Wow! I've finally reached 500 reviews. Can't say that wasn't painstaking. Been waiting for that for so long. XD Anyway, thank you very much for those who reviewed, fav'd, and followed this story. Let me just tell you that we're entering the final 9 chapters of A Number of Complications.
InARealPickle - Oh my gosh! Thank you so much for pointing that out! I didn't know that getting into hot springs while pregnant would cause one to have miscarriages. T_T I'm only 21 years young, ladies and gents. I haven't had a bun in the oven before. I should've done my research. Gomen! But Tenten will not have a miscarriage. Let's just say her uterus has its own airconditioning system.
Thanks again to my lovely beta, BuriedInBooks, who edits my work even though it's a complete mess. She's the one responsible for the last scene you find here. So thank her! :)
Chapter 29
The Twenty-eighth Complication
The Missing Break
When Kiba's eyes met Deidara's, the world suddenly fell to a disturbingly frightening silence that could only be metaphorically compared to the calm before the storm.
He immediately wrenched Ino, who was as still as a statue at the door, behind him. He protectively held her there as he asked in a dangerously hushed tone, "What the fuck are you doing here?"
To his utmost surprise, the blonde man before him had the gall to sneer, "I should be asking you that question, Inuzuka. You have no right to be near Ino."
"That's where you're wrong," Kiba growled. "It's you who has no right to see her – both in life and by the law."
"That stalker issue again?" Deidara said with amusement. "Tell him, Ino. Tell him what I told you. Tell him who I really am."
Ino hesitated, and that pause was quickly noticed by Deidara, who frowned. "Don't tell me that you actually think that I'm your stalker. I already told you the truth! Why would you believe him?!"
Kiba resisted the urge to murder the man right then and there. Deidara actually had the guts to go accusing him and he didn't have to say it directly for Kiba to understand the implications of what he just asked.
"I told them everything!" Ino justified. "I told them everything, Deidara. But, you have to admit, there are still a number of things that you have to clarify that was only brought to my attention now. And the reason why I'm even talking to you right now is that I want to believe that you've been telling the truth all along."
"This is just like you rich people," Deidara hissed. "Thinking that everybody is after your money or whatever crap you have to offer. Let me tell you something. I don't want your shit! You know why I've been with you, Ino! You know…"
"I know," Ino replied. "I just – "
"Bullshit," Kiba snapped. "Bullshit! We talked about this! Even if he's not the stalker, there's still the possibility that he'd be after you for revenge! Don't just take his word for it, Ino! Listen to me!"
Deidara laughed dryly. "And a whole lot of good it did to her when she listened to you. Look at her! She wouldn't have been in this situation if you actually got off your high horse and gave her a chance. You dug your own grave on this one, Inuzuka."
"Don't you dare lecture me, you psycho. You can't even prove your innocence right now."
Deidara averted his hate-filled gaze from Kiba and laid his eyes on Ino. His voice was barely above a whisper when he asked, "Like what, Ino? What do you want me to answer?"
"Why now?" Ino breathlessly questioned, seemingly overwhelmed with what was happening all around her. "Why did you appear now? Why were you at that shop when I was all alone? Is it all just a coincidence that you were there at a time that I felt so hurt and vulnerable? My life isn't exactly private. You could know what happened between me and Kiba."
After the array of questions, Deidara did not speak. He just stared at her with an inscrutable expression on his face.
Kiba's grip on Ino tightened, cementing her place behind him. "Start talking, dipshit. I'll call the police if you don't."
"Why don't you call them now?" Deidara challenged. "It's obvious that Ino's already made up her mind about me."
"I did not!" Ino said, much to Kiba's frustration. Why can't she just get this guy out of her life?! "But Deidara, please. If you're innocent, answer this question at least."
"What?"
She took a deep breath and stepped out of the shield that Kiba formed out of himself. He was about to protest when she shut him up with just one look.
"What happened to your eye?"
Deidara looked shocked and even with the split second that it took for him to rearrange his features back to the way it used to be, the surprise was still evident. Kiba's eyes narrowed, closely following his every move. Really, it was stupid enough that they opened the door and talked to this psychopath without alerting the police and the building's security. If it weren't for Ino, he would have clobbered this lunatic the moment he showed up.
"Question too hard for you?" Kiba taunted. "Don't bother answering. Your silence is enough. We're calling security and you won't leave this building. Don't even try anything funny."
He quickly extracted his phone out of his pocket and dialled the number the manager had given to him before they arrived at Ino's floor a couple of hours ago.
As he heard the sound of ringing, Deidara suddenly took off his eyepatch.
To their utter astonishment, two normal eyes were staring back at them – both sky blue and regarding Ino with utmost loneliness.
"I know," he said. "You were expecting to see an injured eye. But I kept on telling you. It's not me."
"Then why the fuck do you wear an eyepatch?!" Kiba spat. "What sort of sick fashion sense do you have?!"
"Kiba," Ino scolded him. Kiba looked back at her mutinously.
"This," Deidara said, pointing to the eyepatch that he put back on his eye, "is to remember my brother by."
"Kiba, can I talk to Deidara alone?"
"I'm not leaving you with this guy, Ino."
