Rant: Larryjc was right. I am feeling dark. That's why after I had my lunch, I proceeded to writing Kiba x Ino. I've been itching to write them for a while now.

My life's theme song is Break Even. There was no rhyme or reason behind it. I just loved the song. I never really thought that it would actually come true. How ironic. And don't worry. I'm not having valentine blues. I actually forgot what the date was since I'm so busy working. Mondays and Fridays don't make a difference for me. I push myself to work hard and write whenever I have free time. It helps to get my mind off of things.

This chapter will be littered with songs again. Hope you're not annoyed or something. It just makes the characterization easier. Anyway, I don't own any of these songs. Let's just pretend (for the sake of pretending and fiction) that the characters wrote this stuff. Thanks and I hope you enjoy the fast updates!

Chapter 21

The Twentieth Complication

Break: Rupture

I don't know why but somehow I decided to drink until I don't even remember my name.

I, Yamanaka Ino, am a complete mess.

I've never been this drunk since the time that I celebrated the success of my first television series. Even then, I was on one of my 'acceptable behaviors'. But right now, I'm inside the car of a complete stranger, heading home to a condo unit that I insisted to buy. My father and I had a row over this, but I decided that I wanted to be on my own.

Even just to hide the reality that I'm slipping away.

Thankfully, my father let it go.

"Ino," Deidara said with a laugh. Even with drinking almost the same amount of alcohol that she did, he was still infinitely more sober than she was.

"Yes?" Ino slurred, smiling dreamily up at him.

"You sure you wanna go home now?" he asked with his signature mischievous grin.

She smiled a bit too seductively. The real Ino would have thrown a fit if she saw herself now. "Where else would I want to go?"

"I dunno," Deidara said with a shrug. At least one of them had self-control. "Watch the sunrise?"

Ino giggled. "Artists are always romantics."

"True," he agreed. "So?"

"I have work in a couple of hours," she replied. It was a weekend and she had to go to Kiba's studio to present her work to those who wanted to listen.

"Are you sure you're in any condition to work?"

"I'm a big girl," she scoffed. "I can handle anything."

"Really?" he said in disbelief. "You're the boss. But we have to watch the sunrise some time soon."

"Why are you so eager to watch the stupid sunrise?" she sluggishly inquired, her head lolling to the side. "It's the same everyday."

Deidara gave her a sideways smile. "No it isn't. I didn't have you before."

Typically, she would have melted at how romantic his statement was. But she didn't. Romance died for her the moment she lost the only man she could ever really love. It was because of this man that she was slowly losing herself. She never knew that she could be as stupid or reckless as she was now.

She normally wouldn't have given Deidara the time of her day. But right now, she was clinging desperately to him. He let her be herself. He was the anonymity that she desired. Because he wasn't of her circle and because he wasn't like her, she could relax around him. He should have been completely freaked out that a star like Ino would dump all her pain and frustration on him, but he didn't seem to mind. In fact, it was obvious that he cared.

If he wanted something from her, he would have made a move now.

It also helped that his artistic sense made her channel all the pain that she was feeling to songs.

"It helps when we feel so much, you know," he had told her during one of those days where she spent the afternoons at his art studio. "Because it overflows and becomes something very beautiful. It turns into something concrete."

"And what do you do after you turn it into art?" she had asked, genuinely curious.

"When I'm angry, sad, or just upset, I make the best works," he had replied, "but I break it as soon as I finish it. There's something achingly wonderful about seeing art in its most fleeting form. I think that beauty itself is fleeting. That's why I often say that art – "

"Is a blast," she had supplied. "I know, I know."

She gave him a bright smile and said, "We'll watch the sunrise someday. Together. It's a promise."

Deidara grinned. "Thanks, Ino. I'll hold you to that."

That promise was made about seven hours ago. Now, Ino was struggling to keep herself awake and sane. She was currently sipping the strongest cup of coffee her stomach could withstand. She was wearing dark glasses to hide the hideous state of her eyes and it was obvious to Yugito that her talent was not in her best form.

"Are you sure you want to go through with this?" the older woman asked.

"I'm fine," Ino insisted, giving a half-hearted smile. "I'm a professional, you know."

You keep saying that, Ino. What did Kiba do to you?

Yugito realized that her talent was like a flower slowly withering away. It didn't affect her performance. In fact, she seemed to be more dedicated to her craft. But she knew that behind the curtains, Ino was breaking. And it wasn't good.

