He woke up again, his head stinging with pain.

Running his hand through the dark hair that sprouted from his scalp, he pressed onto the skin, hoping that it would relieve the pain.

He looked around, rubbing one eye with his hand.

0900. Too goddamn early for a Sunday morning.

This was his room alright; but something was off.

He looked next to him, a barely clothed woman laid next to him, her hair, darkish pink, almost red in colour laid next to him.

He rubbed his face. Oh shit, I did it again.

What happened yesterday – Oh yes, he went to the club with his friends …

He was lying on his bed, thinking about what he should do on Monday to avoid getting his ass kicked by Temari, or even worse, the boss who would probably be very angry that he and the Suna representative were in such a hostile relationship.

He almost felt like banging his head onto the steering wheel.

He slammed the door close in the car park, and lit a cigarette.

As the minty smoke invaded his trachea and lungs, he let out a smoky, annoyed sigh.

Just at that moment, his friend, Uzumaki Naruto called.

"Oi, Shikamaru! Let's go to the new club – what's it called, The Sound!"

"Man I worked my ass off last night." He complained – how on earth does Naruto get to be so happy all the time when the boss lady kicks his ass everyday?

"That's why you need to relax! See you there at nine!"

And that was how he ended in the club.

But this time it was different – last time he remembered the details – how he met her, how he …

The redhead turned her body over, slowly opening her eyes, blinking.

"Hey." He looked at her, his face puzzled. "What's your name?"

"Tayuya," she replied bluntly. "And you are a piece of trash."

"What?"

"You are a piece of trash!" She sneered. "You have a gummy snake for your dick." She eyed him down under, with another sneer. "Too bad, when I felt you, it seemed pretty attractive."

Shikamaru stretched his back. "So I brought you back here last night?"

"You were drunk as fuck at the club, and you told me to bring you back here." She stretched her arms, then folding them in front of her bra-clad chest. "You don't fucking remember anything do you?"
"Do you curse that much all the time?"

"Just shut the fuck up." She spat. "Anyway, you brought me back, we kissed for a while … and then you stopped."

"I … stopped?" Shikamaru shrugged. It was not like he was particularly motivated to do anything, anyway.

"Yeah, you murmured something …" Tayuya scratched the back of her head. "You said you were sorry …"

"Huh?" Her words made him even more puzzled than he already was.

"Yeah, you said I shouldn't just kiss you like that … hell you even called me some other girl's name."

"What did I call you?"

"You called me Temari." The redhead jerked her head towards the man. "Is she your girlfriend?"

"She is my worst nightmare." He replied with a sigh.

Tayuya sneered at the man. "Well, even though your dick is a decent size, it isn't a good one if I can't enjoy it. So I might as well as get going." She leapt off his bed, dressed only in her black bra and panties, on her neck was a tiny tattoo.

"Huh, as you wish." He sat there and lit a cigarette with his lighter, putting it into his mouth and blew out a cloud of smoke as Tayuya pulled a black rock band, sleeveless t-shirt over herself.

"Anyway, nice meeting you." He said mindlessly, blowing out another cloud of smoke.

Tayuya smirked and laughed. "Yeah, maybe I will see you next time when you are hard."

"Tch." He sucked his teeth, putting the cigarette between his lip. "What a drag."

Tayuya was about to come back with another curse-filled sentence when there was a sound.

Knock. Knock.

Someone was knocking on the door.

"It's probably my mother." He stood up, dressed only in his boxers; he approached the entrance, followed by Tayuya, who was holding a leather jacket.

He opened the door, only to discover that his nightmare had managed to find him somehow.

"He-hey." He was surprised to see this blonde hair teal-eyed woman at his front door. She was wearing a purple top with a plunging neckline, complete with skinny dark pants and a pair of ballerina flats. Her hair was in that crazy four-ponytailed style, her eyes glanced at him and Tayuya impatiently.

"Oh so this is your girlfriend." Tayuya glanced at the two. "Bye trash, see ya later."

The dark pinked haired woman skipped out of the door, not forgetting to wink at Shikamaru before leaving.

Temari glared at him, not saying a word.

He stared back, not daring to say anything before she does.

The stare-down lasted for a minute.

