Shikamaru Shinden Chapter 1

Hi everyone, thank you so much for your patience! I have a few things I’d like to say before we get started!

1. Thank you so much to Cacatuasulphureacitrinocristata where ever you are nowadays, you always inspired me!

2. If you’d like to, I have a Kofi. I’m not gonna demand donations, especially not for this, but if you’d like a sketch or just to say thanks, please consider it :)

3. Please support the official release by purchasing a copy of Shikamaru Shinden from CD-Japan! If it wasn’t for all of our efforts last time, we’d have never gotten an English release for the Hiden story!

4. If you have any questions at all, please ask me in my ask box.

5. I do not and never will own any property relating to Naruto. The series is owned by Masashi Kishimoto and TV Tokyo, and the novel is written by Takashi Yano. I repeat I own nothing!

6. Please do not repost or release this translation anywhere!

7. If there is to be an official English release, I will take this one down.

And with that out of the way, We can begin!

SHIKAMARU SHINDEN

SECTION 1

CHAPTER 1





He woke up in the usual way.

Ever since he’d started Academy as a child, he’d had the habit of waking up early. No matter how late he went to sleep, without fail, he’d always wake up at a certain time.

“Uwaaaa….” Shikamaru yawned, staring up at the familiar ceiling.

“Hmnn.”

He noticed an odd smell and sniffed at his shirt. The smell of smoky burnt meat and tobacco had stained it. He’d come home so late the previous night that he’d just collapsed on his fuuton after taking off his coat.

“ I didn’t take a bath…” He sighed.

The sensations that had brought him joy the night before now depressed him. The water in the bath was definitely cold by now. Temari would have no idea as to when he was coming back and would have left it covered. And if he remembered right there was a cold dinner on the table.

“The clouds were calling me..”

He had forgotten to contact Temari.

He sniffed his forearm, which stank of smoke.

“Troublesome….”

He’d really screwed up this time. He didn’t call his wife, he didn’t take his bath and he’d slept in his clothes. But more troublesome things were gonna come, so he had to prepare himself for them.

Even if he didn’t blame himself, the self-pitying words were already in his head.

“Damn.”

Forcing himself, he lifted his head, willing it to be clear. Shinobi that drank as much as he did could manage it the next day. He slapped his cheeks a few times and pinched his face. Without his willpower, he’d never have enough strength to open the doors in front of him.

As he hadn’t had a bath, his hair was still tied up, in a messy bunch. He’d turned a lot and it was a complete mess. He’d have to remember to take a bath from now on.

He undid the messy ponytail and shook his hair out. He blinked his sleep out of his eyes and tied his hair back again.

“Yosh!” he exclaimed and was immediately embarrassed. He needed to inspire himself he supposed.

He stepped out into the hallway.

“Oh!”

As he stepped out, his son’s face was there to greet him. Shikadai stared up at his dad, who looked back with wide, open eyes.

“Oh, hello,” Shikamaru said in a hoarse voice.

“Did you catch a cold?” Shikadai asked, his eyes glinting like his mothers, “Or were you talking too much yesterday?”

When Shikamaru had a few drinks he liked to be as loud as a crow, getting louder and louder throughout the night. He also immensely enjoyed smoking a lot of cigarettes. His throat sounded horrible.

“Hey Dad, just so you know…” Shikadai whispered. “Mum’s in a bad mood.”

Shikamaru knew this, as it was likely his fault. Throughout the hallway, he could hear food being angrily chopped.

“No wonder.”

Shikadai patted his dad’s shoulder. Shikamaru smiled bitterly.

“Good luck”

Shikamaru let out a gasp as he suddenly lurched forward, grabbing Shikadai by his neck and ruffling his hair like when he was young.

“Stop it! You stink like cigarettes!!” Shikadai cried.

“Shush, things are gonna get harder after the Chuunin Exam. They’re gonna pile on the work now, so you can’t just slack off anymore.” Shikamaru said, teasing his son.

He remembered back to his own Chuunin Exam, where he’d met Temari for the first time. She’d been an enemy back then, but they were now a couple.

“Have you eaten yet?” He asked his son.

“Yes,” Shikadai nodded.

“You’d better be going then.”

“Yes, okay!” Shikadai escaped his dad’s hands.

“Good luck out there!”

“What a drag!” Shikadai huffed, before sneaking out the doorway.

“Okay…” Shikamaru sighed, walking into the kitchen, his heart in his stomach.

“Good Morning,” he said to his wife.

She didn’t turn around.

“I’m gonna have a bath.” He said.

She didn’t answer, which was reasonable. Shikamaru dragged his heavy feeling into the warm bath. He thought to himself carefully.

What kind of harsh words was waiting for him this time? Or would she freeze him out for days? Just thinking about it hurt his stomach.

As he was getting dressed, he found a clean set of his clothes folded carefully and his coat hung on the door.

He put it on as he reached the tea room.

Hot rice and grilled miso fish was placed in front of him, a staple in their family. She also gave him some juice.

“I’m sorry about yesterday,” Shikamaru said, eyes downturned. Then he was silent. It was better to apologize right away otherwise countless counterattacks would be waiting for him. The life of a long-term couple, Shikamaru had learned a few strategies.

“Itadakimasu,” Shikamaru said, picking up his chopsticks.

He tried a bite.

“It’s good,” he said softly.

He said that to make her feel better, desperately trying to show it through his body language. Usually, his kindness would receive a reply. It seems the home of this cockroach was worse off than usual.

Temari stared at him as if to say, why are you like this? Why do you come home stinking of tobacco, why didn’t you eat your dinner, why don’t you take your bath after all this time?

He’d said the rice was delicious, but he didn’t recognize the flavour at all. He looked up at her, but she was silent. The remains of the fish lay sideways on his plate.

“What did you change?” he asked

“Sesame,” she said, finally talking.

He presented her a bowl of the rice, carefully watching his hands pile it in the bowl.

“Here.” he gave it to her.

“Thanks,” she muttered. She said it out of reflex.

“Um…” He said, eating his rice. He didn’t know what to say, he couldn’t think.

Temari suddenly spoke sharply.

“Do you remember what day yesterday was?”

His heart clenched.

This was baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad!!!

he’d forgotten their wedding anniversary. He’d completely forgotten as he was busy preparing for the Five Kage Talks, which were due to the previous Chuunin Exam.

Shikamaru put his head on the table, in a deep bow.

“I’ve forgotten it. I’m so sorry!”

Temari’s icy glare stabbed at his face.

“I got so caught up in my work as Naruto’s assistant, I wasn’t able to come home. I really wanted to be here and eat dinner with you!” he blurted.

“I hope those feelings are true because tomorrow won’t come back ever again,” she muttered.

“I understand, but I’m going to be late for work.” he moaned

“Is it time to leave already?”

As she said that, the clock showed that it was indeed time to go. He got up, and Temari left to clean the dishes.

“I really am sorry, please forgive me. I’ll be late,” he said.

He left his house and continued on to the Hokage building.

He sighed as he walked the road there, looking up, he saw a white cloud float on by.

“Family…” Shikamaru murmured.

“How Troublesome…”

And that’s chapter 1! Let me know what you guys think.

