Chapter 3
SHIKAMARU
He had just one job today. It was a pretty easy job - a tour and keys. And somehow he'd lost one kid, almost killed another and was now about to kick-start an unsanctioned inter-collegiate race. He stood behind the starting line, holding Temari's jacket in addition to the file and keys - Shikamaru now realised why the girls called Temari a 'legend'. The crowd of spectators that gathered in such a short amount of time made him realise he really ought to pay more attention to the world of women sports.
And while it was odd seeing Temari crouched beside Tenten in a turtleneck and tennis skirt, she didn't look out of place.
"Ready!" A voice shouted out.
The girls raised their hips in the air. And whilst Shikamaru respectfully tried to focus on the finishing line, he couldn't stop his eyes from travelling to the narrow triangle of Temari's underwear between her cheeks.
The whistle screeched through the air and the girls launched themselves off the ground. Temari was an inch ahead of Tenten, and as they ran, the distance remained. The crowd fell into a hush silence as the girls clawed through the air, pumping their arms and legs as fast as they could.
At the last few metres, it looked like the girls would be neck-and-neck but almost immediately, Temari leapt over the finishing line first. It was over in seconds. The tension of the crowd broke into applause and chatter. Tenten was effectively the fastest girl on campus, but try as hard as she might, Temari was unyielding. Like a bullet or a wild stallion, she didn't let up for a second. If Shikamaru had to describe it, it was as if the wind itself favoured Temari. Poor Tenten didn't stand a chance.
Temari slowed her run to a jog, and as she turned around, Shikamaru caught sight of her face - beaming like the sun. Her mouth stretched into a wide grin and her eyes crinkled. Her laugh travelled through the air. The girls walked back to the starting line where Shikamaru was standing.
"You're still a legend," Tenten said in admiration between pants.
"You're not so bad yourself, kid," Temari told her, painting hard as well.
"Why weren't you there last season? You could've set a new record," Tenten asked.
Temari shrugged the question off with a toothy grin.
Temari turned toward Shikamaru and he felt his heart jump at the close appearance of her face. Up close, her eyes were shining and her cheeks flushed a vibrant pink. She looked refreshed. You'd never have guessed she just ran for her life.
"You got any water?" Temari coughed out.
Luckily, he did. He grabbed the bottle he had from his bag and opened it for her. His eyes went wide as she lifted it over her head and poured it over face. She combed back her damp fringe as she uttered her thanks, appearing much more relaxed. Whatever disdain she'd had for him earlier was gone and replaced by a much more agreeable personality.
"I think now is a good time to head to your dorms," he suggested out of courtesy, eyeing the dampness of her top.
"That's a good call," she agreed.
He gestured toward the dorms and they walked in tandem, "It's too bad we had to skip the campus flower garden. They have a nice array of cacti."
"I was born in the desert. I've seen plenty of cacti," she retorted.
Shikamaru just laughed, feeling himself more at ease than he did in a long time.