Another cozy moment.

Simple White Box.

Shizune sat quietly at her desk organizing the week's missions requests. She tried very hard to filter out the noise being made by four rather cocky shinobi. Shiranui Genma, Kamizuki Izumo, Hagane Kotetsu, and Umino Iruka were laughing rather loudly around Genma's desk. His desk was covered in boxes of chocolates from different women. The men were bragging about who had received the most chocolates during the day. It was well after mid day, and so far Genma had counted forty three boxes of chocolate.

"Top that!" He beamed. "Iruka kun those chocolates from your students don't count either."

"I still have forty three." Iruka chimed proudly.

"That's nothing, I had that many before lunch." Kotetsu's chest swelled. "The last I checked I had fifty six. Looks like you old timers aren't all that."

"Kotetsu's right, even though I only had fifty one." Izumo said reaching over to open one of the boxes.

"Hey, those are mine!" Genma slapped the chuunin's hand. "Unless you have any with coconut in it."

"Yeah, I do. I'll bring them by later."

Shizune had just about had enough. "You all should be ashamed of yourselves."

The four men turned to look at the hokage's assistant.

"Those women gave you those because you meant something to them. Here you are mocking them, and making their sentiments worthless." Shizune snapped. She closed the book she was writing in and stormed off.

"What did we do?" Iruka asked innocently. Kotetsu and Izumo shrugged, but Genma watched her leave. He felt a little bad making her angry like that. He wish she knew they were just goofing around like boys always do. He lifted his head to see the three other men laying claim to the different candies on his desk for trading. A simple box wrapped in plain white paper caught his eye. He turned his head wondering how he missed it. In the sea of red and pink gifts the white paper should have stood out. Reaching over the over heart shaped boxes, he picked up the white cube.

The box was smaller than the others. The card simply had his name on it and no sender. It had peaked his curiosity. He gasped as he looked at the small emblem on the top. Kotetsu reached to take it out of his hand, but Genma jerked it away.

"I've gotta go." He stood and raced from the office. He looked throughout the village for the person he was certain sent it. His actions of boastfulness from earlier made him feel so small. Finally after nearly an hour her found her on the top of Hokage Mountain.

"Shizune, there you are." He said. He walked next to her and sat beside her. "I've searched the village for you."

"Why, to brag about how many more chocolates you've received." She had not looked at him since he had appeared. Her chin resting on her hand.

"No to thank you for this." The simple white box was sitting in his hand.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Her face still hidden from him. "I haven't given you anything."

"I think you are doing a poor job of lying to me." He stood and walked to her other side, determined now to see her face.

She tried to move her head, but he took her chin in his hand.

"This box," he continued, "Is from the Hayase Chocolatiers. Their emblem is here. "

He pointed to the red swirl at the top of the box. He looked into her eyes and noticed they were slightly red. 'She's been crying over this.' He thought.

"That doesn't mean I gave it to you." Her eyes looking at the brown stone beneath her.

"That's exactly what it means." He continued. "This candy has to be order eight months in advance and it only has six pieces. That's only if the owner Hayase san likes you. The trip alone to get it takes four days."

"So."

"This chocolate is from one of my happiest childhood memories. My dad gave this to my mom one year for her birthday, and she shared with me and my brother. I remember how soft and sweet the chocolate felt in my mouth." He undid the ribbon.

"Again so?"

"A year ago when we were on the re-con mission to rain, I told you that story. You're the only one that knows." The ribbon fell off the box. He carefully removed the white paper, pulling out the box.

"I..well..." Shizune blushed a deep shade of red. Genma opened the box and looked inside. "So I got that for you, from the way you acted before, it doesn't matter."

"It does, I'm sorry about earlier. I would like to make it up to you." He apologized. From inside the box came the tray holding six pieces of delicate chocolate. "Shizune, would you please share this chocolate with me?"

"Of course." She blushed as he placed a piece of the chocolate in her mouth.