Theme/Number: #3. Embrace

Aburame Shino was not one for affection. When he saw couples he wrinkled his nose privately ruling against their loss of public concern about what was proper around everyone.

A few years later as Yamanaka Ino, the most beautiful girl of their graduation year comes up and kisses Shino without so much of a concern when her best friend goes 'ew' behind their back he finds himself smiling. Kissing back even. Hearing the blond giggle against his body brings a few chuckles to him as well.

"That is so gross." Someone whispers as Shino walks hand in hand with his girlfriend. He laughs when Ino hears the person and decides not so gracefully to turn around and flip them off.

Motioning for her to look at someone they know well Ino turns to see Neji disaproving glance to them both. Or more so Ino's manners.

Shino shakes his head as the blue eyed girl sticks her tongue out at the Hyuuga. The bug freaks eyes widened when Ino forcefully grabbed Shino and pulled him into a kiss eagerly wanting tongue.

The look on Neji's face was the same as Shino's would have been a few years ago. Before Ino. Ino pulls her boyfriend forward to their destination and Shino thinks that Neji will be in his place in the next few years.

But it didn't really matter. Shino now saw why those couples were ready to show their love for each other to the world. As he embraces Ino and kisses her cheek Shino is silently happy that he gets to show the world what she means to him too.