A/N: The cast of Naruto here are not really ninjas. They're ordinary people with ordinary lives. This story is actually the sequel of "I Thought I Lost You". I didn't include this as another chapter because it has another pairing in it so I made it as a different story. For me, this is not as good as the story "I Thought I Lost You", but I hope you'll like it. =D

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. (but I wish I do… :P)

SUDDEN CHANGE OF HEART

kanojo19

Just like any normal days, Ino wakes up, checks her phone for Sasuke's message then lies still in bed with a blank thought. She turns to one side.

And I hate how much I love you boy… I can't stand how much I need you... You know exactly what to do so that I can't stay mad at you for too long. But I just can't let you go…

'Man, I'm sleepy.'

Still no flow of thoughts and it made her fell asleep. The sound of her alarm blaring woke her up again and the sight of the clock made her jump out of bed.

'Gosh! It's already seven!'

She's late for class. She hurriedly took a bath, done her uniform and fixed her hair, and then she sets off for school. As she was riding her way to school, train of thoughts echoed in her mind.

'Yes we became boyfriends and girlfriends but that's it. I'm back and I'm yours again.'

The vehicle suddenly she is riding suddenly came to a stop, making her hands grip to the bars.

'It's just that I've missed you so much that's why I've done it.'

Next thing she knew she was already at school.

It's their first day of summer classes, new subjects, new teachers, new classmates, though there were a few whom she already knew. She was about to seat on her assigned chair when she took notice of the guy sitting next to the vacant seat. To her surprise, she found Shino looking at her. Shino used to be her crush, well, until now but not that much than she used to. She liked him because he's good in dancing. He may not be so handsome like Sasuke but he sure has some sort of substance.

The teacher starts talking about things which Ino couldn't understand. She was not really fond of listening to class especially now that she knew Shino is near her, but still, she can't wait for the bell to ring.

"I'm going to group you into two groups. The first half on my left side would be group one and the next half on my right will be group two." The teacher went on. "You're going to present this after your final exam." Then teacher bade goodbye.

Ino's group mates are very eager to start on the assigned project. They continued to discuss things then Shino approached with a smirk on his face. He has his jacket on his hands and used this to strike or somewhat hit Ino lightly. She gave him a glare then continued listening to what the group is discussing. She heard Shino mumbled something but she was not really sure what it was. After a couple of minutes, she felt his arm around her shoulders. She looked at him with a 'don't-mess-with-me' face then he removed his hand. She is quite wondering why he's doing those things. She warned him though she's not really against it. As what she said, she has this sort of attraction to Shino.

After the meeting, she went home, and then she found Sasuke waiting for her. He pulled her closer then kissed her lightly. She smiled but not because she's happy but because she felt the need to. She's not sure what to feel because it seems that everything was a routine. She doesn't feel the same feeling she had when Sasuke does these things to her. After she knew what Sasuke had done with Temari, she found it hard to be happy when she's with him.

He pulled her closer to kiss her. As their lips met, Ino noticed that he tasted something different.

"Can I ask you one favor?" Ino asked.

"What is it honey?"

"Can you please stop smoking? You taste like nicotine. And besides, it's harmful for you."

"Why? I only smoke occasionally."

"It's just that I don't want you smoking." Ino said.

"But why?" Sasuke protested.

"Let's put it this way. If you continued to smoke, I'll break up with you."

"Please don't do that." Sasuke pleaded.

"Well I guess you have to quit smoking." Ino smiled sarcastically. The she gave him a light kiss on his lips.

"Okay then. I'll stop smoking, for you."

Upon hearing that, Ino went on to her house. It's not that she wanted to pick a fight with him but it's just his health he's worried about.

When Ino got home, she received a text from an unknown number.

"Hello." The text goes.

"Who is this?" Ino replied.

"It's Shino. How are you?"

"I'm fine."

She was surprised to know who texted her. 'Perhaps he got my number from our group mates.' Ever since that day, they exchanged messages from each other and they actually became friends. And during the process, Ino felt that he's falling for him.

As Ino was sitting on her bed, Ino recalled her past conversation with Sasuke.

"Can you please answer me honestly?" Ino started.

"Sure." Sasuke said.

"First, do you had other girlfriends aside from me while were apart?"

"Yes." Ino admired his honesty though she's wondering why she felt nothing when she heard this.

"Second, did something already 'between' the two of you?" Ino continued.

"Yes," another honest and straight answer from Sasuke.

"Last, do you still love me?"

"Yes." Ino didn't feel the honesty on this one. She doesn't know why but it feels difficult to trust Sasuke anymore.

Ino continued to reminisce what happened this day. She just walked past him then continued to go home. She can't believe herself how she managed to forgive Sasuke and gave him a third chance. She thinks maybe she loves him that much that's why she can forgive everything he does. Even Sasuke was surprised that Ino didn't get mad. She herself was surprised. It's very unlikely of her to react calmly on things like that.

Don't tell me you're sorry cause you're not. Baby when I know you're only sorry you got caught.

While Ino and Sasuke are not in good terms, Shino found the chance to somewhat 'score' on Ino. Though he believes he can't because he knows that Ino loves Sasuke so much, but he still did his best. Shino always says he misses Ino, there are also times where he would wait for her to go home, and they do a lot of things together. Sometimes they even eat together, do homework and study together. But even though Ino likes her, she can't see him as his boyfriend. She can't understand why and she can't say that he's not her type but it's just that he can't let him be his boyfriend.

