Hello everybody! It's been weeks since the last time I updated and here are the 13th Chapter for you! Happy Valentine Day!
The beta is done by DoubleRainbowRainbow as usual (thanks for your help!), and please do enjoy this chapter!
Just how many times have they been holding hands with each other? Truthfully, he had lost count. There were so many occasions where Ino would hold his hand: when they were on a playground, when he was sick or injured, when she's happy, when she took him to a festival out in Grass Country, when she watched horror movies with him … In short, it was impossible to keep track of.
In this particular moment, holding her hands was different though. This was the first time they held hands with Ino knowing that his feelings for her went beyond friendship. She hadn't said a word regarding that topic, but yet, here they are walking through the thickness of the woods in the darkness of the night with her hands clutched tightly onto his.
Shikamaru didn't protest like he usually did. The wind was chilling to the bones and he was weary, but he kept quiet. When they arrived at a clear open field, she finally let go of his hands. She took several steps forward and when she turned around to look at him, a sweet smile painted her lips. Shikamaru admired her beauty for the umpteenth time.
"Look at the sky." She said dreamily, her index finger pointed upwards. Shikamaru obliged and looked up upon the sky to be greeted with millions stars above him. He didn't say anything for several seconds and when he shifted his gaze to Ino, his look was unimpressed.
"So beautiful right? And even better, it's just one day away from Konoha!"
"You kidnapped me from my tent, brought me all the way from that dark, cold, forest just to see stars? Hn, how troublesome." He said as he scratched his heads and laid on the grass.
Ino pouted. "Huh, I thought that if you liked clouds, you'd like stars as well." She joined him by sitting next to him and she looked up at the stars as well.
"That one constellation is Pavo the peacock." Shikamaru said as he pointed to a set of stars. Ino looked up. "It is said that when the 100 eyed giants were killed by the messenger of God, the Goddess of marriage take his many eyes on the tail of her peacock. Hence that one, bright star."
She looked at him with doubtful look.
"You don't make this up to impress me, do you?"
Shikamaru looked up. "Always so suspecting. Typical you." He sighed as he watched the stars wordlessly. It was quite a sight indeed. It had been a long time since the last time he saw this many stars and he had Ino to thank for it.
"Is this my birthday present?" He asked, breaking the silence between them. Ino's eyes widened and before he could anticipate it, she hit his chest with a loud sound.
"What the...?" Shikamaru growled at the fresh, hot feeling all over his chest.
"You're not supposed to say it before I do!" She said childishly. "And now you've ruined the moment. Aah, all my work had gone to ash."
She let out a dramatic sigh.
"How am I supposed to know?" Shikamaru growled. Ino glared at him.
"You insensitive bastard." She snapped. Shikamaru tried hard not to roll his eyes at her behavior in order to avoid inciting further snapping. It's time to resort to strategy number one.
"I'm sorry I've been insensitive." He was so used to apologizing to Ino, he didn't even have to try to sound like he meant it. For a ninja, it seemed like Ino had an odd sense of what was important and what was not, and there were moments when Shikamaru simply couldn't understand it.
"You're not forgiven." Ino said sulkily. "You've ruined everything."
"I'm really sorry." Shikamaru said without even knowing what it is exactly he had ruined.
"I'm really grateful that you brought me here." He added. When apology fails, appreciation was the second step of avoiding Ino's anger.
"Isn't it troublesome?" She sneered and Shikamaru smirked at her.
"I was only kidding."
Ino looked at him. "I'm sorry I was being childish. It's your birthday and all." Shikamaru raised his eyebrows and shrugged his head.
"I'm used to it."
"Happy birthday." She said it so softly, it's almost like a whisper.
"Thanks."
Silence enveloped them as they both admired the bright stars that shone brightly above them.
"Shika." She called him by his small name suddenly. Shikamaru couldn't help but to feel astonished. How long had it been again since the last time she called him that? She used to call her "Shika-kun, let's play." when she picked him up to go to the playground when they were but toddler. Yoshino would practically threw him out of their door to go with her then, even when he was napping.
Shikamaru smiled to himself. It had been a long time since Ino discarded the suffix '-kun' from his name.
"What?" He replied, his eyes still fixated on the many, many stars.
"Let's be honest here." She started. "Do you see me as more than a friend?"
The first thought that his mind could register was obvious: Shit. If Shikamaru was the kind of guy who swears, his mind would be so full of all kinds of curse words. He wasn't, so that one word just got meaninglessly repeated in his mind.
Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit.
It took him seconds to finally brought himself to confirm Ino's verdict. "Yes."
"I'm childish, bossy, vain, and nagging. Why?" Ino demanded. "You should be the one that knows me and my trait the best while others are maybe fooled by other things."
"What a troublesome question." Shikamaru sighed. "Will an I don't know suffice?"
Ino glared at him. "No."
Shikamaru grunted another 'How troublesome.' before sitting up and fixing his gaze on Ino's eyes.
"Are you fishing for praises here?" He was definitely adopting the playful tone, but Ino was nowhere near the mood for playful banter.
"I'm dead serious." Ino tore away from his gaze. "You are the one who knows me the most."
"More than Ibiki?" Shikamaru couldn't help but to sound amused. She gave him an irritated look.
"Fine, let's count Ibiki, my mother and Chouji out of this."
The fact that Ino thought Chouji knew her better did raise a question mark, but Shikamaru decided to hold back and confirm the fact sometime in the future instead.
"Okay." Shikamaru sighed. "I feel awkward talking about feelings actually, Ino."
"I know." Ino nodded. "Do you think I enjoy every second of it? However, this needs to be sorted out Shikamaru. We can't ignore this forever!"
She couldn't ignore it forever.
"Maybe it has something with the fact that we know each other the most."
In his case, he didn't even have to count anyone out. Ino was the person who knew him the most. Well, along with Chouji, actually.
"I know every bit of your weakness and I know everyone would hurt you one way or another because of those weaknesses and I don't want that."
Bleh. He never thought that saying it would sound so … cheesy.
"I don't want anybody to hurt you too." Ino whispered, her hands holding his. "I wanted to be the one who healed you when you're hurt. I never want to be the one who hurt you and that's why..."
"Then don't." Shikamaru cut her before she could finish her sentence. "Don't hurt me."
"We'll hurt each other sooner or later," Ino said. "I will hurt you sooner or later. Aren't you tired of years of my constant nagging and commands?"
"It'd be weird to live a single day without it."
He wasn't exactly lying. There was one day when Shikamaru didn't meet Ino at all and wonder why his life was so peaceful and eventless that day. Weird day, indeed.
"How about Temari?" Ino offered.
"Ino." Shikamaru breathed.
"What?"
"Are you rejecting me?"
Ino's eyes widened. "What? No!"
"So?"