"Where's the brat?" Hidan asked as soon as he entered the door.

"Kiba?" Yugito said. "I haven't seen him."

"Tch. He's probably on a date with The Little Mermaid," Hidan commented with poorly veiled disgust.

"The Little Mermaid?" Ino repeated, remembering the song that Kiba had written years ago.

"That girl," Hidan replied. "What's her name again?"

Ino grimaced. She knew who he meant. "Ayame? And why is she The Little Mermaid?"

"Yeah. That one. Clings to him like a troublesome leech and her hair looks like damned seaweed," Hidan stated, making Ino snort with suppressed laughter. "Why did you let him go, Yamanaka? You're miles better than that girl."

Yugito wanted to beat the crap out of Hidan. She watched Ino's eyes lose what little light they had as she said, "It was a mutual decision, Hidan. It wasn't working out."

"Then make it work out," Hidan growled. "I can't believe you kids. You keep spouting out that you can do anything but you give up the moment things don't go your way."

"Easy for you to say," Ino countered. "You can't even ask Yugito-san out."

"W-what?!" Yugito and Hidan chorused.

Ino laughed and opened the door leading to the instrument room. She'd leave the two to sort their problems out.

Unknown to her, the moment that she left, Kiba entered with Kakuzu.

"What took you so long, kid?!" Hidan complained, trying to divert the topic that Ino opened up. "Making out with the other brat?"

"That brat happens to be my girlfriend, Hidan," Kiba deadpanned. "Learn to show some respect."

"She ain't getting any respect from me."

"Then don't talk about her."

Hidan guffawed. "Touchy, are we?"

"Shut up, you two," Kakuzu said, effectively cutting off their argument. He walked to the microphone and earned Ino's attention from the other side of the window by saying, "Ready when you are, Yamanaka."

Kiba's eyes flew to where Ino sat. She was actually holding a guitar – an instrument he never even knew that she played. What other tricks did she have up her sleeves?

Ino nodded and gave them the thumbs up.

"Can you remove your glasses?" Kakuzu asked. "It looks annoying."

"Does it?" Ino asked. "No can do, boss. I have sore eyes."

Liar, Yugito thought.

Kiba frowned. There was definitely something wrong with Ino. Although she sounded fine, he could see from her body language that she wasn't herself. She looked a bit peaky and paler.

"Well," Ino spoke, "are you all ready to hear my song?"

"How many did you manage?" Kakuzu asked over the mic.

"Four, I think."

"You think?"

"Just let me play, Kakuzu-san," she impatiently said.

Hidan was chuckling. "I think she's learning a thing or two from the brat."

"Shove it, Hidan," Kiba growled.

Ino had no idea that Kiba had arrived and was watching. She was grateful that he was out on a date with the bitch because she really didn't want him thinking that she wrote this entire set list because of him. All she wanted was to be able to comply with what was required of her. It actually helped that she created this entire thing with Deidara's help.

It wasn't that the sculptor was a songwriter. He just loaned her a portion of his studio to use as her temporary retreat. There, she crammed an electronic keyboard, a guitar, and a drum set. She didn't know how to play the guitar but he was kind enough to teach her after much prodding on her part. The usually overconfident guy was nervous in teaching a 'musician of her caliber' as he so flatteringly put it.

She clobbered him on the head with her fist in response.

She was a fast learner. Within three weeks since she met him, she learned how to play the instrument quite well.

She knew that her frequent trips to Deidara's place immediately after school had her friends wondering what was up with her. Sakura looked hurt whenever she turned down her requests for a day out. But Ino had no choice. She had to distance herself from them for a while. She wanted to be on her own – with someone who didn't know her from childhood. She wanted to be with Deidara where she wouldn't be judged and questioned. She wanted to be with someone who would listen and not talk.

Ino would often lie and say that she had to catch up with the deadline of her recording sessions and her movie shoots. It was a perfectly viable and valid excuse since she was indeed busy. But no one knew that she was inserting trips to an art studio during her free time. Naruto, who just came back from his honeymoon, was constantly bugging her. The rambunctious prince wanted payback after discovering that Ino was the mastermind behind the screwed up plot. Hinata had been more than understanding with her, as usual. Tenten didn't look like she was interested about Ino's goings-on. Sasuke and Neji were, as always, in their own world.

