She found herself, imperceptibly, counting down the number in hope that a miraculous breakthrough will happen to which boredom to death she earth, her externally-loud but internally-silent spiritual confinement. Three, two…
- Are you going home?
One.
Turning back as she finishes the count, even standing in the middle of a seedy ally, Ino can still find her vision reflected in his nonchalant dark eyes and unbeknownst to an old friend, now patronizingly puzzle her way out of Shikamaru's incorporeal labyrinth.
Her knuckles felt numb as she started wringing her hands in agitation. Whatever effect discouragement and restlessness had upon her gesture, she'll – remain aloof from the matter, put its motion in the nutshell and – never tell.
- Why do you ask?
Another day has come and it's just too late for any wisecracking witticism or ambiguous mockery, hence back straighten while the right hand on same-sided hip, Ino raised her chin for the sake of her last-saving scattered dignity, slowly but vehemently evanesce into the end of such bittersweet day.
Shikamaru being a genius as he is, always a tough nut for surrounding colleges to crack but his friend of course, not an easy opponent to get through either, considering her clan's mind-manipulation ability and other certain circumstances rendered such lively blossom withered. After all, it's difficult to remain intact after dealing with multiple losses of their loved ones, he prosaically laid bare its "circumstances" as slowly joining her side.
- I'll walk you home!
Yeah, not beating around the bush does help save some of her mental works so Ino just lets him do what he wants. No matter how you put it, he has a lover and she prefers to remain neutral when it comes to their relationship and they are just having a walk and there is nothing special about keeping your friend a company "no matter how you put it" and for God's sake…
Ino got worked up out of a little friendly stroll, she must be crazy, or drunk, or just crazy. Her life is not a melodramatic movie for walking side-by-side with your CHILDHOOD FRIEND, she emphasized, won't lead to a heart-fell confession or something more special than whatever is happening right now.
A cold and dry southern wind blew, Shikamaru quietly watched as she unconsciously raised both hands to rub her exposing shoulders then clicked his tongue, annoyingly whispering under his breath. He does not understand her fashion and never will.
- It's damn October, even a child knows how to wear warmer, much less a full-grown ass…
Gave him the eyebrows, did he seriously find the necessity to mouth his mock like that when there're just two of them in the middle of a narrowed street, during this late at night and she could hear what he said loud and clear? What a jerk move.
Though Ino went into one of her huffs again, she does agree with his mockery of her absurdity on fashion this time. What a stupid way to dress, she reflected, biting her lips when another sudden gust of wind rushed over and flipped the hemline of her dress.
Her father must've gone for a shogi game with his old friend or else that he's not on her side today. At this rate, she could just fuck it and run home as fast as her injured condition – fell into an enemy trap then got her ribs broken – allowed.
For the seven times of the day Ino let out a "humph" – at this rate, must've become her habitual feature – as she contemplated the certain risks of her helpless situation, hardly even dare to recklessly move and grant herself another lucky ticket - to the endless merry-go-round of Konoha hospital and the hospital's bed - real quick. Thus, Ino made up her mind to go for the worst solution, wrapping both arms around her body to keep the created warmth while uncontrollably shivering like a wet rag.
Only half a minute of crazily trembling and small whimpering already pushed Shikamaru's patience to the breaking point, and his limit is like God's will, which goes beyond the sky and flows amongst his favorite pool of clouds.
- Damn it Ino, I'm not giving you my only jacket!
Shikamaru raised his voice in distress.
It's hard to admit but her miserable state put uneasy effects on him – the least qualified gentlemen in the world he is - who knew just three weeks ago she has undergone a huge surgery and merely been out of hospital since four days ago.
- Y… Well… And I'm not asking for it either!
The way he stressed his words caught Ino off guard that she embarrassingly stumbled in a stutter, for it does not sound even a bit of annoying but purely worrisome, even with a tinge of perplexity like he was involved in a life-and-death situation where giving her his jacket like a real gentleman means his exposure to the cold or whatever can happen in vice versa.
It… gave Ino a queer idea of him – the most insensitive human in the world – genuinely gave a damn about her well-being, for he went as far as to bear the thought of keeping her warm in the face of his unfavorable position.
- Troublesome woman!
He gave it anyway, followed by an automatic-answering line voiced when he is faced with the potential for any kinds of "troublesome" situations.
- Well… you don't have to… but thanks!
And she felt reluctant but received it, nevertheless.
Though it's not the first time Shikamaru willingly treat her like a lady – of course, is not going to magically happen without external motivation, as you've seen just now – by sharing his jacket, Ino must say the warmth reserved by him is the coziest comfort she has ever felt. Not her blanket, bedroom, a warm bathtub; not a fireplace either. The kind of coziness filled with his familiar subtle scent, of soil and meadow, of dandelion and daisy, of Chouji's yakuniki spot and his own but distinct body odor, she guessed dreamily.
Ino can't help but breathe into his scent and Shikamaru can't help but shiver out of "his exposure to the winter's gust", slightly regret on his behalf at the decision of giving her his only windbreaker.
