Murder in Mathematics

Ino: Strips in a closet and fails an interview

Ino Yamanaka was winning an argument.

It was second period, Yamato-Sensei's stuffy little history classroom, and the debate on whether The Cold War was the USA or USSR's fault, was hers.

"And Lastly, Suigetsu, all of this USSR aggressive action you're talking about was all in retaliation to the USA. Comecon? The Marshall aid was there first. The Warsaw Pact? Erm NATO's not exactly peaceful either you know."

"Woo, go Ino!" cheered out Kiba.

Ino gave him an 'I got this one', look.

Yamato, sat at his desk, typing away at his laptop, glanced up to see if Suigetsu was going to reply but the boy was simply tapping his finger against his chin, trying to come up with some sort of retort.

"Err… errrrrmmmmmm… errrrrrrrrr."

Yamato slapped his laptop shut and quickly stood, "Okay, Ino, Suigetsu you can sit down. Good job."

The two sat down swiftly as Yamato made his way to stand at the front of the class.

"Alright then class, who do we think won the debate?"

"Oh Ino, definitely. Suigetsu has the debating skills of a hyperactive three year old," Karin said, earning a laugh from some in the class.

"Err, who says hyperactive toddlers can't debate Karin?" Suigetsu hit back, turning around to his classmate who sat behind, "For all you know they could be very good at it."

Yamato laughed lightly, "Okay, settle down. The point I wanted to make was-"

"Sensei," Ukon interrupted, sticking his hand into the air.

Yamato paused and turned to him, "Sakon?"

Ukon continued despite Yamato's mix-up, "Why is The Cold War called The Cold War?"

"Oh my god, I told you; it's because Russia's really, really cold, you idiot!" Sakon, sitting next to his twin, spat out.

"Russia's not even that cold you imbecile," Ukon returned quickly.

"Yes it is!"

"No it's not!"

"Urgh, those two kill me. What idiots." Suigetsu muttered aloud to himself as he and the rest of the class watched Yamato try to pry the two apart, as their disagreement on the temperature in Russia quickly dissolved into a pinching fight.

"Who's the idiot Suigetsu? I'm pretty sure I just owned you in our debate," Ino decided to tease as the class descended into chatter while Yamato was occupied.

"I had to let you win because you're my girlfriend, otherwise I would have debated you out of the classroom."

Ino laughed, "Oh yeah, sure!"

Suigetsu nodded, "Yeah, sure."

"Just admit it, I'm the smarter one in our relationship."

Suigetsu scoffed, "Please Ino, everyone knows that I'm the smart one and you're the hot one. It's how our relationship works."

"As if," Ino said, "I'm the smart and the hot one."

"Eurgh, you two make me sick," Karin commented.

Suigetsu turned around to look at the redhead, "Shut up, Karin!"

"INO YAMANAKA!"

Suigetsu quickly flew himself around and acted like he was working, Sakon and Ukon stopped fighting and all talking ceased. The class as whole, within a few seconds, had returned to 'work'. Miss Shizune stood at the door.

Suigetsu was the first one to speak after the quick class turnaround, as he finally breathed out, "Oh, it's just you, Miss Shizune. For a second there I thought it was Lady Tsunade."

Shizune glared down at the boy before fixing her attention to Ino, who sat at the back of the class.

"Ino, with me."

Quickly Ino realised what it was about. The interview.

It had been a couple of hours ago that she had been told about it but she had totally forgotten. The class 'ooooooh'd' when she stood, though four did not: Sakura, Sasuke, Kiba and Hinata. They knew about the interview, they knew it was no oohing matter (well Hinata didn't know shit yet but she just wasn't the oohing type).

Ino shut the door behind herself and followed Shizune down the corridor. Heart in her mouth, the blonde was absolutely terrified.

"The interview is going to be in Lady Tsunade's office," Shizune informed as she clopped forward, Ino behind, biting at her nails.

"Oh my God," Ino whispered to herself.

Shizune half turned, as if she wanted to say something, but in the end did not, instead deciding to lead on through the school in silence. Together they climbed stairs and moved down the corridors, eventually coming to the Teachers Corridor. Ino paused for a second, fear getting the better of her, but then followed Tsunade's assistant through the doors.

"Listen, Ino."

Shizune had stopped by a door. Ino peered at it. It read: Lady Tsunade's Office. She gulped.

"I'm not supposed to say anything, but when I took Naruto and Choji for their interviews I felt really bad not helping them out at all."

"Okay."

