Disclaimer: I do not own NARUTO.

Fandom: NARUTO, a creation of Kishimoto Masashi.

Summary: Just my imagination with the theme: "Why did Ino grow her hair long again?"

Warning: Spoilers?

Pairings: Probably SasuIno and slight SasuSaku

Genre: General.

Unexpectedly Said

By Adelle-chan

"It is impossible to love and be wise."

Yamanaka Ino promised herself that she would never, ever have a crush on Uchiha Sasuke. The proof of that promise was within her hair - her very short hair because of her fight in the Chuunin Selection Exams. It was said that he liked females with long hair. That was the only reason why she had grown her hair. But now…

Now that she realized that her rival - and former friend - Haruno Sakura was more attached to the man in question, she just fell out of place. Like two fingers snapped, she lost all feeling she had for him - like a kid who just woke up from a good dream. Good, but still a dream, nonetheless.

So when she told Shikamaru and Chouji about her newly acknowledged feelings, they looked at her with eyes that clearly asked, "Are you on drugs?" Ino, being Ino, could not stand people who did not believe her. All she did was restrain her God-assigned teammates until they could no longer move. After that, the two concluded, "She really is on drugs." Unfortunately, Ino heard them. She chased them all the way home.

When she headed home, she told her parents that she'd let her hair stay short. Her father looked up from his meal. Her mother stopped midway before she could pick up the bonito flakes. They stared at her and asked, "Doesn't that Sasuke like girls with long hair?"

Ino scoffed. "Like I care."

Upstairs in her bedroom, she threw away all her hair ties. She was amazed when her ordeal was over. She accumulated three big bags of hair ties. Realizing that she could not sneak out just so she could dispose those bags, she resigned herself to dreams.

Early in the morning, she woke up and freshened up. She looked at her reflection. Short hair suited her just fine. It framed her face, allowing her a much younger look. It made her seem a little chubby, though. She grinned and went out of the bathroom.

She had no training for the day, so she settled herself at their store. Everyone was looking at her strangely but decided to stay quiet. They didn't want her to get angry. It was the routine of the day until a girl came up to her, holding a white rose in her hand. She wanted the rose delivered to her love.

She wanted to give the rose to Sasuke.

So now, Ino stared meekly at the door: the door that would lead to her to the Uchiha. She knocked gently. She heard no answer, so she silently twisted the knob and entered.

The room was immaculately white. It looked like any other hospital room. Except for the heavy scent of despair around the room and the missing patient. She shivered and walked straightly to her destination. I better get this done.

Ino grabbed the vase from the side table and hurried to the bathroom. One of the conveniences of being detained… uh… hospitalized in Konoha is the facility. The room has everything you would need in a house, except a fridge, since the medic-nin were monitoring the patients' diet. She put water into the vase, then placed the flower. 'A single white rose.' she mused. Quickly, she turned off the faucet and hurried outside. She gingerly placed the container back to the side table.

It was then when she heard voices outside.

"The doctor said you'll be just fine, Sasuke-kun. All you need is rest," said a jolly voice outside.

Ino's eyes widened. Sakura.

"Hai."

A bead of sweat formed on her forehead. Sasuke-kun.

"You don't have to worry about anything. We'll be back for missions after this is done." Sakura's voice seemed to be just outside the door. The knob was turning and the door opened.

"O-ohayou." Ino managed a whisper.

Both heads stared at her.

"I… I was delivering the flower, but no one was here, so I decided to enter. I'm sorry if I intruded." She bowed her head, not wanting to see their faces.

"Ino?" Sakura asked.

"Hai?" she replied without raising her head.

"Raise your head," Sasuke ordered curtly.

She quickly straightened up. The two pairs of eyes were fixed on her; the green ones looking at her in astonishment, the onyxes were scrutinizing her appearance.

"You have no hair ties," observed Sakura.

"H-hai." Damn! I'm stuttering like Hinata. She cleared her throat, attempting to gain stability. "I thought it looked better for me than long hair. My hair before was always getting in the way during fights."

"Sou ka," agreed Sakura. "It makes you look younger, though."

"Thanks. I'll be leaving now." She bowed again. "Sayonara, Sakura." When she straightened up, she was surprise when Sasuke was already in bed. He stared at the window. "Sayonara, Sasuke." She bowed.

"Ino," he started.

"Hai?"

"Short hair doesn't suit you," he commented without looking at her.

So? How was it?