Overall season two theme: Stand up by J-Min
Episode theme: Broken Arrow by Pixie Lott
Ugh school -_- anyway…
WELCOME! WE ARE ONE CHAPTER AWAY FROM THE 40TH CHAPTER SPECIAL!
From Chapter 40 A.H takes a drastic turn! I hope you look forward to it as I am to writing it! ;D
Happy Holidays!
Singing voice representation:
Hinata Hyuga— Park Bom
Ino Yamanaka— CL
Tenten Sento— Dara
Sakura Haruno— Minzy
Megami Uzumaki— BoA
Song one: Only Hope by Mandy Moore
Jealousy is a disease, love is a healthy condition. The immature mind often mistakes one for the other, or assumes that the greater the love, the greater the jealousy - in fact, they are almost incompatible; one emotion hardly leaves room for the other― Robert A. Heinlein
"That's it! Perfect! Lovely Miss. Ino, the camera absolutely adores you!"
"I know." she said obviously as she turned, going back and forth in different positions as the photographer snapped the platinum blond girl as she stood topless, covering her breasts with her arm in nothing but a light blue mini-skirt, white stockings and white high heels, her other hand held onto the blue neon colored wall, her back partially to the camera.
On the other side of the shoot the girls sat together on the pink waiting couch.
Megami yawned, "Are we done yet?"
Sakura rubbed the side of her right eye and looked to her cell-phone. "Apparently not, she was supposed to be finished half an hour ago."
"Ugh! This is bull!" Tenten growled, "What kind of a photo shoot starts at four in the morning anyway?! She doesn't even look remotely tired!"
The girls watched as the lights focused on Ino while Tome, a famous photographer, shot picture after picture of Ino for H.O.T magazine which she would be on the cover, centerfold, and have extra photos of inside while Tome spoke about her and what is was like shooting with her. Ino confidently and gladly obliged to everything he ordered her to do since the moment he met her at a gala they attended with the boys, and had asked if she had wanted to come Monday morning to shoot.
Now, the girls sat in the GLITZ modeling studio at five a.m. after arriving to accompany her an hour earlier.
"Almost done, just a few…more…" Tome spoke as he snapped her a few more times.
"Done!" he said quickly, lifting his head up from the camera in his hands.
"Finally!" Tenten groaned out loud.
"You, were absolutely wonderful," he said dramatically as a girl with an Bluetooth quickly draped a towel on Ino who wrapped it around herself.
"Thank you, this was so much fun!" Ino said sweetly as another girl handed her a glass bottle of sparkling water with a straw inside.
"I would absolutely love to shoot you again, Ino." Tome said excitingly as another worker took the camera from his hands.
"I would love to stop by again; you can't imagine how much my mother will be excited that I'm modeling again."
"Of course, it is a true honor to be in front of the daughter of Imoi Yamanaka, you truly have your mothers beautiful features."
"I know," she winked as she smiled slyly, sashaying past him.
"And perhaps your friends would be interested in—"
"No thanks," Sakura said quickly, smiling.
"Yeah, we wouldn't wanna steal Innie's thunder," Tenten smirked.
"My ass!" Ino growled, then huffed and tossed her hair back.
"Well then that's that. I'll call you for more shoots hun! The magazine should be out this weekend!" Tome smiled.
"Thanks again!" Ino called as the girls stood up with her bra and top.
"Lovely, only two hours until school," Sakura grumbled, looking at her phone again.
"What an absolutely perfect start to the day! I get to model and act!" she squealed.
"Act?" Hinata asked, confused. "Act where?"
"Don't tell me you guys forgot!" she groaned.
"Auditions for King Arthur: The World's Greatest Love Triangle, start today!"
(^A.H^)
"Look! Look over there!"
"What, who's that?"
"Oh my gosh, it's Ino." One girl whispered.
"Who's Ino?" another asked.
"Are you living in a hole?! She's a senior and she's one of The five."
"The five?"
"Alpha…the most popular girls in school…" she sighed.
"I heard that this weekend Tome sighed her on to feature in H.O.T magazine!"
"Isn't her mom like some famous model?!"
"Uh! She's gorgeous!"
"Her hair is so shiny!"
"Her legs are so long!"
"Her boobs are pretty good too if I do say so myself." Megami snickered as the girls walked towards the building, a confident Ino, in her cheerleading uniform for practice along with Sakura and Hinata, lead them.
"Bitches love Ino," Tenten rolled her eyes.
"What can I say? They can't go a day without worshiping me," she sighed happily as she swayed her hips, her heels clacking.
"The pictures made you look like a tramp, as expected." Sakura said plainly as she and Hinata walked and looked at the photo's that had come out for them to see before they left.
"Jealousy is a ridiculously hideous trait Saki." Ino smirked.
"Wouldn't you know…"
"—Perfect!" they heard another girl of those admiring her whisper.
"Aren't I?" she cooed.
"If anything you are far from perfection Ino-pig," Sakura snapped.
"Why do you say that? I'm confident—"
"I'm smart," Sakura winked before she could continue.
"I'm kick-ass," Tenten followed.
"I'm level-headed." Hinata smiled shyly.
"I'm happy!" Megami bounced.
Ino laughed heartily as the girls stopped to the sound of a white limo pulling up to the driveway.
"Right, none of us are perfect. We all make up one decent person."
"In some ways or another," Sakura mumbled.
"Good morning queens!"
The girls turned around just enough to see a bowing Naruto lift up while the other boys stood behind him.
"Good day milord," Ino curtsied.
"To what do we owe this formalness?" Tenten laughed.
"The play auditions start today!" Naruto beamed as he jogged up to them. "I'm getting in the mood!"
"He hasn't stopped talking like a knight since we got up," Neji growled, scratching the back of his head.
"You think you're tired?" Sakura said. "Guess who had to be up at four a.m. for a photo shoot for the princess," she growled, pointing back to a beaming Ino who snatched the pictures from Sakura's hand a second later.
"Shika-kun! Shika-kun!"
"Hm…" he sighed, rubbing his eyes.
He stumbled on his feet as she slammed the photos directly into his face. He grumbled a bit as she bounced up and down.
"Look look look! These are some of the pictures I took! I don't know if they will be in the magazine but these are some that came out! What do you think?!" she squealed.
As she released her hand he gently took the photos off his reddened face and sighed again.
"Good morning to you too…"
"Oh!" she blushed a bit. She leaned in and pecked him on the lips.
"Morning sweetie! NOW THE PICTURES!" she urged.
He rolled his eyes and mumbled incoherent words under his breath, then cleared his throat and looked to the photos.
He visibly raised a brow and his mouth noticeably dropped open a bit.
The boys quickly shuffled together and hovered over him to get a better look.
"Wow…impressive." Gaara said as Shikamaru flipped through.
"Damn Ino. You're really into it." Neji smirked.
"Du-duh! I have big shoes to fill!"
Naruto whistled.
"Mind if we hold onto these?" Sasuke asked seriously.
Shikamaru elbowed him in the face without looking from the photos.
"In your dreams."
"Very nice work, very nice." Neji said.
"Oh you guys, stop it." She cooed, nonchalantly waving her hand.
"No seriously. Stop it."
The boys, excluding Shikamaru, looked up to the four girls sitting on the grass. Tenten, who had spoken, stared, annoyed.
"We're still here." She said coldly.
Neji scoffed, "What? Did you take half naked pictures?"
His head snapped back with a crack as her dark green messenger bag collided with his face.
It popped back with a few more cracks after a couple seconds. He held his throbbing and slightly bleeding nose.
"I-I love you…"
"Piss off."
Ino laughed as Shikamaru looked up to her and smiled.