Kiba's tone made it dead clear to anyone who listened that he wasn't going to budge. Ino knew that this was going to be a difficult task. He would never understand why she was giving Deidara a chance to explain. Even she couldn't fully comprehend her thought processes. All she knew was that if she wanted to make sense of it all. She was tired of being left in the dark and protected by people from the reality. As much as she hated it, she needed to confront her past. Even with the revelations from Deidara, she still unconsciously avoided the facts by not asking for the whole truth.
Surely someone like him could or would bear a grudge to the woman his brother had been obsessed over. There must be something there – anger, disgust, anguish – and if those feelings were for her or his brother, she wanted to know.
And when she discovered everything, she would then decide if she wanted Deidara in her life or not. Or if he still wanted to be in hers.
"Please."
One look from those brilliant blue orbs and Kiba knew that he was a lost cause. He hated it whenever he was reminded of how much power Ino had over him. Heck, even with all the determination in the world, he couldn't stay away from her even though he completely willed himself to. With a huff that showed his displeasure at the matter, he nodded stiffly. He gave Deidara one last, sharp look of warning as he departed, headed for what seemed to be Ino's kitchen.
She turned to Deidara and gestured for him to enter and sit down. When the two finally managed to find a comfortable place at her living room, he suddenly spoke.
"So, you're back together?"
Ino laughed wryly. "Back together? We were never together, Deidara."
"You were always together," he contradicted her. "Not in the most direct sense of the word that means you're in a relationship, but you never seem to be able to break away from each other even in your thoughts."
She didn't react to that. She merely stared at his unfathomable features.
"Are you disappointed that I'm not the guy you're looking for?"
A raised eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
"That I'm not the stalker." The statement was blunt. Too blunt.
"To be honest, I'm relieved and thankful," she rebutted him.
Deidara looked surprised. "You don't want me to be the stalker."
"I've been telling Sakura and Kiba that. I trust you. You should know that," Ino stated. "Even though we've just met… you should've known that I would never accuse you without knowing everything."
"But you doubted me."
"I had to ask. I don't want to be left in the dark anymore. I'm sick and tired of being protected." Every statement was punctuated with increasing intensity.
"What do you want to know?" Deidara asked with a sigh of surrender.
Ino looked at him sharply. "You're really asking me that question?"
He laughed. "What's there to tell? That I was at that ice cream shop by pure coincidence? Yes. I was there on the same day that you chose to pig out on desert by accident."
Ino threw her decorative pillow at Deidara, who promptly caught it. The amused expression on his face was already gone, replaced by something more sinister that stunned her. He looked absolutely frightful.
"But it's not a coincidence that I'm here in Konoha."
A pregnant pause. "What brought you here then?"
"You should know the answer to that question."
She completely loathed this side of Deidara – the way he spoke in riddles whenever he wanted to avoid directly answering something. By now, she already knew that he spoke this way whenever the topic would get too close to a sore spot for him.
"Me?"
"Yes. You."
Ino breathed in. "You wanted revenge."
"Partially."
"Partially?"
"Mostly, I wanted to see why my brother was so caught up in you. He hardly even knew you," Deidara expounded. "Like every other person, we only saw you through the television and the big screen. And believe me, I saw a lot of you. My brother would often drag me into watching something with you on it. I would listen to him go on for hours about how you portrayed each character to perfection while adding a 'trivia' here and there about you."
Ino shuddered involuntarily. She was now delving into the mind of the person who followed her to the ends of the earth just to possess her. A person who nearly killed her if he couldn't have her.
"And I knew at that time that he was getting more and more fixated on you," he continued, looking at her ceiling and seeming to remember times that he would much rather forget. From her vantage point, he looked like he was in physical pain. "I knew my brother since the day we were born and let me tell you, once he starts, he never stops."
"H-He's been that way before?"
"Twice. One time with a friend of ours who had to move cities because of him and another instance with a girl he met online."
Her eyes were wide with fear. "What happened then?"
"Don't worry," he comforted. "Nothing happened to the two of them. He wasn't that obsessed with them. Maybe because they weren't as beautiful and talented as you."
"Stop kidding around, Deidara."
"I'm serious. You know that most people have a tendency to possess the unreachable. He was mostly consumed by you because you were unattainable yet incredibly popular and gifted. He aspired to know you but most of all, he wanted to see you because he wanted to immortalize you."
"Immortalize me?"
"My brother was mainly hypnotized by the way you looked. He kept on talking about how you were his idea of perfection," Deidara said with utmost disgust written across his face. "He didn't see you as a person anymore. He no longer treated you like one. To him, you were too good to be a person. You were an object of desire. He wanted to make you into his greatest masterpiece and he would go through any means necessary to get what he wants."
She waited with bated breath for him to continue. She was reeling with all of the revelations and yet, she wanted to know.
"And then he told us that he had this job offer here in Konoha," he recalled. "My mother didn't want him going because he hasn't even finished high school yet. But he insisted and things got really bad then. When my mom tried to stop him, he hit her across the face. I wasn't there when that happened. I was working a late shift at a local grocer."
"Oh my god," Ino gasped in horror.
"Then he left," he added, his face suddenly scrunching up. "I spent the entirety of the following months trying to track him down, but my mother wouldn't let me. She gave up on my brother but I think it was mostly because she didn't want to hold him back anymore. She let him do what he wanted to do. But I realized that the only reason why he would go to Konoha was to find you. And I was right. What happened next was what you already know."
