Title: Dreams Accomplished

By: Jalice Love

Chapter 5 – Determination

Days had passed since Shikamaru and Ino had their little lunch gathering, one may call it a date but it was an innocent meeting between two best friends. It was currently 2 PM and Ino was currently in the flower shop, working lazily tending to her flowers and customers pleasantly. She was bored and she wanted to go to missions again. Unfortunately for her, her mom complained to Tsunade-sama about her condition preventing her from being assigned any more missions.

Suddenly the bell rung signaling someone entered.

Great Another customer.

"Welcome to--- Ah! Forehead." Ino friendly acknowledged her pink-haired best friend.

"Ino-pig" Sakura Haruno countered back.

They glared at each other for a moment then laughed.

"What brings you here Sakura?" asked Ino while cleaning the countertops.

Sakura took a stool and sat down in front of the table and said, "Hm… I was just wondering Ino. When are you going to tell Shikamaru?"

Ino froze then fully getting her posture she straightened up and said calmly, "There's nothing to tell Sakura."

"Ino, you know you have to tell him."

"I don't …. Want to be a burden."

Sakura stood up. "Ino, your feelings aren't a burden!"

"And how do you know that?!" her voice yelled.

Sakura stood her ground and yelled back just as fiercely, "Because he cares about you, you know! I've seen him in the hospital when he gets hurt. He worries about you. He'll ask whether or not you're okay. Or if something bad happened to you while he was gone, he worries Ino! Especially since you've been avoiding him lately. I know you're avoiding him ever since that day when you guys went out to lunch. You've been backing away before you would do something you'd regret weren't you!? Well HE CARES INO. You're still his best friend and he still worries about you. And now that he barely sees you he worries bout you more! He—"

"Then it's better he doesn't know."

"What!? Ino, what the hell!?"

Ino faced Sakura with glistening eyes that glazed into Sakura's emerald ones that were pleading Ino to understand. Ino paid no attention to it as her fierce blue eyes shot right back at her.

"It's better he doesn't know." Ino repeated clearly.

"Ino-"

"Shinobi must not show or carry emotion." She said calmly, "My feelings will only be a burden. It'll only cause him to worry more than he is at the moment. I… I won't last. I mean, Sakura… I… knew it.

It's better if he doesn't know."

Sakura opened her mouth to protest but shut it upon seeing Ino's tear-striken face. Tears were flowing down her pale porcelain face as her eyes tried not to release the overflowing tears. Her slim body was furiously shaking as she stood there in front of her best friend, not taking one step. "Shika…. It's better if he … doesn't know…but… I can't help it! … That day…" she said in between sobs, "That day… I was so…. Happy Sakura…. " she sniffled and shook even more, "It was so … carefree… and he looked so… damn handsome that I just… I can't Sakura!"

Ino fell on the ground tears fighting their way out of her eyes while she herself fought against them. It was no use. It flowed freely out.

"The farther I am from him, the less impact it'll be. The more attached I am… the more… hurt he'll be in the end… it's better this way… it's better he doesn't know…."

Sakura pulled Ino into a comforting hug as she tried to console the heartbroken girl. Sakura knew what was Ino's condition and tried to research everything and found…. Nothing. Nada. Not one single cure. It was rare after all. The condition she had only ran into the Yamanaka family. And even if it happened, it was rare. She tried and still trying hard to accept it, but in her heart she knew that Ino dying was one thing she cannot accept. Ever.

After all, they were best friends and best enemies.

So while comforting her dear best friend, she looked up at the window with determination filled eyes and swore that she would do everything to make sure that Ino will live cause there was no damn way that that ridiculous heartless disease was taking her best friend away.

It was around 10PM when Shikamaru finally got out of the hospital for tending to his wounds. He walked lazily back to his house wondering if he should go visit Ino first. He hasn't seen her fully ever since the lunch thing they had. What would you call that anyway? A Date? Nah. Of course not. He felt his face warm up upon thinking it was a date. He internally smacked himself. Anyways he debated with himself whether he should just go home and visit her tomorrow or visit her tonight and go home later. Sighing he decided to go visit her now as he ran over the other direction over to the Yamanaka's house.

Upon reaching the door, he decided to just go through her window. Jumping to the window, he knocked thrice before he heard someone opening the window. To his benefit it was Ino, still awake. She gave him a small smile before letting him in from the cold.
"Hey Shika-kun." She whispered.

"Ino." He whispered back knowing that her parents must be asleep.

Ino crinkled her nose upon smelling him, "Shika you could've washed yourself before coming here."

He noticed she called him by Shika again.

"Eh. Wanted to see how you were doing."

She gave him a small smile, "Thanks but you should really go. It's late."

"Ino I haven't seen you in awhile." He said simply.

She looked at the ground, "I've been busy for awhile."

"Not now."

"Yeah, but I'm kind of tired. Do you mind? I'm going to bed."

He hesitated but decided against it. "Fine, I'll go visit you tomorrow with Chouji. Let's go eat Ichiraku's alright?"

She shrugged and said, "I don't know. Maybe, sure."

"Ino?"

"I don't know Shika! I'm going to bed. Good night." She said before pushing him off her window and shutting it. She closed her curtains but not before waving good bye. Then went to bed tears falling down her eyes again.

"Shika… please… just… go …"

closing her eyes she said, "it's better if you don't know…"

A/N: Kind of a sad Chapter. What's wrong with me and sad chapters? Anyways on a brighter note, next chappie WILL be a bit happier. (: I hope. Anyways short chapter. Sorry so crammed. AP tests in 5 weeks! ;O. Till then I got projects and junk to do. Plus college stuff.

AHH.

Life. Honestly.

Read and Review please! =))

I was extremely happy last chapter! =) LIKE extremely! I just felt horrible that I didn't get to write a chapter that you guys deserved! I promise it'll be better next time!

Read and Review please? (: