A/N: A short little chapter with some good'ol team bonding.

Team Bonding

Chouko sat in a field of tall grass surrounded by flowers and a veil of trees that stretched into the heavens. She sat with her legs crossed and arms folded neatly in her lap, one hand cupping the other. The sun shone brightly down on her and its warmth was comforting. The wind rustled around her softly, caressing her face as the fallen leaves of the trees swirled around her in a dance. She breathed in the fresh air and felt her body relax, a weight was lifted off her shoulders and her mind felt calm.

Chouko inhaled and exhaled in slow sessions. She felt the movement passing through her body from her head to her shoulders, as well as her chest and belly. The feeling spread down to her legs and feet and back up to her toes.

It was soothing.

She was focused on the flow of her breathing and the sound of nature around her, the sounds of the trees and the wind and the birds and the buzzing of bugs. Everything was quiet and serene, and Chouko found herself falling into the depths of the calm that she had never before known. She drifted away from the forest and to the stream of gentle water that ran through the meadow fields. The sound of the babbling brook brought a sense of comfort and ease to her that was welcomed after a long and hectic day. She could have stayed in the fields forever, lost in the feeling of peace and tranquility that the area brought her.

In the calm she reflected on her performance today, the training exercise, and her fight with Kakashi. She had been confident in her abilities but had still somehow failed to get a bell. She should have been able to use her clan jutsu in conjunction with her other jutsus, but for some reason, she wasn't able to do so. When it came to ninjutsu she could not seem to get it right, and that had been bothering her more and more as time went on.

Why could she not grasp the concept?

She knew that the basics were simple and the chakra control was easy enough, but it was as if there was a barrier that prevented her from using any of the techniques. She tried her best to figure out the problem and solve it, but every time she got close the answer was just out of her reach. It was frustrating, and it made her want to throw her hands up and scream in frustration. It had been like that since she was young, her physical skills lacked but her awareness and her analytical abilities were good. Chouko could sense when people were nearby and knew their positions and movements before they even acted. She had a knack for knowing people by their chakra and their chakra signatures. It was almost like she had a built-in radar in her mind, one that she could switch on and off whenever she wanted to.

But her physical skills?

That was another story.

Sure she was more agile and nimble than most in her clan, but her strength and stamina were still lacking. Her taijutsu was subpar at best and her aim wasn't all that great. Her body was strong, and her muscles were well-defined, but her endurance and agility needed some work. She wasn't built to run for long periods or be agile for hours on end, it was a struggle, and it was annoying.

But why?

Chouko's brow furrowed.

Her father was a master at the family jutsu, and her brother was already showing signs of great promise and potential. So why was she struggling?

Was she not cut out for being a ninja?

Chouko shook her head.

No.

She refused to believe that.

She had a strong sense of duty and loyalty. Her desire to protect the ones she loved was a driving force behind her decision to become a ninja. There was no way that she wasn't cut out for this.

It just didn't make sense. She had the intelligence and the skill set. Her determination was there.

And yet...

It still wasn't enough.

She contemplated breaking her meditative trance to peer up at the unending crystal-blue sky, sprinkled with cotton candy clouds and peaks of sunshine streaked with soaring birds, and the squeaking chatter that followed them. Maybe she would dip her feet into the ebbing water, where a fresh batch of the cutest yellow ducklings she had ever seen, recently made their home. Perhaps she would follow the trail of the stream down the river to see what else she could find.

Chouko believed that every ninja and civilian in the world had a place to call their own, where they could go and forget the world around them. Shikamaru had the grassy hill with the best view of the clouds, Naruto had Ichiraku ramen. In contrast, Ino had her family's flower shop, but this place - this little meadow hidden within the hidden- is her special place, where she comes to clear her mind and forget the world around her. It was her slice of heaven.

It had become a ritual for her to come to meditate and train. After meditating to clear her head she would work on her stretches and then ease into her daily training routine. Sometimes she would spar against a tree and use her weapons on it, others she would work on her speed, and then practice her chakra control, which was always a struggle. She was determined to improve her skills, even if she had to spend every day here training until her body could no longer move. She wanted to prove that she was capable of being a ninja, just like everyone else.

