Author's Note: I'm back with chapter 3, everyone! For those who support this story, I'm really grateful. I'm rather sad to inform everyone that this is the last chapter for this story. But don't worry! I will write another Shimaru/Ino fanfic one day and I hope you'll read it too!

Chapter 3: Forever Love

Ino's POV

The club was loud and music was roaring at the background. But Shikamaru's words were as clear as day. The smile he had on his face when he said those words made my heart melt.

I wanted to cry that time but all I could do was blanking stare at him. I was totally speechless and I felt stupid. I knew I had to do something but I was frozen in the spot.

Shikamaru laughed when he felt my trembling hands on his chest and gently stroke my cheeks to calm me down. As I felt his hands softly touching me, I couldn't help but bring him into another embrace.

I wanted to hug him as tightly as I could. I wanted to make sure all of these were real. I desperately wanted to make sure Shikamaru saw me more than just a troublesome woman.

He said he loved me and I just couldn't believe how blessed I felt.

"I love you too. I really do. I just didn't expect you would feel the same."

I couldn't stop my tears from falling and I felt even more stupid. I had been hiding my feelings for Shikamaru for so long. I chose to ignore them and pretended I didn't have feelings for my lazy best friend. But I would get jealous every time I saw girls flirt with him. I would be pissed when Shikamaru called someone else pretty or cute. All I wanted was to keep him for myself.

It was obvious that I loved him but I was too scared to admit it.

I thought I'm just a troublesome woman in Shikamaru's eyes. I'm nothing more than an annoying best friend who couldn't stop waking him up in class. And here he was, proving to me that I was wrong all along.

My tears showed how relieved I was to find out about his honest feelings. I was beyond happy.

"Why in the world are you crying?" Shikamaru was stroking my hair as a way of comforting me.

It reminded me of the other times he was always there to cheer me up after a bad day. It reminded me how much I needed Shikamaru in my life. I wouldn't want to let him go.

"Please don't ever let me go." I sounded desperate but I didn't care. All I wanted was Shikamaru to look at me and me only for the rest of our lives. I wouldn't be strong enough to watch him grow old with another woman.

I felt Shikamaru's arms around me tightening and I felt him kiss my hair.

"I will never let you go."

His words were so sincere and more tears began escaping my eyes. I felt so loved and nothing else seemed to matter to me that time.

I didn't know how long we stayed there, just taking in the feeling of having the one we loved in our arms. It felt peaceful and quiet, as if the loud background music had disappeared.

I must have been really tired from all the drinking, dancing and crying. I didn't even realize I was slowly drifting off to dream land.

10 years afterwards…

Shikamaru's POV

"What?!"

I flinched a little when I heard Inoichi shouted. He turned pale and was clearly in deep shock.

I stood up from the sofa in Ino's living room and slowly walked towards the stunned Inoichi.

I cleared my throat out of nervousness and repeated myself.

"I'm asking for your permission to marry Ino."

In the corner of my eye, I saw Ino looking worried as she stared at her father. Even I was beginning to feel worried.

Inoichi was known to be an overprotective father and he doted on Ino a whole lot. It was not a surprise that he was reluctant to see her daughter getting married.

Last night when Ino and I told my parents we were getting married, my father's first words caught me off guard.

"Good luck breaking the news to Inoichi." That was what my father said before he started laughing out loud, which was something he didn't do often.

I unconsciously gulped when I saw Inoichi regaining his composure. Ino's mother was much calmer and was holding onto her husband's arm. It was her way of comforting her husband who was in deep shock I guessed.

Despite my nervousness, I stared into Inoichi's eyes with confidence. I wanted to show him that I was capable of making his precious daughter happy and that I would cherish her forever.

Inoichi stared back at me and I was annoyed that I wasn't able to read what was on his mind. His expressions were unreadable and that was scary.

His sigh broke the silence and I felt a huge weight removed from my heart when I saw a smile on his face.

Ino jumped from her seat and quickly grabbed me arm. She looked at her father with eyes full of hope, a complete opposite of what she looked like just a few moments ago.

"I know you'll cherish my daughter, Shikamaru. She was clearly much happier ever since the two of you started dating. Perhaps I was just shocked that it was time to let my precious baby daughter go." Inoichi had a gentle fatherly look with a tint of sadness in his eyes.

I felt Ino letting go of my arms slowly and walked towards her father. There were tears on the verge of escaping her eyes and she hugged her father.

"I'm still your precious daughter even after I'm married. I would still love you unconditionally."

I felt warm inside looking at the sight in front of me. Seeing how loving Ino was made me even surer of my decision to propose to her.

Inoichi hugged his daughter and wiped away her tears. Even Ino's mother, who had always been a calm person, couldn't stop her tears from falling. The atmosphere was filled with love and care as Ino hugged her parents and I was deeply touched to see how much Ino was loved in her family.

I took a few more steps towards the loving family and reassured them that I would love Ino no matter what happened.

"Please entrust your daughter's happiness to me."

Ino's parents looked at me with gentle expressions which touched me even more. I knew how much they loved their only daughter and to see that they trusted me so much had made me very happy.

Ino came running to me and gave me a bear hug when her parents nodded at me.

"I hope you wouldn't find me too troublesome after getting married." Ino said as she placed her head on my chest.

I hugged her closer to myself and planted a soft kiss on her head.

"I would love you and your troublesome personality forever."

After all, Ino was a troublesome woman I would love forever.

That was for sure.

THE END.

Author's Note: I couldn't think of a better way to end this story. I hope you guys liked it! Please look forward to the next Shikamaru/Ino fanfic. Please leave a review on your way out as well! I would really appreciate that. Thank you for reading this fanfic, everyone!