N.O.-S.A.N.C.T.U.A.R.Y- Hey everyone! Thank you so much for the reviews, I didn't expect so much, guess I should be more positive. Anyway, I'm glad I'm keeping Sasuke in character; it's simpler than writing Hiei from Yu Yu Hakusho since Hiei doesn't talk much.

And yeah it is wrong that people call Ino a whore, yet Sakura isn't any better than her. I have nothing against Sakura; it's just that it's not fair to Ino…Sakura flirts with Sasuke too….

I received more than 4 reviews for the previous chapter, so now here is the next chapter. Please read and review thank you! And once again, I will require 4 or more reviews for me to update, and no flames. Thanks. Peace.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, because if I did I'd be in a mansion drinking cocktails and having random hot guys sing Christmas songs to me 24/7. YAY! Too bad I don't…

Chapter 2: Something Doesn't Feel Right…

Ino Yamanaka sat in her flower shop, preparing a delivery order for a bouquet of roses. Her blue eyes concentrated on her task, but her mind was elsewhere.

She had found out that she had passed out the previous day from over-working herself. She awoke in her house in her room, and her father checked up on her. He had told her that someone found her passed out in her training area. He had said a boy had brought her, and that he had dark-hair, dark eyes. At first Ino had thought it could have been Sasuke, but then she came to realization.

'Why would he help an idiot like me…?' She had thought.

She had scolded herself for missing her shift at the Flower Shop, but her father told her not to worry about it and was glad that she was safe.

Ino sighed and finished the flower order, finishing it with a decoration of a nice red ribbon. She told one of the employees to keep watch of the shop, and she went outside. She took out a blue bike from the back of the Flower Shop, and drove off. Her blue eyes looked up at the sky; it was once again sunny. Too bad she didn't feel as happy as she should. She closed her eyes; the feel of the wind hitting her face felt good to her. She picked up the momentum; she felt as if she were the wind, she felt free. Free to roam wherever she wanted. Free to travel without people saying things behind her back. That's why she loved making deliveries. She then stopped upon her destination. She got off the bike, and walked to the house. She rang the doorbell, and patiently waited. The door then cracked open. Ino gulped.

"Is anyone there?" She asked.

"Come in…" She heard a voice reply.

Ino walked inside. It was dark, but it was pretty. The windows were draped with long lavender curtains, and the room she entered was quite spacious. The walls were a light shade of purple, and the floor was white and shiny. Ino glanced at a woman sitting in one of the many couches. She had a gentle face with wrinkles, but the smile planted on her lips made her look so much younger. She had dark skin, a caramel complexion, and gray hair.

"Over here young miss." The Lady said her voice slightly raspy.

Ino nodded and walked over to her.

"Here are your roses ma'ams." Ino said, and reached it out to her. Her blue eyes held no expression, she just wanted to deliver this and go.

"You're such a pretty young lady, why do you look so troubled?" The lady asked her.

Ino looked at the floor. "There is…no trouble ma'am."

The lady glanced at her and smiled. "Come, sit."

"But ma'am, I have to get back to the Flower Shop…my shift-"

"It'll only be for a few minutes and then you can do what you wish."

Ino sighed in defeat, and sat on the couch. It was extremely comfortable, quite bouncy. Ino knew she couldn't stay long or she'd fall asleep on this couch as if it were hers. The old woman smiled.

"I've never met anyone like you before," The woman began. "I have never seen a child's eyes quite like yours. Children are supposed to be having fun at this age, with no care in the world. Children your age should be having the time of their lives."

"But I have never seen a child who looked so sad. I suppose not everything can be perfect…life can be such a handful at times …But you will survive it."

Ino looked away.

"There will be someone in your life that will cherish and love you. That someone may be someone you would least expect. Just keep that in mind…okay?" The woman patted Ino's hand gently.

Ino stared at the old woman, and then nodded, mustering up a small smile. "I'll keep that in mind…"

"Good. Feel free to visit me anytime."

Ino nodded and headed out the door, waving, before hauling herself on the bike and driving away. As Ino drove on the path back to the Flower Shop, she remembered the woman's words.

