Ino's Eighteen
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Disclaimer Naruto belong to Masashi Kishimoto-Sensei. Lekha just want to have fun :)
Original story belongs to a friend of mine called miichan
Translated by Lekha S.
Warning Out Of Character. Also this is more likely Lekha's English practice, so pardon the grammar error and feel free to correct things up since English isn't Lekha's mother langue. Lekha would be happy :)
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Ino turned eighteen, and here is her story. Mind share yours?
I
She wasn't even eighteen years old yet at that moment. Ino was crying on her best friend's shoulder, in a woman toilet of a town square, while wearing her school uniform, didn't care of the gender of her best friend. Her mouth was easily letting out anger, curses, frustration and all the negative words she'd ever learned towards a boy that used to be her boyfriend. Ino cried like that was the end of the world. Ino cried like the only way to keep her alive in this world was to have a boyfriend.
"Stop it, Ino. He doesn't deserve your tears." Her best friend patted Ino's shoulder. Though his voice didn't sound calming at all. He glanced uncomfortably to few women who turned back their way to the toilet and gave him a blaming look.
"I bet you will get a new boyfriend in three days," he continued.
Ino pulled back herself. "Do you think fall in love is that easy?"
Quietly, Shikamaru rolled his eyes. Well, that was really that easy, in Ino's case. This wasn't Ino's first time. She would meet a boy she found charming, then she would get friendly, and with everything she had, the charming boy would be her boyfriend in no time, whose turned to be ex-boyfriend in one or two months, and Ino would cry like that was the Doomsday, then there were another charming boy who caught her attention. That happened again and again, to the point that her best friend was tired for counting.
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II
She wasn't even eighteen years old yet at that moment. Ino cut short her skirt, so short that her father could measure it with his span. Her uniform size changed three numbers smaller and curved her body tightly, even tighter than the school's rules. Her lips were glossy and unusually pink, her cheeks were always blushed even when she was tired, and people could smell her sweet vanilla perfume from three meters. Of course people couldn't miss out two new piercings on her right earlobe too.
She was doing sort of things because, she said, she wanted to look mature. Her friends couldn't understand her concept of being mature, thought. So, Ino explained that for her, being mature is being brave, that's why she changed her style to be more 'brave'.
And then, when she met her best friend Shikamaru, Ino jumped and hugged him, while saying that she was in love. Again.
"I really am in love with him. He's mature, nice, and gentle. He's different from other guys."
And Shikamaru could easily pin point that Ino's transformation was for being equal to this man. Shikamaru frowned. What kind of man did Ino date this time? The question was answered when Ino showed the picture of that man. Shikamaru's first comment was: "Are you sure he is not a gangster?"
Ino waved her hand dramatically. "Just because he smokes and has beard, doesn't mean he's a gangster."
Her best friend made a skeptic face. "He doesn't look nice."
"Oh, c'mon! Ever heard 'don't judge a book by its cover', Shika?"
Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "Looks like an uncle than a boyfriend."
"Duh, he's only eight years older than us."
"Whatever," you two will breakup eventually anyway.
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III
She was almost eighteen years old at the moment. Ino bowed her head that her chin nearly touched her chest. In front of her, Shikamaru was gritting his teeth and he kept his anger with those clenched fists. Ino could even hear his heavy breath.
"F*ck!" a chair near him being the victim of those emotions he failed to hold.
"Shika!" Ino lifted her head, surprised by the sound of a chair being kicked.
"Don't!" Shikamaru raised his right hand in front of Ino's face. "Don't say anything!"
Ino was scared. This was the first time she saw her best friend being that angry. But she couldn't let him be. It was not his capacity to be that angry towards her.
"Look, I wasn't being forced. I—"
"Ino! F*ck! That bastard f*cked you, dammit!"
Maybe emotion was like an infectious disease. Ino's expression slowly hardened when she heard his swears. "For your information, that man you called bastard is the one I love!"
"Love?" he chuckled. "Love you said? Don't be kidding me! He just took advantage of you, Woman! Where do you put your brain? You left it in his pants?!"
Slap!
Ino's right hand was trembling. She stared Shikamaru sternly for a second before she's leaving him. No words heard, only the clicked of her shoes against the floor, more and more distant.
With the same hand, which trembling and numb, Ino wiped her cheeks roughly to erase the tears. She didn't anticipate her best friend's anger. She told him everything because she believed that Shikamaru would support her, whatever she had done. Because, deep in her heart, there was a pinch of guilt for what she had done, that it was wrong. Ino just wanted to find a protection. She just wanted to be assured that everything will be okay.
