Temari

The next evening I slipped into my long red dress, which revealed my back all the way down to my waist and even further. I turned around, looking at myself in the mirror and eyed my reflection with a critical eye. He saw me naked yesterday. My breasts were seductively bulging through the cleavage in front and the folds of the dress nicely defined my behind. He gave me a mind-blowing orgasm yesterday. I braided several strands of my hair and fixed it all in a bun, put some make up on, coloring my lips bright red, put a small necklace on. He doesn't talk much, but he knows how to put his tongue to a good use. Finally, I took the mask in my hands. It was black, just as Shikamaru guessed, but it wasn't plain – it was made entirely out of lace. I put it on my face and smiled involuntarily. I will be doing a mission tonight and I will do it looking my best.

Just as planned, I ambled towards the hall being a little late. Shikamaru went there in the very beginning. His task was to identify our targets before the dances began; my task was to cotton to those guys and make them believe I was willing to have some fun with them tonight. I can't get the sight of his head between my legs out of my mind.

When I stepped inside the huge chamber, decorated with small white lights and otherwise dark interior, many people turned around to look at me. It felt like the sound of my heels echoed through entire place and the hall fell absolutely silent, even though I knew it was impossible over the music. I was simply too aware of the sound of my heels. I stopped and looked around, trying to find contours of a familiar face (that had me for a dinner yesterday) underneath a black silk mask. My eyes picked up someone with long dark hair sitting at the bar, so I did my best to make my way there gracefully through the mass of moving people.

Upon hearing my steps getting closer over a background of music, he slightly turned his head towards my direction. I came to the bar and without looking at him I knew it was Shikamaru, sitting on a chair 3 meters to my left. His hair was down and he wore a black suit. He looked gorgeous and I was aroused from my uninterrupted memories. At the wall of the bar was a mirror so I didn't even need to turn my head to see his open-mouthed stare. I couldn't restrain myself from smiling and the barman took that as a flirt sign therefore I did not need to pay for my glass of sparkling water. Lovely.

I positioned myself on a chair and turned around to look at masked people chatting, drinking and dancing. After a while Shikamaru scribbled something on a paper napkin and walked closer to me. To any stranger this would have simply looked as a guy hitting on a girl, and that was the plan. He handed me a napkin and I acted surprised, giving him a little smile and a questioning look. However, my insides turned upside down from being so close to him and smelling his perfume. I opened it and found a list people I needed to find, 5 of total. There will be more but that was all he managed to recognize as for now. On the back side of the napkin I found "P.S. Words are not enough to express how outstanding you look tonight."

My lips curved into a smile, but I handed him the napkin back, as if indicating I was not interested in whatever he has written. Shikamaru was about to say something, but I demonstratively turned my back to him and continued to look around, this time with an intention of finding at least some of the five. Shikamaru retreated to his old chair, acting disappointed and ordered another drink. It looked like sake, but I knew it was only water.

Our little scene did not go unnoticed by a pair of eyes, that belonged to a guy with a navy blue mask. He did not fit any of the descriptions of the five targets, so when he approached for a chitchat, it didn't take him too long to realize I wasn't interested. Then I noticed a man with a grey suit (check), grey mask (check), black hair (check), a ring with some symbol on his middle finger (check). He was one of them. I fixed my gaze on him, praying he would notice. As if feeling my eyes on the back of his head, he slowly turned around and his eyes found mine. He was handsome, I could tell, and I gave him a little smile, and then looked away.

Shikamaru was eyeing me curiously, observing the game I was playing. I felt excited, because I knew I was good at this game. He was about to find out how good I was too, as the guy I was just staring at approached me. And he wasn't alone – next to him strode another guy from our target list. Marvelous – my objects come to me and not the other way around.

- Well well, do tell me what a beauty like yourself is doing all alone at the bar? – The other guy, dressed in dark blue suit spoke to me. He had fiery eyes and a scar on his cheek.

- Waiting for someone to keep me some company. – I gave him a small flirty smile, taking a sip from my glass.

- I'd be honored to offer myself for such a mission. – Said the one in the grey suit. I was amazed of the smooth talk these "bandits" have mastered. They might not be as easy to deceive as I thought it would. I was getting the impression these guys were much more superior than regular groups of rogues.

- I, on the other hand, shall wait until she turns you down just like the other two before. – The scarred guy smiled at me and I gave him back a small cocky smile; men like a challenge.

- Go away Haiku, I noticed her first. – The taller one muttered, his eyes wandering from my eyes to lips to breasts and back up. I silently smiled, enjoying the ruckus. – So how come you're here all alone?

- Well, my escort got sick so I had to travel here by myself. – I answered simply.

- And how long did it take you to travel here, if I may ask? – he asked, leaning against the bar and blocking my view towards Shikamaru. Haiku was standing in front of me, but his eyes browsed through the crowd, looking for someone.

- Just over two days.

- Hmph, a girl traveling alone for two days? That's rare. Weren't you afraid if someone attacked you?

- Not at all. My sensei taught me taijutsu so I can defend myself just fine. – I intentionally led him to think I was over-assured, naïve girl.

- Oh. – He tried to act surprised of my "abilities", but I could tell he's hiding a laugh. – I can see you're a brave lady. – …and he's back on flirting his way into my undergarments, as I saw it.

- Hey, Seiji… Sorry to interrupt, but I can see Kin is here already.

- A group of friends you have here? – I asked innocently, glancing between those two.

- That's quite right… There will be 8 of us from the Sound village as we helped the Hot Springs to organize this fest. – Seiji told me absentmindedly, straining his eyes on finding someone called Kin. Haiku glanced at his "friend", giving him a look of warning. He had said too much and this Haiku did not trust me. I pretended to examine the fold of my dress, completely oblivious to the exchanged glares.

- May we find out the name of a most beautiful creature in this building? – Seiji winked at me, and I pretended to smile shyly.

- My name is Katsumi.

- Oh! It suits you perfectly. – He smiled widely at me and I laughed, giving him a side-glance.