He woke up as the sunlight shone upon him; he blinked and cursed his luck.
"What a drag," he muttered as he yawned and sat up, his short dark hair cascading across his face.
The door flung open as he stared, an angry dark-haired woman rushed into his room. He swore that a ball of fire trailed along the ground his mother treaded.
"Oh, I thought you are still asleep," her anger subsided a little, before she crossed her arms in front of her chest. "Are you going to longue around the whole day?"
He stretched and yawned again. "I might go out," he said. That was the only way his mother would get off his back.
"Well, tell me if you're coming back for dinner," she said, walking out of his room.
Shikamaru scratched his chest and blinked. He turned to his bedside table and picked up his phone.
Sliding his finger across the screen, he checked his instant messages.
One of the groups, containing his circle of friends from the Konoha Academy, was buzzing with notifications.
He paused for a second before pressing onto it.
Ino: OMG you guys are not going to believe it…!
Kiba: Try us, Ino :D
Ino: Shikamaru, Sakura and I went to the club last night; you know that place called the Arena?
Kiba: Heard of it, apparently there are a lot of hot chicks there, so?
He ignored a long message from Shino explaining why women should not be referred to chicks, and continued on.
Ino: Guess what, Sakura and I bumped into TEMARI in the ladies' room! We even took selfies omgawddd
Sakura: but Ino-pig here was half drunk, I bet you didn't know until you scrolled your phone this morning.
Ino: Shut up! Forehead! Anyway, she is real pretty…AWWW
Sakura: Duh, Shikamaru would know, since she called him a pervert out of the blue (smirk)
Shikamaru was cursing his luck, when suddenly someone who he had not expect to speak, messaged the group.
Sasuke: Shikamaru … out of all people lol
Ino: I KNOW RIGHT SASUKE-KUN! 3
Sakura: Go away Ino! IKR Sasuke-kun (heart eyes emoji)
Shikamaru decided to break his silence.
Shikamaru: it is a troublesome misunderstanding…
He pressed himself out of the group and instead he received another message from the group in which himself, Chouji and Ino were members.
Ino: What happened? Tell meeee
Chouji: Are we meeting up for lunch? I made us a reservation at that hotel resturant at 1pm.
Ino: 1pm? Damn I might be late, see you guys there!
Shikamaru turned and looked at the clock on his bedside table.
12:13.
He put down his phone and proceeded to the shower.
"Yes amazing! This way, give me more of that expression, yes!" The photographer called out to her, as she shifted different positions, holding the piece of jewelry in her hand.
She pouted, slightly parted her lips; she moved around, changing her posture, showcasing the glittering piece in her hand, the dangling earrings dropping from her ears, and the necklace hanging atop of her bosom.
After numerous shifting and moving, the photographer put down his camera.
"Wonderful, Temari-san! Great shoot!" She smiled at him before sitting down in her dressing chair, sighing in relief as she kicked off the ridiculously high heels.
"Temari-san! We must hurry and change, your next appointment is coming up!" Her manager, Tenten said, as she flicked her finger across the digital tablet.
Temari rubbed her temples as the make up artist removed her make up.
"What is the next thing?"
"Casting for the movie Apocalypse, they requested no make up for the casting, since you will probably be wearing minimal make up during the production." Tenten said affirmatively as she looked up from her tablet.
"Alright," Temari stretched her arms, as the staff unzipped her from the tight body-con gown.
Her head was still aching from sleeping late the night before, but she could handle it.
As she hurried to the car with Tenten, a group of fans were waiting outside, waving and screeching, greeting her with flowers and gifts.
"I am sorry, Temari is very busy!" Tenten exclaimed, as the security guards pushed through the crowd.
Temari smiled at the fans before entering her limousine.
She sighed in relief as she removed her shades and cap. "Tenten, you need to make sure the schedule is less tight," she complained as she closed her eyes.
