Wake up.

He thought he heard a distant voice in his dreams, it became increasingly clear.

"Nara Shikamaru!" He felt a hard push on his shoulder, as he opened his eyes, he saw his mother looking at him crossly, her arms folded against her chest.

"It's Saturday, mum," he muttered as he sat up on his bed, staring at his mother.

"It doesn't matter what day is it," she snapped. "Just when are you planning to tell us you got into a commercial?"

Shikamaru's eyes widened, he shot out of bed and stretched.

"It's just a gig," he yawned as he pulled a t-shirt over his head. "Don't worry about it, besides, it doesn't show my face."

"Still! I didn't need to see it on the street and almost have a heart attack!" His mother muttered as she walked out of the room. "Come to our side and get breakfast!"

He washed up and did as he was told, he walked up to dining table at his parent's side of the house. His father stared at him with great amusement.

Shikamaru ate his breakfast quietly, as his father cleared his throat.

"That project, you did quite well."

"Thanks," Shikamaru took a sip from his tea as his father flipped through the newspaper.

"Do you know why I want you to start working from the bottom?" His father sipped from his cup, smiling as he flipped another page over.

Of course he knew, his father started from the bottom, and made the company the market leader it is today.

"I know, and it's quite a nice experience." Shikamaru nodded, reaching down at his pocket, he sucked his teeth. "I'm gonna go out and buy some cigarettes, you need anything?"

Shikaku shook his head as Shikamaru popped into the kitchen and asked his mother if she needed anything.

"Nothing much, it'd be great if you can bring a girl back though," his mother sneered. "That'd be nice."

He always wondered where did he got his sarcasm from, as he grew older, it was evident.

"Troublesome," he shook his head with a soft sigh and left the kitchen.

As he walked on the street, he could see the large billboard signs covered with her face, her lips parted seductively as the cold jewelery flashed on her hand, its shine competing with her dazzling green eyes. On her side was his back, his head was slightly turned and the lower half of his face could be seen - if there was anything in particular that would lead to his mother's noticing him, it would be his earrings.

Snap.

He could hear the sound of the shutter of the phone cameras. It was at these moments he often forgot that people would actually take photos of him.

He had gotten used to it.

He sighed and headed towards the convenient store where he was going to buy his cigarettes.

As he walked in, he headed straight to the cashier.

"A pack of Kumo."

"That'd be thirty dollars."

He fished out the money from his wallet and took the cigarettes.

As he left the convenient store, he looked up and it was not the best sight he wanted to see.

"Neji," he nodded at the man, dressed in a casual suit on a hot summer day and in great contrast of Shikamaru's casual cotton shirt, khaki shorts and loafers combo.

"Shikamaru," he nodded back at him, Neji was holding a pot of carefully arranged flowers in his hands. Shikamaru arched an eyebrow, and smirked. "Visiting someone?"

"I may be," he tucked the pot closer to his chest. "And you? Not seeing anyone, I hope."

"Tch," Shikamaru shrugged. "See you around." He walked around, brushing past Neji's shoulder.

As he walked further away, Shikamaru pulled out his phone.

A few presses later, he put the phone and let the dialling echo in his ear.

"Hey, you free to talk?" he smiled as the person picked up on the other side.

"Hey, what's up?" Her voice lightened up his mood.

"What're you doing?"

"I'm filming, near downtown. We're almost done, then I'll have to discuss my upcoming schedule with Tenten at the Konoha Hotel Cafe."

"Cool," he smiled as he talked. "Guess who I just bumped into."

"No," he could hear her sneer from across the phone. "You know what? Come pick me up at around 4pm, let's go out tonight."

"Dinner or clubbing?" He asked. "I need to what to wear."

"Does it ever matter to you?" She chuckled. "See you."

He laughed and waited for her to hang up.

Temari sat in the cafe, sipping from the coffee as Tenten arranged the proposals in front of her.

"I honestly think you should consider this proposal from Hyuga Corp," said Tenten. "Besides from hiring another personal assistant, 'cause you're so busy."

"I will think about hiring another personal assistant, as for the proposal," she shook her head. "I think I'm gonna take the Nara one, I think it fits my image better."

"But the Hyuga Corp are willing to offer a higher prize, besides you're already collaborating for Hyuga jewelery."

"The drug they're promoting is a slimming drug, and I'm not exactly slim Tenten." Temari pointed to herself. "I don't want to spread a bad message, I'd had enough of those."

"Guess your mind's set then," Tenten sighed. "Did Shikamaru talk to you about it?"

"He did mention it a bit," she smiled. "By the way, you know him from highschool right?"
"Yeah, we were in the same class because I took a gap year with my teammates from the martial arts team."

"How's he like?"

"Very smart, but lazy," she tidied the papers as she spoke. "He just sleeps all the time, but he does crazy well on exams."

Temari smiled at the thought of a younger Shikamaru dozing off in his uniform. "And he had some beef with Neji, didn't he?"

Tenten shuddered at the name. "Neji didn't like him a lot," Tenten replied hastily.

"I see," she said thoughtfully, eyeing Tenten as she did. "So it's settled, I will do the Nara endorsement, try to think of a nice way to reject the Hyugas."

"I will," Tenten rolled her eyes and smiled at her, she arched an eyebrow as she saw Temari taking her handbag.

"Going somewhere?"