"Ino, don't worry. I don't think anyone really thinks you're a murderer. It's just the Detectives' jobs."

Ino nodded, though trepidation was still in her voice, "Yeah."

Shizune looked at Ino sympathetically before rapping at the door. Orochimaru's voice called out.

"Come on in."

Shizune smiled at Ino one more time before rushing off down the corridor. The Yamanaka girl slowly reached forward and pushed open the door.

Behind the desk that normally belonged to Lady Tsunade was Detectives Orochimaru and Jiraiya. Ino had been in this office a couple of times before, all times for bad behaviour (She still didn't find it fair that Tayuya could get away with calling her a slaggy one-fringe while Ino got sent to Tsunde for slapping her in the face in response) but this time, this time she definitely felt the most scared.

Orochimaru's smile widened upon seeing the girl at the door and he gestured for her to take the seat that waited on the other side of the desk. Ino complied.

"So, Ino Yamanka. How are you feeling?" Orochimaru asked as Ino shuffled into her seat.

"Nervous," Ino honestly replied.

"Understandable," Jiraiya nodded, seated to the right of his counterpart, "But please, try to answer our questions to the best of your abilities. You can't afford to forget any information, okay?"

Ino didn't know what he was talking about but nodded, "Okay."

The detectives looked between each other and then Orochimaru began.

"Ino, at five thirty pm yesterday evening you were in school due to an after school detention. As a fifth year you came in one day earlier than most of the lower school who all started term today. Correct?"

Ino nodded. She didn't want to look at her interviewer, her eyes stayed locked on the window behind his head.

"And what room was that in?"

"The English room, fifty five. It's on the bottom floor," Ino answered.

Orochimaru nodded as Jiraiya wrote something down on the clipboard which he balanced on his knee.

"Ino," Orochimaru began again, "Can you tell me everything you remember about that evening? Start from the beginning, just recall anything that comes to mind. Could you do that for me?"

Ino's brain whirled. What was she going to say? Everything? What did he mean everything?

Ino looked at Orochimaru hesitantly, "Everything?"

Orochimaru nodded.

Ino took a breath and then just sorta, unleashed!

"We had English last period and me and my group were meant to be doing a presentation on Shakespeare and all our work that we had been preparing for a whole two months was on this memory stick that belonged to Kiba but somehow Naruto who wasn't even in our group got a hold of it and he actually ate it the idiot I still don't even know how and then Kakashi-Sensei actually got angry which he like never does and he gave us an after school till six o clock and we complained loads saying that he couldn't even do that but Lady Tsunade heard all about the situation and took Kakashi's side and told us to complain to Governor Hiruzen if we were really that bothered but none of us knew how except for Shikamaru but he couldn't be bothered which is typical of him to be honest-"

Ino took a very long breath.

"So anyway, let me think. School ended at half three so I went to the toilets with Sakura and then we went to Kakashi's class at about twenty to four and everybody was already there except for Naruto and Kiba because they have some special mentoring class for idiots till like, four, so for an hour or so we just sat about talking and Kakashi read his book because he had totally cooled down over the Shakespeare project and at four Kiba and Naruto arrived and then we kind of just sat around till six and then Kakashi let us go home."

Ino finished with a smile at Orochimaru, who returned a less enthusiastic one back. The black haired detective waited for Jiraiya to write down everything Ino had said (he was having a very hard time) before returning to questioning.

"Did anybody leave the class during the afterschool, Ino?"

Ino winced, "Err… yeah. I did."

The blonde watched Jiraiya write something down as panic overtook her.

"But I didn't go off and murder Kankuro! I promise! His brother's in my year, I would never murder somebody that I kind of knew!"

Orochimaru and Jiraiya shared a look.

"Ino," Jiraiya began, "Just calm down for a second, okay?"

Ino, teeth clenched in embarrassment as she realised what she had just done, bowed her head.

"Right. Sorry."

"Why did you leave the classroom Ino?" Orochimaru asked after a few seconds.

"I went to the toilet but so did other people. Sasuke was let out to the toilet at one point too! And so was Sakura!"

Orochimaru smiled in amusement at Ino's brashness, "How long were you out of the classroom for?"

"Erm, probably about ten minutes," Ino figured before her eyes widened, "Though not because I was having a poo or anything, it's just because the girls toilets are so far away and I was just making myself look good in the mirror is all."

Orochimaru contemplated this and went to speak, only to be cut off by Ino.

"And I wasn't killing Kankuro either! That would take more than ten minutes I'm sure!"

