A/N: This chapter is looong (for me, it is) and it's mostly about their past and the present. =) And oh, this chapter is dedicated to Langioletto and missmridvika for being some of my most constant reviewers.

I had learned my lessons. I ought not to believe what Kiba had to say.

"You're such a fuckface," I looked at Kiba, annoyed as hell. He told me Sasuke wouldn't come because he had something to do. But voila, he was sitting in front of me in this damned stretched limousine. Thank God there were more people on the car or else it'd be super awkward.

Neji, Hinata, Kiba, these girls named Karin and Sakura, Hanabi, and Suigetsu (I'd never met him before) were also with us so it was less awkward for me and him.

However, I was optimistic. All because my horoscope told me so. My horoscope asked me to have more patience than usual today and look at brighter side of whatever bad situation I'd be in. In other words, today wouldn't be a good day. Surprise, surprise. And if anyone was wondering, this month's my worst month because I had the worst bad-day streaks compared to any other zodiac. And for now, all I could do was ignore my horoscope whenever it said I'd have a bad day.

I put my head on Neji's shoulder as I held his hand, "I would probably have already killed Kiba if you weren't here..."`

Neji just smiled at me as he held my hand even tighter. He always held my hand when he was trying to calm and comfort. I was lucky to have Neji by my side.

"Just do it for me and Hinata," Kiba retorted as he grinned sheepishly. Oh right, I was sitting here because I had to attend the engagement party (for close friends only) of Kiba and Hinata at the Hyuuga's estate, which was a 2-hour drive. Neji told me that this was one of the busiest months for the Hyuuga family because Hinata would have her arranged marriage with the only son of Inizuka Corp, and I pitied her.

"Last week, it was just Hanabi's eighteenth birthday," I stated. "And next week it will be Hinata's wedding. Hyuuga's are awfully social this month."

"And it could be yours and Neji-niisan's wedding after my sister's wedding," Hanabi winked at me. I laughed a little and Neji was just quiet. Kiba seemed to shut up after Hanabi said that because it seemed that between Team Neji and Team Sasuke, he was for Team Sasuke.

I tried to change the subject, "I heard you started school last month, Hanabi."

"Yeah," she answered me with full of energy. "I go to the school where each of you went. Oh and I heard that you're the only non-Uchiha that actually could stay in the penthouse suite. How awesome is that?"

"Oh yes, let's talk about that," I said in a very sarcastic tone. I probably had started an even worse subject.

I looked to where Suigetsu was at, he was sitting kinda faraway from us. He was busy talking to these people that they said were my batchmates from Sasuke's school. Hinata told me earlier that their names were Karin and Sakura. I didn't remember who were they – they mustn't be that important.

I asked Hinata to hand me a glass of red wine, and so she did. I started drinking it and then I heard Hanabi's voice again, "I also found out that you and Uchiha-sempai were great friends that you guys stayed in one room together."

This was where I spitted the wine that I was drinking at my Emilio Pucci dress. Hanabi didn't seem to get that I was just being sarcastic. I saw Sasuke looking at me while Neji was trying to remove the wine-stains on my dress with a wet paper towel.

"That was a good one, Hanabi," Kiba laughed harder. "We're gonna get along pretty well."

I could see Neji wanting to say something but he just remained silent. And he should be, I thought it was better this way. Sasuke hadn't said anything either – and for the record, I also preferred it that way.

"Hanabi!" Hinata said, this was the very first time I saw Hinata a bit angry. Hinata and I weren't best friends but we were friends. I first met her in that school, she was the one who told me that summer homework that I had no idea about. I also attended her 21st birthday because the Hyuuga's invited me and my father. "Please don't bring that up. Miss Ino doesn't seem like to talk about it."

"But Miss Ino is very interesting," Hanabi tried to argue with Hinata. And then she looked at me, "Could you please tell me things about your stay in that school?"

"I only stayed there for two months."

"Why did you leave then?"

"Because of..." I had no idea how I should answer Hanabi. I glanced at Sasuke, who was still staring at me. "Because of awful circumstances."

"Like?"

Could this get any more uncomfortable? Hanabi was seriously getting on my last nerve. She was young and curious – that I understood but damn, would she please ask me these questions when Sasuke wasn't in front of me.

