Last Night...

TEMARI

It was the end of her first week in Konoha.

And the experience was beyond her expectations. Temari experienced first-hand how idyllic life was in Konoha. The entire campus was beautiful in fall, covered with orange and red leaves. At every corner, Temari was met with warm smiles and cheerful faculty was superb and the students were well-engaged in the campus activities. The campus was the heart of Konoha City and its presence was truly a homegrown effort. It was clear that this place was built on a wholesome community.

There were some moments that Temari felt she was in a dream or some coming-of-age movie. But those moments were usually interjected by the voice in her mind. This is all temporary. This is not meant for you.

As much as she'd like to blend in and be a part of the Konoha College, all she could think of was how she not from here. Everything she knew was a stark contrast from cheery, homey Konoha. Life in Suna was harsh. The climate was extreme all-year long, ranging from scalding hot days to freezing nights. Opportunities were scarce and often reserved for the most elite which meant Temari's life revolved on competition more than community. And Temari was raised to win.

Her phone rang and she jumped to pick it up immediately.

It was her father calling for his usual check-in. Was Gaara keeping to his schedule? Did Kankurou stay out of trouble? In other words, Temari and her brothers still worth this time and attention? But today was different. This call was for father's next big investment: Konoha College.

Without so much as a greeting, Temari reported in a steady voice, "The college and everyone here is nice."

Other than the low vibration of the phone line, there was silence.

"Konoha College might have started as a local institution, founded and patronised by the locals but it's on the rise now. The College has been welcoming new investors and they've been spending their fiscal budget on new facilities and new programmes, like this international transfer 're genuinely trying to open up and welcome diversity."

Again, silence.

What else was he expecting? It had only been a week.

"Tell me what you think, Temari."

Temari was the only one of her siblings who spoke with their father. And even then, he rarely spoke back to her. Yet now he wanted something more from her. She needed to give him an answer he'd like.

"Nice gets knocked out first in the ring...," she found herself saying. It was a phrase she heard many times in training. "Which makes them the perfect mark. They won't even know what hit them. Konoha is open for the taking."

A dark chuckle sounded from the phone. "Excellent. I look forward to your next report."

The line beeped, signalling the call had been terminated. Temari threw her phone to the other side of her new dorm room, feeling a pressure swell in her chest.

This is all temporary, she reminded herself. This kind of life was not meant for her.

She jumped to her feet to the door. She needed to run.

Eventually Temari stopped running. She didn't want to admit it, but racing against Tenten without prior warmup didn't come without its consequences. Her back was killing her and her neck especially. She'd have regretted the race if the victory hadn't been so sweet.

She stepped into the one convenience store that was right by the campus football field. Its fluorescent lights were on all night long and it was the one place students could go to grab their essentials at any time of day. She roamed the store, finally settling on an athlete's ice pack and a candy bar. As she got to the counter, she noticed a familiar spiky ponytail and dark coat just outside the store. She smiled and waved through the glass windows of the store.

With a goofy grin on his face, Shikamaru waved back. Temari heard the door chime as he entered the store.

As tired as she was for a long week, she was glad to see him. After the past week of spending every day with him, in and out of class, he was the closest thing she had to a friend her on campus. True to his word, he had escorted her every morning to her classes and true to her word, she had treated him to breakfast when he'd participated in class - which was surprisingly everyday this week. She'd been having almost too much fun with him, that their time was beginning to feel precarious.

"Hey," Temari greeted him.

"Hey," he replied in a nonchalant tone. Swaying in his steps, he put walked up toward her and put a hand on the counter - to look cool or perhaps to keep his balance. He had his gym bag slung on his shoulder and the hoodie he was wearing smelled of barbecue and beer. He had mentioned something about his best friend being back in town earlier today. Add the pink flush of his cheeks, and the glazed over eyes, Temari pieced together the fact that he had been drinking.

"Having a good night, Shikamaru?" She asked in a cheeky tone.

He didn't take his eyes off her as he nodded his head rapidly. Temari couldn't help the toothy grin that stretched that lips as she asked coyly, "Have you been drinking?"

He nodded again then asked her, "Have you?"

She brought a hand to her face to hide her laughter.

"What so funny?"

Temari just shook her head at him. When she looked up at him, he was gazing at her with a confused look on his face.

"Troublesome woman," he muttered under his breath.