Jiraiya sighed before speaking, "Did anyone else leave the classroom?"

Ino shrugged, "Kakashi-Sensei left a couple of times actually. But that doesn't mean anything, he's not a murderer!"

Both Jiraiya and Orochimaru sighed in unison.

"And Sasuke left for the toilet. But that's all I can remember… And Sasuke's not a murderer anyway!"

Jiraiya placed his clipboard on the desk and stood, "Thank you for your time Ino."

Ino, stunned, slowly pulled herself up, eyes darting between the two men.

"Is it over?"

Jiraiya walked over to the door and opened it, gesturing for the girl to leave, "For now," he said as she exited.

The door closed in her face. Ino blinked. She had survived.

As she shrugged and began to make her way out of the Teachers Corridor, running the interview over in her head and ruing the fact that she had blabbered on so much, the bell rang. Just before she was about to get out of the corridor, her name was called.

It was Jiraiya, leaning out of the door from Tsunade's office.

Oh no, Ino thought to herself, They think it's me! I'm done for!

"Tell Kiba to come to our office please, when you see him."

Ino nodded, face pale, and watched Jiraiya disappear back into the office, before rushing out of the corridor.

She found a few of her friends in the front of the school, on the grass, eating food. Groups of school students sat sporadically around here. For the most part, all of them were watching the few photographers and journalists that still lingered on the school driveway.

"You'd think Tsunade would have got rid of them by now," Suigetsu was saying from his stretched out position on the grass, "You can just imagine her running out, fists punching forwards, screaming at them to get off her property. Oh, hey Ino."

Ino fell down next to her boyfriend, noting Kiba was sitting opposite chewing on a chicken sandwich.

"The detectives want to see you," She said to him.

Kiba glanced up, "Now?" he spluttered, mouth full.

Ino nodded with a wry smile.

Kiba let out a strange 'meep' sound before jumping up and running off towards the building.

Suigetsu frowned, "Why do the detectives want to see Kiba?"

That was right. Ino had forgotten, nobody knew that they were all suspects yet.

"He's got an interview about the murder!" shouted out Naruto, who had just arrived.

He had a cookie in his hand, clearly bought from the Cantina.

"Wha? Why would they want to interview Kiba?" Suigetsu wondered aloud.

"It's because he was in our afterschool detention which was going on when Kankuro was mur… Sakura… Why are you doing that?"

Everybody followed Naruto's line of sight to Sakura, who was waving her hand side to side in an attempt to make Naruto shut up.

"Naruto, you idiot," She roared when she realised everybody was looking, "You're not supposed to let anybody know!"

"Oh right," Naruto said. He stood for a second in apparent contemplation before shrugging the situation away and falling down onto the grass in-between Suigetsu and Hinata.

"Hey Suigetsu! We're going to the shop, are you coming or not?"

It was Karin who was speaking, Juugo and Kimimaro behind her. They stood behind the seated group, on the pathway heading towards the gates. Ino frowned. Those were Suigetsu's proper friends. The boy did like Ino's friends, but he got on a lot more with that group- the only reason he was around all the time was because he was Ino's boyfriend. Sasuke was friends with that group too, and normally when he was around the two factions fused together but he of course was not currently present.

Suigetsu pushed himself up and nodded, "Oh yeah, coming! Sorry Ino I gotta eat. You wanna come?"

Ino shook her head.

"Alright. See ya everyone!"

Suigetsu waved and ran off to Karin, Juugo and Kimimaro.

Sakura watched him go and then smiled at Ino, "He's a nice boyfriend."

Ino watched him melt into the distance and then turned, "Yeah, that's why I chose him," she giggled, "Anyway, talking about boyfriends, where's Sasuke?"

Sakura shrugged, "I don't know. After History he just sort of disappeared, I didn't even speak to him during the lesson."

Ino frowned, "That's weird. Sasuke's quiet normally but he at least talks to you. I mean, especially you. You and Naruto are the only people I ever hear him have conversations with. Well, and Suigetsu."

Sakura sighed, reaching out and ripping off a bit of Naruto's cookie. Her relationship with Sasuke was always rocky. He wasn't exactly the most attentive sort of guy. But even so, his sudden lack of interest in being with his friends and girlfriend did seem odd.

For the rest of the day, the few more suspects that needed interviewing were continuously taken out of lessons. Kiba returned from his still only able to make the 'meep' noise he had made previously after being told it was his turn and Shikamaru returned from his claiming apparently he was completely off the hook. When asked why he explained how all the statements concurred that all he had done for the three hour detention was sleep at the front of the class.