With what's happening between him and Sasuke, she came to realize how lucky she was when she was still with Shikamaru. He is her boyfriend before Sasuke. She is now regretting that she hurt him when she broke up with him. At first she thought that she won't be having problems if she will be with Sasuke because they live in the same apartment, which means they can see each other every day, not like when she was with Shikamaru, they hardly see each other. So at that time, she decided to break up with him. And now, she is wishing that only if she could bring back the past, she won't break up with him. She told herself that if ever she will meet someone like Shikamaru, she will sure give it a try.

Her regret intensified when again, she received a message from an unregistered number.

It says, "Ino."

Again, she asked who the sender was.

It replied, "Shikamaru."

After three years since they broke up, it's the first time they talked to each other.

Ino is still not sure what to say but she replied, "How are you?"

"I'm fine, how about you?" Shikamaru replied.

"I'm fine."

"It's been a long time since we last talked to each other," Shikamaru said.

"Yes, I can remember. I'm sorry about that." Ino said

"Don't worry about that anymore." Shikamaru replied with a smile.

"Yeah I guess, it's over and I guess we should move on with our lives."

Now it's over… it's over… why is it over? We had the chance to make but it's over… I wish that I could take it back… but it's over…

It's quite difficult for Ino to say that. Especially now that she's very regretful of what happened to her and Shikamaru. They continued to talk and soon she found out that he's already going out with Hinata. He also became her close friends and she tells him everything that has happened to her, like what she did in school, and most of all she talked about her crushes. He seemed like an older brother to her aside from the fact that he is three years older than her. So, she never pursued on being with Shikamaru again.

'He had moved on with his life and he already have a girlfriend. I don't want to interfere.' Ino thought.

Late that afternoon, when Ino went out to buy something, she saw Shikamaru approaching her. Like what he always did, he pulled Ino into a kiss.

"Why are you still smoking?" Ino said as she broke the kiss.

"I'm not." Sasuke tried to cover up.

"You can't deny it. I can taste the nicotine on your saliva."

"You can still taste it? I've already washed my mouth a couple of times and you can still taste it?"

"Does it seem like I'm joking?" Ino said raising her tone.

"I'm sorry."

"You're always saying sorry."

"Are you breaking up with me?"

"I'll think about it."

Ino thought that she had all the reason in the world to break up with him, but still, something inside of her is telling her that she can't live without him.

The next day, at a perfect timing, her classmate of introduced Sai to her. She had bumped with them at the school lobby and her friend felt it polite to introduce his company.

Ever since that day, her friend and Sai always eat lunch together. Until the time came that Sai asked for her cellphone number. Well she thought that it was nothing but she's wrong in judging the consequences. It's just been one week since they met each other but Ino could feel that Sai have other intentions to her. His messages were always sweet and he always goes wherever Ino is.

As she got to know Sai, she realized that he's very much like Shikamaru. His way of being a gentleman, being poetic, how he cares for her and a lot more things that she fell in love with.

'Could this be it?' Ino thought. She had always wished for someone like Shikamaru, and she thinks and hopes that it would be Sai.

But she have one problem – she's still with Sasuke.

As days goes on, she planned how she'll break up with Sasuke but it's no use. She can't think of a way where she could explain why they need to part and especially in a way where she can't hurt Sasuke. But she ran out of time when she was cornered by Sasuke when they crossed each other's way when she got home.

"Ino." Sasuke pulled her hand.

"Yes?" She asked.

"I want to ask you something."

"What is it?" Ino wondered.

"Do you still love me?"

There was a long pause before she could answer. She bowed her head and said, "I don't know."

Ino can't even look at Sasuke's face but she could hear her crying.

"I know that this would happen." Sasuke said.

Ino raised his head to meet his gaze and saw her blood shot eyes, with tears falling on his cheeks. She believes that it's the first time she made him cry.

"When I said I would break up with you if you continue smoking, what did you do?"

Sasuke paused in silence.

"You knew I would break up with you but you didn't mind. Instead you continued smoking." Ino said. "And when something happened between you and Temari, don't you think from then I already have the right to break up with you?" Ino confronted.

Sasuke can't explain everything. All he did was beg Ino to forgive her.

"I've given you a lot of chances but you put it all to waste." Ino said. "I'm sorry, there's nothing I could do. My decision is final and I'm breaking up with you." With that, Ino left him crying. She can't believe where she got the courage to do that. Instead of feeling hurt and guilt, she felt pity for Shikamaru, not because she still loves him but because how he looked like. He never cried to a girl before. Instead of feeling empty, Ino felt happy because she's finally free which she knew she should have done a long time ago.

After breaking up with Sasuke, she finally get a chance to know more about Sai. They were together at every time possible, he would accompany her home and do other stuff together. Ino thought that everything was so sudden and wrong but she can't let him go. He is what he wished – someone like Shikamaru and here he is and she won't stand the chance of losing him.

Sai sure knew the way to Ino's heart. It's shallow but Ino love it when guys says flowery words to her. She loves hearing poetic phrases and this is just one of the things Sai and Shikamaru have in common. Just after a month, Sai confessed his true feelings for Ino, that he loves her. Ino can't react to what Sai had confessed. She had been through a lot so she told Sai that she would think things over. After a week, she finally decided to confess her feelings to Sai.

She has been through lot, and she thinks she deserves to be happy. And besides, Sai is who she wished for. She welcomed Sai into her life with hopes of having a better relationship.

-The End-

A/N: I only made this fic for only four hours. Everything was just so sudden, but anyway… I hope you liked it. Reviews please. =D