Author'sNotes: Sorry it took so long for me to update guys, I know many of you thought that I had quit, but I didn't. And if I were to, I would never just drop a story with out giving a heads up first. What had happens was, I would post a chapter, get the urge to write, type out a rough draft of the next chapter on ... and then it got deleted... (I hate when that happens, but it does happen every now and again). And then, I tried to write it out again, and nothing happened. I end up with a bad case of writers block that last usually for a month or two. Combine that with entering college and trying not to let your grades drop below a "B" and you have me vanishing for all of two years.

Again, Im really sorry.

*Ps- I was trying to get this up by Christmas day, so I didn't get a chance to re-read it and correct any mistakes. Sorry. Still, I hope you like it.

Disclaimer: I !DO NOT! own Naruto, or any of its characters.

~(4 Months Later)~

I couldn't help but giggle, a warm smirk taking over my face as I watched Choji stuff five whole slices of freshly grilled meat into his mouth. The sight was something to behold, not that it was even close to bothering me. But still, it never failed to impress. I mean, the meat was fresh off the grill! No more than a second! I couldn't help but marvel at the fact that it didn't burn him! I couldn't look away. It didn't take long for Choji to notice my staring. He paused mid chew.

"Everything okay, Ren?" He asked worriedly, audibly swallowing the food that was left in his mouth.

I merely blinked, taken off guard by his sudden question. "Yeah, everything's fine. Why do you ask?" I questioned, resting my chin on the back of my hand. Choji frowned ever so slightly, opening and closing his chopsticks a few times in a newly discovered nervous habit.

"Well," He began slowly, as if trying to pick and choose his words, "You haven't even touched your food." He said pointing to the slices of meat cooking on my side of the grill. I followed his gaze and my face instantly flashed bright red as I realized that all my meat and vegetables were burnt to a crisp. I cleared my side of the grill in one swift motion, depositing everything down onto my plate. I released a nervous chuckle. "Sorry..." I said a bit bashfully. God did I feel foolish. "I guess I just got a bit too caught up in my thoughts." I murmured, pushing away my now full plate. I gave Choji an embarrassed look, my brown eyes glancing up at him from under my thick lashes. He swallowed visibly.

"Y-you know... If you don't like the food here, we could always go somewhere else." He suggested. His concern still evident in his voice. I wanted nothing more then to put him at ease. I released a small laugh.

"Choji, relax." I said soothingly, my smile softening as I reached across the table and covered his large hand with my own. The action was deliberately slow, and in it held all the emotions that I wanted to tell him. Choji chop sticks hit the table, his face beet red as his eyes widened. This was our fifth date, and since that kiss that he gave me in my kitchen all though's weeks ago, we hadn't done so much a brushed hands. But I couldn't take it anymore. I wanted us to brush hands, to lace fingers, to share a kiss. I wanted us to be a couple. I wanted to convey all this to him... And with this action, for some reason, I think I did.

Choji's cheeks were redder than I could have ever possibly imagined. Yet, the move he made had me biting back a smile as my heart began to race. He carefully turned his hand over under mine, his fingers separating so that mine would fall in between his. I watched, overjoyed as we closed our fingers around each other. My heart skipped a beat as I glanced back up at him, our eyes locking as he smiled at me in understanding. A tear slid down my cheek.

"God, you are so slow." I said, wiping away my tears with the back of my hand. "I was beginning to think that you would never understand." I said with a sniffle. My voice may have sounded harsh, but Choji knew better, scratching the back of his head bashfully. "Sorry." He offered, chuckling quietly at me. He black gaze finding its way down to our clasped hands. He blushed, his expression becoming unreadable for a few seconds before he glanced back up at me. "May I?" He asked, nervously, referring to my hand with a light squeeze. I could only blink as I tried to figure out what it was that he was asking. But my mind drew a blank. He gave my hand another squeeze. It was nothing hard, and it didn't hurt, but it was clear that he wanted to make sure that he still had my attention. I gave him a shy nod, not sure what it was that I was agree to. But I was still more than willing to find out.

The red stains on Choji's cheeks deepened as he slowly began to close his eyes, my hand held almost tenderly in his as he carefully brought it up to his lips. My brown eyes went wide, my heart skipping a beat as his tender lips met the back of my hand. I shivered involuntarily as I practically seemed to melt inside my seat. The feeling of his lips against my skin, even in such a innocent fashion, was almost too much for me to handle and I drew my hand away, holding it against my chest. Choji slowly opened his eyes, his blush only seeming to brighten as he nervously looked over at me.