Thankfully, Sakura understood her predicament. There was no way the pinkette would get in the way of her job. Plus, this wasn't the first time that Ino would shirk off her best friend duty because she was too busy.

"Go," Kakuzu said, shaking her out of her stupor.

Ino inhaled and strummed the guitar to keep herself in tune. Then she sang the first verse in acapella,

(A/N: It's Just So You Know by Jesse McCartney. With female vocals on this one. LOL.)

"I shouldn't love you but I want to,
I just can't turn away.
I shouldn't see you but I can't move,
I can't look away…"

"Damn," Hidan immediately said, knowing where all of this was going. He exchanged a look with Yugito and turned to Kiba, whose fists suddenly balled tightly.

Her voice was raspy and he immediately knew that she had been drinking, hence the reason behind the sunglasses. He was an expert when it came to these things and he remembered that this was also a habit he had taken to do whenever he was severely hung over.

However, the hoarseness of her tone didn't take away the fact that she was an excellent singer. She could still perform considerably well. The starting melody and the verse of the song were haunting on their own. It immediately gave him goose bumps, which was an indicator that the song was excellent. He could clearly feel the heartache and the emotions resonating through the speakers.

Now he knew what it felt like to have a song written because of him. He didn't have to wonder that much since he himself wrote from experience (as all artists do). And he didn't miss the fact that Hidan and Yugito had been exchanging glances and giving him worried looks.

What did they expect? That he march in the room and yank the guitar out of Ino's grasp? Maybe throw in a few tantrums and smash the instrument for effect? Really, they were thinking that he was a barbarian. Even though he wasn't born rich, he had common sense and restraint.

"I shouldn't love you but I want to,
I just can't turn away.
I shouldn't see you but I can't move,
I can't look away…

And I don't know,
How to be fine when I'm not.
'Cause I don't know,
How to make a feeling stop."

He didn't know whether or not he would like what was going on but he knew for sure that this was making things more and more difficult for the two of them. Maybe it was high time that he suggested that she work under a different label. He knew that this was harder on her than it was for him. If the lyrics of the song were any indication, he could tell that she was on the verge of breaking down.

And he didn't want that for her.

He knew that deep inside, he still cared for her. But he also knew that he already let her go. He was learning to love again, albeit slowly. He would try. She should try too. It would seem like he was faring better since he was used to compromising and giving up things he couldn't have. Whereas she, who grew up getting everything that she wanted whenever she asked, was having the toughest time in accepting rejection.

And rejection when it comes to love was the most difficult thing to accept.

Ino felt like her throat was on fire. It felt like she had swallowed an entire jar of sand. She instantly regretted going on a drinking spree with Deidara. But what else could she do? She couldn't leave herself alone. Whenever she wasn't doing anything, even if it was for a minute, images of Kiba flashed in her mind. She imagined how happy he was with Ayame. She imagined how smoothly his career was going. She imagined how happy he was now that he had let her go.

And she remembered how angry he was at her. She remembered how disappointed and heartbroken he was because of her lies. She remembered how she fought and lost him. She imagined how she begged for another chance.

At the end of all of those thoughts, she couldn't see the light. And because of that, she would find anything to occupy her time and her mind.

She found herself begging her own mind with the thoughts, "Please stop."

"Just so you know,
This feeling's takin' control
Of me and I can't help it.
I won't sit around,
I can't let her win now…

Thought you should know,
I've tried my best to let go
Of you but I don't want to.
I just gotta say it all before I go,
Just so you know…"

Kiba's hopes were now dashed. He couldn't completely move on with this anchor holding him back – the anchor known as Yamanaka Ino. And he knew that the same thing applied to her too. He knew that he had to be harsh in telling Kakuzu what he thought. The company itself would probably resist the proposition of letting such musical talent go into the hands of a rival studio, but it was either her or him. And he knew that the bosses would rather cut off their own balls than let their best asset and biggest moneymaker go.

The song's message was effective. The balance between the depth of emotions from the singer and the way the feelings were treated as an afterthought by the person it was dedicated to. The intensity of love was being sung by Ino with such pleasant cruelty and was intelligently concluded by the words, 'just so you know'. It was as though someone was saying, "Hey, I'm dying here because I love you. I thought I should mention it to you, just so you know."

"It's gettin' hard to be around you,
There's so much I can't say.
Do you want me to hide the feelings,
And look the other away?"

