Probably taking a break from writing for a while and won't come back til August 18 at the latest.
Thanks Tuffin, Kinka555, and mbravesgirl7 for the reviews! No spoilers for what Ino has planned... though it won't be revealed in this chapter yet. But soon.
And also thanks to all the other readers who've been reading this since like May cuz this story is kinda slow sometimes and you guys have been sticking to it for months now (yes I can finally say 'months'... even tho it's been like 3 months only).
Oh, yeah, and also I'm not a soccer or shogi player (chess!), so sorry if I've messed up soccer and shogi terms/rules.
Anyways, enjoy this longer chapter!
All characters belong to Kishimoto-san.
Chapter 17: The Shogi Club
Kankuro watched his brother carefully. There was something off about him today, though Kankuro couldn't figure out what or why.
"Good morning," Gaara said as he came out of his room. Temari choked on her food while Kankuro stared.
"Uh, good morning, Gaara," Temari said, after she had recovered.
"Morning," Kankuro muttered, returning to the task at hand: finishing his breakfast.
"Good morning, Gaara-sama," Baki said, handing him a plate.
"Thank you." Gaara accepted it and then paused. Everyone waited for his next actions. He took a seat opposite of Temari.
"Happy birthday, Temari," Gaara said, sounding rather awkward.
It was Temari's turn to stare at him. "Oh, uh, thanks?"
Gaara nodded and focused on his breakfast, his eyes glued to the egg he was poking.
Kankuro nudged his sister and mouthed, "What's up with him today?"
Temari shrugged. "Beats me."
.
"There's something going on," Kankuro determined as he and his sister walked a few paces behind Gaara. "He's never told you 'happy birthday' before. I'm surprised he remembered."
"Gaara always remembers," Temari replied matter-of-factly. "He just chooses to not do anything."
"Okay, but telling you 'happy birthday'?" Kankuro said. "That's something new. Maybe he was ordered to."
Temari scoffed. "Right, since Baki-sensei would obviously do that."
"Hey, you never know!" Kankuro said. "I mean, you only turn 17 once, right?"
Temari rolled her eyes. "I only turn every age once, Kankuro."
"Yeah, okay, then explain his behavior this morning!" Kankuro demanded.
"Not so loud!" Temari hissed, jerking her thumb in Gaara's direction. Kankuro sighed and followed his younger brother into Kakashi's classroom.
"Okay, but, what do you think Baki-sensei has planned for tonight?" Kankuro said. "I bet it's dango. Again."
"I happen to like dango, thank you very much," Temari retorted.
"Yeah, I know," said Kankuro. "That's why we get it every year."
Temari shrugged. "Nothing wrong with that."
Kankuro agreed. He watched as Uzumaki Naruto bounded into the classroom and sat down next to Gaara.
"Hey, Gaara, you want to hang out on Friday?" the loud blonde asked.
Gaara gave his head a subtle shake. "I cannot. The Uchihas have invited me to a banquet."
Naruto's face fell, and then he frowned. "Wait. Sasuke is having a banquet? And he's not inviting me, dattebayo?"
The freshman looked around the classroom and spotted the lone Uchiha sitting by the window.
"Sasuke!" Naruto yelled over the classroom, causing Haruno Sakura to shoot him dirty looks. "You didn't invite me to the banquet!"
Uchiha Sasuke replied with an annoyed look. "That's because I didn't do the inviting."
"Oh," said Naruto, sitting back down in his seat.
Kankuro rolled his eyes. The kid was so dramatic, causing scenes like that every single day. It was a wonder he still had friends, especially ones like Nara Shikamaru, who seemed the complete opposite.
.
"Hey."
The voice was one Temari easily recognized by now as she kneeled on the floor during third period. Temari looked up from where she was tying her shoes to see Nara Shikamaru standing there.
"Oh, hey," Temari said, unsure as to why the Nara was talking to her outside of lunch.
The lazy boy scratched his head, looking slightly uncomfortable. "Happy birthday. I think."
Temari raised an eyebrow warily. "How do you know my birthday?"
Shikamaru shrugged mysteriously. "I just happen to know it."
"You mean 'cause Gaara told me and I told you, dattebayo," Naruto butt in, slinging an arm across Shikamaru's shoulder.
Shikamaru gave him a pained look and Temari could've sworn his face looked a bit red. "You're heavy, Naruto. Please get off."
