Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine.
Love Sick
"This is actually your fifth time being in here." Ino put down the fruit basket down the table beside his bed. Ino looked around the white painted room, and sighed heavily. She came from their flower shop where she did the general cleaning with her mom.
"Thanks, Ino. How was your day? Shikamaru has not dropped by here since yesterday."
"Don't mention his name while I'm here Chouji!" Ino suddenly glared at the pudgy orange haired teammate who has gotten sick of indigestion from attending Asuma-sensei birthday party last night.
"I'm sorry. I thought your conflict has long been solved." He said apologetically.
"You really thought it was something like a kiddie quarrel! He admitted to me last night that he had cheated! The third party was Temari!" she exclaimed her hand covered her face as she sobbed.
"Don't cry Ino, please." This was the time he was able to feel her. Before, he thought there was nothing so serious. "You can still talk about it the next time…" Ino settled on the chair beside the table, wiping her tears away.
"There's no next time. He can stay with that bitch as long as he wants!"
"Ino, calm down. You're saying that because the situation is still fresh. Find some time and you'll be healed from this. People make mistakes and forgiveness always awaits them. Don't let that feeling conquer you completely." Chouji tried to ease her.
"It's easy for you to say that because you haven't been in love and get hurt, Chouji." Ino said, not wanting to offend him or something.
"Oh, yeah I wish I did." He dropped his head to hide his sad face and reached for the fruit basket she brought.
--
The next day…
"Ino, you're here again!" Chouji rose slowly from lying down. "Isn't it you're working in your flower shop? Who's in charge there by this time?"
"I've got Sakura and Sasuke to take care of it for a while." She said with her brilliant smile. "I brought you some flowers." She untied the ribbon and reached for the flower vase.
"How much should I pay for that?" Chouji asked nonchalantly.
"It's for free, of course! You should have flowers in your sight while you're here." Ino said with concern.
"Okay." Chouji smiled and wondered at her friend's strange attitude. It was, yes, his fifth time in the hospital with the same diagnoses—indigestion. Ino has never been like that before during her visits. She was better off having heartbreaks because she realized the good deeds she omitted.
"Chouji, why are you having potato chips again? And these sodas! This is bad for your condition!" She pointed at the grocery bag beside his bed. She walked towards it and confiscated it.
"I didn't buy that for myself." He defensively said.
"Who bought it then?"
Chouji suddenly came to realize that she looked more fiercely than his own mother. He laughed to himself. Somehow he could not blame Shikamaru if he found a replacement for her. But Temari didn't look tamer either.
"Well, uh, Shikamaru…" He stammered, avoiding her gaze.
"I told you not to speak of his name while I'm here!" She yelled and stuffed the potato chip bag and soda inside her backpack without grace.
"Hey, but you were asking who bought those things…I-I just answered your question."
Ino sighed heavily and dropped her shoulders. She walked to the other side and sat on the chair for visitors. Her chin rested on her palm
"When did he come?" She asked calmly, her previous glittered aura ruined.
"L-last night." He was anxious she would get hysterical again that she needed to be hospitalized for that matter.
"What did he say? Did he mention anything about us?" Ino asked curiously.
"N-Nothing much. He said that all of us will go to another mission on the mountains sooner so I need to recover as soon as possible. I was actually sleeping already when he came and after he told me about that, he left immediately." Chouji just hoped he was walking on the right track.
Ino stood up, picked her backpack and walked past by him. She did not bother to face him because she felt her eyes breaking into tears.
"Bye, Chouji. Get well soon. I'll be back tomorrow, I promise."
Chouji watched her closed the door of his room. He didn't know how to feel about it. It looked like he was also involved in their conflict.
--
The next day…
Ino didn't come that day although Chouji waited for her. He thought maybe she was busy in the flower shop that was why she failed to visit him. Anyway, his parents had visited him in the morning and in the afternoon, Asuma-sensei and Naruto was there. That night, he could not seem to fall asleep. He glanced at the wall clock. It was 11:00 pm already. He was thinking of Ino and he didn't know why. Then somebody knocked the door and pushed open. To his surprise, it was the blonde teammate.
"Ino, it's too late now. I knew visiting hours are over."
Ino chuckled naughtily at him. "I used my mind transfer technique and I'll tell you later how." Ino sat on his bed and groaned. She seemed exhausted from a travel. He didn't know what to tell, just stare at her.
"You're not yet sleepy?" She asked shifting her gaze to him.
He broke from his daze and shook his head for an answer.
"Maybe because you're waiting for me." She chuckled softly.
"Not really..ha,ha." He blushed a bit.
"I did not expect you to come over here this late. Did something happen again?"
"I was with Sakura, we went to look for a wedding gown. We'll be back next week." Ino told nonchalantly.
"They're going to get married? This is too soon! When is it scheduled?" Chouji suddenly brightened up.
"I know you're excited about the food again. You haven't recovered from this yet and you'll go to get it again, huh?" Ino preached while walking back and forth inside his room. Chouji just laughed at it. Was Ino really that concerned about him? Or she was just jealous of Sakura and Sasuke's wedding?
"The wedding will be next month. Just a simple wedding, Sakura said." Ino pulled something inside her blue tote bag and heard a sound like when you opened a can of soda. She turned to face him and drank the beer can straightly to her mouth with a few liquid dripping down to her neck.
"What the—"
"I'm sorry but you can't drink beer by now. That was what the doctor told me. But, forgive me, I really have to do this…"
"Ino, what's the matter with you?" Chouji asked with a serious elevated tone.