So why was she struggling so much?

Why was it so hard?

Chouko's eyes burned with fire as she stretched out her muscles. She slowly fell into a position with one leg pressed forward and the other bent backward as she leaned forward with her hands pressed tightly together. The position was far from comfortable and her joints and muscles groaned in protest as the sweat gathered on her forehead and dripped down the side of her face, but she did not care. Her body could handle the strain and her mind was focused on her goal. She could feel the heat coursing through her veins as the fire ignited within her, burning brighter than the sun. She felt it course through her body and settle in the pit of her stomach where it pulsed and burned with a fierce intensity.

Chouko pressed on, holding the position for a couple of solid minutes before releasing.

She exhaled deeply as her legs wobbled and she struggled to catch her breath. Her entire body was shaking and her limbs were numb, but she pushed past the pain and continued. She did not know how long she had been training or how long she would have to continue. All that mattered was that she would be able to accomplish her goals.

Chouko was panting, her chest rising and falling with each labored breath. Her arms ached, and her legs trembled, but she did not let that stop her.

She thinks back to her earlier days in the academy where they would all whine and protest whenever they had to do their daily stretches and warm-ups, and laughed, realizing how silly she had been. Stretching is an essential part of training her body, allowing her to increase her overall flexibility, and help prevent injuries during training.

At times, she would stick a leaf to her forehead while training, to focus on her concentration and push herself a little bit harder. It wasn't the most difficult task in the world, but sometimes her mind liked to wander, so it always helped to keep her focused on those days when her mind seemed too clouded to think straight.

Chouko patted her ninja pack that was stuffed with many ninja tools such as kunai, shuriken, makibishi spikes, and much, much more - an overly prepared weapon nut, Asuma had called her. Chouko couldn't disagree with him, but it wasn't as if he didn't have his own collection of weapons and equipment.

The thought brought a smile to her lips.

Chouko stared out in the distance of the meadow where a set of crudely made, wooden dummies stood, teetering on their flimsy sticks that barely supported their bodies made of fallen logs. She had made them to help improve her target practice, but they were beginning to wear and would soon wither into dust. It made her sad, as she had spent a lot of time making them just right and impaling them with her weapons.

Chouko pulled out a shuriken and hurled it at the target. She was proud of the fact that her aim had gotten much better. Her first few tries had been a bit off, and it had taken a few hours for her to get the hang of it. She had to admit that she had a lot to learn, and she wasn't afraid to admit it. But, she wasn't a quitter, and she was going to do whatever it took to make it to the top.

Chouko smiled, taking a deep breath and stretching out her arm. Her hand had just wrapped around a kunai when the air around her stilled, and the nature remedy that had filled her ears until that point stopped, and the echo of fallen twigs snapping on the ground brought her attention back to reality as she gripped the kunai tightly and swung.

... only to fall flat as she stared into the wide eyes of Uzumaki Naruto, who looked on the verge of tears with the sharpened blade pointed directly at his throat that bobbled, with every swallow he managed through quivering lips.

"H-Hey! Take it easy Chouko! It's me, Naruto! The future Hokage, and your best friend who you would never stab, he-he-he, eh, r-right?"

"What are you doing here, Naruto? You scared me." Chouko asked, dropping her arm and glaring at her blond friend. "I could have seriously hurt you. Hey, how did you even find me here?" She asked, knowing that she had never shown Naruto this spot before.

As much as she loved him, there were times when she desired to be alone.

Naruto scratched his cheek and pointed behind him to where Sakura and Sasuke stood.

"Sakura showed us! We looked all over for you and couldn't find you anywhere, so Sakura brought us here! She said that you would be here and I guess she was right!" Naruto smiled and nodded as the pieces clicked together.