'Could she be right…I don't know…But it really gives me something to look forward to…' Ino thought.

After her shift, Ino wiped her forehead. It was her lunch, so she decided to go to the local ramen stand. Her stomach growled.

"I'm starving…" She murmured.

She walked to the ramen stand, still clad in her usual attire with her yellow apron still on; her hair was still tied up in a bun. She sat in one of the seats.

"May I have an order of beef ramen please?" She asked.

"Ya got it."

She unconsciously played with the loose strand of hair that framed her face as she waited.

"SAKURA-CHAN! I'M HUNGRY, WE MUST EAT!"

"Alright Naruto, don't have a heart-attack. While we're here we might as well, I am hungry."

"Hn…Naruto, you're so annoying."

Ino could feel her heart racing.

'Damn…I forgot that this is Naruto's favorite ramen stand.' Ino cursed herself mentally.

She heard them take their seats. They were sitting two chairs away from her.

"Here's your order of beef ramen ma'am."

Ino nodded in gratitude and began to eat her noodles. Her eyes were starting to hurt. She just couldn't bring herself to look at the honorable Team 7. Her eyes were trying to betray her, so she had to strain to keep herself from looking to the left. She felt like crying; she wished that people could talk to her like they talk to Sakura. She deeply wished that Sasuke would talk to her like he talks to Sakura. He even protected her quite a few times during missions. Ino had felt jealousy rising up. She felt stupid, stupid for thinking for a second that she and Sasuke would be.

Ino then became aware that someone was staring at her. She quickly glanced to the left, and saw Naruto and Sakura talking, and then glancing at Ino with curious faces. Then they began talking again.

Suddenly the world wasn't there anymore. The only people there were Naruto, Sakura, Sasuke, and herself.

'They're talking about me…they're talking about me…' Ino felt her eyes starting to burn. 'No, I will not cry. I will not let them see me so vulnerable. I will not degrade myself further…' Her mind was going crazy. She then started to eat faster. She had to hurry and leave, she was starting to go crazy….

Sasuke's POV Point Of View

Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura had decided to go to the ramen bar to eat. Naruto wouldn't stop nagging until they finally went.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes and sighed.

"Hn…Naruto, you're so annoying." Sasuke said.

"Whatever Sasuke-teme!" Naruto jumped on a seat and slapped his hand on the table. "HEY WAITER LETS GO I'M STARVING!"

Sasuke sighed. 'Why do I have to be in a team with an idiot?'

He sat down in one of the seats and leaned his chin on his hands, as he usually does. Sakura and Naruto ordered.

"Sasuke-kun, would you like anything?" Sakura had asked him, her sea-foam green eyes seemed to be gleaming in happiness.

"No." He said plainly and simply.

He continued to sit there, waiting for his teammates to hurry up and eat. His onyx eyes then glanced at the right. There, sitting two seats away was Ino Yamanaka, still clad in her yellow apron. He guessed it must have been her lunch break. He then remembered how he had found her yesterday; passed out and exhausted. He had still wondered why she had trained until she dropped, but he didn't put that much thought to it. This avenger had his own problems to deal with, not other people's problems. Then, he noticed her blue eyes glance in their direction, and then quickly go back to looking at her food. He then noticed that she began to eat quicker. She looked like she was in a hurry; almost like she was nervous or scared.

'Something is up with that girl…'Sasuke had thought. He then shrugged. 'It has nothing to do with me…'

Regular POV Point Of View

Ino had finally finished the last bits of ramen.

'Okay Ino. They're talking about you, they're talking about you. They're noticing how weird you're acting... Time to get up that act…'her conscious demanded of her.

Ino then walked over to Team 7 nonchalantly. She saw Sakura look at her, and then Ino poked Sakura's forehead.

"Hey Forehead girl, I didn't know you'd be here too. How unlucky for me…" Ino mustered up her usual smirk.

"Hey Ino-Pig, ya think I wanted you here! Ya just had to be here didn't ya!"

"Who else would remind you that Sasuke-Kun is off limits?" Ino grinned. "Anyways, I got better things to do with my life, so see ya forehead girl."

