It took little time for him to contemplate the situation as he walked into the office. Arriving right on the dot, he managed to evade the paparazzi with a gracefully emotionless expression as he found his way into the building and to his floor.

"Morning, Shikamaru-kun," he nodded as the unknown female greeted him.

His peripheral vision saw her walking to another female colleague and began to whisper, throwing occasional glances towards his direction.

He was even more surprised when Asuma walked up to him.

"I am not being nosy, but…" He saw the bearded man arch an eyebrow. "That's a bit over the top, don't you think?"

"She is just a friend," he lied blatantly in his face, hoping that his side-glances would not give him away. "Don't movie stars have friends too?"

Asuma shrugged. "Consider the fact that you are also a member of the city's young socialite, it's probably fine."

Shikamaru smiled at him. "Don't worry about me, how's it going with you and that hypnotherapist? What's her name again?"

Asuma smiled and sipped from his coffee. "Keep working, kid, your father is pretty happy with your progress so far," he glanced sideways. "Anyway, I have this new project that I want you to follow up – do it well, and it will give your father a reason to promote you."

He sighed as Asuma passed him a file. "Troublesome."

As he glanced around his almost empty cubicle, he gleaned at the screen of his phone.

No message.

"Hey Temari-san!" She looked up as her co-star approached, a young actress whose name escaped her mind. She nodded with a smile.

She was not ready for this, especially for her break.

Where is Tenten when she needed her to come chase these annoying starlets away?

"I saw the news! You are dating that rich heir of the pharmaceutical giant, Nara Corp, right? Lucky you!" The girl commented, flicking her brunette hair in the process.

Her very presence annoyed Temari, but she was trained to hide her emotions whenever needed.

"We are just friends," she smiled, trying not to let her veins pop as she talked to her.

"Really? But he is quite a catch isn't he? He looks like the type that would listen to whatever his girlfriend would say!" She giggled a little bit. "Aren't you interested in him?"

Temari chuckled, trying to make sense of the situation and this ridiculous girl in front of her. "Are you?"

"Quite actually," she grinned innocently. "If anything, maybe you can hook me up with him!"

Temari did not say anything in return, she smiled mischievously as the director called the break to the end and asked the actresses to return to their positions.

"The rain scene, first take, action!"

As the cameras began to roll, the hose above their heads began to pour, the sprinkling water drenched her hair, her face, her clothes – all that was left clear was the annoying brunette's face.

"I love him, and you know it!" Temari cried, glaring at the girl's brown eyes.

"I know," she replied, almost screeching. "But I love him too! I didn't mean to hurt you!"

Temari gritted her teeth as the water flowed down her face, with a swift raise of her hand, the scene echoed with a loud slap.

The brunette covered her face, slightly red from the sudden slap, and stared at Temari with a mixture of horror, anger and confusion.

"Something are not meant for yours to take!" Temari had the most perplexed expression on her face, she was a bit over the top, more to hide her laughing self that was hidden deep inside of her.

"Cut!" The director shouted, as the water stopped, he approached the actresses and grinned widely at Temari.

"Great job there! The improvisation added some more depth, I can feel her anger, her sadness of betrayal pounding through the camera, especially that slap, perfect!" The director added as Temari smiled with a nod.

Temari turned to the girl and smiled at her. "Sorry, I just felt like that was the moment."

The girl could not say anything – after all, Temari was the hottest movie star at the moment, it was not like she could afford to get on her bad side, not especially after the director praised her and all. "Great job Temari-san," she said, with the fakest smile Temari had ever seen. "A little heads up would be even better, though."
Temari laughed, genuinely out of her amusement. "I am sorry, but that just came over me, great reaction on your side too."

A few shots later, the assistants wrapped Temari up in a white bathrobe as she sat down on the make up chair, she took her phone and unlocked it.

Her perfectly arched brows began to frown slightly, as she stared down.

No message.

She turned her head up, and saw the television in her trailer cart playing.

"Turn the volume up a little, please," she asked the assistant, who reached over and pressed on the machine.

The entertainment news was playing, she recognised the familiar entrance of the office building he worked in.

"So, Shikamaru-san, what is it with you and Temari?"

He shrugged and shook his head. "We are just friends, that's all."

"Oh really? You guys stepping out arm to arm did not seem that simple."
He sighed softly and pressed his hand against his forehead. "It is."

"So, are you single now?" Shikamaru arched an eyebrow as the question was asked, he blinked and remained silent for a moment.

"Yeah," he said, scratching the back of his head as he waved at the camera, turning around and leaving the scene.

There was something that made her felt slightly, uncomfortable, a bit upsetting as she heard him saying that.

The reasonable Temari was telling her to calm down, but she found her voice extraordinarily weak today.

Tenten walked inside, stretching a little, as Temari was finally back in her normal, dry clothes.

"The cast is going to get dinner, should I refuse for you as usual?" Tenten asked, as she stacked the papers in her hand.

Temari shook her head. "Nope, I am going to go tonight," she said, as Tenten raised an eyebrow.

"Really?" Tenten was genuinely surprised as Temari reached to switch off the television. "You rarely go."

"It's okay, besides, it's Sasuke's first movie after he switched from sports to entertainment, I should go mingle."

"Now you are interested in Sasuke?" Tenten shook her head with a smile.

"Well, he seems like a pretty hot guy, less annoying than Hidan, what's not to like?" She tried not to sound bitter, more importantly, she was concealing that sour feeling she was harbouring in her gut.

What is it?

A few of them entered into the high-end restaurant, as the waiter sat them down, Temari glanced around. The crystal chandelier hung itself in the center, as waiters and waitresses moved from table to table, attending to the guests.

