AUTHOR'S NOTE : Hey guys, this is my 2nd fanfiction. I am not so good with writing but I've tried my best. Pardon any mistake ^^
DISCLAIMER : I don't own Naruto and it's characters.
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An afternoon of the early autumn. Inoichi Yamanaka, the owner of Yamanaka Flower Shop, was collecting seeds from a wild cosmos tree, at the Floral Valley, standing beside a brook, at the south of Konoha. The valley is well-known for various kinds of wild flowers and medical herbs.
A 4-5 years old Ino Yamanaka was overflowed with joy. She had never seen this much flowers in front of her eyes, not even in her father's shop. The whole valley was looking like a carpet of colors. The wild wind stirred the rhododendrons and the white petals of the yucca. She was intoxicated by the scent of wild jasmine. While running alongside the brook with joy, suddenly she discovered a kind of green grassy plants, covering the mountain slope and river bank, tossing their heads in the breeze with light yellow flower buds on top.
"Otou-chan, come here", She called her father.
Inoichi went to his daughter, "What is it, Ino?"
"What flowers are these?", she pointed at the grassy herbs.
"Oh, these are the daffodils."
"Aren't they cute, otou-chan?"
"Hahaha", Inoichi chuckled and patted her head, "Of course. They will look more beautiful when they will be at full bloom," he ran his fingers through her hair, "The buds will bloom in no time. They are just like you, Ino. A little one, waiting for the right time to bloom."
"When will they bloom?", Ino asked.
"In a day or two."
"Wow ! I can't wait to see them," Ino jumped, grinning with joy.
##
The daffodil buds were starting to relese the flods of their petals. The 7 years old girl was staring at them with pleased eyes.
"The buds will bloom in no time. Just like otou-chan said, like me, hihihi. Gotta show it to Sakura," she stood up and started for the playground.
(AT THE PLAYGROUND)
She found her friends standing under a tree. But Sakura wasn't there. She began to look for her. One of her friends greeted her, "Good afternoon, Ino."
"Good afternoon, Hitomi. Have you seen Sakura?" Ino asked her.
"She hasn't come yet," Hitomi replied.
"Oh, I see."
Suddenly Sakura appeared, running. She stopped under the tree where their friends were and began panting. Then she stood straight and said with a big smile, "Hey guys. There's a boy I like !"
Ino smiled. At last that Sakura was becoming a girl.
But the next words made her freeze in no time. One of her friends said, "Oh yeah? It's Sasuke, isn't it?"
Sakura was astonished, "How did you know?"
"It's simple to guess. He's the most popular boy now."
Ino was stunned. Hitomi laughed and commented, "That Sakura has got choices, what do you say, Ino?" But Ino neither could utter a word nor move. She was trembling, and sweating.
She couldn't offer Sakura to go and see the daffodils.
##
"Ino-chan, there's something I need to tell you."
Ino controlled herself with so much hardship. She knew what Sakura wanted to say. But she smiled by force and said, "Sure. Go ahead."
"You like Sasuke-kun too, don't you?"
Ino couldn't answer all at once. The words stopped at her throat. She gulped and said, "What's about it?"
Sweat dropped down her cheek.
"If that's the truth..." Sakura stood up from the bench, "...then you and I are rivals from now on." Ino froze in horror. She stared at Sakura with empty eyes.
Sakura left. Was that the end of their friendship?
There was a big storm that night.
In the morning, Ino rushed at the valley. She found all the daffodils lying on the ground. Tears filled her azure eyes. She fell on her knees and started sobbing, like summer tempst. What a disaster ! Her best friend left her, as well as the daffodils.
Suddenly she noticed a little daffodil herb with a single bud was still standing. The bud had started to bloom. It was dancing in the morning breeze, with scattered dew drops on the leaves.
Ino wiped her tears and stood up. Disasters would keep coming, but she would have to keep blooming, like this one. There is no meaning of a flower unless it blooms...
She couldn't lose to Sakura.
##
"You can take this back, Ino", Sakura pointed at the ribbon in her hand.
"Huh ! What shall I do with it? Drop it somewhere."
