"From this day forward, we're rivals."

Sakura's words echoed through Ino's mind. A solemn determination was on the former outcast's face. Ino's twisted into perpetual shock and disbelief. Sasuke wasn't important to her. Her friendship with Sakura went far beyond whatever she thought of him. When those girls said everyone liked Sasuke and she didn't disagree, it didn't mean anything more. Liking him wasn't important. These thoughts bombarded her all at once. If only she could find the words. She tried to reach forward, but all she felt was Sakura getting further away with every second. Say something, she pleaded with herself, anything!

Even if she could, Sakura's back was already turned. Finally, Ino was able to reach forward. "Sakura-chan, don't," she said, her voice too small. She grabbed around her outstretched hand to try and stop it from shaking.

"Forget about her," one of the nearby girls said.

"Yeah," another said, "she's an idiot. Like she could ever get Sasuke-kun."

The girls laughed.

They were wrong. Sakura was admirable. She realized almost instantly that to set herself apart from the other girls she had to go off on her own. To sit in the comfort of their group and pine over him wasn't going to win his heart. At least, this was the only rationalization Ino could tell herself to ease the pain.

Ino laid awake for hours, her thoughts constantly looping with "if only this" and "if only that." If only she could have said this or done that. Her young mind filled with sadness and anger as she thought about what she'd say to Sakura in both positive and negative scenarios. After a couple hours of turning on each side again and again, she told herself that in the morning Sakura would come to her senses and everything would go back to normal.

They stood before the tree where they had tied their bond with a ribbon. There was no way Sakura could ignore that. There was no way Sakura would hurt Ino here. There was no way they couldn't remain friends.

Did Ino hear what she thought she did?

"Go away, pig," Sakura said. She crossed her arms, shut her eyes, and turned her head. "I told you, didn't I? We're rivals now."

Ino trembled, feeling like she was about to cry. After all she had done for Sakura, this is how she was treated? She never expected anything in return but Sakura's love. Even that she never really expected. She wasn't sure why she had gone out of her way for the other girl, but she did, and they had been happy together. Was it pity? The right thing to do? Or was she just a kind person who wanted to be everyone's friend? It didn't matter. Right now, there was a pain in her chest like she had never felt before, and all because of a boy who meant nothing to her. Yet, it felt too late to say that. She couldn't stop her brows from narrowing. No, it was because she showed affection to this girl when none other would. "I'll crush you and that ugly forehead of yours," Ino said. Before Sakura could see her tears, Ino turned her back and walked away.

"Ino. Wait."

She stopped in her tracks, but didn't turn back.

"You're on."

It was just a game to her. She didn't care about anything but herself and her desire to have Sasuke.

Ino wiped her eyes with her forearm then created more distance between herself and Sakura.

She told herself it wasn't her fault and to forget about that trash. Even if she hadn't said what she wanted to, there was no reason that she should have had to. With one last mental attempt to reach for Sakura's hand, Ino locked her heart away. From that day on, she focused on her appearance. Now, she had only one goal: to outdo Sakura and become Sasuke's girlfriend—no, more than that—to become the unquestionably prettiest girl in Konoha and have Sakura eat her own words.

Though she continued down that path, even with the passing of years and the fights that fueled their rivalry, Ino could not bring herself to dislike Sakura, never mind hate her. Whenever she looked at her, she saw that little girl without a shoulder to cry on and had to believe this was just her way to prove she could be strong on her own. The new words of conflict never tasted bitter; however, the memories they brought did. She couldn't understand why it made her stomach hurt, or why she still wanted to be her friend. These facts, she would not express and she started to forget how it felt to even have someone to care for. And one day, Ino looked around and realized that, for one reason or another, everyone was gone.

It didn't matter, she told herself and put in her earrings, brushed her long hair and tied it up. It didn't matter that Sakura was placed on a team with Sasuke, either. It didn't matter that people gave her nasty looks and she'd glare and snap at them. They were jealous, and she knew in her heart that she was better than Sakura in every way. She wondered if Sakura thought the same about her.

And when she saw Sakura fighting for her life in the Forest of Death, she could do nothing but shake. All those conflicting emotions disappeared, and she only wanted to help her, but the fear wouldn't allow it. She watched as Sakura pushed herself past her limits, clawing for survival, even sacrificing the hair she had grown for so long, and Ino knew she had been right about her. Sakura had grown into what Ino had always seen in her: someone with both a kind and strong heart—someone who would protect others, as Ino had once protected her. Seeing this person, Ino could almost remember who she herself once was.

Ino shut her eyes and took in a deep breath. "Alright, Shikamaru," she said, "let's help them." Even if it cost her life, she wasn't going to let herself be surpassed, and she'd protect Sakura once again.

