Attaining the Impossible, a naruto fanfic

HERE IT IS! THE WINNING PAIR FOR MY POLL! SHIKAxINO!

READ THE WARNING BEFORE YOU READ THE STORY OKAY?

Summary: "Hey...did you know Shikamaru? That the blue rose means to have attained the impossible?"

Genre: Romance/Drama/AU/Angst/ –A/N: I really don't think this story is angst…but YOU be the judge…-

Warning: As mentioned above I guess this would be considered light angsty…depending on how you see it…

Rating: K+ -for mild language

Ages: Shika/Kiba/Shino/Sakura-18, Ino/Hinata-17

Pairings: Shika/Ino and Kiba/Hinata/Shino

Notes: Italics without quotes mean thoughts and a bunch of italics or ones WITH quotes mean a flashback.

Attaining the Impossible: An InoShika one-shot

"Shikamaru! I thought you'd be here!"

Shikamaru Nara turned his head away from the scenic view of his balcony and turned his attention towards the long haired blonde that had just entered his room. He gave her an acknowledging glance before averting his eyes back to the sunny skies. Ino frowned at her friend's lack of welcome and took her shoes off quietly, setting them on the rack next to the door.

"Where were you today? You didn't show up to my recital…" the girl announced softly as she crossed his small living room. She brushed back the transparent silk curtain with her hand and joined him outside.

Shikamaru's face remained neutral and he continued to stare silently across the rooftops of the buildings towards the clear blue sky. Ino watched his blank face grimly and she clenched her fists.

"Why didn't you come…?" she asked quietly.

When no reply came her eyes slightly narrowed.

"Even though I had told you it was my last one you never showed! You even…--You knew how much this play meant to me!" she nearly shouted, her fists shaking at her sides.

When the shirker made no move to comment Ino gripped the hem of her lilac dress tightly.

"Shikamaru! Why won't you---?!"

"Ino…" he began almost inaudibly as he lowered his gaze to watch the crowded streets of New York City. He leaned his body against the metal railing, his eyes never leaving the lively atmosphere down below.

Ino's words died on her lips and she watched his back wordlessly.

"I need….to tell you something…" he finally finished, taking his gaze off the people to look at the sky in longing.

Ino remained quiet before opening her mouth to speak.

"…What is it?" she found herself asking softly, her anger for him now carelessly cast aside.

Shikamaru watched the bright shining sun, letting the breeze tickle his face teasingly. He closed his eyes as if trying to contemplate something in his mind. When he finished, he turned around to finally face her confused cerulean orbs.

"I…" he started again quietly but quickly shut his mouth. The eighteen year olds' expression turned pained and with a shake of his head he sighed frustratingly.

"Go home will ya? You're annoying me…I've had it with your bitchiness…" he stated coldly, his eyes narrowing directly at her. Ino's eyes widened in shock and her body froze in place. Shikamaru watched her reaction and closed his eyes once again before giving another sigh.

"I mean…who cares if it's your last recital? I'm not the type to show up at stupid plays anyway…did you really think I would come?" the boy smirked and gave a hopeless shrug. He watched her quietly and shoved his hands in his jean pockets.

"You're so stupid…Why don't you go run along home now and---"

Shikamaru's sentence remained unfinished when he felt a burning sensation forming against his right cheek.

A loud clapping sound resounded in the small apartment and an eerie silence soon followed.

Ino's head remained bowed and her shoulders shook furiously, the hand that had slapped Shikamaru trembling in pain. Shikamaru barely showed a look of shock and instead cast his eyes at the ground, letting the pain sink into his face.

As the first five ticks of the clock filled in for the two Ino's head slowly rose and she glared at him, her tears streaming down her porcelain cheeks. The cloud gazer finally lifted his face to look into her eyes and he remained emotionless, ignoring the flood of emotions that came crashing into his heart. Ino chewed on her bottom lip and glared at him with hatred once again.

"I HATE YOU SHIKAMARU! I HOPE YOU DIE!"

Her words sent a stinging sensation into his heart as he watched her turn around hastily and grab her shoes, not bothering to put them on as she rushed out the door.

The slam of the door brought him out of his thoughts and he watched the closed door painfully. His hand slowly crept along his right cheek and he set his eyes downcast.

"I really am...an idiot…"

"Hey Ino! Do you want to come karaoking with us?" A pink haired girl chirped at her best friend as the students began to pile out of the high school building hurriedly. Ino snuggled into her green scarf and stuffed her gloved hands into her coat pocket.

"No thanks Sakura…I'm going to head home…" she muttered and was about to turn away when the cherry blossom slung her arm around her friends shoulder.

"Oh come on! Sai will be there!" Sakura winked and nudged her friend playfully. Ino closed her eyes and swiftly shrugged off the roseate haired girl's grasp. Sakura frowned and Ino stared at the floor.

"No thanks…I'm really not in the mood right now" Ino mumbled and without waiting for a reply, walked out of the school gates, her high heeled boots clicking slowly along the cement pavement.

