand, struggle with the subjects we have. I should be the one asking for help, not the other way around. Something seemed different about that Nara boy, though. It is almost as if he was nervous about something. Oh well. I am going to go help cook.

Shino got up from his bed, went downstairs and found his mother, where they went into the kitchen and started to prepare dinner before his father and brother came home.

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