The Mystery Lips

It was quick. When Temari made the flip, the letter 'K' came to her vision. Though, right after the queen of hearts fell on top of that card. "Uh?" Temari thought looking at her card that was still in her hand. Then a jack was placed over that queen.

"Speed"

Hearing that word shocked and confused Temari. She stood there dumbfounded and looked at Naruto who was breathing heavily. She can hear cheering all around her. She gave out a light chuckle seeing that this deck had another queen of hearts meaning what she thought Naruto had before was an error.

From Naruto's reaction, he didn't realize there was. Temari could bring it up but, she also cheated by having her nails try to stop his hand from placing the cards down. It's a fair game in the end. Temari placed her card face down.

"I guess I lost" Temari states shaking her head with a smirk. "...Kabuto was right about you-"

"Wait..you know about Kabuto?" Naruto asked surprised.

However, before he can get an answer, many students started coming around the table and asking him to play speed. Everyone were filled with energy all because of their game. Naruto felt uneasy and tried holding them back.

"Wait hold on!" Naruto said looking at Temari who slipped by many students.

It was too late now. He wasn't going to get his answers. Hearing Kabuto's name just ruined the mood he just had. He didn't want to continue, he deserves a break from all this card playing.

"Alright everyone!" Sara shouts finally making it in front of everyone. "Please calm down and make a line!"

"Sara" Naruto said thankful to see her.

"...that was a close one" Sasuke spoke next to him, collecting all the cards. "You almost lost"

"Your here too" Naruto said in uncaring tone.

"It seems like your table became popular" Ino said softly with a smile.

Naruto wasn't sure how to respond to Ino. Her outfit distracted from who she was. If she didn't talk, he would think she was someone else. He soon sees Sakura, Neji and Sai coming from behind Ino. "...they all are here?" Naruto thought, fearing what will happen next. Then again, the crowd was already so big because of him. He gulps realizing that. He started to hear mutters from the students who were forming a line to participate in a card game. It involved him but using the colour of his hair as his name.

"Sara..I'm going to take my break now" Naruto whispers to her and runs away.

"Uh...alright then" Sara said seeing how quickly he runs.

"I guess we have a lot more on our hands than I thought" Sasuke states.

"Well time to take care of them now" Sara states stretching her arms.

Ino watched as so many people were waiting in line in front of her club. Though, her group was watching on the sidelines. Their lunch break is about over and needed to get back to Neji's club.

"Never knew a card club would be so popular" Sakura states intrigued.

"...I think its because of that blond fellow and that girl...the two were acting as though they were fighting through the cards" Sai exclaims

"Fighting with their cards?" Ino said never thinking that.

"It was all in their expressions….it's almost like how I act when sparring" Neji states. "Even I felt the need to battle against him"
"Uh, that Naruto is filled with surprises...I didn't think he would ever act not so….droopy" Sakura said with a smile. "The way he was playing suits him more"

"Thats true" Ino said softly. "But...doesn't seem like he wants too-"

"Psst"

Ino heard a strange noise and looked to her side to see Sasuke signalling her over. She pointed to herself to make sure and he nodded. She looks at her friends and doesn't think she will be able to escape from them. She shakes her head saying no to him but Sasuke just threw what he was planning to give her. She catches it and realized it was her Queen of hearts with the orange cover. "...I FORGOT...I left it in my deck…" Ino thought bushing out of embarrassment. She bowed slightly to Sasuke, saying sorry. He went back to work right after

"Its time to head back now" Neji tells everyone. "We have a lot of work to do"

They all nod and began to follow Neji.

OOO

Naruto found a place in school that was less, active. The club room. It was not being used and it was quiet. The only sound was coming through the window outside. He took a seat and laid on the desk. That game really took a lot out of him. It was unexpected. Naruto notice, the more time he spend time in the club, the more easier it's getting to play cards.

It bothers him. He isn't sure how he should deal with this. Its almost two months now since he joined and many things already happened that he didn't want to happen. He starts tapping the desk and close his eyes. Only this moment reminds him of when he was in the best time of his life. Total isolation.

He smiles and gets comfortable in his desk. What would make this better was a pillow and a blanket. He could sleep all day. No one will worry if he just takes a little nap. So, he dozes off into sleep.

When Naruto reopens his eyes, he notice how dark the room was. He was confused and a little scared. He pulled out his phone and saw he had messanges from Ino and his parents. He wiped the drool that was at the corner of his mouth and stood up. He looked at the window and notice it was dark out.

"I slept the whole day..uh" Naruto said not sure how to feel about it.