Sakura sighed and watched as Ino's form slowly shrank from her vision.

"Sakura-chan! Hurry up!" A voice called out and she quickly turned her attention towards the blond haired boy.

When the cherry blossom caught up with her group of friends Naruto looked behind him just in time to see Ino's blonde ponytail disappear around the corner of a building.

"Ino's not coming again?" he asked a little disappointed when he turned back around. Sakura nodded slowly and watched the November sky unconsciously.

Tenten frowned as she repositioned the strap on her shoulder with her hand.

"She's still hung up about that huh?" The brunette whispered inaudibly, her eyes flashing with sadness for the blonde. Sakura all but nodded slowly and the group of friends continued to head over to the karaoke bar in silence.

A mild gust of wind blew threw the doors of Hyuga Ikebana causing leaves of all sorts of colors to fly inside the small shop.

Hinata Hyuga lifted her eyes from the arrangement she was working on and smiled politely at her customer.

"Welcome! How may we help you today?" the azure haired girl asked in her professional voice as she watched the (she didn't want to admit it but his hair DID look like it) pineapple haired young man close the door to the shop with a light jingling noise coming from the bells. The man shivered slightly before turning towards her.

"Don't mind me, I'm just here to observe" he announced and began to look at the many flower displays set neatly on the tables of the store. The girl nodded in understanding and returned to her previous task.

Shikamaru's light footsteps resounded on the hardwood floor and he observed an arrangement with full interest.

Hinata's eyes strayed away from her project and she found herself quietly watching as the boy gently brushed the Lavender flower with his fingers.

"…always in my heart…." he mumbled quietly and her eyes widened in slight surprise.

"I'm surprised you knew the meaning of it" she found herself admitting and quickly shut her mouth when the boy turned to look at her. Hinata blushed crimson in embarrassment and bowed repeatedly.

"I-I'm sorry sir! Please forgive me!" she stammered and paused mid-bow when she realized the boy was chuckling at her.

"No need to apologize. I do look like the type of guy who wouldn't care about flower language huh?" he questioned and with one last look at the assortment he walked over to the girl.

"Um, n-no! That's not what I--" The Hyuga heiress stuttered again, tripping over her words clumsily. Shikamaru laughed again as the shy girl fiddled with her fingers nervously.

"Uh…um…the Lavender…it means 'you are always in my heart'…it's one of the flowers that I use often…" Hinata stated as she poked her fingers together in embarrassment. Shikamaru nodded his head.

"Yeah…I noticed" he agreed as he looked around the shop once again.

"You…must like flowers if you know the meaning of them…" The girl theorized as she took a pair of scissors to cut the stem off the rose in her hand to add to her creation. The pineapple haired boy turned away from her, watching the people walk by the shop's glass window.

"Not particularly…a…friend of mine owns a flower shop and she loves flowers...she'd always tell me their meaning even if I didn't ask…"

Hinata observed silently as the boy's eyes flickered with hurt and she found herself regretting ever saying anything to him.

"Um…h-have you found anything to your liking?" The quiet girl asked as she set the arrangement aside, leaving her scissors next to it as well. The raven haired boy brought his attention back to the petite girl and his eyes caught a glimpse of something.

He wordlessly reached out towards her face and his fingers touched the flower resting at the top of her ear.

Hinata immediately froze when she felt the boy lean against the counter and her eyes grew big in surprise.

"A blue rose…" he whispered again in a trance like state.

All of a sudden he snapped out of his reverie when the back door of the shop slammed open with a powerful thud and before the two teens knew what was happening, a hand was reached out to pull the girl protectively away from the shirker. Shikamaru blinked in surprise and backed away quickly.

"K-Kiba-kun!" Hinata squeaked as she held onto the boys arm that was wrapped around her neck. She tilted her head up slightly to look into his eyes which were currently burning holes into the other boy.

"Hinata" The boy growled, his eyes never leaving the young mans'.

"Go out to the back with Shino, I'll deal with this asshole" he snarled, securing his hold on her small body.

"A-Ah! Um Kiba-kun! It's not what it looks like!" she protested weakly and waved her hands in the air. Kiba dismissed her words and continued to glare at the customer.

"You…what're you trying to do to MY Hinata?" he asked harshly as he removed his arm to stand in front of Hinata possessively. Shikamaru blinked again and when the boy threw him another icy glare he shook his head in protest.

"Look man, I wasn't trying to do--" he began to explain, bringing his hands up to wave the brunette's accusation away.

"Don't even try lying your way out! Just leave now!" Kiba growled again.

Shikamaru shoved his hands in his pockets and glared at him.

"Che fine! I was about to leave anyways" he muttered in annoyance and was about to exit the store when a broom handle shot out from behind the loud boy and whacked him square on the head. Hinata covered her mouth with her hands in surprise as Kiba's hands immediately flew to his head and he squatted on the floor in pain.