Ino nodded. To any outsider, she looked like she had gone into a trance. She agreed with Deidara. She didn't need him to tell her what happened afterwards.
"S-So you just decided to come to Konoha and try to meet me the same way your brother did?"
The story was pretty much the same. Both brothers went to Konoha. One of them wanted to make her 'his', in all the twisted ways his sick mind could conjure. One of them wanted to know what caused his twin to go absolutely insane. Even with different intentions, they had ulterior motives.
"I wasn't sure," Deidara clarified. "For one, I wasn't planning on meeting you face-to-face. I just wanted to see who you are as a person. Knowing my brother, he would have just stalked you for a chance to paint you or something like that. I didn't know what possessed him to actually want to be in a relationship with you and why he hurt you. If he only wanted to immortalize you through art, he would have just forced you to be his muse. But to actually 'fall in love with you'…" for a moment, he looked lost in his own thoughts before he added, "…my brother never went into relationships. He didn't 'love'. He didn't know how to feel affection for anything other than his art."
He began tapping his foot in that habit of his whenever he was rattled. "When he was thrown into jail, I visited him. He begged me to bring you to him so that he could say sorry and ask for another chance. He was rambling and I couldn't bear seeing him like that so I left. Don't get me wrong, I love my brother. I was the only one who understood him and I was the only one who stood by him. I understood his passion for art. The only thing that separated us is my passion for life. He didn't have that. For him, art was life."
"So, when I saw you in person at that ice cream shop, I understood a little bit of what my brother saw in you," he told her with a soft smile on his face. "We shared this love for what I would dub as 'beauty in tragedy'. It seemed that the first time my brother saw you, you had that same look of loneliness and desolation in your face."
"Are you saying that I look more attractive when I'm a total wreck?" Ino said with false dismay. Even with the heaviness of the situation, she wanted to lighten things up even with a little misplaced humor.
"I think that we both have horrible timing," Deidara interjected. "And it really doesn't matter how you feel, Ino. I think you look amazing. Always."
She couldn't help but blush at that. "I think you should continue with your story."
"Hai, hai," he said. "I was just trying to flirt with you."
"Try flirting with me when you're not talking about your psycho brother, okay? No offense."
"None taken. You're only stating the facts," Deidara said, laughing slightly.
"And when I don't have a boyfriend."
The last sentence visibly put a hamper on Deidara's lifted mood. "So, you're together?"
"Y-Yes." Surprisingly, she felt a twinge of guilt in saying that. She didn't forget the way and frequency in which she lamented over the fact that she and Kiba didn't have a chance in hell towards Deidara.
"Are you sure about that decision, Ino?"
"It wasn't my decision to make, Deidara," she corrected him. "It has always been Kiba's. I was the one who hurt him."
"Is he a girl?" Deidara said in annoyance. "He definitely sounds like one."
"You know I hurt him. He never – "
"You had amnesia, Ino. I don't know how many times I pointed that out to you."
"But when I was – "
"A kid. I know. You were a kid. Who the hell expects anyone to commit to a relationship at that age?!"
Ino sighed in defeat. "And what I did at the interview. And that thing with our parents…"
"Again, not your fault," he said with finality. "And that's that. There's no point dwelling in it, Ino. If there's anyone that you shouldn't forgive, it should be him. He's been harbouring this pointless grudge over you to the point that he intentionally hurt you. It's obvious that the only reason he went to Konoha Gakuen is because he wanted to torment you. What he didn't expect is that you didn't remember him at all."
With those words, she knew that Deidara had a point. But even with that, she also realized that Kiba had the right to be angry. He had the right to be hurt. And it was time for all of them to move on and forgive each other.
"What else happened?" she mumbled.
"What?" Deidara snapped.
"What else happened?" she repeated more loudly.
He seemed taken aback by the sudden change in topic. He narrowed his eyes at her and spoke, "Then I found you. You know what happened after."
"Tell me what you really thought at that time."
He wavered for a moment before speaking. "I really didn't want to get involved with your little cat fight with that girl but I had no choice once I saw Inuzuka enter the shop. I knew at that moment that he was the cause of whatever it was you were going through."
"Everyone knows."
"Exactly."
"Keep going, smart ass."
"I suddenly had this urge to get to know you better," Deidara said. "When I did, I instantly knew why my brother was so obsessed. You're not just another pretty face we see on television. You were kind and warm. You were human. You were real."
"And what about the sunglasses and the eyepatch?" she asked. "Why did you wear those things?"
"I wore sunglasses back then by coincidence. I can't even forget how hot that day was. It was torture," Deidara grumbled, frowning deeply. "And actually, the eyepatch was just for kicks. Something to remember my brother by. We would often act like pirates when we had the time."
"Really?"
"Really."
Kiba was getting more and more ticked off as the minutes passed him by. He could only hear murmurs of the conversation Ino and Deidara were having at the living room. He wasn't the type to eavesdrop nor was he the type to barge in on the middle of something. But because of his imagination of Deidara's current proximity towards Ino, he was seriously rethinking his moral code.
What could possibly be taking them so long? Once or twice, he heard the two of them laughing. What could possibly be so funny about stalkers and impending danger? He would catch a word or two, but none that could confirm or deny the thoughts in his head. There was absolutely nothing that he could glean from their little 'talk' and it was bothering the hell out of him.
