Sitting stiffly in the Yamanka's parlour were three people Ino didn't know. They weren't aware of her presence because she had been very silent, so she observed them for a moment. Their backs were to her so she couldn't see their faces, but Ino could see their dark hair and that they looked rather average in build. The weird thing about them Ino noticed was their posture showed more than some people's faces did. The woman looked self-disciplining and somewhat insecure. The man looked like he was playful but intensely dedicated. The son--her HUSBAND, Ino reminded herself--had an annoyed feel to him and it seemed like he thought most things were overrated. Ino wasn't sure of what to make of that.

She suddenly tuned in on what they were speaking about. "...more beautiful than any other woman her age in the world, I swear!" Her father was saying to the dark-haired family. "People on the street stop and stare at her all the time. You should feel especially blessed that I am giving such a jewel to you, Nara!"

Nara? Ino wondered who this was for a split second. Then her mother noticed her. "Ino, darling!" She said cheerfully, gesturing her in with a slight look of displeasure that Ino hadn't cleaned up a bit more after her fit. "Come closer, dear, and meet your husband and his family!"

Her father stood up and hurried over to her and distracted Ino from looking at the strangers as they too stood up to look at her. She kept her face just barely impassive, trying to look bold in front of their visitors, and stopped herself from glaring at the man who had sold her and violated her trust. Inoshi smiled, looking proud. "And here's my precious jewel now! Ino-chan, step into the room, step into the room!" He ushered her closer, and that's when her eyes fell on the strangers once again.

The woman was smiling lightly and uncertainly, like she was uncomfortable in this situation and state of dress. She was pretty in a subtle way. Her husband, the tall man, wore his hair up in a ponytail and had a goatee. He had scars on his face that made him look rugged but his expression was friendly and open and blessedly welcoming. Ino's eyes slid to the son.

He was of an average height with the same spiky ponytail as his father. He looked vaguely annoyed like she had thought, and yet she didn't think it was her that was annoying him. He was concentrated intensely on her. He didn't smile at her and his eyebrows were creased, and he was studying her intently like she was him. Although he didn't look welcoming like his father did, Ino felt that it was more appropriate at such a time and surprisingly appreciated it. Their eyes met for a moment and Ino felt weak at just how INTENSE he was.

She bowed slightly. The man chuckled. "What a pretty and polite little girl you've got there Yamanka!"

Her father put his arm around her shoulders and pushed her softly against him. "You've got that right Nara! She's my crowning glory." He smiled down at her and Ino couldn't help but smile back, although she tried to convey that she was disappointed in him through her eyes.

Ino stepped away from her father and forward a little. She nodded at her mother, losing the feeling of anger, who walked over to stand behind her as well with a smile. She gently directed Ino towards the man. "Ino, darling, this is your father's oldest friend, Nara Shikato." Ino held out her hand to shake and he laughed again and firmly shook her hand. Then her mother moved her towards the woman. "And this is Nara Yoshino, his wife." Ino once again held out her hand, giving the woman a small smile. She was slightly red from embarrassment, but lightly embraced Ino, a gesture which Ino returned in an embarrassed way herself.

Then the man, Shikato, pulled his son forward a few steps so they were face to face. Her mother's voice rung through her head. "And this is their son, your husband, Nara Shikamaru."

Ino didn't bother with holding out her hand or making some other useless gesture. They stared at eachother for a minute silently, before he furrowed his brows some more and dug into his pocket for a second. He held out a box for her to take. She took it, her fingers lightly brushing against his hand and opened it. Inside was a beautiful gold ring that wasn't terribly overdone or too simple, with a medium sized sapphire in the middle and two smaller pearls flanking it imbedded in the gold. She looked up at him.

Shikamaru gave her a strange looking grin--it wasn't a smirk exactly, but it wasn't as nice as a smile--and shrugged. "I know it's pointless to give you a ring when the papers are already signed, but I thought you deserved this much, at least."

Ino looked surprised. The parents were watching the proceedings intently to see what would happen. They, too, looked surprised, and Ino realized that he had gone out and gotten the ring himself without anyone else knowing about it. Her face broke into a warm, genuine smile and she blushed. "Thank you!" He seemed like a nicer person than she had assumed he was.

He didn't quite smile back, but he looked pleased that she hadn't thrown the box at him or refused it, and stepped closer to her. He picked up the ring from her palm and slid it onto her ring finger. Looking down at her hand she saw a bit of a real smile, and heard him mumble what she thought was 'with thistle and lead' which made utterly no sense at all, but then it was back to the odd half-smirk and he stepped back. Inoshi pulled his daughter back to him and kissed the top of her head.

"I'm glad you two get along!" He stated with a grin. "Tomorrow, as you know, Ino, you will be moving out of our house and into the Nara's home. You should go off to your room now and get a good night's sleep!"

Ino looked at her bare feet uncomfortably, wishing she hadnt spent so much time with her appearance if she was to be shooed out after only a few minutes. "Yes, Daddy." She said and gave him a small hug, and heard another one of Shikato's warm chuckles. She looked up at the three standing in front of her and bowed again, ignoring the man's chuckling at her, though she noticed that his wife Yoshino tried to elbow him discreetly. "It was nice meeting you all." She said, feeling strangely vulnerable. "Have a good night." She said before turning around to leave, giving her mother a kiss on the cheek and wishing her a good night as well.

As Ino left she heard Inoshi talking about her. "Yeah...that's our precious little girl. Be delicate with her, you thug Nara." He directed at Shikato.

Shikato scoffed and laughed a little. "I'm no thug, Yamanka!"