"OWWWWCHHH!!" The boy groaned as he rubbed his probably now bruised head.

Shikamaru stopped in his tracks and watched the scene in half amusement.

"Kiba…don't yell at the customers…and what is this 'MY' Hinata nonsense coming from your filthy mouth?" A low voice shot out stoically behind his large green turtleneck collar. Shikamaru raised an inquisitive brow at the new arrival.

Sunglasses in autumn??

The boy Shikamaru had heard referred to as 'Kiba' stood up quickly and glared at the emotionless boy.

"Arghh! Shino! What the HELL?!" he scowled and rubbed his head once again hoping to eliminate the pain. Out of sheer anger Kiba grabbed Hinata ("Eep!") by the wrist and led her to stand by his side.

"I said what I meant ya four-eyed freak!" he declared arrogantly and turned his glare up a notch.

Shino frowned in displeasure and in a quick motion grabbed Hinata ("Eek!") by her wrist and pulled her to his side.

"Hinata wouldn't date a mutt like you…" he replied coolly and Kiba growled in response, his hands clenching at his sides. The girl looked between her two friends with concern and held up her hands to calm the two.

"A-Ano…Shino-kun, K-Kiba-kun…the customer is still present" she reminded as she stepped between the two boys. The two boys shot each other a glare before turning around regretfully. Kiba crossed his arms over his black long sleeved shirt with a huff before turning his attention back to the customer.

Shikamaru ignored the boys glare and found himself smirking in amusement.

"What an odd threesome you guys make…" he laughed out loud and Hinata turned red while Kiba glared harder at the boy.

"K-Kiba-kun…calm down…" Hinata suggested as she lightly placed her hand on the boys shoulder in fear that he would lose his temper and throw the shirker a punch. Shino observed the boy calmly and raised a questioning brow skywards.

"You've been here before…" he stated matter-of-factly.

Shikamaru blinked in surprise before averting his eyes away from the group to stare at the flower displays.

Shino's words struck something in Hinata's mind and she gasped in realization.

"Oh! I remember now! You used to come here with a long blonde-haired girl everyday! I haven't seen you two in months though!" she recalled as she thought about the odd couple that would hang out inside her shop. She remembered how the blonde would ask him something and when he shrugged or commented something negative she would frown and punch him in the ribs as punishment. Despite their outer appearance Hinata could tell right away that the relationship they had was genuine.

Shikamaru shoved his hands in his blazers pockets once again and eyed the floor in false fascination.

"Yeah…Ino Yamanaka…she was a…childhood friend of mine…" he answered gently.

Shino watched the boy carefully before fixing his sunglasses.

"We…as you would like to put it, are childhood friends as well..." The quiet boy spoke up to his friends' surprise and gestured to the two. Hinata's eyes softened at Shino's act of kindness and she turned her attention towards the guest.

"Um, I'm Hinata Hyuga, and this is Kiba Inuzuka and Shino Aburame" she introduced as she matched the name with the correct face before extending her hand out to the boy. Shikamaru looked up at her sincere smile and nodded as well.

"Shikamaru Nara…" he stated plainly and shook her hand, causing the brunette's eyes to narrow. The cloud gazer immediately retracted his hand away and Hinata rolled her eyes at Kiba's protectiveness.

"Don't worry…the mutt's all bark and no bite…" Shino commented and excused himself from the group. Kiba growled and threw the stoic boy a glare just before he disappeared in the next room. Hinata giggled and Shikamaru watched how she gazed at Kiba with affection.

"Kiba-kun, I think you owe Shikamaru-san an apology" Hinata said, her light voice snapping the boy out of his hopeless glaring match.

Kiba turned to face her and looked away stubbornly.

"Kiba-kun" Hinata frowned unpleasantly and crossed her arms over her chest.

Kiba avoided her gaze before giving her a look.

Do I HAVE to??

Hinata tried her best to glare at him but his penetrating puppy dog eyes always got the best of her…

"An undisciplined dog will be cast aside effortlessly" Shino returned with a steaming cup of tea and handed it to Hinata.

Shikamaru didn't miss the phantom smile the boy worked up when the girl accepted his offer happily.

Kiba glared at his rival (as Shikamaru had put it) and before colorful words could spew from his mouth the boy had gone as quickly as he had come. The dog owner turned around and crossed his arms over his chest once again.

"Stupid bug loving freak…always--" he began to mutter quietly to the shirker's amusement.

"U-Um…anyways Shikamaru-san…since Kiba-kun refuses to apologize I will try my best to make it up to you" Hinata granted as she bowed respectfully. Kiba's eyes widened in horror as his mind thought up the 'favors' the shirker would have for HIS Hinata…

Shikamaru blinked before grinning slyly as he casually eyed the boy behind her.

"Really? So I can ask for anything huh?" he spoke painfully slowly to Kiba's ears. Hinata nodded, unaware of the smirk the lazy boy was wearing.

"All right…then I have a favor to ask of you"

That was all it took...

