*6 years later*
(Where the story really begins...)

Shikamaru's POV

"I don't get it," I drawled while looking towards the cloudless sky, "Why do people always have to entertain the thought that you and I have a "thing" going on? Troublesome." Temari kept her eyes forward and shrugged.

"I don't get it either," I think she was irritated by the stares we were getting, "I'd never go with a guy like you. You're not old enough, and, definetly not mature enough. It's so annoying. And, what's worse, is that no one ever asks us if we're together, they just assume." I decided to look around us, people were staring, whispering, and laughing about whatever they were whispering about. I couldn't make any sense of the thought of she and I ever having a more than friendly relationship towards each other. Temari's my friend, like the older sibling I never had, I don't see her as anything more, or anything less and she feels the same way. Well, minus the fact that she already has two brothers.

It had started of like every other day since Naruto brought Sasuke back to the village, in other words, everything was the same other than the fact that Uchiha was back in town. So, like I said, like every other day. While making my way about Konoha, I felt like I was forgetting something...or someone. I shrugged the feeling away, trying to remember would take to much brain power. When, of course, out of nowhere I hear my name being yelled out, then it hit me; Temari was visiting today. I don't know why I'd forgotten, I usually remember the days that she visits, just so she doesn't screech my ears off because listening to her yell, and I quote, "Are you serious Shikamaru! I've been waiting for two hours! Hours!...What do you mean go looking for you! ...I'm the girl! You're the one that's supposed to look for me!"...Troublesome. Ladies, let me give you some words of wisdom...Sometimes you'll have to be the patient one. Anyway, like we always did when she came to visit, we walked around town, stopped at a couple of shops, ate lunch, you know, the kinds of things that two friends do. But, no! Everyone, including my friends, think that she and I like each other. Troublesome.

"You know, Shikamaru," she was still talking apparently, I decided to zone in, "maybe, if your lazy ass had a girlfriend, no one would think you like me. I mean, you haven't even had a girlfriend and you're 17 years old!"

"You didn't have to yell that last part out," I informed her, "besides, girls are to much work to keep happy."

"Shikamaru," she looked at me, "are you gay?" I sighed.

"You know I'm not." She just laughed.

"Then get yourself a girl! You don't have to worry about any life threatening attacks now that that Uzumaki kid beat the bad guys!"

"Well," I was a bit irritated, "how about you, eh? Get a boyfriend...Making me do all my work..."

"That's the thing...I already do have a boyfriend, back in Suna."

"Then tell that to everyone here in Konoha, then they'll leave me alone."

"Look," she was getting serious, "if I tell everyone that I have a boyfriend right now, they'll think that I dissed you and that you're heartbroken. If they think you're heartbroken then they'll continuously bother you, saying that they just want to cheer you up." I sighed again, she was technically right, that's how people acted when they found out that Ino and Chouji got together, everyone thought I had a thing for her, which I didn't. In fact, I'm happy for the two of them. He's lucky, she maybe bothersome on many different levels, but, being able to get her made him confident in himself. She's luckier, I'd say, because she found someone that truely loves her for who she is, not the way she looks, he's good for her. "Now," I didn't notice she was still talking, "tell me. Do you have your heart set on anyone?" I had to think for a second.

"No."

"Oh, come on!" she got frustrated, "You have to tell me! It's the only way to solve this problem! Now, tell me!" I sighed for about the hunderth time that day, 'I guess there's no getting around this...'

"Fine," I started, "there was this one girl. I did feel...differently towards her, but, that was years ago."

"Awww..."

"I didn't even really know her to well and still don't. I doubt she'd want to go out with me. She has more promising suiters, like that Hyuu-"

"Stop!" she cut me off, "Ok, look, girls like confident guys! Don't act like that! And, since this "promising suiter" is that Hyuuga kid, I'm guessing that this "one girl" is TenTen." I nodded, there was no point in hiding anything from Temari, she'd force you're secrets out of you if you didn't tell her.

"You can see my predicament now..." I said knowingly. She laughed, "What?" 'Women...'

"Me and TenTen have been friends since after our match during the chuunin exams," she continued to laugh, "and I know for a fact that she and Hyuuga are just friends. They're close, no denying that, but, they're more like sibilings, trust me." Well, that was a relief.

