Ino leant back against the wall, most of the kids and their parents had already left but her father had insisted upon talking to Iruka-sensai about his plans for the class this year. Ino knew it would be a long wait until he was done. Ever since her mom had died Inoichi had overcomensated somewhat when it came to parental duties and though Ino loved him for it she did wish he didn't always feel the need to try this hard.

Luckily for her there was one other boy who hadn't left yet. Uchiha Sasuke.

Her eyes darted quickly in his direction,hoping to catch him looking. He wasn't. She sighed. All through the ceremony she had heard her fellow classmates, or the girls at least, wispering about him. Not that he had paid any attention even though she knew he had overheard them.

Moving slowly, quietly, she peered around the stone pillar through the gate to get a better look. Still the boy sat where he had ever since the other kids had run over to their families, on the swing. She wondered if he was an orphan like that other kid, the loud one...

Hearing footsteps behind her she swirled round expecting to find her dad and instead smacking straight into the chest of a stranger.

"I- I'm sorry.." She stammered, cheeks red. She looked up, wondering just who had caught her spying on the cutest boy in class.

Her mouth fell open.

The boy before her - though she hesitated to call him a boy he looked so mature - was tall, dark hair and even darker eyes with smooth delicate features. Like a painting...

"It's fine." He assured her, voice holding thinly veiled amusement. He held her gaze for only a moment before turning to scan the school grounds. "Do you know where I could find my brother? Sasuke Uchiha."

"Yo- you're his brother?" Of course... no wonder he looked so familiar. Jealousy flared within her, how could one family hold so many cute boys?! All the boys in her clan were so... Ugh. "Uh.. I mean, yeah he's over there!" She pointed, a little to precisely, to the boy who was now looking at the pair with eyes that were lit with what almost looked like irritation.

"Indeed." He smiled wryly, as though he knew exactly what the young girl was thinking. "Thank you..."

He trailed off, waiting for her to tell him her name.

"Ino! It's Ino!" She gave him her cutest, most endearing smile. The one her father said no one could say no to.

"Thank you, Ino-san." He repeated. "Now, I guess I should get to my brother."

"I-" Her face fell, already he was turning away from her. How could she let him leave after such a short meeting. "I mean, what's your name?"

He paused, only a step or two from her. "Ah, how rude of me. It's Itachi." He smiled at her once more. "Now I really must go, it was lovely to meet you, Ino-san."

"You too, Itachi-san!" She called after him, mentally turning the name over and over in her mind. She watched as he approached Sasuke, the small boy's face softening in a way Ino hadn't believed possible.

She could feel her heart skip in her chest. Maybe every girl in her class would be fighting over Sasuke, and she wasn't about to give up that battle yet! - but at least there was one boy she knew only she would be daydreaming about in lessons.

"Ino, dear!" Her father's hand rested upon her shoulder, causing her to jump. She hadn't even noticed him coming. "Come on now, lets go meet Shikamaru and Chouji for lunch, okay?"