"That was wonderful, Ino," Deidara complimented her. By the end of the song, she knew that she was crying. She wanted Deidara to be the first one to hear its completed form. But still, she knew that while singing, all that she could think about was Kiba.

"Thanks," she choked out, wiping the tears that flowed down on her face. Before she realized it, Deidara was right in front of her, swiping the last tear that dared to escape her eyes with his rough thumb.

"Stop crying," he gently said. "He's not worth it."

"That's the problem, Dei," Ino said. "He is worth it."

"She's just started!" a relieved voice said from behind them.

"Who are you?" Hidan snapped. "This is a recording studio and we're – "

"I'm a friend of Ino's," the person said. "She said that if I show this note, the people here would let me in." And with that, he showed them a pass and a personal note written and signed by Ino.

One look at the guy and Kiba knew exactly who he was. Blonde hair with dark blue eyes.

"Who are you again?" Kiba ground out.

The man met his gaze levelly, "Deidara."

"And I don't know,
How to be fine when I'm not.
'Cause I don't know,
How to make a feeling stop…

Just so you know,
This feeling's takin' control
Of me and I can't help it.
I won't sit around,
I can't let her win now…

Thought you should know,
I've tried my best to let go
Of you but I don't want to.
I just gotta say it all before I go,
Just so you know."

What's this idiot doing here? Kiba fumed.

He really had no right to be complaining since he himself brought along girls whenever he recorded a song. Ayame herself had been here for a few runs but he would often make the timing right and he made sure that Ino wasn't around to see her.

"She's amazing, isn't she?" Deidara whispered to Hidan, who seemed startled at the sudden contact from the stranger.

"A-aa," Hidan agreed.

"But she should be happier," Deidara added. "I told her that happier songs suited her best when she was writing that at my studio."

"At your studio?" the older man repeated, flabbergasted.

"Yep," Deidara replied. "She always works there. She wrote all of her songs there."

Arrogant bastard, Kiba thought. "You should keep quiet," he shot at Deidara.

"Gomen, gomen," Deidara said with his palm lifted apologetically. But Kiba could see from his expression that he wasn't feeling sorry for what he said at all.

Yugito wanted to groan. Boys.

"This emptiness is killin' me,
And I'm wonderin' why I've waited so long.
Lookin' back I realize it was always there,
Just never spoken…

I'm waitin' here,
Been waitin' here…"

Ino plucked the strings of the guitar expertly. Kiba wondered where she even learned how to play at that level that quickly. Before he could even think about it further, the annoying blonde guy behind him spoke,

"I taught her how to play the guitar."

He heard Yugito gasp. "Really?! So you're a musician too?"

"Sculptor, actually. But I dabble with music once in a while. The guitar's my only instrument, though," Deidara answered. "I'm not as great as Ino."

Damn right you're not, Kiba thought venomously.

"Just so you know,
This feeling's takin' control
Of me and I can't help it.
I won't sit around,
I can't let him win now…

Thought you should know,
I've tried my best to let go
Of you but I don't want to.
Just gotta say it all before I go,
Just so you know, just so you know…"

"She's a fast learner," Kakuzu commented. "Amazing talent, that girl is."

"I guess I should thank you for teaching Ino," Yugito said. "Music is a form of release for her, you know."

"Hm," Deidara replied. "It's the least I could do. And it's all her. She's one dynamite woman."

Kiba didn't know why, but he didn't like the way Deidara was referring to Ino. Dynamite woman? Who referred to women as explosives? Only pervs would do that.

It took every ounce of his self-control not to push the man out. If this was the type of guy Ino would be seeing just to get her creative juices flowing, then she was giving herself a death sentence. He didn't know why and he couldn't exactly place the feeling, but he just knew that Deidara was an absolute freak.

"Thought you should know,
I've tried my best to let go
Of you but I don't want to.
Just gotta say it all before I go,
Just so you know, just so you know."

Ino finally let go of the guitar, feeling her fingers smarting. She was still not that used to the quality of its strings. But she managed. And she thought that it didn't go badly.

She gave a tentative smile to the one-way window. Before she could even speak, a familiar voice resounded in the recording studio,

"Not bad, Ino."

"Deidara!" Ino exclaimed, her face instantly lighting up. She stood up and ran towards the glass, knowing that the door leading to the other room was still locked. "You came!"