"No, no, not like that. Shika, I'm trying to make a decision here." Ino said. "When we talked about that about my dreams that night, I hadn't been lying. I really was thinking about it."
"But?"
"No but!" Ino glared at him. "Back to my question, how about Temari?"
"What about Temari?"
"She's head over heels for you!" Ino cried impatiently. "I'm dead serious about it. I can see her eyes fluttered when you're in the room."
"Do you want me to be with her?" Shikamaru asked back.
"She'll love you more than I ever could."
"Are you rejecting me?" He repeated the same question.
"No!" She yelled frustratedly. "It's just … it's just that ..." She hugged her knees and buried her face there. There was a muffled sentence coming from her he couldn't quite make up.
"Ino." He called her name. She didn't answer and continued burying her face on her knews.
"Ino." He called her name once again. Ino looked up and turned her head to him.
"What?" She asked, her voice was husky as if she was on the verge of crying.
He reached for her and kissed her forehead gently.
"It's okay."
XXX
"Don't you think that Asuma-sensei is hot?" Ino whispered to her as she giggled all the way through the bakery shop they were going to. Sakura frowned.
"What the ..."
"Oh, stop being so judgemental! If I like Asuma-sensei then Sasuke is free! You can have him all to yourself." Ino told him. Sakura frowned.
"Is it just me, or were you the one telling me that Asuma and Kurenai are getting engaged ?"
Ino's voice revealed she simply didn't care. "I did."
Sakura's eyes rolled judgmentally at her. "And?"
"And.." Ino repeated after her. "So what?"
Sakura massaged her temple frustratedly. Something is terribly wrong with Ino's sense of morality. Maybe Ibiki was the one who gave her that, or maybe she was always like that. That, Sakura never knew.
"Is it possible that you think that he's hot because of his new status?" She asked her blonde friend and Ino let out a snobby scoff.
"Of course not." She said vainly. Sakura was waiting for a 'because' but Ino never followed up.
"Anyway, Sasuke is all yours anyway." Ino changed the topic. "You don't have to worry anymore."
"I never worry." Sakura lifted her chin cheekily. "You're no match for me."
Ino let out a smirk. "Please."
Sakura frowned at her confident smirk. "You really thought that you're better than me, don't you?"
"Do you?" She asked back.
Well, there are times. Ino is a beautiful woman who perfectly knew her pluses and minuses. She was confident, flirty, and when in good mood, she was the perfect best friend.
Of course, Sakura had trouble catching up sometimes.
"I don't." She lied. "Sasuke will choose me anytime."
Ino shrugged her shoulder. "Yeah. Sure. I'll even help you. You know. In case he doesn't." There was a naughty grin spread across her face as he said that.
"He'll choose me." She repeated. The one that Sasuke said 'sorry' to the night he went rogue was her. It was not Ino. It was not anyone else.
"We just have to bring him back." Ino murmured.
There was a pregnant pause after that. "Yeah." Sakura said finally, her expression gloomy. Ino patted her shoulder emphatically.
"He'll be back." She said gently."He'll be back, and he'll be yours. That, I promise."
The sound of her alarm blared loudly throughout the room. Sakura opened her eyes and growled silently. That dream again. She's been having that dream for the last month. Maybe it had something to do with her guilt and somehow affected her subconscious. Maybe it had something to do with the way Sasuke had been colder than ever to her. He eyed her with hate, he deliberately hit her harder during training, and he didn't listen when she talked to him. Sakura was already trying to confront him once, but Sasuke was too much of a proud man to talk about his feelings. He was being.. Sasuke. He would give her the cold shoulder and leave. Sakura took a deep sigh at the memory and turned her alarm off. Her heart hurts like hell to be treated like that, and she wished she could just stop loving that Uchiha survivor and give him up but she couldn't. She simply couldn't. She loved him too much.
Sakura reluctantly checked her journal to see what her plan for today. The day is not that busy, as it looked like. She promised Naruto and Sai and Sasuke for a morning training in an hour. After that, she had to finish her mission report to Tsunade by noon and performed a medical check-up on Kakashi sometime before noon and after morning training. After that, she had promised her mother to help her buying the groceries for the upcoming dinner party with the neighbor. Oh. And she had to welcome Ino when she arrived at Konoha later in the afternoon.
Sakura's mind trailed off at the thought of Ino. Her hands unconsciously brushed gently over the next column of date, September 23. There was a huge picture of her own version of self-drawn pig on it. Ino's birthday. She closed her book in annoyance. She had decided – out of impulse, actually – to throw Ino a surprise party later in the midnight today and yet she actually still wasn't sure how to act in front of Ino. Should she play oblivious? She wasn't sure it was the best way. She didn't want to fight with Ino anymore … is there a way of being in peace with her AND still has her chance with Sasuke? Sakura pondered over this question as she prepared herself for the training. She was early by fifteen minutes when she arrived at the training ground but Naruto and Sasuke was already there.
"Ah! You're here, Sakura-chan!" Naruto exclaimed upon seeing her, he grinned widely at her and at times, there were a lot of times when she simply wondered why she can't bring herself to say yes to Naruto. It'd be all so easy.
"You're unusually early." She commented as she frowned at the smirking blonde guy.
"Sasuke woke me up." Naruto pointed at the sulky man next to him. "He said it was early and didn't want to be left alone with you."
Oh. The honesty. Sakura looked at Sasuke and gave her a patient smile.
"It's not like I bite, Sasuke-kun."
Sasuke glared at her. "Whatever, let's just start the training already. I haven't got all day."
He walked deeper into the forest without saying anything as Sakura looked at the oblivious Naruto. Sakura was pretty sure that Naruto was the only person in the world that could stay oblivious despite the ongoing hostility of Sasuke toward her.
"Shouldn't we wait for Sai first?" Sakura asked. Naruto shook his head.
"He bailed out on this one saying he got another thing to take care of." Naruto said. "I bet he's just lazy." He added in a soft whisper.
"He's not you, Naruto." Sakura sighed.
"So? What's today theme? You know, on second thought, why don't you two spar with each other? I'll just concentrate on my chakra training today, I can't be too tired, there's a party to prepare."
His blue eyes lit at the word party.
"Party? What party? Will there be food?" He asked hopefully.
"Ino's surprise party. I told you yesterday, remember?"
His eyes lit up even more.
"I didn't listen! So what can I do to help? Should I help?" His excitement was apparent as he was practically jumping around childishly in excitement.
"Well, I guess. I can use everyone's help, of course."
It was true. She had asked Lee to distract Ino for as long as he could, and if he couldn't, she had asked Tenten and Hinata to distract Ino over a girl talk. Ino loves girl talk so much she could do it for hours. Sakura also had contacted the chef in Yaki Ko, Ino's favorite restaurant in Konoha, to do the catering. Kiba was inviting people whom Ino's close to, and Moegi was in charge of the decorations while Shino found the right place for the party.
Everything was in place.
