I pondered on the idea of what would happen if Shikamaru and Sakura were put together as partners for a worksheet. Shikamaru would just lie down and even though Sakura knew she could do it herself, she's too proud to let Shikamaru not do any work, and ramble on as he tries his best not to listen.

Wouldn't that be great couple material? XD

The fic is in half Sakura's view, so don't take it to heart when there's much Sasuke-idolising and Naruto-is-an-idiot comments. I don't really like Sasuke and I don't like saying Naruto is a brainless idiot.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto

'You're cheap, Sakura.'

She gritted her teeth, and forced a sickeningly sweet smile.

'What do you mean by that, Shikamaru?'

Inner Sakura was burning with flames of fury, but she wasn't about to rip the annoying boy apart in front of her lovely Sasuke-kun!

'… Nothing. It's just that your actions are completely artificial.'

Sakura laughed in a way that would even send that annoying Ami away. 'Oh, Shikamaru, you are just – so – funny!'

As Sasuke-kun turned his back towards her (it was a pity that she couldn't stare at his face any longer, but at least his backside was apparent now), she leaned in closer.

'Say no more or so help me I'll kill you in the most painful way possible,' she threatened, before shooting a smile at Sasuke-kun (which, unfortunately, he ignored).

'Hmph.'

'Let's just work on it for now, okay?'

'…'

Sakura skimmed through the worksheet, and looked at her assigned partner again.

'…'

She felt like stabbing through him with a kunai already (wow, even that stupid Naruto couldn't annoy her that quickly!).

'Shikamaru! Don't fall asleep, you idiot!'

'You've got the highest mark in almost every single one of our written exams, don't you? Do it yourself,' he reasoned, looking as unamused as ever.

Inner Sakura was more than just furious now.

Shannaro! He's really pushing it!

'I doubt you want to push it any further, Shikamaru.'

'…'

'Look; this isn't like those written exams, where we only have to measure the parabola and trajectories of various weapons, this is a simulation of a strategic mission. Also, considering that you got even lower marks than Naruto, we'll have to input some of your stupidity in it or else Iruka-sensei will be suspicious.'

'…'

Sakura sighed. 'If only my partner was Sasuke-kun! That stupid Keiko just had to be the lucky one!'

She stared longingly at the beautiful Sasuke-kun- someday… someday he's going to propose to her in the sweetest way possible and they will live in the Uchiha mansion!

Shikamaru looked slightly annoyed now, and snatched the worksheet from her.

'Weren't you the one who said to work on it?'

Sakura looked at him, slightly surprised at the abrupt change of attitude, before smiling sinisterly.

'Oh… I get it. You have a crush on Keiko, don't you? That's why you're jealous of Sasuke-kun because obviously, Keiko has a crush on him like everyone else!'

Shikamaru lifted an eyebrow.

'… Not only are you cheap, you also have the worst observation skill possible, Sakura.'

Sakura gritted her teeth once more, trying to keep her cool (only to fail miserably).

'Quit calling me cheap! You make me sound like… like…'

'What you are? Whatever, let's just work on our task…'

'You're insufferable, Shikamaru!'

'…'

'But you're right; we should work on it now, or else we won't get extra credit.'

Shikamaru seemed to have preferred not to answer to her statements, making it a one-sided conversation, but Sakura chose to ignore it.

'I'll read it out- "It's 21:45. You are a jounin leading three chuunin on a B-rank mission. The objective of the mission is to retrieve, destroy if the situation calls for it, a scroll containing information on an S-rank forbidden jutsu.'

Silence. Deciding that Shikamaru's attention was actually unneeded, Sakura continued.

'If the scroll is still in the enemy's possession at midnight, they will gain valuable information, and you will not be able to save your squad if you are not out of the enemy's base by 01:00. The position of the scroll, traps, and enemy guards with their respective ranks are marked on the map below. Your squad's capabilities are listed down the bottom". Wow… this is harder than the ones we usually get.'

Shikamaru was silent once more, and looked over the paper.

After a few minutes, Sakura was sure that she figured it out- it was too easy (and now she can show off in front of Sasuke-kun!).

'Hey… I think we should go through the longer path, because the ones guarding are only at- Shikamaru?'

He had a serious look on his face; it was similar to the bored expression he had earlier, only his eyes weren't as droopy and his eyebrows were slightly more creased.

'Hey, are you listening?'

'Quiet, I'm trying to think.'

'Umm… okay.'

Sakura waited impatiently for Shikamaru to speak, tapping her fingers on the desk, and trying to get Sasuke-kun's attention.

'We should take the second route.'

'What? But that's the most heavily-guarded route! I mean, it has double the traps the other routes have! Geez, I guess you really are stupider than Naruto!'