He seriously hoped to hell that Ino wasn't considering forgiveness. He sure as hell wouldn't take any 'positive' decisions of hers lying down. There was just something about that bastard that struck a nerve in Kiba and he knew it just wasn't because of the reality that the creep had been spending so much time with Ino alone. If there was such a thing as sixth sense, Kiba's was absolutely sharp right now. He didn't trust the man one bit and he hoped that Ino could sense that too.
His thumb was hovering above the glowing screen of his mobile phone, ready to press 'call' when the need arises. He wasn't going to take any chances and he was going to risk his life if he had to. Ino's safety came first.
So when he heard the door open and close, he instantly jumped off his seat and bolted to the living room. He felt his heart fall out of his chest but was instantly petrified when he saw Ino standing near the door, a look of contentment and relief on her face.
When he found his voice, he knew that he sounded like a maniac. "What the hell just happened?!"
"Oh," Ino said. "We're friends. Just friends."
To say that Kiba was surprised was an understatement. A cacophony of emotions erupted inside him – anger, frustration, shock, disappointment, fear, and all the negative feelings that anyone could possibly think of.
"'We're friends?!'" he bellowed, his face turning to an ugly shade of puce. "Are you completely stupid, Ino?! That guy is a threat to you and you believed whatever nonsense he said just like that?! I can't believe it!"
At this, Ino looked enraged. She knew that Kiba would react negatively to her decision but she didn't expect him to call her all sorts of things just because of that. "I'm stupid?! Who gave you the right to suddenly barge in on my life and telling me what to do?! I trust Deidara and he told me everything! You don't need to know what he told me!"
"I don't need to hear what that bastard says to know that he's lying!" Kiba yelled back. "You can't believe him until we've done all the investigation we can possibly conduct! You're getting ahead of yourself, as usual!"
"Come on!" she shot back in frustration. "He explained everything, alright? Everything! And it made sense to me! Tell me, if he were a psychopath, why didn't he kill me the first chance he got?!"
Kiba rolled his eyes. "Do you seriously think he'd kill you in an ice cream shop where there are people?"
"If he's a psycho, then yes! He wouldn't care where he did it as long as he did it! In case you forgot, the way psychos think defies logic and expectations!"
"Do we really need a psychology lesson from each other when we're not experts?" Kiba sighed exasperatedly. "And you're not getting my point. If Deidara is the stalker, don't you think he'll learn from his previous mistakes? He's going to tread carefully this time and he's going to use the fact that you can't remember him to his advantage! And if he's 'the twin' as he calls himself, then he wouldn't do what his brother did. He'd get under your skin in another way and he's effectively using his supposed innocence to his advantage."
Ino glared at him as she declared, "He told me his intentions."
Brown eyes widened at that. "What?"
"He told me that he wanted to know why his brother was so obsessed with me. He also told me that he wanted to make me pay," she said, recalling the last part of Deidara's confession before he left. "But he couldn't do it. Especially after he knew me…"
When her voice trailed off, Kiba wanted to bang his own head against the wall. The bullshit was so obvious that it would take an incredibly stupid or naïve person to believe it.
"Do you seriously think that he's telling the whole truth?!" he cried, eyes flashing dangerously. "He should be an actor if he managed to pull that one. Or a writer, since he's good at making up stories. But not good enough for me. Stay away from him, Ino. I mean it."
"You can't tell me what to do!"
Kiba let out a frustrated sound that was a cross between a yell and a growl. "If Sakura were here, she would knock some sense into you! And she'd agree with me!"
"If Sakura were here, she'd mind her own business," Ino retorted venomously. "She won't interfere with my choices. Deidara is a good man and his brother's actions are not his."
"Yeah, sure," Kiba spat, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Are you trying to get back at me? Because if you are, I would say that you're doing a pretty crappy job in doing that."
Ino scoffed. "Keep telling yourself that everything around you is all about you. And what're you gonna do about it? Stop me from seeing Deidara? Who are you, my dad?!"
"I'm your boyfriend, just in case you forgot," Kiba emphasized. "And maybe I should tell your father what's going on here. He'll clarify things for us."
"Don't you dare!" Ino shrieked, stomping towards him until they were only inches apart. "You can't even contact him because he's not here, alright? And maybe we should rethink this whole relationship thing if you're going to be such a whiny brat!"
"Maybe we should," Kiba's tone suddenly fell a few notches. "I knew that we're not meant for each other. I hate rollercoasters, Ino, especially with people who try to shove others off the ride. You always do that when all I'm trying to do is help you. You can see Deidara all you want, but that's after any investigation the police can do. He needs a serious background check and deep inside, you know it."
"Fine," she agreed. "Now get out and don't you dare breathe a word of this to my dad. It's not your place to do anything."
Kiba gave her an uncharacteristic sneer before moving towards the entryway and slamming the door in his wake. He felt so furious that he couldn't stand the sight of her. If she wanted to put her life in danger, then so be it. What more did she want? She knew that she had her best friend's support. She also had him. Why did she have to drag that son of a bitch in?
Whatever the reason, he knew that he wouldn't buy it. He could go over and over again what happened tonight and nothing would ever make sense to him. He was through with her. She'd be daft if she thought that he was going to give 'them' another chance. If she wanted to be with Deidara that badly, then so be it.