…that one sentence, those eight words, the twenty-one letters of dread that made Inuzuka Kiba cringe in anger.

But before the boy could cry out his love interest's name, Shikamaru's request beat him to it.

"I need you to deliver something for me"

Kiba immediately froze and sneakily retracted his closed fist behind his back, whistling a small tune to himself when Hinata shot him an inquisitive look. Hinata glanced at the clock on the wall and removed her apron from off her white knitted knee-length sweater.

"Umm alright then…do you need it delivered right now?" she asked, hanging the apron on the small hook nailed to the back door. Shikamaru shook his head.

"Nah, tomorrow's fine. I don't have it with me at the moment anyways" he shrugged.

Kiba narrowed his eyes at the slacker.

"What is it that we have to deliver? And to whom?"

Shikamaru snorted.

"Relax tattoo face…it's just a small gift for a friend…" he stated and shrugged calmly. Kiba's eyes narrowed once again at hearing his new 'nickname'. Hinata sighed at the childish battle between the two grown men and she carefully removed the blue rose from her hair. Shikamaru's eyes strayed away from Kiba, breaking off their glaring contest (although it was one-sided) and turned his attention towards the shy girl.

"Hinata-san, where did you get the blue rose?" Shikamaru asked casually as he ignored Kiba's threat filled glares.

Hinata set the rose in a small vase and a smile graced her lips.

"Oh, Shino-kun bought it for me" (-insert choked gasp from Kiba-)

"There's a flower shop a few shops down that carries blue roses…I've been meaning to ask the owner if I can buy their flowers to use in my arrangements. They carry a lot of exotic flora that you can't usually get from the other places around here"

Hinata picked up the vase and walked around the counter to set in front of the small window at the right of the store.

"I hope we can become business partners. I really love the flowers they have there" she admitted quietly before turning to smile at Shikamaru.

The lazy boy returned the smile.

"I'm sure she'll let you…don't worry about it" he said calmly as he closed his eyes and pulled on his leather gloves.

Hinata met his gaze with surprise.

She had never mentioned the gender of the store owner because she herself had never seen her before!

"Well, it was nice meeting you two. I'll come back tomorrow afternoon" Shikamaru nodded and opened the front door. He glanced up at the clouds and sighed.

"two more days…" he whispered and when the pale-eyed girl turned to stare at him in question, a strong gust of wind blasted through the entrance causing the two friends to shield their eyes. When the wind had died down Hinata lifted her arm away from her face and stared at the now closed door.

He's gone…She found herself thinking before turning her attention back at the leaves strewn all over the floor. Kiba noticed this also and laughed.

"Oi! Sweeper boy! I think you should come out and take a look at this!" he howled with laughter before turning around to fetch the bug collector.

"Arghh I can't believe that guy! Making us deliver these roses to his girlfriend or whatever…" Kiba scowled as he grumpily walked alongside Hinata towards Ino's high school. Hinata sighed as she held the bouquet in her hands.

"It can't be helped…It's your own fault so don't complain" she chided and fingered the roses gently. Her eyes stared at the flowers in wonder.

"These blue roses are so beautiful, they aren't like the ones from the shop next to ours…they seem more…real" Hinata whispered as she stroked the navy blue petals with her thumb.

"I wonder where he bought them…" she asked as the pair stopped at the end of the block, waiting for the cars to pass by.

"Geh! Who knows? We'll ask him after we deliver these" Kiba suggested unenthusiastically and rubbed his hands together. Hinata frowned and glanced at him.

"I told you to bring a jacket before we left Kiba-kun…" The long-haired girl reminded, eying his trembling hands.

Kiba met her eyes and grinned at her cheekily.

"Well Hinata, there's another way I can think of to help warm me up that doesn't involve a jacket" he smirked wolfishly and raised a suggestive brow.

The boy frowned when Hinata left his side, apparently missing his comment.

"Look! We're here!" she announced as she stared at the large building. Her long dark blue scarf flapped wildly in the wind as she ran over to the entrance just as the students finished piling out of the school.

"Okay Kiba-kun! Look for a blonde-haired girl that ties her hair into a high ponytail" Hinata instructed as her eyes scanned the crowd. Kiba squinted his eyes and searched the crowd as well.

After a few minutes the boy frowned.

"Argh! This is impossible! There are too many blondes here!" he barked and continued his search nevertheless. Hinata tapped her chin thoughtfully.

"Oh! I think Shikamaru-san mentioned that she always wears a green knitted scarf with a small picture of a chibi deer head at the ends" Hinata recalled happily. Kiba sighed but resumed his search anyways.

"Ah! There she is! The one that just walked away from the pink-haired girl!" Kiba finally spotted and pointed towards the only group present on the school grounds. Hinata and Kiba decided to stand by the school's outer walls and wait for this 'Ino Yamanaka' to exit.

"Grrr what's taking her so long?!?" Kiba asked as he folded his arms across his chest. Out of curiosity the boy stepped away from the wall and walked closer to the entrance.