"Of course I did," he said with a teasing tone. "Wouldn't miss it for the world."

"I thought you had a presentation!"

"I finished early."

"Oy, oy, stop the flirting," Hidan said with a smile. He couldn't help but snigger at the look Kiba was giving Deidara. So the pup was jealous? Big deal. He should just stuff it and go with her mermaid bitch.

"Can you guys let me in now?" Ino asked from the other side of the room.

"You have to give us another demo before you take a break," Kakuzu said after stealing the mic away from Deidara. "You shouldn't have come with a hang over if you couldn't manage it, Yamanaka."

"I-I'm not - !" she spluttered.

"Save it. It's pretty obvious to us," Kakuzu said in a monotone, cutting Ino off mid-rant.

The blonde's shoulders drooped. "Fine," she said. "Since you're here, Dei, treat me to another round of katsudon, ayt?"

"Anything for you," Deidara replied over the mic.

Yugito's eyes widened. Ino eating katsudon? She knew that her talent was eating well after what happened with Kiba but to actually encounter someone who could make her eat?

This Deidara person was something else.

"Ne, ne, Kiba, are you alright?" Ayame asked for the hundredth time.

Kiba knew that he was in a foul mood but really, his girlfriend should know him well enough by now to be able to tell that he wasn't a good conversationalist whenever he was pissed.

"I'm fine," he said.

"Really? You don't seem to be – "

"Just drop it, Ayame. I'm not really in the mood."

He saw her pout and somehow, he found it annoying rather than endearing. "Sorry. I was just trying to cheer you up."

"I said I'm fine," he amended, trying to assure her enough so that she'd just stop pressing him for information. He knew that she was aware that Ino was in the studio that day. Hidan wasn't very discreet whenever he mocked Ayame. "Let's just eat out, okay?"

"Hai~" Ayame said in a singsong voice. That was one of the perks of dating this girl. She was so easy to please.

"Kiba!"

The Inuzuka turned. There, running towards him was Haruno Sakura.

"Haruno-san!" Ayame exclaimed, flashing the pinkette a fake smile.

Unfortunately for her, Sakura didn't return her smile. Instead, she sent Ayame a withering glare that made the green-haired girl recoil. She made it clear that she didn't like the girl and had no reservations about showing her displeasure.

"What is it, Sakura?" Kiba asked. He really didn't want to be involved in female showdowns. They were much messier and more complicated than male rivalries.

"Have you seen Ino?" she asked. "She's not answering any of my calls and texts. She promised to meet me at her family's flower shop."

Kiba frowned. He knew that Ino left with that Deidara freak right after the demo session. One look at her best friend told him that Sakura had no idea that Ino had a new friend that she was secretly hanging out with. He himself often heard Ino giving out an excuse that she was busy with a lot of stuff to accompany Sakura. He let it slide because he knew that she was being pressured with a deadline for the songs and he thought she was just rushing home to work on them.

But from what he had gathered today, she was using an entirely different and new venue for inspiration. She also had taken up a terrible drinking habit.

The question now was, should he tell Sakura?

"I don't know where she is right now," Kiba truthfully said. "She was with some guy with blonde hair."

"What?" Sakura asked in wonderment.

"Yep," Kiba confirmed. "Blonde hair, half-tied to a ponytail. He wears this weird eye patch over his left eye. Says he's a sculptor or something."

"I-I don't know him," Sakura said, worry evident on her face. "I don't know that Ino has a friend by that description."

"She just met him," Kiba deadpanned. "Apparently, they've been hanging out together and composing songs. He also taught Ino how to play the guitar, you know."

Sakura didn't miss the subtle growl at the end of Kiba's words. Was he jealous?

But somehow, something didn't feel right with the information Kiba gave her. Ino wasn't the type of person who hid things from her. Unless…

She gave Kiba a sharp look, "Inuzuka, tell me if something happened between the two of you."

Kiba was taken aback by Sakura's ferocious stare. "What do you mean?"

Sakura scowled. "You know exactly what I mean. Ino told me that everything was fine between you two. Is that a lie?"

"She told you that?!" Kiba snapped. "We're not fine, Sakura, if that's what I think she meant."

"You dumped her?" Sakura quietly said.