In the end, her one and the only best friend betrayed her expectation.
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IV
Ino turned eighteen years old that day. She was asking herself, am I that naïve? All this time she was playing around and dating with almost every boy who smiled at her. She thought she liked all of them.
Ah, right. I did like all of them, she thought. But, I just love him.
The corners of her lips were lifted up, created a smile, which should be a beautiful smile if her forehead didn't frown.
Ino never felt this way before. The feeling when she was with this man standing firmly in front of her; an overwhelmed happiness, so bewildered, and blinding. Ino never could be in a relationship more than two months before, but with this man, it was already six months. And Ino didn't mind to be with him longer.
Ah, but this time, Ino thought she should consider that idea once more.
"Ino …."
A step backward was taken.
"Do you know this sweet girl?" that woman was so breathtakingly beautiful. Her gaze was warm and somehow calming, if only she didn't stare her form his side, with his hand around her waist.
… And beautiful silver ring, perfectly encircling that woman's finger.
That day was Ino's birthday. Ah, God must really love her. His gift was incredible.
That man stared at the woman beside him, then moved to Ino, and ended in that woman's soft gaze. "She's … my friend's daughter."
Ino didn't wait that man look back at her. She nodded her head, much for formalities, and the next second she had turned her back and walked away.
There was something wrong with her, Ino was sure. Her chest was tight, like there was something blocked her respiration it hurt her. She wanted to scream. She wanted to let all that heavy feeling, like always, like that was the end of the world.
Her lips parted, her head was dizzy. It took all her might just for breathing.
Ino didn't remember that cry could be this hard.
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V
She had been eighteen years old for a week. Ino kept going to school the day after her birthday, and so the next day. She seemed happy when her friends made a surprise party. She smiled widely while accepting the congratulations and the gifts. But she knew that entire happy cheerful act was just a façade.
And in the forth days, Ino gave up. She couldn't stay to be okay, when she was not. And she didn't want everyone pitied her, or worst, disgusted by her.
Ino has been in her bed for three days. No one got to get her out her room.
Then, two in the noon, Ino jerked by the sound of a knock. That wasn't from her bedroom's door, but from the thick door glass to balcony. Ino pulled her blanket, ignored the knock.
But those knocks didn't stop.
Ino gave up. She stood up, walked wobbly to the door glass and opened the curtain. She wasn't surprised seeing her best friend stood still in front of her, separated by the door glass. She already knew that, nobody would like to climb up the tree just to be at her balcony but this guy.
For a moment, Ino just stood there, held her gaze towards Shikamaru. Along with the clockwise which kept moving, those tightness feeling slowly came back and filled up her chest, to the point Ino started to feel hard to breath, her eyes heated and tears welled up.
After a week, finally her tears exuviated. Her shoulders were trembling while desperately inhaled oxygen in the air. Her sob went through the door glass, and panic immediately filled up Shikamaru's face.
"Ino! Open the door! Ino!" that boy pounded the door, desperately turned the knob, and the result was same: the door stayed closed. He held himself not to break that damn door for the sake of Ino who stood not too far in front of him.
"Ino, please, open the door. Ino … sh*t!"
That girl couldn't stand anymore. She held her chest tightly, bowed down her head while sobbing louder.
"Dammit!" Shikamaru groaned. His body also slumped, his forehead was against the door, slightly hoping he could go through that door and held his best friend.
Shikamaru didn't know until now, that seeing his best friend wounded would be this hurt.
The clockwise kept moving, tickling, as if it didn't have any sympathy towards the broken-hearted girl. But, quietly time healed wounds, let it dry and recover by itself.
When she was calmer and could breathe normally, Ino raised her head. Her best friend was still there, sit with his back faced her. Ino got closer to the door, and she too, leaned her back towards the door glass.
Shikamaru, felt the door move against his back, straightened his body and turned his head, and found Ino's back. He, then, leaned his back again.
"You won't open the door, will you?" his voice was faint, but Ino could hear him.
"I won't," was her answer.
Shikamaru sighed.
"Shikamaru?"
"Yes?" he replied too quickly for his liking.
"I'm sorry I slapped you before."
"I deserve it. My words were … a bit thick."
"… yeah, you were."
"I'm sorry."
There was a pregnant pause.
"Ino?"
"Hm …."
"I hope you kicked his balls."
"I really wanted to do that," she smiled weakly. "But not in front of that woman," whispered her.
"Ino …."
"Yes?"
"Happy birthday."