This didn't surprise Chouko. The only other people who knew of this spot were Sakura and Ino. There was a meadow none too far away that they would go to collect flowers and play when they were little. Their little world, they would say. Chouko frowned at the memories of three little girls sitting in a field of flowers, making flower crowns ragging on the boys of their class, and discussing their dreams for the future. They would talk for hours about their ninja careers and how amazing and powerful they were going to be. It was a simpler time, and a happier one.

What happened to all of that? How did it ever get to this point?

"Oh, so now you remember me, huh? You sure weren't thinking about me when you left me tied to that post, Naruto." Chouko poked his chest with a visible pout. "How the hell could you just leave me behind like that, huh?!"

"It was an accident! I was so excited about the mission and then I got hungry and started thinking about ramen and, well, ya know..."

The blonde chuckled sheepishly as Chouko hung her head. She feared that there would be a day to come when Naruto would be forced to pick her or ramen, and honestly, she wasn't sure which one he would choose, but it left a bad feeling in her stomach.

Sakura clicked her tongue and smacked her fist over Naruto's head.

"Idiot! Do you ever think with your brain and not your stomach?!" She glared hands on her hips and a firm glare on her face. "Anyway, we were looking for you because...we wanted to apologize, for everything that happened earlier. We should have listened to what you were saying."

Sakura grumbled, a heavy blush on her pale cheeks.

"S-So I'm - errr, I mean - we're sorry, okay?"

She'd never admit that it brought her a sense of joy to see Sakura have to push aside her pride.

"Oh yeah?" She looked over at Sasuke who had one hand tucked in his pocket while the other held a small pink box. "You too, Sasuke? Wow. I'm flattered." Chouko grinned, enjoying the way his eyes and body twitched. "The great Uchiha Sasuke cares about little Akimichi Chouko! Oh Sasuke-Kun, I'm so happy!~"

Sasuke scowled and turned his head away from her. Is he blushing?

Sasuke clicked his tongue and thrust the pink box into her face. "Take this, dummy. Consider it an apology gift from all of us, or whatever." He said, letting his free hand fall into his other pocket.

Naruto and Sakura elbowed Sasuke who looked away with a visible twitch.

"S-Sorry, I guess."

"S-Sasuke you're apologizing?! To me!? Are you sick?" Chouko pressed her hand to his head. "You feel kind of warm. Might be time to see a doctor."

"Knock it off you twit!" The Uchiha scowled smacking her hand away.

Chouko laughed. There's the Uchiha she tolerated! Chouko chuckled and looked down at the box that had been forced into her hands.

"A gift?" She mused opening the lid. "You didn't have to go out of your way and - DANGO?!" Chouko squealed, eyeing the colorful dumplings strewn on a stick. "Ah, mochi, too?!" She drooled, eyeing the plump little cakes. "How did you know these are my favorite?" She asked.

"We used to eat these all the time, remember?" Sakura smiled. "We'd eat these and have little tea parties whenever our mothers were visiting with each other. Ino used to get so mad at you for not using proper table manners."

"She still yells at me about that." Chouko grinned sheepishly.

"We got them from that fancy bakery that you're always eyeing!" Naruto grinned. "It was really expensive so I hope they don't taste like shit!"

"NARUTO!" Sakura scolded slapping her head.

"You idiot." Sasuke scowled. "That's not the point." He rolled his eyes and looked back to Chouko who had stuffed a ball of mochi into her mouth; her fat cheeks were puffed out, and she practical stars shining in her eyes as tears collected like raindrops in her vision.

Sasuke twitched. He felt this was going to become a habit around these three. Chouko swallowed the lump of cake and gave a wobbly smile.

"It tastes amazing! Uh, thanks, guys. It wasn't necessary though." Chouko said. "I wasn't exactly perfect either, and could have done a lot more, but I gave up when it got too hard." Chouko clenched her fist and stared at the ground.

She had to do better next time. She would not be defeated by Kakashi again.