He fixed the pictures and handed them back to her.
"These are nice, Ino." He said smiling lazily.
"You can have them Shika-kun!" she said excitingly.
"It's fine." He shrugged as he leaned into her face with a serious expression, causing her to burn.
"I get my fill of you every day." He slightly whispered.
"Shika…" she whimpered as she wrapped her arms around his neck, leaning in and kissing him which he quickly returned.
"Aaaw!" Megami said loudly as Hinata smiled sweetly.
"Shikamaru you can be such a romantic when you really want to!"
As they released he turned to her as Ino's cheeks reddened and shrugged.
"Anyway, Ino-pig. What were we talking about before?" Sakura said.
"About our personalities combining to be a person? Yeah! The same would work for anyone, even you guys," she smiled, turning to the boys.
"Gaara's cool, Sasuke's a bad boy, Naruto's a sweetheart, Neji's a playboy, and my Shika-baby is a genius!"
"Sounds like they'd all make the perfect douchebag." Tenten smirked.
The boys gave their own collective and argumentative responses as the girls laughed together.
"But even so, I don't think there's one person out there," Ino said through laughs.
"—Who carries the 'traits' to be 'perfect'."
Suddenly, through the sounds of students entering the building and speaking on the courtyard, a car blasting Maneater by Nelly Furtado pulled up.
Most if not all watched in awe as a black SSC Ultimate Aero with light yellow, if not white stripes came up to the curve of the school.
In continued awe they watched as the front door flew up, releasing more of the music.
Out, stepped a girl, a girl with midnight black hair tied in a long pony tail with a smidge of hair left high in the front. With palish skin she wore black Raybans.
Her outfit consisted of tight white denim shorts an ankle length chiffon jacket kimono. Along with fishnet leggings, a black nylon shirt, and black leather wedges with a large black Gucci bag.
Ino whitened to a color a ghost would fear.
"Hey," Tenten said as the girl turned and pressed the lock, securing her car as some had gathered to admire.
"Isn't that—"
"Tsubaki! Tsubaki! Hey is that really you?!" Megami yelled waving furiously.
The girl pulled down her Raybans and held them in her right hand as she looked ahead.
She instantly smiled with sincere brightness as she waved back with a wide smile.
"Megami! Tenten! Hinata! Sakura! Girls! Hey!"
"No way is that Tsubaki?" Sakura blinked.
"So it seems!" Hinata laughed as she jogged up to them, admired from afar along the way.
"I can't believe it! I haven't seen you guys since you were freshmen! Now look at you!" she said sweetly as she held her arms out. The girls—excluding a still shocked Ino—brought her into a hug.
Tsubaki turned her head as the girls let go and took a couple steps back.
Her eyes connected with that of Ino's who stared back at her.
After a few moments of awkward silence, Ino finally crossed her arms and huffed, trailing her eyes away.
"Tsubaki…"
"Ino!" Tsubaki said, her arms wide as she wrapped her into a tight hug.
"Yeah…hey…" Ino choked, not returning the hug.
"How's my baby sister?!"
"Eh, heh heh…" Ino said, gently forcing her off.
"Half sister…" she said under her breath.
Luckily, only she heard herself.
"And who, might this be?" Neji asked, raising an interested brow.
"Tsubaki." Ino spat, unnoticed by everyone else. "Tsubaki Nakatsukasa."
She pointed to her as she stood next to Ino, towering over her by a good four inches.
"She's my half sister." She said monotonously, to the girls surprise as she was usually bubbly.
"So this is the Tsubaki we've heard so much about." Neji smirked.
"Not that much…" Ino said under breath, crossing her arms.
"We're—"
"Don't even bother," Tsubaki said, smiling. "I know exactly who you guys are. The girls have talked as much about you to me."
"It's more than obvious who you are in a general sense, but I know your Gaara, you and Sakura are dating, you're Sasuke, you and Megami are dating, your Naruto, you and Hinata are dating, you're Neji, you and Tenten are dating, and you're Shikamaru, you're dating my baby sister!" she said, pointing off the boys excitingly.
"Half sister…" Ino mumbled again annoyingly, again unheard by the lot of them.
Ino shook her head and turned to her nonetheless, "Tsubaki." She said dryly.
Her sister instantly turned and smiled at her.
"It's great seeing you, really. It is. But what are you doing at Konoha high?"
"Yeah! What's up Baki?!" Megami beamed.
"Oh! You'll never believe it!" she burst, her clashing her fisted hand with her open left.
"I've been assigned to help out with the Drama department for a few weeks on the musical!"
Ino paled once again while the rest of the girls beamed excitingly.
"Really? That's so cool!"
"Awesome! This'll give us plenty of time to catch up!"
"This should be a lot of fun," Hinata smiled as she turned to a stock frozen Ino.
"Ino, what do you—"
Their eyes bulged as the blond designer dropped to the ground back first with a thud.
(^A.H^)
What happened…?
Where am I…?
Why.
Do I feel so…numb...?
Tsubaki.
Tsubaki's back…
Tsubaki…is back…
No.
No!
She's gonna—
Ino gasped as she quickly rose herself. She held her chest in a pained motion as she tried to adjust with ragged breathing.
"See! I told you the Versace would work!" Megami yelled, bouncing up and down with Ino's hand bag.
She twisted to her left side to see the girls sitting beside her.
"What's going on?" she demanded, daintily touching the back of her head.
"You pulled a Hinata and dropped to the ground," Tenten explained.
"H-hey! That's not funny!" Hinata whimpered.
Ino sat up straight, looking around as she continued to rub the back of her head. She found herself and the girls too be in the vacant nurse's office.
"I passed out? Why in the world would I—"
She seized, her hand frozen on the nape of her neck as her eyes bulged once again.
"Tsubaki…she's here…isn't she?!" she demanded to know.
Hinata nodded, "yes, she's come down to Japan to assist in the musical."
"Why the hell would she come all the way to Japan just to work on some high school musical?" Ino yelled, unbelieving.
Heh…
"She was already in Japan when Tsunade contacted her," Sakura explained. "You remember how she was in all the plays all four years of high school? Tsunade thought it would be useful for her to be back to help out."
Ino glared at her, Sakura lifted her hands in defense.
"Her words not mine."
"You've got to be kidding me…" she growled. "Of all the…"
"What's the big deal Ino? It's only for a few weeks, and besides, we get to hang out with Tsubaki again," Megami assured.
"We know you kind of have this whole 'one-sided rivalry' going on with her, but could at least act like you don't want to rip her to shreds when she's around?" Sakura ordered.
Ino crossed her arms and turned, staring out the window leading to the empty courtyard as class had already begun.
"Whatever…she had just better stay out of my way…"
(^A.H^)
"Everyone, please welcome Tsubaki Nakatsukasa to our advanced English class, where she will be helping us, along with the other senior classes, put on the production of King Arthur while she is in Japan."
The students stared and openly awed at Tsubaki who stood shyly in front of the class, next to Kakashi who had spoken.
"She's gorgeous…"
"Look at her clothes…"
"Hey! I know her! She models up in Korea…!"
"She acts too! I heard she was in some major action movies playing a swordswoman…"
Ino grinded her teeth a bit, cracking her pencil into two with her clenched fists.
"—Tsubaki is a former student at Konoha high, so she has much experience in the drama department and is willing to share her well known skills with you all."
Tsubaki, who had lived with her father, attended Konoha during her teen years.
"Not really," Tsubaki waved her hand a bit, smiling nervously. "I just want to have some fun with you guys, but if you need anything, I'll be here."
The majority of students of Kakashi's homeroom awed again.
Ino's eyes burned bright, her pencil pieces crumbled to dust in her fists.
