Disclaimer: I can either be a fanfic writer, or the owner of Naruto. Which one seems more likely?

A/N: Sorry for the wait! So many tests and projects…it does make one's head spin. I hope you have liked the pairings, because it's starting to get a bit defined from here on out…and yes, other characters will probably make an appearance soon.

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"Shikamaru!" screeched Ino.

Shikamaru turned lazily to look at his companion, "What?"

"Did you even hear what I just said!"

Shikamaru clapped his hands over his ears, wincing, "Not if you keep this up, because I'll be deaf…"

"Well?" asked a thoroughly pissed off Ino.

"Uchiha went ahead and asked out Sakura, and now you are furious."

"You're damn right I am!" screeched Ino, storming around the room, "Sasuke-kun was supposed to ask me to the ceremony! Now the ceremony is only in two days, and I still don't have a date!"

Shikamaru yawned, and looked out the window again, "Well, it's partially your fault in the first place for actually coming up with this troublesome date idea…"

"The idea is brilliant! Even you, the highest strategist of the Hokage couldn't have come up with a better message to send all the other countries!"

"Sure, if you say so Ino…" said Shikamaru, shrugging.

"Oh yeah, Choji found a date, right?" asked Ino, calming down a bit.

"Hm, yeah he did, it's that girl whose family runs the grocery shop I think."

"Typical Choji…" said Ino, shaking her head, "Oh well; he'll have a good cook in the family I suppose. That reminds me…Shikamaru, you haven't found a date yet, have you?" asked Ino, suddenly appearing very menacing.

Shikamaru looked behind his shoulder to make sure there was an escape route, "Too troublesome."

"You idiot Shikamaru! It's not that hard, all you have to do is ask a girl a very simple question—"

"Will you go to the Hokage ceremony with me?"

Ino nodded in approval, "Yes, that's the question. See, it's not that hard. Now, get out there Shikamaru and ask some girl to go with you to the damn ceremony!"

Shikamaru yawned again, "I just did."

"What? You already asked someone out? …well, that's nice I guess, but why didn't you tell me sooner?"

Shikamaru stared at Ino for a few seconds before saying slowly, "Ino, who do you think I just asked out?"

Ino shrugged, "I personally have no idea, although there have been many rumors of you and the Sand nin Temari…"

"Ino," Shikamaru said after a pause, "I just asked you out. Not Temari, you."

Ino goggled at him, "…what? When? Shikamaru, stop joking with me, I know I would remember if you asked me to the Hokage ceremony."

"Ino, I know you're kind of slow at times, but this is really pushing it. I just asked you when you were explaining how easy it is to ask a girl out."

"Wait…what!"

Shikamaru sighed, "And now I am waiting patiently for an answer from my perpetually deluded teammate."

Ino stared at him, before narrowing her eyes, "You're not just doing this because Sasuke-kun didn't ask me to the ceremony, are you? You can go with Temari if you really want to, I'm perfectly capable of finding a date myself, and not out of pity either!"

"What is it with the whole village and the relationship between Temari and me? There's nothing going on there, she does make a good teammate though. I asked you because it's less troublesome than to find some other girl. So what's your answer?"

Ino ran a hand through her long blond hair, "Well…sure."

Shikamaru smiled lazily, "Glad that's over…bye then. Uchiha probably wants to run through the whole placement of the Anbu strategy again."

Ino watched Shikamaru leave, and sighed. She paced around the room for a bit, before plopping down, grinning.

Stupid Shikamaru, Ino thought fondly, adjusting the flowers in the vase on her table, I got over Uchiha Sasuke a long time ago. Although you are the most valued strategist, you still couldn't figure that out, could you? I just kept up the whole game so that Sakura could have some competition. I've been waiting to see who you would ask to the ceremony, although I did hope it would be me…

--

Yamanaka Inoichi roared with laughter when Nara Shikaku told him the news.

"Shikamaru finally asked Ino out? Fantastic, all those other boys fawning for my princess' attentions were not worthy of even a glimpse of her!"

Shikaku stretched, "I'm so glad that you consider my son 'worthy'…but I hope he realizes that Ino is not going to be the quiet wife he said he wanted."

Akimichi Choza grinned as he ordered more food, "It must be the fate of all Nara men to be dominated by their loud wives. Choji on the other hand has a much better fate; he got a girl that cooks well."

Inoichi poured more sake for himself, "A good fate indeed. Ino can cook somewhat, but may no one let her near the oven…" he shuddered.

Shikaku nodded sagely, "Indeed. Remember those cookies when they were nine?"

Choza shivered, "Do I? I remember we suggested to Iruka that those things could be used as poison…a highly dangerous weapon indeed! Death in the guise of an innocent and pure cookie…"

Shikaku rubbed his head, "Did Iruka ever accept them?"

