The Night Scythe

Asuma dropped the latest newspaper on Neji's desk while he's having a conversation with Shikamaru. Both of them glanced at the front page and read the font that was larger than the other article titles.

The Night Scythe claims the 4th victim. A woman was brutally decapitated.

"Night Scythe?" Shikamaru asked

"Yes, that's what they called it. The devil who brutally kills the night entertainers" Asuma responded

"Wait…This is not right; the fourth victim was just three days away from the third. That's shorter than his first three victims" Neji said

"We need to catch the night scythe before that devil kills another one" Shikamaru pinched the skin between his brows while saying those words.

"Here is the latest file for this case can you two concise it for me?" Asuma placed the folder filled with papers on the desk "I think I need some cigarettes"

"I was thinking the same" Shikamaru said after feeling a slight tension inside of him "Neji do you wanna come?" he pulled the cigarette case from his pocket.

"No. I'll start working on this one. Can you counter-check it for me after" he pulled the file from his desk and opened his laptop.

Shikamaru nodded while he placed the cigarette stick between his lips. Asuma and he walked outside to their office garden.

They both leaned on the brick wall while puffing their cigarettes. Shikamaru could see his fingers were slightly shaking every time he placed them on his lips to inhale his cigarette.

"You're dating one of the managers from that club, am I right?" Shikamaru asked

He chuckled, "We're living together now. I asked her to stay at my place and she agreed. The sex was so fucking great!"

Shikamaru's jaw just dropped to the floor after hearing that. How can they ask those girls that fast, first Neji then Asuma?

"Wait, you two are living together now? We just met them last Friday. That's not even a week" he shrieked

"I don't know, it just happened" Asuma moisten his lips and inhaled another smoke from his cigarette.

Shikamaru pounds the back of his head to the wall they were leaning on and squeezed his eyes shut.

Where did you get all that courage?

"Temari was her name, wasn't it?" Asuma asked while laughing at him

He was startled after hearing her name.

"I saw the way you looked at that girl. And how your eyes traveled in every part of her that night"

"Pssh" that's all he could say

"What's holding you back?"

"I'm not holding back. I'm just…waiting for the perfect time"

"And when is that? When she's already married?" Asuma said while throwing his unlit cigarette into the trash bin near them.

"Wait? Does she already have a boyfriend?" His brows furrowed while waiting for Asuma's answer. Kurenai probably told him about these girls and might have spilled something about Temari.

There was silence after that, his boss just stared at him curiously.

"Asuma!?" he followed up his question

"No, she doesn't have any. Your girl is single. A lot of young boys and old men courted her, that's what Kurenai said but she seems not interested to any of them" He laughed at him

"That's probably she hasn't met me" Shikamaru confidently said

"Let's see about that. If I were you, you should start moving your ass and ask her out"

Shikamaru just released a faint laugh. After their cigarette session, they went back inside and finished their work for that day.

The next day, Saturday morning, Shikamaru woke up in his bed and glanced at the clock that was hanging on his wall. It's already 10 am. He wanted to stand up and do his chores but his bed feels like a magnet, and he didn't want to leave.

Two eggs and bacon were his breakfast for that day or almost lunch rather. A brunch? He glanced at the empty room to his left, there was a pile of stuff that he owned and gifted to him. Manual treadmill, a bunch of weights, boxes full of crosswords and puzzles, a potter's wheel, and a small sack of clay. Shikamaru tried to pick up some things that could fill his mind after he broke up with his ex. He still does some of it occasionally, if he bore himself out.

Then he proceeds to do his chores that day. He cleans his bed, then his bathroom, then his kitchen, and then his wardrobe. A pile of laundry greeted him in his laundry room, he doesn't have a washer in his apartment so the nearest laundry shop was his only solution. He always went to that laundry shop every Saturday.

The whirlpool of his clothes inside the dryer machine entertained him while thinking about the girl that he saw at Konoha Burlesque. He lifts up his phone and attempts to text his boss and work partner.

To: Asuma

Heyyy! Want to see the show tonight?

Delete…delete…delete

No! They're already living together. Him and Kurenai. Fuck! Wait…. How about?

