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Hi There! Sorry it took long enough to update the story. I was kind of busy with my work. Thank you for those who leave a review on previous chapter and to those who add my story as your favourite.

Here is the new chapter and I hope you enjoy it. Happy reading!

I don't own Naruto and its characters.

Chapter 4 – The Night Stroll

The moon was bright and lights came from inside the building. Night has fallen into Konoha. The sound of crickets and breeze were enveloping the two people who walked side by side in silence. There was no conversation held between Itachi and Ino since they left Itachi's house. They both were busy with their own thought. One was amused and the other was embarrassed of the event from before.

Itachi stole a glance to the young medic-nin beside him. She seems in a deep thought and obviously not paying attention to her surroundings which in his opinion was very careless of her as a shinobi. If she did that on a mission, the enemies could've taken an advantage to kill her when she wasn't aware.

Ino gasped in shock when Itachi grab her arm abruptly and pulled her away before she hit the electric pole in front of her and causing her to bump into his chest instead. She was about to yell, clearly forgetting that someone was with her, but her words died on her throat when she looked up and saw Itachi stared back at her with a blank face. "You should pay more attention to your surroundings, Yamanaka-san."

Ino blushed madly and tried to hide it by breaking her gaze and looking down to her feet. "Ha… hai, U… Uchiha-san! Gomen." She whispered the last word while cursing herself for being stuttered. Why she suddenly become shy, she thought. This was all Shisui's fault!

"So, Ino-chan…" Mikoto started after awhile, "Do you have any boyfriend?"

Her suddenly question has caught Ino off guard. She nearly choked on her food. "I don't have any relationship with anyone, Mikoto-sama." Ino answered when she regained her composure.

She hoped that the gossip about her and Itachi being a couple didn't reach the Uchiha's family especially Itachi himself, because it would be embarrassing for her. How would she do when they face each other?

"Really?" Mikoto stole a glance to her son before continuing, "I thought a pretty girl like you has already been taken."

"But Ino-chan…" It was Shisui who tried to jump into the conversation. "I heard that you and Itachi have been secretly dating for awhile."

Itachi was taken aback. He wasn't sure if he heard correctly. Him and Ino, dating? He didn't have enough time to ponder though because Ino was coughing badly. He looked at the girl beside him. Ino's face was red as a screw due to embarrassment or pain of being chocked or maybe both. She clutched her chest with one hand and the other one was in front of her mouth to stifle her cough. Eyes clenched shut as to hold back the pain.

Mikoto gaped at her nephew bluntness and wondering what was it in his head. She looked at Ino worriedly when the girl started to cough. "Ino-chan, daijoubu?" She stood up and hurriedly went to the kitchen to take a pitcher of water to refill Ino's glass.

Her heart leapt in happiness when she's back from the kitchen. There was Itachi rubbing Ino's back to soothe her. And he helped her drink the water which she guessed was from his glass since Ino's glass had been completely emptied.

"Arigatou, Uchiha-san." Ino said quietly when she finally regained her composure, still blushing though. Itachi nodded his head with his hand was still on her back and apparently he wasn't about to draw back soon.

Shisui's grinning madly at the 'free show' happening in front of him. He couldn't help but tease them a little bit more, or in this case just Ino since he knew Itachi was just as apathetic. "Ma…Ma… Ino-chan! Shouldn't you stop calling my little cousin here," at this he waved his hand in front of Itachi, "Uchiha-san?"

Two pairs of eyes were glaring at him. Itachi because he didn't like being called 'little cousin' since he's not a child. While Ino because that's what all she could do. She really wanted to strangle him even put him into a coma or worse killed him if she could help. But of course Tsunade and the Uchihas would not be pleased to lose another member of ninja and clan.

Why of all Uchiha it had to be Shisui who heard about the rumour and had to open his big mouth? Ino didn't dare to look at Itachi even after the guy had helped her through her choking time. She felt so embarrassed. She didn't want Itachi to think that she has some silly crush on him.

"He's right, Ino-chan." Mikoto said decided to play along with Shisui. "Since you both are dating, you should call him Itachi or Itachi-kun." She spoke as if Itachi wasn't there with them.

Ino snapped from her own thought. She looked up and saw Mikoto was talking to her. "Eh?"

Itachi sighed inwardly. Now, not only his cousin but also his mother tried to match him with Ino. It's not that he didn't like the girl in fact he found her amusing and didn't mind her company at all.

But at this moment he didn't think having a girlfriend was a good idea since he's very busy with missions, Tsunade made him and his team work to death. And there're also clan duties which he abandoned frequently due to his duty as an ANBU captain.

It would be unfair for the girl he's dating if he didn't have time for her. The fact that he didn't even have time to his own self and his family made him rejected every girl Shisui has set for him before. Besides, none of them had managed to catch his attention.

Ino fidgeted, "But Mikoto-sama, Uchiha-san..." Mikoto cut her off. "It's Itachi, Ino-chan."