"GOOD! LEAVE INO-PIG!" Sakura stuck her tongue out and frowned.

Ino walked off, soon tears cascading down her face again.

'Awesome Ino. Now no one will get suspicious and call you a pathetic loser for being depressed. The act you're putting up is fooling everyone. Good job.' Her conscious told her.

She picked up the pace, feeling like she would burst out sobbing at any minute….

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Sasuke stared at her departing form. His eyes narrowed. She is acting out of the ordinary. First, he catches her looking in their direction, and then he catches her rushing to eat as if she's scared or nervous, and then she approaches them with her old fashion attitude? That's just not right to him for some reason. And as he stared at her departing form, he had thought that he saw her tremble. He couldn't help but be curious at the strange number of events happening….

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Ino returned to the Flower Shop and walked inside.

"Hey Ino, your father has decided that you should be off duty for today. He's worried about you." One of the female employees said.

"But, I can handle-"

"He insists. He wants you home to rest"

Ino stood there for a second, staring at the floor, before slowly nodding. She walked out of the shop, walking slowly and looking at the ground. She shook her hair out of its tight bun, making her light blonde hair fall into its usual ponytail. She sighed, and continued walking. As she walked, she saw a group of girls and boys talking.

Ino fastened her pace; she just wanted to get past them.

"Look, it's that whore."

"Yeah. Look at her in that little apron. She actually looks more like a person than a slut."

"Yeah. She's always trying hit on Sasuke-kun. When will she realize that she hasn't got a chance?"

"Exactly, she's so dumb. Even Sakura-chan, who never fought, can actually fight. She got stronger and stuff, I don't see Ino doing the same. Even Sasuke can tolerate Sakura."

Ino's pace quickened until she was running. Tears fell down her pale face, as she ran to an unknown destination. She didn't care where she was going; she just had to get away from them. As long she was away from people, she was fine. She ran into an abandoned alleyway, and fell down on the ground. Her hands fisted on the ground, as she bent her head down and sobbed. Tears fell down her flushed face, and hit the ground, making wet marks.

'W-why must this continue…? I should just…disappear like everyone wants me to…Anywhere away from here will be my haven…' She thought as she sobbed. She let the hiccups come, and let her loud whimpers escape her lips. She was safe and alone, there was no need to hide her tears now….

"What morons." Sasuke thought as he walked home. After their stop at the ramen bar, they had just walked around talking to others and being just plain silly. Seriously, they were getting on his nerves. But they were his team. He closed his eyes and smirked. He continued on his usual route to his house. As he passed by the alleyway, he thought he saw something or someone. He walked backwards, and stared at the form ahead.

It was, Ino. She was sobbing uncontrollably. His eyes softened.

'What the hell is going on…?' He was as confused as hell. Either this girl had major mood swings and different personalities, or something was wrong with her.

Suddenly, he knew she was about to turn around, so he used his swiftness to jump onto a nearby tree.

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Ino turned around. She had thought someone was there. She shook her head.

'It was probably a bird or something…Great, now I'm hallucinating…what's wrong with me…!' Sobs racked her body as she buried her head in her hands; her whimpering only seemed to get louder. But no one would hear, because no one was there. And no one ever walks by here anyway. At least, that's what she thought…

The young avenger stood on a tree branch, the wind blowing his raven-hair gently. His dark eyes locked on to the alleyway. And in his eyes was the image of a blonde-haired, blue-eyed kunoichi, crying and whimpering with her flushed face in her hands……….

FIN

N.O.-S.A.N.C.T.U.A.R.Y. - Hey everyone! Hoped you liked that chapter. I still tried to make Sasuke in Character, but with a bit more emotion. I mean, once you care about someone there's bound to be some kind of change in yourself, right? I'm trying to make his emotions come out fluently, so please bear with me.

About the old woman, I decided to include some foreshadowing, because I love foreshadowing!

As usual, I will update once I get 4 or more reviews for this chapter. Thank you for reading, and no flaming. If you have nothing good to say, then please just don't say anything. Thanks and bye!