"Just going to hang out a bit, loosen up a little," Temari smiled at her. "See you on Monday."

Tenten watched as Temari walked out of the hotel, putting on her sunglasses in the process. She walked up to a black car and hopped inside.

Tenten took out her phone and dialled.

"Hey, you'd better send the flowers," she said. "She just left the hotel."

She thought she heard Neji cursing slightly. "Can you help me send it to her place then?"

"Sure," Tenten blinked, biting her lips gently. "Maybe you can come drop it off with me at the Konoha Hotel?"

"It's fun to watch people doing stupid things," Temari said as she leaned on the balcony inside the club, staring down at the dance floor. In her hand clutched a glass of cocktail, she swirled the liquid as he approached, his hand on her back.

"It's even more fun to see people who think they're smart fuck up." He sneered as he took a sip from his beer.

"You're being strangely competitive," she turned around and wrapped her arm around his shoulder. "Just how insecure are you?"

"I just don't like the way he looks at you," Shikamaru rolled his eyes and leaned closer, she could feel his minty, spicy breath on her face. "Him and his prince charming persona makes me wanna puke."

"Then what persona does that leave you?" Temari sipped from her glass the final drops and put the cup down. Both of her arms clung to his neck as his hands rested on her lower back.

"Hard to tell, sometimes the lazy, obedient guy, sometimes bad boy." He buried his face into her neck and pressed a kiss onto her.

She turned around and arched an eyebrow. "Look," she pushed Shikamaru gently. "It's your favourite person."

Shikamaru lifted his head and stared as Neji headed into the club. "Oh."

"You know he's going to head to the VIP zone and be with us right?" Temari arched an eyebrow.

"I don't care," he shrugged. "Better yet, he might learn to take his hand off my girl."

Temari chuckled and held his hand, pulling him back to their booth.

"Even though you don't like him, I still have to greet him," she pressed a kiss onto his cheek and smile. "So be nice, go for a smoke or something. I'll be right back."

He held her hand as it gently slipped away, he went to the outdoor balcony and lit a cigarette, gently huffing a ball of smoke from in between his lips.

He looked over his shoulder - Neji was smiling at Temari as they began their banter, Temari was smiling at him - it was obvious to him that she was doing this out of politeness and business concern, but to Neji it might very well mean something else.

He squashed the cigarette into the ashtray and walked back inside, just as he returned to the booth, he could see Neji's hand resting upon Temari's back as she tried to tacitly avoid his touch.

He sighed as he walked towards them, wedging himself in between Temari and Neji.

"Hey there," he said, arching an eyebrow. "When I said see you around, I didn't mean to see you this soon."

"The feeling's mutual," Neji frowned a little, attempting to return to his conversation with Temari.

Shikamaru turned to Temari. "I think someone's looking for you back at the booth."

Temari nodded at Neji with a smile and turned her back.

"What're you getting at, Nara Shikamaru?" Neji hissed.

"Not letting you in her pants, if I am going to be crude." He smirked, staring into the man's featureless, white eyes.

"Is this how you compete with your rival?" Neji snapped back, as he downed his entire cup of whisky. "That's pathetic."
"Who said I'm competing with you?" Shikamaru arched an eyebrow. "You're the only one who's running, I already won."

Neji tried to contain his surprise and anger by deepening his frown. "You know me well, Shikamaru."

"Of course I know, it burns you every time you can't get something," Shikamaru smirked. "I normally don't compete, being the lazy person I am, but when it comes to things that I care about…"

"You'll see, I will put some sense into Temari's brain and then she'll realise."

"Go ahead and try," Shikamaru sighed exasperatedly as he shook his head. Suddenly, he turned and glared at Neji, there was a confident smile on his face as his almond-shaped eyes stared him straight into the eye.

"Are you threatening me?" Neji stared back and smiled haughtily. "You know you won't win if you fight me."

"I'd say it's 50-50, all's fair in love and war." Shikamaru's voice was nonchalant, yet Neji could hear the boiling hostility infused in his seemingly calm voice. He turned around, leaving Neji stranded at the bar.

Shikamaru went to the booth and sat next to Temari. He watched as Neji downed another cup of scotch and walked away.

"So?" Temari arched an eyebrow as she smiled at him. "It's really funny."

"Funny how?"

"Watching people who think they're smart fuck up," she twirled her finger on his chest. "And, watching the nonchalant Nara Shikamaru getting all worked up."
"No man would let any other man touch his woman like that," he said, a rush of pink came to her face, she smiled and turned her head away.

"Who's your woman?"

Shikamaru smiled and said nothing, he held her hand in his as he stood up, pulling her up in the process.

He flicked his other hand and looked at his watch. "We still have some time."

"For what?" Temari asked as Shikamaru handed his credit card to the bartender.

The man quickly returned the card as Shikamaru signed his name. Temari, confused, let him led her away.

"Can you drive?"

"I've only had a glass of beer." He said, as he started the engine.
"Where're we going?"

"It's a surprise," he smiled as he started the engine.

The black car roared as it disappeared into the light.

Author's note:

Here's another chapter - I almost made Shikamaru punch Neji, almost ... who knows I wouldn't make it actually happen? :D We will see

Feel free to guess what the surprise is :3 And of course, review or PM me about the story! Thanks for the love as always xoxox

V.S.V