"Ino…?" Shikamaru asked concerned while leaned back in his seat with his hands behind his head.
"I promise I won't get in anyone's way and I'll do my best to make this play great!" she continued.
"For this musical," Kakashi spoke, "we're going to have three directors, one of which will be Tsubaki: the stage director and head director, along with Megami and Sakura. Sakura, you and Megami will be cast directors."
Megami and Sakura, who had already spoken to Kakashi about pairing up to be directors, clasped both their hands together and giggled.
"The rest of you must either audition for a role or sign up for crew."
Some students sighed in relief, glad they had a choice this time.
Ino clenched her fists together again, but this time in a determined state.
She'd forgotten why this day was so important to her and she wasn't going to let her sister's appearance ruin it.
She will get the role of Guinevere no matter what.
(^A.H^)
"So, how're mom, Yuki, and Inochi? I haven't gotten a chance to stop and see them," Tsubaki asked.
Ino wanted to ignore her. She really wanted to. But Tsubaki was too nice and got her feelings hurt way to easily, especially if she thought someone was mad at her.
"They're fine." She said as Tsubaki walked with her to her fourth period in the noisy hallway.
"Mom talks about you all the time. You're always in the magazine." She said monotonously.
"I miss her too, I'm going to Ame to see them all after auditions today, they don't know I'm back in Japan yet!" she giggled.
"You know, you don't have to walk to every class I have with me, I'm sure you have something better you want to do, you are back in Japan, you've shot in plenty of places you might want to see again…like Glitz." She said icily, knowing full well how heavily admired Tsubaki was, after her own mother, at the studio she just shot for.
"Come on Ino! I've only seen you for Christmas since you were a freshman! I didn't even spend Christmas with you last year, I'd really like to catch up."
Ino sighed. It's not as if she disliked Tsubaki, she was her sister after all.
But to her, sometimes she could just be too much.
As Tsubaki continued to talk about what she's missed, Ino looked around.
As expected.
All eyes fell on her and Tsubaki.
Mostly Tsubaki.
It wasn't unusual and she knew that. When it came to comparisons, Tsubaki always took first place, wherever they went, whatever she was wearing.
She grinded her teeth as Tsubaki continued to speak animatedly about what's been going on since she went to work in South Korea.
Before she could say anything, or more actually glare at the passerby's that looked at Tsubaki the way they normally looked at her, she cringed, having bumped into something.
She groaned, rubbing her forehead as Tsubaki stopped with her.
"Hey! Watch where you're—"
"Sorry, I wasn't looking."
She smiled a bit as she dropped her hand.
"Sai, it's just you."
He smiled slightly as he held down the book in his left hand.
"It must have been my fault then, I know you've kind of mastered the whole 'walking and reading thing' down to a science," she laughed a bit.
"No, I should have looked where I was going." He said simply.
"Let's just safely agree that both us need to watch where we're going, hm?" she smiled cutely.
He said nothing, but his small smile rose.
"Hi!" a cheery voice said, catching both of their attention.
Tsubaki lifted her hand towards Sai, smiling kindly.
"You must be a friend of Ino's, I don't think we've met!"
He gave her a small smile as he lifted his own hand and shook hers. "Sai, and you might be—"
"Tsubaki, I'm Ino's older sister," she said proudly.
"Half sister…" Ino mumbled.
"Tsubaki huh? I remember. Ino used to talk about you a lot when we were in a relationship."
"You and Ino used to date? She's never told me about you," Tsubaki visibly slumped.
"Tsubaki, we've hardly talked in almost three years…" Ino sighed.
"Right, the only reason I know about you and Shikamaru is because of the magazines and on TV." Tsubaki frowned.
Oddly enough, Sai continued to give a small smile, which only Ino knew meant he was getting uncomfortable.
"Well, I'm gonna be late, I'll be seeing you!" she called, picking up her feet as she waved, running past Sai, leaving Tsubaki with him.
"Huh! Ino! Wait! Nice meeting you Sai!" she said quickly bowing as she jogged after Ino.
Sai turned back with his hands in his pockets and gave another small smile.
Without a word, he turned back and headed to class.
(^A.H^)
"You do realize the fact that Megami and I are cast directors doesn't mean you going to get Guinevere." Sakura said sternly.
Ino scoffed, "I don't need you and half-a-brain to influence me being Guinevere, I already know I'm getting the part. Hinata and I are the best actresses in class and you know it, and Hinata isn't even auditioning." She said as the girls seated at lunch awaiting the boys.
"You're not Hina?" Tenten asked between chewing on her cheeseburger.
Hinata shook her head, "Naruto and I are going to be on crew so we can try something different. I think it's a good idea too."
"Hm, I think I'll do crew too." Tenten shrugged.
"It's a musical too! You have to be a good singer!" Megami challenged Ino.
Ino stared at her with an 'are-you-serious' look.
"Well, anyway, how goes it with Tsubaki?" Tenten asked.
As expected to them, Ino slumped.
"She's been following be around all day trying to 'catch up'."
"You guys haven't really talked in a long time. What do you expect? She wants to know what she's missed all this time." Sakura said obviously.
"She's just so clingy though, I don't even know where she's wandered off to now."
"Probably having lunch outside of school, at least she won't be bothering you right now!" Megami beamed.
"Probably going to see all the places she used to shoot too, maybe even Glitz," she growled.
"Ino, for the last time will you relax? Tsubaki is a nice person, she's always been nice, you always think she's got some hidden motive because she is nice. Stop thinking she' trying to take over your life or something." Sakura sighed.
"Whatever," Ino huffed. "I have my reasons for the way I feel about her, I don't need to clarify them with you. All I know right now is you need to get ready to be wowed, because come after school, I'm gonna upstage everyone."
(^A.H^)
"Nice hustle girls! Let's run it one more time them we'll work on lifts!" Ino called, clapping her hands as the rest of the members of Konoha high's cheerleading squad got out of their end positions and stood straight, quickly rushing to their first positions.
"We're a little off today since Kotoka broke her leg, but I think we can manage for the next game," Sakura explained as she wrote on her clipboard, her pom-poms on the floor.
"We could always ask Megami or Tenten if they could fill in for her, though I know they won't want to," Hinata smiled, shaking her pom-poms as she directed some girls back to place.
"Yeah yeah, sure sure, come on we have to wrap this up soon. Auditions are in ten minutes." Ino whined.
Auditions for the musical would begin at four thirty as Kakashi had set up, so with practice and such, teaching dance would have to be moved to six to nine p.m. for the time being.
Sakura rolled her eyes as she stood by a giggling Hinata.
"Alright, everyone in position?!" she called in an orderly manner.
"Yep," Sakura said.
"Okay ladies! One! Two! Three! Four!"
As the music started the cheerleaders began their routine and dance, which the head cheerleader and the two co-head cheerleaders would join when it was time for them to make their appearance. For now, they simply watched.
Suddenly, Ino's heart skipped a beat when an unfamiliar uniform popped into the mix. A flash of white denim shorts did a triple flip in front of them, in awe of the cheerleaders, then, spun in the air for a good ten seconds before landing on Roma, a sophomore.
Part of Kotoka's routine.
Ino clenched her pom-poms and grinded her teeth as Sakura and Hinata shrugged and moved into their positions, as it was time for them to join in.
With their routine done they turned to Ino who was supposed to appear, but instead stood with the same expression she'd had when Tsubaki appeared and did Kotoka's routine.
"Come on Ino-pig! We literally don't have all day!"
"Hold it hold it hold it! Cut the music!" she ordered.
Instantly the music stopped and she dropped her pom-poms.