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VI
Her age was already eighteen years old at the moment. Ino started her last year in high school, and it had been two months. Now, Ino spent more times at the library and attend additional class. She decided to study more diligently so she could continue to the farthest university.
"I wanna change!" she said cheerily to Shikamaru, one day at school library.
Shikamaru nodded his head. "Yeah, you did change."
Ino smile widely, then her eyes roamed the opened book for a moment, before her gaze turned empty.
Yes, Ino indeed had been changed, but it was slightly different from her willing. In Shikamaru's point of view, Ino had been lost in thought easily. She never dated anymore, the only boy she spent time with was just her best friend, rarely hang around her girl friends, never gossiped (maybe this was one of the good point), and her aura became more gloomy. Ino often went to library, she would get a bunch of books and none of them were finished she read. Then, Ino would borrow those books just to end up piled up on her study, or even at the corner of her room.
"Ino?" called her best friend.
"Yep?" she replied without tear her gaze from the book.
Shikamaru looked up the ceiling, where were few fans rotating slowly. "Please, don't tell me you are running away."
There was uncomfortable pause before Ino smacked Shikamaru's hand playfully. "What are you talking about? How am I running away when I've been here reading books with you?"
Shikamaru glanced form the corner of his eyes. You know what I mean, was the meaning of that glance.
Later, Ino kept her back against the pillar of the school building. Anxiety was all in her face; obviously she was hiding from something, or someone to be exact. She titled her head to peep over the pillar and saw that man was still there, leaned over his black shining car with a cigarette between his fingers, and gained attention from students who passed.
"Ino?"
Ino stiffened. She turned around and got more surprise when found out that it was her best friend. "H-hi, Shika!"
"What are you doing here? I thought you want to go home early?"
"A-ah … that's …." Her eyes were looking at everywhere but his best friend. She tried to find a reason, anything, anywhere, except in Shikamaru's eyes.
Ino didn't realize the change in Shikamaru's expression. "I think I know the real reason why you want to go home that fast."
"Huh?" Ino lifted her head and followed his gaze, which straight to the gate. Ino lost her words in an instant.
Then Shikamaru looked at Ino's eyes sternly it could kill her anytime. "You're still with that bastard?!"
Fortunately Ino got back her words. "What? No! Of course not! I don't even know he's here."
"Then why are you hiding?"
"I-I … I …."
Shikamaru groaned. "I'll beat him!"
"No! Shika, wait!" Ino grabbed Shikamaru's wrist. "Please, don't do that."
"He took everything for you, and you'll let him?"
Ino bit her bottom lip, her head bowed down. "Yes," she replied weakly.
Shikamaru gave an unbelievable look. "Ino, you're kidding me! How come you'd let that bastard after what he'd done—"
"I don't know!" she snapped. "I don't know what I should do!"
"You can let me beat him!"
"I can't do that!"
He clucked. "Do you want to know why can't you do anything you can to him? That is because you still have feeling towards that bastard!"
Ino let go Shikamaru's hand. There was something in her eyes; tears. She had this urge to deny his words, but she couldn't, because she knew that Shikamaru was right.
Shikamaru held both her shoulders, forced her to look at him. "Listen; don't try to run away, Ino. You cannot escape from this if you keep running away. End everything right, because I know you haven't done it yet."
"I …," Ino breathed hardly, "need times."
Because finally Ino understand, it was never easy to forget the very first person who made you special.
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VII
She was still eighteen years old at that moment.
That day, the skirt was still as long as his father's snap, but her lips weren't as glossy as before. She didn't wear thick make-up, her chicks were a bit pale, and she smelled like orange. Also her additional piercings were nowhere to be found.
That day, Ino decided to stop form running away.
That day, Ino sit face to face with the man who gave her a lot, but also took a lot from her.
That man was still the same as the last time Ino saw him. His eyes were always looked tired, but his gaze was stern. He still liked to wear a body-fit shirt which hands were rolled to the elbows. A cigarette was flamed between his index and middle finger, highlighting a silver accessory that encircled his finger ring. Ino questioned herself why did she never found out its existence before. His hair was still ruffled, and did he ever shave his beard?
Ino, somehow, was agreeing with her best friend. This man looked like a gangster or even a mob master with his stern gaze. He was like criminal, yet he was so tempting.
Ino wondered what he had to make her fell for him. His face? His charm? His aura? His charisma?
"You look thin," was his first sentence, after almost ten minutes in silence.
"I … diet," answered Ino with an awkward smile.
"You're perfect. Stop your diet. Eat properly."
