CHAPTER 19 - Nice Guys Finish Last

"Well.. that's it." Shikamaru opened his mouth, after hearing what Hinata had just said. He then eyeballed the rest of the girls. "At least one of you know how to pay attention."

Sakura waved her heads as a blockade from any upcoming complaints. "Alright, Alright. But still, it doesn't solve the issue that you did plan to meet up with Tayuya, and for who knows what reason she even hit you up for again? What if she wants to get back together? What then would you do?"

Shikamaru remained speechless, mainly because the response he was about to give the girls wasn't exactly going to be the nicest one. "I.. I still don't know if I want to get back with her."

The room went silent, and was broken off until Ino demanded something of Hinata. "Hinata, put some sense into Shikamaru. Because he obviously isn't getting it."

"Mhm." Sakura nodded.

"Someone said it." Ten Ten added.

Hinata would take a quick breath before preparing her sentences. "Shikamaru," she would say, in which he focused on her. "I feel like you're not telling us enough about how you feel about Temari. Yes, you have said that.. that she and you clicked immediately, but when she's around you during the day, how do you feel?"

Shikamaru would retrace his thoughts. He remembered the first time he drove her home, how she had a regular voice, if anything it never went high. It was like the first time he had a girl in his own presence that didn't care about his grades, or didn't show to be obsessed with him. Or how she told him something personal within the first few minutes they just met, and another time that sparked him most was the way her eyes glistened looking at plaza lights. It was everything to him, as if her happiness was his happiness.

"Everyday... I just always want her to be happy," Shikamaru told them. "I feel like when she's happy, I'm happy. And that's what my heart wants." He smiled at his best female friends, in which they all reacted by saying...

"AWWWW!"

Shikamaru rolled his eyes, dramatically closing his ears. "Yeah, yeah. Well, now what?"

"Well, first, you need a shower," Ino said. "And now you need to text that bitch Tayuya that the little meet she organized, is off. You're no available man."

"You talk as if it's that easy," Shikamaru faced her. "What if this is a bad choice? What if Temari won't forgive me? I really messed up."

Sakura stood before him, about to shout, but maintained herself. "Shikamaru Nara, you are going to grab that phone, tell her that you got a girl, and that's that. Besides, anything between you and Temari isn't any of Tayuya's business. If anything, it will let her know that you aren't interested."

"Yes! And..." Hinata jumped in, becoming uncomfortable as everyone looked at her. "Based on what you said, I'm sure Temari would be amazing for you. But you have to let her know now before she decides to move on from you. So.. yes! I feel as if you really are over Tayuya, it's just you miss how you felt with Temari!"

"And that's the conclusion, ain't it, Hinata?" Ten Ten smiled, placing a light elbow on Hinata's shoulder.

The shy girl smiled, happy to help.

'Shit! This is bad. Damn you, Kankuro! I can't believe you just did that!' Kankuro thought to himself, while Kiba was also thinking something similar.

On the other hand, the three guys looked at each other before agreeing to just continue working on the project as if nothing just happened; and so, Nagato typed away, Sasori began to continue placing pieces of paper on the board, and Deidara drew away on a notebook.

Kankuro then walked nervously. "W-Wait a minute! Don't just ask like nothing happened, you guys! We need to talk about this!"

Nagato looked up from his laptop. "What's there to talk about? You swing that way, so what?"

Deidara nodded, agreeing. "Right. We only got caught off because of the kiss."

Sasori smiled up at Kankuro. "It is the 21st century."

"Damn, you guys are actually really cool," Kiba stood next to Kankuro, gently holding his hand. "Looks like there are.. some pretty nonjudgmental people in this school."

"I mean, if you did want to keep that a secret. We got you." Nagato said, however, a catch then popped up. "But we want to know what's going on with Shikamaru and Temari! Come on." He whispered, knowing Temari was in the other room.

Kankuro looked around. "Alright, fine. But this stays here. And I'm actually a bit hungry, I think I'm going to eat some of the pasta she cooked for us."

"I want a plate!" Deidara called out loud.

As Kankuro explained the whole explanation to the guys, he had not realized that Temari was standing right near the end of the hallway. Jeez, Kankuro really didn't know how to whisper. Kiba was the first one to notice Temari, in which he tapped Kankuro lightly on the shoulder.

"Uhm, babe." Kiba spoke, still looking at the deadly eyes of Temari.

Kankuro turned. "Yeah? Wha-" And before he could even finish his sentence, Temari was right there, about to punch him smack down into the face.

"WAIT! WAIT! SIS!"

After about an hour or so, the boys continued to eat their dinner in the living room as the guys and Temari gathered around to listen to what Nagato, Sasori, and Deidara had to say about the situation. Of course, while Kankuro was pressing his face with an icepack.

"So, that's what you gotta do, brah," Deidara concluded, expressing his response after hearing the situation between Temari and Shikamaru. "Just get a guy and make him jealous."

Temari raised an eyebrow. "Kid. This ain't no high school movie. I doubt that's going to work."

"Will never know if you don't try." Nagato told her. "Think about it. This guy seems head over heels for this girl already, and how are you going to get back a guy who THOUGHT he liked you without showing you're way getting off without him?"

"That's right." Deidara added on, looking over to Sasori. "Sasori, my man, what you gotta say to the babe?"