"I am sorry, Temari-san," she nodded apologetically. "I tried, but everyone wanted you to sponsor their product or find you for their movies."
Temari shook her head as she lied down on the car's seat, trying to catch some sleep.
"I am so happy," the chubby, big boned young man exclaimed, patting on his round, bulging stomach. "What a delicious meal."
Ino put down the tea she was sipping. "Well well, now that you have told me what happened last night with you and Temari …"
Shikamaru arched an eyebrow, he almost spat out his coffee when Ino slammed him on the back violently.
"Of course you'd get smacked!" She exclaimed, huffing. "Serves you right."
"Troublesome," he muttered, and stood up. "I am going out for a smoke."
He walked out of the restaurant into a back alley right next to the hotel and took out a cigarette, shoving it into his lips, he lit it with one hand covering his mouth.
Huffing out a lungful of smoke, he sighed softly as he looked up into the sky, the cigarette clenched between his fingers, as he lowered his hand.
He leaned against the wall as he stared at the narrow strip of sky.
As he looked back down, he saw walking towards him, the nightmare that would not seem to haunt him.
She looked different from yesterday, her face was bare, without the slightest trace of makeup, but it was her, the manner she walked and her air – it was unmistakable. Instead of the tight-fitting silver dress that he ruined last night, she was wearing a nice blouse and fitting trousers, complete with a pair of sleek black heels and dark shades.
He did not realize that he was staring at her, until the moment when her image became closer, and closer.
When he stepped out of his trance, she was barely a foot away from him.
"It's you, I was wondering which creep was staring at me from a back alley," she said, arching an eyebrow with her arms crossed in front of her chest. "Don't tell me you've been stalking me."
"Tch," he took another lungful of smoke in, smoke leaked out of his slightly parted lips. "Why would I?"
"Because you're a pervert, judging from your clothes," she eyed him from head to toe – designer shirt, tailored trousers and clean leather shoes, "you are probably quite well off, and have nothing else better to do."
He found her assertions ridiculously ill-founded, to which he could only sigh exasperatedly.
"Look, about last night, it is really an accident," he said. "If it will make you feel better, I am sorry." He was not sure why he was apologizing, but he felt like he should.
Temari arched an eyebrow, and studied his expression. "Then why are you here?"
"Geez, woman, I am having lunch at the hotel restaurant, I just came out for a smoke." He arched an eyebrow, with a sly smile he decided to turn this around. "Instead…why are you here? Are you stalking me?"
Temari was apparently unprepared for his sudden retort; she turned red, eyes wide as she stared at him. "Of course not! I was having a casting in the hotel, honestly," she rolled her eyes.
"You are paying an awful lot of attention to me," he said, slyly. Closing in, he was forcing her back. "Don't tell me that you are attracted to me?"
"Are you for real?" Temari seemed more agitated than she just was, her back was against the wall, this man she barely know was inches away from her. Her eyelids fluttered as his dark brown eyes stared into her green eyes, she took a gulp, thinking what she would do if he dared to lay a finger on her.
"Nah," he backed down, leaning against his side of the wall. "You are too troublesome for my taste," he closed one eye as his other darted sideways. "That woman with two buns atop of her head, she is probably looking for you."
"Right," Temari turned and smiled at him. "See you around, pervert."`
"Sheesh, I have a name," he stopped her, she turned and stared at him with an arched eyebrow.
"Nara Shikamaru," he said. "That's my name."
She laughed a little, and winked at him. "See you then, Shikamaru."
He breathed out another mouthful of smoke, her image further and further away in the white cloud of smoke, he smiled as her manager approached her, appearing to be complaining that she lost her somehow.
As she moved further and further away, he suddenly felt closer to her.
He smiled as he walked outside and extinguished the cigarette on the ash tray atop the rubbish bin.
"See you around, Temari."
Author's note:
Well...another chapter! Quick updates for a funny story I guess :P (It makes no sense I know)
Enjoy! xoxo
V.S.V