He took a gulp, when suddenly she raised her hand – in her clutch was a paper bag.

"Your t-shirt and shorts." She muttered, shoving the bag into his open palm.

"Oh…thanks." He replied, dropping the bag at the side of his door.

She looked at him. "Hmph." Then she turned around and began to walk towards the lifts.

He decided to do something.

"Wait Temari."
She sped up.

"Temari."

Her steps became even quicker.

"TEMARI!" He did not realize until she stopped that he was grabbing onto her wrist. She turned around and shot him a lethal glare.

"What do you want?" She gritted her teeth. "I just want to get over this and give this back to you, I don't owe you anything."

Shikamaru scratched the back of his head, taking another step forward.

"But I do."

Temari's face softened up a little, but she was still obviously upset. She shook and broke free of his grasp, arms folding in front of her chest.

"I am sorry I did that to you yesterday." He said. "I shouldn't say all that, and I shouldn't kiss you like that… I just lost control."

Temari said nothing, but slowly a sigh decided to creep out of her throat.

"Some remorse you have, you were having a great time, I could see." Temari sniggered.

He rolled his eyes back. "I mean it, I am sorry."

"Sure, and you had a great time thinking that you were sorry because you assaulted me." Temari looked at him with an exasperated sigh. "Try having sex in front of me next time and tell me how remorseful you are, dickhead."

"I didn't have sex with her."

"You are a pathetic liar, we hooked up! Just like you and her. Don't think that you can lie in my face about that." Temari rolled her eyes again as she went along. "God knows how many women you have hooked up with, I might have gotten some STDs with you."

Shikamaru rolled his eyes.

"For the last time, I didn't fuck her." He said slowly, clearly. "I need to tell you that I lost control because of…."

Temari raised an eyebrow, she was still frowning; her lips were still thin like a line.

"Because of…?"

"Because of … Ino. I lost control because you mentioned Ino."

"Shikamaru …"

"Yea?"

"Three things."
"Yes 'mam."

"One – I am hungry, and you are treating me brunch."

"Alright, and the other?" He was not worried about feeding her.

Temari smirked. "Second, you are going to give me damn good explanation for whatever happened yesterday and whatever situation we are in right now."

Shikamaru nodded, rolling his eyes to the side. "What a drag … but if you would forgive me that way, sure." He did own her an explanation after all that …

"Last thing."

He stared at her, awaiting the final sentence.

He would not be surprised if she asked him to cut off his own dick.

"Do you realize you are only in your boxers? We are at a public place."

Temari flashed a shit-eating grin, as he looked down and saw his bare chest and abdomen, complete with a pair of dark green boxers and bare feet.

"Shit." He muttered under his breath, running his hands through his messy hair.

"Go ahead and sit in my apartment, I will get change then we can go get brunch." He said as he turned around and walked towards his apartment, his head sunken in annoyance, followed by the blonde woman whose head was held high.

He called her name, instead of Ino …

Perhaps he feared for his hide from that troublesome woman.

Troublesome …


They went into a bar restaurant, it was quiet, and they were the only customers.

"Hi table for two?" They were welcomed by a girl whose long black hair almost touches the ground, affixed by a violet ribbon. She gave them a brief smile and led them to a table.

Temari noticed that she looked at Shikamaru in a funny way – like she was trying to remember where she has met him before. Her dark eyes was glinting …

She shrugged the thought of her mind, and turned back at the man in front of her.

He was drinking his glass of water sip by sip. He was thinking how to start their conversation.

She smirked and looked down at the menu.

All he knew was that it was going to be a very long conversation.

Before he could say anything, the waitress approached the table.

"May I take your orders?" She stared at Shikamaru – until it made him feel slightly uncomfortable.

"I will get a burger."

"Same." He replied, handing the menus back to her.

She smiled, and just about Shikamaru thought she was going away, she stayed.

"By the way, have we ever met before?"

Shikamaru shook his head; he seriously could not recall this face.

Temari watched the two of them - she was intrigued. A smirk crept up on her face, her glances made Shikamaru even more nervous than he already was.

"Ah I remember! That party …" The girl suddenly said, her eyes widened. "I remember now, you are that lazy guy."