Naruto grinned and complied. "Come on, Shikamaru! Be on my team for soccer today!"
Shikamaru sighed. "Mendokusei."
Temari couldn't help but smirk as Naruto dragged an unwilling Shikamaru away. She looked around at her options. Uchiha Sasuke was already on a team with Naruto and Shikamaru. Hyuuga Neji and Tenten were quick to join them. That left Hyuuga Hinata, Rock Lee, and her brother as the only ones she knew.
"Let's go against them," declared Kankuro, his purple-painted face set in a fierce expression that made him look a bit silly. "It's time for payback."
Temari sighed. "You're not that good at soccer, Kankuro. You can't possibly beat Hyuuga Neji."
"I won't know until I try," Kankuro said. "Besides, Lee here will be on our team; won't you, Lee?"
Rock Lee nodded rigorously. "Let's beat Neji with our youth!"
Kankuro joined in, and soon the two of them were making empty promises about beating Hyuuga Neji, who merely scoffed from across the field.
Temari shook her head at the two idiotic boys. She hadn't known her brother was so close to Rock Lee as to refer to him by his first name alone.
"Would you like to join us?" Temari offered to the other Hyuuga in their class, who was standing to the side, looking around anxiously.
Hyuuga Hinata nodded shyly, and some other boy whose name Temari did not know also joined them, completing their group of five.
The game began, and immediately Hyuuga Neji had the ball, who passed it off to Tenten. Rock Lee was close at her heels and managed to steal the ball. However, Hyuuga Neji was blocking his way, so Rock Lee tried to pass it to Kankuro, who missed, and the ball was caught by an unsuspecting Shikamaru.
Shikamaru stared dumbly at the ball at his feet and Temari took the chance to take the ball from him.
Kicking the ball away from the younger student, Temari advanced to the other side.
"See you later, old man!" Temari called out, to which Shikamaru sighed as he stayed rooted to his spot.
"Shikamaru!" Naruto protested, running up to his friend's side. "Why didn't you get the ball, dattebayo?"
Shikamaru gave him an "are-you-serious" look. "Naruto. Since when have I ever actively participated in P.E.?"
"But your grade!" Naruto wailed. "Guy-sensei will dock points off! What will you do if you fail this class, dattebayo?"
Shikamaru shrugged nonchalantly. "Guy-sensei can do whatever he wants. If I fail, I'll just take it again."
The ball was now in Hinata's possession. The younger Hyuuga was surprisingly skilled and Temari watched apprehensively as she was blocked by her cousin.
"Oh, man, this isn't good," Kankuro said as he stopped to take a breather. "Hyuuga Neji is too good at this. We're all dead."
"Don't even try to pass me, Hinata-sama," Hyuuga Neji warned. "You know you can't do it."
Kankuro snorted. "Doesn't stop us from trying, though."
"Go help her or something," Temari ordered.
"Nah, she's got Lee," Kankuro said confidently. However, as soon as the words left his mouth, Hyuuga Neji kicked the ball away from the younger Hyuuga, deftly passing it to Tenten.
"No, why?" Kankuro yelled, running after Tenten. Rock Lee did the same, but both were too late as Tenten kicked the ball and scored.
"We need a better goalie," Kankuro muttered angrily.
"Or we need better skills," Temari countered. "Unless you would like to take that position?"
"Nah, man, I'm good," Kankuro said, getting ready for the next round.
They played another two games, both of which Hyuuga Neji's team won.
"This is a disgrace," Kankuro said as they headed to the locker rooms to change.
"You mean you're a disgrace," said Temari.
"I mean, come on, we had five players!" Kankuro continued, ignoring his sister's comment. "They had four! Shikamaru doesn't count as one!"
"But they also have Hyuuga Neji, who counts as like five," said Temari.
"Yeah, but Rock Lee also counts for plenty, doesn't he?" Kankuro said.
"Well, you count for negative," Temari said. "That's why we lost. I mean, how many times did you miss the ball?"
"Hey, that wasn't my fault!" Kankuro protested. "You were in my way that one time!"
"I was not," Temari said indignantly as she went to the girl's side. "You're just bad at soccer."
Kankuro mumbled darkly under his breath and headed to his side to change.
.
"Are you just bad at athletics, or are you just lazy?"
Shikamaru opened one eye slowly. Temari was standing in front of his desk, her hands on her hips. Everyone else in Asuma's fourth period had already left for lunch. Even Temari's brother Kankuro was nowhere in sight.