Shikamaru looked slightly offended, and he proceeded to say more to prove that his intellectual capabilities were higher than Naruto's smarts.

'Look- I'll explain the basics. If we take any of the other routes, we won't be able to exit the building in time. According to the statistics and information, Chuunin 1's specialties are healing and medicines- it's safe to assume that he's a medic-nin; therefore, he will play as support and will not participate in the actual battle, right?'

'What does that have to do with-'

'Chuunin 2's fields of expertise are seals and genjutsu. He is probably a defensive genjutsu type, and if we took Route 2, he will be useful in discovering multiple traps, since most of them are concealed in genjutsu.'

Sakura's jaw dropped; how dare he outsmart her!

'Chuunin 3's specialty is taijutsu, including weapons mastery. He would be the only chuunin useful in combat. Therefore, even though most of the opponents guarding the route you suggested are genin-level, we would still be outnumbered, so-'

'Fine, you win! We'll take the second route!' Sakura interrupted, before Shikamaru continued explaining (probably more detailed than the so-called basics).

'Hmph.'

Sakura was sure that he was struggling to hide the smug look on his face.

'For a lazy guy, you sure talk a lot, Shikamaru.'

'For a cheap person, you sure compliment rarely, Sakura.'

'I told you not to call me cheap, and at least my compliments are sincere.'

'…'

'Well, where did you write all your calculations down? I'll rewrite them on the answer sheet.'

'… I did it in my head.'

'That's impossible!'

'…'

'Okay, just recite it too me, then.'

'I can't.'

'Why not, Shikamaru?' Sakura enquired, irritated.

'It's too troublesome.'

'I'll show you troublesome!'

He sighed. 'I guess it can't be helped. I'll write it down myself.'

'No! You were the one who figured it out, so I'm the one who's writing it down! Now, recite it to me, or you will find yourself in an unpleasant situation.'

'… Fine.'

She smiled proudly as Shikamaru continued reciting his calculations like she asked (though she swore that he muttered "troublesome" under his breath!).

---------------

'Shikamaru! We were the only ones who received a perfect mark!'

'…'

'Can't you show some enthusiasm?'

'…'

'You know, I never knew that you were this good at strategising! How come you get really bad marks, then?'

'I don't fill worksheets out.'

'Why not?'

'It's too troublesome.'

'But you worked on this one.'

'… I just felt like it.'

'Whatever… I can't wait to show it off to Sasuke-kun!'

'Hey, it's my work- you have no rights showing it off.'

'Well, it says right here that it's Haruno Sakura and Nara Shikamaru's work! See; you get credit, too!'

'Nobody's going to believe that I worked on it.'

'You're that concerned about receiving credit, huh?'

'No, I just don't want you to flaunt off our worksheet to people like that.'

'People like Sasuke-kun? Why not?'

Shikamaru looked in another direction, and scratched the back of his neck uncomfortably.

'Because… people like him always want to be number one, so he'll just think you're bragging in his face.'

Sakura froze.

Bragging.

Bragging in his face.

Bragging in Sasuke-kun's face.

'So… every time I showed him my perfect exam marks, he was pretty annoyed, wasn't he?'

'I think "pretty annoyed" is an understatement.'

Sakura bonked him on the head.

'Aaaiee! You idiot! Why didn't you tell me earlier?'

'Because I knew you were going to be troublesome like this!'

'Well, if you told me earlier, Sasuke-kun wouldn't ignore me as much!'

'He ignores everybody like that!' Shikamaru rebutted.

'…'

'…'

'… Is it that impossible for me to impress Sasuke-kun?'

'… Yes.'

Sakura tried hard to contain her annoyance (and thankfully, succeeded). 'Well, you're certainly an optimistic fellow.'

'I'm just being objective… sheesh.'

'… I guess you're right, however low your exam marks are. It's impossible for me to impress Sasuke-kun.'

Shikamaru sighed. 'You're being so troublesome over nothing. It's impossible for anyone to impress Uchiha Sasuke.'

'It's not impossible!'

'… I'm just slightly exaggerating. Just keep at it then, and maybe you might slightly impress him.'

Sakura never expected such encouraging words from such an "objective" guy, but it was still highly appreciated.

'You're the one to talk, Shikamaru. You never even listen to any of the lectures!'

'…'

'But… thanks, anyway.'

Shikamaru looked more surprised than expected.

'You're welcome… I guess.'

'Don't look so surprised, idiot! You're so annoying!'

'… Thanks, too.'

'Eh? For what?' Sakura enquired.

'For not putting a cheap act a few seconds ago.'

'SHIKAMARU!'