Enjoy... :]

Chapter 5 – Opening Up

I finished getting ready and when i went to the door i saw Asuma standing at my door with a really big grin on his face.

"Good morning." i smiled back at him. I leaned forward and he held a thumb up.

"Good morning, little Ame." he stated back. "Come, i'll walk with you to the training grounds."

"Oh, so Tsunade already told you?" i asked as I stepped out the front and closed the door behind me. He nodded and we headed out.

"Okay, so heads up on the other members." Asuma started. "Of course, you know Chouji. Ino is not exactly as skilled, but she does have the power to do mind transfer."

"Weak, shes weak!" I yelled out evilly. Asume looked down at me with a smile and sweat drop. I laughed evilly as well and he patted my back.

"Now, now, Ame. Don't be like that to others. Even if they did it to you, its best that you don't do it back. It could make situations worst." Asuma stated. I sighed with disappointment. What a letdown.

"And lastly, Shikamaru is-"

"Ahh, i hate him." i stated instantly after hearing that name. "He's always with Chouji.." I pouted and looked to the side.

"Well, i heard that when you left, Chouji became lonely and more people teased him. People were saying that you left him because he was, well chubby, and weak." He started to explain. My eyes widened and anger started building up inside.

"How dare they treat Chouji like that!" I shouted in frustration. Asuma looked down at me with a concerned look and then he looked up to the side.

"But then Shikamaru felt sorry and befriended him." He explained without looking at me. I instantly looked at him and I started getting light headed from all the random emotions just bursting in and out. "I think it was very nice of Shikamaru, or Chouji would have been alone for a long time."

"Well, i don't care.." i lied softly. I actually did care. Im so glad Shikamaru became friends with my best friend. Its true that if Shikamaru didn't be his friend, Chouji would have been lonely. I looked at Asuma and saw him smirking at me. "W-What?" He shook his head and smiled.

"Anyways, Shikamaru is a very lazy but a very smart student. He's usually the ones to come up with a strategy, if anything else doesn't really work." Asuma explained as he placed on hand in his pants pocket.

"Smarter than you?" i asked randomly with a sly look on my face. Asuma moved back a bit with a nervous smile and a sweat drop.

"Ah, i don't know about that." He laughed nervously. I smirked at him and thought of something evil.

"So-"

"Im very aware that youre very strong now." He stated as he avoided what I was going to say next. "Tsunade informed me, but told me not to tell anyone. Are you going to tell Chouji?"

"Chouji already knows, i guess." i answered going along with him. After all, it was a serious thing for me, since hes my best friend and all. "I told him that i was gone for 6 years to train and that i could protect myself now, but.."

"But..?" he questioned as he gave full attention to me. I looked down, to the side.

"Im just not ready to tell others and Chouji that i don't want to use my full strength and abilty." i replied slowly. He gave me a look and looked straight.

"Why is that?" he simply asked.

"Well, if i told them, it would feel like i was bragging. Then others might hate me more, knowing that i went ahead of them. I don't want them to hate me more than they already do." i said sadly.

"No, i don't think that they would do that, but they probably would expect you to protect them more." I looked at Asuma and he had a warm smile, so i couldn't help but smile back.

...

"Okay. Today we will do partner training." Asuma stated while I was sitting with Chouji. Shikmaru was laying down just a few inches away from us, but Ino was insulting me from a distance..

'Let me be with Chouji.' I thought as I closed my eyes tight, hoping my very best. But Asuma just had to tease me, didn't he, because I caught a glimpse of a smirk towards me. Pft, like I was going to do anything.

"Partners will be Chouji with Ino, and Shikamaru with Ame." he finally announced. My mouth dropped and I stared at him.

"What!" i yelled in shock as I glared at Asuma. He slightly rubbed the back of his head. "Youre kidding."

"Nope." he said with a smile. I looked at him annoyed and Shikamaru walked up to me with a sigh. I looked at Shikamaru from the side of my eye.

"Well, do your best." he stated as he stuck out his hand to shake. I was shocked at first and i didn't do anything but look at it.

"I don't want to do training, you can do it yourself." i said as i crossed my arm and looked to the side. I looked at Shikamaru from the corner of my and I saw him walk off.

"Okay.." he stated as he sat on a bench and i walked over to Chouji. I cupped my hands around my mouth and started yelling and pumping my arm in the air.

"Do your best Chouji!" i cried as i watched him with a big smile. Chouji was very successful with dodging Ino's mind transferring.

Shikamaru's POV

I watched Ame as she cheered Chouji. I sighed and leaned back on the bench placing my hands behind my head.

"Whats with her? Im only trying to be her friend." i whispered to myself as I looked at Ame and then back at the fight..

"I don't think Ame hates you exactly." i heard my favorite but troublesome teacher. I looked to my side and saw Asuma sitting down next to me. He was smoking a cig and I narrowed my eyes and looked back at them.

"I think she really hates me." I mumbled looking to the side. "Shes just one big bundle of trouble."

"I told her that you became friends with Chouji otherwise he would have been lonely." He explained. Its true, I had heard that Chouji had a best friend within one week. However, a few days later, I heard that she left him alone because he was fat and a weakling. "She said she didn't care."

"See, Troublesome Girl." i stated as I narrowed my eyes again. I don't see how she was a weak girl. Shes got a big mouth right now. Six years, really did it.