And then the strangest twist of fate happened. Ino found herself matched up in the elimination rounds of the Chunin Exams against Sasuke.

If I defeat Sasuke-kun here, she thought, he may resent me. On the other hand, if she didn't try her all, she would look weak, and she doubted Sasuke wanted a weak girlfriend. She sent Sakura, who was up a level where the matches were observed, a glance. With a smirk, she shut her eyes. Alright. Just wait for it to begin, and give it your all.

"Go all out from the start," Shikamaru had advised her. What could Sasuke possibly do? All she needed was to change bodies with him for a mere few seconds so she could make him say the words "I give up."

"Alright, you may begin," the sickly jounin said.

As Ino threw her hands up and activated the Mind Body Switch Technique, Sasuke's eyes flashed red. Whatever happened, it didn't seem to matter. She saw her body across the arena. Oddly, it was still standing. She expected to be rubbing her head after the match was finished. Even more oddly, though, was that Sasuke didn't seem to show any resistance whatsoever. Oh well. She smirked and said, "I, Uchiha Sasuke, give up."

Everyone was quiet. It must have seemed anticlimactic, but that's what happens when you fight a Yamanaka one on one. She glanced up at Shikamaru who nodded.

All she had to do now was dispel the jutsu. But, it wasn't working. Ino felt her eyes widen as she watched her body move forward. It looked like a zombie shambling towards her. Then it collapsed. Asuma-sensei appeared next to her body. She tried again and again to dispel the jutsu, but still, nothing. The jounins started to gather as medical ninjas came out. Ino could only stand there in horror as she watched her body being carried off.

"She won the match," Asuma said, "and she'll be able to compete in her real one in a month. No matter what way you look at it, she's the victor."

"Agreed," the Hokage said.

"Sasuke!" Naruto shouted, running up to his side along with Sakura, "why the hell did you quit?!"

"Did you realize you were too injured to fight?" Sakura asked, tilting her head. The concern in her voice and compassion in her eyes was like nothing she had experienced from anyone but her parents. She felt her heart—or rather, Sasuke's—beating a mile a minute.

Ino could talk to Sakura as if she were Sasuke. Everything bad between them was gone. It was like a fresh start that already had unconditional love as a foundation. Sakura was looking at her with the love she had always wanted to receive from the girl. No, it was more, and this body was reacting differently than her own. She felt it wanting to get closer to Sakura. She knew the whole thing was wrong anyhow, but this feeling was surreal. Did Sasuke always feel this way for her? If so, Ino had already lost. If not, then she could only think that her feelings within this body had been transformed. She was attracted to Sakura. It felt strange, or rather, her mind thought it strange, like she had lost a part of herself. She was straight. Right? That answer didn't matter. She found herself caring less and less about it and only wanting to swim continuously in this wave of pure emotion.

"That's right, Sakura-chan," she said. Did he call her that? Whatever. Now he did. "Thanks for worrying about me."

"Are you alright?" Naruto asked. He cupped his hands behind his head and closed his eyes. "Did you bump your head or something?"

Ino was dumbfounded. "What do you mean?" she asked.

"You're just acting a lot nicer than usual, s'all," he said.

Was Sasuke a jerk to them or something?

"Leave him alone," Sakura said, shoving Naruto on the shoulder. It was so light he didn't even budge an inch. "Winning isn't everything, right, Sasuke-kun? I'm just glad you're okay." Her face turned red. She tried to hide it by tilting her head down, but she couldn't stop glancing up into Sasuke's eyes. Since when was she this cute?

"Sakura-chan..." Ino said. She couldn't help herself. Hugging Sakura was the only way she was going to get some release from the gravity she felt between them.

"S-Sasuke-kun?" Sakura said. She felt stiff in Sasuke's arms. Then she loosened up and wrapped hers around his body.

"Wow, okay, I'm getting a doctor," Naruto said.

Ino tried to cut their embrace, but Sakura held on. "Please," she said, "don't let go. I've wanted to hug you for so long."

She knew those words weren't meant for her, but at the same time, they weren't meant for Sasuke, either. He wasn't really the one hugging her, after all. This didn't matter, either. Any guilt she felt was instantly pushed back by the bliss of being in Sakura's arms.

"S-Sasuke-kun?" Sakura asked. She laid her head against his shoulder. "Do you finally have feelings for me?"

Okay, this was too much. She shouldn't answer something like that for him. "Um, what do you think...?" she asked.

Sakura stepped back. She looked at the ground, scratching her temple with a finger. "Jeesh, I really wish you had just said 'yes,' " she said. Her face was still bright red and her teeth were showing a bit. She glanced up at Ino. So adorable.

"Uh, you two," the sickly jounin said. He coughed into his fist. "Can you please clear out for the next match?"