Chapter 4: A Chat with Ino
"Now forehead! Since were waiting, we can have a chat. So, spill the beans already! Are and Sasuke-kun dating?" Ino asked excitedly.
"No! Sasuke-kun and I are just friends. He is just always there for me when I need him, that's all, especially when Naruto's not around, which was kinda frequent these days." Sakura answered.
"Oh. I really thought you were dating. It really seemed like it, you know? Like in the dance a while ago. You were smiling so sweetly at each other. I actually saw Naruto looking at you one time while you were dancing with him and he really looked sad and jealous." Ino said. Sakura looked sad.
"Oh really? I didn't know about that. Sasuke-kun was complimenting me so I was smiling as a sign of thanking him." Sakura said. She then noticed the Naruto's camera, which was used in taking their picture a while ago. She turned it on and put it in preview mode it showed the first picture in the camera. She never had the chance to look at it though, since she looked at Ino who was speaking.
"Hey, I didn't know you had Naruto's camera." Ino said as she saw Sakura holding the camera.
"He was actually taking our picture when the incident happened. I didn't even know he had a camera. He told me had no luxuries in life, except his phone that he said he really worked hard to save up for." Sakura said.
"Are you kidding me? Don't you know that Naruto's one of the richest guys in school? His father is the owner of the Namikaze firm that is also one of the biggest companies in the country! I think half of the school knows that. Don't you know that the bullies are even afraid to mess with him because of so much power they have over them? If they touch even one hair on his head, their father could end up getting fired from their job since 65 of the jobs in the country come from them. Even my father works in their company. He was actually promoted when Naruto was given the chance to run the company for a day. Plus, when his parents die, he is the only heir to their billion yen fortune. You would actually be the luckiest girl in the world if you get Uzumaki Naruto to fall in love with you." Ino told her friend. Sakura was shocked at the new information she that came to her. It took some seconds for her to get back to recomposing herself.
"W-Wait, let me get this straight. Naruto is one of the richest guys in school? And that Namikaze firm you're talking about, is that the Namikaze firm that would hold a job fair every year and they always get almost every intelligent adult in Japan to work for them?" Sakura asked, clearly she's been watching the news.
"Yeah! That's the Namikaze firm I'm talking about. So you see, it would not be good if you messed with that boy." Ino said.
"But he told me they were in the middle class of the society? He told me that his father was a construction worker and her mother was a sales clerk at the Konoha Mall. He even showed me to their house and it was small. My house would be bigger than it." Sakura said.
"He told you that? Oh no." Ino said.
"Why?" Sakura asked.
"I thought you knew. Maybe he told you that because he doesn't want you to befriend him just because he's rich. He wants true friends to be by his side. Their family's firm is the rival of the Uchiha firm. Maybe that's why Naruto and Sasuke-kun don't get along that well." Ino said.
"Did he tell you that before completely trusting you as his friend?" Sakura asked. Totally shocked about the revelation.
"Of course! I remember before when we went out with the others to eat that it was his first time to taste a Yakiniku-Q style barbecue. He might be telling the truth about that but maybe it's because he went to a more expensive restaurant that Yakiniku-Q. But what I am more amazed about is that he enjoy Ichiraku Ramen more than he enjoys expensive food." Ino said, taking note of Sakura's shocked expression.
"Why didn't he tell me? I am already his best friend and yet.." Sakura pouted.
"Well, he showed you the camera, didn't he? I'm sure it means he forgot that he didn't tell you yet that he was rich and all. But you were okay with it right? You would still be his friend even if he became poor?" Ino asked.
"Yeah! Of course! It doesn't matter whether you're rich or poor. It's more important that we enjoy each other's company." Sakura said.
"Yeah. Now let's see what he's taken, shall we?" Ino said. Sakura shared the camera, seeing the first picture that was Ino and Shikamaru dancing, Ino blushed.
"Well, I didn't know you and Shikamaru were dating already. Since when did you start going out?" Sakura asked as she looked at the picture.
"Last month. Could we look at the next one, please?" Ino said, still blushing. Sakura pressed the 'next' button to see the next picture. It was Neji and TenTen. This was no surprise for Sakura, though since she already knew it ever since Ino told her the news. She continued to press the 'next' button since it was all pictures of Naruto getting bored and doing other poses. She stopped when she reached her and Sasuke's picture dancing on the dance floor. She saw herself, she was smiling sweetly to Sasuke and Sasuke was doing the same.
"That's what I'm talking about, forehead." Ino interrupted her.
Once again, Sakura continued to press the 'next' button of the camera since it was no one interesting. She stopped again when she saw a picture of Naruto's fiancée, she never knew her name but she chuckled when she saw the picture.
"What happened to her?" Sakura said, while already laughing slightly.
"She was about to hug Naruto when he stood up from his chair and she couldn't stop so she fell. We were all laughing and she was really pissed. Haha!" Ino said while laughing.
She continued to press the 'next' button until she saw her and Naruto dancing. She couldn't believe it. She questioned herself as to how Naruto captured that.