"It doesn't change the fact that she isn't and probably won't be into me." Why do I constantly put myself down when it comes to this kind of stuff? She laughed again.

"Oh, really?" she looked at me and smiled a...creepy smile, "Because, if I remember correctly when I was talking to her a while back, she called you cute." What?

"What?"

"It's true," she mused, "we had been talking about the match you and I had during the Chuunin exams. She said, and I quote, 'I have to admit, he's really smart and he's actually cute. It's hard to find that in a guy in today's society.' Which means, you have chance."

"I need your help then." I barely knew TenTen, I needed advice from someone that did.

"Look," she gave me a sturn expression, "I know both of you. She's not the type to be swoon over by a guy the second she lays eyes on him. You're gonna have to work pretty hard to get her to fall for you, but, remember you have to be yourself."

"Tch." I looked at her, "That's all the advice I get?"

"Yeah," she smiled, "trust me, she's worth the hard work. Just, get to know her first." Troublesome.

"Yeah, yeah." I looked towards the sky once more, it was odd, clouds came out from no where.

"Well, then," I hadn't realized we made it to where she'll be staying, "I'm heading in now. Looks like it's gonna rain. Sayonara and good luck." she walked into the building.

I turned on my heel and began to stroll home, slowly. I was in no big rush, besides, this way I had more time to think. Sadly, all I could think about was her. No, not Temari. TenTen. She plagued my mind. She had called me cute? Interesting. I couldn't help but let my mind wonder. I thought about the day we met and how we didn't speak until several years after that day. That day...it was a nice day, when I thought about it. Not because I met her, but, because the clouds seemed perfect. Weirdly enough though, it began to rain on my way back home. I remembered seeing girls whine and run home from the fear of their hair getting messed up, then there was her. She was just walking, taking her time, and stepping in the biggest puddles she could find. I sighed at the thought of this memory, I don't know why we hadn't really talked since she graduated. Oh, well. Just then, it started to pour water from the clouds. I looked up and silently cursed the clouds for not being able to hold the water in until after I got home. I decided to speed up my pace, I like rain, but, it felt like I was standing underneath a waterfall.

Normal POV:

Though he did speed up his pace, he was still walking rather slow. The villagers, on the other hand, were scurrying home. He dodged an incoming kid and ended up knocking over another person.

"Oh," he said lazily, "I'm sorry." He didn't bother asking the person if they needed help, he was trying to get home, so, he stepped around the person and started off.

"That's not very nice, Shikamaru!" yelled the person who was, for some odd reason, still sitting on the ground. He stopped at the sound of his name, and, the sound of their voice.

"TenTen?" he turned around. He was, indeed, correct. Only a few steps away from him, on the ground, was a girl with her brown bangs stuck to her face and a smile that could make anyone's heart melt.

"You're supposed to help me up." she said, a bit demanding.

"Not if I don't want to." 'That brings back memories.." he thought right after he'd spoken. She pouted and tried to get up before she slipped in the mud and fell back down on her butt. He tried not to laugh, 'how graceful..' He stuck out his hand. "Come on." She looked at him and smiled before taking his hand. Oddly enough, she didn't take his hand so that she could get up from the muddy ground, she grabbed his hand and yanked him down next to her.

"Hahahaha!" she laughed. He had landed face first into the mud. 'What just happened?'

"Ey, what was that for?"

"I-I don't know," she looked like she couldn't breathe, "b-but it w-was so funny!" He couldn't believe it, this girl dragged him in the mud. He looked around to make sure no one was around, 'good,' then he grabbed a handful of mud and place it on top of her head. She stopped laughing. "...my hair."

"The color matches." he stated as he got up lazily from the mud. 'I'm gonna have to take a shower again today...'

"Mud..in my hair..." she gave him her best puppy dog look, "...Shikamaru?"

"Hm?" he turned around, trying to avoid how annoyingly cute she was at the moment. But, she just got up and stepped in front of him, with that look.

"May I go to your house to wash this out?" she pointed to the mud sitting a top her head, "If I don't get it out soon, it'll dry, and my home is to far from here, so, may I?" He looked at her and thought for a moment. Then he began to walk past her. She turned and watched him slowly stroll. "Shikamaru?"

"Troublesome woman," he stopped, looked at her, and sighed, "come on." She smiled and walked closely behind him. 'How do I explain this to mom?'