"Ino, I have a confession." He said simply. She stood before him in complete shock. She remembered every detail just the same as he did. "As a child people were less afraid to touch me. Now that I am older I have almost no contact with people at all."
"Tag you're it!" Said a young girl's voice. Her hand slapped his back playfully as she spoke.
He turned around hands out like a zombie. Her face turned serious and she ran across the grass ahead of him as he followed her. She tripped falling and rolling to look up at him, with a smile on her face. He reached out to touch her and she grabbed his hand and pulled him down next to her. They lay in the grass under the warm sun.
"Cloud watching isn't so bad either." She said. "Don't you think Shino?" she asked.
He nodded in agreement, but he was not watching the clouds. He was looking at her, her blue eyes and blonde hair. Her smile, energy, her just living and breathing. She was his first crush Yamanaka Ino.
"You showed kindness for all the people around you. You always made effort to make everyone feel they fit in." he continued.
"In a few years we will start academy." She said.
Shino was faced the other direction but clearly nodded in response. She noticed he seemed slightly distracted. Sneaking up behind him she saw him staring intently at a bug crawling along his finger. When he noticed he put his hand down, almost trying to hide his interest.
"You know Shino." She said with that smile again. "Bugs help spread pollen. Together they create a beautiful world."
"They day we were taken from each other." He said. "Was one of my worst memories."
"Ino." Inochi's voice came sternly into the clearing in which they often played in. Her father rushed to her side taking her hand. He began to take her from the clearing. Although they hadn't said anything we knew something was deeply wrong. Ino looked over her shoulder back at Shino.
"We didn't know it, but that would be the last time we would play together." Shino said and Ino lowered her head in response. "Torune joined my family." He reminded. "Because of the dangers your parents didn't want you near him, us." Ino already knew this. "What you didn't know was we made efforts to contact you." Ino looked shocked. "All Our attempts all failed."
He continued. 'When I finally got to see you again it was in academy. You had many friends so I never had the courage to approach you. Until that day…"
There was a unified screech from a group of girls. "There's a bug!" - "Kill it!" Shino's eyes watched the scene unfold before him.
"I got it!" He heard a voice say. Then a girl with blue eyes and blonde hair emerged with cupped hands. A bug casually moving around her palms. All the other girls scattered away from Ino. He took this opportunity to open the door for her. Then he followed her outside where she set the bug free.
"Thank you." He said. She just smiled at him. Then some of the girls emerged from the doorway.
"Ino, is it gone?"
"Not all bugs are scary, right Shino?" She gave a slight laugh and a tilt of her head. "Ladybugs and butterflies are cute, ne?" She asked the other girls.
"Ne." All the girls agreed in unison.
She whispered words to him as she passed. "You're welcome."
"I remember after Sakura found out you liked Sasuke and ended your friendship." Shino recalled.
Shino had heard the rumors of Sakura and Ino's friendship being over. Ino appeared strong in front of others but not when she was alone. He found her crying under a tree. When she finally realized he was there she wiped the tears from her eyes. He held out his hand to her and pulled her up.
Hand in hand they walked to a field of flowers. They sat then laid down in the grass the sun beaming down on them. Ino then continued to cry softly but this time not alone. She fell asleep curled up next to him. When it was about time to head home he brushed some hair out of her face and her eyes slowly opened to meet his.
"I feel a lot better now."
"Good." he replied.
"You never knew this but Danzo requested that I join Root." He said. Again Ino seemed surprised. "Torune told me. I needed to make friends. He offered himself in my place."
"And how funny is it. Fuu a Yamanaka and Torune would be paired which each other." Ino chimed in.
"Yes." Shino agreed. The irony. "My birthday came that year, and I spent it alone. A couple days later, I saw you again."
"Shino!" He turned to the only person who probably could of made him feel better at this point. In her hands with a Watermelon. "I grew this in my garden." She explained. "I recall as kids you loved it." She placed it into his hands. "It's kind of.. I remembered your birthday, but.."
"Thank you." He said.
"I've never been sure I'd successfully made any friends. From you, I've always felt you treated me as such. It's made me happy all these years."
"Shino.."
"I need to say all this before we go to war." He said. "When we all agreed Sasuke had to be eliminated. You were brought to tears. I wanted to console you."
His eyes were on her watching her closely. He heard a snark remark from from Kiba's mouth. That had been one of the few times he wanted to hurt Kiba. He needed not do anything in the end because the women Tenten spoke up in Ino's defense. He wanted to reach out and take Ino's hand pull her to a field of flowers so she could cry and heal. All he could do was send a single beetle to rest on her hand. Maybe knowing he was there for her was enough.
"Why, I wondered?" Why had he felt the need to console her. "But I already knew the answer. It's because I love you."
Ino stepped closer and wrapped her arms around his neck. He raised his hands to her back. She spoke softly, "I once would have returned these feelings." Then tears started down her cheeks and she spoke no further. He knew then his feelings would not be returned. He could go to the battlefield with no regrets. Knowing that once, he had been loved.