"What's the big idea, Ino?" Sakura demanded as the girls stepped out of their positions.
Ignoring her, she turned to a smiling Tsubaki who had just been complimented by other cheerleaders.
"Tsubaki, what are you doing here?" she said as kindly as she could muster up, which wasn't much.
"Oh! Right! Sorry Ino! I was on my way to the auditorium and overheard you guys in here, I watched your routine and also heard that you were in need of another cheerleader. If you don't mind, I'd like to fill in for Kotoka," she offered shyly.
"That's a perfect idea!" Sakura beamed.
"What?!" Ino yelled.
"Yes, Tsubaki you were head cheerleader when you were in high school weren't you?" Hinata asked.
Tsubaki nodded humbly.
"And star of the musicals, student council chairman, class president…" Ino growled under her breath.
"It would work absolutely perfectly for you to fill in, you have so much experience, and you could help us out with new routines!" Hinata clapped.
Ino blinked, speechless.
"That sounds like fun!" Tsubaki said excitingly.
"B-but…I had new routines…" Ino said in a barely audible voice.
"How about it Ino? Can I be on the squad? It'll only be for a little bit though," Tsubaki smiled hopefully.
The girls looked at Ino in anticipation. Only Sakura and Hinata worried about her response.
"Fine." Ino said icily after a few bitter moments of silence. The girls squealed.
"Muka will get you a uniform. Practice is tomorrow with the basketball team. We're done for today. Come on, auditions are about to start." Ino said, monotone.
Sakura and Hinata each shared an expression as they looked at each other while Ino turned and stormed off.
(^A.H^)
"Your routines are great Tsubaki, join the team Tsubaki…why don't they go ahead and make her fucking captain…"
"Ino?" Shikamaru asked, worried as she grumbled to herself while sitting on his lap while they sat with other students on the auditorium seats, spread out, as they waited their turn.
In front row sat Megami, Kakashi, and Sakura watching with clipboards as Karin stood on stage, reading a piece from the short piece they had been given to perform from the musical, then sing a part of a song from it.
Behind her many students sat on stage, those who wanted to participate as crew, listening to Tsubaki as she animatedly spoke about set building.
"Are you sure you're alright?" he asked, brushing her long blond hair out of his face gently.
She sighed obnoxiously. "I'm fine Shika, just a little annoyed. Nothing a little performance won't fix."
"Right…" he mumbled as he trained his eyes back to the stage when Karin's voice cracked.
"Mind if I take a seat?"
Ino looked up, while Shikamaru slowly trailed his eyes to the familiar voice in an annoyed manner.
Sai smiled down to them as he leaned on the seat left of Shikamaru.
He stood in after school clothing, as everyone (except for the cheerleaders) had gone home before arriving back to the school at four thirty for auditions.
"Oh hey Sai," Ino smiled kindly. "Go on ahead," she motioned for him to take the seat next to Shikamaru while he in turned wrapped his arms firmly and possessively around Ino's waist.
"Have you gone yet?" he asked casually, not making eye contact or acknowledging Shikamaru.
"No, we're still waiting for our turn. Shika wanted to be on crew but I convinced him to audition with me!" she beamed, oblivious to the look of disdain the boys shared when they accidentally made eye contact.
"Poor Nara…" he said under his breath.
"Thank you Karin, that's…enough…" Sakura sighed, rubbing her temples.
Karin glared and huffed as she stormed off the stage.
"Call the next person," Sakura nudged a Megami who had been poking Kakashi who tried to read.
"Ino Yamanaka!" Megami yelled after glancing to the sign up list.
"That's my cue!" she sang as Shikamaru unclasped his hands.
She quickly turned and gave Shikamaru a kiss on the cheek. But before she could lift herself up and move forward he pulled her back and kissed her passionately.
"TODAY Ino-PIG!" Sakura yelled.
Ino blushed and lifted herself up after a few moments.
Without looking towards Sai she quickly rushed out of the row and towards the stage.
Shikamaru turned and smirked to Sai who simply stared at him with dulled eyes.
"Hi Ino! Hi Ino! Hi!" Megami yelled, waving furiously as Ino sashayed onto the stage.
"Are you ready for your reading Ino?" Sakura asked.
Ino turned back and narrowed her eyes to Tsubaki who still stood and talked to the crew. When she sensed Ino's eyes on her she lifted her head up and smiled and waved almost as dumb as Megami had.
Ino turned back and smiled coldly, "I'm ready."
The lot of them watched in awe as Ino began reciting a few lines from the musical.
Ino smiled as she moved around the stage, speaking Guinevere's lines with the perfect amount of drama.
After the piece she continued on to sing one of Guinevere's songs that had been written specifically for the musical.
"Amazing isn't she…?" Sai mumbled but enough for Shikamaru to hear.
"Yeah…"
Well, he wouldn't be angry at him for complimenting her. At least they agreed on one thing.
She was something special.
"Thank you, Ino." Sakura said monotonously but Ino was fully aware that she knew she did great.
Ino confidently put a skip in her step as she stepped down, towards her seats.
"Next, Sai!" Sakura called out.
"Nice job Ino," Sai complimented as he stood up when she made her way over.
"Thanks, good luck Sai!" she beamed.
When he was out of hearing range she sat down on Shikamaru's lap and put her left leg over her right, her hand on his chest.
"How'd I do baby?" she cooed.
He shrugged, turning away as if he didn't care.
She scoffed and slapped his chest, "Shika!"
"I'm kidding…" he said lazily.
"You were amazing."
"I know, I just wanted to hear you say it," she said cutely.
"You're impossible."
"But you love me anyway!" she squealed, giggling.
He glanced at her as she laughed. He relaxed in his seat, smirking.
As they continued to converse, they hardly noticed as Sai presented his piece and sung for a particular character.
Nonetheless, the auditions moved on until each person finished at the stroke of five.
"We're gonna head on home you guys," Tenten said as she, Hinata, and Ino stood by the door while Sakura and Megami still sat in the front row, looking at their papers, the last ones in the auditorium.
"We still have to look over the auditions then close up, we'll meet you guys at home," Sakura smiled.
"Ugh, it sucks we have to move work up later but, the girls don't seem to mind." Tenten sighed.
"I do, the only time I'll have to do my homework at nine o'clock at night, or I'll have to rush and do it in class," Sakura growled without turning away from the papers.
"Poor Sakura problems," Ino sighed dramatically.
The girls laughed as Sakura rolled her eyes playfully.
"Good evening girls!" a voice said.
The girls looked to the stage as Tsubaki came from behind the curtains with her things, coming down the steps.
"That reminds me, where are you staying Tsubaki?" Hinata asked.
"I have a penthouse in uptown Konoha, you girls should stop by this weekend so we can hang out!"
"If we have free time." Ino said tiredly. "Well, we're off."
Oblivious, Tsubaki waved as she turned to take another exit. "Alright! Goodbye girls! I'm going to Ame to see the fam, I'll see you tomorrow!"
The girls offered their equal goodbyes as the three made their ways out.
"I didn't see everyone's performances but I overheard some, I think they did pretty well. Sasuke and Neji-san were good, and I also heard Sai and Shikamaru," Hinata explained as they walked to their cars.
"Sai? I must not have heard his well, I was talking to Shika-kun," Ino said guilty. "Oh well, whatever. Shika-kun's was good but had his drawl, I wonder what part everyone's going to fit into."
"Neji wants to be Arthur of course," Tenten rolled her eyes. "Sasuke said something about a 'Caradoc' guy he's okay with getting. It doesn't matter really anyway, the story revolves around the love triangle, not Arthur's full story."
"Details details," Ino groaned dramatically.
"We'll know what's what tomorrow!"
