Inoichi Yamanaka was walking around his garden on one fine summer morning. He looked at the flowers and was proud of them; after all, flowers were what got him his life. His insane amount of money, his mansion, his success, his wife... It had been a long time since he'd seen her; she died in a car accident.
But he wasn't alone. Apart from his house employees and friends, he had a daughter. Ino was the joy of his life, the sun that lit his sky. She was seventeen years old; she was tall, had blue eyes and blond hair. She was beautiful and even smart when she pushed herself to try hard enough. The only problem with her is that she was way too conceited, and loud.
He always bought her everything she wanted. And did almost everything she asked for. Example: he let her go on a trip with friends, no parents, for two weeks. She was arriving back home that same day, and he had a surprise for her, although he knew she probably wouldn't like it. But she had to know what limitations meant, and he wanted her to be safe too. More than anything.
That evening, Inoichi was spotted by the main maid, Ten-Ten.
"Sir, Miss Ino is back"
"Coming!" he stood up and placed down the book he was reading. He didn't follow the brunette girl because she was running, so he took his time.
Ten-Ten always had bund on her hair and was a really hard worker. He liked her a lot as an employee; it was a pity that Ino didn't think the same.
When he finally arrived to the main door, he saw it was open and standing there was his daughter. She was wearing a white tank top, very short shorts and sunglasses, and her hair was tied up in a high ponytail, as always.
"Hurry up, bun-head! Get my stuff upstairs, unpack, and clean it. Oh, and get my pink bikini out, I think I'll go to the pool before dinner" she looked up "Daddy!"
Inoichi opened his arms to welcome his daughter "Hey, how did it go sweetie?"
"It was SO awesome! How have you been?"
"I'm good, thanks" he smiled and she suspected something was going on, but didn't say anything.
"Well, I'm going to get changed; you can find me in the pool!"
"Ok, have fun!"
The bell rang. Ten-Ten opened it and saw a man standing there. A young man. He was tall and muscular; she could tell because he had a tight shirt on. He had brown hair tied up in a messy ponytail, exposing his ears, one of them pierced. His eyes were brown, but they were beautiful. She felt like if cupid had shot her with an arrow. It was good that this guy would be working in the house; she could get to know him good.
"You must be…" she paused to remember the name "Nara. Shikamaru Nara?"
"Yes, that's me. Is mister Yamanaka here?"
"Oh, he went out an hour ago, but I'm sure he will be back soon. By the way, I'm Ten-Ten, I'm-"
"The main maid, I know. Mister Yamanaka told me" he had his hand out "pleasure to meet you".
"Y-yes" she said while they shook hands.
"Um, come in, you can look around the house if you want"
"Oh ok"
They walked across the huge house. They passed the kitchen, the living room, the hallways and went outside. First they checked out the gardens, then they turned to a covered space.
"What's that?" Shikamaru pointed
"Oh, that's the pool. It's covered by translucent glass, for security reasons. Creepers can't see what's inside, but the ones that live here can tell more or less what's going on inside"
"I see" he looked closer at it. He saw the figure of a girl walking around the pool, and then he saw her jump in. He didn't see it properly, but he thought it was attractive. However, he hadn't the time for that; he had come to start with his new job: bodyguard of Mister Inoichi Yamanaka.
"Hey, are the employees allowed to use the pool? It's part of my training" he asked
"Yes, technically. But we never do"
"Why?"
"Oh, you'll find out" she smiled and continued walking.
"What if we go unpack your stuff and then you can go to the pool? I have loads of stuff to do"
"Ok"
Shikamaru grabbed a towel and went to the pool. He was alone, as he wanted.
He took off his shirt and went inside, swimming from left to right, from bottom to top. He didn't realize that someone else was looking at him until he opened his eyes under the water and saw a blur of someone outside.
He swam to the surface and rubbed his eyes, placing his hands on the edge.
He met a pair of blue yes, surrounded by a fair face slightly covered in blond hair, with a weird expression on it.