Meanwhile, Ino's chest was rising and falling rapidly. She knew that she had been too impulsive about a lot of things tonight. For one, she shouldn't have readily agreed to a relationship with Kiba. They still had a lot of things to work out and in the confusion, she quickly grabbed the opportunity. She knew that he was being sincere, but they both knew that they needed to take it slow. They still had to go on dates and all those romantic stuff that couples do. She wanted to do it right this time and as much as she wanted to be with him, they didn't need to rush.
They weren't even doing anything yet and he suddenly decided to go and draw the possessive/overprotective card. She hated people who attempt to control her life in any way. What did Kiba know? He was only acting out based on an unfounded conclusion. He didn't know Deidara and she realized that if he was present while the two of them talked it out, he would never understand. He was already judging her friend. His mind was already made up.
She sighed and fell back on her couch. She knew that they probably had the most complicated relationship in the world. She laughed aloud, covering her tired eyes with the back of her hand. She found the concept of an hour-long relationship funny. Everything went too fast for her. How can one feel crippling loneliness, crushing desperation, gut-wrenching fright, unbelievable happiness, immense relief, soothing calm, and exploding anger all in the span of a few hours? She stepped back and started to feel awe for the human psyche. Anyone would fall apart after being subjected to such a whirlwind of emotions.
We're not together. False alarm, Deidara. That was the text she sent him. Knowing Deidara, he probably read that immediately. The man was hopeless without his phone.
She wasn't even aware that she already slipped into a blissful sleep, unaware of the chaos going on just outside the building.
The questions shouted to Kiba's face the moment he stepped out of the building were the following:
What was he doing inside Ino's residence?
Why was he rushing and harassing the building's staff to get in?
Why was he suddenly 'talking' to Ino after what happened between them?
Were they back together?
Were they really in a relationship in the first place?
Did what happen between them a publicity stunt?
Have they been secretly dating for years?
What was the status of their relationship?
In the chaos, all that Kiba thought was that how did the reporters know where he was right now. He was sure that Sakura wouldn't tell a soul and the manager would be too threatened to do anything. The man was in danger of losing his job if he ratted him out. Yugito would never put any talent in danger just for the sake of publicity. There was no other person who knew and he was certain that no civilian who saw him and Sakura earlier would contact the press because the people who lived in the building had the same problems as them. They all felt a venomous enmity with reporters and paparazzi.
He furiously tried pushing his way towards his car but he was overwhelmed by the number of people present. They pushed against him, making it increasingly difficult to breathe and in the chaos of it all, he saw a flash of blonde several feet away.
His eyes widened in utmost shock as he saw Deidara standing near a lamppost. He was holding his cellphone and staring malevolently at him. He had a huge smirk painted across his face as he put his two fingers together and made a scissor-like gesture that made it clear to Kiba that Ino told him about their sudden 'break up'.
He knew that the bastard was playing innocent! He just knew it. At that instant, Kiba made up his mind. Gone was the anger that he felt towards Ino. He would stick with her whether she liked it or not. He was going to crush that arrogant expression that the fucker had on his face. All that he knew was that no one hurt or even attempted to harm the people that he loved, especially Yamanaka Ino.
That's how you want to play it huh?
So that was why when a reporter asked what the status of his relationship was with Ino, Kiba's smile widened to epic proportions as he said, "Are you going to stop bothering us if I tell you that we just got together?"
"What do you mean, Kiba-san?!"
"I mean," he said, talking as loudly as he could so that even Deidara could hear, "we're together. She's my girlfriend, I'm her boyfriend. Capiche?"
He leered triumphantly at the surprised look on Deidara's face. There was a silent war going on between them as their eyes clashed, blue against brown. He wasn't going to back down. He was going to get to the bottom of this using every ounce of power he had. He knew that Deidara was guilty of something; he just had to find conclusive evidence so that Ino would believe him. In the meantime, he would have to do all means possible to keep her by his side at all times.
What happened after that fateful night was a blur to Yamanaka Ino. All that she could remember was getting a call from her manager at three in the morning and almost splitting her eardrums with Yugito's exclamations as to how in the world Kiba was caught by the press and forced to confess that they were in a relationship that the older woman wasn't notified of. Ino immediately did a double-take as she tried to recall if she really broke up with Kiba. When the dregs of drowsiness were lost, she finally was certain that they weren't together.
Upon the arrival of the morning gossip papers, she discovered that Kiba admitted to the press (who were, apparently, lying in wait in front of her 'safe' condo the previous night) that they were in a relationship. The picture of a smug-looking Inuzuka Kiba was splashed all across the front page and she could practically feel the arrogance and the deviousness emanating from the photo. It was almost as if Kiba was actually standing right in front of her.
Everything was just so ridiculous that she was convinced that Kiba had lost his mind. Why would he pull off something like this? What possessed him to make such an announcement? She could only think of one thing – revenge.
But what sort of half-assed revenge was this? What she didn't understand was how this would benefit him in any way aside from the fact that this would annoy her to no end. But even with that, he was also going to be hassled with this. The press would never get enough of the two of them, as they were the most popular and talented stars of their generation.
What happened afterwards was an irate phone call from Sakura, who demanded to be informed about her life first since she was her best friend. The constant reminder made Ino weary and she agreed to whatever Sakura said without bothering to clarify anything. The blonde just wasn't in the mood.
"Don't forget my invite, okay?" Sakura asked.
"Sure, Sakura," Ino said with false cheer.
