This is the ultimate genius prank, perfectly suited for a couple like Shikamaru and Temari!
The Ultimate Time-Travel Prank
Shikamaru led Temari to a quiet, wooded clearing several kilometers outside the main gates of Konoha—far enough that the villagers wouldn't recognize them, but close enough to make their return to the village dramatic.
"Well, this is a drag," Shikamaru drawled, hands in his pockets, glancing at his younger, ten-year-old self. "But if we're the only ones, we might as well make this timeline interesting."
Temari, dressed in her younger self's signature outfit but with the attitude of a seasoned Kage-level diplomat, smirked.
"You want to skip the entire painful process of the Chūnin Exams and the Fourth War? Fine by me, you lazy bum. So, the plan?"
Shikamaru's grin was dangerously wide. "We introduce ourselves. You're my serious, long-distance girlfriend. We've been pen pals for twenty-six months, and you came all the way to Konoha just to see me. It saves me years of work."
Temari scoffed, "Twenty-six months? You're committing to that lie? Fine. But you have to tell your mother I'm the reason you ran out on her chores."
"Deal," Shikamaru replied, already feeling a profound sense of satisfaction. "Now let's go shock the socks off the village."
The Introduction
The two arrived back at the Nara compound, where the scene was still tense. Yoshino was pacing, and Shikaku was calmly watching her pace. The commotion was enough to draw the attention of a few neighbors—Ino and Chōji's parents, mostly.
Shikamaru marched right up to his parents, pulling Temari slightly in front of him.
Shikamaru (10-year-old body, 24-year-old confidence): "Mom, Dad. This is Temari.
She's visiting. We've been pen pals for the past twenty-six months, and she wanted to meet me in person." He put a possessive, casual arm around Temari's waist. "She's my girlfriend."
Temari, playing her part, leaned into his side and gave his parents a sharp, confident nod. "It's a pleasure, Mrs. Nara. He ran out because I was late. He was excited to finally introduce me."
The Immediate Reactions
The collective reactions of the adults were priceless, a perfect mix of shock, denial, and strategic collapse.
Yoshino Nara (The Mother)
Reaction: Complete Cognitive Dissonance leading to Maternal Pride and Total Confusion.
Yoshino's immediate thought was that her ten-year-old son had gone completely insane, but she couldn't deny the chemistry. She saw how Temari looked at Shikamaru—with a fierce, protective affection—and how Shikamaru held her—with effortless familiarity.
* Dumbfounded Stutter: "Pen... pen pals? Twenty-six months? But you're ten! And she's... she's from Suna! You hate writing! You hate effort!"
* The Pride Check: A tiny, uncontrollable spark of pride flashed in her eye. My lazy son managed to snag a fierce beauty from another village? He's a genius!
* The Interrogation: She immediately went into protective-mother mode. "You ran out on chores for this? Does her village know she's here? Is she feeding you properly? What is her family background? Is she from money?"
Shikaku Nara (The Strategist)
Reaction: Strategic Overload leading to Silent Acceptance.
Shikaku, who had been trying to figure out the source of his son's motivation, instantly understood the impossible scenario. The boy who couldn't be bothered to move suddenly had a strong, decisive foreign girl wrapped around his arm, and they radiated an unmistakable air of comfortable, established affection.
* The Analysis: The body language is too real. The familiarity is too strong. This is not a prank; this is a deeply committed relationship. My son... avoided two decades of romance troubles by skipping straight to the end. That is the pinnacle of laziness.
* The Strategic Response: He would pinch the bridge of his nose, feeling a massive headache coming on. He'd realize he could not fight this. "A drag," he'd mutter, borrowing his son's favorite phrase.
He'd address Temari directly. "Welcome to Konoha, Temari. You are a truly terrifying woman to be able to motivate my son." He'd give Shikamaru a look that said, You better explain this later.
Ino and Chōji's Parents (The Neighbors)
Reaction: Utter Shock and Deep Gossip.
Ino's mother, Inochi, would immediately start whispering. "A ten-year-old with a steady, long-distance Suna girlfriend? And he ran out on Yoshino for her? Shikamaru is winning the game of life!"
Chōji's father, Chōza, would just stare, mouth full of chips. "The boy who wanted to do nothing... did everything."
The Love Story that Wasn't Supposed to Exist
What solidified the truth of their absurd claim wasn't the words, but the small, undeniable signs of their future love:
* The Look: When Temari was speaking, Shikamaru's eyes didn't wander to the clouds; they focused on her, soft and attentive.
* The Comfort: Temari, who would normally be guarded and aggressive, was completely relaxed next to him. When she finished her introduction, she instinctively reached up and gently brushed a stray piece of hair off his forehead—a gesture of profound intimacy and care.
* The Affection: When Yoshino started yelling, Shikamaru didn't flinch. He just tightened his arm around Temari and leaned his head down toward her, a familiar, easy movement, as if they were used to weathering his mother's storms together.