Then to her surprise, he took the gym bag off his shoulder and proceeded to take off the hoodie he was wearing. "It's so hot," he mumbled through the fabric. Temari watched as the basket ball shirt he was wearing underneath lift up. Her eyes traced the line on his abdomen and the exposed V-lines at his waist. "Let me help you," she offered, pulling down the ends of his shirt.

The hoodie came off and Temari looked up at him. She could feel the heat coming off him like a hot stone left in the sun all day. His hair was tousled with loose strands framing his face. Add the smell of charcoal, it was like he was burning right in front of her.

The sharp pain in her neck made her groan. Instinctively, she put a hand on the back of her neck, having to look down to the floor.

"You okay?"

"It's just a pain in the neck," she told him.

"I know what that feels like," he said. "I've got two of them tonight..." There was a quiet pause as he watched her stretch open her neck. "I'll take you to the campus clinic, it's got painkillers."

"It's fine, i've got ice," Temari explained, putting the ice pack at the right spot. "See? I'll be fine."

Shikamaru stared at her as if he was processing her words. The way he looked at her made her feel like she was on display, like some never-before seen statue in a museum.

And then from behind the counter, the cashier said in a bored tone, "Are you gonna pay for that, lady?"

Shikamaru put a finger up, swaying on his feet. "I'll pay," he said. Tossing his sweater onto Temari like she was some coat-rack, he then rummaged through his gym bag for his wallet.

"It's fine, really," Temari tried to tell him, cradling his hoodie into one arm and the ice pack in her other. But he bumped her aside and with his wallet in his hand. He turned his wallet upside down and dumped all the coins out onto the counter, to the dismay of the cashier.

The clatter and spillage made her laugh aloud. This time, louder and harder than before. And that in turn got Shikamaru giggling as well. She finally slowed down, and caught her breath. Temari could run for days without stopping, but recently she'd been feeling breathless, especially when Shikamaru was around.

"Thanks, you've just made my day," she told him between laughs.

Shikamaru started with a snicker, "seeing you really made my day too. And actually… seeing you has made my day - everyday this week!" Shikamaru admitted. "Something about the way you smile. Something happens to your eyes, it's like they … sparkle," he turned to look at her again and then turned back to his hand, "It's distracting if I'm being honest... I haven't been able to get you out of my head since you shook my hand."

Temari watched Shikamaru slide the last coin across the counter to the cashier. Her mouth felt full and empty at the same time.

He looked up to the cashier again, who was staring at him. "Oh, I'm sorry. I was talking to the pretty blonde here - not you, pal," he apologised. He looked back at Temari and with a dashing smile politely told her, "I'll see you Monday, Temari."

Temari could only watch, mouth agape as Shikamaru turned to walk out the door, leaving his hoodie in her arms and wallet on the counter. She looked to the cashier who stood behind the counter. The expression on his face face matched hers.

"Don't just stand there! Go after him. And take this!" he screamed, throwing the wallet into her hands.

The convenience store entrance jingled as Temari burst out the doors with her arms full.

"Wait!"

"Yeah?" Shikamaru replied in a bored tone. He was leaning against brick wall next to the entrance.

Temari looked up at Shikamaru who was just a few inches taller than her. His high cheekbones were illuminated in the store's fluorescent lights. The way he smiled at her with his chin slightly upturned made him appear deviously handsome.

Who was this guy who just sauntered into her life with his good-looking face and dry humour? Who did he think he was? And what did he want from her?

"Did you mean what you said in there? Or are you just saying that because you're... drunk?" she asked him, going softer at the end of her sentence.

With her guard up, there was nothing that could hurt her, she reminded herself. A storm of emotions swelled in her chest, going all the way up to her eyes.

"I've been drinking, yes," he explained seriously, crossing his arms in front of his face and shaking his head. "I've just have some beer and bbq with my two idiot best friends," he said, pounding his chest as a burp erupted.

"What do you expect from me, then?" She asked him, feeling her patience wearing thin.

He wouldn't know, he's too drunk for this. He doesn't know what he's saying. What are the chances he'll even remember this conversation?

"Troublesome woman…" he said, standing up to tower over her, swaying as he did. "You're so...," he grunted, not finishing his sentence. Instead, his hand went up to grab ahold of her face between his hands. Then his eyes dropped to her lips.

Will he kiss me? She thought, squeezing one eye shut as he squished her cheeks. She stared into his dark eyes and ignored the pounding in her chest.

He looked at his lips, and slightly parted his - as if he was going to do something. Then he stopped. He let go of her face but looked at her fondly. He brought his hand back down beside him.

