Normal text – "Naruto"

Thought text – 'Ino'

Jutsu/Bloodline – Rasengan

The Hero and The Florist

Chapter 4

[Ino's PoV]

It had been about 4 hours since Naruto had been the perfect gentleman and walked her from their lunch outing at Ichiraku's, and Ino was still on cloud nine, even if she didn't know that a certain pinkette and Silver-haired Jonin had spotted them walking hand in hand unknowingly. When they realized that they were in fact holding hands, surprisingly, neither one let go, instead just blushed a little and continued walking. To her, it just felt natural, as if they'd done this so many times in the past. Although, she did have to resist the urge to lay her head on Naruto's broad shoulders, knowing full well it was too early for that level of display of affection, especially in public. She wasn't even bothered by both her father not only catching them in the act, but his teasing about it. What she was more worried about what her father told her.

[Flashback Start]

"Thanks for walking me home Naruto, you didn't have to, you know." A slightly blushing Ino said, still holding his hand, not really wanting to let go, but knew she'd have to in order to get back to work.

"It's no big deal. If Pervy Sage taught me anything that wasn't perverted, it was to always escort a lady home after a…date" Naruto replied with a deepened blush at the thought of their lunch outing being a date, even an unofficial one, also not wanting to let go of her soft, warm hands that seem to fit perfectly in his.

It was Ino's turn to deepen her blush at the reminder of Akame's insinuation of the lunch outing being a date and laughed, "I still can't be that you called one of the Sannin something like that. I'm surprised he didn't beat you for it."

The male blonde joined in the laughter. "Yeah, guess I got lucky… but…I suppose it's because… he gave me my name through this book…" finishing in a sad tone, pulling out a book title 'The Tales of a Gutsy Ninja.'

The young florist looked at him and the book with sympathy, not even being to comprehend what it meant to him that his mentor might have been his godfather, which wouldn't be too hard to figure out, even for a knucklehead like Naruto. "Hmm, that might have been it."

It was then that her father opened the shop door, noticing the blushes on the future couple's faces and the fact they were holding hands.

"Welcome back love birds" Inoichi grinned as he watched them jump apart from each other, instantly letting go of each other, doing a deeper shade of red.

"H-hello Mr. Yamanaka, I-I hope that I didn't keep your daughter away from work too long." Naruto said as politely as he could, having also learned not to piss of the parents of the girl you were with.

"DAD! We aren't together! Yet…" The young heiress fumed

Deciding to ease the young man in front of him, the father gave a gentle smile at Naruto. "No boy, you didn't, thank you for that." Then looked at his daughter at spoke to her via their telepathic link. "I don't know young lady, you two looked pretty content, even unwilling to let go of each other. Play your cards right and you could have him as your boyfriend in no time."

Ino only blushed deeper at that, trying to hide it from Naruto before responding "I honestly hope so… I really like him, and no, not only because he's 'The Hero of the Leaf', but because he's a really great guy. Not many would walk me home from just a simple lunch outing… I want to make it up to him for treating him so badly and ignoring him after being his friend real friend."

At the mention of the way she treated Naruto and hearing that his daughter was the boy's first friend, he felt guiltier than ever, but turned to Naruto. "well Naruto, I hope to see more of you. Ino needs to get back to work as well taking care of your request" then turned Ino giving her a "We'll talk more inside look" at which she nodded.

Naruto not being completely dense as everyone else thought and caught on to the underlying message. "yeah, I need to go check to see if there is anything I can do to help around the village. See ya later Ino" And takes off after giving his foxy grin and jumps off to rooftops.

Inside the shop, Ino went directly to Naruto's plant and started taking care of it and without looking at her father. "So, why did you tell me to stay away from him when we were kids? Does it have to do with that chakra he used during yesterday's fight or the reason those Akatsuki thugs want him so bad that they killed Asuma Sensei?"

The elder Yamanaka flinched at the tone of her voice and the questions. "Yes, it does… Tell me, did the Akatsuki say anything?"

Ino narrowed her eyes. "yeah, something about him being a Jinchuriki, whatever that is."

