Chapter 30- Wo Gang Hao Yu Jian Ni

Over the next few months, Shanan and Naruto's apartment became a hub for friends and guests seeking a parent-free haven and respite from the near-constant missions. Their usual gang, Neji, Lee, Hinata, and themselves, often gathered for music-filled nights, silly antics, and lively hangout sessions. Occasionally, other Genin would drop by when their schedules allowed, adding to the lively atmosphere.

The constant flow of traffic was a welcome distraction for Shanan, keeping her mind off not only Sasuke's departure and the ache of his absence, but also the looming reality of Naruto's upcoming journey with Jiraiya. The apartment's newfound role as a social hotspot brought a new sense of normalcy and comfort, helping them navigate this uncertain and chaotic time in their lives.

On one particularly cold afternoon, Naruto burst through the door, a triumphant grin on his face. "Hey guys! Look who I found!" he exclaimed, gesturing behind him. "I ran into him outside of the Hokage building, and he seemed bored, so I made him come over."

Trailing in behind him was Shikamaru Nara, a look of uncertainty on his face as he rubbed the back of his neck. His self-consciousness was evident as stood there feeling awkward and out of place.

As his eyes scanned the room, his gaze lingered on Shanan, who was laughing and chatting with Neji and Lee. He felt a familiar flutter in his chest, but quickly pushed it aside, reminding himself that even with Sasuke gone, he still didn't stand a chance with her. The thought stung, but he was accustomed to suppressing his feelings.

He was immediately struck by the warm and inviting atmosphere of her apartment. It was both surprising and unsurprising, he thought. – Surprising because most people tended to disappoint in person, unable to live up to expectations of the imagination. But unsurprising because this was exactly what he had imagined her home would be like. – The cozy decor. The obscene amount of pillows in varying sizes on and around her bed. And the way everyone there seemed to relax wherever they wanted as they chatted loudly and laughed over one another. All while Hinata sat at the table drawing a picture of Shanan's tiny potted plant that she had arranged to sit atop a small stack of books. All of it seemed to reflect the warmth and kindness he had always associated with Shanan.

For a brief moment, he could've sworn she glanced over at him, but he quickly dismissed the idea. In all the years that he'd watched her during their breaks at school, she had never once noticed him.

When Naruto suddenly ran off to ask Hinata about her drawing, Shikamaru's instinct was to retreat into the nearest shadow. But just as he'd turned to flee the scene, a gentle and melodic voice held him in place. His hand hovering above the door handle.

"Hi, Shikamaru."

His heart skipped a beat as he heard his name on her lips for the very first time. Taking a deep breath, he turned slowly, his eyes reluctantly locking onto hers. He was certainly taken aback by her unexpected approach and his mind struggled to catch up with the fact that she had singled him out so quickly. And the way she pronounced his name – with a soft emphasis on the maru sent a tiny thrill through him. He couldn't help his shy smile, feeling a sense of wonder that she knew his name at all. And though his nervousness threatened to consume him, her gentle smile and kind words quickly put him at ease.

"I've been meaning to congratulate you on your promotion to Chunin," she said, her voice warm with sincerity. "Lee and I were on the edge of our seats watching your match – you were amazing!" Her enthusiasm was surprising, but Shikamaru found himself relaxing in the face of her genuine praise. "And, hey, the jacket really suits you too," she added.

Shikamaru's embarrassment flared up once more. "Thanks," he said, forcing the word out. "But… I'm honestly not sure why they chose me," he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck again. "I mean, I ended up forfeiting, after all."

"What?" Shanan's eyes widened in surprise, her incredulity evident. "You totally earned that jacket, Shikamaru! That fight was so good! The way you stayed so many steps ahead. That sand girl thought she had you all figured out – I think everyone did, but—you're incredibly strategic, you know?"

He relented, a hint of a smile on his face. "Yeah, I guess… though being Chunin does come with more work, which is kinda troublesome." His gaze drifted off momentarily, and he worried he was coming across as lazy and ungrateful, considering that was what most people criticized him for when he complained about anything being too much work.

"True… The sudden increase in expectations has to be a big adjustment." Her gaze drifted up thoughtfully. "Troublesome is probably putting it a bit mildly…" She chuckled, remembering Naruto's words about Shikamaru during the final round and how he preferred little to no expectations when it came to him doing anything. "I've also heard you're, like, the best at shogi!" she said, changing the subject for him.

"Oh…" he said, surprise and relief mingling in his voice. "You've heard that?"

"Of course!" she replied with a hint of amusement. "You played Sasuke once, and he spent the entire night trying to figure out exactly when you'd outsmarted him."