It was a peaceful nap but the festival was happening today and he should probably be attending it. He stretches and walks to the window. He looks outside seeing the stars shine and the moon being so full tonight. He can see light at the bottom. It seems like there was a bonfire happening.

He didn't think this school would have this event. Probably because he doesn't stay for the festival all day to witness it. He can hear music playing and people singing. It sure was late. He thinks it's best to head home.

However, first he needed to check on the messages, specifically from his mother. He was nervous to read what she was going to say. He opened her message.

"Please text me when your coming home?" she texted.

That was less intimidating than he thought. He did remember that he told his parents how he was involved with a club and how their first festival was happening today. I think that was one of his best decisions or he would be getting multiple phone calls by his mother and angry voicemails. He shivers from the thought. The next one was by Ino. Though, there was more messages from her than his mother.

"Where the hell are you!?"
"...Your break is done!..get back to work!"

"...don't make me hunt you down!"
"...why aren't you answering!"
"...its finally over...everyone is going to head over to the bonfire...so come out!"

"...where are you?"
"...you better not have skipped and went home!"

Naruto's eye twitched and closed his phone. Tomorrow was going to be hell for him. He can just hear her tone through the messages. She's very angry. He turns around and notice a blanket on the floor. "Must have dropped it when I woke up" he thought picking it up and placing it on the table. "Wait a minute...I didn't have this before-" He thought soon hearing the door open.

"Oh your finally up?" Ino said causing Naruto to jump.

"W-when did you get here?" Naruto said surprised to see her.

"...I did warn you not to make me hunt you down.." Ino said holding two cups in her hands. "But...you still didn't answer...so I had to think like an idiot…well everyone did"

Ino gives him a cup which was filled with hot chocolate. He smells it and sips a little. Ino walks over to the window.

"I continued to message you until we all decided that the one place you would be is somewhere...isolated" Ino said smiling and turning around. "Our club room wasn't being used so we came here and found you sleeping like a baby"

"You didn't try waking me up?" Naruto said while sipping his drink with a slight blush.

"I wanted to pour cold water down your back to wake you but Sara said you did a good job with getting so many people to our club so I let you sleep as an award" Ino exclaims with a warm smile.

"Aren't you kind" Naruto said sitting on top of the desk.

"Watch it…" Ino said giggling a little. "What was that, with the girl?...why did you play speed with her...I thought you didn't like the game?"

"...she was the first person that came to me when everyone left...I couldn't let her leave so I had to play a game of speed with her" Naruto replies.

"So you did it for the club?" Ino asked taking a sip.

"Yup" Naruto said nodding.

"...thank you" Ino said rubbing the edge of her cup. "I didn't think we would get that kind of attention without your help...though, it seems like we were wrong about a few things"

"Oh, whats that?" Naruto asked curious.

"...it seems like everyone were more excited in playing card games than the 'avater' game" Ino states. "And also….it didn't seem to matter if I were to help the card club….everyone were to focus on the festival than the queen of hearts"
"Oh, so that means the next festival you can be the one dealing with it" Naruto replies.

"If there is a next time" Ino said with a small smile remembering what Anko told them. "Oh by the way...I forgot to take out a card I put in my deck so...the game you had with that girl...wasn't a fair game"

"Hmph...not really" Naruto said rubbing his fingers. "She kept using her nails to cut my fingers"

"Wait she was cheating" Ino said shocked.

"I guess so but...I still won" Naruto said feeling a sharp sting coming from his index finger. "But her nails really got into me"
"Let me look"

Ino said placing her cup down and pulled out her phone. She turned on the light and shined it over Naruto's hand.

"..you could always switch the club rooms light on, you know?" Naruto states.

"Too far now let me look" Ino said seeing a few scratches in his fingers going in every direction. "Is she a cat or something"
"...who knows but she has skill" Naruto said.
"Oh really" Ino said shining the light over Naruto.

"Ouch..shut it off" Naruto said covering his eyes with his arm. "I've been in the dark too long"

Ino didn't do as he says but kept bringing her phone closer to his face. Naruto wasn't sure what she was doing. He moved his arm away and saw a look on Ino's face like she just saw a ghost.

"um..Ino-" Naruto said softly.

"WHAT IS THAT!" Ino shouts pointing her finger into his cheek.

"OW!" Naruto said feeling her nail enter his skin and moved away. "Are you crazy!"
"...you...you" Ino said with her hair covering her eyes. "Were you doing 'that' the whole time here other than helping the club"
"What are you talking about-" Naruto said until getting his toe stomped by Ino.

"Drop dead" Ino said pissed and walked out of the room.