"Bring your boyfriend along."
Protests were futile. Luckily, she managed to get Kiba's phone number from Sakura before the line went dead.
And they found themselves setting up a meeting and facing each other in an exclusive restaurant where Ino and her father would frequent.
"Did you fall down the stairs and smack your oversized head against the floor?" Ino whispered furiously, eyes glinting with ill-disguised contempt. She didn't have time to order anything. The moment Kiba sauntered in, yawning widely as though nothing potentially catastrophic just happened because of him, her temper skyrocketed. She began talking without even realizing it.
Kiba sat down with all the calmness of a king. He waved at the waiter for the menu. "Can this wait? I haven't had breakfast yet. I'm starving."
"Really, Kiba?" Ino said through gritted teeth. "You're asking me to wait when I'm being swamped by calls and mobbed by paparazzi asking about our relationship!"
Kiba raised his eyebrows. "Well, we are together, aren't we?"
"In what universe?!"
The question was said so vehemently that the waiter who just arrived paused and looked between the two of them reluctantly. Kiba just gave the frightened young man a nod, signalling for him to go about his duties as usual.
When the waiter left, Kiba sent a mock glare at Ino. "You scared the poor man."
"If I were you, I'd be more concerned with my life," she retorted. "Now, talk."
"If I tell you everything, will you turn the other cheek like you did for Deidara?"
Ino stilled. "That's what this is all about?!"
Kiba didn't answer and just looked at her. She groaned in frustration. "If you're being a jerk and just doing this to get back at me, then I seriously don't think that I'll be able to forgive you that easily."
"So you'll forgive complete psychopaths but not a person who just told a harmless statement?"
"A harmless statement?! Are you even listening to yourself?! This will cause a lot of trouble!" Ino exclaimed. "Can you imagine how many people are trying to get a hold of me right now? Yugito-san is absolutely livid! She's threatened to cut your balls off about eight times already!"
His responding statement was direct and cutting. "I'd like to see her try."
As the food was being served, Ino held back for a few minutes and watched Kiba closely. He looked really calm and composed, almost as if he had already made up his mind about something and that there was nothing that could change it. He almost looked like someone who was doing the right thing.
"Look," he suddenly said, "I'm not trying to get back at you or anything. I'm just taking you up on your previous offer."
Ino stared mutinously at the food placed in front of her. "Previous offer?"
Kiba swallowed the small bite that he was chewing. He almost looked refined. "When you kissed me in front of a million viewers and practically screamed to the whole world that we had a thing going on between us… I think I now understand the advantages of doing something like that."
She nearly choked on her meal. "W-What?!"
"It's simple really," Kiba said. "We both don't want to be together. You want to be with that freak and I don't want to have anything to do with you romantically. But let's face it, people want us to be together. The simplest solution is to make it seem like we're together. That way, any projects that we're going to have are going to be a hit. It's a win-win situation."
She gripped her chopsticks so hard that they snapped in half. "So you mean to tell me that you thought up this enlightened plan the minute you were mobbed by the paparazzi?"
"You can definitely say that."
"Bullshit!" she all but screamed. They were lucky that there were only a few customers and that they were seated in their own private little tables. "Undo this, Inuzuka! Tell the press that you made a mistake! I'm not having this!"
"It's too late," Kiba said, leaning back on his chair as he smirked at Ino. "If you do that now, you'll be the subject of ridicule. And no one will believe you. After what you did the last time, they're more likely to believe me since I was the one who previously denied our little relationship. I rejected you, remember? If I were to tell them that we're together, then that would mean that I finally accepted you, not the other way around. Face it, Ino. You didn't think things through."
Ino's rage rendered her unable to form any coherent words, but when she managed to, she knew that she sound so pathetically defeated. "I-I don't want this, Kiba. Tell me the truth. You're only doing this to get back at me like what you did when you entered Konoha Gakuen."
"No," Kiba's amused expression suddenly turned dead serious. "Whatever my reasons are can't be understood by someone like you. For once, I'm doing what I think is right. Feel free to curse me or be mad at me. I don't care if you never forgive me."
Ino's jaw dropped. She didn't understand. He was making it seem like he was doing this for a completely noble and selfless reason.
Without warning, he stood up. "By the way, Sakura told me about that thing with Uchiha. I'm going with you."
"What makes you think that I even want you there?!"
"I'm not asking for your permission," he deadpanned. "I'm telling you. And besides, we have to try to get along if we're doing Mind Games together."
"M-Mind games…?" her voice was lost at this point.
"Yeah. The movie. Remember? The one with you playing that fabulous agent-slash-interrogator and I, the heir of a criminal organization?" Kiba explained much too lightly for her tastes.
"I thought that Cee – "
"No. I was given the role," Kiba said. "They called me earlier. I guess you know now."
"W-What…?" she knew that she sounded like a complete fool right now.
"And that television series you're shooting?" Kiba added. "The one where you have this gay-looking leading man? I think he's been written to die by the end of the season and you're gonna have a new man in your life. And that's me."
With Kiba's departure, Ino sat there for almost an hour, pondering what sort of hell her life has turned into – all because some egotistical bastard decided to waltz into it.
Signing a contract for different projects was easy for someone like Yamanaka Ino. She didn't really care for the name or the brand or the company that she represented. All that mattered to her was the story and the relevance of her project. She was an artist and she never forgot that. She never let her personal life interfere with her career, and that was a code that she lived by strictly. For the past weeks, all her hard work in establishing her good name seemed to crumble before her very eyes.