"There's no use sitting around and playing the blame game. We're all just going to have to do a lot better from now on, right? We're a team now, and that means we have to look out for each other." Sakura smiled and held out her pinky to the confused trio. "Let's make a promise, okay? From now on we'll do our best to get stronger and become the kind of ninja that Kakashi-sensei is."

Chouko cringed.

"If we leave out the perverted part, then I guess I can agree to that." She said, stepping forward and holding out her pinky...she hesitated, before curling it around Sakura's. Their eyes met, and they shared a small smile.

"I'm going to become an even better ninja than Sensei, believe it!" Naruto yelled joining in. "I have to do better because one day I'm going to become the Hokage and everyone is going to respect me and look up to me, right, Chouko?" Naruto said excitedly while wrapping his pinky around Chouko and Sakura's.

"That's right! Everyone trusts their lives to the Hokage, and they'll be counting on you to lead them and protect them, Naruto." Chouko said.

Naruto giggled to himself imagining all the fans he would have when he became Hokage.

Sakura nervously called out to Sasuke but the words faltered on her tongue as she looked away, blushing and mumbling to herself. Chouko snorted, not bothering to call out to the Uchiha, instead she grabbed him by the scruff of his shirt while ignoring his swearing and insults, as she pulled him into their circle of magical friendship.

Sasuke grunted and pushed against her, but the hold she had on him was unrelenting.

"You're either in or out. Are you going to get stronger too, are you going to sit back on the sideline and be bested by Naruto?" Chouko smirked knowing she hit a sore spot.

Sasuke glared and slapped her hand away.

"This is pointless." He huffed but offered out his pinky that the others greedily snatched. "As if I'd ever be outdone by this loser." He smirked Naruto's way, gripping his pinky tighter.

Naruto stood stunned for a second, a blush on his sunkissed face. Reality came rushing back to him as the others called out him. He'd been staring for a solid minute, and they were getting worried. Sasuke had turned away, face flushed and eyebrow twitching.

"S-Shut up, bastard!" Naruto huffed. "Alright then! From here on out we're going to become the best ninja the village has ever seen!"

They silently counted to three before throwing their hands into the air with cheers that echoed throughout the meadow, that for so long Chouko had hoarded to herself.

Maybe, just this once, she could share her place of happiness.

Chouko smiled and picked up her box of treats. "You know, I can't eat all these by myself." She lied. She could very much eat them by herself. "So I guess you guys are just going to have to help me!"

Sasuke was the only one to object.

More for them, then.

Chouko was huffing and trembling. A gurgled cry pushed through her swollen lip that dripped blood as the wind was knocked out of her lungs, as she was sent flying backward onto her ass. She scowled and lifted her legs to flip back onto her feet. Her eyes glared sharply at Sasuke who held up a single shuriken, a smirk on his lips. Chouko scowled. His confidence was infuriating but also inspiring. It made her want to prove him wrong. She wanted to see him crumble beneath her feet, but most of all, she wanted to beat him, even if it was only once.

To prove to herself and everyone else, that she could do it.

Her body ached but she pushed forward

"Is that all you can do? How pathetic. And here I was beginning to think you weren't completely hopeless." Sasuke fanned his hand in a come-hither motion that made her twitch. "I guess all the rumors about the Akimichi clan are true then, huh, tubby."

Chouko stiffened. She knew he was trying to get a reaction out of her...and it worked. She lunged at him with her fist drawn back and went to strike him but Sasuke easily side-stepped and threw his fist forward. Chouko managed to block his attack with her forearm but was too distracted by the sharp pain and was not able to block the second attack.

She was sent sprawling back onto the ground, clutching her stomach and coughing violently. Chouko could hear him chuckle and it made her blood boil. Her nails dug into the dirt beneath her. Her body trembled, and she gritted her teeth. Her chest was heaving and sweat rolled down her body as she forced herself back onto her feet, ignoring the burning of her limbs.

"That all you got, Chouko?" Sasuke grinned and raised an eyebrow. "What's the matter, losing steam already? Can't handle a few punches, huh?"