"The hell is wrong with her" Naruto said rubbing his cheek. "What did I do!"

OOO

It was around 8 o'clock. Naruto was in front of his apartment. There wasn't anything else to do so going home was his only option. He texted his mother before hand so he didn't have to face her wrath. He opened the door and went inside.

"I'm home-!" Naruto said and sees his mom sliding in.

"Naruto!...how are-" Kushina said until stopping with an awkward smile.

"I'm good..?" Naruto replies confused why she was making that face.

"Did you enjoy the festival-...oh boy" Minato said with a soft chuckle, coming from behind Kushina.

"...what's wrong?..Do I have something on my face-?" Naruto said pointing at himself.

"...are you hiding something from me...Nar-u-to" Kushina asked with a creepy smile.

Naruto knew that smile. He stepped back in fear of what she might pull out. First it was Ino and now its his mother. He looked at his father who was pointing at his own cheek indicating the answer to him. Naruto quickly runs pass his mom, into the bathroom. He turned on the lights and looked in the mirror. He looked fearful noticing a light pink stain in a shaped of lips on his cheek.

"THE HELL!"

OOO

The next morning, Naruto didn't want to wake up. The mark on his cheek haunted his dreams. The possibility of it being there and who planted such a thing on him. It must have happened during his sleep. The question is, who did it. He was alone in the room but Ino did tell him that they found him and left him be. "Could it be one of them?" Naruto thought thinking about the two possible suspects. Ino and Sara.

Its unlikely to be Ino. There relationship may be better than when they first met but not too a level outside friendship. Though, for Sara. Its possible but, what would be her reason. Naruto got up and slams his alarm before it went off. He got out of bed and headed to the bathroom. He was able to wipe it off by rubbing soap on it which took him about, five minutes. Once he was done in the bathroom, he went to get dress. He made it to the dinning room where his breakfast was waiting for him on the dinner table. Once, he arrived he sensed his mother. He slowly turns around to her.

"M-morning mom" Naruto said nervously.

"Good Morning, Naruto" Kushina said with a kind smile. "Did you sleep well?"

"Y-ya" Naruto responds taking his seat.

He hoped she wouldn't bring up what happened yesterday. He doesn't have an answer for how those lips got onto his cheek. He begins eating his pancakes.

"So...you have a girlfriend now?" Kushina said causally.

Naruto started choking on his pancake and forced it down his throat. He swallows and coughs roughly.

"Of course not" he replies.

"Oh, so why did I see a hicky-" Kushina said narrowing his eyes on him.

"I-i don't know" Naruto stutters, getting up. "I should go now...school, you know...don't want to be late!"

Naruto heads to the door and slides his shoe on. He exits out and walks to the elevator where he leans against the back wall and sighs. He pressed down the bottom floor button. He couldn't handle being alone with his mother if she is going to bring that topic up.

He quickly, speed walks to school. Just when he thought this day could get any worse, the moment he stepped foot in the building, he was getting the feeling he was being watched. The halls were not so crowded this morning but, there were students huddle together in small groups. He makes his way to class.

During his walk, he hears mutters about his hair. He took in that they were talking about him but he didn't understand why. He was uncomfortable and quickly enters his class. He races to his seat and takes his seat, exhaling the oxygen he was holding in. He figures everyone was talking about the match he had with Temari. He's finally becoming, relevant and notice which wasn't a good thing. He needed to keep a low profile.

Naruto saw Ino and Sakura entering class. They looked like they were talking but stopped when Sakura went to take her seat. Ino came walking up the aisle to her desk without batting an eye to Naruto. It wasn't out of the ordinary but, how she acted last night worries him. She's misunderstanding again but the issue is, he can't explain how it got there.

Ino pulled her book out and started reading her notes. Naruto was tapping his desk wondering if he should say something to her. Though, if people are noticing him then they will start noticing him talking to the popular girl in school causing a new insane rumor that will end his life. So, there was an alternative. He pulls his phone out and texts her.

"Ino, last night...you got the wrong idea" Naruto text.

It send and a small vibration was heard in Ino's bag. She pulled her phone out and the minute she turned it on to see who texted her, she turned it off and dropped it in her bag. Naruto sat there with a blank expression, blinking a few times wondering why she didn't answer him.

Iruka entered class. It was almost time for it to start. Naruto was seriously worrying about Ino's reaction.

"Ino" he whispers.

There was no response. She kept her eyes at her notes. Naruto continues to tap the desk rapidly wondering why she isn't responding to anything.

"Ino-" Naruto said until Iruka spoke.

"Good morning class" Iruka said in a happy tone.