At this point, Temari was used to the pet names. She looked over at Sasori with genuine eyes, in which he would slurp the noodle entering his mouth, grabbing a napkin to wipe away any sauce residue on the corners of his lips.

"Well..." Sasori gulped. "Are you sure he doesn't actually like you? I think he's confused."

All eyes were on him. Temari then asked, "What do you mean?"

Sasori placed his plate on the coffee table momentarily. "You two seemed to click quite nicely," he said. "And usually, when a girl comes into a guy's life after being broken for so long, he would find a way to move on. Perhaps, I believe he has. I think he just needs to realize how much he truly does need you."

Silence eroded the room, however Temari smiled at him. Out of the three new visitors, she had to admit, she didn't know why such a sweet guy like him hung out with people like.. Deidara and Nagato. I mean, they did seem like good friends, so it wasn't any of her business really. A realization then popped up in her head, turning to the quiet Kiba on the couch.

"Kiba," she said, and that one mention startled him. "You better keep this all between us."

Kiba looked at Temari intensely, until looking at Kankuro with the ice pack. Kankuro noticed his glance, in which he smiled softly. The smile definitely hit greatly upon Kiba's soft spot. Kiba rolled his eyes, groaning. "Fine, fine. I think it's better if I pretend I don't know, anyway."

Both of the individuals' tense facial expressions lessened. Nagato then looked up from his plate of food. "So, who's it gonna be?"

Temari blinked, taken aback. "What's what gonna be?"

"Who's gonna be your 'boyfriend.'" He specified, bending down two fingers on each hand to emphasis the plan. Also winking at her, as a sign that he was interested.

Temari grimaced, scooting away from him. "Definitely not you," she made clear. "The guy has to actually have some sense, and someone they would definitely not think of."

Everyone looked at each other before staring down at Sasori who was finishing up his food. He slurped the noodles into his mouth again, looking up innocently. "What?"

"This is the best paragraph you can put together?!" Ino yelled, staring at Shikamaru's phone. Upon the lit up screen, there would be a written message from Shikamaru that was intended to go to Temari, but it just wasn't cutting it.

'Hey Temari... I just wanted to say that I'm sorry, for what happened last night. I understand if you're mad at me and probably want to slap me in the face or something like that but I just wanted to say I really am sorry. Hope we can talk this out soon. Bye.' - Shikamaru

Ten Ten peeked in over Ino's shoulder. "Right. It's like you're asking for her to get mad at you again."

"What?! I don't understand, what did I say wrong?" Shikamaru panicked, visibly confused. "Man, I don't understand girls at all."

"Shikamaru," Ino said in a candid tone. "The paragraph just seems so.. bland. You were always a person who expressed better out loud, so why don't you just meet up with her?"

Shikamaru stood up from his seat. "This is such a drag." He would sigh, before opening his eyes again. "Fine. How do I get a hold of her?"

Sakura smiled maliciously to herself. The girls would notice, putting their attention on the pink-haired girl.

"I think I know a way."

"S-So you want me to pretend like I'm dating Temari?" Sasori asked, trying to clarify the whole situaton.

Deidara swung a mean arm around his friend. "Sasori, my man. Lighten up. This is a whole babe you're about to be seen in the hallways with."

Temari fought back a glare, practically trying to get used to how Deidara and Nagato flirted around her. That, and she didn't want to make Sasori feel bad or anything. "Yes, Sasori." She stated. "I promise, it'll only be until we get the message into Shikamaru's big head and that he realizes he's totally miserable without me." As she said this, she clenched a hard fist.

"Sis, you seem like the one that's miserable right now-" Kankuro told her, getting cut off immediately by a vivid glare.

Temari spoke. "I'm sorry, what was that?"

"Nevermind."

"Are you sure this is going to work?" Shikamaru asked Sakura, who was writing down on a piece of paper.

"Yes! Just pay attention and stop asking so many questions." Sakura asserted.

'Jeez, and I forgot this was my problem.' Shikamaru thought to himself.

Sakura then stopped writing, folding up the piece of paper in her hands, which read a meaningful message within it. She took a deep breath, smiling brighter than before. "Here's the plan, so listen carefully."

All ears perked up in the room, they all got comfortable in their seats.

"In this paper, is documented the most proper way to tell someone you are no longer interested, in which reads..." She would open the paper.

I'm sorry. I know I had made plans to meet up with you, but there is just someone else in my mind that has caught my attention. Ever since I met her, she had just been the best thing that has happened to me for awhile. She has the greatest vibe, the softest heart, and the most beautiful appearance I have ever laid my eyes on. And although we did have a fun past, I just want to say, I moved on. And you definitely should too. I hope everything goes well for you. - Shikamaru Nara

Ino smiled as bright as Sakura, folding her hands as she grew flushed. "Now, THAT, is what you call a good response towards a girl."

Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "Okay," he spoke. "And how do you expect to get this to Tayuya without her being questionable?"

Sakura then laughed maliciously again, pointing a finger up. "And that, my friend, is where we get to the funny business." She would fold the paper back into its crease. "You guys know how Tayuya and I do that softball program every year here at the school with a bunch of other girls during the summer?"

The rest of them nodded.

"Well, for some odd reason, I remember which locker she uses. Don't ask me how, but she then has cross country this season. Meaning she will be using her locker again during this time."

An underwhelming reaction came from her friends, until Ten Ten began to say. "Ohhh! I get it."

Sakura facepalmed. "Well? Are we going to put the note in there or what?"