Talk about them being the suspects, also was spread. By the end of school everybody was looking at them and discussing them.

"Ino, Sakura, is it true that you are believed to have killed Kankuro?" Sai asked as Ino left the changing rooms of her Anko-Sensei PE session, in which incidentally no one actually did anything as Anko got so wound up in her example of how to throw a dodge ball so hard it'd make someone bleed.

"Shut up Sai!" Ino returned, Sakura and Hinata by her side.

"I can't believe you two are suspects," Hinata added.

"Hinata! Stop shit stirring!" Ino roared.

Hinata nodded, "Sorry."

Walking out of school everybody's eyes were drawn to them. It wouldn't have been so bad, if the sudden rise in popularity wasn't due to such horrible circumstances. As they exited the building, a certain, rarely seen Sasuke Uchiha was spotted by Sakura walking out of the school gates.

"Sasuke!" Sakura immediately called.

He seemed to falter at the call of his name but then disappeared around the corner. Sakura's face dropped immediately.

Ino frowned, "What's he doing? Doesn't he normally wait by the gates to walk you home?"

Sakura's eyes fell to her feet, "Yeah."

Sai, Ino and Hinata all shared worried looks.

Break time, the next day. Sakura Haruno was on a mission.

She had to admit, she never really did like the Cantina. It was too loud and full for the most part of younger kids. For the most part. Also here, was Itachi Uchiha and friends. Said Uchiha, was exactly who she needed to speak to.

Before she could reach the group, they spotted her.

"Oh, hey Pinky. A little birdy tells me that you're a murderer. Why the hell did you do it hm?"

Sakura scowled at Deidara, who had asked her the question.

"Nice nickname, Hidan tell you to start calling me that did he?"

"Yes, yes I did," Hidan said, coming behind Sakura to clatter down in-between Kakuzu and Deidara, a tray of food in-front of him.

"So who are you here to see?" Kisame questioned the girl as he shovelled some chips into his mouth, "Which one us older boys are you here to ask out?"

"Definietly not you," Sakura growled.

Kisame's friends laughed loudly and patted him on the back.

"I'm here to speak to Itachi."

Itachi, who before seemed to be barely even aware Sakura was present, glanced up.

"Wait, don't you go out with his little brother? Why are you asking Itachi out, that's a little sick isn't it?" Sasori piped up.

The others laughed but Itachi simply looked at Sakura, waiting for her to say her piece.

"Can I speak to you?" Sakura asked him.

Itachi extended out a hand, as if indicating for her to speak.

Sakura raised an eyebrow, "Err… in private? Possibly?"

"Oooooooooh," Deidara cooed.

"Very well," Itachi said, pushing out his chair and standing.

The older Uchiha followed Sakura around the table and out of the Cantina, leaving Itachi's friends and noise of the room. Sakura brought Itachi to beside a stairwell before turning to him.

"Itachi."

"Sakura."

"It's about Sasuke. He's acting really strange. Do you know what could be up with him?"

Itachi inhaled deeply, as if he had been anticipating answering the question soon, "I may do."

Sakura waited for him to elaborate, though he did not.

"So," Sakura fished, "What could it be?"

Itachi looked down at Sakura, "To be honest, Sakura, I do not think it is my place to tell you."

Sakura was slightly taken aback but tried again anyway, "Please. It's only been happening a day but he was acting very strange. Even today I haven't seen him yet."

Itachi moved past Sakura, apparently ending the talk, stopping to turn as crowds of running children ran past his waist, "Sasuke is…. I would think if he wants to be left alone, you should let him. Perhaps he will tell you why he is acting so abrasively, perhaps he will not."

The boy then left, headed back in the direction he had come.

The altercation had only left Sakura with even more questions.

The rest of the day went by somewhat fast. The murder suspects were just about getting used to their fame, or infamy, as it were. People in all years of school were stopping to ask about the situation. Rock Lee at lunch time came to visit them all, apparently intent on interviewing them himself to find out who truly was the murderer. It took an on Lunch duty Iruka-Sensei to finally make him desist.

Everyone was also getting used to the detectives walking around school. Orochimaru and Jiraiya almost acted like staff. Every time they appeared somewhere the behaviour of the students would become exemplary within the second. Kabuto seemed to just trail around these two, while Izumo and Kotetsu for the most part stuck with each other. These latter two had also gained some kind of fan club, with females following after them everywhere they went.