"K-Kiba-kun!" Hinata half-shouted and followed the boy reluctantly.

"Come on Ino, it'll be fun! Parties are never fun without you" a black haired boy claimed as he grabbed the blonde's wrist. Ino growled and shook the boy off.

"No, Jake! How many times do I have to tell you? I'm not going!" she answered as she threw the boy a glare. Jake scowled and shoved his hands in his pockets.

"It's because of him isn't it? Why can't you just forget about it??"

Ino stiffened at his harsh words and she stared at the ground.

"I just…I just can't alright?!" She half shouted and turned around, clutching the green scarf close to her neck in fear that she might lose it.

"Ah! She's com--OOF!" Kiba's sentence was interrupted when the same blonde crashed into him, causing the boy to back up slightly from the pressure.

"Whoa, be careful!" The boy warned as Ino lifted her face to stare into his eyes.

"Uh, right...sorry…" she mumbled with her cheeks pink from embarrassment. A small unhappy pout graced Hinata's features and she cleared her throat loudly.

"Ino Yamanaka correct?" the milky-eyed girl questioned, thankfully now back to her quiet demeanor. Ino nodded slowly and repositioned the green scarf around her neck.

"Yes, may I help you?" she asked with uncertainty.

"Um, I'm Hinata Hyuga and this is Kiba Inuzuka…we're here to deliver these to you" Hinata announced as she offered the bouquet towards the girl. Ino blinked in surprise and took the bouquet slowly.

"Wow! These are beautiful! Who are they from?" she questioned, wondering how the blue of the roses could look so natural.

"From Shikamaru-san" The girl answered happily with a smile.

Ino's hand froze and her smile faded.

"What?" she asked again, hoping that she had heard something different.

"Shikamaru Nara, he told us to give it to you" Kiba answered this time.

Ino glanced at the couple and then back at the roses. She clutched the bouquet and a look that Hinata couldn't interpret crossed the girls face.

"I don't want them" she spoke quietly, shoving the roses back into Kiba's arms. The two teens traded confused glances before they turned to the girl.

"What? But Shikamaru-san--"

"I SAID I DON'T WANT THEM!!" Ino shouted, startling the two friends. The florist clenched her fists in anger and she gazed at the cold stone floor.

"I can't believe you two would have the nerve to lie to me like this…Shikamaru...h-he would never..." she paused, her eyes brimming with tears. Without another word spoken the blonde turned away and took off towards her previous destination, her shoes clicking a steady rhythm against the stone pavement. Hinata let out a gasp and took a step forward.

"Ino-san! We're telling the truth!" Hinata pleaded but the girl kept on running. Kiba scratched his head in confusion and watched as Ino turned the corner of a building.

"Why would we lie to her?" he questioned in perplexity. Hinata frowned and turned around.

"I don't know…" she whispered quietly and glanced at the vibrant roses in her hands.

"I guess we'll tell Shikamaru-san about it when we get back…" she proposed dejectedly and headed back towards her shop with a still puzzled Kiba trailing wordlessly behind.

"Soooo…she said that and ran away?"

Two weak nods.

Shikamaru sighed as he petted Akamaru's head mindlessly.

"Well I guess that's to be expected...she's still upset over it..." the boy muttered with a frown before letting the dog down to run over to his master.

"And it took me so long to get those roses too" Shikamaru sighed once again and leaned his head on the counter in despair.

"W-Where did you get the roses Shikamaru-san? I've never seen such naturally blue roses before!" Hinata remembered her question and asked the boy curiously.

"Ah, I had to ask the Boss for permission" the shirker replied as he waved his hand carelessly in the air.

"Che, that place is so overrated…" he found himself complaining and sighed again.

"Anyways, try again tomorrow alright?" the boy announced as he glanced out the window at the setting sun. He stood up from his seat and eyed the two teens.

"The winds are about to pick up so I should go" Shikamaru stated plainly and pulled on his jacket.

"W-Wait Shikamaru-san!" Hinata's voice stopped the boy in his tracks.

"Um…about Ino-san…not to be nosy but…do you…um…do you l-love her?" Hinata asked quietly as she poked her two forefingers together in embarrassment. Shikamaru blinked at her question and tilted his chin towards the ceiling as if reflecting the matter.

"Yeah, I do" he admitted stoically. Kiba stared in astonishment and had to give the guy credit for being calm about it.

"Then why don't you just tell her?" Hinata suggested, hoping that she wasn't prying too much.

Shikamaru gave a small smile and shook his head.

"Nah, too troublesome…and I'd be happy just to be by her side" he confessed and turned to leave. When he opened the door another gust of wind blew through and the two teens once again shielded their eyes from the strong force. When the door closed shut with a small ring Hinata opened her eyes.

"Gone like the wind again…" she muttered and stared at the floor in dismay.

The back door swung open and Shino entered the shop quietly. His eyes narrowed at the scattered dead leaves across the floor.