(^A.H^)
"INO YAMANAKA! IF YOU DON'T SLOW THE FUCK DOWN—!" Tenten's angry voice yelled on the road the next morning.
Tenten tried her best to keep up as Ino sped through traffic, alerting cars who angrily honked back at her yet she did not care. Hinata sat in the car along with her, nervously watching Ino speed by.
With a smile plastered on her face she squealed, speeding past Megami who shot her head to the side, shock inside her helmet, then quickly forward when she saw Ino zoom past her, exceeding the speed limit Megami was already above.
Ino quickly pulled into the driveway of Konoha high school, alerting various students as she practically crashed into a parking space.
The night before, right before they came home so the girls could head to work, Sakura and Megami had posted the cast list, so Ino was more than eager to see the results all morning.
"Ino!" Tenten yelled as she tried to quickly park while Ino was already running to the school.
"Ino-pig!" Sakura yelled furiously as she pulled into the driveway.
But, before they knew it, they heard screams of excitement riling from inside the building. The students held their ears as they were sure the campus shook.
"We should have made Neji Guinevere just to piss both of them off." Sakura growled as the four of them began heading to the building, not waiting for the boys so they could gain control of Ino.
"I got the lead role! I got the lead role!" She bounced, chanting happily. "Who am I kidding? Of course I got the lead role!"
"Way to hold onto that humility Yamanaka," Tenten said, dripping with sarcasm as the girls stepped to her while she jumped excitingly by the senior bulletin board across from their homeroom.
"Now! Who is my Arthur?!" she beamed as she twisted back to the bulletin board and scrolled the cast list.
King Arthur Pendragon Shikamaru Nara
"Shika-kun?! Oh this works perfectly!" she squealed.
"Wait, you made Shikamaru Arthur?" Megami said as she turned to Sakura.
Sakura shrugged, "yeah, we both agreed he was great and would make a great Arthur, so when we split it up I chose him."
"B-but, that means—" Megami gulped, slightly backing up.
Ino took a deep breath, "now, I must know my Lancelot! I mean the basis of this whole musical is their love triangle, right?" she laughed as she returned to the list.
Sir Lancelot Sai Itirashi
Ino stood still for a matter of moments, simply staring at the cast list, her back to the girls.
"Ino…?" Megami mumbled.
"What's the deal? Who's playing Lancelot?"
"Megami, who did you make Lancelot?" Sakura demanded slowly as she narrowed her eyes at her.
"Well..we both agreed that…uh…that uh, Sai…was great, next to Shikamaru, and I thought…because well, he was great, he'd make a perfect Lancelot."
Sakura sighed as she and the rest of the girls turned back to a still frozen Ino.
"Ino…this means nothing," Hinata reassured. "It's only a musical. You don't have to bring your personal feelings into the mix, it's not reality."
"Hinata's right," Sakura said. "Sure it's going to be awkward but it's not your life."
"I know!" she said shakily as she twisted around, smiling tightly. "It's going to be weird but I have nothing to worry about! I have more important things to think about!"
"So you're comfortable with this?"
Ino shrugged, "Well…I guess…I mean…"
"Well, that makes one of you," Tenten said dully as she pointed her thumb behind herself.
The rest of the girls turned around, there to face the boys to no surprise.
But standing in front of them, closest to the girls,
Was Shikamaru, who glared at the cast list before him.
"Change it. Change it now."
(^A.H^)
King Arthur Pendragon- Shikamaru Nara
Queen Guinevere Pendragon- Ino Yamanaka
Sir Lancelot- Sai Itirashi
Mordred- Sasuke Uchiha
Percival- Neji Hyuga
Morgana- Kin Dosu
Merlin- Naruto Uzumaki
Malegant- Gaara Sabaku
Lady of the Lake- Yusei Takaku
Rience- Kiba Inuzuka
Tristan- Eiyu Subarashi
Dagonet- Imono Masudo
Congratulations to all those who auditioned and thank you to those who did not obtain roles . Rehearsals will begin today after school at four p.m. Please pick up a script from room 429 between third and sixth period.
Thank you
Cast directors: Sakura Haruno, Megami Uzumaki
Technical director: Tsubaki Nakatsukasa
Overseer: Kakashi Hatake
"Naruto-kun! I thought you were going to do crew with me!" Hinata frowned, seated on his lap as the bell for first period rang.
"I know I know, but I couldn't resist Hina-chan! I really wanted a shot at Merlin!" he beamed a bit as she smiled sweetly. "I've always wanted to be a wizard!"
"When did you find the chance to audition anyway?" Tenten asked, curious, seated on Neji's lap.
"When Tsubaki was showing us the tools and everything I snuck away when Sakura and Megami-niisan called my name."
"We did think it was kinda weird that you ended up on the list, but we didn't think too much of it." Sakura shrugged.
"You made a kick-ass wizard little bro!" Megami beamed, high-fiving him.
"Shika-kun…" Ino murmured to a Shikamaru who sat laid back, staring spaced out at the ceiling while the others continued to talk about the audition results.
"I know it's awkward, but it's a role, it's nothing above that." She said reassuringly.
"Yeah, just a role where you have to kiss him over and over again and do…well…other things…"
"Not on stage!" she defended.
He sighed deeply, "If it were any other guy—"
"I know, but it doesn't make any difference."
"And the fact that you still have feelings for him…" he mumbled.
"There nowhere as near as how I feel about you…" she whispered.
He turned to her, his expression blank and near unreadable.
"Let's get one thing straight here." He said straightly.
She gulped a bit.
"I'm not going to share you. I refuse to be aware of the fact that you still have feelings for him anymore. At some point during the next few weeks you have to make a choice, it's either all me…or none at all."
"Shika…" she said breathlessly.
"Aren't I being fair?" he raised a brow.
She stopped herself from hesitating, "Yes." She said quickly.
"Good," he mumbled as he kissed her cheek.
"Good morning!" a happy-go-lucky voice rang as the door flung open.
Great, Ino thought.
As if she didn't already have enough morning problems.
(^A.H^)
Ino walked the halls to her fourth period, alone with her thoughts as she clutched her notebook and handbag.
"Hey! Ino!" a voice called from close behind her.
She stopped in her tracks and slightly turned around so she could face the person calling her. She smiled slightly when they walked up.
"Hey Sai,"
"Hey," he returned as they went on walking, his hands in his pockets.
"So I saw the cast list this morning, I arrived to school late so I didn't get a chance to see you. Looks like we'll be working with each other quite a bit."
"Yeah, looks like it." She smiled, forcing small talk as her mind wandered. "Did you get your script?"
"Not yet, I was going to pick it up before lunch, Ino, are you alright?"
"Hmm?" she asked, turning to him.
"You seem a little distracted."
"I'm always distracted," she smiled a bit.
"I feel like I understand a bit why. Might it have anything to do with Nara's opinion of our interactions?"
"Um…the short version of that?" she smiled weakly.
He smiled a bit to himself, "us kissing and getting all…how do I put this in a middle school level…touchy feely?"
"I've managed to convince him that it doesn't mean anything and he needs to understand the term acting."
"Of course," he said distantly.
"But, that is the least of my problems right now."
"Let me take a wild guess…Tsubaki?"
She twisted to him, "how did you—"
"You always talked about Tsubaki when we dated. You never did seem found of her."
"Well, I have my reasons…" she murmured.
"Well, looking past that, it seems as though I'll finally have a bit more time to spend with you."
Instantly she stopped while he continued a few steps ahead. When he noticed she had seized he stopped as well and turned back to her.
She looked up to him, her face serious and bland.