To: Jiraiya

Yo! You got some tickets for tonight? I am free

Delete…delete…delete

What was that? No no no! wait! I know…

To: Neji

Are you free later? Wanna see the show tonight? Come on, support your girl!

Sent

Shikamaru waited for his answer and prayed that he would agree to his invitation. After a couple of minutes, a beeping sound was heard from his phone. He immediately opens and reads it.

From: Neji

I can't. I invited Tenten to dinner. It's her day off. Just go see the show and get your girl!

Shikamaru pounds his phone to his forehead and closed his eyes. Of course! What am I thinking? How did you do that Neji? How did you invite her that fast? I fucking need your courage.

He starts thinking of different ways to ask her out but everything seems dumb to him. Shikamaru wanted to look like he was not obsessing with her but in reality, he was.

Suddenly, a cling sound was heard from the entrance door. A familiar husky voice echoed from behind and Shikamaru immediately turn around to confirm his hunch.

It's Temari. She was carrying a bag of clothes while paying at the register.

He gripped the end of his seat and released a heavy breath. I think it's my lucky day. He returned his gaze to the dryer machine and check the remaining time he has. 15 minutes.

That's all I need!

Shikamaru stood up from his seat and walk to Temari's spot. She was now filling one of the washers on the other side.

Shikamaru leaned on the washer next to her and poses like he was a movie star in the 50s.

"I didn't know you do your laundry in here?" He spoke

"Wait? Are you?" Temari was surprised to see him

"Yeah. And you're Temari right?"

She chuckled "Yup. My washer just broke and I need to find a laundry shop. This is the nearest. You do your laundry here often?"

His eyes flickered, he wanted to ask her about where her apartment was so he could confirm his hunch. If she's the mysterious girl across his balcony.

"Wait, is your place near here? You said this is the nearest?"

"Yeah. That one" Temari pointed at the apartment across the laundry shop window

Shikamaru's heart was jumping. It's confirmed that she was the girl across his balcony. He tried to hide his smile before making his next move.

"I guess it's my lucky day. Seeing you here? I was about to see your show tonight but luck was on my side" he said while pinching his chin

She laughed "Wow, I didn't know detectives are really good with words. You know that I'm used to that kind of punch line, right? After hearing a hundred of them, it felt like I'm chewing a flavorless bubble gum now. Bleurgh"

"Too bad, I already planned 200 moves in my head on how to ask you out but I guess I failed this time" He smirked

"Is this how detectives work? Good with words? Sweet talking? I heard from Tenten how sweet talker Neji is and Kurenai said it too when she's talking about Asuma. Am I right detective?" She teasingly said to him

"I'm only good with words if I'm interested in something…or with someone" he sways his right hand in a circle.

"Is that so?" she raised her brow and smiled at him

"Do you want to grab something to eat?" He scratched the back of his head

"Uhm, I need to finish something after this" She closed the door of the washer and glanced at him

"Right, uhm. When is your free time then?"

"Are you free tonight? Wanna have some pizza and beer?" She offered

His eyes widened and a glimpse of hope just entered his soul "Yeah, sure. Of course! I'll pick you up at your -"

"Pizza and beer at 7, in my apartment" She interrupted him

"In your apartment?" He smirked while a lot of scenarios starts running through his mind

"Yeah, let's do something fun. What do you have in mind?" she asked

"You don't want to know what's on my mind…uhm, you decide for me" He turns away his gaze

"I'm really thinking something interesting" She glared at him like she was teasing him.

"Interesting?" he said slowly

"Yeah, and I think you're going to have fun the most" she said in her seductive tone while she points her finger and touched his chest.

Shikamaru stared at her and smiled. He's so damn happy hearing that.

A beeping sound was heard from the dryer behind them, his clothes were now done and dried.

"Is that yours?" Temari point to the dryer behind them

"Yeah" Several curse words started running through his mind. He wished he could have more time to talk with her. He walked towards his dryer with a heavy heart but before he left, Temari whispered something to him.

"Save your energy for me tonight, hmm detective"

A wide smile appeared on his face while walking to his dryer. He cannot wait for what is about to happen that night.