After Ino's team and Rock Lee's team helped Sakura fight off Orochimaru's shinobi assassins from killing Sasuke, Lee's team had taken him somewhere to tend to the wounds he sustained from foolishly fighting off the assassins himself, without telling Tenten and Neji. Choji and Shikamaru helped and tending to Naruto's and Sasuke's injuries and wounds they had sustained after they had been ambushed and attacked by Orochimaru himself. While Ino's team were helping Naruto and Sasuke, Sakura had gone off to find a river, lake or pond to rinse the blood off her face after being punched multiple times to her head by Zaku.
Sakura had eventually found a medium sized pond and before she bent down on her knees, she heard a twig snap and footsteps approaching her. The pink haired girl had immediately balled the fingers on her right hand into a fist, thinking she was about to be attacked again and just as Sakura had stood up to face whoever had followed her, she slowly uncurled her fingers as she was surprised at who it was that followed her...Ino. The blonde's face had also been slightly covered in blood, along with a bloody bottom lip after being attacked by Zaku, when she possessed his fellow teammate. Sakura would've asked Ino why she followed her until, she noticed the blonde was holding a clean white towel in her left hand and she soaked it in the water from the lake.
Ino had softly approached Sakura and slowly brought the towel up to her face, but stopped as Sakura had softly brought her hand over her left wrist. Sakura said softly as she understood what it was the blonde was trying to do, "I can do it myself." Ino said softly, with a small frown, "I just want to help you Sakura." The pink hair girl said softly while a small smile on her face, "Ino, I appreciate what you're trying to do for me but..." Sakura was caught off as Ino said softly, "Sakura...we were the best of friends when we little and...I missed those days, how close we were, we were practically inseparable. Please, let me do something for you as your friend." Sakura looked softly at Ino, as the blonde's words had sounded completely and heartwarming. The pink hair girl had regretted their friendship was ruined because they left some pathetic love fantasy for wanting to be Sasuke's girlfriend turned them into rivals both verbally and physically insulting each other.
Sakura had nodded softly, as she lowered her head and closed her eyes. Ino smiled softly at silent invitation her friend was granting her and softly started wiping the still fresh blood and dirt off Sakura's face and neck. The blonde could feel the trust building between them as Sakura allowed her to continue cleaning her face, as she had to dip the towel into the pond to rinse the blood and dirt off, before continuing with her task. After five minutes had passed, Ino had finished cleaning Sakura's face and said softly as she examined her face for any other wounds, "I don't see that many scars or scraps." Sakura would ask softly, "Ino?" The blonde would ask softly, "Yes, Sakura?" The pink hair girl would answer softly, "Thank you." Ino smiled as she answered and did something that caught both girls by surprise, "You're welcome." Ino realized that she had brushed her knuckles against Sakura's right cheek and both girls blushed at the surprising moment of affection. The blonde would immediately pull her hand away and apologize, "I-I'm sorry, I-I don't where that came from."
Sakura would also still be blushing but would say softly, "Ino, there's something that...I need to you. Something that I've been meaning to get off my chest for a long time." Ino would ask as Sakura had her complete attention, "What do you need to tell me?" Sakura said softly, "I've missed how things were between us too. I wish we could go back to being best friends before letting some stupid love fantasy ruin our friendship." Ino said softly, as she stunned that Sakura felt the same way as her, "Sakura..." The pink hair girl begged to finish what she had to say, "Ino, what have we been doing? We've let some a pathetic crush for the same boy make us hate each other, and I learned something while I was first partnered up with Naruto and Sasuke while we placed under Sensei Kakashi." Ino asked curious to what Sakura realized while was she first partnered with the two boys on her assigned team, "What did you learn?" Sakura answered softly and sadly, "Sasuke simply isn't capable of loving anyone. He told me that he did once, but after something...tragic...had happened to his entire family and clan...he just refuses to open his heart to anyone."
Ino had remained silent after hearing everything Sakura said and the pink haired girl finished, "What I really need you to know Ino...is that...I had sort had feelings for you when we first met." Ino asked softly as she blushed to what Sakura just said, "W-What do you mean that you 'had feelings' for me when we first met?" Sakura answered softly, "As is in the same kind of feelings we both had Sasuke." The blonde asked while still blushing, "Sakura, are you saying...you had romantic feelings for me when we were kids?" The pink hair girl nodded as she explained, "You were practically the only one who had ever been kind to me, while the other girls teased me mercilessly. I wanted to tell you how I truly felt about you, but I didn't want to creep you out or have you treat or look at me like I was some kind of...freak." Sakura glanced away as she couldn't bring herself to look at the blonde, as she expected the rejection.
Ino asked softly as she approached the pink hair girl, "Sakura?" Sakura asked softly while still avoiding eye contact with Ino, "Yes?" Ino ordered softly, "Please look at me." Sakura slowly glanced back to meet Ino's eyes as the blonde had slowly leaned in close while bringing her hands up to cup Sakura's cheeks, making she the pink hair girl stood perfectly still as she slowly closed her eyes. Sakura got the message as she also leaned in close and closing her eyes, as the two girls were nose to nose...and then their soft lips melted against each other. Sakura couldn't believe that she now kissing her once former rival, but no longer saw or thought of Ino as that as tears had unknowingly slipped down her cheeks. Ino could also not believe she was now kissing the pink hair girl, but enjoyed it as they pulled away to breathe, but locked lips in another tender kiss and never wanted to fight with Sakura ever again. Not now, especially they were revealing their hidden feelings about each other.
When the need for air became too great, both Ino and Sakura pulled and continued to blush, whilst smiling at each other. Sakura asked softly, "Ino...does this mean?" Ino nodded as she wiped the tears from Sakara's cheeks, "I felt the same way towards you too Sakura. I also have." Sakura smiled as she said teary-eyed, "I love you." The blonde smiled as she replied also teary-eyed, "I love you too." The two girls locked lips in another tender kiss and Ino said as they pulled away, "I have to get back my team. Their probably wondering I got too." Sakura smiled as Ino as they pulled away, "I'll see you again when we get out of this screwed up forest." Ino said as she leaned in close and placed a soft kiss on Sakura's right cheek, "I'll be looking to see again later Sakura. Be careful in these woods." Sakura smiled at her now blonde girlfriend as they parted ways, getting back to their own teams.