"S-Shut up, you..." Chouko huffed and glared. "You're such a prick, you know that? Always acting so high and mighty, it's infuriating!" She spat, wiping her mouth.

She charged at him and swung her fist forward, but Sasuke grabbed her arm, twisted it and slammed her into the ground. He held her arm behind her back as he pushed his knee into her spine. She winced, her eyes shut tight and tears threatening to spill over. The Uchiha's breath fanned against her cheek, making her skin prickle. She could hear him laugh, and she hated how deep and soothing it sounded. She didn't understand how someone could sound so calm and composed and still be such a fucking asshole.

Chouko groaned.

"Get off! Damn it! You win again, Uchiha." Chouko huffed rolling away from the ravenette who released his hold on her. "I'll kick your ass next time though." She huffed and folded her arms over her chest. "Oi! Naruto, you doing alright there?" Chouko called out, looking to her right.

Sasuke and Chouko focused their attention on Naruto and Sakura who were locked in a kunai spar. The two were heavily going at it with Sakura using her charm to her advantage, which eventually won out causing the blonde-haired boy to falter and miscalculate his next move, allowing Sakura to kick the kunai from his hand and pin him down.

Naruto groaned and squirmed. Sakura was grinning triumphantly as she pressed her weight into him. Naruto's cheeks were flushed, and his lips were pursed into a firm pout.

"Chaaa! I win! Did you see, Sasuke?!" Sakura squealed doing a twirl. 'I kicked his ass!' Her inner voice cheered, pumping a celebratory fist.

Chouko was mildly surprised. Sakura was able to hold her own pretty well in a fight...when she wasn't distracted by Sasuke, that is. The Haruno seemed to have a knack for fighting with her fists, something that Chouko had never seen before and had to admit, it was kind of cool.

"Tch. Not bad." Sasuke smirked. "You really are a loser to get defeated so easily by a girl."

"SAY THAT TO MY FACE, BASTARD!"

"I just did, moron!"

Chouko sighed as Naruto and Sasuke delved into a heated argument. She figured that they just needed to kiss and make up already. She busied herself by wiping the blood from her mouth and patching up her wounds with the medical supplies she kept in her pouch. They'd been training for hours and despite her constant failures, she couldn't say that she was disappointed. She'd grown a lot since her first match, and her progress was evident. Sasuke wasn't holding back and for that she was grateful. She could see how much she'd improved, but she still had a long way to go.

She looked at her team with fondness, thinking that they were starting to come together...albeit slowly, they were taking baby steps to become something greater, she thought.

Give their wings time to grow, huh?

She felt that today, they had grown just a little.

"NARUTO! GET YOUR HANDS OFF OF SASUKE!" Sakura screamed as she punched the blonde-haired boy, sending him crashing into a nearby tree.

"BUT SAKURA!"

Just a little.

Sasuke and Naruto had settled their little squabble in a fight that left Sasuke the winner, and Naruto a grumbling mess as the two sat on the ground watching the sparring match between Chouko and Sakura. Naruto was conflicted. Who did he cheer for? The so-called love of his life or his very best friend? The Uzumaki boy fidgeted in his spot mumbling under his breath, annoying the Uchiha who flicked him in the head.

"Shut up you loser. Focus on the fight." Sasuke scoffed.

Naruto flipped Sasuke off and went back to watching the fight with a pout on his face.

Sakura threw up her forearms in an offensive stance as Chouko flicked her fist toward her in fast, repetitive jabs that left the Haruno girl reeling. Sakura was fast on her feet, but she could see the way her movements faltered, and how she was growing fatigued. Sakura took a step back and swung her fist, hitting Chouko square in the nose. Chouko staggered and clutched her face. She was surprised at her strength. She hadn't expected the punch, and it had caught her off guard. She felt blood drip down her face and onto her tongue. Chouko could taste the metallic substance and wiped her hand across her mouth, smearing the liquid.

Sakura waited for the moment that Chouko's eyes left her and struck her in the gut. The Akimichi girl hunched over and grabbed her stomach as Sakura brought her knee up, slamming it into her chin. Chouko let out a pained gasp and stumbled back. She coughed and clutched her stomach, feeling a wave of nausea wash over her.