"Did I go too far?" He asked gingerly, almost as if he expected me to shoot him down for what he did. I carefully shook my head no, "Not at all." I said meekly, trying to reassure him. My hand was still pressed against my chest, over my heart. Choji eyes took note of this action, but I guess to him, what seemed like a shy and endearing action to me, appeared more like a displeased and disgusted action to him. His overall demeanor dimming a little; and for what seemed like the longest time, I couldn't seem to figure out why.

I quickly began to panic, my mind already beginning to flood with all the things that I might have done upset him. But I couldn't quite seem to put my finger on it. Oh, dear god, I can't let things go on like this!

"Choji?" I began anxiously, "Please, tell me..." I begged, "Did I do something to upset you?" I asked, fiddling with my hair. "If I did, I'm sorry." I murmured apologetically. "I guess I just got a bit to excited... I don't know..."

"Im sorry." I said trying to clear the air. But I could sense that I was failing... Horribly. Choji couldn't resist speaking up.

"Why are you apologizing?" He asked, confused. And his confusion did nothing more than serve to confuse me.

"What do you mean?" I asked, completely baffled. "Aren't you upset about something? Didn't I do something to offend you somehow?" I delved. Choji's eyes almost fell out of his head as realization seemingly struck him.

"Oh man..." He sighed, face palming as he slumped back against his seat. "We did it again didn't we?" He groaned, shaking his head.

I gave him a wary look, not sure what he was talking about. Choji sighed once more, but this time he gave a small laugh, offering me his hand. I took it without hesitation. He heaved another heavy sigh, seemingly scolding himself as he wrapped his fingers around mine.

"I've misunderstood you again." He said finally, his black gaze turned towards me in apology. "I thought that I had over stepped my boundaries when I had kissed your hand." He explained, bringing my hand back to his lips once more, as if testingly. When he found that I wouldn't try to stop him, he smiled shyly, kissing my hand once again. "I really am an idiot."

A grin nearly split my face in two at that. "Yeah, you are." I said, drawing my hand back once more. But this time, I made certain that there would be no misunderstanding. Even as I drew my hand back to my side, I made sure that Choji's eyes were still on me, watching me as I purposefully brought my hand up to my lips. I didn't mean to hesitate, but for all of two seconds my body froze, a small wave of embarrassment washing over me before I could shake it off. Choji watched me attentively, his gaze unwavering even as I closed the remaining distance from my hand to my lips. I closed my eyes, just as he had done his, my lips connecting almost adoringly with the back of my hand. Choji watched, his whole face red, up to and even after the moment I kissed my hand.

"Is everything clear now?" I asked, openly giggling at the shocked expression on Choji's face. His black eyes were wide, and his mouth hung agape. I couldn't resist playfully leaning over the burning grill and gently holding his jaw shut with two fingers, closing his mouth. This was a bold move, I know, even if it was just a playful one. But still, I was starting to get tired of all these misunderstandings.

Deciding that maybe, just to be on the safe side, that I should make things even clearer. I decided to get up out my seat, careful not to knock anything over as I made my way out of my side of the booth. Choji watched me with curiosity, obviously wondering what it was that I was up to as I slid in next to him, smirking. I picked up his chopsticks, using them to pick up the last pieces of meat on his side of the grill before blowing on them gently and holding them in front of his lips. "Say 'ahhhh'." I cooed coaxingly, my smirk splinting into a smile as Choji opened wide, chomping down around the food with a smile of his own. I grinned, watching as he chewed with such zest, that it almost made me hungry. "Shall I order us another round?" I asked, resting my chin against my hand once more. Choji answered without hesitation. "Yeah!"

I couldn't help but laugh, lifting my hand to user the waiter over and ordering another five plates of meats. I had no intention of eating anymore food here, but I knew that Choji would have no problem finishing off the food that I ordered. I giggled once more.

"Choji..."

"Hmm?"

"Just... keep being my Choji." I said, smiling softly.

Choji gave a few more chews before swallowing, his hand gently taking mine.

"Always."

