I don't own Naruto.

So I heard Michael Bubble album: Sings Totally Blonde yesterday and today. I just love his songs. Although when I saw his face, it reminds me of elvis presley. He's just like Frank Sinatra and those oldies, his songs I mean. I just love it that his lyrics are very down to earth. It helps me a lot with a mess that to be called feeling.

I wrote this a long time ago. At first I wanted to use it for my chapter in The wind is whistling. "It's not that I don't try, or maybe I tried too hard," perhaps that is my feeling about this. I vent and vent, and then 'That's How it Goes' born today. Don't bother with grammar, or maybe some of you find this amusing, totally annoying because of the messed up grammar. One-shot? Chapters? I don't know. I'll just get with the flow.

I just cannot think anymore.

Enjoy, thank you, review if you feels like it, comments, whatever.

"So, that's how it goes......"

Call me irresponsible, call me unreliable, call me a loser, because that what I feel now. Staring at her blue eyes, losing my gaze, my thoughts wandering away up and above the eleventh cloud. I knew it's true.

Call me unpredictable, call her an unknown factor, call everybody in the street dust sparkle in the galaxy miles away. God, I feel like crazy. Crazy for her.

She's everything. A falling star, a wish come true, I think it is not even possible to be this crazy out of the blue. My everything. May god forgive me, may late hokages laugh at me, may fisherman pull me on the string out of the ocean, because I don't think I can pull myself out of this endless sight of her.

Life is a wonderful thing. May the distance make heart wonder. God know I'm falling over heel with her all over again.

That's life my dear, always expect the unexpected.

Seeing her talking to genin candidate in front of the class, I feel like my legs turned into jelly. I cannot deny it. She had turned into a beautiful butterfly, my butterfly. Would you be my butterfly, Ino?

I think it's almost impossible to smile without breaking my jaw. I lost my gaze in her every movement, again.

If this is a dream, I hope I will never wake up.

I smile softly.

She finished her class and collecting books from every table as the kids running out of the building, excited because the lesson is over and done. Walking, her graceful movement, her delicate hands, the little frustation from a few paper strewn all over the place.

She is all that I see. May people laugh, may deities grin, may mockingbirds howl. She is the extraordinary. She is the one I can only watch from afar, yet all that I cannot have.

She was just gave the finishing touch to this class and examine the room. And then I know I was found. I must be letting my guard down a little there; and the odd thing is, I do not mind in the slightest.

Her eyes sparkle, connecting her gaze to me.

"Hello, Ino." I smile again.

I wish this beating heart would stop.

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And That's How It Goes

What Really Matter

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"Ya soshla s uma"

-Alice Cullen

(Crestfallen Souls)

The sky was beautiful tonight. Stars aligned perfectly up there and the breeze was just warm in the end of this spring. Compared with my cold and sweaty hands, I think it was good enough for us to dine out. I stood hesitantly outside her door. My hand half reached the knob, afraid to knock. What if I make a fool of myself? What if my simple jeans and t-shirt were not enough for her? Was she even want to accept small boquet I brought? These thoughts made me step back from that double door.

Deep breath, woman. Calm, calm. Smooth, like a river.

Okay, I can do this. Just get one hand to that bleeding wood and knock, nay? No problem. Should be fine, suppose to. And just as my hand reached halfway once again, the door opened on its own.

"Why, hello Sakura dear." Kana greeted me at that porch. "Come in, come in. Don't just freeze up out there." She walked inside, gesturing me to come too. I followed dutifuly.

"Konichiwa, Kana-san. How are you and Inoichi-san?" I smiled, plastering the best expression of politeness of a suitor.

"Just fine as always. The store is not as busy this lately, and we were thinking about taking holiday for two." Kana sat on the nearby couch. From here I could see Inoichi sat on the dining table in the kitchen, sipping his mug while reading newspaper. "Honey, Sakura is here. Can you please call Ino to hurry up?" Inoichi looked up from his reading and gave me a smile.

"Sakura-chan!" Inoichi looked genuinely happy. He walked to me and patted me, ruffling my hair. "It has been a long time. How are things going, kiddo?"

I pouted mockingly, expressing my pain. "I'm just fine." I swayed his hand playfully, giving him raspberry. "And for your information, I am not a kid anymore."

Inoichi just laughed.

True, these past years I had grown significantly. I became taller, more womanly. Aside from constant training, battle, and a little bit adventure here and there, my figure seemed to adjusted to its need. Perhaps my soul started pulling on my features. "And you, oji-san?"

"Well, as you can see it," Inoichi grinned, flashing v-sign to me, "still as handsome as I ever be."

I think I can see where Ino's habit came from. I gave a grin of my own. Then Inoichi shouted before I could say anything.

"Ino, Sakura-chan is already here! Just finish whatever you've been doing quickly!!!"

"In a minute!" came Ino's response from upstairs in a room somewhere. Ino's voice was muffled by multiple doors and walls, so I could not identify whether her voice had gotten deeper or not. Then bangs and crashes and multiple cursing sounded from nearby. I smiled. That's the cue for my klutz.

I was having difficulty holding laughter as Ino rushed downstairs, trying not to trip herself by stacks of boxes of flowers and stems. "Hey." Ino smiled, half panting. She sounded as rushed as her action before. Just like she had been running miles beforehand.

"Are you okay?" I asked, concerned for her well-being, aside from her rushing that is.

"Yeah." Ino breathed. "Just give me a sec."

Just what have she been doing anyway?

"I was looking up a few scroll I do not understand and practiced a bit. Guess I lost the track of time and almost forgot our date." Ino answered, as if she could hear my thought, and she shrugged.

I could not tell if Ino was blushing or not from the flush of her cheek, or maybe because she ran all the way here. Yamanaka residence was not as large as Hyuuga or Uchiha, but it was bigger than normal house, aside from the store downstairs. And me?

I tried to hold my expression, masking my feeling at that moment. Feeling elated, excited, happy, that might be it. After a few meeting with Ino, I think I was able to repair that leaking dam in my heart, which spilling my feeling and longing for her. There was a hole in my heart before, but Ino's existence alone intrude the space almost violently, making me almost tumbled all over. Filling me with an unknown contentment. And surprisingly, warmth.

Now, being with her at this place, even in her home with her parents, I think it does not matter. Even in the crowds, it does not matter. With Ino, I feel like I was at home wherever I go.