A/N: I recently re-watched the part where Asuma died since my friend was over and she wanted to watch it. I cried! Omg it was so touching, especially the part where Shikamaru was talking with his almost-dead sensei. Asume died, leaving behind an unborn child and a wife! Why did he have to die? It was so sad...
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Asuma would have lived and have cute baby twins with Kurenai!
It had been a few days since they had passed the Gennin test. It didn't make much difference to Chiaki though; it just meant that her time to betray the leaf village was getting closer and closer.
Now, she was at the Konoha library, trying to kill some time before it was time to meet her sensei. Actually, the appointment with her sensei was 2 hours ago, but she knew her sensei wasn't there yet. She glanced briefly at the clock, which read 10.41 am. According to Kakashi time, she would have 1 hour and 19 minutes left before her sensei finally decides to leave the KIA stone and head for their appointment place.
She sighed in boredom. Just then, a book caught her eye. It read, "Ten thousand shogi problems – For the really advanced." She reached her hand out to take the book when another hand intercepted it.
She glanced coolly to her side and recognised the distinct pineapple hairstyle immediately. Nara Shikamaru, the second genius in the class. He looked at her and mumbled, "How troublesome."
Chiaki debated on whether to give the book up to him. If she did, she would avoid lots of conflict but she would be bored for the next 1 hour and 19 minute. From the looks of it, the other party also wasn't willing to give the book up too.
"Let's share it." Both of them said at the same time. Talk about great minds thinking alike.
The duo sat down on and started reading the book. After 3 seconds of examining the first problem, both of them simultaneously mumbled, "G7" and looked at each other.
"You're good in this." Shikamaru smirked.
"So are you." Chiaki replied indifferently. "I've been playing for years." She lied in order not to attract attention. In truth, she had just learnt it when she came to Konoha.
"Hmm…" Shikamaru replied as they flipped the page.
"H1" both of them said at the same time, again.
Chiaki flipped the page and the next question read, "Problem 3, extremely advanced. For the shogi masters. Thinking time: 5 minutes."
38 seconds later, both of them called "B9!" in unison.
By then, both of them could not hold in their laughter.
"Hahahaha!" they burst out laughing, which was met with many angry glares from the librarian.
"You're good! No one made me laugh so hard before." Shikamaru smiled.
"You're really interesting too, Nara." Chiaki said as she wiped away the tears from her eyes.
"I didn't know you were that good in Shogi. You were always so quiet in class."
"Did I just hear that coming from someone who always falls asleep 3 minutes from entering the class?"
"…so troublesome…"
Chiaki smirked. "Is that your favourite line or something? Everything just seems so troublesome to you." She eyed his headband which was pinned on his arm. "Maybe it was too "troublesome" to put on your headband everyday too?"
"Maybe." He sighed as he stared at the clouds. "Life is so boring sometimes that it becomes so troublesome."
"Really? What is your purpose in life?" Chiaki asked while thinking, "I agree! Sometimes you find yourself asking yourself what purpose in life is, and no matter how long you ponder, you can never think of the answer."
"Marry a normal woman, have normal children, retire as a normal old man."
This time, she couldn't repress a chuckle. She felt comfortable around him, almost as if she had found someone she could talk to, she could confide in. Someone who was just like her.
"What's your purpose in life?" It was Shikamaru's turn to do the questioning.
Chiaki hesitated. What was her purpose in life? She had not found the answer to that question yet. Did she even want to live? Was there anything that she wanted to accomplish?
The only reason I am alive now is that I do not want my death to cause my parents any grief. My life has no meaning, no value…
"I…have no purpose in life." she answered truthfully.
Shikamaru glanced at her and shrugged. "Well, that's gotta be boring. You should find one soon…"
"Well, not like yours is any better!" Chiaki snorted.
Without even noticing, one hour and 19 minutes had gone by just by conversing with that boy genius. "Well, I had better go now. My sensei should be arriving any minute."
Shikamaru smiled ruefully at the silhouette of the girl, Chiaki. He felt that something was amiss about her, but he couldn't put a finger on it. While walking out of the library, he heard to librarians gossiping.
"Hey, that girl has been coming to the library quite often recently."
"I know! I think she is a Gennin. She asked me for the book, 'Rules of Shogi, for beginners' a month ago."
"Really? Two weeks ago, she just asked me for the book, 'Shogi problems: intermediate'!"
"Wow! Gennins these days are impressive! Who knows, maybe she is on to the advanced book already! Hahaha!"
Shikamaru dropped the book he was holding. This girl…had just started a month ago? Did she lie to me then? What could she gain from doing that? Could it be…No, I'm thinking too much. Maybe she just did not want to attract any attention since she had just transferred at the start of the year…yeah, that's just it.
And Shika finally comes into the story! Sorry this was a very short story, but I couldn't decide whether to continue. I have to ask you guys a question. Should I write the Land in Waves arc? I'm not too sure if I should skip it, but I'm itching to start with the chunin exams already. Opinions pls!