"But i sensed a bit of a lie in that sentence." he confessed continued. I looked at him for a bit as he said something again. "I think she really appreciated you for being friends with Chouji. She didn't want Chouji to be lonely while she was gone, so i knew that she lied about not caring. I actually bet, shes thankful to you, but won't admit it."

I didn't know what to say after that. I watched Ame put a warm smile towards Chouji and all of a sudden i remembered yesterday. I listened to her read that note The Third Hokage made for her and she burst into tears. I remember she punched my chest rapidly and when i said sorry, she hugged me. I felt sorry for her so i didn't hesitate to hug her back.

"She just needs time to get use to you." Asuma stated suddenly with a big cheesy grin.

"i know that." i mumbled. Asuma smiled and i looked away.

... Ame's POV

"Good job Chouji!" i cried as he walked up to me with a few scratches. I stuck my tongue out at Ino and she stumped over to me. I pretended to ignore her as I smiled and praised Chouji.

"Do you really want to come at me, weakling!" she cried. Chouji stopped moving to look at me, but i continued to help Chouji bandage himself. I didn't smile anymore, but I was doing it calmly and still ignoring her. "Well?"

"Chouji was the one that beat you. Im just supporting him." i said calmly without looking at her. Chouji was surprised at what I said and held his arm up to stop me from saying anything else that would make her mad.

"Why you!" she yelled as she pushed me to the ground violently. I stared at Chouji and then I looked away.

"Is that all your going to do? Just push me to the ground?" i asked for I couldn't stop myself from doing that. Back when I was little, I could only talk back to the girls, in fear though, while for the boys, I was terrified. As most people would say, that boys are much stronger than girls. So the girls were the only ones that I could ever talk back in such manner.

"Youre not even worth it." she stated as she kicked dirt at me. "You should have never came back if youre just going to get yourself beat up." From my peripheral vision, I saw Ino raise her arm with a balled fist. I closed my eyes getting ready to feel the very common attacks.

"Ino!" Asuma suddenly yelled. My eyes opened wide and I saw Asuma and Shikmaru around me as well. "Don't talk to her like that."

"But-"

"No, thats enough." he stated angrily. Ino stormed out of the training grounds and Chouji helped me up with a concerned look.

"Are you okay?" Shikamaru asked as he went to grab my arm but I smacked his hand away. I hid my eyes with my bangs and turned to face Chouji.

"You don't need to ask me." i said as I continued bandaging him up, but he held both my shoulders and slightly shook me.

"Why didn't you fight back?" he asked with a serious and hurt tone. I covered my eyes with bangs again and looked to the side. "It sounded like you wanted her to beat you up."

"I talked back." i replied defending myself from Chouji's anger. He slightly gripped my shoulders and I quietly winced.

"But she pushed you, and talked to you like you were nothing." Chouji cried. His voice and the way he held me showed my just how much Chouji was mad and hurt.

"I just didn't want to hurt her." i said as i looked to the side. I didn't want to look at Chouji knowing he's mad at me.

"Tell me, Ame. Tell me why.." Chouji begged. I sighed and looked at Asuma and then looked back down.

"Asuma will tell you, why." i said as i walked away to a bench.

...

"Im sorry, Ame!" Chouji cried as he hugged me tightly. I patted his back slightly.

"I-its okay, Chouji." i said smiling a bit. He was mad, and now hes apologizing.

"No, its not! I got mad at you without know the reason. I promise i won't tell anyone about your improvement." he promised as he gave me a whinny look. I smiled.

"I won't either." I heard Shikamaru say. I looked at him as i hugged Chouji.

"Well, good. I'd appreciate that." i said without looking at him. However, I saw Shikamaru smile so I smirked. "Pineapple Head." I then saw him frown and i slightly giggled.

"Shikamaru come get a hug as well." Chouji offered as he stuck his arm out in his direction. "A group hug."

"Ch-Chouji." I stuttered as I looked at him with a sweat drop. Shikmaru also looked uneasy about it. Im guessing he wasn't that type of person either.

"Its okay, right?" he asked me giving me another undeniable look. I loved Chouji so if he wanted it like that then i was okay with it.

"Fine." i said looked away. Shikamaru then sighed.

"No, its okay." he stated with his eyes closed and a hand up in defence.

'Yeah. Way to go Shikamaru.' I thought as i smiled to myself facing away from the group.

"No, come one. I insist." Chouji asked spreading his arm out even more. I cried invisible fake tears.

'Ch-Chouji...' I thought as i smiled nervously.

"Chouji. You know i don't do this kind of thing." Shikamaru complained as he slightly shook his head again.

"Well, now you do." he said as Chouji grabbed his arm and pulled him in. Once Shikamaru was in the little circle, i noticed Shikamaru hug Chouij. I smiled as Chouji hugged Shikamaru back. Then i felt a hand over my waist. I noticed it was Shikamaru's. When i went to look at Shikamaru, he wasn't looking at me but smiling sheepishly at Chouji.

'Should i?' I thought as I looked at them who were both happy. I sighed. 'I'll ignore it later.' In that moment, i brought my arm to Shikamaru's shoulder and we all started laughing and smiling.

Thats it for this chapter. Good, no? Anyways i hope you enjoyed. R&R? Byes ! :]