"Well, I guess you could help to spread the word." Sakura said. Naruto grinned widely.
"You can count on me, believe it!" He said loudly.
"Not now." Sakura held him by his collar as Naruto was about to run toward the village again. "You still have to train."
Naruto pouted. "Not cool. That's not cool."
Sakura patted his best friend's back playfully.
"Now, I think you're just lazy."
XXX
Naruto's eyes were practically shining when he confronted him later after their morning training session that day.
"Ino's surprise party?" Sasuke asked his blonde teammate coolly.
"Yeah, it's her birthday tomorrow and she'll be back later this afternoon. Would you like to help us prepare it?" Sakura chimed in as she approached the duo. Sasuke could still feel a pang of resentment toward Sakura and he was not shy in showing it.
"I'm not interested."
"You're always no fun." Naruto pouted., unaware with the unusually icy tone Sasuke had thrown. It wasn't completely his fault, really, it's been a long time since Sasuke could be described as 'friendly'. "What are you going to do tonight anyway?" Naruto followed with another skeptical question.
"That is none of your concern." He put it coldly. He didn't know yet, honestly.
"This is Ino we're talking about. Don't you want to be involved?" Sakura insisted. Sasuke eyed her with annoyance and he could see that she was wilting from his glare a bit.
How dare she to manage to separate Ino from him for her own selfish desire and now ask him to be involved with Ino once again?
"Why does Sasuke has to want to be involved when it's Ino we're talking about?" Naruto asked Sakura, totally oblivious with the situation.
"Well, she's one of the rookie nine. Of course we all want to be involve with her." Sakura lied easily, and no one was easier to fool than Naruto.
"I have other things to do today." Sasuke walked away from them.
"But at least you'll come, right?" He could hear Naruto shouting from behind his back and Sasuke, as always, chose to ignore it as he walked further away from them.
Ino.
Sasuke could still feel the resentment each time the name comes up. He was the closest he'd ever come to begging and yet, all with those bullshit teary eyes, she left for Kumo. For a man she barely knows and for Sakura.
Sasuke didn't want Sakura. Never did. Never will.
His feet somehow brought him to the Uchiha compound. His home now. Karin, Suigetsu, Juugo also stayed there and despite the constant bickering between Karin and Suigetsu, Sasuke preferred it that way. The silence of the empty corridor when he was all by his lonesome screamed louder than anything.
"Welcome home, Sasuke." Karin's greasy voice greeted him as she opened the door and quickly peered hopefully into his back.
It seems like the days where Karin was ready to throw her life away for him were over. Suigetsu told him that she was attracted to Naruto at the moment.
See, people are capable of moving on. So, why can't Sakura?
"Karin! Are you ready yet?" Suigetsu came into view as he strode along the corridor. "Oh, you're back home already." He raised his eyebrows at Sasuke.
Sasuke gave him a shrug before walking past through them, not bothering to ask where they are planning to go to. It's not rare for them to go out together and if he hadn't known better, Sasuke would have thought that they were dating each other.
Not that he cares, apparently.
"We're going to shop for tonight's dresses, Sasuke. Do you want to come? Juugo will come along too, he's just getting dressed." Karin informed him. Sasuke looked at her with an odd look.
"No." He put it coldly without even looking at her. He could feel Karin's distress at his back from his coldness but since when did he ever care?
"Well, I'm sure you're fine just the way you are for tonight." It was her overly sweet words that came next instead.
"I don't remember going anywhere tonight." He turned around, finally facing the duo with a frown on his face. Suigetsu and Karin shared a weird look.
"You're not going to Ino's surprise party?"
That name again.
"Why would I?" Sasuke folded his hand defensively. Karin and Suigetsu shared the weird look with each other once again and uneasiness started to crept inside his mind. Did they know about his whole affair?
No, they couldn't be.
Sasuke made sure the whole affair was only private to him and Ino. It was not possible that either Karin or Suigetsu knew.
"I don't know. A lot of people seems to help out with it, and I think you'd naturally ..."
Karin seemed to regret her choice of words.
Of course Sasuke wouldn't help no matter how many people were supporting the cause.
"Well. It seems like we'll better get going now." She abruptly changed the topic, relief hinted in her tone, when she spotted Juugo was coming over, properly dressed.
"Why are you guys going? Ino doesn't even know you." Sasuke asked suddenly and a flash of hurt was apparent in Karin's eyes as she lifted her chin vainly.
"I know her. We've gone shopping for things together several times."
Suigetsu let out a mocking chuckle at that.
"Hahaha. Twice." Karin shot him a deathly glare but as always, he ignored it. Sasuke turned to Juugo, the man he deemed most reasonable in that room. Juugo shrugged.
"Naruto invited me. It would be rude not to come."
Ah. That sounded strangely Juugo-ish.
"Do whatever." He told them as he walked inside. Suigetsu looked at Karin teasingly.
"I really can't believe that you used to like that guy before." He sniggered.
"Shut up or I'll kill you." She snapped before raising her eyebrows. "Ah, let's go the other way. Lee-kun's walking through the front gate, we don't want to get trapped with him."
"One of these days I'll slice that guy in half."
"Don't be stupid." Karin snapped once again while rolling her eyes as they made their way out of the Uchiha compound from the back door.
Sasuke, despite unable to sense chakra as well as his red-haired companion does, noticed that the atmosphere is suddenly getting a little bit more intense and bad feelings struck him. He was just about to go to take a bath, but decided to come out of his room first and looked if there is something wrong going on outside.
The sight of Lee greeted him as soon as he opened his door.
"Good morning Sasuke-kun!"
He closed the door again and locked it.
There was a stunned silence before Lee started to knock at his door.
"Sa-su-ke-kun!" His voice was grossly cheerful.
"Let's have a training together! I want to look impressive and honorable in front of Sakura for tonight's party!"
What's the deal with the party?
Sasuke thought irritably as he took his towel and headed to the bathroom. Even in the shower, he could still hear Lee persistently knocking at his door. Repeating the same words on and on.
Training. Sakura. Impressive. Honorable.
Now that Sasuke thought about it, Lee's whole life maybe was just about those four words. Lee must got along very well with Naruto at that, so why, why does he have to go here and bother him instead.
"Sasuke-kun!" He called his name once again when he came out of the shower.
Sasuke got dressed quickly and gave the black haired man a deathly glare.
"Why are you ..." His eyes widened as another person walked to Lee's side. Lee noticed this and immediately resumed his blabber.
"Isn't it nice of Ino-chan? She agreed to train with me as soon as she arrived ..."
"Leave." Sasuke glared at him. "Now."
"You don't have to be so hostile." Ino sighed with irritation as she folded her hand.
"Let's go, Lee." She tugged Lee's hands, beckoning him to follow her.
"I ask Lee to leave. You stay."
"You don't get to ask me to stay and leave as you please."
