Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto including the characters and etc.

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It was a bright and beautiful morning. The birds were chirping and the sun was shining. You could hear people whistling on the street. Everything about that morning could get anyone in a cheerful mood; anyone but Ino. For her, dark clouds were looming overhead that she could practically hear the thunder and see the lightning. Nothing in the world could make her feel better, well, almost nothing.

Knock, knock

-No answer-

"Princess? I know you're up. How about some breakfast?" said Inoichi from behind the door.

-Still no answer-

After about a minute, Inoichi entered the room and his eyes landed directly on the girl lying very still on the lavender bed, her eyes staring outside her window. He looked at her for a moment before making his way to the side of her bed.

"Sweetie?"

-Silence-

"It's 10 in the morning and you haven't eaten a thing."

-More silence-

"Are you in another one of those diets again? I thought Shikamaru'd convinced you to stop doing that kind of stuff?"

The mention of Shikamaru's name made Ino flinch. It was like a trigger and the painful memories came rushing into her mind.

/Flashback/

Sakura and Ino were having some girl talk in a restaurant near the Hokage's office right after their medic training. They were really enjoying their time together as best friends again though they still do call each other their silly and insulting nicknames.

"Hey Ino, isn't that Shikamaru?" the pink-haired girl said.

Ino turned to look at where Sakura was looking and for sure, Shikamaru really was there on the street beneath a lamp post. And he wasn't alone. Ino could make out a girl's figure in the light of the lamp post though the figure was partially obstructed by the figure of Shikamaru. They seemed to heading towards the restaurant.

"Ow! Ino, what are you-" "Sssh! Hide!" Ino said while pushing Sakura beneath their table.

Ino scanned the view outside the window, waiting for Shikamaru and the person he was with to pass by. But no one came, instead, she heard the restaurant's door swing open and wouldn't you know it, it was Shikamaru.

Ino pushed Sakura father more under the table and observed the couple that arrived.

"Ino." whispered Sakura

"What!?" Ino whispered back.

"I thought Shikamaru was your boyfriend? Why are you hiding from him like this!?"

"Because of that" Ino replied pointing at the person who was with Shikamaru.

Sakura peered from behind Ino and saw Shikamaru taking a seat and right across him was none other than Temari.

Ino frowned and was definitely starting to fume. Sakura could practically feel Ino's anger radiating from her.

"Ino, calm down. They probably just finished doing some examiner stuff and are having their dinner since they do work together."

"No, they're not." Ino hissed.

"And why not?"

"Because, Shikamaru had a mission, a solo mission and was due back tonight. So, they couldn't have come from work." she said through gritted teeth. "And, why is he with her!? Why didn't he come check on me first!? I'm his girlfriend!"

Sakura chose not to reply knowing Ino would most probably get angrier. Instead, she waited and waited til Ino was done talking and quietly led her outside making sure that Shikamaru wouldn't notice them.

"Why don't you head home, Ino? I think you need to rest."

"No! I need an explanation from him right now!" Ino was fuming. She began punching the wall across the restaurant hard, real hard.

"Ino?"

Ino stopped upon hearing that very familiar voice.

"What're you doing here?"

'I should be the one asking you that!' Ino thought without turning around to look at him, trying to control her anger.

She heard him talk to her but she could only make out the goodbyes at the end of their conversation. After a while, she heard him walk towards her but she still didn't turn around.

Shikamaru took a look at Sakura who looked at him back with a look he didn't quite understand. He turned to Ino and said, "Ino?"

"What." she answered flatly.

He could tell she was upset, he'd been with her long enough to tell. He sighed.

"Have you had dinner?"

Ino chose not to answer knowing she'd end up screaming and with them being quite near Tsunade's residence, she didn't want to face the Hokage's fury.

"I'll take your silence as a yes."

Ino bit her lower lip, trying so hard not to shout at him.

He sighed again.

"Let's go home then."

With that said, Ino started walking towards her house with Shikamaru following behind. Sakura just looked at her friends and sighed.

Shikamaru followed Ino in silence for a while but just when they were about to turn at Ino's street, Shikamaru grabbed her arm and said, "Ino...wait."

Ino stopped but didn't spare a glance his way at all.

"Why're you so upset?"

Ino scoffed. "Hah, and I thought you were a genius."

Shikamaru just raised an eyebrow at her. Ino considered things and thought that since they were quite a distance away from Tsunade's house now, she could start spilling everything.

"You're asking me, why I'm so upset!? Why it's because of that, that THING in the restaurant! You just came back from a mission and you're with HER!? I'm your GIRLFRIEND! You're supposed to come looking for ME, to tell me you're back! But no, you go to HER first! And you even take her out to dinner while I WAITED for you to come back!"

"Hah! You waited for me!? For all I know, you were out dating some other guy while I was gone! After all, what am I to you!? Just some guy you could strut around Konoha with just to show them that you're not some loser with no boyfriend! You just come to me whenever you need something but you never have time for me! You're always too busy with something or someone else! You're so selfish, always thinking about yourself, never about me! For all I know, you've been dating guys every time I was out on missions! And you know what? Fine! Go date some other guys! I'll go find someone who actually has time for me, someone who appreciates me! Someone like Temari!"

"What!? Shika-Shikamaru--!" but Ino was too late, Shikamaru had already stormed off. She looked down at her feet and felt the tears in her eyes as Shikamaru's words kept playing in her mind over and over again. She ran towards her home, burst into her room and jumped into her bed crying. Her dad was probably going to get mad at her for slamming doors but she didn't care. She was in too much pain right now.

She never knew that Shikamaru felt that way, neglected, unappreciated. She thought she was doing fine for a girlfriend but Shikamaru was right. She really had neglected him. She was always out with Sakura or the other ninjas. Though he was wrong about the part about her dating other guys, he was right about everything else. She really had been selfish, always wanting to have her way.

It hurt her so much, knowing that she had done that to the person she loved the most and knowing that Temari had done better than her at doing all the stuff Shikamaru had wanted from her. And now she was left here with nothing but the tears and the pain.

/End of flashback/