"Jinchuriki are for all intents and purposes, living sacrifices. Before I continue, you must know this could very well change your opinion of Naruto." He stated sternly.

"I doubt that… not after he helped avenge Asuma Sensei and managed to bring everyone back that died from Pein…"

At this Inoichi sighed. 'I hope I'm right about telling her about this… forgive me Naruto if this doesn't go well.' "17 years ago, on October 10th, the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox attacked the leaf… you learned this in school, that the Fourth Hokage killed it that night. However, it can't be killed… no it was sealed… inside a newborn baby." He paused watching his daughter, seeing her eyes widen.

"Naruto…has the fox inside him…? Is that why the people hated him before now…? Why you stopped me from being friends with him?! Because of something that he didn't even have a choice in?! Yeah, ok, I wouldn't have been so understanding as a kid. How would anyone that young handle learning that one of your classmates had a demon in their gut? But in no way does it seem to be influencing him unless he loses control of his anger, which is what I assumed happened when we felt that ominous chakra after Pain stabbed Hinata. Why did the Fourth seal it within Naruto?" Ino was livid that she was denied someone that would have been likely been her best friend and possibly her boyfriend by now. Not to mention very happy if the lunch outing was any indicator.

Her father was flabbergasted at what she just said. She was ok with the fox being within Naruto? She was pissed that was the reason she was denied a friend? He couldn't help but feel proud. "In all honesty, I don't know why."

She sighed. "I'm still not happy with you for denying me and him… you better make up for this Dad… "

[Flashback end]

She couldn't believe that Naruto held such a secret within him… no wonder everyone used to hate him before he proved himself by defeating Pain. But she didn't care. No demon would be like him, protective, cheerful, even bashful. Hell, she didn't know how he could be so cheerful… If it were her, she'd given in to depression and taken her own life or given into the demon and killed the entire village or let it loose. She had even more respect for him now than she did after he saved the village. "You're really something Naruto…" was all she could say before closing the store for the day.

[Naruto PoV]

After leaving the Yamanaka Flower Shop, Naruto made his way to the training field where he created the Wind Style: Rasenshuriken, and just as he was about to being training he sensed two chakra signatures. "You two can come out now, Sakura, Kakashi Sensei."

They calm out looking slightly surprised. "Guess we shouldn't be surprised that you could sense us, Naruto." Kakashi said.

Sakura, still being thrown from what Ino told her, just nodded to what their team captain and sensei said.

"So, what can I do for you two? I was just about to train." The blonde said, silently taking note of Sakura's distant look. 'Wonder what's wrong with her? It's not like her to be so quiet.'

"Well, we were looking for you, when we saw you with a certain young blonde, walking hand in hand." The silver-haired Jonin spoke in a somewhat teasing voice and noticed Naruto's cheeks heat up slightly.

'Crap, they saw us… is that why Sakura looks so distant?' "Yeah? We were coming from having Ramen for her lunch break" the Blonde said trying to keep his cool and not show his embarrassment.

"Must have been some lunch break to have been so lost in the moment not to notice. I'm happy for you." Giving Naruto his patent eye smile.

At this Sakura decided to speak up with an underlying tone of slight irritation and jealousy "Unfortunately Naruto, we aren't here with pleasant news… Lady Tsunade hasn't woke up since yesterday after you defeated Pain."

Naruto snapped to look at her. "What? Are you serious?! She used her seal again didn't she?"

Sakura just nodded before responding. "Before you go running off to check on her, Shizune is looking after her. I'll be headed that way myself after this to help… We don't need you to be making a racket when she needs her rest. Besides…" She gives Kakashi a glance "I'd like to talk with Naruto alone if you don't mind Sensei."

Both Naruto and Kakashi noticed the underlying tone that didn't leave any room for argument. "yeah, sure, I'll catch up with you later Naruto, I believe we have something to talk about regarding your fight yesterday." Naruto nodded, knowing the one eyes Jonin wanted to know about the ninetails. "Well then, I'll be off. Play nice you two." He finished as he disappeared in a puff of smoke, having used the Teleportation Jutsu.