Soon enough, the second day of Konoha Academy coping with Kankuro Sungakure's death was coming to end. With Ino, a Wednesday afternoon always meant Geography with male favourite Kurenai Yuhi.

"Kurenai-Sensei!" Kiba exclaimed the second he bundled into class, ten minutes late. Everybody, all sat by their tables, looked up.

"I'm so sorry I'm late, I got mugged on the way back from the shops. All my money got stolen but I, I still came. I knew I couldn't miss this lesson."

"Kiba, sit down. I know you weren't mugged." Kurenai said quickly, pointing to the spare seat next to Ino, at the front, where the Inuzuka boy normally sat.

Kiba shrugged, satisfied that although his lie had been seen through he was still not going to get in trouble for being late, and sat down next to Ino.

Kurenai came over and gave Kiba his work and the lesson started once again. A couple of minutes later however, the boy spoke again.

"So, Kurenai-Sensei. How did your interview go yesterday? I never asked."

Kurenai turned from helping Kidomaro, her heading shifting slowly, mechanically. Her eyes were burning with rage.

"Kiba!" She shouted, "Shut up!"

Kiba cringed. He had forgotten that nobody knew which teachers were suspects. Much of the class glanced up. Well if they didn't know they did now. Kurenai blushed.

Taking this chance, Ino put up her arm.

"Sensei, can I go to the toilet?"

Kurenai nodded, "Sure, whatever," More concerned with the prying eyes of her students that occasionally were glancing up at her.

Ino jumped up and left the classroom. This was something she did often. Kurenai's lesson wasn't too hard to get out of, so Tuesday afternoon was often her chance. She turned around the corridors, making her way to the other side of the school, eventually coming to the upstairs maths department.

She looked left and then right and then jumped to the side. The janitor's storage closet greeted her. She opened the door and entered, closing it quickly behind herself.

This was far from a trip to the toilet.

Asuma Sarutobi jumped up from his leaning position against the wall.

"Ino," he said.

Ino did not answer, instead lifting up her top and throwing to the floor immediately.

"Yeah, hey." She said quickly as she stripped.

Asuma clenched his teeth, watching her for a second, before bursting out, "Ino listen. I've only met you here to tell you that we can't do this anymore."

Ino, incidentally, was not listening.

Asuma watched the girl continue to undress, his face burning.

"Ino, are you hearing what I'm saying? I really can't do this anymore."

The teacher reached down and picked up Ino's purple top, throwing it at her. This got her attention.

"Hey!" Ino yelped, fumbling with the clothing, "What was that for?"

"Listen to me Ino. I can't do this anymore."

Ino paused. At first she looked upset but then she smiled, "Oh I get it. You just think you're gonna get caught with me with all those detectives about the place. Don't worry Asuma I'll be careful as long as you are."

Asuma opened the door ever so, peeked out and then gently closed it.

"Yes, but it's wrong also," He said as he turned to her, "I should have never started this in the first place. I'm your teacher."

"So?" Ino interrupted.

Asuma continued, tone hushed, "And then there's your boyfriend. The kids in my class Ino, I can't do that to him. Every time he puts up his hand and answers a maths question I feel like… like… I don't know what I feel like but it's not nice!"

Ino fitted herself back into her top and huffed, "Suigetsu? He just…"

"You shouldn't be cheating on him."

This really hit Ino hard.

"Hey, you can't lecture me on-"

"Look, I don't have time right now, I'm actually still in my lesson. I won't be here next Wednesday. I'll see you in Home Room tomorrow morning."

The man pushed past his smaller female counterpart and out of the door, leaving Ino wondering what the hell had just happened.

The girl stepped out after him, hearing the nearby door of his classroom close shut. She wasn't quite sure of what just happened, due it occurring so fast, but it appeared her inappropriate student-teacher relationship was off. For now.

She scratched her head.

"God dammit."

Yes, an update that actually didn't take too long, I hope this kind of updating form can continue with this story! So, as you may have noticed, this chapter centred around Ino. Each chapter will centre around one character in particular and everyone's stories will fuse together as romances and murder entangle to make one weird High School Romcom.

Also, just like to tell you guys that if you want to read a proper Ino/Asuma Fanfiction, try reading Gerkyhen's Different Kind of Apple Polisher. (Hint, update it)

Thanks for reading and thank you to the guys who reviewed the first chapter! It's really appreciated. (Oh and as usual sorry for not checking my work properly)