Shino hadn't been expecting much, not much at all. A simple "hello" or "good morning" would have been perfectly acceptable. But instead, what he got was nothing but pure and simple avoidance. More than normal.
But this was getting to be too much; even Hinata ran off when she saw him coming, a deep, scarlet blush covering her face once she saw him. Hinata normally would say “hi”, at least… Not today.
Shino was beginning to think he had done something wrong. Did everyone forget he was there?
With a long, exasperated sigh, Shino sat down on the nearest bench, thinking over what he could have possibly done.
Could his personality be too off-putting for people? Should he try to actually talk to people more?
Being a teenager was a little confusing.
With a sigh, the insect ninja stood up again, deciding that he’d go to Ichiraku’s for something to eat… Which was his goal in the first place, but he had some form of company in mind when he stepped out of his front door.
He ducked under the clothe flaps at the front of the shop, going to his normal seat next to the wall. Ayame soon came to the front to take his order.
He thought for a minute, and then ordered a bowl of plain vegetable ramen.
As he waited for his meal, Naruto came in and sat on the stool next to him, ordering his usual.
"You're not trying to avoid me too?" He asked quietly, a little surprised when Naruto heard him and turned to look at him.
"Why would I be avoiding you?" The blonde asked in his normal, loud and attention catching manner.
Shino just shrugged and closed his eyes. "Everyone else seems to be, I thought you would be in on whatever they're doing because everyone normally either tells
you, or you're involved somehow."
Naruto stared blankly at the brunette for a long moment. "I have no idea what you're talking about, Shino."
"Never mind then" Shino said, looking in front of him. "Don't worry about it." He finished quietly. Naruto stared at him for a few more minutes, a dumbfounded look plastered all over his face. "Okay..." He mumbled.
After a few short, but silent minutes later, both of their meals arrived, taking, at least, Naruto's scatterbrained mind off of the previous conversation.
Naruto scarfed all his food down in the time it took Shino to finish his own. Though, Shino paid and left before Naruto drank all of the broth in his last bowl.
"Hey Shino wait up!" Naruto shouted behind him, walking at a quick pace to catch up to the tall teen, which stopped to wait for him to catch up before he continued on his way.
"Hey, I was thinking... Since I don't know what's going on just as much as you, why don't we find out!?"
Shino thought long and hard, stopping to give Naruto his blank-thinking face. "Why not? I have nothing better to do today..." He said with a shrug, following the blonde as he skipped excitedly off.
___
About half an hour after their self-appointed, secret mission, Shino and Naruto snuck around select location of Konoha. Naruto and Shino hid in trees, behind buildings and fences, casually walked the streets, searching for any clue to the other ninja's actions.
"Can you see anyone?" Naruto asked into his radio's microphone.
"No." Came Shino's bored reply, eyes squinting behind the dark lenses of his glasses. "Wait, I see Lee and Chouji." He said, after getting a closer look at the two figures walking, suspiciously looking around while holding strange objects in their arms.
"Hey, I see 'em too!" Naruto squealed back. "What do you think they're carrying?"
"They appear to be boxes." Shino said shortly, leaning forward in his tree branch to see if he could get a better look without giving himself away.
"I know that. But can you tell what is in them?" The blonde responded, sounding almost bitter.
"No, they're closed."
"Let's follow them..."
Was all this effort worth a little bit of attention? Shino could only hope as he hopped from tree to light post to fence to building top, etc. in pursuit of his two comrades.
___
Lee could feel something was up the moment he and Chouji walked out onto the streets of the village. It wasn't a bad feeling, he just felt a little unnerved by the eyes he felt on him.
Sure, the two were acting suspicious enough to warrant curious glances from passersby. That wasn't an odd feeling for Lee; he ran around kicking nothing,
screaming at the top of his lungs with Gai Sensai many times. And that got him some pretty hefty stares. But now, he felt followed. Watched and followed.
"I think we should hurry." He said suddenly, with enough enthusiasm to earn a couple more eyes on him.
"In a hurry to get the fun started?" Chouji asked with a small laugh and the determined look in his friend's eyes.
"You could say that, yes." Lee shot back, taking quicker steps. That followed feeling only seemed to get worse. "We should race there! To improve our quickness!"
Chouji snorted, shaking his head as he ran to keep up with the older teen. "Always has to be a training exercise with you..." He said as they both started off in a sprint towards their destination.
___
Sakura, Ino, Hinata and Tenten heard a knock on the door. Hinata turned towards it, long hair following the movements of her body as she walked over to the door. Pressing an ear to the hard wood, she softly asked, "P-password?"
"Will of Fire." Came Shikamaru's bored reply. Hinata smiled, pushing away from the door as she pulled it open. She stepped out of the way as Shikamaru and Kiba walked in carrying bags of food in their arms.
Peeking her head out of the doorway, making sure no one they didn't want knowing about the place they currently inhabited, she shut the door and locked it behind her.
"Did you get everything?" Ino asked, looking through the bags that Shikamaru placed on the table closest to her.
