Chapter 79

Koharu was impatiently waiting for Temari to show up for the day, pacing back and forth in front of her window. When Temari arrived she didn't even walk up to the house but started again on yard work. Temari wasn't sure if Koharu was going to repeat her behavior from yesterday or not and she also felt guilty for what had happened in her kitchen.

Koharu opened her door, "Temari!" she yelled, "Come on inside, breakfast is getting cold!"

Temari was happy that things still seemed to be good between them and turned to come into the house. Koharu had cooked a large breakfast and the house smelled like something delicious had been cooking for hours. Temari sat right down and began eating.

Koharu also sat down and they ate breakfast together, talking and telling jokes like yesterday.

"I had something else planned for us today, rather than yard work…" Koharu mentioned.

"Huh? Sure. What did you want to do?"

"I'm going to teach you how to cook." Koharu said with confidence.

"Cook?" Temari said in a deflated tone, she remembered what happened in the kitchen…

"Yes, cook. You will learn. If you can rebuild villages and turn my yard into something as beautiful as it is now, I know I can teach you how to cook." Koharu replied, not waiting for Temari to argue. "Finish your breakfast and meet me in the kitchen when you're done."

Temari finished up and met Koharu as she requested.

"I don't know if this is such a good idea," Temari protested one last time.

"Nonsense, pick up that big pot." She instructed.

Temari grabbed the big pot and followed the other instructions from Koharu. She learned all about soups and making bases and then Koharu taught her how to make the miso she had yesterday. After several hours of cooking there was a knock at the door.

"Just a minute, keep stirring," she yelled out on her way to the door. Shikamaru greeted Koharu while his eyes darted around for Temari.

"Did you send her home?" Shikamaru said in a disappointed tone. He hoped they had gotten on better than this. He really needed their plan to work and Koharu would be crucial.

"No, she's cooking, would you like to stay for lunch?" Koharu offered.

"Cooking?" He asked in disbelief, he knew she wasn't much of a cook and wondered if what she made would be edible.

Koharu noticed that Shikamaru was already familiar with her cooking and was surprised. "Have you tried her cooking before?" She asked.

"No," he lied, "I've just heard about it from Konkuro," he whispered "and from what he said" he made a face at Koharu and drew his finger across his neck.

"Well I assure you that won't be the case, come on in," she encouraged. "Temari, we have a guest for lunch," she called out.

"Oh yeah?" Temari came out of the kitchen and met eyes with Shikamaru, she held his gaze just a little too long. "Shikamaru?" she blushed. "I hope you like miso," she said, already knowing that he did. She couldn't belive that Shikamaru would pick this time to show up.

"You don't need to be embarrassed Temari," Koharu said in response to her blushing. She thought the blush was obviously due to Temari's lack of skill. "The only way you will know that you've gotten better is having people try your food. I've already promised that it wouldn't kill the poor boy, so as long as that doesn't happen we're fine." Koharu said with a laugh.

Shikamaru felt betrayed and rubbed his hand on the back of his head and smiled at Temari. "Yeah, I'd love to try some."

"See, it will be fine. We're going to finish and then we'll be right out." She scurried back into the kitchen with Temari. "We ought to invite your brother when you get more practice," Shikamaru heard her say from the kitchen.

He realized that he and Temari would need to see each other more so that they could keep up the scharade in front of the elders. He hadn't seen her in so many days that he had a hard time keeping his eyes off of her. She also couldn't stop blushing, which he was glad when Koharu blamed it on her lack of skill so their cover was safe.

Koharu came back out to the table and set three settings and Temari came out carring a tray of some tempura vegetables and miso soup. It was hard for him to believe that Temari made any of it. She watched him in anticipation while he took his first bite and waited to see if he would smile. When he did her face lit up and she looked at Koharu.

Koharu noticed she seemed to be watching Shikamaru a little too intently. She hadn't even noticed Koharu take her first 3 bites because she was focused on him. 'And the way she lit up when he liked it,' she thought. 'But, maybe it's nothing afterall,' she tried to dismiss.

Shikamaru noticed that Koharu seemed deep in thought and wanted to steer the conversation towards her. "Koharu, you and Temari make a great team, this is delicious!" He said in an appreciative tone, and made sure not to look at Temari.

"I only instructed, Temari did everything. And you did do a wonderful job Temari." Koharu agreeded.