Everyone said the same except for Naruto who stared at Ino. He clenched his hand and bit his lower lip, he looked away. He was frustrated. "...silent treatment uh...who cares anyways" he thought looking at the window.

Ino begins tapping the end of her pencil on her notebook. "Why am I so angry" she thought biting her tongue.

OOO

When lunch time arrived, Ino quickly left her desk and went over to Sakura.

"Ready to eat?" Ino asked excited.

"Y-ya" Sakura said surprised she asked her that.

"Lets go then" Ino said taking her by the arm, walking out. "I'm starving"

As for Naruto, he waited until the classroom was empty. He sat up and walked through the second exit. He starts making his way to the staircase. He stops when he reaches the last floor. He looks down the hallway where his clubroom was at. He walks toward it and opens the door.

Naruto still wants to know who left that kiss on his cheek. It was bothering him. Ino was definitely out of the question now. Sara is the other possibility. That kinda made his heart jump a little. He shakes his head and breathes out. Question is, where to find her. He walks out and looks down the stairs. His eyes caught a glimpse of Sara on her phone against the wall. It looked like she was waiting for someone. This was lucky for him. He quickly runs down the stairs and looks both ways.

"Sara" Naruto whispers in a level that Sara could hear.

It didn't work. Naruto whispered a few times more and finally got her attention. She was confused why he was calling her but went to him.

"What?" Sara asked surprised to see him talking to her. "Whats wrong?"

"Just come with me" Naruto said taking her hand upstairs.

"What?" Sara said feeling confused on what is happening now.

Naruto brought her in the club room. When he notice he was holding her hand. He let go quickly with a light blush.

"Sorry about dragging you here" Naruto states. "it's about last night"

"When you and Ino had a fight?" Sara said crossing her arms.

"...how did you know?" Naruto asked.

"Ino came out looking pissed and left before she could enjoy the bonfire….it was her turn to see if you were ok-"
"Her turn?" Naruto asked confused what it meant.

"Yup, we all had turns to come to the club room and see if you were ok...Choji went first, I second...Sasuke third and by the time Ino was up….she was going to wake you for the bonfire but you made her angry" Sara exclaims.

"I didn't do anything!" Naruto states.

"Can you explain?" Sara said giving a glare. "She looked really upset"
"...I don't know why...when I woke up...we were talking about how successful the club went in the festival...it wasn't until she flashed her phone light on me she went all she demon" Naruto tells her getting angry himself.

"What made Ino angry?" Sara asked.

"I don't know….when I got home...I found out, there was a lip mark on my cheek!" Naruto said.

"Lip mark?..." Sara said touching her lips.

Naruto looks at her lips and calms himself. He looks away with a light blush.

"I was wondering who planted those lips on me...so that's why I called you here" Naruto exclaims.

"Heh...you think I did it?" Sara said with a surprised expression and a small blush.

"Ya" Naruto said in a low tone.

"w-well...I didn't" Sara said looking away. "But I can see why Ino would be upset…"

The last part was a mutter Naruto didn't quite hear. He was focus on the words before that. He wasn't too happy with that answer which was strange. Then again, the person who did this to him is still out there.

"Do you know who else would come to the club room?" Naruto asked.

"...almost everyone were at the bonfire" Sara answers. "We weren't with you the whole time...I for sure didn't see who kissed your cheek"
"...so it would have been before Ino's shift" Naruto said thinking it out in his head.

"...Sasuke was before her...he could have seen who planted the kiss or when the kiss happened" Sara suggested.

"So if the kiss was there when Sasuke for his shift...then we know the kiss happened between the time you left and Sasuke shift" Naruto exclaims.

"Pretty much or if there wasn't a kiss when he came...that means it happened right after he left"

"I need to find him then" Naruto said walking to the door.

"Hold on" Sara said pulling onto his shirt. "If Sasuke holds the answer...what are you going to do with it?"
"...confront the person of course" Naruto answers.

"...and say what?" Sara asked.

"...why she did it" Naruto said walking to the door.

"Your blond is showing a bit" Sara said softly.

Naruto stops right in front of the door. He heard that expression in anime shows a few times. Normally that goes with saying, people with blond hair are dumb. "Now she's mad" he thought and walking out.

Sara breathes out slowly and walks to the window. She was holding in her breath for awhile from Naruto's question. She pulls out a white card from her pocket.

'To Naruto'

It was a small envelope address to Naruto with a light pink lip print on it. She did tell him the truth, she didn't know who planted it. The card was next to him when she found him. She hasn't open it but just by looking at the lips on it, this was something sketchy. "Who's interested in Naruto?"