"Yes, I mean Itachi…," Ino hesitantly added the honorific, "-san and I don't go out together. We're just… friends?" She sounded not sure about the last part since she and Itachi barely know each other.

Mikoto let out a soft giggle and Shisui gave them an evil smirk.

"Come on Ino! You don't have to be shy. Just admit it since Itachi here," once again Shisui waved his hand at his cousin, "will never tell us anything."

Ino's hands were itching to kill someone that moment. And that someone was Shisui. She sent him a death glare that didn't go unnoticed by both Itachi and Shisui. Shisui flinched a bit at the thought of what an angry kunoichi could do to him which wasn't good at all. He shuddered at the thought and rubbed the back of his neck while smiled innocently.

Itachi on the other hand was amused. The other girls would be very happy if people thought they're in relationship. But here beside him, Ino was trying to convince everyone that they're not together. Then again, Ino wasn't what Shisui called his fan girls. Ino used to be Sasuke's fan girl but it's been seven years ago. Even though sometime she liked to latch on to Sasuke but he knew she just wanted to annoy his little brother.

Ino snapped from her musing of a few ways to kill Shisui when suddenly Itachi called her. She turned her head and saw that Itachi has already stood and waiting for her to what? Sensing that Ino didn't listen to him he repeated his question. "Are you finish eating, Yamanaka-san? If so, I'll walk you home."

With that said Itachi walked to the front door leaving a stunned Ino behind. Once she regained her composure, she looked around and found a smirking Shisui stared at her. "Are you sure, you two aren't dating, Ino-chan?" He teased her before he disappeared in a poof of smoke avoiding a kunai Ino threw at him. While Mikoto gave her a knowing smile much to her chagrin because it meant she believed about the rumour and relief that she didn't seem offended that Ino had just throw a kunai at her nephew right in front of her and in her dinning room.

Itachi tighten his grip on her hand when he felt two shinobi came toward their direction. He tensed when he recognized their chakras. He really didn't have time to deal with them right now. Not when he was be seen with a girl. So, he really needed to do something and fast.

Ino was brought back from her own reverie when she felt Itachi's grip on her hand tighten and she realized how his shoulder stiffen. Then she realized the two unfamiliar chakras approached them. She was about to ask what's wrong when suddenly Itachi yanked her around her waist and in a few seconds both of them appeared in front of Ino's house.

"We're here, Yamanaka-san!" Itachi said as he removed his hand around her waist. Ino who still shocked of what just happened didn't response. "Ino?" This time Itachi tried to get her attention by calling her first name.

"What?" Ino looked at him puzzled before realized that she had her hands still gripping his shoulders. "Oh! I'm so sorry Uchiha-san." She finally released him and took a step back away from him which she regretted later because she missed the warm his body radiating.

They stood in silence for a couple of minutes until Ino started to feel uncomfortable under his gaze. She was dying to ask him what the hell just had happened back then but not a word escape from her lip. It was Itachi who decided to break the silence. "I'm sorry if I startled you."

Ino smiled at him. "It's okay, Uchiha-san. Though I must admit I was really surprised." Ino studied his face if it's fine to ask him but he's stoic as his usual appearance. So, she couldn't guess what he's feeling at the moment. But being her, she's never afraid to speak her mind. She was about to ask when an ANBU appeared behind Itachi. He whispered something to him before disappeared.

Itachi looked at the girl before him after he received the message from his peers. It's time for him to go. Ino gave him a knowing smile. "Well, duty calls."

Itachi only nodded then bid his goodbye. He only walked a few step away from her when she called. "Uchiha-san!"

Itachi stopped and looked at her over his shoulder. "Thank you for walking me home!"

"You're welcome, Ino."

Ino stood outside for a moment watching Itachi's figure disappeared from her sight still oblivious by the way Itachi had addressed her. It took her a moment before she opened the door to realize it. "Did he just…?" Ino whispered to herself and entered her home with smile on her face.

Unbeknownst to her, two pairs of eyes watching her entered the house hidden on the tree. Shisui smirked after watching the whole commotion. 'So I was right about Itachi then…' He thought to himself. He could tease his ungrateful cousin to no end or even blackmailing him for this.

"What are you doing here, Shisui-nii?" Sasuke who just got back from mission and about to ask Ino to tend to his injuries frowned upon seeing his cousin spying on her. He watched Ino stared at the empty road before turning around and entered her house.

"None of your business, Sasuke!"

Looking back and forth to Shisui and Ino's house, he narrowed his eyes. "You better not make your move on her." Sasuke warned him, knowing exactly how playboy his cousin is.

Shisui knew so well despite his indifferent attitude, Sasuke cares deeply about his friends. Just like now he's only looking out for Ino. But teasing him was more fun than Itachi. He looked up and smirked at him, "Why, Sasuke-chan? Jealous?"

He growled at him before jumped down from the tree and made his way toward Ino's bedroom window.

Thanks for reading and please review…

-Rurippe-