Ah, this was it, he was gentle. Ino loved his gentleness. Until now. She tucked her bangs behind her ear. "Oh, okay. Thank you."
"I thought you don't want to talk to me anymore."
Ino gulped. "There's … there's something I want to talk to you, Asuma-san."
That man sipped his nicotine. There was a long pause. "And that something is?"
Ino stole a glance at his finger ring. Slowly inhaled a deep breath, gathered all her courage. "I … want to end what I've started with you, Asuma-san." She bow her head for a second, her lips crocked to a thin smile then she held her head up, and averted her gaze towards his straightly. Ah, her heart still stirred.
"Okay."
Her eyes blinked. Once, twice, as if she couldn't comprehend what was happening?
"You can go," that man continued.
"Huh?"
That's it?
Just like that?
They were done?
For real?
"Do you have more to say?"
Ino's lips were parted, and then closed. She wanted to say something, there was something she wanted to tell yet everything suddenly disappeared from her thought. That man didn't ask why, didn't ask for reason. He didn't apologize; he didn't try to explain anything. It wasn't like the scenario Ino had imagined before, then it slapped her mind hard.
Of course. Why would he do all those things?
"If you don't have—"
"Asuma-san," she cut him, "all this time, was it just me who thought this relationship would work?"
That man pressed his cigarette stub on the ashtray, blew away the last smoke from that cigarette. "Go home. Do your homework. Study hard so you can get to your favorite university."
And that tightness in her chest was back, suddenly attacked Ino.
"Haaah," she looked at the café's ceiling, tried to swallow anything that blocked her throat. "Why does it have to be you?" she took a deep breath. "Okay, I'll go home now."
Ino got her back straight, and then stood up. She almost stumbled if her hands didn't immediately grab the table. She took her bag and bowed her head.
"Thank you, Asuma-san," Ino flashed a sincere smile. "Goodbye."
His respond was just a nod. His hands were busy with a new cigar and a lighter.
Ino started to walk, but at the forth step, she turned back. "Oh, Asuma-san?"
That man raised his head. The cigarette wasn't flamed yet.
Ino raised her index finger, straightly pointed at his face. "Don't try to cheat ever again, okay!"
He had that surprised expression on his face, and Ino's high voice didn't help at all. Those girl successes gather more than half of costumers' attention to him.
"Bye!" Ino waved his hand. This time she was leaving for real and didn't turn back.
That man pulled put his cigarettes which were between his lips before. He wiped his eyes, chuckled, and then stared at Ino's back. "That brat!"
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VIII
Ino recollected all the events she'd been through this past year, what she learned, what did her gain, and what she had lost. Ino admitted that everything lead her to maturity, though she was deep wounded.
"And you left him just like that? You should kick his balls!"
"Shikamaru, calm down. Everything is over now. If I kicked him and he got hurt, the problem would never end."
Shikamaru didn't seem pleased at all. "Ino, that bastard took your—"
"I know!" Ino snapped. She didn't want to hear the rest of Shikamaru's sentence. "I know! I am the one who went through it. You don't have to remind me."
"And you will let him?"
Ino sighed. "I've answered that question before, and it still remains the same: yes, I will let him. Because—" Ino gave an emphasis towards her last word as a warning to her best friend not to cut her words, "—what he had taken wasn't something he could return. You're the one who told me to end this, right? And I've done that. If I keep counting how much he took or how much the price he should pay, I would never be able to get myself from him, Shika."
That guy closed his mouth. Quietly agreeing his best friend's words.
"And one more," Ino raised her index finger, "please, don't mention this matter ever again, okay? I value your sympathy and I'm really thankful, but quite up there. I'm still eighteen, I have a long journey and I don't want to be haunted by regret for the rest of my life."
Ino took a deep breath after her long speech. Her face was flushed, obviously she held something. Her best friend now that, so he lifted his right hand to caress the top of her head.
"I'm sorry."
Ino smiled. "Apologize accepted."
"You know, you've changed."
"I know," Ino nodded her head.
"By the way," Shikamaru titled his head, "you need to cry, Ino. You just broke up. It's your Doomsday, isn't it?"
"Jerk!" Ino's right fist landed on Shikamaru's stomach. Then her sob was heard, keep louder and louder, and Shikamaru was grateful this time Ino chosed his room instead of a town square's woman toilet.
Ino cried on her best friend's shoulder. She cried like that was the end of the world, because Ino had just lost her universe.
She was still eighteen, at that moment.
[OWARI]
Okay, thank you very much for reading. Actually Lekha is newbie in FFn and this is Lekha's first post, mind to guide her? let's be friends! :D