"Stay." He repeated. "Please."
She stopped at that and gave him an amused look. She then turned at Lee. "You know, I think I'll stay, Lee." She smiled.
"But … but ..."
"I heard Gai-sensei is training at the ground 44 right now. Why don't you join him?"
Lee's fading energy instantly sparked again. "Yeah! You have to come too after this, Ino!" He looked uneasily at Sasuke.
Ino gave him a dismissing smile. "Sure. I'll see you there."
Sasuke scoffed. It's not even possible for her to know where Gai is training right now. She just barely arrived.
"Come in." He stepped aside, giving her access to his room. Ino sighed but she did it anyway. She took a step in and sat herself on his chair.
"What is it?" She asked. "I heard you're not going out with Sakura yet."
"It's nothing of your business." He said icily. Ino sighed.
"Are you still mad?"
Heck yes.
"I don't concern myself with such trivial things."
Her eyes told him that she disbelieved him, but she didn't say anything about it so he chose not to either.
"I'm really sorry about the kiss. It was a mistake. It has nothing to do with you, but it's just plain wrong especially now that I'm betrothed to someone else"
"I don't want to hear your apology." He scoffed. He really was fed up with it. He didn't want to be reminded of their kiss once again because it pained him and gave a ray of false hope when she ran away to some other country for someone else and shoved him another girl he didn't have feelings for.
All while pronouncing that she might have some feelings for him.
Ino lifted her chin vainly. "You're such a jerk."
Sasuke looked at Ino. "Maybe."
Isn't that why you love me?
"You're ..." She looked at him from head to toe. "You never change, do you, Sasuke?"
"I don't. You did." He looked at her. "I came back to this village thinking that the girl who said that she'll be waiting for me and loving me held her end of her promise."
Her cerulean eyes looked at him with disbelief before she muttered, "You remember."
"I never forget."
He didn't know what she thought but Sasuke felt so much emotion on the air. However he wasn't going to ask her for a relationship. He had begged enough.
"I was ..." Ino looked away. "Why couldn't you come back sooner?"
Her eyes was teary. "Things wouldn't turn out like this if you had come back sooner. Why didn't you let me know that you felt the same before you left?"
"You know the reason."
She was definitely willing to follow him to the ends of the earth, and that included facing a missing-nin with abilities that far surpassed hers. But god knows what could have happened. It was always better for her to stay at the village, safe and warm in the embrace of Konoha.
Sasuke never regretted that decision.
"What's done is done and there's nothing to salvage the whole situation." He concluded.
"Yeah. I think I'm done here. See you later." She nodded curtly as she stood up. They looked at each other and she let out a small smile. "You're still as handsome as ever, Sasuke."
He didn't respond to that and she only smiled and made her way to the door.
"You know," he managed. "I'm here if you ever change your mind about the whole thing."
He cursed himself for saying it. It sounded so pathetic, so hopeful, so weak. Ino's expression was unfazed though.
"You mean if I suddenly decided to betray Sakura and the entire village?" She answered with a questioning smile on her face.
He grinned back at her.
"Never stopped me before."
XXX
"So." Tenten started the conversation as she awkwardly stirred her tea. She wasn't quite sure of what to say even though there were a myriad of questions that ran through her mind when it came to the blonde girl in front of her.
"So." Ino replied as she stirred her tea as well. "How's life in Konoha lately?"
Ah. She went for the cliche.
"The same as always." A part of her wished that Hinata came quickly to save the day but another knew that this was her rare chance to ask Ino about … that. "How's yours?"
"Good." Ino nodded. "I have to start planning the wedding as soon as I go back to Kumo, though. It would be nice to have you there instead of Shikamaru and Chouji. Both are useless."
"I would love to." Tenten gave her a smile. Ino was about to respond when another person walked into the restaurant. They both looked at the door hopefully but it was a complete stranger.
"Thought it was Hinata."
"Me too." Tenten agreed. "It can't be helped, we both are 30 minutes early after all."
"Yeah. Never thought that Lee and Gai-sensei would finish early." Ino smiled.
"Darui-san beat them up pretty good." Tenten smiled. Ino chuckled as a response.
Then the deafening silence was back again. Ino sipped her tea while looking outside the window and Tenten realized that Ino felt just as uncomfortable as she. It felt like they were ignoring the elephant in the room. Tenten took a deep breath as she collected her pieces of bravery.
She had to ask.
"Have you visited Kakashi?"
There. She opened the topic.
Ino's answer came after three seconds. "No. Not yet." She replied. Tenten seriously hoped that Ino would continue with the topic because she wanted to know about what happened so much.
"Have you?" She asked back after what seemed like forever.
"I have. Once, with Gai-sensei, Neji and Lee." Tenten said. "Shizune said that his physical condition are perfect despite his unconsciousness."
"I'm glad." Ino muttered, much like to herself.
"So ..." Tenten let her words hung in the air as she intently looked at Ino.
Oh girl, read the code already. Ino sighed.
"These things are utterly ridiculous, Tenten." Tenten tried to hold back to let out a sigh of relief as they are finally over with the whole pleasantries thing. It was never her forte and she liked it better when people were blunt. However, this matter is rather delicate and it's not like she could openly ask Ino about things she did with Kakashi. Not if Ino wasn't the person who initiated the topic.
"Why?"
Ino was about to answer before she froze for a second and looked away. "No, it's nothing. Forget it."
What the hell? Her mind screamed in protest. She was just opening up!
"I was just going to tell you my problem and now that I played it in my head, I realized that it makes me sound arrogant, ungrateful, and insensitive." She told her honestly. "So I choose not to share."
Tenten rolled her eyes.
Of course, it sounds arrogant, ungrateful, and insensitive. She was telling the tale of Yamanaka Ino, for God's sake. Of all the times Ino chose to be sensitive, why does it have to be right now?
"You're Ino. Of course you have to be scandalous. What happened, Ino? I'm worried and seeing how everybody reacts, it's obvious that nobody else knows about it." Tenten put it.
Ino let out an exasperated sigh. The pressure was starting to get to her and, but it's not like Tenten was a gossip. Also, it's not like she didn't know already. Tenten was her closest friend - after Sakura - but Ino knew that venting to Sakura about the matter would only yield an even more disastrous result which means... more headaches for her.
"Fine." Ino said. "But not after you swear on your life that you're not going to tell this to anyone."
"Of course I won't." Tenten said in a shrill tone, as if the idea was utterly ridiculous.
"So where do you want me to start?"
"From the very, very start." She demanded. It's not like they had never shared secrets with each other before. Ino narrowed her eyes suspiciously at her.
"Why are you getting excited?" Her tone was accusing and Tenten couldn't help to feel a little bit guilty. She was indeed excited and she knew it's wrong because Ino obviously wasn't happy with her problem. But listening to Ino's story was always exciting, her life and actions was something out of a drama series and Tenten knew that she wasn't the only one who thought so. Hinata and Sakura felt the same way too.