Shikamaru sat up and shrugged. "How is that even a question?"
"So, you're just lazy," Temari concluded, aimlessly tapping his desk with her fingers.
Shikamaru sighed and got out of his seat. He went to Asuma's door and opened it. "Ladies first."
Temari scowled. "Says who?"
"Men hold doors for ladies," said Shikamaru, who had a vague feeling he had somehow managed to anger her again. "And, so, as a man, I should let you go first."
Temari stood her ground, crossing her arms. "That makes no sense. Why don't you go first?"
Shikamaru sighed but didn't budge either. "What a drag."
The two of them stood there for a few minutes, each just as stubborn as the other, until Asuma walked over.
"Is there a problem?" Asuma asked, sensing the tense atmosphere, but unsure of the cause. Shikamaru was usually the laid-back type of person, and Temari seemed like a disciplined young lady who would not cause trouble.
Shikamaru cleared his throat, his dark eyes still trained on Temari. "No."
"Are you sure?" Asuma asked hesitantly as his two students continued to stand there.
The younger male let out a sigh. "Yeah, I'm sure."
Shikamaru decided he couldn't keep up the staring contest, especially against an opponent like Temari.
"I give up," Shikamaru muttered, more to himself than to the people around him, but Temari heard. She smirked and put a hand on the door.
"You first," she said, leaning casually against the door and holding it open for the boy across from her.
Shikamaru let out another sigh and walked out. Temari followed him, leaving a very confused Asuma behind.
"You know, for someone as lazy as you," said Temari as they unwittingly followed the path to their tree, "You sure are a real gentleman, aren't you?"
"It's just the way it is," Shikamaru said. "Men shouldn't fight women, and they should always let them go first."
"You're not much of a man, though, are you?" Temari remarked. "I mean, look at you; you're always so lazy and unmotivated."
"I might not be much," said Shikamaru, "But I still am one, even if a lazy one."
Temari rolled her eyes. "Yeah, sure."
.
Temari walked into the now familiar classroom of Asuma's. The room was filled with students she didn't know, and she noticed a faint distinction between two sides of the room. On one side, there were a few boys with chess and shogi sets, who were playing against each other while others watched. The other side of the room consisted of a more balanced out ratio of boys and girls, with far more numbers than the previous side. Temari spotted Shikamaru's pineapple hair sticking out from the far side of the room, where he was playing a match against the boy who had helped Temari sign up for the shogi club yesterday.
Temari started to make her way over to them, but was stopped by Asuma.
"Ah, Temari-san," Asuma said. "Shogi club, correct?"
Temari nodded, not too pleased at being stopped.
Asuma looked down at the paper he was holding and checked off her name.
"You're good to go now," Asuma said. "The shogi club is on that side, if you haven't figured out already. I don't really care what you do in here; just try not to create too much noise, especially if you choose to go outside."
Temari nodded again, waiting impatiently for Asuma to talk to his next victim.
"Oh, Temari," Shikamaru said as she arrived. His eyes were fixed intently on the chess board in front of him and Temari wondered how he knew it was her.
For a moment, Temari considered not replying, just to see how Shikamaru would react to knowing he had called out to the wrong person.
"Take a seat," Shikamaru said before she could say anything, gesturing to the empty chair next to him.
Temari reckoned she might as well. She pulled out the chair and sat down, watching as Shikamaru declared "check" against his opponent.
The boy opposite him frowned, moving his white rook. Shikamaru calmly moved his black knight, to which his opponent countered by moving his white bishop. Temari watched, unfamiliar with the rules and gameplay of chess. She had thought this was a shogi club, so why were they playing chess?
"We play all manners of chess here," Shikamaru said, as if he had heard Temari's thoughts. Temari thought it was rather creepy.
"Like, western chess, shogi, xiangqi, and janggi," Shikamaru continued as he moved his black knight again. "But obviously most of us here are more familiar with shogi, so we just call it the shogi club."
"But you know all of them?" Temari guessed.
Shikamaru smirked. "Most of them, yup."
He moved his black knight again and leaned back against his chair triumphantly. "Checkmate."
His opponent stared at the board and then groaned. "Already, Shikamaru? I thought I was getting better!"
Shikamaru shrugged. "You are. I'm just using better moves against you now."
