Chapter 4: white flowers and lateness
a week after..it was a saturday morning.. 'ahhh!.. GOOD MORNING INO!!' ino mentally told herself as she rose from her sleepy bed. she yawned and stretched while the sunshine was shining through her window.. "GOOD MORNING SUN!!" this time, it was said out loud.. then she starting saying good morning to everything in her room, good morning, bed, mirror, window, wardrobe, clothes, shoes, slippers, and etc.. she was happy this morning or this afternoon.. AFTERNOON?? ino thought.. she glanced at her clock, 11:40.. 11:40??!! what?? im suppose to meet shikamaru by 12!! im never gona make it!!!.. ino was soooo angry with herself. she quickly glanced at her reflection in the mirror.. *gasp* MY HAIR!!! MY FACE!! ino yelled in her head as she held her not-so-pretty-blonde hair.. she ran into the showers right that moment..
after getting all ready..
well.. shikamaru must be late.. he never is on time.. ino thought trying not to mess up her first date!!.. yes.. its true.. their first date and ino overslept!!!.. this was ruining her reputation.. she glanced again at her clock, 11:59.. she reassured herself that he is not going to be on time!!.. so she ran downstairs, where the flowershop was.. and was running off but was stopped by mrs. yamanaka..
"HONEY!! i saw shikamaru today." ino stopped at her tracks at the moment when she heard her mother say "saw" and "shikamaru" in the same sentence. "what?! he was here?? when?? what did he say?? its because im late.. isnt??" ino about to burst into tears asked all those question in a minute. "umm.. no.. not really.. but he just came to buy some flowers." her mother replied looking confused.. flowers??!!! OHHH!!! SHIKAMARU!!!.. FOR ME?!! maybe he is a romantic guy after all.. ino thought as she was hugging herself.. her mom, still confused, stared at her daughter like she was crazy.. ino noticed the stare and stopped her action.. "oh.. umm.. well.. i gotta run mother." "wait, what kinda flowers??what color? was it beautiful??" but then she thought to herself, no, i want to be surprised!! with that, she ran all the way to the meeting place filled with joy.. "umm, they were white callas..and they were pretty??" she said.. she looked as if she was crazy talking to herself.. then, went back to work..
=at the meeting place=
"SHIKAMARU!!!" ino yelled as she ran all the way to him.. when she got there, she was holding her breath like crazy.. ino?? shikamaru thought.. he was soo confused for the reason for being at ichiraku.. a place where ino is disgusted by.. was she here to see him?? what was the purpose?? "umm, hey!" shikamaru said, waving a little.. "so," ino catching the last heavy breathe, "you ready?" shikamaru looked DOUBLE confused.. "uhh.." shikamaru was waiting for ino to explain.. ino suddenly dropped her smile.. "our date.. do you even remember??" she asked.. getting ticked off.. "yeah.. i remembered." just realizing now that today was their date.. "uhh.. i was just trying to ask you why you're late.. yeah.. i didnt want to get you mad just asking it at the minute you arrive." shikamaru thought, PHEW! as he glanced at the clock in the ichiraku which was now, 12:10.. OH! ino thought... looking much happier.. "so.." she started to look around for her flowers.. she thought, it is for me, right??.. "you ready?" she said, having a last glance.. "yeah." but he was still nervous about the person who was still in ichiraku.. ordering some food.. just then, a head popped out..
"shikamaru! i just-" naruto looked at ino who was holding shikamaru's hand.. he wasnt surprised cus he knew now they were a couple but.. why was she here? like, right now?? he was suppose to hang with shikamaru for lunch at ichiraku, he was about to tell him that he just finished the ordering and that they're food came out.. but he stopped.. "ino? i didnt know you'd be-" naruto was suddenly distracted by shikamaru.. he was pointing at their locked hands and he was mouthing the word,"DATE" naruto realized now..
"what naruto??" ino asked, who hated to waste another moment of her precious date.. "i didnt know you'd be what?" ino asked again.. "uhh.. you'd be late! yeah.. your not that kinda girl.. your actually, never late!.. yeah..haha.." naruto replied nervously.. with that reply, ino rolled her eyes.. "well!.. there is a first for everything.. lets go shikamaru.. bye naruto!" she said happily as she wrapped her arm around his and walked off.. shikamaru turned his head over his shoulder and gave him a thank-you smile.. naruto thinking, well, thats double ramen for me!!.. and walked back into the shop..
"so shikamaru!, should i keep calling you shikamaru or shikamaru-kun?? which one sounds nicer??" ino looked at him.. they were walking in a park filled with blossom trees and other flower trees.. no many people were there.. it was a beutiful park.. and a beutiful couple to go along with it..
shikamaru thought, how did she drag me into this place?? what if im seen?? oh man.. ino noticed that hes eyes were wondering all over the place and so was his thought.. "shikamaru!!!" ino yelled.. not loud but loud enough.. "hmm.. huh?? yeah ino?" she now had his attention.. "i was saying.. should i call you shikamaru or shikamaru-kun??" shikamaru had his okay expression.. "umm.. i dont know.. which ever you like.. so should i call you ino or ino-chan?" about the calling her ino or ino-chan was a sarcastic remark but ino took it seriously.. "well.. i'll call you shikamaru when we're comfortable.. but around other people.. i should call you shikamaru-kun.. you can do the same too." she smiled sweetly at him again.. "yeah.. sure.." shikamaru said.. ino saw his face.. which was not good.. at least, for her..
"shikamaru? is something wrong??" she asked as they strolled down.. he shook his head, indicating that he wasnt.. she had to ask him something.. and that something had to be said now.."shikamaru.." she said as she stopped which stopped him also.. he looked at her as if something in her eyes told him that she had to talk.. "you didnt.. you didnt remember our date.. did you?" she asked nervously.. her hands were shaking which was holding his hand.. so she let go..
he noticed that she had let go of his hand and he felt frightened to.. to hurt her.. "umm, no.. why would you-" "think that? im not a fool shikamaru.. please dont lie to me." ino looked sad than angered.. "..sorry ino.. i havent seen you for so long and i remembered but naruto came up yesterday and i just forgot.. im really sorry.." shikamaru hoped that she would understand.. "soo.." ino said, trying to look away from his eyes.. "those flowers werent for me.." shikamaru was confused at first but he later realized what she was talking about.. "how did you-" "were they for naruto?" ino looked up at him making a sarcastic remark.. he just looked at her back.. not wanting to talk back to her.. "or for your mother?" she said again but now in a serious curious tone.. shikamaru looked away from her not wanting to answer her at all.. then, ino remembered something her mother had said before she didnt hear her no more.. white.. the color of the flowers!.. then she remembered something else too.. from her flower-arranging class back when she was a child.. "they were for kione.." she said.. disappointed.. she knew it was okay for him to still remember her but.. this feeling, this sensation was awkward..
shikamaru thought to himself.. man, how come theres only one flower shop in the village!! he looked over at ino who was looking down at her feet.. he moved her head to face him by gently rising her chin.. she smiled at him.. and he said, "ino, please understand.." with the most puppy dog eyes ever.. she just simply told him " i will." and continued walking.. shikamaru went after her, and when he reached her, he placed his arm over her shoulder.. they continued to walk in silence..
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ok, for those who dont know kione.. shes shikamaru's love who died trying to save him.. he cant get over her and after she dies, ino starts having feelings for shikamaru.. so if you havent read the fic, a stranger, a lover, a friend.. then GO READ IT!!.. haha.. REVIEWS PLZ!!!