Whew, finally, vacation! Sorry for the very late update! I thought I could write as soon as my exams ended, but my theatre club teach' made me to 'translate' some old Indonesian script into English. Well, he call that translating, I call that decoding. --;

Thank you to all who reviewed and read this fic and still willing to continue. And if you have time, please read my other fic, "My Troulesome Princess", ShikaTema fic.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

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Chapter 10: Schemes

"Kakashi-sensei!!!"

Kakashi looked above his book. Some teachers were about to explode; their faces are all red. Kakashi's mind sighed, 'so, they have started it.' But then, he just plastered a smile on his face and asked, "What's the matter?"

"Don't tell me you don't know!"

Kakashi sighed, "So, what did they do?"

"Balm," Genma answered calmly, but his tone showing anger and pain, "they put some super hot balm on our seat at their class."

Kakashi can't help to twitch and sweat dropped while Asuma, who wasn't a victim, was laughing his head off, "hey, it's better than that dei- I forgot his name."

"It's Deidara. Hell, it's more painful than it looks, you know," Genma grumbled.

"Ah yes, whatever. Too bad, I don't teach in their class today and I will stay out of the chairs, thanks for the advice," Asuma replied with a grin, before sipping a glass of water and spit it out, unfortunately, at Kurenai's face.

"Asuma-sensei, I hope you could give me a good explanation," All of the teachers shuddered at the sight of angry Kurenai.

"I-it was the water!" Asuma answered in fear.

Too bad the answer didn't satisfy Kurenai… "You had better give a better explanation than that."

"B-but it's true!!! Arrgh, don't kill meeeeee!!!"

The rest of the teacher sweat dropped, and though they pity Asuma, no one dared to face the angry Kurenai. While the teachers back to their previous activities, Kakashi tasted the water from the dispenser. He twitched and shouted, "everyone, throw away your water! Somebody had put salt- I mean a lot of salt into the dispenser!"

That saved Asuma from the wrath of Kurenai-sensei for sure…

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Meanwhile, in front of the teacher's office…

"Does it work?" Kiba asked. Naruto gave a thumb-up and they both grinned in satisfaction.

"Well, thanks to Naruto's super stealing ability that we could snatch the keys and have Sasuke to make a duplicate," Shino said coolly.

Sasuke just smirked at the last comment and turned at Neji, "How's the preparation for our next plan?"

"Well, since Hinata-sama wasn't able to get Yamanaka's dreadful cake, I suppose I'll use the one I snatched last week and have one of our maids to do the icing,"

"Well, that's better, isn't it? It will have greater effect," Naruto suddenly butted in. Well, the number one rule in the strategy meeting is no idiot is allowed to join the strategy meeting, if you catch my drift…

"The cakes she made is more hazardous when it's still fresh, you know. And by the way, read the strategy meeting rule number one again, dobe!"

"I've read it for million times. So what?"

"That rule applies to you, idiot."

"What?! Sasuke, you beep!"

"Oi, you two, they'll find us if you are too loud," Neji stopped them just in time.

"Right, so, let's get back to the plan. Who'll give the cake? Definitely not us," Sasuke said, back into his serious and cool mode.

"Well, we can just put it on his desk," Kiba said.

"No, I don't think he's stupid enough to eat the cake without feeling suspicious," Neji said, shaking his head.

"So, who's gonna give the cake?"

"How about asking one of you fangirls?"

"And then date them in change? Kiba, that's the most ridiculous plan I've ever heard."

"sigh It seems we need to put that aside and scheme a new plan…"

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Sakura was walking to the library when she spotted Shikamaru. She smiled and greeted him, "Hi, Shikamaru-kun, how's the interview going?"

"It's so troublesome. That stupid sensei didn't say anything about motivation and quality test."

"Eh? So…" Inner Sakura: 'Don't tell me that you messed up! You have to win, you dolt, or I'll fry you alive!'

"It's troublesome, but since everyone decided to torture me if I lose (including you), I gave my best shot." Shikamaru did take the message, "Well, maybe not the motivation thing."

"I see. Good luck then!"

By then, Shikamaru had left but he waved his right hand. Sakura took it as a thanks and then proceed walking to the library where she spotted Sasuke was sleeping there on the corner.

