At night, the three members of the Nara family were having dinner at the table.
Nara Shikamaru and Nara Shikadai exchanged a glance, feeling that something was off about the taste of dinner tonight; it was either too salty or too bland. But seeing Temari's expression, these two dared not say anything.
They had to soak the tempura in miso soup to balance the saltiness, so they could eat.
"I...."
Temari thought of the words Uchiha Yoichi said to her in the afternoon, put down her bowl and chopsticks, and managed to say a word. But as she noticed Nara Shikamaru and Nara Shikadai looking at her, the rest of her words got stuck in her throat.
"What's wrong, Temari?"
"I... want to go back to the Hidden Sand Village."
Temari quietly apologized to the Nara father and son beside her, but still decided to say it; although she understood that if she didn't go, Uchiha Yoichi might not release the video, the possibility remained.
Moreover, with just two more times, she would be free; once she got those things back, Temari was determined to find an opportunity for Uchiha Yoichi to pay with his life.
"Now that matter has passed. Last time when I went back, I didn't have a good talk with Gaara and Kankuro, so this time I want to go see them."
"Going back, huh? That sounds okay. The incident last time was quite sudden. If not for recent events, Gaara and Kankuro probably would have come looking for you..."
"Father, what exactly happened last time? Why did I forget Mom?"
Nara Shikadai asked curiously. The incident last time was too strange, but neither his father nor his mother was willing to tell him any information.
"This is a Konoha secret, Shikadai. I should have taught you not to inquire about secrets you shouldn't know."
Nara Shikamaru put down his bowl and chopsticks, then asked, "Shikadai, when you finish eating, you should prepare to go with your mom."
"Eh, got it..."
Nara Shikadai, hearing this, seemed slightly unwilling, but he agreed; in the past, whenever Temari returned to the Hidden Sand Village, she brought him along. Last time it was due to the Ninja Academy assessment that he didn't go. This time, with nothing else, he would definitely head to the Hidden Sand Village.
Yet he had also promised Well Array to help investigate Aunt Ino's matter.
"No need, Shikadai should stay in Konoha. Study well recently; your grades aren't even at the top of the class."
Temari spoke, her words causing both Nara father and son to be taken aback, staring at her in a daze.
To know that previously, Temari was adamant about taking Nara Shikadai back; this time, she used Shikadai's grades as a pretext not to take him back. Moreover, the Nara family hadn't placed much emphasis on Shikadai's grades before. In terms of raising their son, Temari had always left it to Nara Shikamaru.
Nara Shikamaru let out a breath, sensing that unnatural feeling again. Since the incident of forgetting about Temari, he'd been aware of this unnatural, strange sensation, and it was growing stronger.
"Alright then, since you say so, be careful on your way back..."
Nara Shikamaru's expression on his face showed no change, but only he knew what he truly felt inside.
After dinner, Temari tidied up the bowl and chopsticks, then went upstairs to bathe.
Nara Shikamaru, hearing the sound of water upstairs, put down the newspaper in his hand and returned silently to the bedroom; previously he had suspicions but hadn't found anything.
Performing the Double-Handed Seal, Shikamaru's shadow immediately came to life under his feet, moving to under the bed, into the wardrobe, into the bedside drawer; using the Shadow Jutsu of the Nara Race, there was no need to open any door or drawer; the shadow could slip through any gap, leaving no trace.
'Nothing... nothing.... nothing...'
With his eyes closed, Nara Shikamaru analyzed everything one by one. The previous time he had memorized the room's layout, so with the shadow's exploration, he could verify everything.
Nothing special appeared, no strange place, but.... huh!?
Nara Shikamaru suddenly opened his eyes; his shadow had found a small bottle under the bottom-most clothing in Temari's wardrobe.
Using the Shadow Jutsu, he pulled out the small bottle; after looking inside, he didn't recognize the pills it contained. However, the family's medicines were all kept in a cabinet on the first floor, so why hide this at the bottom of the wardrobe?
Could Temari's recent changes be related to this pill?
As the sound of water faded away, Nara Shikamaru poured out a pill, wrapped it in paper, and put the bottle back in its original place in the wardrobe. Quietly, he left the bedroom without making a sound and returned to the living room downstairs to read the newspaper.
Meanwhile, in the bathroom upstairs, Temari was not about to finish bathing and change, but instead she looked through the mirror, spotting the design of paw prints on her waist, startling Temari.
Soon, Temari realized that besides Uchiha Yoichi, no one else could have tampered with her.
"That bastard...."