Shikamaru's expression turned sheepish. "Ah, well… to be honest, he was pretty predictable. One of my easier wins, actually." He hesitated, his voice taking on a more measured tone as if he'd just realized the potential impact of his words. "Not that he played badly… I just—figured out his strategy after only a few moves."

She waved off his awkwardness with a gentle smile. "Hmm… I wonder which came first for you," she mused. "The love of shogi or the strategic thinking?"

"What do you mean?" he asked, his interest evident in his tone.

"Well, let's say it was the shogi that came first," she said. "Maybe you lost your first game, which didn't sit right with you. You thought, 'I'm way too clever to have lost in such an obvious way.' So, you replayed that game over and over in your mind, analyzing every move until their strategy became crystal clear to you."

Shanan's excitement grew as she went on. "So, you played that person again – maybe your dad, who seems like the perfect opponent for this scenario." She paused briefly, a small smile playing on her lips. "He uses the same strategy, but this time, you're two steps ahead. You've anticipated his moves, and you win!"

He nodded thoughtfully, his gaze locked on her face.

"But then, he challenges you again, and things change. His strategy is new, and you're caught off guard. You lose, but that only fuels your determination. You start playing anyone who will play with you, analyzing their moves, replaying them in your mind until you understand their style, counters, everything. You keep playing, keep learning, until you're unbeatable. And finally, you're ready to face your toughest opponent yet…" Shanan paused for dramatic effect, a sly grin spreading across her face.

"You."

He chuckled, a light, amused sound, clearly entertained by her engaging narrative.

"You'd mastered everyone else's strategy, but what about your own? Could you outmaneuver yourself?" she said. "And so, the ultimate game of shogi began, with you making moves and counter-moves on both sides. Each game was a draw, of course, with you expertly blocking your own progress every time. But your persistence paid off. You refined your skills until you could counter every move, every strategy. The draws became a proud testament to your consistency and genius. And though you never did win against yourself, ultimately, you emerged victorious – with the perfect counter-move for every scenario. And thus, a brilliant strategic mind was born."

As she spoke, Shikamaru found himself captivated by her expressions. He couldn't help but notice how her eyebrows rose when she emphasized a point or the gentle curve of her lips as she smiled. With a start, he realized that he had never been this close to her.

"Alternatively, maybe strategy came first," she suggested, breaking him from his trance. "You always planned all of your moves ahead of time. From how to get away with something with your parents, to having to speak to someone new. Even planning your naps around school work effectively while minimizing repercussions. And then your dad introduced you to shogi and you were a natural. This scenario is shorter, but the outcome is the same – you honed your skills and grew stronger with each game. So which is it?" she asked him, almost dying to know his answer.

He smiled awkwardly and pondered momentarily before responding, "Hmm… maybe it's a mix of both. The second scenario feels more accurate, but I did have some epic shogi battles against myself." He admitted with a half smile.

Shanan shrugged, laughing. "That's fair. I'm more of a sudoku fan myself, so I totally understand wanting to do things solo from time to time. But maybe you could teach me shogi and strategic thinking sometime. I tend to rely a lot on my instincts."

Shikamaru's eyes widened in surprise as he stared at her, frozen. Catching himself, he nodded gently, thoroughly delighted by her request to spend more time with him. And he welcomed the opportunity to share his passion for shogi and strategy with her.

"Hey, come and say, hi to Lee!" she said, grabbing his hand and pulling him toward her teammate. "He and I were fangirling together during your match and he's been wanting to meet you!"

As they walked, Shikamaru felt a strange sensation, like warmth spreading from her hand up to his chest. And he couldn't help but wonder what she meant by fangirling. Had he really been that impressive? His own memories of the fight were tinged with disappointment and frustration.

Shanan's laughter broke into his thoughts, and he looked up to see her looking back at him. "You may have to tell him where you buy your clothes, though," she said, her voice playful. "He's so funny like that…"

When the evening drew to a close, Shikamaru felt surprised at how much he had enjoyed himself. He had initially felt awkward and out of place, but Shanan's warm welcome and infectious enthusiasm had put him at ease. Their conversation about shogi and strategy had revealed a depth to her he hadn't been aware of. Beyond her kindness, beauty, and unwavering support for Naruto, he had discovered a clever and truly genuine person, and he looked forward to seeing her again.

Days passed, with missions and training filling Shikamaru's schedule. However, the memory of his conversation with Shanan lingered, and he wondered if he'd ever really get another chance to talk to her again.

As he walked out of the Hokage's building, he was surprised to not only see her, but that she walked straight up to him, her expression worried.

"Hey, Shikamaru, have you heard anything about Naruto's mission?" she asked, her brow furrowed. "Kakashi said it would only take a few days, but it's been longer than that. I haven't heard anything, and I'm just getting really worried."