Inoichi grinned, "He probably did, I saw him talking to the Hokage the next day. My little girl was such a genius…"

The three friends continued reminiscing, and eating, and drinking for the next good part of the afternoon, before Nara Yoshino came in to drag her husband off.

--

Naruto sulked around the cliff. Damnit, he thought, idly tossing rocks around, everyone seems to have a date now besides me! This is getting ridiculous, I'm the Rokudaime, I can pick whatever girl I want! …but everyone keeps on saying there's some girl that likes me. Damn, I wish I could figure it out…I know I've never seen any girl act the way Sakura does around Sasuke-teme…this is really complicated!

"Naruto," said a quiet voice behind him.

Naruto whirled around to see Gaara standing behind him, "Oh, it's just you, phew, I thought it was Sasuke-teme for a second…he'll probably try to drag me back to the office just so he wins the entire bet!"

"What bet?"

Naruto shrugged, "He bet me that I couldn't find the girl who likes me before the Hokage ceremony, and the ceremony is in two days! This is impossible, everyone says it's so obvious, but I haven't seen anything!" He said, waving his hands around.

Gaara stood quietly for a bit before stating, "I think I know who it is too."

Naruto began tearing at his hair, "Gah! Why is it that everyone can see it but me? Does she act one way around me, then another way with everyone else? How am I supposed to find her that way!"

"Was it that black haired girl?" asked Gaara, seeming unfazed by Naruto's somewhat violent confusion.

Naruto stopped tearing at his hair, to stare at Gaara, "A black haired girl?"

Gaara nodded, "Yes, the one with black hair and pale eyes…isn't she part of that Hyuuga clan?"

Naruto stared some more, "A Hyuuga girl? Which one?"

"The one with shortish hair…Her name also started with an 'H'."

Naruto was by now positively goggling at Gaara, "Wait, Hinata?"

Gaara nodded slowly, "Yes…I think that's her name. The one that you dragged along with me to the ramen stand the first day."

"Wait, aren't you going to take her to the ceremony though?"

At this Gaara seemed genuinely confused, "…what? Why?"

"You guys were happily walking around Konoha the other day, it looked like a date, kind of," said Naruto, gesturing around.

Gaara shook his head, "No. She was showing me around, since I helped her."

"So…Hinata is the girl that likes me?"

Gaara shrugged, "She talked a lot about you, that's all I know."

Naruto grinned, "Well, whatever! Hinata is a great choice; I don't know why I didn't think of it sooner! She's fun to be around, and she won't do the weird simpery thing some girls have done ever since I've become the choice for Hokage. Thanks Gaara!" he yelled as he ran off.

Gaara continued to stand on the cliff, although there was now a slight smirk on his face, She was friendly. She and you, Naruto…remind me of something, though I cannot name it at this time. Whatever it is, it is a happy feeling…ah yes. Those fairy tales Temari used to sneak in to tell me, before father caught her. Those tales were obviously foolish, but still, there is a slight similarity there.

--

Hinata quietly watched the sun set, from the long flower fields that the kunochi classes were held.

It was perfectly peaceful, with a small bird chirping here and there, until the sound of pounding footsteps alerted her.

She had just turned around, when Naruto burst into the field, panting.

She blinked, "…Naruto-kun?"

He caught his breath, and grinned, "Hey Hinata!"

"Ano…Naruto-kun…Sakura-san came by a little awhile ago…she seemed mad…"

His grin got wider, "Heh, they must be really pissed that I escaped from the evil paperwork again! Anyway Hinata, will you go to the ceremony with me?"

Hinata felt her face get hotter, Is this a dream? Because, she thought faintly, if it is, I'm not sure that I want to wake up.

Naruto worriedly waved his hand in front of Hinata's glazed eyes, "Hinata? Hello, Hinata? Are you okay?"

Hinata quickly snapped back together, "Yes, I am…ano, Naruto-kun? Did you just ask me to go to the ceremony with you?"

Naruto put his hands behind his head, "Yeah, but if you've already got someone else, that's find too, I mean—"

"Y-y-yes."

"Really?" Naruto's grin came back, "That's great! I thought that you were going to go with Gaara for awhile, you know."

"Kazekage-sama! No, I was just paying him back for helping me…"

"Alright then, then I'll see you at the ceremony Hinata!" saying that, Naruto grinned again, and then ran off.

Hinata pressed a hand against her heart, in a futile attempt to stop its fast beat. Naruto-kun…I can't believe it! Out of all of the girls in Konoha, many much more attractive than I am…I thought he'd never notice me. Apparently, I was wrong.

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A/N: Well, all the pairings are, set, and I think the next chapter may be the last one, or the second to last one. Please review!