The boy smiled, accepting defeat. "Alright, Nara. I'll see you tomorrow. I'll go watch the game over there, and you can help get our newest member started."
"So," Shikamaru said as the boy left, "Ever played shogi before?"
"A bit," Temari admitted. "But that was a few years ago. I'm not too sure what I remember."
Shikamaru nodded. "Okay. Do you want to head outside then? There's too many people in here."
Temari approved and Shikamaru went up to Asuma's desk, asking him something. The teacher gave a nod and Shikamaru came back, hauling a shogi board—though it was more of a box—and a bag filled with what Temari presumed were the shogi pieces.
"Need help?" Temari asked.
"No." Shikamaru said, even as the board started slipping.
"Don't tell me this is more of your man versus woman thing," said Temari, watching as Shikamaru struggled to open the door while holding the shogi board and bag.
"No, it's not," Shikamaru insisted, still trying to open the door.
Temari winced as the door swung shut, painfully slamming into Shikamaru's foot, who let out a loud "mendokusei". It occurred to Temari that maybe Shikamaru was not the type to cuss.
"Are you sure you don't need help?" Temari asked again.
This time, Shikamaru relented. "Maybe a little would be nice."
"Some man you are," Temari teased as she held the door open. "You can't even handle a simple shogi board."
"It's heavy," Shikamaru grunted. "It's made of wood, in case you haven't noticed."
"Or you could have chosen a paper board," Temari said. "You know, like the other sane people."
"Shogi shouldn't be played on paper," Shikamaru criticized. "It should be played on a proper board."
"You really are an old man," Temari declared.
Shikamaru shrugged to the best of his abilities while holding the board. They made their way to their tree, where Shikamaru finally set the board gently onto the grass.
"Okay, so, let's start with the pieces," Shikamaru said, dumping the bag's contents onto the board. He picked up two pieces and displayed them to the girl sitting opposite him.
"These are the king," Shikamaru said. "Osho and Gyokusho. They move one space in all directions. Only the king pieces have different characters. The other pieces are the same regardless of what side it's on, and is only distinguishable by what direction it's facing. For example, if I place this piece here, then this is mine; and if I place it there, it's yours."
Shikamaru set the king pieces down in their proper positions before picking up the next pieces.
"Gold and silver generals, Kinsho and Ginsho. Kinsho moves the same as the Osho, except it can't move backwards diagonally. Ginsho moves one diagonally and also one forward."
Shikamaru paused at the next one as he held it fondly in his hands.
"This is the knight, Keima," said Shikamaru. There was something like pride in his voice as he showed it to Temari.
"It moves in this L-shape here, but only forwards," Shikamaru revealed, and then added in a softer tone, "It's my favorite piece."
"Why's that?" Temari asked curiously. She would have thought his favorite piece would be one that had more options available.
Shikamaru's face flushed with embarrassment, his eyes avoiding Temari's as he stared down at the other Keima piece in his hand. "Uh, actually, it's because Asuma-sensei says I'm like the knight."
Shikamaru expected the ruthless Sunagakure girl to laugh at him, but she merely smiled, as if understanding him.
"You're really close to him, aren't you?" Temari said.
Shikamaru nodded, looking self-conscious at having shared personal information with a girl he barely knew.
"He's like a second father to me," Shikamaru confessed. "He's taught me a lot."
"I know that feeling," Temari concurred, feeling just as flustered as Shikamaru. "Baki-sensei is like that to me. He was there for a lot of things when my father wasn't."
"Is your father busy a lot?" Shikamaru asked, knowing he was probably entering dangerous territory.
Temari didn't seem to mind as she replied coolly, "He's the Kazekage. He's usually busy."
"My father is busy sometimes, too. Though not as much as yours," Shikamaru hastily added, not wanting to sound like he was whining. "But he does get pretty busy and I don't see a lot of him. But we like to play shogi together. He was the one who taught me, though I'm no good against him."
"I thought you were the best at shogi?" Temari said, recalling Kankuro talking about it before.
"Yeah, I guess," said Shikamaru, placing the remaining Keima piece down on the board. "But my father's smarter than me. I've never beaten him."
"Still, at least you've played with your father," Temari said wistfully. "I don't even get to see my father."
There was an awkward pause as Shikamaru didn't know if he should say anything comforting or not. He eventually settled on saying nothing and cleared his throat, fumbling for the next shogi piece. "Anyways, we should get back to shogi."
Temari couldn't have agreed more.