Nonchalantly glancing over his side until he's able to catch the sight of her glowing rosy cheek, such damn adorable woman left him incapacitated to control his facial muscle, which almost rendered a shameful shape of a genuine smile on his face.
Smirk – because a smirk is one of his legitimate hallmarks, period! – at the output, well, at least if both of them have to go through a real life-and-death situation, as long as Ino is safe and sound, Shikamaru can complacently "sleep" in peace forever ever…
.
.
When they finally reached her apartment, standing in front of her colorless door, Ino promptly felt the urge to force an insouciant, laid-back smile as she reticently returned the jacket now somehow hazily lingered her scent. Perhaps, in the circumstances, it's better to keep her feeling that way instead of riskily tearing their friendship asunder. Shikamaru had a person he loves, if she never learned anything louder and clearer than that, must have futilely started a fire and stupidly got her heartbroken later.
- Gosh, if your Temari knows about the whole jacket thing, then our village would be ready for a war and I'm not ready for it, again! You know…
She then breathed a sigh of fake relief, and a faint smile appeared as Ino lamely continued with her joke.
- What are you talking about? My Temari?
Raising his brows, Shikamaru uttered in a dazed, at if it's the first time he has heard about something like "my Temari" or such.
She can't blame Shikamaru for his weak reaction though, born with rare intellect and apathy over human's emotional nature. Must be nice that some deficiencies of one's quality seem to do their good since bliss came from ignorance and aloofness, her friend could stand with hands shoved into his pockets, do his work in his usually half-hearted attitude, nap on the grass near the village until dark, or skip a boring training just to watch the sky and clouds and somehow still receive praise from the people in the village.
She looked at his lazy blinks, lazy eyelids, even his unshaved thick eyebrows felt so lazy that they don't find the urge to move. Ino wondered what favorable characteristics he owns reached her heart and touched her soul, made her foolishly adore him – out of every man in the village, those who gave her unrelenting affections and received nothing – in every bit. A warm smile, because he would never know for she never tells, spread across her beautiful face.
- Gosh, everyone already knew about you two so just spill the beans!
Trying to crack a joke while remaining indifferent is the hardest thing to pull, to save their hopefully last conversation. Tomorrow he will leave this place and go to Suna village for maybe two months, one year, or even for good, at this point, Shikamaru and Temari's relationship is just so crystal clear that no one needs such an act of publicity to conclude whether or not they're dating.
- What are you talking about? Temari and I, we are not dating!
…
Silence fell over her apartment's hall, Shikamaru threw her for a sudden loop and Ino felt like puking. Naruto told her about their high possibility of tying the knot this morning, which left everyone an incredulous gasp at how fast an engagement approached their genius friend. Though she knew sooner or not it will happen, it's unfair for her to be the first one to know about this news, and she hated how nonchalantly he announced, how ruefully she collected her distorted verbal ability…
On top of everything, Ino hated how unconditionally her love for him despite the void of his reciprocation.
In her self-agony moment, Shikamaru felt amazed just the same as how her mind-manipulating skill doesn't help Ino at all when it comes to her problem.
- She is nothing but a friend, not a lover, especially not my fiancee as Naruto told you!
He calmly added. The unnecessary confliction and climax twisted by her same-old overdramatic preference – which pushed Ino to the point of self-infliction without her knowing – bored him to stupefaction.
Seriously, she got her ass worked up over a mere ridiculous rumor – spread by Naruto, how absurd his Hokage position is to circulate such false information – then blindly acted like a broken-hearted protagonist.
The more he thought about it, the sillier it sounds.
- So… you guys are not a thing?
Ino did not and never for once, expected the situation swerved against her expectation. So she was glazed over – not the best time to show glassy-eyes look but still – out of bewilderment and disbelief.
Though it's always a drag dealing with her absurdity, he needed to reaffirm his non-commitment in affection relationship, temporarily, and untangled whatever misunderstanding involved…
This is so high school-thing for a 25 grown-ass like him to do that Shikamaru found it hard to keep words pouring out of his lip.
- Troublesome, we're not, and I'll sure talk to Naruto about his craps later.
Naruto the Hokage got scolded by his strategist would be something interesting to watch. Imaging about its scene did help brighten her mood, and hearing Shikamaru, despite his "troublesome" for everything, fought his will and explained about the false rumor like a teenager really, truthfully made her day.
It's 11 p.m but Ino's heart just about to flower into blossoms, it's cliché how every adult bears an adolescent soul when they're in love.
Therefore, a warm smile lit up her face, once again but with genuine happiness, for like a decade hibernated in her miserable cave. She lowered her tone.
- Then, who you love?
A question Ino has never dared to voice.
But a question Shikamaru has been waiting for her to ask.
So he curled his mouth, not a smirk, but into a warm smile with his sincere affection.
- You are the only troublesome woman I have ever shared my jacket. You do the troublesome deduction!
She did the deduction anyway.
Such a jerk himself telling her to do all the troublesome works, and somehow she still found herself, happily, falling into his cozy embrace.
Sometimes, Ino wondered if their love smelt like an incandescent but subtle scent of his jacket. She saw it laid in soil and meadow, in dandelion and daisy, at Chouji's yakuniki spot and in their own eyes.