"I have been waiting to try out this restaurant," the brunette girl, of whose name Temari still could not recall exclaimed.

Temari stared at the man sitting opposite her, his lips shut tightly as he silently studied the menu, dark onyx eyes glancing from line to line.

"Sasuke-kun! I can't believe that you are here!" A girl's voice exclaimed in an insanely high, excited pitch. Temari turned around and saw a blonde girl smiling sweetly at the dark-haired man.

"Hey Ino," he acknowledged her, as she turned around and exclaimed her excitement, her blue eyes locking with Temari's green ones.

"Temari-san! Oh my!" She exclaimed. "You look so pretty!"

She smiled courteously, as she looked behind the blonde girl, her smile faded a little, becoming slightly reserved, almost embarrassed.

Looking back at her, equally uncomfortable, was a man scratching the back of his head, shifting his glances with his dark brown eyes.

"Shikamaru-san!" The brunette girl's eyes seemed to lit up, like a poor man when he saw a stack of cash. "Please, join us!"

"I don't think we should bother you…" Ino said, shuffling shyly as she blinked at Sasuke, who seemed to voice no opposition.

The brunette girl moved out of her own way and grabbed Shikamaru by the arm, he was slightly startled, his eyes darting towards Temari.

Temari blinked with her green eyes, her lips pursed as the brunette girl pulled him down and pinned him onto the chair next to her.

Ino sat next to her, her eyes filled with the image of Sasuke; Chouji sat next to Ino and began to order food straightaway.

Temari stole occasional glances as the brunette girl tried very hard to flirt with Shikamaru, who replied occasionally with short remarks.

At the rare occasions where Sasuke talked, she hit back, smiling timidly at the less than funny jokes he told, she caught Shikamaru staring at her.

The dinner went on, as the two of them kept looking back at each other.

As they leave, Temari turned towards Sasuke and gave him a polite, gentle squeeze.

"It's great talking to you, see you tomorrow on set," she smiled at him. He nodded, as he approached his car, he turned around.

"Do you-" Just as he was about to ask, Shikamaru cleared his throat.

"Can we have a moment alone, Temari?" She smiled secretly as she nodded and turned towards Shikamaru, not before she waved at Sasuke who was entering his car.

The brunette, slightly tipsy, was trying to stick to Shikamaru. "Oh, my head hurts," she muttered, batting her eyes as hard as she could. "If only…"
"If only you could control yourself better," Temari smiled, her voice almost dripping with honey. "Get some rest, poor thing, we have an early outing shoot tomorrow." Temari turned to Ino, smiling. "Ino, would you mind calling…" she bit her tongue for a moment. "Anyway… would you mind calling a taxi for her?"

Ino nodded as Shikamaru cleared his throat again.

Temari turned towards him, her attention focusing on him.

"Do you need a ride home?"

"What about your friends? I can ask my driver to take me back."

"Chouji can drive Ino," he lowered his voice a little. "We need to talk."

Temari shrugged, smiling triumphantly. "Sure thing then."

After saying goodbye to Ino and Chouji, Shikamaru and Temari headed to the car park. It was empty in the VIP section of the carpark, the security guards thoughtfully turned their heads as the couple walked in.

As they entered the car, Shikamaru sighed. Temari looked at him and tilted her head a little.

"You want to talk, now talk."

"You are doing this on purpose aren't you? I see you with Sasuke." Shikamaru said. "How troublesome."
"Why would you care?" Temari arched an eyebrow. "You are 'single', after all."

He sucked his teeth, visibly irritated. "What am I going to tell them?"

"You can choose not to say anything, it's not the first day you lived in the limelight." She folded her arms in front of her chest.

"Tch, so you are mad with me just because I said that? That doesn't mean you can flirt with Sasuke like that."

"Flirt? You should have seen yourself, with… argh I don't remember her name!" Temari exclaimed, pressing her face into her palm in frustration. "Since she was drooling all over you, maybe you can date her instead, wouldn't she be the perfect little thing?"

Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "Can't you just get some sense into your head, woman?"

"Of course I can't, I am a woman," she blurted. "I am not as sensible as you are, with all your man and woman crap."

She turned and attempted to open the car door. Suddenly, she was flipped around by a grab on her wrist; she turned around and saw his face just an inch away from her.

There was something about this proximity that made her heart flutter than she wanted, she gulped as she saw a pink hue on the man's face.

"You are insecure aren't you?" Shikamaru stared into her green eyes, there was something different with his voice, it was deeper than usual, gentler – the irritable bit was gone and replaced with something more soothing.

He blinked, his dark brown eyes emitting certain calming warmth.

"You are cute when you are so flustered," he smirked as she fidgeted.

"I am not…" He pressed his lips gently onto hers, his hand holding her face as he did.

Temari closed her eyes, welcoming him as he pulled her into a closer embrace.

She gasped for breath as they separated, Shikamaru smiled and pushed a stray hair near her eye back in place.

"Are we good?" He smiled at her.

"They might have saw us."

"Really?" He arched an eyebrow as he started the engine. "You know what?"

"What?"

"Fuck it all, I don't care," he smiled. "If they see it, then let them see it; it is troublesome no matter how."

She stuck out her tongue a little. "Can't you keep a secret?"
"Not one that is as troublesome as you," he shrugged as she smirked at him.

"Shut up and drive." She ordered with a wide grin.

Shikamaru placed one hand on the steering wheel; gently, she slipped her hand into his free hand.

Something grew closer as the car pushed forward under the silvery moonlight.

Something was different.

Author's note:
What's a rom-com without some jealously, some arugment and making up? Haha I hope you enjoy! Just wanted to update you guys a little bit... will try to update soon (and more often) after my exams! Thanks for all the love and support as always xoxo

V.S.V