"Geez, Sakura. That hurt!" Chouko complained, rubbing her stomach. "But damn, that was a good shot! You really got me there, but it's my win." Chouko smiled. "Looks like you're out of steam, huh?" She teased.

Sakura's eyebrows twitched, and she lunged at Chouko, aiming her fist at her head. The Akimichi sidestepped, grabbing her wrist and swinging her arm down, causing Sakura to lose her balance and stumble forward. She spun around and kicked her leg out, aiming for her head. Chouko ducked, dodging her foot. Sakura was fast, and her reflexes were sharp, but her movements were sloppy. She could see how exhausted she was, giving Chouko the perfect opportunity.

Chouko threw her hand out, grabbed Sakura's shirt, and pulled her toward her, slamming her fist into her stomach. Sakura choked and wheezed, her eyes widening. She doubled over, clutching her stomach, and fell to her knees, gasping for breath. Chouko was breathing hard and sweating profusely, but she managed to remain upright.

"That's a wrap!" Chouko grinned, offering her hand out.

"Damn it." Sakura groaned. "I almost had you." She said, accepting her hand. "I'll beat you next time, just watch."

"Sure thing." Chouko winked, pulling her to her feet.

"THAT WAS AWESOME CHOUKO!" Naruto cheered for his friend. "Uh, sorry that you lost, Sakura. I totally thought you had her for a minute!" The boy quickly said with reddening cheeks.

"The victor was obvious from the moment the fight started," Sasuke said, walking over to Chouko and giving her a hand while Naruto helped a bruised and groaning Sakura to her feet. "Not bad, tubby," Sasuke said with a smirk and raised fist.

Chouko's face reddened and a grin split across her face as she met his fist.

"Yeah? Thanks, grumpy." Chouko pounded his fist and wiped the sweat and blood from her face. "Man, she doesn't look like much but she can pack a punch," Chouko mumbled, rubbing her swollen and bruised cheek. "Sakura, you okay? Didn't kick your ass too hard, did I?" She asked, genuinely feeling concerned.

Sakura waved her off arching her stiff back. "I'll live." She sighed. "I thought I was going to win, chaaa!" She growled pulling at her hair. "Next time you won't get so lucky, Akimichi! I'm going to beat you good, got it?!" Sakura yelled with a fire blazing behind her smoldering green eyes.

Her chakra felt strong.

It excited her.

"Not a chance, Haruno."

In one of the tallest trees the meadow had to offer sat Hatake Kakashi, leaning back against the thick and sturdy bark with his favorite little book pinched between his fingers. He sat in the shade of the tree watching as his squad trained feverishly. He felt a fondness growing for them as they beat each other senselessly.

"I really am starting to like you morons." He said with that signature smile of his as he went back to reading his book.

Kakashi's face twitched as Chouko called him a lazy pervert.

That one is still a work in progress.

Chouko left the meadow in a much better mood than she had been in before. She felt lighter and more at peace with herself. Her heart was filled with an indescribable warmth, and it spread throughout her body, making her feel as if she were on top of the world despite her battered body. She was happy. Happier than she had been in a long time.

Her stomach grumbled and her mouth watered as she imagined all the food she could eat when she got home. A bath sounded nice too. Her hair was matted and damp with sweat and her body was aching. She was covered in dirt and blood and was desperately in need of a hot bath and a change of clothes.

She was almost home when she heard a familiar voice call her name.

"Jezz what happened to you?

Chouko paused and turned her head, seeing Shikamaru walking towards her.

"Ah, Shika! It's been a while, hasn't it?" Chouko said with a sheepish grin.

Shikamaru arched a brow and eyed her with mild curiosity.

"You look awful. What the hell happened to you? Got into a fight or something?" He asked, taking note of her bruised and bloody appearance.

"Nah, not a fight. Well, not really, anyway." Chouko shrugged.