"So, what did you want to talk about Sakura. I heard you were with Ino and the rest last night. Come to lecture me on rejecting Hinata?" clearly showing his irritation at what he figured she wanted to talk about.

"Yeah, that's right." Not liking his tone. "How could you let Hinata down when she risked her life to help you and confess at the same time when that girl had a crush on you since the academy!? And you turn her down cause 'you're not ready to date yet?!' and yet you constantly ask me out every chance you get?! That's bullshit Naruto and you know it! Especially since we spot you walking hand in hand with Ino lost in la-la land!" She yelled, living up to her name as the Banshee of the Leaf.

"I know she saved me and risked her life to do so but I just can't return her feelings alright! And as far as you are concerned…. I've realized you will never stop loving Sasuke, so give me one good reason why I should continue to chase after you!" Naruto yelled back

Sakura was shocked by what she just heard, he was giving up on his pursuit of her because of Sasuke? Did he actually love her? "Give it a break Naruto, you've always been jealous of Sasuke, not just because I love him, but because he's always stronger than you. and what about this not being ready to date yet we find you walking Ino home, hand and hand?"

"If I were jealous of Sasuke, I wouldn't still be working to keep that 'promise of a lifetime' I made to you…." he said quietly, but with clear anger in his voice. "And why are you so hung up on Ino and me? You and I are nothing more than teammates and good friends, yet it's almost like you're the one that's jealous of us!"

Again, Sakura is stunned but quickly recovered. "Yeah right! Why would I be jealous of Ino pig… you know-" Naruto then cut her off when his eyes changed to blood red with fox-like slits and deep, almost demonic voice she's only ever heard when he's channeling the Ninetails chakra. "Don't insult her in my presence again. Yes, I know she too may still be in love with him, you don't have to remind me about her being in the same Uchiha fan club as you or used to be. At least she doesn't beat me all the damn time. What the real reason Sakura… enough beating about the bush!"

'What's with him, he's never cut me off before much less got angry at me enough to use that demon's chakra.' "Fine! What is this about Ino being your first crush?! Why didn't you pester her instead of me all this time?!"

"…so that's it. I'm guessing Ino told you that last night after everyone else left." He said quietly, calming down as his eyes returned to his ocean blue eyes, but never lose the fox-like slits. "Yeah, she was my first crush, and the one who gave me my love for plants, even if it was just the one meeting, she was the first to be nice to me or even acknowledge that I even existed outside of being the "kid we should stay away from" before she gave into peer pressure and I'm assuming her parents had something to do with that too…"

"You don't know how much it hurt to have my first chance at having a friend being torn away from me for a reason I didn't even know til Mizuki told me that I had the fox inside me when we graduated… I didn't even know her name… and she seemed to either not recognize me or ignore me because of what everyone else said and was doing. But I don't fault her for it. I probably would do the same in her shoes. That is if I had parents growing up."

Sakura couldn't believe what she was hearing he just confirmed what Ino said to her. She was lost in her thoughts as he continued in his low but angered voice. "As for why I didn't 'pester' her because I didn't want her to get into trouble. That and she didn't even seem to recognize me. Besides… Do you really think that I simply moved on immediately? No… I didn't. Didn't you notice I didn't start 'pestering' you til the last year of the academy when we graduated? I can't believe the time I wasted chasing you… even going so far as to transform into Sasuke that day to see what you thought of me, going so far as to tell you that your forehead was charming and that I'd kiss it all day. I would have gotten a kiss from you that if it hadn't been for that bad milk I had at breakfast."

Now Sakura's world was shattered… 'that…wasn't Sasuke….? That…. was Naruto…? Those words meant so much to me… No! That can't be true! But… Naruto wouldn't lie about something like that… especially not as emotional as he is right now. Had I known that….' "That…was you?" was all she could manage to voice.