No thanks to one Inuzuka Kiba.
She knew that he lived by the same standards as she did. The only difference was that he lived his career a tad more honestly than she did. He had more moments wherein his personal life interfered with his professional life. She wondered how he was able to become an excellent actor (aside from his amazing talent as a musician) when he couldn't even fib. And if he couldn't lie, then why in the world would he choose to do that now?
He might have programmed himself to think that this was another one of his acting projects for him to perform so excellently.
The signing for the movie was still kept under wraps. No one wanted to spoil the surprise and the network was keeping the press on its toes. They revelled in the suspense of it all and the fans were growing more and more rabid as the days pass.
Ino felt like she was going to be sick.
Deidara hadn't contacted her or shown up at all. She tried reaching him but all her calls just went to voicemail. He must be avoiding her because of what happened. He certainly seemed like he didn't appreciate the fact that she and Kiba were suddenly together after she told him that they weren't.
That's when she decided that if he wanted to play dirty, then she was going to play along. The only person who knew that this was all a farce was Yugito and even she recommended that Ino refrain from running to the press and telling the 'truth'.
"The only truth that matters right now is what the majority believe in," her manager told her. "And that truth consists of you and Kiba having this romantic relationship with each other."
"B-But – "
"Listen, Ino. You're in the middle of three very important projects – one for television, one for cinema, and another one for music, all of which have something to do with Kiba. If you remove that key factor now, where are you going to end up in?"
There was no arguing at that point.
On the other hand, Kiba was surprised when she started talking to him in front of everyone present and acting like a dutiful girlfriend that they thought she was. What he didn't expect was that she would continue acting like that during their trip to the hot springs.
He was impressed by the Uchiha's sheer wealth and patted himself on the back for having achieved almost the same status as them by his own power alone. He had also grown to respect and befriend Ino's circle – people whom he once saw as snobbish and pretentious. Even with their quirks and at times, annoying behaviour, he learned to appreciate each and every one of them. He even learned to converse casually with Uchiha Sasuke and Hyuuga Neji. It helped that he was never intimidated by them in the first place.
All the while, his thoughts were focused on Ino. Everything that he was doing was for her, even though he was aware of the fact that she didn't like it at all. He would follow her to the ends of the earth, if he had to – just to keep her safe. He realized that Deidara wouldn't be making a move any time soon. He hired a highly skilled professional to keep a close eye on the freak. He wasn't going to take any chances.
What he didn't count on was how Ino would play the role of a 'girlfriend'.
In fact, for the past few hours since their arrival, she played the role so convincingly that he almost wished that the charade was real. The only time that she 'protested' was when he nearly let slip the work that they were about to do together. She reminded him that she was still thinking about 'them' professionally, something which mildly annoyed Kiba.
The instances that followed after that were, at best, hilarious.
They were just three innocent young men who were soaking in the bath when the girls on the other side decided that it would be best to talk so loudly about their 'assets' that it was possible that the entire country could hear them.
He was laughing at Sasuke who promptly passed out when Sakura's boobs were described as 'small as ever' by Ino herself.
She should really restrain herself.
That was when Sabaku Tenten decided to open her mouth. "But I have to say, Ino, yours are just right. Not too big, not too small. They look nice too!"
What happened afterwards was a blur to Kiba. All that he remembered was being faced with an insanely vivid picture of Ino completely naked, adorned by those firm and perfect pair of breasts that Tenten just described.
He had never been affected this way by any other woman and everyone knew how much experience he had. It was something that he was completely honest about. Because he tried to drown out Ino from his mind years before, he resorted to various flings that would often end up messily for both parties. His affairs made gossip papers so happy that they should consider cutting him a share of their profits.
He had seen women in various states of nudity and they all elicited the normal reaction from him, but none like this. Hell, he'd never even seen Ino naked. So why would the thought of her being unclothed suddenly make an experienced young man like him faint like a virgin?
He was seriously out of his mind. For a while now, he knew that Ino had a gorgeous form underneath all those fashionable clothes that she often wore. But to suddenly and actually hear from someone (indirectly, of course) about how perfect a part of her was… it sent his brain into overdrive.
So when he saw her moments later trying to track down Sasuke to help the girls find their room, he just wanted to run away from her as soon as he could.
He wasn't a coward! Far from it. There was a reason why he was a pro when it came to his conquests. He knew what he wanted and he always got what he wanted. But he had this level of respect for Ino that could never be matched by any harpy that he encountered in his adolescent years. If he were to have her physically, it should be based on mutual love, respect, and desire. Right now, they weren't in the best of terms and he opted to restrain himself. For once, he learned to think with his other, more rational, head.
Amidst all his internal debate, Yamanaka Ino just decided to torture him a little more by accompanying him to the kitchens.
Really, he just wanted a little something to quench his appetite after passing out. He didn't know why, but even after a bountiful dinner, he suddenly felt famished. It must be his lust transforming itself to hunger. He didn't have the time to figure things out.
All he could think about was the intoxicatingly fragrant smell that was emanating from his blonde companion, whose hair was loose and flowing around her like a glowing halo.
