Everyone present looked at each other in surprise.
"Gaara!"
"Hokage-sama! Kazekage-dono! Kankurō!"
Shikamaru and Temari's voices overlapped awkwardly as they both greeted the newcomers, their faces betraying a faint blush. They quickly took a step back from each other, trying to act natural, though the tension between them was obvious.
Kankurō noticed immediately. With a knowing grin, he said hurriedly, "Ah, we still have something to take care of! You two go ahead and... keep talking."
Before Shikamaru could even react, Kankurō grabbed Kakashi and Gaara by the arms and started pulling them away.
"Hey! Kazekage-sama! Kanku—wait!" Shikamaru called, half-reaching out.
But before he could finish saying "Kankurō," the three were already gone—running faster than any of them had during the war.
Shikamaru blinked, rubbing the back of his neck. "What the hell was that about?"
Temari sighed softly. She had already guessed the reason. Kankurō's antics were nothing new—he was trying to give them some time alone.
To be honest, Temari had liked Shikamaru for a long time. Especially during the Fourth Great Ninja War, his composure, intelligence, and unwavering will had drawn her attention. She admired his calm, his quiet strength... and maybe, his frustratingly lazy attitude too.
But Shikamaru always seemed so—dense. Or maybe just afraid of emotional complications.
For his part, Shikamaru was utterly lost. He found the entire situation troublesome. Being alone with a girl—especially someone as sharp and confident as Temari—made him nervous.
Meanwhile, several streets away, Kankurō finally stopped running. He released his two captives, catching his breath.
"Sorry, Hokage-sama, Kazekage-sama. That was... kind of rude of me."
Kakashi waved it off with an easy laugh. "No, no, it's fine. I think I get it."
Gaara looked at his brother, brow slightly furrowed. "Kankurō, what was that about? You didn't even say goodbye."
Kankurō groaned, palm to forehead. "Oh, Gaara, seriously? You didn't notice? Temari's liked Shikamaru for ages! I saw it during the war."
Gaara paused, thinking for a moment. "Now that you mention it... there was something like that."
Kakashi chuckled behind his mask. "So, Shikamaru and Temari, huh? Looks like you'll be visiting Konoha a lot more often, Kazekage-dono."
Gaara gave a rare smile. "Hokage-sama, you're joking."
Kankurō grinned. "That's why I dragged you two away! If they're ever gonna get together, they need space to figure it out."
Kakashi gave Kankurō a thumbs up. "Smart thinking."
"Let's go find the other Kage," Kankurō said, clearly satisfied with his matchmaking efforts.
"Right," Kakashi nodded, and the three disappeared into the busy Konoha streets.
Back where they had left them, Temari folded her arms and turned toward Shikamaru.
"If you want to go find them, go ahead. I just remembered I need to meet Gaara anyway. If I go, it still counts as doing my duty. Maybe another guide can accompany me instead."
Shikamaru frowned, scratching his head. "I wasn't looking for them. I just ran into them by accident and called out. It's not like I planned it... but now it looks like they ran away on purpose."
Temari's cheeks flushed slightly. "You really don't know why they ran?"
Shikamaru blinked. "Huh? What do you mean?"
Temari gave him an annoyed glare. "What do you mean, 'what do you mean'? Why did you reply to my letter that way, and now act like you've forgotten it?"
Shikamaru froze, eyes widening a bit as memory caught up with him. Right—the letter.
He sighed inwardly. For a long time, Shikamaru had found the idea of love troublesome. He'd never seriously thought about settling down or starting a family. His parents' relationship had shown him how complicated life could get when emotions got involved. Solitude was peaceful. Predictable.
But Temari… Temari had stirred something he couldn't quite ignore.
That feeling—the warmth, the irritation, the pull—was confusing. And that uncertainty scared him.
He'd even asked Naruto about it once, back when the Seventh was still just his loudmouthed friend. Naruto had laughed and told him, "If you're meant to be together, you'll just know. That's how fate works."
Shikamaru had sighed at the time. Fate, huh? He wasn't sure he believed in it—but he'd still written Temari a reply that was, to put it mildly, ambiguous. Not quite yes, not quite no.