"Sai, I hope you know I don't want any sort of tricks. We've had our fair share of problems whenever I tried to work with you or we had to work together, and every single time it just ends in trouble for the both of us, especially me. So, can you promise me you won't—"
She raised a brow as he chuckled a bit, sticking his hands in his pockets as he cleared his throat and looked her straight in the eyes, her way of knowing he was serious.
"I promise on my life that I won't try anything with you while we have to work together. I wasn't planning on it in any such way because I am fully aware of my last few actions, so you, or Nara, don't have anything to worry about. If I'm not a complete gentleman you can kick my ass."
She blinked a couple times, shocked that he had, for one thing, had already thought about them working together and his boundaries.
"Okay…yeah, good." She said slowly and confidently.
He smiled as he continued walking ahead.
She felt a slight ping at the pit of her stomach, taking a deep breath, she continued on ahead to her fourth period without another thought of it.
(^A.H^)
The Konoha high cheerleading squad shook their pom-poms, breathing heavily as they each stood in their separate positions after once again going over one of the routines they were set to do come next Friday's home game against the Oto (sound) high school Snakes, which, if they were to win, would land them two games away from the championships against the leading Suna.
"Nice formation ladies!" Ino barked as Ino would as she got out of her position and paced the girls section while the boys used the majority of the gym for practice.
The girls, exhausted, stepped out of their places and dropped their pom-poms.
Sakura picked up her clipboard as Hinata assured the girls a job well done and allowed them a break to watch the boys practice.
"We're still a little off-handed." She remarked as Ino stepped up to them, all in shorts and tank tops, while some days the girls practiced in their uniforms, Ino chose days to practice in casual clothing as to keep from 'wearing them out.'
"What do you mean 'off-handed?'" Ino growled.
Sakura rolled her eyes, "It seems like the routine is a bit much for the girls. Couldn't we try something a little simpler? I mean it looks like it's harder for them some of them to keep up with and they tire out quicker."
"We've practiced this routine a million times!" Ino protested.
"To be honest with you Ino, it took just as long to learn it. Where did you learn it anyway?"
Ino huffed and crossed her arms, "my mom taught it to me, she showed me everything one she made up in high school, it didn't take me any more than a week to get it down. I just tweaked it a bit so it could fit here."
Sakura took a deep breath as Hinata smiled at her.
"Perhaps…I could be of some use?"
Sakura and Hinata turned around as Ino looked up with an annoyed expression.
Tsubaki poked through, clap in the shorts and tank top as she had become a temporary member of the KHS cheer squad, but looked as if she was embarrassed and wished she hadn't interrupted them.
"Remember yesterday when I said I had a few routines I'd like to suggest. Well, I think I have a few that might be a bit easier for the girls...not that there's anything wrong with your routine Ino! But it does seem a bit hard for everyone to master…" she said sheepishly.
"of course you would say that, mom taught it to you too…" she mumbled.
Sakura shot her a glare as she turned back to Tsubaki with a smile.
"Sure Tsubaki, go ahead."
Tsubaki smiled and nodded as she twisted around and ran over to the control booth to select her music, crossing the practicing guys as she did, who even stopped in the middle of the court to watch her jog off.
Ino grit her teeth as she tried to calm herself while Sakura and Hinata stood by, ignoring her fuming.
She finally managed to find peace with herself when she and Shikamaru made eye contact while he stopped on the court after Gaara had made a clean shot. He, like the majority of the players, stood shirtless and sweaty.
She dropped her hostile look and put up a sad smile. She uncrossed one arm and blew him a kiss.
He smirked and winked at her as the boys picked up the gain again, forcing him to turn his attention back to his teammates.
She sucked in her breath then let it out shakily.
"I'm glad Shikamaru's around," Sakura said suddenly, catching her attention.
"It seems like just one look from him can get you to keep your head on straight and not explode."
Before Ino could retort Tsubaki was running back to the girls with a smile on her face.
Ino's face fell blank again as she stepped up to them.
"I'm ready when you are."
"It's all yours Tsubaki." Sakura said, motioning to the large space for the large open space for the cheerleaders to practice on, next to the bleachers and the of course, touching the basketball court.
Tsubaki beamed and nodded as she turned around and jogged to the middle of the cheerleader's space.
She pointed her finger up to the control booth, nodding to whoever was currently up there.
The other members of the squad turned to her in confusion, wondering what she was going to do.
The girls watched in fascination when the very same song she'd arrived to school listening to came on: Maneater, by Nelly Furtado.
Tsubaki moved with the song in a sensual, second-nature way, with twist and turns, spins and curves they had get to do or see from their captain.
Ino couldn't help but be astonished herself. Every move they had ever learned came from their mother, and she was sure she had shared everything she knew with the both of them so that they could twist it and incorporate it into their own routines should they decide to become cheerleaders.
Though this, Ino was completely at a loss.
Eventually the other girls gradually began to join in and follow along Tsubaki as a routine began to develop through her dances and moves.
The basketball team had even dropped their practice to watch, (most as soon as Tsubaki had started dancing.)
As Sakura and Hinata cheered by her as Ino looked on with a distant, confused expression. There was something about it that bothered her, other than the fact it was sexier, a little more upbeat, had a little more flair, and looked easier to learn than her routines so far, though the girls had not seemed to mind.
Her mother had taught her and Tsubaki everything she knew, which is at least what she assumed.
So then, why did it seem like she had left her out of a few things…?
"Miss. Ino! Miss. Ino! Can we please use that routine for next week's game?! It's so fun!" a freshman girl pleaded excitingly about fifteen minutes later after they'd finally stopped.
Eventually it had turned into an all out dance party.
"What about the one we've been working on? We've been at it for weeks!...what about my routines…?" Ino said, offended.
"We still haven't gotten it all the way through! But if Tsubaki works with us on this one and a few others we'll have it down before we know it!" another junior girl called out while the girls huddled around Ino. Sakura, Hinata, and Tsubaki stood back, talking about heaven knows what.
"Oh please Ino?" another junior girl asked. "We'll break our necks if we keep at your routines!"
"You've never had a problem with them before!" she accidentally yelled harshly, forcing the girl to jump back in surprise and hurt.
"They've never been this hard…"
Ino's glare dropped into an apologetic expression, "I'm sorry…I didn't mean…I…I mean…"
She sighed.
"Yeah sure…" she murmured.
The girls squealed, excited that they would be able to do the more fun routine.
"Hey Ino! Come over here!"
Ino turned around at the sound of Sakura's voice and jogged over to her.
"What's up?" she frowned.
"Tsubaki's going to teach us all the routines she has planned so she's going to need order. So Hinata and I have agreed that for now she'll be temporary head-cheerleader and the three of us will act as co-captains."
(^A.H^)
"My words rain true, your beauty knows no bounds."
"And you are a man of true might and worth…but alas, my heart belongs to Arthur my love, my king. What we have…what we do…it is wrong…all wrong…" her eyes began to water.
Lancelot wrapped his arms around her waist from behind her as she wiped the tears from her eyes.
"Will you stay with me tonight?" he said in an almost whisper.
"I cannot!" she cried.
"My blessed Guinevere…let us—"
"MAKE BABIES! DO IT! DO IT NOW!" the cry of a red-haired girl said from table in front of the front row.
"Megami!" they yelled in annoyed tone for the fifth time.
"Sorry…" she mumbled, sitting back in her seat in her panda costume.
"You idiot…" Sakura sighed again, then cleared her throat. "No more pop at lunch from now on…like that's even the problem in the first place…"
Sakura sighed and turned back to the cast standing on the stage. Ino and Sai stood with scripts in front of each other as they had been going over the musical, songs and all.
