Started on November 27, 2016| Philippines| 19:02 Hours

For the guest reviewers (since those who reviewed with accounts as of this time, have been given PMs) I seriously thank you guys.

However, as a request, please don't just tell me to update, because I will. Tell me what you thought of it as well. Still though, thank you.

I probably lost one of you since I'm taking my time to get Ino and Naruto together, but as I said, I'm keeping this as a developing story. I'm not gonna just type, "and then they got together."

No offense to writers who write like that since I've had more than my fair share. In fact, this is my first story I've written like this. The rest are smut, action, and more smut.

Oh yeah, I was asked in class what tip I would give any writer who asked for some tips from me. Well, if writers want a tip from me… I'm gonna have to say that I have my own way of doing things so I don't know if it will work for you. For instance, I listen to sad music while writing, and set it on repeat; if I write emotional parts of course.

After all, we have our own preferences. So to any writer(s) out there who are in need of inspiration, I trust you will find your own way to write, or maybe copy others, not their work but their styles of getting inspired, if their styles suite you that is.

(Finding Love)

Two days have passed since Ino last saw Naruto, and the storm still continued on.

Currently, the Yamanaka heiress was lying in her room. She'd lock herself inside for those past two days, and she'd only leave to eat, just enough for her to survive.

"Ino-chan?" Her mother calls out from the other side of the door. "Sakura is here to see you. Will you see her?"

Ino shivers before getting off her bed to open the door. Once she did, she nods a yes and closes the door. She didn't have the strength to talk.

It took only three minutes until the door opened as Sakura stepped into Ino's room. The Haruno stood silently in front of Ino, who was now sitting on the bed.

Ino didn't have to look up to know the glare she was receiving. She could feel it enough.

SMACK!

Not a second later, Ino found herself lying on her bed with a bruised cheek. Her eyes were wide in surprise at what her former best friend had done.

"How could you?" Sakura asked in a whisper. Her head was bowed, allowing her hair to shadow her eyes. Her head snaps up as she looks at Ino with tears streaming down her face. "How could you?!"

Ino didn't bother trying to say anything as her look of shock was overcome with a look of sadness.

"He hated me! Because of what I did! I know you know what happened to me and Sasuke! I realized it then! I realized it too late! I was joining ANBU, but when I came to train in the middle of the night, I saw him…" Sakura pauses. She calms down a little before speaking in a shaky voice. "Naruto… he punched a boulder… Ino… I followed his chakra trail when he left… I was surprised to see you in his apartment… so why?"

Ino remains silent. She didn't know what Sakura was talking about. "What did you see? What did… what did you see him doing? When he got back… I mean…"

Sakura grit her teeth before steeling her resolve and speaking. "He was looking at you. He was crying… and you were sleeping, Ino. He didn't notice me… and we both know that Naruto always had that amazing sensor ability."

Ino rolls onto her side to look away from Sakura. She remains silent.

Sakura sighs before heading to the door. She stops as she touches the handle, not yet opening it. "Ino… I love Naruto… but I realized it too late. He loves you, so please… take care of him. Besides, getting any more angry at you… is a waste of breath."

Ino's tears finally rolled down as she heard her former best friend open the door, and leave, not forgetting to close it. Ino didn't want this. Not any of this. She wanted to be happy… again.

Naruto.

Ino sobs more as the image of the blonde appears in her mind. She hated all this. She could remember how she acted around Naruto, how they got close to each other that Naruto brought his walls down for her. Finally, after an hour, she could no longer cry.

Ino was a wreck. In her head was every word that Naruto shouted to her. In her head was everything Sakura told her. In her head was everything… she thought about them.

And then there was Sai.

Where was he? He didn't come visit her. He wasn't even on a mission. No, the last time Ino saw Sai was when the pale man was called into the Hokage office not two days ago, and there were no records of him taking a mission a day after.

Another knock from the door and Ino stands. She goes to open the door and when she does, she sees her father. Her voice was already hoarse from all the crying she did so she didn't bother to speak.

"Ino… I came to tell you that Naruto's leaving."

Ino's eyes widen when she hears the news. She strains her voice and coughs, but manages to get out her sentence. "W-Where?"

"He's at the village gates. He just needs to hand them the papers and—" Inoichi couldn't finish his sentence as Ino brushed past him with tears renewed.

Ino didn't care that it was raining as she frantically exited her house and nearly slid.

Throughout this entire ordeal, Ino forgot that she was a Kunoichi. She was a mere civilian now, running, tired, and slowed by the rain. Her purple outfit was drenched, and so was her entire body. Yet she ran. She didn't need Sai. She grits her teeth as the wind and rain try to push her back, slowing her greatly. Still, she fights. Her leg muscles pushing themselves to their limits, just to see one man.

It was only thanks to her knowledge of the village that she could find her way to the village gates since the rain was already heavy enough that one could barely see five feet ahead.

Once she arrived she saw a man in black cloak, one used by ANBU. As the man turned to leave, the cloak flapped to show ANBU armor, and Ino would have fallen to the ground, ready to give up, were it not for a flash of lightning that illuminated the golden streaks of hair on the man.

And so she ran, the rain doing well to cover her splashing steps. She knew full well that that man was Naruto. No one else ever had that kind of golden hair. No one else walked like him. No one else could ever… make her feel the way she did around him.

As she got closer, time slowed as her thoughts caught up to her. She remembers how her heart fluttered that one day she woke up snuggled into him, just before leaving to find a way to get him to drop his walls. How they had trained, and her almost topless, him shirtless when she pushed him to use some of his more dangerous moves, and both of them seemingly professional, but giving small glances at each other when they thought the other wasn't looking. Her heart ached when she remembered how she asked Naruto to allow her to leave early because she found a new friend by the name of Sai. She and Sai… she wished she never met him. He had whispered so many questioning things about Naruto so subtly into her ear that she started thinking Naruto didn't like her back, and that all those glances were simply glances of approval at her improvements.

And as time seemingly returned to normal, Ino finally reached out to Naruto's cloak, but falls as she trips thanks to a puddle that was deeper than it looked. Her head hit a stone, and she started to lose consciousness. As her vision blurred, she muttered out Naruto's name…

But the man did not turn back.

(TBC)

I'll be honest, I could have written more, but I mean come on! I know most of you will probably guess how the next chapter will go, but maybe you're right only on some points, or maybe you're wrong, but what the hell, right?

Alright, let's get serious now.

So yeah, I'm finally going to start getting them together, and once I'm finished with the story, hopefully in only two to three more chapters, I'll be working on Naruto and Sakura, although I've also been thinking of a Naruto x Kushina (time travel fic) or Mikoto (time travel or cheating fic).

Sorry for the long wait… although I doubt it was that long. Anyway, please review guys, and don't tell me to update because you know I will. Tell me things like where you got touched, where I can improve, where you can relate, and things like if this was emotional for you or not.

Anyway, until next time!

Finished on November 30, 2016| Philippines| 14:55 hours