Chapter 10- A Talk On the Bridge
"Ino! Ino! Wait up!"
"Shikamaru? You're already finished eating? But you haven't even finished half of your bowl yet! What are you doing here?"
The two of them blushed at each other. Then, Shikamaru replied, "I, uh… Suddenly realized I wasn't that hungry anymore, so I gave the rest of my bowl to Choji…"
"…So… Where are you heading now, Ino?
"Who? Me? Well, um, I was on my way to the bridge where I said I'd meet you guys once you've finished eating."
"The bridge? Would you mind if I came with you?"
Ino blushed and stared at Shikamaru.
"Well? May I come with you, Ino?"
"Uhhh… Sure!"
The two walked together, holding each other's hands. They talked about many things and laughed at each other's stories. They smiled and blushed at one another as well. It was so cute… They looked at each other lovingly, sweetly and tenderly, until they finally got to the bridge. They walked and stayed at the middle of the bridge and looked at the pond below them.
"The lilies look beautiful, don't they, Shikamaru?"
"Yes… Just like you, Ino."
"Yeah… WHAT!"
"Huh?"
"Did you just say… That I was… 'Beautiful?'"
"Huh? Yes, I did!"
"Oh, Shikamaru…"
"…because if I said that you were ugly, you'd kill me for sure, right?"
"WHAAAAT! HMPH! You're unbelievable!"
"Thanks!"
Ino was once again, annoyed by what Shikamaru had said. 'Why did he have to be so clever?' She thought. She looked away. Then suddenly, Shikamaru wrapped one of his arms around her and drew her closer to him. Ino blushed again.
"Shikamaru…"
Shikamaru smiled, looking at the pond and said, "You really hate it when I use my wit against you, don't you, Ino?"
"HUH! What do you mean? Of course I do!" Ino replied, then, pushed Shikamaru away,
"It's really annoying, you know! You're not supposed to do that! Especially not to me!"
"Really? Why is that so?"
"BECAUSE IT'S SO ANNOYING! I COULD BITE YOUR DUMB DUMMY HEAD RIGHT OFF!"
"Now, that doesn't sound nice!"
"AND THAT'S WHY YOU SHOULD STOP DOING THAT!"
"Doing what?"
"THAT! YOU'RE DOING IT AGAIN!"
"Doing what? I don't get you!"
"YOU IDIOT! YOU'RE USING YOUR CLEVERNESS AGAINST ME AGAIN!"
"No, I'm not!"
"YES, YOU ARE! YOU'RE ANNOYING ME WITH THAT SECRETLY EVIL MIND OF YOURS!"
"My mind is not secretly evil! I'm innocent!"
"YOU'RE LYING!"
"No, I'm not! I'm telling the truth!"
"WHY CAN'T YOU JUST QUIT IT! I WANT THE BOTH OF US GETTING ALONG!
SO, THE LEAST YOU COULD DO IS COOPERATE!"
Suddenly, Ino blushed. Shikamaru did, too.
"You want the two of us… getting along?" Shikamaru asked her.
Ino tried to look somewhere else and turned around, facing Shikamaru's opposite direction.
"Yeah! You got a problem with that?" she answered.
Shikamaru shyly smiled at her and answered, "Actually, no! It's just that… You aren't acting quite like yourself these days, Ino. I mean, the shyness, the blushing and now this… You want the two of us getting along…"
"…well, Shikamaru, I…"
"…I like it. I'll stop annoying you, if that's what you want, Ino!"
Ino smiled and looked at Shikamaru. "Thanks, Shikamaru." she said, with a dazzling smile.
"Anything for a friend." Shikamaru replied, "And besides, you're a girl. I'm a guy. I'm supposed to treat you with respect!"
"Oh, stop it with that girl and guy talk, Shikamaru!" Ino said, mussing his hair.
"Ow-hey! Cut it out, Ino!"
"Wow! You guys look like you're having fun with each other!"
"Choji? You're finished eating already?"
"YEAH! And BOY, am I stuffed! I still have some room for dessert, though!"
"Will it be cake, or ice cream?"
"Cake AND ice cream! You do know I'd never settle with just one, right, Ino?"
"Oh… Yeah…"
"Leave everything to me. I'll pay for it all."
"Shikamaru? Are you sure!"
"Whaddya mean? Of course I am! After all, it's for my two best friends in the whole world, right? Leave the bill to me!"
Then, the three friends walked together going to Konoha's new dessert bar to have some dessert!
When they got to the dessert bar, Choji, again, immediately sat on his seat and rubbed his hands together... AGAIN.
"I suppose you'd want to order something besides water this time…" Shikamaru told Ino.
"You got that right! A pretty girl like me can never turn down good dessert!" Ino replied.
"Should I buy one huge cake and a huge tub of ice cream for the three of us?" Shikamaru asked, checking his wallet.
"I'm pretty sure Choji could finish all of that put together…" Ino replied.
"HUH? Don't worry about me! I won't take everything this time! After all, it's Shikamaru who's paying for this! I wouldn't want the bill to be too expensive for him!" Choji told them.
Shikamaru smiled at his friend. Then, asked, "So… What'll it be?"
"A HUGE CHOCOLATE CAKE FOR ALL OF US!" Choji exclaimed.
"And what ice cream flavor would you guys like?"
"Vanilla sounds nice!" Ino replied.
"Then it's one huge chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream for Ino-Shika-Cho! Comin' up!"