His expression turned thoughtful. "Oh, sorry, I haven't heard anything," he said. "But I can ask Lady Tsunade if she's received any updates. She might have some information that hasn't been shared with the rest of us yet."

"Really?" she said, a hopeful smile on her face. "Thank you. I'd really appreciate that."

A faint flush crept up his neck as he struggled to regain composure. "Not a problem, Shanan," he said with a slight nod as he started to walk away.

To his surprise, she didn't bid him farewell or head off in a different direction. Instead, she fell into step beside him, continuing their conversation as if they were old friends.

"I also wanted to ask you about that shogi lesson," she said, her voice filled with enthusiasm. "Ever since our discussion, I've been reading books about the rules and strategies. And theory is great and all, but I'd like to play and learn from an actual person. When do you think we can do it?" She looked at Shikamaru expectantly, her face aglow with anticipation.

Shikamaru's response was somewhat subdued, his gaze faltering as he looked away before returning to her face. "Ah… right," he said, his tone casual. "I mean… whenever you're free, I guess."

"I'm free anytime, really," she said, her laughter putting him at ease. "How about tomorrow afternoon?"

Shikamaru nodded, still slightly surprised, but trying to play it cool. "Tomorrow works… yeah, that's great."

As they walked through the village, he found himself glancing at her with surprise and curiosity. His pace slowed slightly, his eyes lingering on her smile as she chatted about her day. He nodded along, his responses brief, as his mind struggled to keep up with the unexpected turn of events.

At one point, her laughter caught him off guard, and he blinked, his gaze darting back to the path ahead. He'd wanted to contribute more to the conversation – to ask her questions and get to know her better, but everything he thought to say seemed stupid or pointless. So he let her do most of the talking while he did most of the listening.

She even expressed her intrigue at his Shadow Possession Jutsu, asking if he'd ever be willing to use it on her. "I'd love to try and escape it someday…"

His thoughts swirled, unsure how to respond to her. No one had ever asked him to use his jutsu on them before. He nodded hesitantly, still trying to process her outgoing nature and the ease with which she chatted casually with him.

As they approached the edge of the village, Shanan slowed her pace, turning to face Shikamaru with a warm smile. "Thanks for walking with me."

"No problem," he said.

She nodded and turned to leave, her long hair flowing behind her. "See ya tomorrow, Shikamaru," she called out, her voice light and cheerful.

He watched her go, a gentle smile on his face. "Yeah… see ya tomorrow." His eyes lingered on her retreating figure, and he honestly couldn't help but wonder – were they actually friends now? He felt like he was walking on air as he returned to his duties.

The next day, Shikamaru's hands moved with a slight tremble as he set up the shogi board in Shanan's apartment. He couldn't help but feel both excited and nervous at being alone with her in her personal space for the first time. The quiet, intimate atmosphere felt almost surreal, and he found himself wondering if this might be the start of more frequent, informal hangouts. He glanced up at her, as she watched him with an expectant smile.

"So, you really read books about shogi?" he asked, trying to sound casual despite the flutter in his chest.

She nodded enthusiastically. "I love learning new things! Plus, I think learning to play will help me to think more critically on missions."

His expression softened, impressed by her thoughtful approach. He began to go over the basic rules and objectives, but her previous research and overall quick grasp of the concepts soon led him to delve into more advanced tactics.

As they played, he couldn't help but notice the way her face lit up when she made a clever move or how her nose scrunched up as she was thinking.

"I'm really glad we're doing this," she said, her smile warm and genuine. "I don't think we've ever talked one-on-one before. You've always been a bit of a mystery, even back at the Academy. I remember during breaks you were always hiding yourself somewhere in the shadows."

Shikamaru's eyes met hers, his face warming with a blush. "You knew I did that?" he asked.

Shanan's smile grew enigmatic, and she leaned forward, her eyes sparkling with amusement. She reached out, her fingers hovering over the shogi pieces before making a deliberate move. "I notice a lot of things…" she said, looking up at him. "Did you make those shadows?"

He held her gaze for a moment, his brow furrowing slightly. Then, he looked away, focusing on the shogi board and pondering his next move. "Yeah, I did… I didn't think you'd actually wanna spend time with me, to be honest."

"Why would you think that?"

"I'm… not really sure," he muttered awkwardly.

Shanan's gaze lingered on him, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Not sure, or because I seemed so… unapproachable?" she asked, her tone gentle but probing.

His focus remained on the board, his fingers absently hovering over one of the pieces.

Shanan leaned back, a thoughtful expression on her face. "It's always just been me and the boys," she said. "And then I became friends with Hinata, and then I had Neji and Lee too… but I guess I've never branched out much when it came to making friends."

Shikamaru's gaze flickered up to hers, a small smile on his face. "You're doing better than I am," he said as he chuckled softly.