"How are you even going to eat when there are no cooks?" Ino interrupted his thoughts as they entered the kitchen. Her feet were planted apart as she surveyed the room, hands on her hips.
"Why did you even follow me?" he almost groaned.
Her glare was instantaneous. "Is there something wrong with that? What if I want to eat too?!"
"Never thought of you as the type of girl who pigs out," he nonchalantly said, walking ahead of her. Without warning, a pan whizzed past his ear. "HEY!"
She just glared at him and looked around. "Maybe I can whip something up."
"Ohhh…" Kiba teasingly said. "You gonna cook for your boyfriend?"
"YOU'RE NOT MY BOYFRIEND!" Ino screeched, stomping towards him and holding the lapels of his bathrobe in her hands. Her face was only inches away from his and he could smell her sweet, hot breath on his face.
Ino realized her mistake and was suddenly made aware of their proximity. She immediately let go of him and cleared her throat. His handsome, rugged features and musky scent certainly did not do her brain any good.
"I only suggested that since I'm sure you don't know how to take care of yourself," Ino bit out, turning away to hide her blush.
Kiba fixed his robe and also tried suppressing his blush. Thankfully, Ino couldn't see him.
"What makes you think I can't cook?" he questioned.
"Coz you're a boy."
He sighed and walked towards the stove. He started pulling things out of the walk-in pantry. Like a professional chef, he started dicing and chopping meat and vegetables so fast that Ino couldn't help but stare in wonder.
She had to admit, there was nothing more attractive than a man who knew his way in the kitchen. Kiba certainly was an expert. Even she, with all her expertise, couldn't keep track of what he was doing. He was also humming a tune in that gorgeous voice of his that suddenly made her want to sit down on one of the steel tables, unmindful of the stinging cold it brought to her skin.
But instead of slacking off and watching him like a love-sick fool (which she very much intended to do), she stood up and walked into the pantry.
"Bet I can make a better meal than you," she sassily said.
Kiba smirked. "Keep dreaming, Yamanaka."
And like children, they began a cooking contest with no judges but themselves.
To her utmost surprise, twenty minutes later, a humongous bowl of chicken teriyaki was laid before her. She blinked stupidly as he served the meal in a way that a five-star restaurant would. She looked down on her bowl and even with all the intricate plating that she did, hers still looked like a kid decided to play around with it.
She gave in to her awe. "T-That's so big!"
"Heh, of course," Kiba proudly stated. "Wanna taste?"
He offered her his chopsticks.
"Is it alright?" she asked. She was lying when she told him that she was also hungry. She really didn't want to eat and was trying her best to avoid the chopsticks. She nearly flipped when he tried forcing the meal into her mouth. The sudden movement sent her reeling backwards. Thankfully, he was close by and her legs latched on to his to break a potential fall.
"Sure," Kiba said nonchalantly, not minding that she almost toppled over. "I'm sure we'll both enjoy it. It's mine, after all."
"Yeah, yeah. Arrogant bastard."
"And after that, I'll taste yours," he reminded her.
"N-No!" Ino spluttered. There was no way that she was going to let him taste her dish after presenting her with such a heavenly creation. Even with her skills, she might seem like a terrible amateur. "I-I haven't… n-no one's ever tasted it before!"
"Then I'll be the first!" Eat that, Deidara.
"Just because a lot of people already tasted and liked yours, doesn't mean you can go around trying out mine without - !"
"Oh just shut up and put it in your mouth, Yamanaka," he impatiently said, cramming the food in her mouth.
"Hrmph!"
That definitely tasted delicious. She never thought that someone like him could create something so inspiring that it brought back memories to her. A tear unconsciously slipped from her right eye. The food literally made her cry.
"Delicious?" he asked, eyes twinkling in delight.
She nodded enthusiastically as he started digging in. All her anger towards him dissipated in that instant. This was definitely something new for the both of them.
She stole a glance at him and saw a piece of rice stuck near his lips. Without thinking, she removed the piece with her thumb, causing Kiba to stop in his tracks and stare at her with wonder.
"A-Ah…" she said, smiling at him a bit awkwardly. "You had something on your… yeah. It's not there anymore."
"O-Oh," was all that Kiba said.
Congratulations, Yamanaka! Inner Ino mused. You just made the situation painfully awkward!
Kiba felt his heart bang against his chest. The simple move made his body heat up all at once. He looked on as Ino looked down and took another chopstick-full of food.
Only, this time, some of the sauce dribbled down her chin and down her neck.
He could swear that that she heard him swallow.
Ino squeaked when Kiba's hand suddenly found her messy chin and tipped it upwards. She felt herself drown in those brown depths, suddenly turning darker with desire.
"Let me get that for you," he murmured huskily, as he slowly and oh so sweetly licked the sauce off her chin.
His tongue was on fire against her skin and she couldn't help the small moan that escaped her throat. What happened next promptly sent her body into overload. Kiba suddenly swooped down and made a wet trail towards her neck, drinking in the stray juices that made his chicken teriyaki so divine.
"Hmm…" he chanted. "That's even more delicious."
She thought that she was going to faint.
"All clean," Kiba promptly declared as he looked at her furiously blushing face.
That was all it took for her to crash her lips against his.
I'm proud of myself. The first 7 pages of this chapter didn't have any errors at all! :) But the last few... ugh. I guess I was rushing to get a chapter out that I wasn't really paying close attention. Anyways, R&R!