"Look," She stuffed out a potato chip pack from her bag and threw it aside. "I still have your potato chips."
"Ino, what is going on with you? You're not like that before!" Chouji was real, real serious this time. His small eyes became button holes when he frowned.
"Nothing, really." She drank a mouthful, her chest wet from the streaming liquid from her mouth until she choked and coughed out. Her shirt got wet all over. Chouji blushed at this sight and avoided her gaze.
It was too soon that Ino has pulled her shirt over her head and threw it down the floor.
"Oh Kami-sama, please don't do this Ino!" Chouji's face went red as hotdog, as Ino was getting tipsier and tipsier.
She picked for another beer can and gulped it and poured the rest on her brassiere.
"Am I not pretty enough Chouji? Tell me! Ha,ha,ha!" She giggled loudly losing total control of herself. Chouji feeling dizzy, groped for his bag and picked a shirt. He jumped out of his bed and gripped Ino on her shoulders.
"Please stop it, Ino! I'm begging you!" Their faces were drawn close to each other. Ino's eyes started to water as Chouji loosened his grip covered the big shirt on her almost naked body.
She hugged him tightly and cried out loudly, burying her head on his soft chest.
"I'm sorry Chouji! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to bring you troubles of mine." Ino confessed hugging him more tightly.
"It's alright, it's alright. You can stay here just tonight if you want."
Ino went into clothes and lay beside Chouji in the hospital bed.
"This bed is not that large enough for us. I hope you're fine or," He rose up sitting. "I could just sleep on the chair."
"There's no need, Chouji. You're still sick, you need more rest than I do." Ino muttered softly under the blanket. Chouji removed the pillow from his head and placed it between them so that no one would think otherwise. Hopefully.
--
The next day…
The door opened and Shikamaru went it together with the doctor. He was horrified of what he saw. He found Ino embracing Chouji while sleeping, wearing the oversized shirt. The pillow was resting on the floor. Chouji moved his eyelids when he sensed noise coming from outside. He rubbed his eyes and opened it.
"Hey!" He suddenly pulled himself up releasing from Ino's embrace.
"Guys, it's not what you're thinking! Ino, wake up!" He shook Ino and she lazily got up and came to see what was happening.
"What the hell are you doing here Shikamaru?" Ino accused.
"Well, uh…um…" He was dumbfounded and forgot what he was supposed to say.
"I don't have to explain on this! We're already broken up!" Ino angered.
"Yeah, I see…" He yawned as early as 7:00 am. "But…I think—"
"Ahem, excuse me for a while people, I just want to tell you Mr. Akimichi Chouji that you are already okay and there's no need for you to stay longer, okay? I wrote here the medications you still need to take. You can go home now." The doctor handed him the prescription paper.
"Thank you very much, doctor." Chouji beamed nervously folding the paper between his hands.
"You're welcome." He turned his back and shoved out quickly.
The scenes went back again.
Shikamaru picked up the pillow and placed it on Chouji's lap.
"Shikamaru, I'm not some traitor you know. There's nothing between us, really!" Chouji explained worriedly.
"And even if there's really one, you have no right to be jealous! You're a cheater!" Ino defended herself, throwing the pillow to the black haired guy but he missed it.
"Guys, take it easy. I'm not accusing anyone here of something. I knew my mistakes and I'm really sorry about it even if you don't believe me. I just came here to give Chouji a visit. And since, you already have someone when you go home, I could just…leave by now." Shikamaru said with a miserable tone and silently walked out. None of them was able to speak.
--
At Sakura's wedding reception…
Ino and Chouji were on one table eating together.
"Ino, I'm so glad that you are friends again with Shikamaru." Chouji told her happily, slicing the fried chicken on his plate without looking at her.
"Indeed." Ino said. She watched Chouji ate the spoonful of rice and viand. "I never thought you are so cute Chouji."
Chouji coughed and spitted the food on the floor. He wiped his mouth and apologized to Ino. "That was a nasty joke, Ino." He continued his eating.
"I'm not kidding. In fact, I think I'm falling in love with you." Ino spoke staring at her chubby comrade. Who could actually think that a girl like here could fall for a guy who wears briefs on his head? She laughed to herself. But she liked him so much.
"Are you crazy? I suggest you eat your food, it's just hunger."
"Chouji, can you kiss me?" Ino asked naughtily, blinking her eyes beautifully.
"What?"
"I said kiss me, Chouji." Ino moved her seat closer to him. The crowd started to get noisy because the bride and groom were about to dance.
"No way! I mean, there's a lot of people around here." Chouji mistook it for Ino creating a scene so as not to see Sakura and Sasuke's sweetness. Ino would always be Ino.
"And so what? Are you gay?" Ino challenged.
"Of course not!" Chouji exclaimed. "Ino, will you stop this joking!" Chouji walked away, bringing the fried chicken in his hands. Ino followed him until they reached the comfort room where no one is around.
"Ino, it's not funny playing with other people's feelings. Could you stop—" Ino planted a kiss on his lips without warning. His hands dropped the fried chicken on the floor. He was about to cup Ino's face but his hands are filled with oil. She pulled out and stared at him. Ino was really beautiful, and her kiss is great.
"Why me, Ino?" Chouji could not his hesitations. "I'm a fat bastard...and I don't want to believe in all these."
"Chouji, you are a human being. You're not a fat bastard. You have a heart and you can fall in love!"
He wiped his oily palms on his pants and bent to kiss Ino. This time, he hugged her little body without reluctance. They kissed passionately.
The End
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