Temari nodded her head and was too busy eating to respond. She never knew she could cook like this and was glad that Koharu was taking the time to show her, especially if Shikamaru liked it.

"Well, I just stopped by to check up on you and make sure everything was going okay. I have to report back to the Hokage. Thanks for lunch, Koharu, Temari, and he nodded his head at each of them, but caught Temari's eye for a second before he turned to leave.

Temari was relieved that Shikamaru was leaving because it was hard for her to hide her feelings, she noticed a few times where he slipped as well and it didn't make it any easier. She had to keep her focus that their job was to work together to gain favor with the elders. No matter how good her relationship with Koharu was getting, she doubted Koharu would be okay with a forbidden relationship.

Temari and Koharu cleaned up and then Koharu asked Temari to sit back down for tea. Temari loved Koharu's tea and sat down to talk. She almost choked when Koharu spoke.

"So, how long have you and the Nara boy been a thing? And don't bother denying it, I know two people in love when I see it."

Temari gulped hard and wished she could call on Shikamaru to field any of these kind of questions. An unconvincing "What?" was all she managed.

"I'm certain I'm not wrong, am I Temari?" She pushed.

Temari exhaled, she knew it was more important to be honest because Koharu would end up finding out eventually anyways. She had worked hard to be seen as someone other than the enemy and didn't want to throw away all of her hard work. But the truth would ruin everything. She hesitated in her reply.

"Ah, your silence is confirmation enough." She replied.

Temari feared the worst, how could she hope for anything otherwise after what her experience with Koharu had been? It really was too bad because the lady was finally starting to grow on her. It was better to get this over with. "Koharu, I've enjoyed getting to know you and appreciate you teaching me how to cook. I must leave now." She stood up and took a bow at Koharu, expecting never to see her again.

"Sit back down Temari," she said with a sigh, 'what am I going to do with this girl,' she thought.

Temari had sat back down as Koharu asked but she had a feeling the conversation wasn't going to be pretty. The more Koharu asked of her the more panicked she felt. Shikamaru had spent a lot time and energy into making these current plans for their future and somewhere along the line they had blown it.

"I'm not angry with you Temari, if that's what you think." Koharu stated.

"Really?" Temari asked in disbelief.

"Do you think you're the only girl to ever have a forbidden love?"

"Wha…do you mean…you…." Temari managed to piece together while she left her mouth hanging open.

"You have to promise not to utter a word," Koharu said in a cross tone.

"You have my word," she whispered.

Koharu sighed as she sat forward in her chair, not believing herself that she was going to share this story with another. This story she promised never to tell a soul about, but here she was, breaking the promise she made to herself.

"Would you believe that I was young and in love once too? It probably seems impossible to imagine, but it was true. The leaf went through periods of peace with other villages on a lighter scale of what we are seeing now, and when I was 19 I fell in love with a shinobi from another village. He was georgous, his smile, I can still see it sometimes when I close my eyes."

Temari was curious to learn about this new side of Koharu and wondered what could have changed to make her so against outsiders now.

He was from the Uchiha clan, and his clan later joined the village, making it possible for us to get married. We had several wonderful years together until he was murdered by his own clan. They thought he was more loyal to the leaf than to them, and it was then that I knew that I was the real reason he was killed. He loved me so much that he would never turn on the village. The Uchiha only joined because they wanted to take the village and rule the people. I'll never forget what those outsiders did to my husband, or to my village." A tear rolled from her eye and down her cheek.

Temari didn't know what to say so she reached up her hand and placed it on Koharu's back.

"The way he looked at you today, that was the same way my husband looked at me, I recognized it in an instant. I'd be a fool to think that times have changed although the circumstances are different. What would stop your village from using you to get secrets about Konoha? About our shinobi? How would you choose between your brother and your husband if it came to war? These are the difficult realities behind your choices Temari, take it from me as someone who knows." Koharu patted Temari on the shoulder.

"I wouldn't ever turn my back on Shikamaru anymore than your husband would turn his back on you. Since you know how how it feels to have the odds stacked against you, why not support us instead." Temari knew she was being bold, but either way, her secret was out now.

Koharu sat still for a few moments and considered what Temari had said. She saw herself in Temari and saw her husband in Shikamaru. "Maybe things will turn out differently for you and Shikamaru than they did for me and my husband…"