"Right..." Shikamaru frowned, unconvinced. "Anyway, want to grab some food? My treat." He asked, shoving his hands into his pockets.

Chouko's mouth began to water, and her stomach roared to life. Her eyes widened, and a blush formed across her cheeks.

"I guess that answers that." Shikamaru laughed. "Let's go."

Chouko followed after him with a sheepish grin. Her hunger won over her, and her stomach was practically begging for her to fill it with the delicious food from Yakiniku Q.

The two sat at the grill in a secluded corner. A pile of empty dishes sat beside them and Chouko was working her way through a third plate of ribs, her cheeks were puffed out, and she looked as if she was on the verge of tears. Shikamaru was watching her with mild amusement, his chopsticks hovering over his plate.

"I'm going to have to roll you home, aren't I?" Shikamaru laughed.

"Sh-Shut up! I'm just hungry!" Chouko snapped, wiping her mouth. "You don't have to pay for everything, you know."

"Don't worry about it. You can pay me back later." He replied, biting into a piece of meat. "So, what's the story behind those wounds?" He asked.

"Hmm?"

"Your injuries, dumbass." Shikamaru smirked.

"Oh, yeah." Chouko scratched her head and shrugged. "Nothing special, really. Just doing some training, ya know?" She said scratching the back of her neck. "Might of gotten carried away…"

Shikamaru arched a brow, his expression unchanging. "How's that going, by the way? Haven't seen you around lately."

"It's...going." Chouko laughed. "Still pretty rough but I'm managing." She said, finishing off the last of her food. "It's…a work in progress."

Shikamaru frowned, noticing the slight change in her voice and the way her eyes dimmed.

"If you ever need help with anything, just ask. I'll be glad to lend a hand." He offered, placing his chopsticks down.

"I'll keep that in mind."

They fell into a comfortable silence. Shikamaru watched as Chouko picked at the remaining scraps on her plate. He knew something was bothering her. It wasn't hard to tell. The Akimichi was an open book. He could read her like a map.

"So...how have you been?" Chouko finally asked, breaking the silence.

"Fine, I suppose. Things have been pretty boring lately." He replied, stretching. "You seem different." He commented.

"Different? How so?" Chouko questioned raising an eyebrow.

"Hard to say. Just feels like there's something new about you. Something different." Shikamaru explained.

"Hmm." Chouko nodded, not understanding his observation.

"Well, I should be going." He said, getting to his feet. "Here." Shikamaru handed her a few bills.

"This is way too much, Shika. You're such a pain, you know that?" Chouko said, trying to give him the money back.

"I told you already, it's fine. You can pay me back later." Shikamaru waved her off.

"Thanks, Shika." Chouko smiled. "We'll have to hang out more often, huh? I'll see you later!"

Shikamaru smiled. "Later."

The two parted ways and Chouko made her way home, the sun was setting and the sky was a mix of brilliant colors. Her mind was clear and her heart was light.

Shikamaru walked alone, his hands tucked into his pockets and his thoughts wandering. His encounter with Chouko was short, but the conversation they had wasn't very long, he couldn't put his finger on it, but something about her felt different. He wasn't sure if it was good or bad, but it was definitely noticeable. He'd have to keep an eye on her.

Shikamaru stopped walking and sighed.

"You're a real pain, you know that?"

Chouko's face flashed through his mind, her smile was warm and infectious.

He felt the corners of his lips turn upwards into a smile.

"Guess it's not so bad."

Shikamaru continued on his way, his thoughts still lingering on the girl who was slowly but surely taking up a permanent spot in his mind.

"What a drag."

Chouko flopped down onto her bed and sighed, feeling content and satisfied. Her stomach was full, and her body was pleasantly sore. She'd taken a bath and dressed her wounds. Now all that was left was a good night's rest and she'd be good to go. She was tired, and her eyelids were beginning to droop.

Chouko's eyes fluttered closed, and she drifted off into a deep and peaceful slumber.

It was the best sleep she'd had in a long time.