"Sorry." She apologized meekly.
"It's okay." Ino said. "Anyway, so, one day, Lady Tsunade called me in the midst my medical training and offered me the chance to be wed to the future Raikage." Ino said. Her eyes rolled up, recollecting the scattered memories as Tenten listened.
"Well, those weren't her exact words, but something like that." She muttered.
"And you accepted?!" Tenten asked rhetorically. However, she deemed that it was quite understandable seeing how Ino was always Sasuke's number one fan back in the day.
"You have to see it from the point of view of a childish young girl who used to be number one in the class and then suddenly was second in every medical lesson and exam. The future of being the lady of Kumo sounded good enough."
Ino had referred to Sakura, of course.
"But you are not a medical ninja. Your skills are best suited for intelligence or sensory. You don't have to despair because you lost to her." Tenten said and suddenly realized that even if she managed to make Ino acknowledge her words, it's all too late by several years.
"And you think I was number one in sensory? The whole team 8 are the sensory masters, I can't touch them. They're so good at fighting too."
"And so is Sakura." Ino added. "You know that taijutsu was never my forte."
Tenten blinked. Whoa. This is so surprising. She never viewed Ino as someone who'd actually get insecure about things like that. She looked like she was always concerned with girly things, like what kind of bag she could wear to missions that was practical yet still looked stylish, or whether her outfit is still in style. Her great concern regarding her appearance paired with her skill in mind techniques were what made her a good spy, or in some cases, a seductress. It wasn't a bad job and it was very much needed in the ninja world.
So who would have expected that she felt insecure about her inability to fight as well as others?
"Now you're pitying me." Ino scoffed, snapping Tenten out of her brooding.
"I'm surprised." Tenten amended coolly as she sipped her piping hot tea.
"Sure you are." Ino said. "I never tell anyone about this except for Ibiki-sensei. Anyway, that was all in the past, before I learned the depth of human's mind from him."
"Must be fun." Tenten couldn't help but to add sarcastically. Tenten could only shiver at the thought of learning from Ibiki. What kind of method did he use? There's no way he just read the theory out loud for Ino to hear. Ino chuckled.
"Worst time in my life. I know now why Tsunade-sama doesn't just send anyone to be put under his tutelage. It's not like she hadn't sent some people." Ino rolled her eyes. "I'm the only one whose mentality was strong enough … and there were a lot of times when I was merely clinging to the brink of sanity … and morals, to tell you the truth."
The way she said it, Ino made it sound like she was a criminal who had to go through Ibiki's interrogation, not an innocent student who genuinely wanted to learn something from her master.
"That bad?" Tenten winced.
Ino nodded and muttered "Worse." But then she sipped her tea with a reminiscing smile, as if she was remembering a good thing from the past not the worst time in her life.
"However, in the end, I managed to have these strange fear-respect-fond feelings towards him." Ino gave Tenten a look. "Making me go through all that and yet still managed to have me to hold fondness towards him. Ibiki-sensei really is a master of mind-manipulator."
Ino sighed once again at the thought of Ibiki which makes Tenten really wondered what kind of training had she been through. Ino looked up at her and gave her a smile.
"So, where were we again?" She asked.
"Umm, right after you got offered the chance for the arranged marriage?" Tenten offered.
"Oh, yes. And so I accepted. I wasn't giving it much thought, it was still way far in the future right? Five years. I was even given the right to have a second thought and cancel the whole thing. So, it's not such a big deal even if I changed my mind."
"And suddenly time goes fast, and here you are." Tenten finished Ino's upcoming sentence. She was quite unsure about how Kakashi fitted into this story, but she figured Ino would fill her in.
Or she could always simply ask.
"Here I am." Ino repeated. She paused for a second, looking at her tea intently and Tenten had a feeling that she was thinking about telling her the story about Kakashi.
"You know, those times when I'm merely clinging to sanity I was talking about?"
Tenten nodded. "What about them?"
"I might have resorted to something that's not healthy." Ino said flimsily. "I drink."
"Drink alcohol? What? Just how old were you? 15?" Ino's silence meant her affirmation. Tenten's eyes widened. "All by yourself?" She asked in a hushed tone.
"All by myself." Ino admitted. "That's wrong and of course nobody's supposed to know. I manipulated the owner to let me be there and I time myself perfectly so that I could never meet anyone who knows me. It was weird, but after a long time of observation, I found out that there's a pattern."
There were too many things in her sentence that incite Tenten's curiosity. What kind of manipulation is she talking about? How did she ever manage to find a pattern on everybody's drinking schedule, aren't things like that supposed to be at random?
Tenten never had the time to ask because Ino already continued her story.
"Until one night, I unexpectedly met Kakashi. He was all by himself and before I could escape the bar, he saw me." Tenten could feel that the thrill started from there.
"So what are you doing?" She asked. "Making up some lousy lies?"
Ino chuckled.
"Of course not. He knew that I'm there anyway, so I approached him and asked him to join me."
"Are you insane?" Tenten laughed. The situation must be so awkward.
"He refused twice, but that was it. He eventually said nothing when I sat next to him and kept on taking shots." Ino joined Tenten's laugh. "I remember vividly thinking that it must be nice to have a sensei that is less protective or less … intimidating." Ino added.
"I guess that goes for Asuma and Ibiki respectively?" Tenten asked and Ino chuckled.
"You know me so well."
"And then what happened?" Tenten asked eagerly.
"Are you sure you're not going to tell? You sound so eager." Ino asked in a playful tone.
"You're halfway in, anyway. I'm already sending reports to Konoha Newspaper." Tenten joked.
"Ah, maybe being a celebrity fits me better." Ino said as she observed her perfectly manicured nails. Tenten laughed even though deep inside, she agreed to her statement.
"So, continue your story. We haven't been to main event yet." Tenten winked and Ino's chuckle turned into a laugh.
"What main event, you dirty-minded girl."
Tenten feigned innocence. "Oh? I didn't know that the main event is dirty."
It got her another laugh from Ino. "Well." She said after she managed to stop laughing. "You have to promise you won't tell anyone this part, though." Ino looked at her seriously.
"Okay." Tenten nodded seriously. It seemed like she trusted her because Ino nodded and took a deep breath before she told her story.
"So, in the end, Kakashi and I figured that he only drinks sake … at a very limited amount. He was a lightweight and for the fun of it, I coaxed him into drinking something else with me."
"And …..?" Tenten actually had a feeling how this would end.
"Well, we're both wasted, and he's Sakura's mysterious strong sexy witty sensei and I was merely clinging to sanity and morals at that moment and before I knew it the main event happened." There was a humorous glint in her eyes when she mentioned 'main event' but Tenten didn't laugh. She gasped and covered her mouth. Ino rolled her eyes, a little bit disappointed that her joke didn't come through.