"Miss Ino, you don't have to answer her," Hinata told me what I wanted to hear. Neji just stared at me, his eyes were asking me if I was okay. He knew I didn't feel good after that stupid interrogation.

"I'll answer you when we're alone," I was trying to be polite to Hanabi for Neji. "For now, ask me different set of questions."

Hanabi seemed disappointed but still had the nerve to ask me questions. I was hoping she would just shut the hell up.

"You've had Uchiha-sempai and my cousin," she started. "How do you get these kinds of guys? I mean, I really wanna know how because I've never had a boyfriend and I really like this guy...I do wanna know your secret."

"The secret is," I looked at Neji then Sasuke and then I finally looked back at Hanabi's eyes, "take your clothes off and jump on them. It works for every guy – it's been proven. Even ask your cousin."

I could see Hinata blushing heavily. And Kiba spoke, "Man, you just gave me a huge boner. But I thought Sasuke never saw you naked!"

Sasuke's eyes widened and I couldn't help but smirked. I'd decided to answer Kiba, "And it's his loss."

"Damn, you're stupid," Kiba told Sasuke the truth. He was pretty much a moron if he didn't want to see me naked. When I slept next to him ages ago, he didn't even want me to wear a damn lingerie when I was in his bed. "Dude, Ino would have been the highest-end stripper that you'd ever laid your eyes on. I don't know why would you pass an opportunity like that."

"A stripper, seriously?" I glared at Kiba. Me? A stripper. What the fuck? "Do I really look one to you?"

"I said a high-end one," he repeated what he said. "I meant that as a compliment!"

"Hanabi, don't listen to what you heard just now," Neji finally spoke. "Ino's drunk, she doesn't know what she's talking about."

Not even. I only had one glass of wine. Okay, maybe two, but whatever.

"Neji!" I looked up to meet his face. "I dropped my clothes and jumped on you and it totally worked. And I bet it will work again tonight."

Hanabi just giggled.

I turned my head to Hanabi and said sincerely, "Hanabi, that's what's up. Trust me. Those guys in the movies that turn girls down when they're naked are just fictional characters...or they're just gays...I mean not every guy in real life is like Sasuke."

"Correction," Sasuke spoke for the first time today, his irritation was pretty visible. "You never took off your clothes in front of me nor did you ever jump on me."

"That's because it was a big deal to you when I slept in a skimpy lingerie when I spent those nights in your room," I argued. "You would have made it a bigger deal if I just walked into your room naked. You were so conservative back then."

"Doesn't Neji feel uncomfortable knowing all these things?" Kiba questioned, very much amused. "You're talking like your current boyfriend isn't here."

I shook my head, "Neji knows every single thing about me – this ain't the first time he's hearing all these."

"It's great to know that my cousin and Miss Ino get along very well," Hinata commented. "Both of you compliment one another amazingly."

Neji knew me more than I knew myself. If I really could, I would give up everything to fall in love with him. But somewhere under, I felt that he deserved someone better than me...damn, what had I done to deserve Neji?

I put my head back on Neji's shoulder as I closed my eyes. "Wake me up when we're almost there."

I had an hour sleep on the road. The Hyuuga's estate was somewhat medieval but still impressive. It reminded me some of the old castles in Europe...but this was smaller.

"Countryside, huh?" I scanned the environment we were in. On the hills, greener grass, and fresher air. "This reminds me of Monaco."

"I can see why," Neji agreed with me. He had stayed in my house a couple of times when I lived in Monaco. Monaco was a beautiful place and although there weren't many malls in there, I could see myself living there again.

"There are eight bedrooms in total, including two master's bedrooms," Hinata informed us shyly. "If it's alright with everyone, the guys can stay at the master's bedroom at the third floor while the girls can stay at the master's bedroom at the second floor."

"I can't sleep when I share a room with more than one person," I spoke before it was all too late. I just said the truth, I didn't like not having many space for myself. Yeah, I was selfish like that.

"I'm aware of that, Miss Ino," Hinata's voice was very calm. To be honest, I always had thought that I would dislike Hinata because she was my exact opposite when it came to attitude but I was wrong. Hinata was actually very nice. "My cousin has informed me before we left. I've asked the maids to prepare a room for you, although the room isn't as big as you're accustomed to, I think you'll still feel comfortable."