"Honestly, I'm surprised you even agreed to hang out with me. Considering how much girls annoy you!" she teased.

"Dammit…" he muttered, his head slumping forward before he looked back up at her. "Did Naruto tell you that?"

"It's okay," she said, smiling at him. "I totally get it." Her smile grew. "Anyway, you're a really good teacher!"

"Thanks," he said. "I've never taught anyone before, so this is all a bit new for me." He cleared his throat, trying to sound nonchalant despite his growing fluster.

"Well, you're a natural," she replied. "But you're not as clever as I thought you were…"

His gaze drifted back to hers, his expression confused.

"Checkmate!" she said as she slammed her piece on the board.

Shikamaru's eyes narrowed, and he leaned forward, a slow smile spreading across his face. "That's not the right game…" he said as he handed her piece back.

"Damn!" she said, feigning disappointment.

His face softened, as his gaze lingered on her. "I gotta say, you're actually really easy to talk to." He said it out loud, surprising even himself with the sincerity in his voice.

"Thanks…" Her smile faltered momentarily before she looked down at the board, her cheeks flushing slightly. "That means a lot coming from you."

As play continued, Shikamaru found himself relaxing more and more in her presence, her easygoing nature putting him at ease. He teased her good-naturedly about her mistakes, and she laughed, taking no offense, even teasing herself.

He didn't need to simplify his explanations or worry about overwhelming her – she absorbed the information like a sponge, asking insightful questions and making thoughtful moves. Their conversation flowed effortlessly, punctuated by moments of comfortable silence as they contemplated their next moves.

Shanan shared her passion for researching various topics, from the intricacies of the human mind to the wonders of the natural world and Shikamaru's eyes lit up when she asked him about his interests.

"Actually, I've always been fascinated by clouds," he admitted. "Mostly just watching them as they pass by…"

Shanan's face lit up with excitement as she launched into a detailed explanation of the different types of clouds. "Oh, clouds are amazing! Cumulus clouds have the greatest potential for making cool shapes," she said, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. "And if you're lucky, you can even spot some cirrostratus clouds, which can create these incredible halos around the sun."

Shikamaru listened, entranced, his mind boggling at the extent of her knowledge. He couldn't help but think that if she ever wanted to teach him things, sleeping would be the last thing on his mind.

"If you want sometime, I can turn myself into a cloud and make shapes to see if you can guess them!" she said.

"Wait…" His eyes widened in surprise. "Turn yourself into a cloud? I didn't know you could do that…"

"Oh, yeah… that's kinda why I missed the Chunin exams."

Her nervous chuckle was incredibly endearing, forcing him to quickly look away.

Realization dawned on him as he remembered what he'd heard about her injury. "That's… really intense. I'm sorry."

"It's fine," she assured him. "I'm really good at it now, I'll have to show you sometime!"

"The ability to turn into a cloud honestly sounds like a dream," Shikamaru said.

"Oh yeah?" she asked. "It's honestly funny that you think that."

Shikamaru's brow furrowed slightly. "Why's it funny?" he asked her, his tone cautious.

Shanan's expression turned thoughtful, her eyes drifting downward as she gathered her thoughts. "Actually, I was thinking about how I asked you to use your jutsu on me yesterday," she said. "And I realized that… you're like, a master of darkness. You manipulate shadows and control them. That's… kinda terrifying, but also… really amazing to me."

"Amazing?" he asked. "How so?"

"Well…" She paused for a moment, unsure of how to explain. "Actually… It's… because…" She sighed, feeling embarrassed all of a sudden. "I'm really scared of the dark," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "Are you really not afraid of it?"

His expression turned contemplative, his eyes drifting away before returning to hers. He shook his head, a small smile playing on his lips. "No, actually," he said. "I guess it's like you said… for generations, my clan has walked fearlessly through it and bent it to their will, using it how they see fit. It isn't something I've ever even thought to fear."

"That's really lucky," she said, her voice soft.

"Maybe…" Shikamaru's sincere gaze met hers. "But if you ever want me to, I'd be happy to show you how it's done," he offered, his tone gentle.

She smiled softly at him. "Maybe one day…"

The mere suggestion sent a shiver down his spine. It all felt… right, somehow. As if the universe had brought them together. He felt grateful, humbled, and maybe even a little awestruck by the realization that the girl he'd had a crush on for so long was not only clever and sweet, but also possessed a unique gift that resonated deeply with him.

The way she'd opened up to him about her fear of the dark, and the way he'd been able to share his own perspective on the shadows, felt like a connection he couldn't ignore.

He hoped that, in time, he could help her overcome her fear, or at least be a source of comfort when the darkness felt overwhelming…