Half an hour in, they stood at a part with Guinevere and Sir Lancelot.
"Sorry about that you guys! Let's run the scene from there!" Sakura called out as Megami tried to pick up her pencil with the stubby panda costume hand.
Ino heaved a large sigh. The last half hour hasn't really been in her favor. Granted she's been doing well finding her character, but it had been hard to concentrate seeing as what happened during cheer practice.
Sakura, Hinata, and the other girls agreed that the best thing to do would be to make Tsubaki head cheerleader for the time being. Just a formality so they could have order and sensibility.
Nonetheless, she had fumed. She took Hinata and Sakura aside and heavily questioned their decision (as in yelled, stomped her foot, and threatened them.)
But, in the end it was the majority vote that won and Tsubaki was deemed temporary head cheerleader, to her chagrin.
The upside to rehearsal, though, is that she'd kissed Shikamaru (aka Arthur) at least twenty times.
The down side is she'd kissed Sai at least fifteen.
"At what part?" Sai called down as he looked at his script.
"After he convinces her to spend the night with him, you kiss and go off. Then the scene changes to Arthur and Mordred after a joust." Sakura explained, motioning to Shikamaru and Sasuke.
"When you're ready," she called as Megami slumped boredly in her seat, staring at crew who stood behind the actors, starting the set.
"Let us be off before the gates open again, or do you wish someone to see us?" he asked.
"No! no! if someone sees then they will surely tell Arthur…this is our secret…" she whispered.
He slightly smiled, taking her hand.
"Yes, secret." He said back looking into her eyes.
"Am I a terrible woman…?" she asked sadly.
"No…you are conflicted, that is all…"
He leaned in and kissed her, letting her wrap her arms around his neck as he wrapped his arms around her waist, deepening it.
"Come with me…I'll return you in the morning…" he smirked, releasing and taking her hand.
She looked at his hand sadly and hesitantly as he pulled to her.
She looked back to the castle as he led her away.
"Arthur…" she whispered.
Sakura and Megami smiled like many others as they walked off stage. The scene was good for their first time on script.
A few, on the other hand, did not enjoy it what so ever.
Just the fact that she was near him bothered Shikamaru to a breaking point.
Another thing that greatly annoyed him is how into the kiss she got. Granted she did with him but it was Sai, there should be a slight pull back.
"Scene change…" Sakura said slowly.
"Come on," Sasuke said coolly as he motioned for them to come onto the stage.
The next morning.
"Aw don't be such a sore loser Mordred, do not use the horse as an excuse for not being able to beat me!" Arthur laughed as he and Mordred stepped inside, armor and all.
"We've been having the same battle since we were toddlers, you cheat, I'm telling you."
"Jealousy is a cruel trait, maybe I'm just that good?" Arthur laughed as he walked ahead.
Mordred glared at his back as his half-brother walked ahead of him.
"Maybe…my king."
(^A.H^)
The lot ran over the entire musical once, when it was completed Sakura and Megami released everyone and ordered them to rehearse as much as possible, especially their music.
"I want a wand!" Naruto chanted as the ten began their descent out of the school.
"Someone on props can make you a wand if the prop room doesn't already have one made." Hinata smiled.
"How do you guys like crew by the way?" Sakura asked as she clasped hands with Gaara.
"We haven't gotten anywhere since it's only the first day, but it is pretty fun." Tenten shrugged.
"Stay away from building large stuff," Neji ordered.
"Oh shut up, it's barely even a fetus yet, don't try and make me avoid doing everything." She rolled her eyes.
"What about you guys?" Sakura smiled as she turned back to Ino who looked distant and Shikamaru who had a non-unfamiliar tired expression on his face.
"How do you like the roles?"
Before Ino could answer she listened to familiar giggling. Quickly, she shot her head to her left to see Tsubaki standing by her car with her keys in her left hand.
In front of her, Sai stood, his hands in his pockets and he spoke casually to her. She spoke back, smiling and giggling at the things he said.
She raised a brow as she watched the two of them.
"You guys wanna come to our house before you go to work? We're off today." Naruto suggested.
The girls each gave their collective responses while Ino continued to watch them.
"Ino? Did you hear me?" Sakura asked again.
"Yeah…it's fine…" she mumbled as they reached their rides, her eyes still on them.
"Ino…what's up?" Shikamaru asked as he and Sakura continued to watch her.
When Tsubaki felt eyes on her she looked up and caught Ino's eyes.
Instantly she waved wildly and beamed. Wondering what she was looking at, Sai turned slightly around and saw Ino.
He half smiled at her, nodded then turning back to Tsubaki.
"Hm?" Ino mumbled, blinking to him.
"Ino!"
She twisted back to Shikamaru, a confused expression on her face.
"What's with you? You seen spaced." He questioned as they stepped into their collective rides.
"I'm fine! Really! It's been a long day and I have a lot to tell you, I'll meet you at the mansion, kay?" she said sweetly as she quickly kissed him.
"Nara! Come on!" Neji barked.
"Right…" he said as she stepped into her car, following the girls out.
(^A.H^)
"It's only temporary…don't make such a big deal out of it, she'll be out of here before you know it…" he sighed, his hands behind his head as he lay on his bed, shirtless.
Ino grumbled as she trailed her hand up and down his chest while she herself sat on him, missionary style in nothing but her dim yellow lingerie, her left strap down.
"It's still annoying…I just want her out of here, she always has the worst timing. If she hadn't shown up I know the girls wouldn't mind doing the work, they're just being lazy." She snarled. "Makes me wonder what else she's gonna steal from me..."
"Hm…" Shikamaru murmured. "Well, if we're complaining right now…"
"I am not complaining!" she scoffed. "Shika-kun, how could you th—"
"Tone it down with the kissing," he said demandingly. "I don't like the way you get so into it, either it's natural or you like it."
She rolled her eyes and leaned further on his chest, gliding her hands up his muscles.
"It's called acting; gosh…you know I have to put my heart and soul into everything I do…"
"I know, it's one of the most annoying, yet best things I love about you," he said casually, raising one arm to put her tumbling hair behind her left ear.
She blushed, slightly turning away.
"Remind me again, though, why you're sitting on me half naked?" he raised a brow.
"I already said it's hot in here!" she whined, "Naruto hit this sections air conditioning with a football yesterday right?"
"They're fixing it right now." He nodded.
"So would you rather have me sweaty or naked on top of you..?" she whispered, challenging.
"And you actually expect me not to do anything…" he grumbled, putting his hand behind his head again.
She sighed, turning away from him, "fine, I'll go put my clothes back o—"
He clutched her right arm and pulled her back, letting her fall flat on top of him.
"Troublesome girl…when I start complaining about it and want you off, I'll let you know."
She smiled cutely as she slightly raised herself up, enough to lean in and kiss him.
She shifted on his chest as they deepened it. He unclasped his hands and clutched her almost bare bottom instead, making her moan a bit.
He twisted them around so that she instead lay on the bed while their tongue's laced together. After a few moments he released to kiss and lick down her neck, while she sighed in pleasure.
In the midst of doing so he used one hand to unclasp her bra and slightly brought it down so that his tongue reached her breast without anything in the way.
She moaned as he licked her nipple while another hand trailed down to her panties.
While he continued to lick her breast and she continued to lightly moan, his hand stuck inside her dim yellow thong and began to play with her.
She clutched his shoulder as she moaned loudly and softly at the same time. He slipped one finger inside of her, lacing her wet center with his fingers.
"Mmm…Shika…" she breathed out.
Rarely did they have moments like this, where they could be alone and genuinely enjoy each other. Ino especially, with the pleasure he had to offer.
He slightly raised himself up and trailed his tongue back up to meet her mouth, kissing her roughly.