"I just cleaned the floor ten minutes ago…" the boy spoke grimly and his eyes quickly landed on Kiba accusingly.

"I-It wasn't me I swear!" Kiba protested and waved his hands out in defense. Akamaru barked in agreement to back up his owner.

Hinata sighed and went to the back to fetch the broom.

"Hey, did you know Shikamaru?" Ino asked as she glanced at her childhood friend standing beside her. The girl turned her attention at the blue rose displayed in the center of the flower arrangement in Hyuga Ikebana.

The boy kept his attention trained on the sky outside the window before turning to her.

"Did I know what?" he questioned blankly.

Ino rolled her eyes at his normal attitude and gently brushed her fingers across the petals of the blue rose.

"That a blue rose symbolizes 'to attain the impossible'?"

The boy yawned and shook his head.

"I guess I do now since you told me" he shrugged lazily and scratched his head. Ino giggled.

"Ah, it's so romantic! I would love it if someone gave me a bouquet of blue roses!" she cooed dreamily. The boy raised an inquisitive brow and watched as she drifted into one of her daydreams.

"How is it romantic exactly?" he asked as he shoved his hands into his capris pockets.

Ino pouted and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Bah! Forget it! I'd have an easier time explaining it to a tree stump!!" she sighed and turned away from him. Shikamaru's eyes narrowed at her joke.

"Hey! Ino!" he shouted angrily as he followed her out the door of the small shop.

Ino smiled fondly at the memory before a frown replaced it and she closed her eyes, blinking back the tears.

"Shikamaru…" she whispered quietly and inhaled the fading scent that remained on his scarf.

"Here…"

Ino turned her head away and refused the offer stubbornly.

"I don't need it!" she retorted haughtily and rejected the green scarf that was held out to her. Shikamaru scratched the back of his head in annoyance before climbing on the roof to sit beside her.

"Ino…I'm sorry I forgot about the recital…I'll come next time I promise…" he offered and without warning wrapped the large scarf around the girl's neck. Ino crossed her arms defiantly and continued to ignore him. Shikamaru sighed again and reached into the pocket inside his blazer.

"Here" he said quietly and handed her a blue rose.

Ino's eyes grew in surprise and she stared at the flower motionlessly.

"Sorry it's not much…these things are troublesome to find and not to mention expens—UGH!"

"Thank-you Shikamaru…" Ino whispered hoarsely as she wrapped her arms around the boy's neck. Shikamaru ignored his steadily growing hot cheeks and nodded slightly.

"Uhhh no problem…" he muttered and patted her back awkwardly.

Ino giggled.

"I guess in a way I did achieve the impossible…"she murmured against his chest.

"What was that?"

"Nothing!" the girl laughed and snuggled into his arms even more, leaving the poor boy with confused thoughts.

"Ino-san…"

The small voice broke the blonde out of her memory lane and she looked up at the person in question.

Her eyes narrowed when she saw the familiar looking faces (plus another new one but frankly she didn't care if there were twenty more of them…).

"So you were the owner of the flower shop, I should've thought as much since your last name matches" Hinata laughed nervously and she resisted the urge to twiddle with her fingers. Kiba and Shino stood quietly behind her, seeing as they had no clue how to better the situation.

"I told you guys to stop jerking me around" she said harshly as she eyed the bouquet in the Hyuga's hands. Hinata stepped forward hesitantly.

"We-We're not lying to you Ino-san! Shikamaru-san told us himself to give these to you!" Hinata objected and held out the flowers towards the blonde.

Ino's eyes narrowed and she shook her fists quietly.

"Is this my punishment? Are you three here to make me feel ten times worst then I already do?" the florist whispered and watched the ground in disdain.

"No! Ino-san we would never---!"

"Look…Hinata…I don't know what you're trying to pull but I can't accept flowers from Shikamaru…at least not anymore…" Ino managed to speak evenly and she clenched her hands until her knuckles turned white.

Hinata knitted her brows in confusion.

"What do you mean?" she asked silently and the boys were sure that the blonde was on the verge of tears.

Ino let out a shaky breathe and unclenched her fists. She thrust her head to look them in the eyes angrily.

"DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND?!? SHIKAMARU'S DEAD!! IT'D BE IMPOSSIBLE TO RECEIVE ANYTHING FROM HIM ANYMORE!!" Ino screamed, her tears streaming down her cheeks. Ino bit her lip and turned around so her back faced the three shocked teens.

"Shikamaru…he was sick…and I didn't even know it…it's all my fault…"

"I HATE YOU SHIKAMARU! I HOPE YOU DIE!"

Ino's lips began to tremble and she shut her eyes to block out the painful memory.

"I said all those awful things without knowing that I would never see him again…"

The blonde opened her eyes and turned her head away.

"I'm sorry for shouting but I hope you understand…" she added somberly. Without another word or even another glance, Ino marched straight inside her shop and slammed the door shut.