~(Across the Room)~

The whole table couldn't help but sit there dumbfounded, their mouths agap as they watched with shocked eyes. What they had just witnessed, none of them were expecting it. Choji, sure, he was a common sight here at the barbecue restaurant, or any restaurant for that matter. But the person he was with? Kiba was the first to notice; his muttered curse alerting the others to Ren's presence before he had a chance to stop himself. And man did he wish he had stopped himself. It took less than a second for the air around the table to grow tense, Hinata visibly trembling beside Shino as the sound of snapping chopsticks filled the air. "Kiba..." His voice was emotionless, but Kiba was no fool. No matter how foolish he may act at times. He knew where this was going.

"L-look-!"

"How long?"

"Look, Shino I swear, I didn't-!"

"HOW LONG?!" He snarled.

"I don't know!" Kiba snapped. "I swear! Ren didn't tell me anything about this!" He tried to explain. Although, in truth, he probably wouldn't have told him even if he did know. Ren... She was like a little sister to him. And Shino... Shino scared him sometimes. Even if only just a little.

"Shino don't, please." Came Hinata's hesitant voice. "Please?" She begged, her lavender eyes gazing up at him pleadingly. Shino barely even glanced over at her, his shades gleaming ever so slightly as he turned his attention back towards Ren. Her soft black hair was pulled up into a high ponytail, and her lipstick stained lips were red and pulled back into a obliviously happy grin as she offered Choji another piece of meat. Again, the sound of snapping wood filled the air, and this time, it was accompanied by the sound of wood hitting the floor.

Shino was half way across the room before anyone could stop him.

~(Back Across the Room)~

"Oh no!" Was the only warning Choji gave before leaping over the table and shoving Ren behind him. His breathing instantly grew heavy and he could practically feel her confused gaze on his back; that along with the feeling of her warm hand gripping the fabric of his shirt. Choji's heart skipped a beat both from the close proximity to Ren and also from the way his name sounded falling from her beautiful lips. It brought back so many memories. Most of them good. But even the painful ones were deeply cherished. They all had Ren in them after all.

"Choji?" Ren murmured worriedly. Her brown eyes were glued to Choji's back, and once again, the meat and veggies on the grill were forgotten.

"Choji? What's wrong?" She asked, worriedly. Her grip on his shirt tightening as she gave it a slight tug. "Choji, speak-!"

"It's Shino." He answered, cutting her off just as the man of the hour stopped in front of him.

The whole restaurant went silent.

"Shino..." Choji acknowledged evenly. "Its good to see you again." He flat out lied. And Ren knew it. Choji had admitted to her on several occasions that he was not a fan of Shino's. At least not as a man anyways; but as a ninja, there was very few people he would want more by his side. But now was not the time for all of that. Shino was here, not as a ninja but as a man. A man trying to get between another man and the love of his life. Not that Choji had worked up the nerve to tell Ren that... Yet.

Oh gosh! Choji could feel his face turning red at just the thought of the idea.

"Choji!" Ren cried, snapping him out of his thoughts just in time for him to dodge Shino's right hook to his face. A sigh of relief seemingly breathed by everyone in the room. But the victory wasn't his just yet, as he would soon learn. In the process of dodging Shino's attack, although Choji didn't realize it at the time, but he was forced to jerk his body backwards in order to avoid being hit, unknowingly bumping into Ren and knocking her over onto the open grill...

The piercing scream that filled the room, easily had both men's heart hitting the floor. "REN!" Came their conjoined cry. Choji pulling her off the grill and into his arms in less then a second, as Shino instantly got to work on inspecting her wound.

"Oh god no...!" Came Choji's hushed cry, his eyes watering at the sight of the damage he had caused. "Dear god... Ren, I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!"

"Shut up!" Shino snapped, his heart race as he realized what he had done as well. He had caused this... He had hurt Ren.

Shino groaned, bowing his head as he tried to calm himself down. He needed to be able to think clearly. Just long enough to be able to figure out what it was he needed to do.

But it wasn't him that came up with the answer. It was Kurenai.

"We need to get her to the hospital!" She snapped.

"Now!"

Author'sNotes: Hey guys, I hope you like this Chapter. I tried to get it up as a Christmas Present to you all. I hope you like it! And as a Christmas present to me, you should all leave a review! Sounds good? Alright! Merry Christmas!