Day Four

Hotaru opened a bag of chips sitting on a swing looking at the three kid ninjas in training actually training. She was thinking about the good days back when she was eight laughing with Sakura and Ino though they only picked flowers, not train. When she did train though she was ecstatic to begin; then her parents had her back 100%.

"Hey Hotaru?" She looked up to see a curious brown headed boy softly question her name. Yes, if I win this bet then Hikara owes me! Hotaru gave him the facial expression of asking whats going on. Daiki cleared his throat, "Are you and Shikamaru boyfriend and girlfriend?"

Hotaru just stared, no emotion on her face came. She evaluated over and over in her head at the question. She had NEVER had a boyfriend nor did you personally not care to have one at this age. She just wanted to throw kunai at the enemies ride on a wild boar and run on water. Though here she was being asked about 'relationships'.

"I told you they don't like each other!" Hikara smacked Daiki on the head.

"She's just thinking on what to say," Daiki made Hikara trip as she tried to abruptly turn, her white hair went swinging with the current as she tumbled down.

"ITS NOT MUCH TO THINK ABOUT! ITS EITHER YES OR NO!" Hikara screamed as the two Academy kids butted heads pushing back and forth with clenched fists.

The entire time, the quiet student just watched. Genshe scratched his head and watched silently slightly shaking his head. Little fist and short legs pummeled and kicked with kiddy insults thrown around. Shikamaru stood by watching too only making assumptions in his head on how this could ever and if possibly nearly end. As he watched them, he noticed Hotaru was deep in thought but it couldn't be over him.

Hotaru looked up, "THAT'S IT!"

The two kids stopped fightly immediately and ran up to the older girl, behinds wagging behind them as they shook from left to right pleading over which one was right. Genshe let out a loud breath finally thankful it was all over. Shikamaru's eyes stayed focused on Hotaru's lips. It was silence as Hotaru glanced at everyone.

"No I don't like Shikamaru, well not 'like that' if that's what you guys mean. And you two need to take a break, y'all are going to rip each others heads off." Hotaru wished she would of changed the last sentence because that caused the eager girl to smack her friend and parade around the park with large footsteps saying on how she was the winner. Daiki rolled his eyes in disgust.

Shikamaru on the other hand let out a soft sigh, he was slightly terrified of the possible answer. He wouldn't know what to do if she would of said she liked him. It would of made everything difficult but then again, he began to ponder. I wonder who does like me...wait, that's silly for me to think that. Then again this is the closest I've ever been to a girl before though...

As the three students gathered around Hotaru, as she became the leader asking questions also thinking of ideas, the male shinobi stood back and listened though his mind continued to drift. He was known as being the smart one, able to calculate and figure out things pretty quickly though his laziness hindered him but it was something that was blocking his passage to focus. "No I don't like Shikamaru" that's what she said, but she meant in the other way. I'm sure we're well enough good friends. He bit his lower lift squinting his eyes with arms folded across his chest. He just could not focus.

"Would you looka here..."

Everyone looked up to a girl's voice, though two stood in the view.

"Sakura, Ino...what are you two up to?" Shikamaru snapped back into reality lips slightly poked out as he asked.

"Well nothing actually, just walking around and about, gathering flowers for the shop," The girl with long blonde hair known as Ino glanced over and saw Hotaru running her fingers through her dark hair. Out of curiosity she had to question it, "So how are you love birds doing?"

Hotaru felt her right eye twitch. Here goes this question again. She wanted to be a ninja, not be a wife! She spoke calmly though, "We're nothing like that. Just training and looking after these three shinobi kids." She smiled in the end though her face was blank in her mind.

She looked over at him, he had that look of thinking again.

"Kidding kidding, we all know Shikamaru is too lazy to even think or care for himself, unless he's hungry," Ino joked full of giggles, "Hotaru its good to see you its been a while..." Her voice changed to a serious tone.

Hotaru was slightly upset at herself once again. People always remarking on how it was good to see her or its been a while. If her parents didn't hold her back then this wouldn't be the case. She probably could have been on a Level C ranked mission right now. She clenched her fist but let it fall back down to her side. She just smiled, reached into her little backpack; grabbing a bottle of water she drank her answer away as if she was dying of thirst.

"Well actually, we came here for a reason. I came for flowers and Ino came to get Shikamaru, Lady Tsunade needs their team to go escort someone to the Fire Village." Sakura corrected slightly glaring at Ino for taking up some of their time.

"See you at Lady Tsunade's office, Shikamaru." Ino spoke in the distance as the two teens slowly walked away into the distance.

Shikamaru glanced over at the young trio who surprisingly didn't speak the entire time the small conversation went on. Time was going by, the sun slowly started to set. That meant it was time for everyone to part ways.

As the two teenagers made sure the young ones got to the village safely, Hotaru was jealous of Shikamaru going on a mission. He walked her half way home before leaving to prepare for the night quest. The owl fluttered into the sky; Hotaru envied the freedom.

"Hey..." She spoke softly as they neared the half way point. Shikamaru looked over at her only using his eyes and raising his eyebrows slightly to acknowledge it. "One day...one day soon, take me..."

Shikamaru froze for a second. She was speaking so slowly, he wasn't expecting an answer. He was unsure of what she was going to say. For that one second he spent with that pause in his step, it felt like three minutes rushing by. He gulped, why was he feeling like this. As if he could drop sweat bombs like he just finished a tired battle.

"On a mission...or just far from the village...I want to see how it feels." She finished.

They stood there. She was afraid of the answer, he held a dumb moment on his face.

Shikamaru looked down at the short girl, "I'm not sure...not the type to make deals, bets, or promises."

"It won't hurt...I'm a chuunin for crying out loud! I can do so much..." Hotaru mumbled, she felt hopeless again.

The tiny owl decided to break the silence by landed on the girl's shoulder and staring down Shikamaru. The boy squinted, those huge eyes they both shared just gave him the chills. He didn't blink, just glared at the wild animal until it questioned him with a loud, "WHO?"

"Well on that note, I have to go..." Shikamaru turned and slowly walked back toward the village, "Not sure when I'll be back but tomorrow is Saturday so you have two days off from those troublesome munchkins."

Two days. Hotaru had two days to sit and think; and she only thought two days because she wasn't sure when the Nara boy would return. The moment she turned around the farewell him, he was gone. "How lucky..." she returned home silently, with thoughts consuming her restless mind.

:)) thanks for everyone who is reviewing and even reading it w/o reviewing. i hope everyone likes it! :))) sooo R&R and if any suggestions for the story are suggested, i'll put it in