Kiba was severely embarrassed now. He didn't want to seem like a villain and he wasn't aware that Ino lied to Sakura. "Y-yes. I want to move on, Sakura. I thought she told you – "

"She didn't," Sakura interjected, pain laced in her voice. "That's just like Ino."

Before Kiba could say anything else, Sakura shot him an indecipherable look, "Ino often does that. When something goes wrong in her life, she shuts people out. She doesn't sleep or eat."

Kiba paled. So that's why…

Sakura was near tears now, "Why didn't I notice it?! It's obvious! She doesn't even eat lunch with me anymore! She uses work as an excuse and she slips away during the afternoons."

"S-she was with that guy," Kiba lamely added.

Sakura nodded vigorously. "She tries to find solace in strangers. She does that often. That's how she came in touch with that stalker she had all those years ago."

Kiba felt his mouth go dry. "What are you saying, Sakura?"

"She met her mum and had an argument with her," Sakura said. "She met this guy and then spent a lot of time with him. He grew obsessed with her and when she wanted out, he wouldn't let her."

"What was his name?" Kiba asked, suddenly forgetting about Ayame and shaking a wide-eyed Sakura.

"I don't know," Sakura answered, her eyes fearful. "All I know is that he looks like a male version of Ino, from what Inoichi-san told me."

Blonde hair. Blue eyes. Tied in a ponytail.

"He was a rabid fan. Obsessed. Folllowed me everywhere. Apparently, when I refused him, he got mad and hit me with a metal pipe."

"Apparently? You mean you don't remember?

"I didn't remember half of my life, Kiba. Do you really expect me to remember the face of the man who attacked me?"

"Deidara," Kiba said, his voice filled with dread at the realization.

He ran.

So beautiful.

Always and forever.

What was beauty?

Beauty was effervescent. Beauty was fleeting. Beauty was something that you could hold only for a second before it explodes and turns into dust.

He prided himself for seeing beauty when it showed itself in front of him. But after almost three years rotting in a prison cell with no semblance of beauty, he knew that he had to get out or else he would lose his sanity.

So, he behaved. He was a good boy. He was a good, proper, wonderful boy.

He knew that patience had its rewards. When it came to all other things, he was patient. He knew when to wait if he wanted the most beautiful creature in existence. He would find ways to attain such perfection – he could wait a thousand years and a day just to get what he wanted.

But once he had that beauty, all he wanted to do was to crush it – watch it fade in one snap of the finger.

Yamanaka Ino was different.

There was someone who once told him that art and beauty should be preserved. He didn't understand this concept, since for him, art and beauty meant the opposite – it shouldn't last. You learn to appreciate something if you lose it.

That was when he decided to mix the best of both ideals.

To kill a human being – art and life at its most fleeting moment.

To preserve death by encasing it in clay molding – art and death at its most everlasting moment.

That became his goal. The first time he laid eyes on Yamanaka Ino, he knew that she was the one. She would be his ultimate masterpiece.

Once I have her… once I kill her…

I'll wrap her pretty face, her golden hair, and her wondrous body in a clay encasing that will preserve her forever.

The first time he met her, she was crying. Those blue eyes, like the sky on a cloudless day, turned stormy and bleak. He couldn't stand seeing her getting hurt. Because of that, he vowed that she would never see her be hurt again. When she found comfort in his company, she spilled every dark secret and every facet of her painful past to her.

He learned the reason behind her tears that day. Because of that, he almost burned her mother's house because she made his Ino cry. However, he couldn't because one of the guards of the exclusive subdivision nearly caught him.

"Ino, please don't cry. I'll make all the bad guys go away."

"You will, Dei-kun?"

"Yes."

"Thank you."

They went together everywhere. He delighted in the fact that she wouldn't spend her time with anyone else other than him. He became her savior and confidante. He was there when the world turned its back to her. He was there when no one would listen.

People always wanted to hurt her. They always wanted to claim her beauty. And because of that, he followed her everywhere. When they were together, he had created more art works than he ever had in his entire lifetime. He wanted to protect her and at the same time, he wanted to own her.

But Ino was a free spirit. She hated being in a cage. She wasn't the best person to be trapped inside a clay casing forever. When she noticed that he didn't like sharing her with other people, she became restless.

"I have to meet up with Sakura-chan, Dei-kun. She's my best friend."

"I thought you said that we're going out every afternoon."

"I know, but you have to make an exception this time, Dei-kun. Sakura-chan needs me."