The parents and neighbors were left with no logical choice but to accept the impossible reality: Shikamaru and Temari were genuinely, deeply in love, and had been secretly cultivating a serious, long-distance relationship for over two years, all while the village thought Shikamaru was just sleeping.
It was the most brilliant, most complicated, and most ridiculously Shikamaru move imaginable.
The already bewildering situation escalated from a simple surprise romance to a full-blown, timeline-shattering crisis the moment Temari opened her mouth.
The Marriage Proposal and the House Husband
Temari, tired of the prolonged interrogation, decided to end the discussion with the ultimate declaration of commitment, delivered with the blunt force of her signature Giant Folding Fan.
Temari (Staring down Yoshino, hands on her hips): "Mrs. Nara, let me cut the chase. I'm not here for money, I'm not here for resources, and I certainly didn't risk a diplomatic incident for a 'pen pal.' I am here, as soon as possible, to get your damn blessings to marry Shikamaru in the future!"
The air in the Nara garden crackled. Yoshino's face went from suspicious to pure, unadulterated shock.
Temari continued, her voice radiating absolute certainty: "We've got the future all figured out. Once we turn twenty-two, we're getting married. And frankly, your son will make a great house husband. He's smart, he's tidy when he has to be, and he's lazy enough to actually stay home and manage things while I run the important missions. So, do we have your blessing, or is this going to be a drag?"
Shikamaru, who was still leaning against her, just smirked, thoroughly enjoying the chaos and the strategic accuracy of her assessment.
The Farewell
Before the Nara parents could formulate a single coherent thought, Temari bent down, effortlessly scooped Shikamaru up in a bridal carry (or, more accurately, a "Prince Carry"), tucking him comfortably against her shoulder.
Temari (Waving a free hand): "Thanks for the welcome! We're off to our date now. I'm sure you have chores to attend to, Mrs. Nara! We'll be back before curfew!"
With that, Temari sprinted away, leaving a swirl of dust and the faint scent of foreign spices, the image of their ten-year-old son being carried off by his terrifying, future-wife-slash-dominatrix burned into their memories.
The Parents' Total Collapse
The sheer audacity and finality of Temari's statement caused a dual-level breakdown in the Nara household.
Yoshino Nara (Emotional Breakdown)
Yoshino stood utterly paralyzed, the reality of the situation sinking in. Her strong, controlling nature met its match in a fierce, sand-village kunoichi.
* Initial Shock: "Marry... twenty-two... house husband? My son? The most lazy, unmotivated boy in the village is going to be a house husband?!"
* The Validation: The immediate shock gave way to a strange, overwhelming maternal satisfaction. Her son, who seemed destined to live in the shadow of a cloud, had somehow secured the strongest, most decisive woman possible.
He found someone who could handle his laziness and even integrate it into a long-term plan.
* The Final Word: She sank onto a garden bench, clutching her chest. "Shikaku," she whispered, "He's found someone who can actually manage him. I can retire from nagging! It's a miracle! But... house husband? I didn't raise him to be a house husband!" Her emotions were a tempest of pride, defeat, and relief.
Shikaku Nara (Strategic Breakdown)
Shikaku, the military strategist who could predict troop movements days in advance, had his entire worldview shattered by his ten-year-old.
* The Strategic Analysis: He immediately recognized that this was the most efficient, low-effort path to long-term domestic peace and political stability. The Suna Alliance secured, the domestic front managed by a superior officer, and his son's mental faculties freed up for high-level strategy. It was a perfect plan.
* The Personal Cost: However, the sheer lack of effort involved broke him. "He skipped the entire dating phase... the engagement troubles... the diplomacy... all to be carried away by a woman who is already planning his retirement before he's an Academy graduate."
* The Acceptance: Shikaku sighed deeply, a profound noise of resignation. "Yoshino, don't fight it. The boy went to the future, saw the answer, and made the most strategically lazy move possible. He secured the most terrifying woman in the world to guarantee his peace. We have been outmaneuvered. The marriage is a formality; the blessing is mandatory."
The Friends' Gossip (Ino and Chōji)
Ino Yamanaka and Chōji Akimichi were observing the scene from Ino's flower shop down the street, having been alerted by the ruckus.
* Ino's Reaction (A mix of envy and respect): Ino immediately dropped the vase she was holding (luckily it was empty). "No way!
Shikamaru actually won! He found a hot girlfriend and is getting married by twenty-two? And she carried him away! That's the most romantic and most pathetic thing I've ever seen! My ten-year-old rival got engaged before I even got a first kiss! I have to step up my game!" Ino was genuinely impressed by the terrifying level of commitment.
* Chōji's Reaction (Simple awe and hunger): Chōji, already eating a bag of chips, simply stared at the dust trail where his best friend vanished. "She's... really strong," he mumbled. "And she seems like the kind of person who would make really good food.
And Shikamaru gets to stay home and eat it? Man, Shikamaru is a genius! He beat the system! Wait, did they leave any of that food from Suna?" For Chōji, the situation was less about romance and more about the incredible, effortless optimization of life and food consumption.