And now, standing before her, his heart felt heavy with the weight of that half-answer.
Temari stared at him, waiting. The silence stretched between them.
Then Shikamaru finally exhaled and muttered, "Well… how about I take you out for dinner?"
Temari raised an eyebrow. "Dinner? I'm not even hungry. I only had a few Bingryō Pills at noon just to get here faster."
Shikamaru smiled faintly. "Exactly. You can't be full on those. Come on—it's almost evening. Let's get some real food."
Without waiting for a reply, he reached out and gently took her hand, leading her down the street toward the familiar smell of grilled meat. Temari froze for a second, eyes widening, her face turning red. She hadn't expected him to be this bold.
"Wait—hey! Where are you taking me to eat?"
Yakiniku Q — The Barbecue Restaurant
The aroma of sizzling meat filled the air as Shikamaru pushed open the door.
"Auntie! One barbecue set for two, please," he called.
The plump, cheerful owner turned, smiling brightly. "Well, if it isn't Shikamaru! Haven't seen you in ages, kid."
Shikamaru rubbed his neck with a sheepish grin. "Yeah… been busy lately."
The auntie nodded knowingly, then turned her gaze to Temari. "Oh? I don't recognize this young lady."
Temari smiled politely. "I'm from Sunagakure. I came to Konoha for Naruto's wedding."
"Oh-ho! From the Sand Village!" The aunt laughed warmly. "Shikamaru, this is the first time you've brought a girl from another village here! Hahaha!"
Temari flushed a bit while Shikamaru groaned. "Auntie…"
But the woman just chuckled. "Girl, let me tell you something—this boy's one of the best around. Smart, loyal, always helps his friends. Pretends to be lazy, but when things get serious, he's the first one to act."
Shikamaru sighed. "Auntie, seriously…"
The old lady only laughed harder. "Fine, fine. You're shy, huh? You must really like her if you're blushing like that! Tell you what—I'll throw in extra meat, on the house. Eat up, both of you!"
She winked and walked away, still laughing.
Temari smiled, turning to Shikamaru. "So, you come here often?"
He nodded. "Yeah. Asuma-sensei and Chōji love this place. We used to eat here all the time, so Auntie knows me pretty well."
"I see," Temari said softly, her expression turning fond for a brief moment. She'd heard the story of Asuma's sacrifice. She respected him too.
For a while, they sat in silence, awkwardly sipping their water. Neither knew what to say. Thankfully, the waiter arrived with their order before the tension grew unbearable.
Shikamaru immediately stood up and helped set the table, arranging the plates and trays.
The staff exchanged amused glances—Shikamaru never acted like this. But he wasn't trying to impress anyone; he just needed something to do, anything, to ease the atmosphere.
Once the grill was ready, Shikamaru began cooking the meat carefully, sprinkling just the right amount of seasoning. He handed a piece to Temari. "Try this—it's better if you eat it while it's still sizzling."
Temari accepted it, their fingers brushing briefly. The touch sent a small jolt up her spine. She took a bite and smiled faintly. "Hmm… not bad."
"See? Told you," Shikamaru said with a small smirk.
As they ate, the awkwardness slowly melted away, replaced by small talk and quiet laughter. At one point, the aunt returned with a bottle of soju. "On the house," she said with a wink. "Young love deserves a toast."
Both of them blushed, but didn't refuse.
By the time they finished, the sun had set, and the sky outside was painted in hues of purple and gold. They stepped out into the cool evening air, both with slightly flushed cheeks—half from the alcohol, half from everything else.
Temari stretched and sighed contentedly. "That was amazing. The barbecue here is really something."
"Are you full?" Shikamaru asked, his tone softer than usual.
"Yeah. That auntie's too nice—she kept giving me more meat!"
Shikamaru chuckled, then took a deep breath as if debating something internally. Finally, he looked at her and said, "If you're not busy… how about we go take a bath together?"
Temari froze mid-step, her face going crimson. "T-Take a bath together?!"
Dear Readers
For 60 Advance Chapters Join My Patreon
https://www.patreon.com/NF25
-------
Please Support My Patreon 🥺