Ah~ four years already passed, and yes I'm going back now – going back to my homeland. Shikamaru thought as he lazily packed his things onto his bag. His four long years stay in Suna will end now, his mission on the Sand village had finished, he was grateful to it because finally he can now step his foot back in Konoha. Oh~ how he missed his homeland very much. Packing the last thing he remembered to packed, he slouch his bag on his back and he's ready to go.
"So, excited to get your ass out of here?" Temari asked the moment Shikamaru stepped out of his quarter.
"You can say that, after all four years is four years." He answered lazily as they both walked out of the quarter's area heading to the Kazekage tower for his last report.
"Yeah~ if I were on your shoes, I don't think I can stay that long I guess my limit is up to three days. You're really a responsible shinobi Nara." Temari stated Shikamaru took a glance at her and smile wryly, before he tilted his head to look at the passing clouds.
"Men and women are different in many ways." He said in no one in particular.
"It's true, but women can easily catch up to men nowadays." She replied as they stood outside of the Kazekage tower. "I'll wait here so I can walk you to the front gate. Good luck on the last report." Temari added as she strolled somewhere, leaving Shikamaru. The male shinobi nodded and headed his way up to his destination.
After three days of non-stop travelling, Shikamaru finally saw the front gate of the Village Hidden in Leaves, he sighed heavily feeling the freshness of the air together with the fresh smell of the leaves that joined the wind I guess it's a welcome home dance for me he thought. He never knew that he missed Konoha that much. Walking slowly, he enjoyed seeing the familiar places he didn't see for the past four years. The twenty-nine year old Jounin walked straight to the Hokage tower where his long time friend and the sixth Hokage, Naruto waits for his report. It's too troublesome to report my duty in the past four years, but do I have any choice? Ah~ I just want to lay my head on my bed and rest as much as I can. He thought until he finally arrived at the front of Naruto's office. He knocked twice before he heard the Hokage answered.
"Come in" Naruto said Shikamaru was greeted by a wide smile on Naruto's face "yoh~ pineapple head! It's been a while!" he exclaimed loudly enough to make Shikamaru deaf.
"Yeah-yeah and I guess these two scrolls will tell you how much trouble I've been through just to finish that stupid mission." He answered dryly as the Hokage picked the scrolls that he sluggishly threw in his table.
"Four years had passed and you're still you, lazy ass." Naruto snorted as he began to read the content of the first scroll. "I'll let you have a vacation. So wait for your next mission, alright pineapple head?" he said and that wide-annoying smile spread again on his face, Shikamaru sighed in response.
"seeyah." He said and walked out of the room.
"Oh~ before I forgot, you must go to Yamanaka flower Shop. I hear Ino has a surprise for you," he heard Naruto shouted, he didn't give him any reply. He just continued his way back to the town.
Shikamaru strolled back, nodding his head whenever he sees someone familiar to him until he finally found his next stop. He's not that interested to get the surprise Naruto had just told him, nevertheless, he will still be dropping by to that said flower shop to see his former-teammate, the blonde girl that never ceased to appear on his every dream when he was in Suna. The one he loved for so many years. He wondered what Ino looks like now, does she change that much or she still remain as the same? The anticipation slowly kills him that he didn't notice something, scratch that, someone bumped into him.