As a quick thinker and the most decisive person she knew, Temari was hardwired to win. Yet at this moment, she could only see herself losing. This idiot was not a part of her plan and yet her instincts were screaming at her to do something. Something she'd been wanting to do all week.

Temari grabbed ahold of the sides of his face and pulled Shikamaru into a kiss.

For a moment, it flashed through her mind that she had embarrassed herself. Then she felt him kiss her back. Harder.

His ears were cold. His lips were salty. And his tongue was warm.

He tasted of remnants of beer and barbecued meat, but Temari didn't want to stop. She wanted more. Her arms went around his neck and his arms wrapped around her waist. His bag dropped to the floor with a thump. Then he swivelled their bodies and she had her back against the other wall of the store. Now they stood in the little alley, off the pavement.

Temari gasped as he moved his face into her neck. She felt the warmth of his mouth against her skin. As he bit down onto her neck, Temari felt his hand slide up her front. Grabbing her neck, he made a sound that set off something visceral in her.

She responded by pulling his hair back. He dropped his head back letting out a moan.

Taking the opportunity, she bit down on the exposed bit of neck, enjoying how he stiffened against her body. She heard him groan and felt his hand slide over her ass, grabbing a handful to squeeze. He was the first to break the kiss.

Her heart was beating in her ears. It was getting hot so now was a good time to stop. Shikamaru had his arms wrapped around her hips and his face was deeply nuzzled in her neck. She heard him let out a huge sigh. Then he went still.

"Shikamaru?" She asked in a whisper, almost afraid that she'd break the moment.

A light snore erupted from his head weighed on her shoulder heavily. Then she felt his weight lean against her heavily.

Idiotic decision, Temari thought to herself. It was pure stupidity to start kissing a man who drunkardly confessed to you in a college convenient store.

There was a jingle as other people walked into the convenient store. Temari looked up to see the cashier looking at her through the window. Temari gave him an unimpressed look and pointed to the other two customers who were now in the store, telling him to do his job. The cashier went back to minding the store and Temari tried to wake up the boy on her face.

She shook him slightly but there was no response. She looked around, from their mess of items that she had dropped across the tarmac floor to the lack of anybody around them. And she wondered if she'd be stuck here out in the cold.

Then two figures appeared, having just stepped out of the convenience store. They were laughing but got quiet as they approached Temari. One she recognised as the student council President, Naruto Uzumaki. And the other was a bulky guy who looked like a sumo wrestler. They each had cups of instant ramen in their hands.

The three of them looked at each other, then to Shikamaru who had passed out, standing against Temari.

"Shikamaru?" Naruto questioned.

Temari just waved at them and pointed a finger at Shikamaru.

The larger guy handed Naruto his things and without any words he wrapped an arm around Shikamaru's waist and threw him over his shoulder like he was a bag of rice. "You must be Temari. Nice to meet you," the large guy said, "I'm-."

"Chouji," Temari finished, looking at him calmly. "He mentioned you."

Chouji's body heaved with laughter. "Mentioned? He only mentioned me? He hasn't shut up about you." Chouji shot Naruto a side glance and Naruto chuckled.

Not sure what to add, she just smiled sheepishly.

"Sorry about Shikamaru, he's just had a long week," Naruto said, stepping forward to gather Shikamaru's gymbag. This is the President, she thought eyeing the blonde. What did he have that Shikamaru didn't?

"It's fine. He will owe me big after this," she told them.

Naruto smiled as he laughed, his whole face scrunching. Temari felt almost blinded in the middle of this cold autumn night. The energy radiating from this boy was tenacious and warm - as if he was afternoon sunshine in a bottle.

"Oh, I like her for Shikamaru," Chouji told Naruto. Chouji wished Temari goodnight before walking ahead.

"Let me apologise for Shikamaru. He's been working really hard lately and tonight Choji and I pushed him to drink too much. So he got a little… unpredictable," he said, rubbing the back of his head.

"It's fine," she told him,"he…" She wasn't sure where to begin explaining what just took place, so she didn't. "How are my brothers?" she asked Naruto. She hadn't actually seen them much this week, she had been distracted with settling in.

Naruto looked at her quizzically. "I guess they're fine?" He told her, with his face looking unsure. "Is Gaara doing okay on his own?" She asked. She didn't want to badger but she needed to know her brothers were okay.

"I hope so... ," Naruto spoke slowly, as if he was trying to guess the right answer Naruto's brow furrowed and it dawned on her that he had no idea what she was takling about. Konoha boys were easy to read.