Shikamaru looked away. "Troublesome…" he muttered.

Temari could not help herself but laughed.

They ordered their food, and as the girl left, Temari looked at Shikamaru, smirking all the time.

"So…what's her name? This girl and the other girl at your apartment earlier."

"What a drag," he rolled his eyes. "I don't remember."

"Really?" She arched an eyebrow.

"The one you saw earlier, the pink-haired one was Tayuya." Shikamaru shook his glass, the ice cubes swirling inside the colourless liquid. "This one … ah I remember, her name is Kin."

"Kin and Tayuya, and Ino … never took you for a ladies' man." She said, taking a sip from her glass.

"I mostly try to avoid women," he replied. "Women are troublesome."

"Oh how poor, women just can't wait to get into your pants." She sniggered.

He sucked his teeth and took another sip from his glass.

"I didn't have sex with Kin either," he rolled his eyes. "We made out in a party, I think."

"You were drunk back then?" She spat out her tongue. "Was that before Ino or after Ino?"

"Tch… after Ino." Shikamaru took another sip.

"Ah," Temari sighed, smiling at him. "She broke your heart."

Shikamaru looked away at the street, the cars were bustling.

"…Yea."

The food arrived, complete with a wink from Kin and a plate of complimentary fries; both of them began to bite into their burgers.

Temari smiled at herself, after taking another bite.

Shikamaru reached over with a napkin and pressed on her face.

The warmth of his hand, despite of the presence of the napkin, startled Temari.

"Ketchup," he said, as he moved back to his seat, as if he did nothing.

Temari held onto her burger, slightly stunned.

A flush of colour appeared on her face, she stared down at the burger – the half eaten burger was particularly attractive…

"So …" She tried to break the awkward tension in the air. "Tell me about you and Ino."

Shikamaru frowned. "Hmph."

He took a deep breath, and stared at the opposite of the street.

"We are childhood friends. We dated on and off … well." He paused, taking a sip from his glass. "She would date some other guys and when she broke up with them, she would eh… come back to me."

Temari looked at him. He was sulking visibly. "And, she dumped you for another guy."

He sighed. "She said this time she was serious about this guy, this weird, pale-faced guy. Hell, she wasn't even close with him."

"And she said she is not coming back to you?"

"…Yea, this time she said we should be friends." He sighed and put his glass down. "I think I need a drink."

Temari waved at the bartender, who was daydreaming at that time.
"Two martinis." She ordered. Turning back to Shikamaru, he stared at her.

"Well, I am sure that if things don't work out for her and that guy, she would come back for you." Temari said, her emerald eyes staring at him. "The thing is, whether you will be there for her at that time."

Shikamaru shrugged. "I don't know."

"But you still love her."

"Well, I suppose I will always feel something for her." Shikamaru sighed, scratching the back of his head as the drinks arrived. "I am tired of her treating me like this."

Temari looked at him, arching an eyebrow. "That is why you go out and pick up girls."

"Most of the time I don't really intend to, it is more often circumstantial." He took a sip from his martini.

"So … that night, when we…" Temari stammered a little. "You were thinking about her?"

"… No," he replied. "You are different."

Temari replied with a tiny smile. "Men are so strange."

She was just about to continue when suddenly someone yelled.

"Temari! Babe, it has been a long, long time."

Temari hissed at the voice, jerking her head around. Oh she could recognise that voice anytime, anywhere ...

Behind her stood a man, wearing skinny jeans and wearing an unbuttoned black shirt, revealing his well-trained, eight-pack body. His silver coloured hair was slicked back with hair gel; violet eyes staring hungrily at her. He flashed her a flirtatious grin, only to receive her death glare as a reply. "I thought I wouldn't be able to see you ever again."

Shikamaru could see that she was annoyed, angry and even a little sad.

"Hidan." She hissed his name as if it was the name of a disgusting thing.

"Who's this?" Shikamaru eyed the man, turning his gaze back at the flushing, agitated woman in front of him.

"Well..." Temari took a large gulp from her glass, rolling her eyes.

"Meet my ex-boyfriend."


Author's note:

Another chapter! Even more interesting, or confusing hahaha

Enjoy!

V.S.V xoxo