"Thanks," I grinned at Hinata.

"Can I share room with you, Miss Ino?" Hanabi pleaded with soft eyes. "Pleaaaase?"

"You gotta ask Neji," I retorted with fake smile. That meant, HELL NO!

She turned her head to Neji, "Can I - "

Neji cut her off before she could ask him, "No, she's mine tonight."

Thank you, I mouthed to Neji when Hanabi wasn't looking. Neji knew that I wouldn't want to share a room with his annoying cousin.

"Where's Suigetsu and them anyway?" Kiba noticed that the other three weren't with us. "I thought they were following us."

"Miss Sakura said that they'll stay at the garden," Hinata stated. "She and Miss Karin don't seem to be in the mood today."

"Maybe because Sasuke-sempai told them to stay away from him before we left," Hanabi was almost laughing. "Suigetsu is probably pissing off Sakura and Karin at the garden. He likes to see them suffering and really, I can't blamehim."

Hinata looked at Hanabi and talked to her in Japanese, which I (of course) didn't understand. I looked at Neji because I knew that he would tell me what Hinata told her.

"She asked Hanabi to use honorifics when she addresses anyone who's older than her," Neji filled me in.

"Dang, you don't speak Japanese?" Kiba laughed as I felt insulted. "Like, seriously?"

I decided to skip lunch with them. Truthfully, I would just want to lay on the bed and clear up my mind. Also, I wanted to get away from Hanabi because she asked way too much questions about me and Sasuke. It was like she was doing it on purpose.

Speaking of the devil.

"Um, you could have knocked," I reminded him as I sat up from lying down. "You are pretty quiet today."

He sat on the bed as well, "I like to be silent when I'm not alone with you."

"I know you don't like being alone," I pointed out. "No one does."

"Then why did you leave?" he asked, his eyes were filled with sadness. "You should have stayed."

I reached for his hand, "Because I didn't want to be a burden to you...and I was afraid that if I stayed longer, you'd hate me too...like everybody else I'd encountered in the past."

"I could probably hate anyone in this world but you," he smiled at me, a very empty smile. "I was lonely until you came and then I became lonelier when you left."

I scud over a little bit and hugged him. This was the first time that I ever hugged him, I realized. I held his hands many times but never I had hugged him. It was amazing that I learned to love him with very little body contact.

"I missed you," I whispered at him. "I really did."

He hugged me tighter, "I love you."

I pulled away and shook my head, "You shouldn't."

"But I do," he said as he leaned forward to kiss me.

"Stay away from her," we heard a familiar voice at the door. Neji was there, standing and furious. I stood up from the bed, guilty as hell. Although I didn't kiss Sasuke back, I felt bad. Neji saw me being kissed by Sasuke.

"Your timing is getting worse and worse each time I see you, Hyuuga."

"My timing isn't as bad as you think," Neji wasn't happy – even a dumb person could tell. "I was there for her when you weren't, remember?"

Sasuke clenched his fist. The last thing I wanted was them to break each other's nose, "Sasuke, please just leave."

"She's not yours," Sasuke smirked at Neji. "And never will be."

"Leave," I glared at Sasuke as I pointed at the door. "Now."

Sasuke walked pass Neji, bumping his shoulder to his own. After he left, Neji's eyes met mine. I didn't know how I would explain to him what just happened. Neji didn't say anything, I felt that he was hurt. He turned around and also completely left the room.

I thought for a minute what I should do next, and the best thing I came up with was go after Neji. Hanabi told me that he went straight to the wine-cellar after she saw him walking away from my room.

It didn't take me a long time to find where the 'wine' room was at, it was the room next to the house's library at the ground floor. When I entered in the wine-cellar, he was there – standing next to wine bottles while drinking tequila.

I walked to him, and without hesitating, I tiptoed and passionately kissed him on the lips. He didn't back down, he kissed me with as much passion.

I withdrew for a moment to give him assurance, "Sasuke's certainly wrong," I inserted a smile, "Because I've been yours all along."

A/N: Hey, thank you so much for reading this story. One or two more chapters to go (depends on how long the next chap will be) and it's at its end. Everyone has been very amaziiiiiing for sticking with me. I can't believe it's been almost a year since the last time I published this story. :)

Reviews and criticisms are appreciated. =)