Kiba, Hinata and even Shino stared at the door in disbelief…

NO WAY…

"I checked out his background information….the blonde was telling the truth…" Shino announced that night and slapped a manila folder on the shops counter. The three remained silent and Hinata picked up the folder with uneasiness. She opened the folder revealing its contents to her naked eyes.

"He died in early October…" The girl observed.

Kiba shivered and turned pale.

"S-So…that was a...gu-guh-ghost?!" he squeaked.

Shino nodded calmly.

"There's a Buddhist belief that a person's spirit roams the earth for seven weeks prior to their reincarnation…"

Hinata held her chin thoughtfully.

"Judging from the date of his death…that means Shikamaru-san's last day was today…"

Kiba's eyes grew wide at his friends reactions.

"HOW CAN YOU TWO BE SO CALM?! What if we're cursed?!?" Kiba accused as he shook in fright. Shino and Hinata disregarded the boy and Hinata crossed her arms under her chest.

"But…why would he want us to deliver the flowers to her?" Hinata asked, still perturbed by the situation.

"WAUGGHH!" The dog lover shouted and Akamaru whimpered in reply.

Hinata closed her cloudy eyes in annoyance and turned towards the boy.

"What's wrong now?" she pouted and threw him an unpleased frown.

"Thuh-The blue roses! They're gone! I could've sworn I set them on the shelf near the back door when we came in!"

Both heads turned towards the now empty glass vase.

A light jingling sound came from behind the group and another gust of wind blew in before the door finally closed.

Hinata turned around just as the leaves scattered across the floor.

"Shikamaru-san!"

The Hyuga heiress hastily dropped the folder and dashed out the door with Shino following behind.

Kiba stood frozen in place, his mind telling him that he should stay here where he was safe from the 'ghosts'. Akamaru frowned at his master and without another bark, set off after the two teens leaving the boy alone.

After a few moments of thinking the brunette yelped when he heard a sound from inside the back room (which was actually found out later to be the broom falling over from its unsteady position) and immediately ran out the door after his two friends.

"Wa-Wait for me you guys!"

Ino grumpily shut the front door of the Yamanaka Flower shop, locking it hastily.

"Stupid dad, always forgetting something at the store and when I actually show up I get a call saying that he had 'found it in his pocket'!!" she growled and kicked a small pebble lying on the road. She watched as the pebble disappeared beyond the shadow of the streetlight and she sighed again. A cool breeze played against her face making her brush her bangs behind her ear.

"Hey now Ino, pebbles have feelings too…"

The florist stopped abruptly and she slowly raised her head towards the voice.

When she saw the familiar silhouette outline of the figure she promptly shook her head in disbelief and continued down the lone street.

I must be going crazy…

The figure frowned.

"Hey, I'm talking to you woman! Feh, how troublesome!"

The blonde froze again before turning around gradually.

And there he was…standing directly in the center of the streetlight.

Her blue eyes grew big.

"Shi...ka…maru?" she spoke hesitantly before swallowing hard.

"What's this? You decided to talk to me now?" he teased and grinned crookedly.

Ino stared; her mouth slightly parted before she quickly shut it and took a hesitant step forward.

"You...are…Shikamaru…right?" she questioned slowly, still in awe.

The boy smirked.

"Something wrong Ino? You look like you've seen a ghost!"

The girl could only gawk at the boy.

"And here I thought you'd be happy to see me!" The shirker shook his head in mock sadness and turned around to leave.

"Well, I guess I'll go now since yo—OOF!"

"Shikamaru!!" Ino choked as she collided with his chest causing the two teens to tumble to the ground. She brought her hands under his arms and above his shoulders so she could pull him closer. Shikamaru glanced down at her tenderly, his eyes softening at the girl who was afraid if she let go she would wake up in bed as if it had never happened. He leaned his head forward before kissing her golden hair.

"Ino…I'm sorry…" he murmured as he placed his hand on the back of her head and pulled her towards him.

"I knew you'd feel guilty for saying all the things you did so I came back to tell you that it wasn't your fault"

Ino's body stiffened for a second but she continued to cry on his shoulder as her grip on his shirt tightened.

"That time when I missed your recital…I had just come back from the doctors with…troublesome news…and I guess that's why I was so quiet that day…I mean, who wouldn't if they found out they were going to die in a few days?" Shikamaru laughed humorlessly and began to stroke her hair gently. The blonde in his arms began to cry harder. Shikamaru sighed.

"Ah! I was never good at this...I even made you cry more!" he frowned and shook his head.

"Sh-Shikamaru-san!"

"Evil spirit! Get away from her!"

"...Kiba…"

The shirker let out an exasperated breathe…great...now he had an audience!

The lazy boy brought his gaze up to meet the troublesome trio before returning his attention towards the blonde.

"Ino…I know I don't have a right to ask for your forgiveness and--"

"What're you talking about?! I'm to blame too!" Ino finally spoke as she lifted her gaze to stare into his eyes, her tears cascading beautifully down her cheeks.

