A/N: Thank you everyone for all the nice reviews. I'm glad that most of you are still into the story. As I said I am doing my best with it so hopefully things turn out smoothly. I just might finish this one if I continue to push myself. Okay enough rambling on here's the next chapter.

Ino sat down on the bench with her eyes closed as she sat thinking. It was really such a nice, peaceful relaxing afternoon. She found that she could just sit here all day if she had allowed it. Her peace was soon interrupted by the sound of several pairs of feet making their way over to her.

"So how did it go?" Sakura asked.

"Yeah how did your big date with Naruto go?"

"Was it just the best time that you ever had?" TenTen said.

"Or was it a complete nightmare?"

A pair of bright aqua colored eyes opened. She focused her attention on to her friends. How rude did they have to be right now? Didn't they realize that they were disturbing her relaxation?

"What's wrong with you guys? Why the hell are you asking so many questions?"

"We're just curious you didn't seem too thrilled about the date you know." Kiba spoke.

"So what's up Ino-pig did you enjoy yourself or what?"

Ino could have sworn that she saw a hint of desperation in those jade green pools.

"Please say that you had a lousy time." Sakura thought to herself. She didn't want to lose the bet to TenTen. She hoped that her 500 ryo could be saved. Ino leaned back against the bench. She could feel everyone's eyes on her. They were just waiting for her to give them an answer.

"Well…." Ino started.

"Well what… what happened? Speak already."

"It went well. I actually had a good time. Naruto was a complete gentleman. He was very sweet."

Sakura sighed and TenTen cheered loudly.

"Looks like we won huh guys." She turned her attention to Lee, Hinata, and the lazy Nara. "Pay up Sakura."

The pink haired medic- nin held her head down in defeat. Ino paused while she processed the events in front of her. It sounded like they all had a bet going on.

"What the hell? You mean you guys had a bet going on?"

"Yep." Chouji nodded. "Sakura, Kiba and I betted that it would be a disaster."

"On the other hand Hinata, Lee, and Shikamaru placed their bets with me that it would go well." TenTen admitted.

Ino sat in awe at her friends. Did they have so little to do with their own lives that they placed bets on something so ridiculous? The blond had expected the attention; but she really hadn't thought it would get this far.

"So is that why you and Lee were hiding in the bushes. You were spying on us. You guys really are sick all of you." She added.

"Okay we've already established that, so give us some details. We didn't see everything."

"There's not a lot to say. He picked me up brought me some flowers. We ate at this really nice restaurant, and after we sat up on the Hokage monument for awhile just watching the stars."

"That sounds really nice Ino-chan." Hinata said.

"Yeah." Ino nodded.

The platinum blond could only think of one thing that upset the night. She didn't know why it happened; the only thing she knew was that it wasn't Naruto's fault in the slightest. Only it did leave her wondering.

(Flashback)

Naruto was walking Ino back home when a middle aged man had bumped into her. It caused her to fall back. She would have fallen if Naruto hadn't caught her before she hit the ground.

"Are you okay Ino-chan?" he questioned with his arms wrapped around her waist.

"Yeah I'm okay no thanks to this jerk."

"Apologize to her." Naruto told the man.

The man blinked. He looked as if he had been drinking or something.

"Oh I'm sorry sweetness but if you don't mind my asking what are you doing with this monster." He pointed to Naruto.

"Monster?" Ino repeated.

"Yeah are you saying that you don't know about him. He's a beast."

Naruto frowned slightly. He then took Ino's hand within his.

"Let's go okay Ino-chan. You should probably go get sober you stink of alcohol."

Ino gave the man one last look before she and Naruto walked away. All she could really think about was what he had just said. Once they were away from the drunken male Naruto slowly let her hand go.

"I'm sorry he knocked you down."

"Yeah that's alright don't worry about it. But Naruto what was that back there. Why did he call you a monster? You may have been a knucklehead but you're not a monster."

Naruto immediately stopped walking. His back was turned to her as he stood frozen for a moment. He soon turned to look at her shooting her a brave smile.

"Don't worry about that. Come on let's get you home."

(End of Flashback)

"I still wonder what that was all about."

"What's up Ino why do you look like you're so far away right now?"

"Hm I was only thinking that's all. Anyway Naruto and I had a good time. In fact we're going out again."

TenTen's face seemed to light up at this little revelation.

"Ha I knew that you two would be able to get along. Sakura how do you want to pay me that 500 ryo? Will you be paying in small installments or can I expect you to pay up front in full."

"You'll get your money." Sakura nearly growled.

"You should have never made that bet Forehead. I bet this was all your idea anyway. None of you should have actually it was up to Naruto and me to decide if we would enjoy ourselves."

"You had a good time though we got that. Let it go Sakura you've lost." Shikamaru tried to warn her.

"Yeah, yeah I know. Here TenTen." She reached into her purse taking out the 500 ryo.

"Thanks Sakura let me know if you ever w ant to lose again."