"I can't do that. Because this was the first present from you. I'm just returning it to you cause I don't need your help now to cover my forehead. I have this now", she pointed at her head protector. Ino smiled and took the ribbon back.
Two minutes of silence.
"Hey Sakura", Ino said. "There's something I wanna show you."
"What?"
"Come with me, you will love it."
She took Sakura to the Floral Valley. The daffodils were nearly at a full bloom.
"It's so pretty," Sakura murmured in joy.
"It sure is", Ino smiled. At last she could show it to her best friend, her wish was fulfilled.
##
"Congratulations Ino and Chouji", said Asuma. " You've also successfully became chūnin, like Shikamaru. That means I'm not your Jōnin teacher anymore. You will lead your own teams from now on. I wish best of luck for you guys".
"Thank you for your kindness, sensei", the Ino-Shika-Chou trio replied.
"Take these earrings as a present from me. These will make you remember that the four of us were Team Asuma", Asuma pointed at the box on the table. The trio took two earrings each.
(OUTSIDE OF ASUMA'S OFFICE)
"Yahoo ! At last we all are Chūnins", Chouji exclaimed with joy.
"Yeah. All this works are such drags, but this kind'a makes me happy also", Shikamaru said.
"Guys, I have something to show you", Ino said suddenly.
"Wait, don't tell me it's one of the most handsome boys of Konoha again. They are such drags", Shikamaru sighed.
Ino pouted, "No way Shikamaru, I have my Sasuke-kun."
"Then what is it?" Said Chouji.
"Come with me", she grabbed their hands and rushed.
It was the full-bloomed daffodils she wanted to show them.
"Wow, it's pretty", said Chouji. "I never knew there are places like these in Konoha."
"Of course you don't, because it is a private place that belongs to the Yamanaka clan for wild flowers", Ino punched on his shoulder softly.
"Say about these daffodils", Shikamaru satvdiwn and stared at them. "They are in a full bloom. The whole valley is looking like a sheet of gold".
"This is exactly the thing I wanted to show you guys", Ino sat beside Shikamaru, so did Chouji. "When I was little, my father told me that we are like these daffodils. Are born being a bud and waited to bloom, no matter what happens, what disasters come, the buds will keep blooming to the fullest, just like us."
Shikamaru grinned,"Well he's right. We will have to keep blooming also. It's not the end."
Ino & Chouji supported him,"Yeah."
##
Everyone was freed from the world of Tsukiyomi created by Madara Uchiha. Naruto and Sasuke had defeated Madara and Kaguya Otsūtsūki and saved the Shinobi world.
"Sasuke-kun", said Sakura. "Let me go with you this time. I've made a mistake last time, I don't wanna regret it again".
"No, Sakura. I need to atone for my sins. Why'd you do that?" He stroked her forehead with his finger, "Don't worry, I'll be back. Till the next time", saying so, he left. Sakura stared at his way.
Ino was watching them from a little distance. She knew that, she had a great crush on Sasuke. She also knew that, she always competed with Sakura on this love matter. Now Sasuke had poked Sakura's forehead and said that he would be back to her, just in front of her eyes. Then why wasn't she sad? What was this feeling of relaxation and satisfaction?
"Oh, I see now."
Ino smiled. She realised that Sakura and Sasuke are made for each other. She sub-consciously handed him over to Sakura a long time ago.
Shikamaru came to her, "What'cha doing here?"
"Watching a love story", Ino replied dryly.
Shikamaru noticed that Sasuke was going away, and Sakura wad staring at his way. He understood everything. He patted Ino's shoulder, "Oi Ino, you crying for that?"
"I'm not", she tried to wipe her teary eyes.
"You can't take one's love by force", said Shikamaru, "that Sasuke is for Sakura. That's not a matter to be sad, Ino. Your besty has found her one. One day, you will also meet the one you deserve."
Ino turned her head around and looked at Shikamaru with wide eyes. Shikamaru grinned widely, "And I'm 99.9% sure that, he will be 100 times better than that Sasuke. So, no more tears."
Ino laughed. "LOL ! I hope you are right man."
Shikamaru wiped her tears,"C'mon, lets get going."
"Let's go". Ino and Shikamaru started for the village.
AUTHOR'S NOTE : Thank you for reading. Please review. :-)