Temari's heart filled with rage as she punched a bathroom porcelain tile wall. The floral pattern below her abdomen hadn't faded, and that bastard had left another mark behind her. Fortunately, in these past few days when Shikamaru wanted to be intimate with her, she'd always found an excuse, or else Shikamaru would have definitely noticed.
After a while of anger, Temari gradually calmed down, secretly clenched her fist, suppressing her inner fury, repeatedly reminding herself: 'Just two more times, if that bastard refuses to keep his promise afterwards, fight him....'
But recalling the video tape matter, she couldn't help but think of those intensely clashing scenes and the sensation that nearly made her faint.
Temari's hand involuntarily moved downward, and before she knew it, she'd sat by the edge of the bathtub, biting a towel as her breath quickened, rapidly moving her fingers.
Breathe~ Breathe~
"Lu, Shikamaru...."
Muttering sounds escaped from her mouth, but the image in her mind was that of a strong, muscular body full of streamlined muscles.
Only by recalling this image did Temari feel as if she was climbing higher.
"Ugh....."
Clenching the towel tightly in her teeth, her rapidly moving fingers finally stopped. After a minute or two, Temari managed to calm down and spit out the towel.
Then, she cleaned her body again with hot water before putting on her clothes and stepping out.
Back in the bedroom, Temari began packing her clothes for the trip. Although she had noticed the trick Uchiha Yoichi had played on her, she had to endure it. After enduring twice, she could return to her family.
By the time Nara Shikamaru returned home in the evening, the lights were already off. Temari was facing inward, and it was unclear if she was asleep. Nara Shikamaru didn't ask; he changed into his pajamas and lay on the bed, back-to-back with Temari.
Despite being a couple, their actions made them seem like strangers sharing a bed.
The next day
Temari got up early to make breakfast and then woke up Nara Shikatai. After the Nara father and son finished breakfast, Temari said, "I'll be leaving now, Shikatai. Your father will take care of you for now."
Nara Shikatai nodded, "Mm, I understand, Mom."
"Shikamaru, I'm leaving."
"Take care on the road."
Nara Shikamaru looked at Temari with a meaningful expression and said, "Temari, if you need any help, just ask. We are family."
Temari was startled by his words and felt some panic. She avoided his gaze and slightly turned her head, saying, "...I know, when I return from Hidden Sand Village, I'll bring you something delicious."
"Mm, safe travels!"
Before Shikamaru could finish speaking, Temari turned around, put on her shoes, and left the house.
"Shikatai, buy your lunch outside today. I have something to do, so I'm heading out now."
After Temari left, Nara Shikamaru put down a stack of money and also left; leaving Shikatai alone at the table, looking at the uncleaned dishes, and sighed, muttering, "Such a bother...."
————————————
"Thank you, Shizune-senpai."
"No problem, it's just a small matter. Although my research on medicine isn't as extensive as Sakura's or Lady Tsunade's, this is nothing...."
Shizune took the pills from Nara Shikamaru and walked into the pharmacy room.
Time slowly passed, and half an hour went by, but for Nara Shikamaru, it felt like an entire day.
Suddenly, the door of the pharmacy room opened, and Shizune walked out.
Seeing this, Nara Shikamaru quickly stepped forward and asked, "How was it, Shizune-senpai?"
Shizune sighed and then looked at Shikamaru calmly, saying, "Shikamaru, you're asking me to check a vitamin pill?"
"Wha, what?"
Upon hearing this, Nara Shikamaru was stunned and suspected he had misheard. He quickly asked, "Shizune-senpai, what did you say this was? A vitamin pill? Like those that supplement vitamins?"
"Yes, what other vitamin pill could it be."
Shizune's tone was a bit annoyed. Although she agreed to help, she wasn't that free; she originally thought it was some new poison, but after careful examination, found it was just an ordinary vitamin pill.
"If there's nothing else, I'll be going back. There's work at the hospital waiting for me to handle!"
After saying that, Shizune left.
Nara Shikamaru stared at the divided pill in his hand, deeply doubting himself. Was he wrong? Was Temari's change unrelated to the pills in the wardrobe? Or was he simply overthinking it?
"Maybe I'm just too tense lately...."
Nara Shikamaru lingered in the hospital corridor for a while, then shook his head and left. However, before leaving the hospital, he bought a bottle of vitamin pills.
Since it's such an ordinary medicine, Temari probably didn't intentionally hide it. It might have been left in the wardrobe inadvertently during cleaning; he was overthinking.
As Nara Shikamaru left Konoha Hospital, on the Thunder Car heading to the Land of Hot Water, Uchiha Yoichi also found Lady Temari at the back of the last carriage.