"I need you, Ino. Can't you think about me for once?"

"I always do, Dei-kun. That's the problem with you. You don't want me having other friends!"

And when things got a little out of hand, he had no choice but to execute his plan a little sooner than expected.

Everything happened too fast. Ino was about to meet up with that Sakura girl again. He tried to stop her but she got angry and started shouting at him. He couldn't take the sound of her anger. It made him mad. He tried pinning her up against the wall and kissing her, but somehow, she managed to reach for a chisel and rammed it into his left eye. Before she could do anything else, he brought out a metal pipe that was lying around in the corner and smashed it against her head.

The blood that gushed out of her head was intoxicating.

He was sure that he had killed her.

But because of that, he was arrested. One flaw in the plan and because of the same Sakura that was the cause of his grief, he was locked up in a cell. It was thanks to his good behavior that he was able to go out and experience life once again.

It didn't take long for him to find her. She wasn't as low profile as he had anticipated after the attack. He thought that she might have used her money and influence to have guards sniffing around her every move. But she didn't. He should have known. Yamanaka Ino loved freedom. Tight security and strict schedules would only constrict her. She hated being restrained from doing what she loved.

She was as high profile as ever.

And he was highly grateful that news of her amnesia wasn't exactly hidden from the public. She was too candid with the press. She was much too open with her life.

He abhorred that.

She belonged to him and him alone. He should be the only one who knew all about her.

Lady luck was on his side when he spotted her that day, in the ice cream shop, looking the same way that she did when she first met him.

She looked like the world had crumbled all around her.

And this time, he knew exactly why without even asking her.

It was because of that runt, Inuzuka Kiba – the idol, the singer, the musician, the actor, the womanizer… everything that he hated about a man.

Why did someone as pure and beautiful as Ino fall in love with such a man? No one deserved her but him. He was the only one for her.

And now, the bastard broke Ino's heart by cavorting with a girl that wasn't even worthy of Ino's presence?

But Ino needn't worry. Her knight was here once again. And this time, she would be with him forever.

By any means necessary.

"What's going on, Kiba?!" Sakura was yelling at him as they drove in a breakneck speed towards Ino's apartment. "And where are you going?! Ino's house is in the opposite direction!"

Kiba didn't like the sound of screaming girls. He just had to silence Ayame who was throwing the biggest tantrum she could ever manage half an hour ago. He went as far as threaten her with a breakup if she didn't stop. Thankfully, the girl obeyed him and went home, despite crying like an idiot.

He seriously needed to look for another woman to be serious with. Someone he didn't want to kill.

"She bought a unit," he replied briefly. "Yugito told me where."

"But what's going on?!" Sakura said, obviously not aware of Ino's new living arrangement. "Why are you suddenly so panicked?"

"I think the guy she's with is her stalker!" Kiba blurted out.

Sakura paled. "What?!"

"You said he looks like her right? The guy she's with looks like her, except it seems that he's missing an eye."

"Holy shit!" Sakura blurted out. "S-she… she… Ino…"

"What?! Spit it out, Haruno!"

"Ino stabbed her stalker's left eye. Inoichi-san told me…"

Kiba felt his heart drop. "Call Inoichi-san, Sakura. Tell him to call the police."

"Are you sure that it's him, Kiba? You haven't seen Ino's stalker."

"I just feel like something's wrong! I knew that there was something wrong the moment I saw that bastard!" Kiba shouted, his eyes flashing with anger.

The nightmare has finally come true.

"That was fun! Sunset down, another sunrise to go!"

Ino was having fun. Deidara took her to the shore to watch the sunset. While she was enjoying the view, he sat down and started painting.

"You done?" she asked. "It's getting dark."

"Almost," he said. With that, she took a peek at his work. To her surprise, it was a painting of the sea with her watching it.

"Aww," she gushed. "It looks beautiful. Especially since I'm in it."

Deidara laughed and stood up. Unfortunately for him, Ino chose this as the time to jump on him and embrace him.

"Ino!" he gasped, trying to regain his balance but failing. They wound up falling on the sand with Ino on top of him.

Two pairs of blue eyes met. Ino smiled. "Thanks for everything, Dei-kun."

"Anytime, Ino."

Their lips met.

Deidara smirked against the kiss.

Heeheehee.

Freaky Dei-kuuun.

Love me, coz I updated early! Too fast, in fact!