'That jerk… he'll catch a cold if he sleep here…' Sakura's mind sighed. She was about to wake him up when she thought again, 'and why should I care about him?!'

'Coz' you begin to develop some special feelings for him, ne?' Inner Sakura decided to play for a while.

'Shut up!' Sakura shouted and whacked her inner self. She looked at Sasuke again, then thinking unconsciously, smiling, 'hmm, he does look cute when he isn't in his I-am-the-coolest state.' But when she realized what she had just thought, she blushed, really red.

'What am I thinking, calling him "cute"?'

'Woo hoo, you're blushing. Sakura and Sasuke sitting on a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G'

"Argh, just shut up!"

"Huh?"

Sakura blinked. 'Oh s, I spit it out loud'

'And woke the great Uchiha Sasuke up. Uh oh, I hope he could tolerate the ones who disturb his sleep'

'And whose fault was that?'

'Uh, excuse me, miss, you're the one who shouted.'

"Oi!" that snapped Sakura back to reality. "Uh, hi Uchiha-kun."

"Don't 'hi' me," Sasuke said in an annoyed tone, "what's with the loud voice? You're the second last person I think will shout in the library" The last person would be, of course, Neji…

Sakura looked away, trying to avoid his gaze, "Nothing, just thinking." And then she turned back, "Why are you sleeping here by the way?"

"Where else I could have a peaceful sleep?"

"Library is a place for reading, Uchiha-kun," Sakura stated in sarcastic way, "And you'll catch a cold if you sleep here."

"Ohh, that's so nice of you, Pinky…"

"Can't you just please call me by my proper name?"

"Nope."

"Fine."

Sakura turned back, trying to leave. But before she reached the door, Sasuke grabbed her hand.

"W-what?"

"Where do you think you're going?" Sasuke's tone sure sounded dangerous. Sakura shuddered, but she encouraged herself to reply, "to the class."

Sasuke released Sakura, then he looked away, muttering an "oh." Sakura couldn't help to feel curious and concerned.

"Uchiha-kun?"

"…" was the reply. Sakura sighed, oh how she hated him, he was so unpredictable. She made it to the door, this time without anyone grabbing her hand or trying to stop her. Just after she left the room, Sasuke whispered softly, "Sakura…"

Whether Sakura heard this or not, a smile and a shade of pink on her cheek explained all.

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A week later…

"N-naruto-k-kun."

Naruto turned back to see the shivering Hinata behind him. He gave his usual fox grin and greet her back, "hi, Hinata-chan."

"Um, ano, uh, I-I… I heard y-you are having a… a friendly m-match, so… uh, I…"

"Oh, are you going to watch us?"

"Y-yes, uh…" Hinata's confused mind: 'what should I say? What should I say? Good luck? Fight? Uhh, get a hattrick? No, that's too… um, please be careful? No, not good.'

"Hinata-chan?" Hinata jumped and answered, "y-yes?"

Naruto grinned and raised his fist, "I'll kick their asses, just watch, I'll score ten goals." Hinata blinked at his remark, "b-but N-naruto-kun, I-it's soccer that y-you are going to p-play…" seeing Naruto's disappointed face, she quickly added, "b-but if Naruto-kun s-say so, I-I think y-you c-can do it. I-I… I believe that you will score at least a goal!" And just after she finished her last sentence, Hinata's face became redder than tomato.

"Thanks, Hinata-chan." Hinata blinked. Naruto sounded a lot of softer than usual, making her face even redder if still possible. "Y-you are w-welcome."

"I really meant it," Naruto said, still in a soft tone, "you know, everyone always laughed and call me an idiot every time I said something like that."

Then, with his usual energetic tone, Naruto added, "Yosh, all of my goals today would be dedicated to you, Hinata-chan!"

Hinata fainted just after hearing that.

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Almost the same time at Suna High School…

"So, that's the plan."

"Che, no matter how many times I hear it, I can never like the plan."

A loud whack could be heard. "No one likes the plan, stop complaining already!"

"But I don't really get it, Baki-sensei, why do we have to swallow our pride just to help the Sound?"

"It's the headmaster's decision."