"Oh, please, Tenten. He completely forgot about it the next morning."
"What? What a jerk!" Tenten exclaimed.
"Yeah. But what can I say? There's no use on blaming him, because it was my fault."
"And it goes from there?"
"No." Ino shook her head. "It goes much later when I met him the second time drinking all by himself once again at completely different time and at completely different bar."
Tenten narrowed her eyes. "Wait, you didn't stop drinking after that? Even after knowing the consequences?"
"Well. What's the point of stopping and waiting until I'm 20?" Ino shrugged her shoulder. "Anyway, in the end I might have told him a little about the nature of my mission in order to sleep with him." Ino moved against her chair uncomfortably. "It goes from there. At that time, I was just starting my lessons with Kurenai-sensei about the bird and the bees and I know that simply knowing the theory was useless so ..."
She covered her face on her palm.
"Oh my God. It sounded fun back then, now I just sound downright sluttish."
Tenten didn't know what to say. She was more on the neutral side for this kind of matter, especially seeing how it all ended up.
"Well ..." Tenten said awkwardly.
"You know. That's not the most troubling part yet." Ino said. "It gets troublesome when one day Sai came to me and hand me his notebook."
"His notebook?"
"Yeah." Ino sighed. "He claimed that he'd been spying on me for some time and in those notebooks are those he claimed who has feelings for me."
Tenten blinked. "This must be the part where everything sounded arrogant, insensitive, and ungrateful."
"Are you a psychic?" Ino asked her playfully. Tenten laughed.
"You are the one with constantly changing boyfriends between the four of us. Of course it has to be because of that." She commented. "So! Who's on that notebook?"
Ino grinned playfully. "There's Genma, of course."
Ah. Genma and Ino. They made quite the gossip among shinobis throughout Konoha before Ino left for Konoha. Genma, was of course, the notorious playboy who had had experience with hundreds of woman. Then there was Ino, the newly grown up kunoichi who made heads turned when she was making an entrance. She had had men wrapped around her little fingers. For that reason, that pairing somehow oddly matched each other.
"Wait. Quick question. Did you and Genma ever happened?"
"No." Ino answered. "We are going on dates, yes, exchanging playful banter, yes. But going out with him? No." Ino said.
"And then … there was Kankuro. Meh. Old flames."
"YOU AND KANKURO, THE BROTHER OF GAARA?"
Everybody looked at their table now. Ino looked at Tenten with an irritated look.
"You really are going to make people misunderstand things."
"Sorry." Tenten said sheepishly. "But didn't Gaara …?"
Propose to you too? That was what she was thinking but Ino understood it already.
"Well." Ino said. "I was 13 and he was 14, what do you expect from a thirteen year old kid's romance? Right. Nothing. He made an advancment toward me when we are much older and I refused him because at that time I was going out with … I don't know, Isamu from team 3, maybe?"
That was so typical Ino. She was jumping in and out of relationship so often she forgot. Didn't she want a relationship that actually has meaning?
Now that Tenten thought about it again, maybe it's not meaningless, Sakura once commented that Ino loved to be in love and it was very easy to fool herself into thinking that she's in love with someone.
"The rest of the list, though, completely baffled me." Ino added with concerned look.
"Who?"
"All the boys in Konoha 12 except for Lee and Chouji."
"Ah. Neji likes you, indeed." Tenten nodded repeatedly. "A lot."
"What? He hates me." Ino responded. Tenten rolled her eyes.
"Or at least, he likes Hinata." Ino added upon seeing her friend's reaction.
"He likes you." Tenten affirmed her meaning as she sipped her now lukewarm tea. Ino pouted.
"I don't believe him, anyway. I mean, first I thought, Neji hates me, right? Naruto worships Sakura, Kiba worships his dog, Shino worships his bug, Shikamaru has Temari, and Sasuke … well, I didn't know if he's still capable of emotions. Also, those things sounds speculative because none of them had shown interest on me … before."
"What do you mean?"
"Yeah." Ino nodded. " After he showed me that notebook, events after events happened . The whole Sasuke problem happened after that too."
"Ah. I heard that one from Sakura. You kissed him, she told me."
"He kissed me." Ino said defensively. "But that doesn't matter. Suddenly he went on pronouncing that he loves me , Kakashi implied that he wanted a more serious relationship, Genma and Gaara proposed to me, and the latest … Shikamaru apparently thought of me as more than a sister." Ino sighed.
Tenten winced. This story was really turning to sound arrogant. The only guy Tenten ever like was Lee and it didn't come anywhere near succession because the said guy was too busy fawning over Sakura.
"You're so lucky." Tenten sighed. "I would be head over heels if there were so many guys who like me."
"Oh really," Ino said skeptically. "Now, let's say that you're in my shoes. Who are you going to pick?"
"...Well, I don't know your case. But the one I love the most?" Tenten offered.
Ino laughed bitterly at that. "Is it? Is it better than the one Konoha loves the most? Or the one you are most familiar with? All those options and I have to choose now, Tenten. It's not like A-sama would be so patient to wait until I can make decision."
"...Whoa."
Okay, she could see her friend's problem now.
"And, have you made your decision?"
"I've chosen Darui, of course." Ino said vainly, as if it was obvious. Tenten definitely could sense a 'but' coming.
"But you're having second thoughts." Tenten guessed.
Ino put her face on the table as she made an ostentatious growl.
XXX
"SURPRISE!" Everybody screamed the same word as Ino came into the room, escorted by Darui. Sakura looked at her bewildered expression before it slowly changed to excitement. She looked at Darui with a questioned look, but he shook his head. His eyes darted around the room before he pointed at her. Ino followed his finger and finally they exchanged glances. Sakura felt scared for a second, she was afraid that her best friend would look away but Ino didn't. She gave Sakura a very big grin before Tenten distracted her by bringing her the cake. People egged her on loudly to blow the candles, she laughed as she blew it.
"Your first cake!" Tenten announced as she handed Ino the knife.
Sakura smiled as she watched Ino expertly cut the cake and looked around. She gave Darui a big smile and Sakura laughed inwardly.
Ino's first slice of cake always goes to Shikamaru.
Sakura was proven right as Ino gestured Shikamaru to come to get his cake. The Nara heir smirked as she fed him the cake. People cheered even though there were a lot of disheartened look.
Always. Sakura thought.
"Why does it have to be Shikamaru?" Naruto whispered to her as they watched people started to flock around Ino to congratulate her.
"Well, it's because their birthday is close to each other and back then, it's often celebrated together."
Sakura said. Naruto didn't answer and Sakura looked at him looking at Ino intently.
"What is it?"
"It must be nice to have the cake." Naruto said longingly.
"You can have the cake. I made sure that it's enough for everyone."
