Started on November 22, 2016| Philippines| 18:52 hours

So yeah, I'm adding a start time now.

Also… wow… the reviews were just amazing, although there were a few who didn't get why this and that happened, but all in all, no flames, and to the guest reviewers, thank you for your support.

I always PM the users who review, unless they disabled their PM system, which happened only once so far.

Anyway, here you guys go!

(I wrote this while half asleep, but I did my best so I hope it works. Hey, I still have school after all.)

(Finding Love)

Inoichi was pissed. Not at Kakashi, not Naruto, but at himself. He couldn't do his work, nor would he get any payment for two years. His only hope now was his flower shop.

Then there was his daughter.

He didn't get it. It barely made sense.

Inoichi could see Ino clearly liked Naruto, so why? Why did his daughter suddenly fall for a guy like Sai? Why did—

And then it clicked. Inoichi's eyes widen as he finally understood.

Sai did not exist.

Meanwhile, Kakashi sighs as he slumps into his chair. His head was throbbing, as if it were daring him to continue his work. "What the hell do you want now?" He groans out as he stands to face his student. "Please tell me you've got some sense back in you." He states more than asks, with hope in his voice.

Naruto laughs making Kakashi sigh. "That would depend." Apparently Kakashi sighed too early. "I was thinking of resigning."

Kakashi looks at his student in disbelief. "Woah… wait… that's a little too sudden. Even for me. Hell, even for you, know that?"

Naruto chuckles before shaking his head. "I talked with Sakura…"

"I'm killing you if you go on a rebound." Kakashi says plainly making Naruto look at him like he was mad.

The blonde shakes his head before looking at his sensei in the eye. "I just want to relax now. My mission payments can last me a life time even if I spent them on everything. Plus, Sakura's talk with me made me realize that… I just want Ino to be happy…"

Kakashi sighs at that. He places a hand on Naruto's shoulder and looks him in the eye. "Just make sure you keep the training up. We already have a few leads on the remaining Akatsuki." He feels at least a little amount of relief when Naruto nods. He then smiles at his student. "Alright… but" He pauses as he looks Naruto in the eye. "Can you talk to her?"

Silence.

Naruto's face gives a sad smile. No, Naruto himself gives a sad smile.

A sad smile… a sad smile is the smile one makes when seeing something or someone they love get taken, and yet they try to pretend it's alright. A sad smile is when you choose to try and be happy, but you also want people to know of your pain. It is when one wants to convey his or her sadness in a bitter sweet fashion, one that reeks of lies.

Naruto was giving that smile, and it was not unfounded. He didn't say anything before turning to leave.

Kakashi watches in sadness as Naruto leaves his office without another word. It didn't take him long to give a tired sigh. He was never good at handling emotions, and apparently so was Naruto. However, if there was one thing that made him smile, it was Naruto's statement earlier.

"I just want Ino to be happy."

Kakashi snorts. If it were him, he'd forget about the girl and move on…

But Naruto was Naruto.

With that, Kakashi's eyes close as he drifts off to sleep.

A week later, Naruto sits on his apartment's roof. The blonde wears a black shirt and his orange pants, his black sandals completing the outfit. The moon was barely out as the sky was consumed by the clouds.

A flash of lightning and crackle of thunder later, one could tell it would be a stormy night.

Naruto snorts. He didn't care. He was so bitter towards the world that he was surprised when he heard a knock on his door. He curses himself for being so careless before he stands.

However, instead of opening the door, or even asking who it was, Naruto simply ignored it. He was also praying that the person would just assume he wasn't home, like the past how many months. Like the past year, even.

"Naruto!"

The blonde's eyes shoot open as he hears that voice. He hears her voice.

"Naruto, please!"

The blonde in question clenches his hands into fist as it shakes.

Why?! Why, out of all the times, did Ino have to show up at his door, at this hour?! Who the hell was she, to break his heart and—?

"Naruto I'm sorry! Please! Let me in!"

Naruto takes in shivering breathes to calm his anger.

"Naruto! Please… answer me…" Ino calls out just before another flash and boom of lightning and thunder come. "Naruto! Open up! Please! I'm sorry!"

Right now, Naruto was hugging his knees close to him. In such a vulnerable position, he was having a war with himself.

On one side, Naruto really loved Ino. He still does. He wants to see her so badly, to just hug her and hold her close to him. He didn't want to snob her! He just wanted to see her… but he knows it wouldn't be enough. He wasn't sure if he could control himself. What if he'd immediately grab her and kiss her?!

No, he shook his head to wipe those thoughts away. He couldn't do that. He didn't want to make Ino angry by doing that, but he also fears that by seeing her, he will make her mad.

"NARUTO! PLEASE!"

The thunder claps.

Rain begins to fall. It starts out slow, and Ino… once hammering on Naruto's door with her fist and shouting for him to open it, is now leaning against the door. Tears start to roll down her cheeks. She remembers how earlier in the day she saw Kakashi. She told the Hokage that she didn't know at all what had cause Naruto to return to just vanish from her, but Kakashi saw through it.

Ino slides down, her back against Naruto's door. She just could never admit it to herself until this night. She hated herself for it. She was so damn used to being right or people agreeing with her so easily that she even believed the lie she told herself.

Naruto didn't leave because of me.

She gives slow and painful sobs before giving weak hits on the door. "Naruto…." She whispers. "Naruto…" It starts to get louder. "Naruto!" She tries to shout. "NARUTOOOOO!" She finally did.

Yet there was still no response.

For the first time in her life since Asuma's death, Ino cried. She wailed, even.

That got Naruto to snap out of his thoughts. However, it wasn't due to the realization of Ino crying, but more of anger at Ino's wailing. Without thinking, he let his emotions get the best of him. His mind was clouded that he barely registered the fact that he had already gone in to open the door.

And he did.

Ino nearly lost her balance when the door opened. She stood up with renewed hope, but Naruto's glare just murdered it.

"Why the fuck are you here?" Naruto asks. However, he didn't wait for Ino to reply as he asked his next question. "Why the fuck were you crying?!"

Ino looked down to the floor. "I'm sorry—"

"SORRY?! YOU'RE SORRY?!" Naruto roars in rage. "Do you even know what you did to ME?! Do you know what I saw in the flower shop that day?!"

"WELL I'M SORRY THAT I THOUGHT YOU HAD NO INTEREST IN ME!" Ino answers back. Her tears now raging more than ever.

"OF COURSE I WAS INTERESTED IN YOU!" Naruto roars again. "WHY DO YOU THINK I DID ALL THOSE THINGS WITH YOU?! WHY DO YOU THINK I ALWAYS ALLOWED YOU TO LEAD ME AROUND?!"

"I—"

"AND NOW HERE YOU ARE?! WAILING?! SAD, EVEN?!" He pauses as his fist clench hard enough to draw blood. "I let my walls down for you, Ino!" Their eyes locked. "I let them down because you asked me to! Because you wanted them to be down so you could talk to me more! So you could get to know me!"

Ino now had her hands covering her mouth as she sobbed.

"Leave…" Naruto says in such a dead tone that made Ino just want to hug him, but she could not. "I said leave!"

It was then, for the second time, Ino ran with tears falling from her face. The rain got even harder, soaking her as she ran home.

All the while, no one noticed Sakura crying in sadness by the corner of Naruto's apartment. She heard every single word.

(TBC)

There you guys have it. More drama, and stuff so yeah.

What did you guys think? I had to rush a little since my mom is forcing me to sleep… then again, I guess you'd understand why if you read the time I finished.

Finished on November 27, 2016| Philippines| 00:13 hours.