"I'm not sure," answered Shikamaru who was still heavily on his guard. He glanced in Temari's direction and in shock; he discovered that Ino was in control of his own bodyguard.

"Ino let her go. . . This is getting too troublesome," he muttered, "Why are you doing this? This is not the way."

Various expressions flitted across the face of Temari, and Ino released the Mind Transfer Jutsu and returned to her own body reluctantly.

Quickly Shikamaru caught Temari in his arms and let go of the Shadows. She stilled in his arms for only a mere second and pushed him off.

"I'm fine," she snapped feeling frustrated by falling for Ino's trickery. She pulled her fan shut and glared at Ino and Sakura.

They vanished and Shikamaru sighed in relief as he turned to the Sand Nin. She was frowning and muttering under her breath.

Standing in front of the doorway,Temari knocked on Shikamaru's door with a fierce rapping with her knuckles and Shikamaru's father stood there and took in the sight of the girl who had defeated Shikamaru during the Chuunin Exams, beside his son.

"Who's this? Your girlfriend perhaps?" asked the older Nara who sounded surprised.

"Just a bodyguard," Shikamaru started slowly not wanting to explain he was being protected by a girl.

"I'm defending him from his recently discovered fan club. He'll never survive otherwise. Is it okay that I stay here for my job acquirements?" questioned Temari in a firm but polite voice.

"Is that right? I suggest Shikamaru go upstairs and prepare the guestroom," ordered a strict feminine voice from behind Shikamaru's dad

"Okay, okay," answered Shikamaru in a lazy tone.

"Make that 'yes' and at once," demanded his mom with her fluffy pink apron tied around her waist.

"Ugh . . . Just as I came in . . . Nag . . . Nag. . . Nag. . What a way to end the day," he mumbled just loud enough for Temari to snicker at. He hurried up the stairs as his mom gave him a glare.

The woman with the aggressive expression rapidly changed her personality into the perfect host.

"How are you? I hope you aren't having a problem keeping Shikamaru in shape," she said smiling brilliantly.

"Hopefully, I won't have to worry about that," Temari answered as she started walking up the stairs where Shikamaru motioned for her to come.

"Here's your room. It was such a pain to clean it up," he complained.

"Thanks Shika," she grinned as he raised his eyebrows. She laughed at that and closed the door behind her.

"Tch . . . How troublesome."

In the middle of the night where he had always slept peacefully, Shikamaru kept tossing and turning as he dreamed of difficult choices and reasons for them. And the choice was between two blonds. But easily he picked the one who understood him the most, and he gazed into her eyes until he was lost in its teal gaze.

Shikamaru woke up, sweat on his forehead and he wiped it up with the back of his hand. Carefully easing himself out of bed, he grabbed fresh clean clothes from his dresser and entered the hallway bathroom.

Elsewhere Temari had already dressed in her daily outfit since she had woken earlier than he had.

"Where is my fan?" she muttered as she searched everywhere in her room. Supposedly it was the guestroom but at the moment she didn't care, "Where is it!?"

She almost slapped herself for her stupidity as she remembered she had left it by the sink in the bathroom. Why had she even carried her fan in there?

She stomped off into the hallway, yanked on the door, and stilled in the doorway.

Shikamaru had only a towel around his waist and his dark hair was wet and clinging to his broad shoulders. Together it made him look mysteries and his eyes even darker.

"Hmm. I guess you are a hottie," she purred teasingly, "And maybe you need your first kiss."

Temari pulled his face inches to her and directly put her lips on his and kissed him deeply. She let go and smiled.

"There, all done. I think that's my good deed for the day," she told him as if it meant nothing. She grabbed her fan and walked calmly out.

In shock, he watched her leave and thought that it might have been a good thing she was three years older or otherwise he would have to worry about her turning fangirl. Slightly disappointed by these thoughts, he focused his attention on that sweet kiss he had received.

Temari traveled downstairs to wait on him, since she knew he would not dare go outside without her, considering all the fangirls all about. But she pondered over that kiss and felt like an idiot. She should have never even done it, yet her emotions had flown away with her and she couldn't resist even though he was three years younger. Though she had to admit he was much more mature than the guys her age.

Yet even though she shouldn't have, she dreamily remembered how it felt, although Shikamaru had been in shock to even respond properly. She sighed to herself thinking that this mission got a little bit harder. How was she to face him now? Quickly she decided to forget all about it and treat this job like any other one.