"Yes, Ino, we got everything on the list."
"Great! Now all we need is the rest of the decorations." She said, a big, giddy smile on her face as she turned back to Sakura and Tenten, who were busy hanging up light and dark green streamers around the ceiling of the room.
___
"Are they preparing for a disaster in there?" Naruto asked, a little breathless from all the running around Chouji and Lee had him and Shino doing. They had given up the chase on the two when they spotted Shikamaru and Kiba, who were clearly carrying grocery bags full, almost overflowing from all the food they had crammed into the bags.
"If they were, wouldn't they have at least asked us for help as well?" Shino asked, placing his hand on the base of the tree he was standing by when Hinata opened the door and let the two in the small building, looking around for something before retreating back inside.
This was getting ridiculous. Their whole day so far was spent chasing their friends around Konoha. The only result that their efforts came up with was a location and more questions.
What was going on?
___
Neji let out a sigh, why had he been put in charge of games and entertainment supplies? Then again... Why was he forcefully involved in the first place? At least the girls gave them a list of things that they "better not forget, or else!" Sakura's words exactly.
At least they were done with the list. "That was the last thing, let’s get back." He said, turning to face Sai, who gave him one of his famous smiles before they both began walking back to their rendezvous location.
___
"Those two are in on it too?" Naruto exclaimed, sitting down on the tree branch next to Shino. He watched as Neji and Sai walked up to the door of the building all of their friends seemed to be inhabiting and stocking for a devastating natural disaster. Neji knocked on the door, a few words were spoken between him and Sakura before she let them in. "What the hell is going on in this village!?"
"Quiet down, do you want Sakura of all people to know that we are spying on them?" Shino said his normal calm in his voice.
Naruto grumbled a few incoherent words before slumping down in defeat.
___
About half an hour before the door was opened again, everyone walking out. They gathered around in a loose circle, exchanging words before they, all but Sakura and Hinata, splitting up and each going their separate ways. The two girls heading back in through the door, closing it. Concealing all their secrets from the two curious ninja in the tree across the street.
It only took, nearly, twenty minutes after that for everyone to return, accompanied by more of their close friends, families and comrades, most holding a small, wrapped package or plastic containers.
The two girls came out then, welcoming all the newcomers into the building. They stayed outside, and waited for the last person to get inside before they ran off.
"I wonder what they're doing." Naruto said, standing so he could watch them disappear into the village.
"I think we should follow them." Shino said, getting ready to jump from the tree branch, waiting for Naruto to follow suit.
"Right! I'll follow Sakura." The blonde said, a smirk playing across his face.
Without saying anything else in return, Shino lept off the branch and headed in the direction Hinata had gone.
___
Shino followed Hinata all the way to the Aburame clan's complex, sneaking in behind her so he could pretend he was just returning home from doing something.
She turned around at the footsteps behind her, just about ready to knock on his house's door.
"Oh, Shino, I was just coming to get you." She said quietly, a smile on her face. She turned to face him, folding her hands behind her back.
"What did you need?" Shino asked, his normal monotone in his voice.
"W-well, I was wondering if you wouldn't mind coming with me?" She asked, stepping off the porch and onto the semi-long grass.
"I don't see why not." Shino shrugged, letting her lead the way back down the road.
"I'm sorry if I seemed to be ignoring you earlier," She started, turning her head slightly, settling her pale eyes on him. She gave him another smile as she turned back to pay attention to where she was going. "It's just, I didn't want to accidentally tell you anything."
Shino raised an unseen eyebrow, sending a questioning glance her way. "Don't worry about it, Hinata." He said calmly, following her until they met up with Sakura and Naruto at the building.
"Oh, hey guys!" Sakura said with a smile, waving to the two. Once they were standing with her and Naruto, she turned to the door and put her hand on the handle and turned it.
The room was dark, and once inside, Sakura turned on all the lights, revealing the fruits of their labors of the day. Streamers hanging everywhere, a large 'Happy Birthday!' banner hung above the two tables towards the back, and green and black balloons were scattered all over the floor.
Once they were all further into the room, everyone jumped out of their hiding spots and yelled "Surprise!" in unison.
Naruto jumped back a couple inches, having to catch his breath from the sneak attack. "What's going on here?" He asked, turning his head towards Sakura.
"We all planned a surprise party for Shino's birthday, Naruto." Sakura retorted with a small huff.
"Oh, right. I figured as much." Naruto said, over his initial shock. He stood up straight, hand rubbing the back of his head, a goofy grin plastered on his face. "But why didn't anyone tell me about it?"
"Because you would have blabbed, idiot. Everyone in the village knows you can't keep a secret!" Kiba chimed in as he walked up to the four, patting Shino on the back before asking. "Well, buddy, what do you want to do first?"
Shino stood motionlessly, staring off into the room. He blinked when he felt the hand on his back, "You remembered?" He asked no one in particular.
Today had turned out to be better than Shino had originally thought. He let a small, barely noticeable smile grace his lips as he let Kiba and Hinata lead him to the other side of the large room.