Type: Romance/AU
Characters: Neji and Ino, minor references to others
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Don't Stop Belieivng. They are owned by Masashi Kishimoto and Journey.
A Smell of Wine and Cheap Perfume
Chapter 1 – Getting Away
The Yamanaka woman flipped her long blond hair over her shoulder, her sky blue eyes scanned around the train station, looking for her platform.
She sighed and blinked unable to see much at all, do to the fact that people were crowded around her. This train station was packed especially for being close to midnight.
Everyone seemed to be getting away, or at least trying to. Ino herself was looking for a way out of her small town, and an escape from painful memories.
She wanted, no needed to forget.
She needed to forget he ever existed; she needed to come to her senses and realize he was gone.
Uchiha Sasuke would never come back.
Ino shook her head and gave up searching for the number 12, which was the platform she was supposed to be on, and just started walking to a less crowded place, were she might be able to find someone to ask.
Ino, after going through her teen years, and maturing significantly, still could never get her mind off the raven haired boy who long ago had stolen her heart.
She so much wanted to rid her dreams of him; she wanted him to leave her alone, because even though he had left, he was still with her. He was like an overpriced item that she could never buy.
She hoped that just maybe getting away from her childhood home would help her clear her mind and calm her memories. That's why she was leaving, she was going somewhere big.
Somewhere she could start anew.
A place where no one knew her name and they would never have to know of how her heart had been broken and all the mistakes she had made years ago.
Yamanaka Ino wanted to start all-over.
She sighed with relief, and shifted her small, yet packed duffle on her shoulder as she found a much-less crowded food-court area.
There was at the most twenty people sitting at the many booths, this was probably because it was nearly midnight, and not many people ate this late.
She tugged at a strand of her hair and bit her lip, trying to see anyone in a uniform that might work there.
She sighed, not seeing one, and decided to talk to one of the workers at the food-court restaurants.
Ino cleared her throat softly and looked at a man who looked to be around eighteen.
"Can I help you?" He asked politely, yet his eyes seemed to hold a bit of impatience, like he was tired from working all day.
Ino's voice was calm and still held the girl-ish feel it always had, yet it had evened out and become more silky and smooth, "Um yes, could you please point out where Platform 12 is?" Ino asked.
The boy nodded and pointed his finger over Ino's left shoulder, "Down that main gate, to the right." He said covering his mouth hiding a yawn.
Ino nodded thanks and walked away in the direction he had pointed; glad to finally know where she was going.
Her skin tingled anxiously; she couldn't wait to get out. She quickened her pace realizing she had very little time to get onto the train. She couldn't miss it. That would have been a sign. A sign she'd rather not receive; a sign telling her to stay.
Ino's soft blue eyes met her destination Platform 12 stood in front of her; a long and sleek grey-blue train accompanied it.
The doors were open allowing it's passengers to pour in, Ino being one of them. After a rather large group of teens entered the train, Ino stepped through the doors, into a long chamber filled with many sliding doors.
Ino cast a glance down the corridor which was even longer than her first observation had made her believe. It was enormous, and this was only one portion of the vast train!
She walked to her right, as far down as the train would allow, and was about to enter the car, when a large group entered the chamber of the train.
Ino turned to see the group, which seemed to be made up of about twelve or thirteen young adults.
Ino's eyes scanned over them quickly, many were men, but about three were woman, they were all about her age. She was about to turn when something caught her eye. It was one of the men.
Ino stood there, in a daze for several seconds, until the train lurching into motion threw her out of her line of thought.
Half of the group she had been staring at had dispersed, and she took a deep sigh, entering the compartment she had previously chosen.
After shutting the door behind herself, and collapsing on the cheap leather seats she furrowed her brows, eyes closed.
That man, he reminded her of someone, someone that belonged in her past.
His long chocolate brown hair, and misty lavender eyes, reminded her of a man that had once been envied by Sasuke; because this man was also a genius. He had been a great student, who destiny had been unkind to.
Hyuuga Neji,
Was also trying to escape.
Sorry the first chapter (and the paragraphs) was so short, I promise they'll get longer. Comments and critism are welcome! Please don't say you hate the story just becuase you don't like the couple...