"Oh no there will be no more betting on my personal life. It's rude not to mention it makes you guys look like you have absolutely no life whatsoever. I'm going to go though and see if I can find Naruto. We do have another date coming up."

And with that she left her friends alone to ponder everything.

"You guys what do you make of all of that?" Chouji asked.

"What can we make of it she said that she had fun. Ino wouldn't lie about having a good time but…." Sakura started.

"You still want to ask Naruto huh?" Kiba asked.

"Yeah it doesn't hurt to get a second opinion. Maybe I just might get my 500 ryo back." She thought hopefully.

"Um Sakura I think it's a negative on that one."

"Yeah you're probably right. Anyway let's go find him he should be around here somewhere."

Meanwhile Naruto stood on the streets of Konoha in a slight panic. There he was so close to the Yamanaka's flower shop and so far away from Ichiraku's.

"If I make a run for it maybe I can avoid seeing Mr. Yamanaka."

He took a deep breath and ran off past the flower shop.

"I'm home free."

"Naruto." A deep voice was heard.

"Oh fuck." He cursed mentally.

Naruto stopped turning around to see none other than Inoichi Yamanaka.

"He…Hello Yamanaka-san."

"Hm." He nodded. "What's this I hear about you taking Ino out on a date?"

"Um well I…."

"I hope that you were nothing but a complete gentleman son." He put his hand on to the young man's shoulder.

Naruto swallowed hard staring up into those intense eyes.

"Ye…Yeah of course. And it wasn't really a date. It was…."

"So you were only using my daughter."

"What no sir…."

"Daddy?" Ino's voice was heard. She was now making her way over to the two of them.

"Ino-chan you're home I was just having a friendly chat with Naruto here about your date."

Somehow Ino didn't buy that Naruto seemed scared shitless once again.

"Daddy don't scare him okay. We had a great time right Naruto-kun."

"Yeah." He only nodded.

"In fact we're going out again aren't we?"

"Um sure if you don't mind Mr. Yamanaka."

The taller male stood with his arms folded. He stared between his daughter and the second blond.

"Very well I suppose I couldn't stop you even if I tried huh princess."

Ino smiled for her father.

"You got it." Ino nodded.

"Ino talk to Naruto about what we spoke about alright. I have to go now I'll see you in a few days."

"Alright bye daddy."

"Bye, goodbye Naruto."

"Goodbye Yamanaka-san."

Once her father was gone from sight Ino walked over to him. She wanted to make sure that he was okay after his encounter with her dad.

"Are you alright?"

"Oh yeah I'm fine. There's no problem here." He sighed. "Hey Ino I think that we're going to have to plan this better, you know since your father is trying to kill me." He exclaimed.

The blue eyed female chuckled lightly at the hilarious expression on his face. Naruto looked down at her blinking curiously.

"What's so funny?"

"It's nothing I'm sorry about my father." She apologized.

"It's fine but what did he mean. What do we have to talk about?"

Ino remembered that she was supposed to invite him over for dinner. It wasn't as if she had completely forgotten. She just chose not to bring it up to him. She also hoped that maybe her father would have forgotten. But that was hoping for too much.

"Oh that you don't have to worry about it right now."

"Alright. Whatever you say." His stomach started grumbling. It made him remember that he had been on his way to Ichiraku's.

"I guess you're starving off to Ichiraku's it is then right?"

"You got it." He smiled. "I haven't had any ramen for days since our "non date"."

"Days." Ino repeated. "I really didn't think that you could go that long without your ramen fix."

"Ha, ha very funny Ino-chan."

There was silence as the two blonds stared at one another. Ino turned her attention elsewhere and Naruto did the same running his fingers through his blond locks. Ino wasn't sure why she had felt suddenly strange around him. Perhaps it was because her mind was still on the events of their date. She honestly had a pretty good time with him.

"Hey I'm going to go alright that ramen is calling."

"Yeah I'll see you around then."

Naruto waved goodbye and headed towards Ichiraku's. He didn't get far when he heard Ino call out to him.

"Hey Naruto wait."

"Yeah?" he turned back to meet her gaze.

"I just wanted to say that I had a pretty good time thanks."

"Sure I'm glad that you had fun Ino-chan."

"I…."

"Naruto there you are."

The blond male looked to see Sakura followed by the rest of their friends.

"Sakura-chan what's up?"

"Hey I'm glad that I ran into you. I was wondering how your date with Ino went."

"Yeah tell us Naruto. Sakura here seems to be under the impression that your date was a complete disaster." TenTen smiled rather smugly.

Naruto blinked again. Ino sighed and started to make her way closer to the group of friends.

"Naruto you won't believe this but our idiotic friends had a bet going on about our date."

"Really wow you guys are lame. Ino-chan and I had a great time didn't we." He grinned.

"Yeah that's what I tried to tell them. Sakura's just upset because she's out 500 ryo."

Sakura nodded but then put a warm smile on her face.

"Well I'm glad that you two had fun. Naruto Ino said that you two are going out again."

"Yeah we are."