"Not the cake, but the cake." Naruto told her childishly. Sakura gave him a confused look. Naruto was about to say something when Ino approached them.
"Ino!" Naruto exclaimed. "Happy birthday!"
"Thank you, Naruto!" She giggled. "Do you bring my gift?"
She was only joking, obviously. However, Naruto pulled out a jewelery box from his pocket and gave it to her.
"Your present." He gave her a boyish grin and despite the dim room, Sakura could tell that Ino was blushing. She opened the box and made a low gasp.
Sakura peered at the box and there was a silver necklace with a huge, round amethyst as its pendants.
"It's very pretty!" She exclaimed and hit his arm. "You got a crush on me or what?"
Naruto gave a small laugh as Ino gave him the necklace to help her wear it. Sakura looked at Naruto with disbelief.
He never got her something that pretty before. It was always something silly birthday after birthday.
"It looks really well on you." Naruto flattered her and she grinned.
"Thanks, Naruto." Ino said. "You're very generous."
"I know." He grinned.
Now that Sakura thought about it, Naruto always gave Ino a lavish gift every year. Right? Last year, it was a coupon for complete pampering package in Marie, Konoha's most expensive salon. He had said that he got it because he was helping the owner out once, but the year before the last, didn't he give her a pearl studded earrings?
"Sakura?" Ino called out for her. She looked up to see Ino smiling at her. Naruto was still standing next to her, a proud look on his face.
"Ino." She smiled back and gave her a hug. "Happy birthday."
No, it can't be. Naruto likes me.
She darted a look to Naruto who was now looking at Ino with such … fondness. It was Ino he was looking at, not could she miss that look after all this time? Why Ino?
She wasn't sure but she felt a painful twinge on her heart. Naruto was supposed to like her. Sakura took a deep breath as Ino thanked her for the party and mustered her widest smile.
"Enjoy the party, Ino!" She said. "I kinda need to leave, right now. My father need my help."
There was a confused look on Ino's face and Sakura cursed. Of course, Ino could tell that she was lying. Sakura decided to ignore the fact, gave her a pat and hugged her once again.
"I'll tell you later." She lied. She let go of the hug and disappeared within the crowd.
When Sakura glanced at Ino before leaving the room, she saw Naruto and Ino talking excitedly. There was a different light in Naruto's eyes that Sakura had never seen before. The light that wasn't there when he was talking to her. The light that wasn't there even when he professed his love for her after all these years. Sakura swallowed.
All these years, it all had been a lie.
XXX
He had been looking for that shade of cerulean blue for awhile now. Amidst the dimly lit room, the dancing crowd, and the loud beat, that pair of eyes was not something he could easily found. Genma clicked his senbon in satisfaction when he finally could spot a pair of that particular cerulean orbs. Unexpectedly, the girl was all alone, a glass of cola on her hand and she looked bored. He went past through people easily, his eyes set on the girl with his most charming smile pasted on his lips. He better made his move quickly since it wouldn't be long before people started grouping on the birthday girl again.
"Good evening, Miss Yamanaka." He said formally when he was finally standing behind her. Her expression when she turned around was initially startled, but it quickly turned into a smile when she noticed the owner of the voice. Genma grinned inwardly, Ino always gave him that smile when she saw him. The one that made him thought that she was easily wrapped around his finger; except of course, she's not.
"Good evening to you too, Mister Shiranui." She greeted back still with that schoolgirl-crush smile on her lips. Genma sat next to her and she looked at him with eager anticipation. Had he been a fool, he would have really believed that the girl was in love with him.
"So, how's the party going?"
"Fun." She replied quickly and followed it with a feminine giggle. "Well, at least until Gai came to us and trapped me into this conversation about his training regimen."
Genma could easily imagine how that kind of event could be a total fun-breaker.
"I said I'm going to get a refill but well, now I'm kinda hiding from him." She said, letting out another giggle. "I feel so sorry for him."
"Don't be." Genma started. Because he's Gai. "You're the birthday girl, you can do anything you want today." He said, deciding that telling her that ignoring Gai because he's Gai is okay was not charming enough.
"You're right." She agreed as she looked at him with a look he couldn't quite decipher. "I still can't go back there though."
"Want me to save you?" He asked. Her expression after that was so hopeful and it wasn't until long before her schoolgirl-crush smile turned into one of those seductive grins that made Genma realized that he wasn't dealing with girls.
"Save me." She whispered.
It wasn't hard for him to find his way to the roof even amongst that crazy amount of people. Some quick conversation here and there with everybody, some hugs of congratulation from people to Ino, but their way to the roof was notably smooth. Ino let a sigh of relief the moment she breathe the fresh night air and quickly find her position on the top of the roof.
"Thanks for saving me." She said playfully as he took a seat next to her. Genma chuckled.
"I did nothing, really."
She looked up upon the stars and let out another sigh of relief.
"I was hoping for more stars, actually." She commented and Genma joined her looking at the clear sky. The moon was crescent but for some unknown reason the night was still so bright. Maybe it was because of the excessive lighting downstairs.
"It's fine the way it is." Genma said. "Too much stars can be confusing for those who see them."
"Is it?" Ino turned to look at him. "Do I sense a romantic here?"
"Did I not strike you as one?"
"Hmm." She gave it a thought. "You, I'm never sure about."
"Really? Well, then, close your eyes. This romantic has a present for you." Genma told her and he could feel her hesitation for a moment.
"You're not going to kiss me, are you?" It sounded like she was teasing him, but Genma knew that she was serious. While that was an extremely delectable idea, there's no need to destroy where he stood at the moment.
"No. I have no interest on getting killed by that Kumogakure ninja." He told her as he prepared the hand sign.
"Darui." Ino corrected, her eyes still clenched shut.
"Darui." He repeated. Ox. Boar. Rat. Boar. Monkey. Ox. Rat.
The ninjutsu was more like a cheap trick he once learned within his chuunin training with Raidou which he used to use a lot to attract girls. As he gets older, he realized that there are many ways to be charming without pulling that ninjutsu. This time was special though.
"Okay, now open your eyes." He told her and Ino opened her eyes. She looked at him expectantly and Genma pointed upwards.
"I figure that maybe with the little stars we have, I can align it to you so that it makes sense."
Ino looked up and a very wide smile soon decorated her face.
There was the writing of 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY INO!' on the sky.
"Wow." She whispered. "You never told me you can align the stars." She smiled playfully.
"You never told me that you're going to marry Daria either. We're all full of secrets tonight." He was expecting his words to completely ruin the moment but it didn't.
"Darui." She corrected him again as she looked up to the writings once again.
"Darui."
The silence that followed was not deafening at all. Genma was looking at her looking at the fading lights, and she looked deep in her thought. When the writings were finally gone, she looked at him and gave him a somewhat sad smile.
"Thanks, Genma." She muttered.
There was a deep, primal urge to pull her into a kiss within him, but Genma knew better to hold back.
"So." She started.
"So." Genma replied with a smile. "Do you have answer to my proposal yet?"
Ino's expression immediately look discomfited at his question. "That's so sudden, Genma."
"Admit it, we like each other and the chemistry is totally there. Why not?"
"You don't propose to every girl you've gone out with, do you?"
"No one was able to rouse my curiosity before." Genma said. "It feels like a future I'd be very much looking forward to, finding out new things about you everyday."
She smiled back. "Guess what, I feel the same too."
"But?" He knew there was a but coming. Or at least, it was better to expect a but coming rather than be fooled that she was agreeing to his proposal.
"But one day, we'll look back at us and realize how boring the game has gotten. Because admit it, it's all been a game straight from day one."
He couldn't really argue with that. All those exchanged tease, those banters full of innuendo, all has been a game he really enjoys.
"What should I do with my unsatisfied curiosity then?"
"Let's stop before it kills. It will surely kill us one day in the future … and I don't want to die."
"I will die for you, then." Genma persisted. "We can live through this, Ino."
"You don't get it, do you?" Ino laughed. "You're most charming like this, anyway."
"Like this?"
"When you're not mine."
XXX
The morning after the party, Ino was already out early in the morning. She was going to the hospital and somehow, the walk was suddenly becoming three times longer. The temperature was definitely becoming hotter because her body was sweating all over. She had her doubt, but she went on. Ino took a deep breath as she finally reached the white painted building. She used to go to this building all the time during her medical training it almost felt like a third home – T&I building is of course the second home- to her. Today, this building simply looked intimidating.
God, she was nervous.
She walked inside and instantly froze the moment she saw a certain pale-skinned, dark haired man who was standing by the receptionist desk. He didn't share the same surprised look she had in her face, however. It was almost like he was expecting her.
"Good morning, Ino-chan." His tone was slithery, as usual.
"Good morning, Sai-kun." She greeted back. Sai gave her a judgmental toe-to-eye look over before starting off another topic with a plastic smile she came to hate so much.
"Visiting Kakashi?"
There was something that made her felt hugely uncomfortable with his presence. Maybe it was the slithery voice, maybe it was the plastic smile, maybe it was the fact that Sai kept a notebook on her love life and Kakashi didn't escape his scope. He was probably oblivious about the details, but still, it still made Sai downright creepy.
"Yes. I figure I owe it to him." She was referring to what her father had done to Kakashi, but it's not like Sai had to know. If he hadn't already known.
"He's in a perfect condition." Sai smiled. "Kiba, Shino, Hinata and I have just visited him myself."
Ino frowned at the unusual combination but decided to ignore it anyway. "I'm glad."
Sai looked at the basket of fruit she was holding before he looked up at her and gave her another smile. "Ah. Do you want me to come along with you?"
Her reply came almost too quickly. "No, thanks. I'm good."
"I'll leave you to your own then. Ah, and happy birthday. I haven't had the chance to tell you so last night." Sai reached for her free hand and shook it.
"Thanks." Ino muttered.
"I sincerely wish you the best." He smiled as he walked out of the building. Ino watched his back before she finally turned around and asked the receptionist where Kakashi's room was. She walked along the corridors and found herself getting worried.
There is no way that her father's mind jutsu did absolutely nothing to Kakashi. However, everybody had been going on and on about how well Kakashi is and how he should leave the hospital and does his work instead of laying around on the bed reading his porn. Ino sighed, does his father changed his mind? She didn't even know what kind of jutsu it was. She had found herself unable to bring the subject to her father earlier when they're at home. Inoichi was suspended and she figured that it wasn't such a good idea to bring that subject up during any of their encounter.
"Ino?" A familiar voice greeted her. Ino looked up and found her old mentor smiling at her.
"Shizune-san!" She greeted her excitedly.
Shizune nodded enthusiastically as they shared a brief hug. "Happy Birthday, dear! I'm sorry I can't make it to your party last night. How are you doing?"
"It's okay and I'm fine." Ino said, out of impulse. "How's yours? Have you finally find someone to give all your hearts to?" Ino teased her. Shizune gave a hearty chuckle.
"That's not my priority at the moment. Tsunade is." She gave Ino's shoulder a light pat before looking down to her hand which was holding a basket of fruit.
"Are you visiting someone?" Shizune asked.
"Yes. Kakashi."
"Ah, he's fine today. In fact, we're just about to release him later in the evening."
"Oh." Ino said. "I'm glad."
Ino felt that this must be somewhat about the tenth times she had this kind of conversation. Even if Kakashi was perfectly fine, there was another part of her that was actually reluctant to meet Kakashi again.
She still wasn't sure that she was able to let go.
"Do you want me to accompany you to his room?" Shizune offered. Ino shook her head.
"No, it's fine." Ino said.
She didn't want company. It was hard enough for her to make up her mind and go here, a company would stop them from talking freely. No. She needed to come alone.
"Okay, then." Shizune said. "I have this paperwork I have to do. After that, would you like to grab some lunch with me?" She offered.
"Sure." Ino nodded. "It'd be lovely."
Shizune gave her a dashing smile before Ino continued her walk to Kakashi's room. When she finally reached his door, she stopped, took a deep breath and took a second look of her appearance on the glass. Perfect. She was perfect. It was then when she caught a glimpse of Kakashi reading his book on the bed. He looked nonchalant and perfectly in peace.
Kakashi …
Ino collected her bravery and opened the door. Kakashi looked up and gave her a calm smile.
"I knew you'd come."
Ino didn't want it, but her heart beat faster at his words. She missed him.
Ino gave her a grin. "Well, I figure that you'd need me.."
Kakashi's sudden painful, ear-shattering screams interrupted her. Ino's eyes widened as Kakashi clutched his head tightly, his screams never stopped.
"What … happened?" Ino approached him quickly but his screams only got louder.
"Kakashi … are you with me?" Ino shook his body but he was too engulfed in pain to listen. Ino pressed the help button repeatedly in panic. What happen to Kakashi? Everybody said that he's fine!
"Please, leave ..." Kakashi whispered to her as he held her shoulder, his hand shook.
"What?"
"Leave."
"I can't ..."
"I'm gonna die if you don't." Kakashi said as he held her hand tightly. He was trying to held the pain but it seems like it didn't work because he screamed of pain once again. The nurses started to run into the room and only then Ino was forced to go out.
The screaming ended right after she left the room. Ino's eyes widened.
What had her father done to Kakashi?
Ino looked up as she found someone had been observing her. Sai.
"You know, Ino-chan. I might be able to help you. Why don't we join forces?"
Thoughts? This is quite a long chapter indeed :') And ... I don't know what to think about this chapter. What do you think? Please do comment on the review section to give me ideas and thoughts about the story. I am very glad, each and every time somebody reviews.
See you in the next chapter!