Naruto just turned to leave. "What does it matter? That happened almost 4 years ago now. I'm out of here, you go check up on granny. I need to find Kakashi Sensei." And leapt off into the treeline only to hear Sakura call out to him asking to wait, but he didn't, and just took off. Not wanting to deal with her anymore, knowing she'd try to figure it out, giving him a lecture along the line of "Why didn't you tell me? I would've given you a chance!" or some bullshit not knowing how close to the truth he was.

After about 10 minutes of searching, finding Kakashi in a tent with Yamato, obviously waiting for him. Kakashi, being as observant as he always was. "Hey, Naruto, what's wrong? Your talk with Sakura not go well?"

"I don't want to talk about it… Let's just focus on why you wanted to talk to me… the incident with the fox and the fight pain right?" He said still aggravated with Sakura and couldn't get to look of shock on her face out of his head.

"First let's calm down… I get your upset right now, but you don't need to take it out on us." Yamato spoke up.

Naruto knew he wasn't being fair and nodded while taking a deep breath to try and calm down. "You're right, I'm sorry."

"It's alright, now what happened with the Nine-Tail? I was notified you went 8 tails and word is you almost completely turned into the fox. How did you reverse it?" Yamato asked. Kakashi too was curious, even if he was technically dead at that time, learning of this surprised him greatly and decided to add. "And why did you resort to the fox's chakra? Neither one of us were around, be it temporarily dead or away on a mission."

Naruto lowered his head, his bangs hiding his eyes. "It happened when Hinata saved my life, confessed her love for me, then ended up getting stabbed through the gut with one of Pain's chakra rods… Seeing her seemingly lifeless body, I snapped… I gave into my rage, I wanted to rip him apart… I almost let the fox out too because I was so angry, I couldn't think, and the fox used that… if it weren't for some interference within the seal I would have…"

"…what do you mean interference? What happened?" That was all either of them could ask, knowing that seeing a friend dying in front of him would set him off to such a degree.

"The... Fourth appeared inside my mindscape… he…told me he was my father… and reinforced the seal, stopping the fox and allowing me to regain control. Of course, I couldn't believe that my own father would seal the fox within me, but he explained it a little, saying he couldn't ask another parent to use their child as a vessel… no, he wouldn't have been fit to be Hokage if that were the case." The Jinchuriki said, tears rolling down his cheeks.

Yamato was floored at this information, but Kakashi, while surprised, gave the young man in front him a sympathetic look. "I see… so sensei helped you out huh… that's so like him to think that far ahead…"

It Naruto's turn to be shocked. "You…knew my father…?"

The silver-haired Jonin just nodded in response, knowing Naruto probably felt betrayed.

"Why didn't you tell me….?"

"I believe I did tell you I was the Fourth's student, but I couldn't tell you that he was your father. Even as mature as you are now… you'd likely have been stunned, then excited, and told Sakura, and she would have told probably Ino, and that would have leaked to neighboring villages. Some of which have a serious grudge against Minato Sensei… so you can't tell anyone, alright?" He said in a kind but firm tone.

Naruto nodded, understanding that letting people know would be bad with the amount enemies his father made during the Third Great Ninja War. "Alright, but it's going to be hard to keep to myself if I get a girlfriend soon."

"You mean Ino… what's going on there?" Kakashi asked knowingly, and poor Yamato was still shocked, now was even more confused, He thought Naruto was hung up on Sakura.

The Jinchuriki sighed, knowing Kakashi would figure it out. "You see… I finally come to realize that Sakura will never give up on loving Sasuke, and that hit me hard, which is why I told Hinata I wasn't ready to date… but… Ino… she…was my first friend and crush, before she was told to stay away from me… those feelings only just started returning when I went to her shop yesterday to get flowers to thanks Hinata. And today, everything just felt right… I had even noticed we joined hands partway back to her home, but, that too felt right. Like her hand fit perfectly with mine."

Yamato grinned slightly, and Kakashi gave Naruto his eye smile. "I see, well just be sure to take it slow. You don't wanna mess this up."

"Yeah, I know. Anyway, I'm gonna go check on Granny. See you later!"

End of chapter