"That's what I don't understand."

"Kankuro!"

"It's alright, Temari. You see, this school was once the pride of the Suna City as it was the best school. Unfortunately, the new mayor sent most of our talented students to Konoha using the reason to improve our quality. You see, we may be the best school, but some thinks that Konoha's surroundings and method of teaching are better than ours so they eventually move to Konoha and in no time, our status as the best school moved to Konoha."

"But, why using this way?"

"If they fail to reach the national tournament, it will affect the school's status."

"Whatever it is, I think it will affect our school greatly too…"

"As long as they don't find out that we do it on purpose, we'll be okay. And that's why we need someone like you, Gaara…"

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"Ne, Sasuke-kun…"

Sasuke twitched and looked at his seatmate. Did he just hear her call him by his first name?

"What's with you today? And don't call me that, you'll sound like those annoying fan girls."

"So, how would you like me to call you, Sasuke-chan?" Sasuke immediately sent her his death glare, which Sakura took as a no, "Okay then, how about just Sasuke? Or do you prefer me calling you Jerk?"

"Sasuke is fine. So what's with all of this name-calling?"

"I figured we should stop these insulting if we want to have a better school life."

"That's such nice words, P-"

"So I thought you should stop calling me that. Let's see… Call me Sakura-san!"

Sasuke's eyebrow furrowed as he immediately said, "no. I'll sound like Lee."

"Then, Sakura-chan?"

"No, that'll sound like that Dobe. Forget it, I'll just call you Pinky." Sakura raised her fist, while Sasuke put an oh-I'm-so-sacred face, mockingly of course. When Sakura was going to call him "Jerk", she heard a cough, "I suppose, you two could continue at the break time."

Sakura and Sasuke twitched and then blushed. Kakashi was sitting on the desk, reading his usual favorite book, while their fans were shooting death glares.

'This is interesting, almost the same as the one I'm reading,' Kakashi's mind chuckled.

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Shikamaru sighed for the thirty-eighth time that day. Being a candidate for the student committee president was a pain, or so he thought. He couldn't understand how Naruto and Kiba always complaining about how lucky he were to be able to skip lessons without being scolded. At least they were able to take a nap in the class, while he would be roasted alive if he dared to lay his head on the table since he would be immediately disqualified.

He was thinking about going to the roof for watching the clouds when he heard a fuss outside. He decided to take a peek so he changed his route to the front gate.

The front gate was full when he arrived. Most of the students were girls and they were screaming hysterically, the same scream they used when they saw either Uchiha or Hyuga.

"He's sooo cool. What's his name?"

"Yeah, who would have thought that there is someone as cool as him in Suna?"

Shikamaru quickly figured out from the girls screaming, 'Oh yeah, the soccer team is going to have a friendly match with Suna high school today.' Then, looking at the sky he grinned, 'well, I guess it wouldn't be too troublesome to watch them.' The grin, though, didn't last too long as the crowd was getting bigger and Shikamaru quickly made an escape before he got squeezed.

"Damn," he grunted on the way through the empty corridor leading to the football field, "troublesome women."

Just his luck, a girl in front of him, whom he didn't notice before, slapped him immediately. Shikamaru twitched. He observed the girl. No, he didn't recall seeing her before. 'But her face when she's mad resembles my mom,' he thought before noticing her uniform, 'it's different from ours. Oh wait, the emblem said-'

SLAP!! He got another one and before he asked what was her problem he heard her muttering under her breath, "pervert.'

"Hey, I didn't mean to stare at your breast you know!" Shikamaru defended himself; "I was wondering who are you since your uniform is different from ours."

The girl gave a "humph" before introducing herself, "Temari. Temari of the Sand, President of Suna High School's student committee."

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Tbc

Btw, the prank the class did was what my father did, but change the super hot balm into chili and when he told me that I didn't believe it was that painful until my math teacher started to look uneasy and finally asked angrily, "who put some balm on my chair?!" Eventually I figured that he did the same on his teacher using the super hot balm. My father was even worse, though, he also put some in the water basin at the teacher's toilet. I was the only one who didn't got caught, but I admitted it when I was already graduated so my teacher wouldn't be able to do any revenge.

R&R!