"Is it in place?" Shikamaru asked Ino. They were in Lady Sakura's garden.
"Yup!" Ino giggled. "I have to admit that you're pretty smart, Shikamaru!"
"Of course I am," Shikamaru crossed his arms.
"What's happening?" asked Chouji. "Why are we hiding behind a bush?"
"What did you want me to see so badly?" asked Shino, one of Sakura's servants.
"Oh, look at the time! I have to go do Sakura's hair! Let me know how it turns out, okay?" Ino dashed away to the main house.
"How what turns out?" asked Chouji.
"Shhh! Here he comes!" Shikamaru hissed. Sure enough, Lee came waltzing into the garden, doing the daily inspections.
"Oh yeah! I am so awesome! I am the best!" Lee was bragging to himself.
"Very full of himself, isn't he?" Shino whispered.
"Everyone loves me! I'm such a chick magnet! All of Sakura's maids love me! Especially Ino!"
"Arrogant son of-" Shikamaru snarled.
"Keep it down!" Chouji reprimanded him.
"But Lady Sakura loves me the most! Oh, someday soon, I will be Count Rock Lee!" Lee sighed.
"I'm going to kill him!" Chouji announced, taking out a shuriken.
"Don't be so hasty!" Shikamaru stopped him.
"You wanted me to watch Rock Lee brag about himself?" Shino asked in disbelief. "I'll pass. I'm leaving."
"Wait!" Shikamaru hissed.
"Oh? What's this?" Lee came across a tightly rolled scroll lying on the ground.
"Let the fun begin," Shikamaru murmured.
"Hey, this is Lady Sakura's writing. Who would dare throw a letter from her away!" Lee continued talking to himself. He opened the scroll.
"It's working, it's working," Shikamaru grinned giddily.
"To the nosy idiot who's reading this letter…just like what gentle, beautiful Lady Sakura would say!" Lee began reading the letter out loud.
"He must've been a real pain during silent reading time," Shino observed.
"There is someone I really love. Who is this special man that makes me ill? He is beautiful, he's sent from above. But no one must ever know how I feel… love! Who is it? Could it possibly be… me?" Lee clutched his heart.
"Yeah, right." Chouji snickered.
"I am his boss, and over him I rule. I boss him around a lot. The pain I feel when I don't see him is cruel. The letters R, E, O and L are always in my thoughts."
"I didn't know Ino was a poet," whispered Shino.
"She's not," Shikamaru answered. "I am."
"R, E, O and L… I have those letters in my name," said Lee.
"Bravo for learning how to spell," mumbled Shino.
"Now it's getting interesting," hissed Chouji.
"Keep watching, keep watching," Shikamaru urged them.
"R, E, O and L… could it be me? Look, there's more. If the one that I love has managed to get this letter, then you are not a nosy idiot. Some people are born with favourable circumstances, and some work their way up. Some are given favourable circumstances, so don't be afraid of greatness. If you love me too, you'll do this to me. Be rude to my relatives, and even ruder to my servants. Be insensitive and inconsiderate, and smile a lot. Dress in an itsy bitsy teenie weenie yellow polka-dot bikini. Don't be a steward on the same level as the other servants. I'll be watching you. Love, a very beautiful, but very unhappy lady."
Lee read it out loud a few more times. "Hmm… why's 'beautiful' crossed out? No matter. I know for certain it's me! I'm going to do everything she told me to! I'm going to be rude to everyone! I'm going to be insensitive! I'm going to be inconsiderate! I'm going to smile! I'm going to go shopping for a bikini! And smile while I'm doing it! Oh, Lady Sakura, our day has finally come!" Lee dashed away, clutching the scroll to his chest.
"Success!" Shikamaru burst out of the bush, laughing madly.
"Immature, but a good plan," Shino agreed, following him.
"You're a genius!" Choujichirped, joining his friends.
"I know!" Shikamaru yelled, high-fiving him.
"Here comes the accomplice," Shino proclaimed.
"What happened? Did it work?" Ino asked eagerly.
"Of course!" Shikamaru yelled.
"Yeeeeee! I knew it! You're a genius! I could marry you right now, Shikamaru!" Ino shrieked, hugging Shikamaru.
"Couldn't have done it without you!" Shikamaru answered.
"Awwww. Kodak moment," grinned Chouji.
"So where's the idiot now?" asked Ino.
"Shopping for a bikini," laughed Shikamaru. "We should wait by the front door so we can see him when he comes back!"
"Definitely!" Ino agreed, following him. "Are you guys coming?"
"Of course we are!" Chouji ran after them.
"Wouldn't miss this for the world!" concurred Shino.