"I…I should've known about your condition…even if you hadn't told me…It was all my fault for saying those things when I had no idea how you were feeling…" The blonde admitted as she averted her eyes to look at her lap.

Shikamaru's eyes narrowed.

"Look Ino…we can play this 'whose fault is it game' until my time is up but I'd rather just let it be me who's at fault and leave it at that…"

When the blonde made no move to retaliate the boy smiled lightly.

"So with that out of the way, this is why I actually came" he gently pushed her away and held the bouquet out to her. Ino stared at the roses painfully before her tears strolled harder down her red cheeks. She bowed her head and took his offer with a shaky hand.

"…To attain the impossible…" she whispered before hugging the roses close to her chest. Shikamaru smiled gently at her before standing up slowly. Ino stood up as well, unconsciously following his action.

"Ino…you'll let me stay with you right?" Shikamaru questioned when he faced the blonde once again. Ino peeled her eyes away from the roses and looked at him quietly, a mixture of different emotions burning within her.

Shikamaru lifted his hand and pointed at her chest with a grin.

"Right here…in your heart"

Ino swallowed hard before shutting her eyes. She nodded slowly.

"Ye-yeah…yeah you can…" she nodded meekly, her tears still running down her face.

Shikamaru looked at her affectionately before pulling her closer to him.

There was actually another thing I didn't tell you Ino…

He lifted her chin up so he could see what he had already memorized over the past years of his life. Shikamaru gently wiped the tears away with his thumbs and caressed her skin tenderly. After watching her for a short moment he tilted his head up and kissed her forehead lovingly.

"Be happy okay? I don't want you isolating yourself…I know how you get…You don't want me to worry do you?"

Ino automatically shook her head and Shikamaru grinned.

Wordlessly, he descended his head and claimed her sweet lips before pulling away.

I loved you Ino…a lot…

Shikamaru turned around to face the three quiet teens.

"Thanks guys, for your help…"

Hinata brushed back the stray tears from her eyes and smiled back quietly while Kiba grudgingly mumbled a 'no problem' and crossed his arms. Shino pushed his sunglasses to the brink of his nose before nodding slightly.

Somewhere in the distance a clock struck midnight and a large gust of wind blew down the lonesome alleyway. The four humans closed their eyes on impulse and when they opened them again a pile of leaves took the place of where the boy had once stood.

Fresh tears streamed down Ino's face and she held onto her blue roses with all her strength.

"Ah! Ino-chan!" Hinata smiled from behind the counter of her Ikebana shop. The door opened with a merry ring and Ino returned the smile. She opened the door so Kiba and Shino could come in with the flower orders.

"Thanks for the help you two!" she grinned and Kiba grunted in response under the many flowers while Shino nodded silently.

Hinata eyed the bouquet in the blonde's hands.

"And that one too?" she questioned as she observed the familiar flowers carefully. Ino followed the girls gaze and her eyes softened. With a shake of her head she brought the flowers to rest against her shoulder.

"No, these are for Shikamaru…" she smiled before looking outside at the clear Spring sky.

"Alright, I'll see you later Hinata-chan!" Ino waved and left before Hinata could thank her for the flowers. The Hyuga heiress watched as Ino walked away, flashing a brilliant smile at the people she passed. The ivory-eyed girl glanced at the bouquet in the blonde's hands again.

"Lavenders…" she murmured with a smile before the slamming of the back door brought her back to reality.

"Hinataaa! Let's go out to eat! My treat! And it's a DATE!" Kiba laughed as he wrapped his arm around the startled girl. Akamaru jumped against the girl's leg, barking happily by his master's side.

Before the two could make it out the door a hand shot out from behind and pulled the boy by the collar causing him to let out a startled choking sound.

"Kiba, it's your turn to sweep this week" Shino said monotonously and held out the broom to the peeved boy calmly. Without waiting for a complaint Shino pushed the broom in the boys hands and gently grabbed Hinata's arm, leading her outside without waiting for her response.

Kiba stared at the broom and then at Shino and Hinata's disappearing backs.

With no intention of losing to his rival he threw the broom on the floor hurriedly.

"Like HELL I will!" He yelled and ran after the two, slamming the door shut with a thud.

Akamaru, being the smart one out of the pair jumped on the small step beside the door and changed the 'open' sign to 'out for lunch'.

Devoid of any other distractions, the dog shot through the doggy door and followed after his master with an excited bark.

Fin.

Wasn't expecting THAT were you?!

At least I hope not cuz that was my intention.

Like I said…I didn't think it was angst but it's your call…In my opinion it was a happy sad…

I can't take full credit of the plot since I got the idea from a one-shot manga I read…

Umm this story took longer then I expected…I thought it'd be only 3,000 words (sweatdrop) Geez! 7,000 words! My longest!

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed it! I love team eight! If they weren't in it this story would probably end up angsty!

Please review and tell me your reactions!

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