"Um, Hello?"
"Uh, Hey"
"Can you tell me what do you think you're doing?"
"Well, I'm swimming"
Ino rolled her eyes "Oh my, you're SO funny" she said sarcastically, looking at him again
"Yes, I think so"
"No, what I think is that YOU have NO idea of WHO I am"
"Yeah, you must be Mister Yamanaka's daughter, Ivy"
"First of all, it's "Ino", and that would be "Miss Ino" for you, and second, if you know who I am, you should treat me with some respect, understand?"
He gave her a blank look. She is so annoying, she should get over herself.
"So…. Who ARE you anyway?"
"I'm Shikamaru Nara. I'm your fathers' new bodyguard"
"Aha" she looked around "well, I don't see my dad here in the pool or anywhere near, so, what are you doing in MY pool?"
"Well, your father isn't here yet, so I just came to take a swim"
"O-o-o-h! So no one has told you what your place in this house is, I see"
"I do know what my place is"
"Well, it's certainly NOT here in my pool, so get out" she raised her arm and pointed to the door.
Shikamaru rolled his eyes and got out got his towel and left.
When he was drying his hair, Ten-Ten called him to go downstairs, because Inoichi was back.
"Hellor sir" he said when he got to the door.
"Nara! It's so good to have you here. Come, I need to tell you something"
After talking to Shikamaru, Inoichi went upstairs towards Ino's bathroom. He knocked on the door several times.
"Ino are you there?
"Yes daddy, I'm just drying my hair. I'll probably go to the pool after dinner too, by the way"
"Yes, yes ok, but I need to talk to you"
"About?"
"Um… well, you see, you know I'm concerned about you don't you?"
She grew suspicious again "Uh, yeah?"
"Good! So, well, I decided that just for this summer… I-I um-"
"You what, daddy?"
Inoichi sighed and let it out "I hired a bodyguard" he closed his eyes, expecting his daughter to freak out.
"Oh, that's great!"
"…Really? Y-you think it's great?" he couldn't believe it
"Yeah, I mean, you're an important man so you need protection. That's awesome!"
He sighed again "Well darling, you see, the original plan WAS to hire one for me… but I thought it was a better idea to hire one… for you…"
Silence. Now he closed his eyes, he knew it was coming.
"YOU WHAT?" she stormed out the bathroom with her hair loose.
"Hey there, there's no need to get mad, I-"
"UGH!" she rolled her eyes and ran to her room, slamming the purple door in her father's face.
Inoichi opened it and went with her.
"Ino that's enough! You oppose to everything, dammit! You know that I pass lots of things, but not this time"
"But-"
"Don't insist because I won't give in"
"Daddy this is the WORST that you've done to me in all my life!"
"Darling please, I just want to look after you!"
"No, you want to CONTROL me: know where I am, who I'm with, at what time-"
"No, I swear it's not that!" He went towards her and grabbed her hand "don't you know that I'm terrified that something might happen to you?"
"But you can't do this to me! I won't let any random stupid guy take care of me!"
At that moment, Shikamaru entered the room. When Ino saw him she turned towards the other way.
"Oh there he is. Nara, I believe you already met. You better get along with each other; you'll be spending two months together!"
She turned around with her eyes wide open.
"Yes Sir" he responded in a dull voice.
He looked as she walked towards him, pointing with one finger "Get it straight: I DON'T want you near me!" and with that, she left the room and went downstairs for dinner.
"Don't worry; when you get to know her, she's a good girl"
"I'm sure she is…"
They shook hands and followed the blond girl downstairs.
Ino just sabbed her salad with a fork while she stared at Shikamaru. She was so angry. She knew how to take care of herself! Why would she need a low-class guy to do it for her? No way.
"Ino aren't you eating?"
"I'm not hungry" she stood up "I'm going for a walk" she started walking but turned around and looked at her new bodyguard "ALONE" and with that, she slammed the door shut.