She moaned again, holding his chest with both hands as another finger snuck inside her.
"Oh stop…" he mumbled as she moaned again. "You're acting like a virgin…"
She threw her head back as he quickened his fingers. When she finally tightened around them she moaned loudly then flopped back into his pillows.
He slipped his hand out from her panties then leaned on his right arm elbow while he licked his left fingers.
"Who're you calling a virgin prick…" she snarled as she got her breath and her confidence back.
He merely smirked as he slid on top of her once again, his arms on each side of her shoulder.
"Then when are we gonna do it for real…?" he slurred tiredly. "Show me how experienced you are…"
She shrugged, "I don't know, I kind of want our first time to be special."
"Special?"
She nodded.
HE raised a brow, "funny. I just wanna fuck you."
"Shut up!" she yelled, pushing him off as he smirked lazily.
"Geez, go back to being a lazy good-for-nothing already," she huffed.
"Never stopped sweetheart." He sighed, his hands behind his head as he lay next to her.
Before she could respond the sounds of Lady Gaga's 'Applause' alerted Ino.
She bent down and dug through her bag for her sparkly yellow covered phone.
She slid the answer bar and held the phone to her ear.
"Sai, hey."
Instantly Shikamaru shot his head to her, unclasping his hands from behind his head. She turned to him with a stern expression as she spoke.
"Hello Ino. I was just wondering what time you would be available to rehearse, aside from practice."
"Yeah, sure! We could rehearse before school on Monday, if that's okay with you, I have work at six." She smiled.
"To be honest, I am a little surprised you're still holding down a job, no offense."
She giggled, "That makes two of us then, but it's easier with the girls, you know?"
Her eyes widened a bit when he leaned in and began kissing her neck.
"I…uh…thought maybe we could use time before school…to practice together…" she tried to glare at him as he held her neck with his left hand and licked down.
She shivered but suppressed a moan.
"Where do you think we could practice the songs we have together?"
"The singing?" she said quickly as he slid his hand down her abdomen. "I-I'm sure during lunch there's a place in the libra—"
She bit her bottom lip when his hand was inside her thong again, trying to nudge him off, yet failing.
"—Library will have somewhere we can—ahh!" she moaned when he bit down on her neck and rubbed her, making his fingers wet again.
"Ino, are you alright?"
"I'm fine!" she said quickly, breathlessly, and as straight as she could possibly do while at the same time sub-consciously grinding against his fingers.
"You sound like you're in pain, are you sure?"
She groaned as she bent back into his chest, letting him continue to play with her, grinding against his fingers while she slightly breathed heavily.
"S-Sai, could I call you back?"
"Of course, I'm sorry if I'm disrupting something."
"Mmm hmm." She barely let out, lightly breathing heavily as she heard the click on the other end.
She quickly tossed her phone and at the same time she reached her crowning point.
She groaned in the sheets as he slipped his hands out and sighed.
He raised a brow though, when she brought her hands to her back and unclasped her bra again. She casually lifted herself up and removed it from her arms, tossing it to the sides.
"What are you doing?" he asked coolly.
"If you wanna do it now let's do it now." She breathed, turning over to face him, her chest bare.
"What happened to making it special?" he smirked, keeping his eyes up.
"Really?" she smirked back. "Funny. I just wanna fuck you."
He sighed and lightly chuckled as he sat up straight.
"Nah, you'd better get ready for work, it'll be a drag if the girls come up here and see you."
"Then what was up with all that five minutes ago!" she whined, sitting up but shamelessly having her breasts bare.
He turned and slightly beat red as he pulled one of his blankets up to cover her as if seeing her bare chest was a rarity.
"Just having a little fun so you could get off the phone with that prick." He winked as he stood.
She scoffed as she picked up a few of his pillows, "You're a major ass Shikamaru Nara!"
She threw the lot to him, he ducked and dodged a few but, with her good aim, a couple hit him.
She laughed as she threw a few more of his many pillows at him, not giving him an extended amount of time to dodge.
"What the hell?! Cut it out!"
"Don't have so many pillows!" she laughed as she threw more, "If you want me to stop come and make me pineapple-boy!"
As he dodged another pillow he half smiled at her with half shut eyes.
She screamed as he pounced on her while she tried but failed to scramble out of the bed in time, an effort most uncommon to him.
She laughed as he clutched her around her waist, wiggling and moving around furiously, letting pillows and sheets fly as she squirmed around.
After a few moments of laughing and scrambling, Ino's screams and laughs finally settled down as they lay with his arms wrapped around her waist with her back to him, as close as possible, while her arms rested on one of the three remaining pillows.
She hummed as he kissed her hair while they lay peacefully.
Uncomfortable, she picked up the third pillow and tossed it to the ground,
leaving just the two.
She laid back down comfortably again and took a deep breath.
"I love you Shika-kun, you help me forget…"
(^A.H^)
"Come on Ino-pig! We're running late!"
"Coming! Coming!" she called, exhausted as she rushed down the mansion stairs with her work uniform on.
"Later pretty-boys!" Megami called to the boys in the kitchen as the girls, excluding Ino, rushed out.
Shikamaru casually walked down the steps as Ino dug through her bag for her phone. By the time she pulled it out he was at the bottom of the steps, still shirtless with his hands in his pockets.
"Bye sweetie! I'll call you later!" she beamed as she quickly kissed him.
He lazily smiled as she turned and rushed out, following the girls. As Geevs closed the door behind her, he stalked to the kitchen where the rest of the boys were together.
"Where have you been this whole time?" Gaara asked as he stepped in and sat down in his favorite and most comfortable spot in front of the island.
"Doing the same thing you all have been doing," he said as if it were too obvious.
"So you were the one riding Gami!" Neji gasped sarcastically.
"And Tenten?" Sasuke glared coldly to the Hyuga. "For half an hour, straight, non-stop?" he said coldly then turned to Neji who he had originally directed his words too.
"She's already knocked up, what else do you plan on doing to her?"
"Least I can keep it up for more than five minutes…" Hyuga mumbled.
"What'd you say—?!"
"Shut up, both of you, that's not what I meant."
"Just hanging out with the girls right?" Naruto smiled, his hand in a box of Cheezits.
"Well yeah, but you were up there longer than us. The girls were ready and waiting ten minutes ago." Gaara explained.
He shrugged as he stood up and walked to the shiny metal side fridge, opening it with his back to the lot of them.
"Ino and I were just fooling around, a lot longer than I thought. It's not a big deal but I'm exhausted."
"Standing up exhausts you." Naruto laughed, "I remember you used to fall asleep on the tracks in middle school so the teacher tried to make you run three laps for every time you did and you still didn't do them!"
"Right, you're never the way you are around Ino when you're around everyone else, because apparently it seems like you do have fun up there." Neji said blandly.
He sighed, smirking as he bent down to look at the lower part of the fridge for something interesting to catch him.
"I just messed with her when she was on the phone with Sai, it was mostly to get her mind off Tsubaki and her issues. She said she loves me because I can make her lose track of things or something."
"Wait! Back up!" Naruto said, flinging the box so it smacked into Neji's face.
"Uzu—!"
"Ino told you she loved you?" he blinked, standing up.
The rest of the boys stared at him in anticipation as he stood back up, completely bored with the fridge and not bothering to pick something out.
He raised a brow at them then quickly shook his head.
"No no…troublesome…she meant she loved the way I made her forget things, I was confused too but she corrected it."
"That's got to be a disappointment." Sasuke blew out a breath as he pushed his coffee to the side.
"And why would it be?" he said, looking out the glass window to the small garden in the bright spring light.
"Well…you love her?" