Wow! Chapter 6. Yeah. Why am I uploading this now? Like I said in the previous chapter: Sims 2. Apparently I wanted to make a family nice and cute and slightly normal. Of course, I made the husband have an alien baby, and then I made his wife pregnant when that kid turned into a child. Well, he became a child the day she gave birth to the little snot. Now I can't bring myself to continue that family because I'm remembering how un-fun it was dealing with little Radin (the alien baby). The babies are all so annoyingly needy and both parents have a job and the Nannies in that game suck ass! Gah! They don't even take care of the babies! They just it around reading the newspaper when the baby's in the yellow! Babies are a pain. That's why I'd never have children. Jeez, talk about a pain in the butt.

I was reading the titles to these things, I realized it'd be fun to make them into a pattern. Therefore you get the first chapter title (Her Favorite Compliment), two Japanese dishes (Yakiniku and the Yam Noodles), Cupcake of Forgiveness in the middle, then the same pattern. (Yam Stew and Yakiniku). The last chapter will be what I had originally wanted the title of this entire story to be called--His Favorite Cook.

Oh my, I'm listening to Blue October as I upload this, and it's brought out the Blue October fangirl in me. I strongly recommend this group to people. They're actually fairly under-rated. Much like Tea Party, who are highly under-rated. My top five favorite bands (as in the stuff I am actually willing to spend money on) go like this:
1) Siouxsie and the Banshees (They are the best. Along with Siouxsie's side project The Creatures. The Creatures get a tie for this spot.)
2) Blue October
3) The Cure (I know. I love the 80's.)
4) Architecture in Helsinki ties with Tea Party, because both are so under-appreciated and wonderfully different. As in, both are refreshing in a world of Linkin Park and Green Day. Ughk.
5) The artist-formerly-known-as-and-now-known-again-as Prince, of course. (How can you not like Prince? Apparently very easily, since my friend doesn't like his music much. Then again, she's more obsessed with techno and Japanese stuff, like Morning Musume and Ayami-what's-her-face.)

:D I know none of you give a shit about what bands I like, but I couldn't help but share. Hopefully some of you will discover how great these bands (Or in Prince's case, singer) are. I wouldn't recommend The Cure, though, since Robert Smith's voice grates on even my nerves at times and everyone I've ever talked to about The Cure ends up tossing out a "What the hell, you listen to crap" comment my way. (SAM) The best thing about The Cure, though, is their work on lyrics on guitar. I swear, half the stuff they do sounds improvised but in a good way.

Although I will recommend Fascination Street. It's probably my absolute favorite of The Cure's songs. (Did I mention they toured near where I live, but I had no money and NO ONE to go with. I was a sad little girl the day I found out. So very, very sad... But I got over it. Because Robert Smith just isn't Siouxsie.) Oh! And another good band is Say Anything. The music's really great, though most people claim it's punk rock, and it sounds more like the mainstream punk-rock we have these days. You know, like Good Charlotte, JESUS. I hate them so much. (But I can make an exception for Say Anything, because their songs are actually GOOD.) You want to listen to punk rock, give The Ramones a listen, damn it. I know a lot of college kids read Naruto fiction, but I know a lot of chil'ens read these, so they need a lesson in music history. Badly. I refuse to let the children of this generation become obsessed with watered-down CRAP that seems to be main-stream music these days. Britney Spears, Miley Cyrus, Christina Aguilera, people should be ashamed for obsessing over these people to the degree that they have and still do.

Goodness, I completely forgot what topic I was on! I started ranting about music instead...

I was on the topic of my chapter titles, wasn't I? Yes, the reason this chapter is so short is for my plan for the chapter titles to work out. This also means the next chapter--the final chapter--will be short as well. I got a comment from someone who likes ShikaTen, and I admit I like it, too. But there's not enough of it. So I will be making a sequel in which Shikamaru tries desperately to woo TenTen and steal her from that evil Hyuuga boy. But it's going to be in a different format. Because Shikamaru's more of a logical thinker than a person who thinks with his emotions, like Chouji. So, it might be a bit more straight-laced. I'm working on making it interesting, though. By all accounts, I'm trying to make it more comedic than this one turned out. Yes, I wasn't lying when Shikamaru complained about getting a comedy duo in his sequel. What he doesn't realize is that he and Sasuke will be the comedy duo. Fufufuuu...

His Favorite Food
Part Six -- "Ramen and a Yakiniku Bento"

He was carrying her on his back, back to her house, the spoon stuffed in his hip-pouch, when Naruto came across them. He watched them pass by him before quirking a brow at his plump friend, grinning like a maniac.

"Hey, Chouji… I see you're carrying Hinata. So, about the two of you dating… Are you two dating yet?"

Chouji turned red and almost dropped her, swirling around to see Naruto eye to eye. He blinked, gulping. He wanted to tug on his scarf, but his arms were busy holding onto Hinata's legs to keep her from falling to the ground. "N-No. We're not. And we never will, Naruto."

Naruto blinked, rubbing his chin. "Never? That's…shocking, actually. I thought you two made a good match. Well, either way, be sure you take care of her, okay?"

Chouji stared at him, finding himself nodding but not really wanting to. Take care of her? That wasn't his job. It should've been Naruto's. She wanted Naruto, not him. Naruto should've been taking care of her. He felt his stomach twist, something like a knot forming in the pit of his belly. He gulped, looking at her arm, which was over his shoulders, limp out in front of him. He was sick of it. He was sick of waiting for her to finally stop letting him try food in preparation for Naruto. Her cooking was amazing; she was more than ready.

If she wasn't going to take that step, he'd have to take it for her. He was doing her a favor. With him out of the picture, she'd happily pursue Naruto, or even better–date the blond.

"I will."

Naruto nodded, waving good-bye. Chouji started back down the street.

He'd take better care of her than she did.

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Hinata woke up, groggy, looking out the window. Today would be a big day. Today was the day she'd tell him how she felt. She was resolute. It was about time to take the final step.

She sat up, folding up her futon and stowing it away in the corner. Out into the hall she walked, where she passed Hanabi's room. Hanabi had told her at five o'clock the other day that a boy had dropped her off because she'd fainted. If it had been Naruto, Hanabi would've known him right off the bat–she was always talking about him to her, after all. Thus, it had to have been Chouji. Chouji was nice, that's why she had to do this.

She smiled, walking into the kitchen to whip up a dish Naruto would never forget. She opened up the fridge, grabbing the yams out of the back. There that would– She stopped, staring at them. No…that was wrong. Naruto hated yams, according to Chouji. And Chouji loved yams, according to Shikamaru. She'd flipped it again. She sighed, feeling scatter-brained.

Her cheeks flushed as she put them back into the fridge. Now why had she gotten those out?

She bit her lip, remembering what Ino had said. She liked Naruto a lot…but she didn't need him to be happy with herself. She didn't need his approval, so why had she been getting Chouji to eat her meals? She'd said it was to test her cooking before she showed it to Naruto, but was that really the case?

All she'd been looking for was his approval. He loved her cooking, and she loved hearing that. He'd become Naruto in her eyes, a sore replacement. But he wasn't. And it was unfair to keep treating him as such.

She stood there staring at the refrigerator door close until she thought her legs would give out beneath her. Chouji wasn't Naruto, and Naruto was nice, yes, but he wasn't as thoughtful as Chouji, was he? Sure, he knew the right things to say, but other than that, he tended to overlook a lot. Chouji didn't; Chouji was even more considerate. Sure, he stumbled over his words a lot and was a little self-conscious, but…that was what was charming about him…wasn't it?

––––––––––––––––

He looked up from the outskirts of the square. He purposefully placed himself near the ramen stand to be nearer to Naruto. He wouldn't have much time to get to Naruto before she tried to get the meal from him, so this was important.

He could see her running up, and she was holding the same thing she had been when she first started cooking him food. Finally, she handed him the box and the thermos, reaching around in her pockets for the pair of chopsticks. She found the pair and held it out to him.

"Ch-Chouji-kun, I…I made the same d-dish I f-first made you…a-and I wanted to t-t-t–"

He nodded, understanding what she was asking for, taking the boxes straight to Naruto. Well, this was easier than he thought. She'd been planning on giving them to Naruto this whole time. She was too busy flustering over her words to take notice of him leaving, and he found Naruto sitting where he normally sat. Iruka was arguing with the stand-owner, trying to convince him that he'd pay him back later for once and failing in that endeavor.

Naruto looked over absentmindedly, starving for some ramen, to see Chouji carrying some food. He stared at him, his eyes widened, and he went to him.

"Chouji, where'd all this food come from??"

Chouji smiled, holding it out to him. "Hinata made it. She's been trying her cooking out on me because she's wanted to impress you… She wanted me to try this dish before I gave it to you, but I know all of her cooking is amazing. You'll like it."

"Wait, Hinata likes me?" Naruto blinked, staring at the food, then burst out laughing. "I see what's going on! You like her, Chouji! You're trying to set her up for disappointment so she'll bounce back to you! I've tried it on Sakura so many times! After that whole bit with the milk and Sasuke and getting Sakura to kiss me failed, I tried so many ways of making Sakura see Sasuke was a lost cause!"

Chouji paled, nearly dropping the food. "N-No, Naruto! That's n-not it at all! I really just want to help her out!"

Naruto grinned, knowing that look all too well. "Riiight, Chouji… Say, can we get this finished with? Hinata's a nice girl and all, but I really like Sakura more…"

Chouji frowned. "Naruto, Sakura's a lost cause… It's obvious she likes Sasuke more than you… And she probably always will…"

Naruto laughed. "Chouji, we're only twelve! She'll come around, alright? Everybody changes. Besides, it's time Hinata realizes I'm a lost cause." He sighed, looking up thoughtfully. "Sakura's the only girl for me…"

Chouji grumbled, turning angrier. "You said so yourself people change, so why can't you at least give Hinata a chance!?"

Naruto blinked, taking the food from him. "Alright, Chouji, but it's cruel to do that, you know. If I were to do that and get her hopes up, and I ended up not changing, it'd be more painful that way, don't you think?"

Chouji clenched his fists. "It's better than living with regret, Naruto! I thought you'd know that out of all people! It's healthier if she does this!"

Naruto nodded, glancing at Chouji with slight contempt. "Of course I know that, but it's healthier if she does it herself instead of using you as a messenger boy, right?" He turned back to the food that was apparently meant for him. His eyes softened when he saw the contents of the thermos, a look of delighted surprise covering his face. "Ooooh, ramen!"

Chouji's jaw dropped and he felt a wave of guilt wash over him. Ah, he knew where Naruto was going with this. Naruto was more observant than most people gave him credit for. "She…She didn't ask me to do this…" He kicked the ground with his foot and tugged on his scarf anxiously. What had he done? He'd taken out the most important step for her.

Naruto smiled. "So it is because you're setting her up for disappointment? Because I don't know… If she'd be willing to cook me ramen the rest of my life, I might just change my mind…"

There was a cry behind them, and both boys turned to see Hinata's face paler than it normally was. There was a hand over her mouth and a fist clenched tightly against her chest. In it, the chopsticks looked like they'd break from her death-grip.

Her cheeks suddenly turned pink, and she began to stutter. "Ch-Ch-Chouji-kun… Wh-What…" She sucked in a breath and the chopsticks finally snapped. The second that crack was heard, her entire demeanor changed. Her body relaxed instantly, and her eyes started to water. With tears in her eyes, she started to sob. "I…I didn't m-m-make that food f-for N-N-Naruto-kun… I m-made it for y-y-you!"

Naruto blinked, looking from Chouji back to her. "Wait, but why'd you make it for Chouji? Weren't you just practicing so that you'd cook me something? That's…that's what Chouji said…"

"I…I know… That–That w-w-was why, b-b-b-but I–" She shuddered, choking out another sob, before she turned and ran away. "I…I…need to g-go…"

In that instant, Chouji knew he'd done something that would alter whatever friendship he and Hinata had been forming forever, and it would never be the same.

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Shikamaru looked up at his friend, whom had walked over, looking a wreck. He whistled, turning his gaze back to the sky. "Something happened, didn't it, Chouji?"

Chouji just stared at his hands, feeling his cheeks grow warm and his eyes prickle at the onslaught of tears. "N-N-No… N-Nothing ha-happened…" He chuckled, a bit more forced than usual. "Wh-What m-makes you say…that…?"

Finally Shikamaru sat up, scooting over next to his best friend. "Chouji, if it's about Hinata–"

Chouji broke down, blubbering out his troubles. "H-Hinata… I m-made…I made her cry, Sh-Shikamaru… I d-d-didn't mean to, but…" He grabbed his face, finally feeling the tears worm their way down his cheeks. "I think I… I think I r-ru-ruined our friendship…"

Shikamaru snorted, trying to lighten the conversation. "I hardly think you two would be considered friends. You've only been talking to each other about a week now… Come on, Chouji… So you made her cry… The true test of friendship is whether or not you can work past that, right?"

"R-Right…but…"

"No buts, Chouji. Regardless of the situation, that fact is always true, got it? If the situation is really that terrible for it to be null and void, then it's obvious you weren't a very good friend in the first place." This just made Chouji feel even worse and he started to shake. Shikamaru just rolled his eyes at saying the wrong thing again.

"Look, Chouji…whatever you said or did to Hinata could not have been that bad. You're way too considerate of other people for it to be as terrible as you're making it. Just look at Sasuke and Naruto. They fight all the time, but they're still friends, right? You just had one instance with Hinata, and I know you're more willing to work at getting along than those two idiots. So stop blaming yourself and do something about it, okay?"

Chouji stopped, his eyes starting to dry up. Something stirred in him, and he looked up at Shikamaru, mouth slowly beginning to open. "D-Do something about it?"

Shikamaru smiled, patting his friend on the back. "Make this situation right, Chouji. I know you have it in you."

Chouji stood up, feeling empowered. "Yeah! You're right Shikamaru! I have it in me." He smiled, a bounce in his step again. "I'm going to go tell her how I feel!" He started to walk off, and Shikamaru smiled, nodding his head.

"Yeah, now get out there and tell her how you– Wait, what!?"