"That's nice. I'm just glad that you guys didn't kill each other." Sakura spoke.

Naruto could see that he would not be getting his ramen anytime soon.

"Damn what's a guy have to do to get a meal around here." He thought.

Ino couldn't help but notice the look on Naruto's face. She then put her hand to his shoulder. This contact caused him to look at her.

"Hey Naruto we better get going."

"Going?" he repeated.

"Yeah didn't you say something about going to Ichiraku's? Let's go I bet you're starving."

"Hai. Let's go then Ino-chan."

"We'll see you guys later. We'd invite you but it's sort of just for the two of us you know." Ino winked. She then linked arms with Naruto.

"Alright see you guys." TenTen waved.

She waited until they were gone before talking again.

"They look so cute together. I'd say that we'll be seeing them together real soon."

"What? You don't… you don't mean that you think that they're going to start dating or something." Sakura exclaimed.

"Maybe they are going out again. I guess that we should just need to leave this one alone. Unless you want to have another bet Sakura-chan."

Kiba put his hand on to the pink haired girls shoulder.

"Sakura I'm advising you against placing anymore bets. You'd lose." He warned her.

"Yeah don't worry. I don't think I'll be placing anymore bets on anything. TenTen is right we should leave this alone. Besides there's no way that those two would ever become a couple.

(Weeks later)

It began like any other day. Nothing was out of the ordinary. The streets of Konoha were busy as always with people walking to and fro. The only thing that seemed to attract any attention was the two blonds sitting underneath a tree. Naruto had his arm wrapped around Ino's waist. She laughed and leaned into him.

"Do you see that?" Sakura asked.

"Yep." TenTen nodded.

"They look really happy." Hinata spoke.

Ino looked up slightly when she saw her friends standing there. She quickly pulled Naruto towards her.

"Naruto what do you think. Do we look happy enough or do we have to turn this up a notch?"

"I think that we look happy enough Ino-chan." He whispered pushing her hair out of her face.

"Well it can't hurt to heat things up a bit. Forehead is standing right there." Ino squeezed his hand pressing her lips to his cheek. Sakura's eyes widened in surprise.

"I…I don't believe this."

"Tell me that those two don't look like a couple right now." TenTen whispered to her.

Naruto wrapped his right arm around her shoulder bringing her closer to him.

"Are they watching?" Naruto whispered in her ear.

"Yep." She nodded.

The blond male paused as he was now inhaling the blue eyed girl's perfume. She smelled extremely good to him like vanilla and flowers.

"Figures that she would smell like flowers." He thought. "But she smells really good." He shook his head trying to get rid of those thoughts. He definitely shouldn't be thinking thoughts like that about Ino. They were just partners in a crazy mixed up plan; friends at best.

"Naruto-kun you always seem to make me smile these days."

"Good I'm glad Ino-chan. I'm going to go and get ready for our date tonight."

"Alright pick me up around 8 okay." She smiled for him.

"Wow Ino is a good actor."

Before Naruto could leave Sakura followed by TenTen and Hinata came over to them.

"Okay you two what gives?" The pink haired girl asked first.

"What do you mean Forehead?"

"Let's not sugarcoat anything. Are you guys seeing each other or what?" TenTen immediately got to the point.

Naruto and Ino stared at one another for a moment. Both of them smiled.

"Well Naruto-kun what do you think is it any of their business?"

"I don't know Ino-chan but why do we have to hide it? We're having a good time right?"

Ino stood up placing her arms around Naruto's shoulders.

"Why are you bothered by Naruto and me Sakura?"

"Um…" she stopped. "No I'm not." She spoke.

Naruto felt a little down by Sakura's words. He was hoping that she'd be a little jealous over all off this.

"Good I'm glad Forehead because you better get used to seeing us like this. Naruto and I will be spending more time together." She then reached for his hand squeezing it slightly. "Because after all he is my new boyfriend."

"I don't believe this."

"Congratulations Naruto-kun, Ino-chan." Hinata smiled.

"Yeah you guys make a great couple. I figured that this would happen eventually." TenTen told them.

Naruto nodded giving the three girls a warm bright smile.

"Yeah I don't know how it happened either but we're together now."

"That's right." Ino grinned running her fingers through his spiky blond locks.

"Well I have to get going Ino-chan will you be okay. I know that I promised to walk you home but I really have to get going."

"I know its fine. See you around okay." Ino then hugged her "boyfriend".

As he was leaving Ino remembered that she had yet to tell him about dinner with her parents. What better time than to tell him now in front of their friends. It made their "relationship" seem more believable too.

"Oh Naruto-kun don't forget we're having dinner with my parents soon."

Naruto stopped dead in his tracks eyes turning white. He turned around facing the platinum blond.

"Um what did you say?"

"We're having dinner with my parents. They do want to get to know you better. So what time would be good for you huh Naruto-kun?"

"Dinner with the Yamanaka's, dinner with Mr. Yamanaka oh fucking Kami."

And all Naruto saw was stars as he fell to the ground with thoughts of his impending doom on his mind.