"H-How did he do that?" Sakura asked.
"I saw him pass the camera to a nearby couple, who is his friend also to take a picture of you and him dancing. The next five pictures should be you and him dancing." Ino said.
"How did you know?" Sakura said as she scanned to the next five pictures and she was right.
"Duh! It's totally obvious. The camera flashed five times! I was watching the whole thing, you know! Don't tell me you weren't paying attention." Ino said.
"I didn't know. I felt that I was flying at that time. I remembered looking into Naruto's eyes, and getting lost in them." Sakura said.
"Aww.. Next!" Ino said.
Sakura and Ino continued to scan the camera until they reached Sakura and Naruto's picture before he was shot. Sakura was on the verge of crying when she observed the picture and saw that Kim was shown behind them, her hand wrapped in a jacket and was looking at them angrily. Sakura showed it to Ino,
"Look! There's that girl in the far back part. Her hand was wrapped in a jacket. I'm guessing she hid the gun there." Sakura said.
"Yeah, no doubt about it. Let's see the next one." Ino said. Sakura pressed the 'next' button and saw that Kim was almost pointing her gun at Sakura. Sakura saw this and cried again.
"He knew this was gonna happen but he just pretended to smile and shield me afterwards to take the bullet? Why didn't he make me duck or pushed me instead or even try to stop her?" Sakura said with tears streaming down her face.
"You know why? Because he didn't want anyone else getting hurt. If you ducked, she would hit the one in front of you. If he pushed you, you could get hurt too if you crashed into one of the tables or chairs. If he tries to stop her, it would just leave you open and you could still be shot before he could even get to her so he just hugged you so people won't panic." Ino said.
"How did know about that?" Sakura said, still crying.
"Jealousy makes you do anything just to get the one you want. Now stop crying!" Ino said.
"Oh. I didn't know you were so smart, Ino-pig! You aren't such a piggy like your name after all! Hahaha!!" Sakura said while laughing.
"Grrr.." Ino said.
"Besides, you should know something." Ino said.
"What's that?" Sakura said, immediately stopping her laughter.
"Uzumaki Naruto is.." Ino was about to say it but she was cut off by fast approaching footsteps. She and Sakura turned their heads to the direction of the footsteps.
"Ino! What happened to Naruto? Is he alright? Is it true Kim did it to him?" Uzumaki Kushina, Naruto's mother, asked worriedly while his father was worried but remained silent.
"We still don't know his situation but when we rushed him here, he was bleeding pretty badly and he was unconscious. The doctor said he had to be operated to take the bullet out of his body. We've been waiting for five hours already but until now there's still no news." Ino said.
"Oh Minato! What if something happens to Naruto? What do we do?" Kushina said while sobbing into his husband's chest. Minato only hugged her.
"It's gonna be alright. Our son is a fighter, remember? He would never back down." Minato said.
'Naruto's father sure looks like him. You could even call them twins, if ever.' Sakura thought to herself.
When Naruto's parents finished their moment, they both sat down and noticed Sakura, whose eyes were red and puffy from crying. Kushina spoke up,
"Excuse me honey, I don't believe we met but by any chance, are you Haruno Sakura?" Kushina inquired while looking at Sakura.
Sakura, who was sending a text message to her mother, looked up from her phone, shock written all over her face.
"Y-Yeah. T-That's me. H-How did you know me?" Sakura anxiously asked.
"It's her, Minato! The pink-haired girl whose picture we saw at Naruto's computer!" Kushina excitedly said. Minato only nodded in agreement.
"E-Excuse me?" Sakura asked.
"Oh, sorry honey. We know you because we saw you and Naruto's picture in his computer. I think it was his wallpaper or whatever you call that." Kushina said.
Sakura was shocked to say the least. She knows about their pictures since she was always the one who told Naruto to bring out his phone and take a picture of them. She didn't know he used them as wallpaper for his computer. She didn't even know he had a computer.
"Sakura, get a hold of yourself!" Ino whispered while elbowing her lightly in the gut. Sakura came back and smiled.
"O-Oh. I didn't know he did that. I had no idea." Sakura said honestly.
"He even talks about you everyday, you know. Of what you two did every afternoon. He was always excited when he talks about you." Minato said.
"She's the one, Minato. The one who captured our Naruto's heart." Kushina whispered excitedly to Minato, who simply nodded in agreement while looking at Sakura.
Sakura could only face Ino with a questioning look on her face. Ino only shook her head.
"Would you two like something to eat? I'm sure you're hungry because of waiting." Minato said.
"That would be lovely. Besides, I think Sakura could use the fresh air outside." Ino said. Sakura looked at her again in question. Ino just nodded her head.
"Okay then. Kushina, why don't you accompany the ladies to get something to eat? I'll wait here. I'll call if anything comes up." Minato said. Kushina nodded and went with Ino and Sakura outside the hospital.
Here's Chapter 4! Hope you like it. It's getting closer and closer another climax! What would happen? Find out! R&R as usual. Thanks to all my avid readers and reviewers!:)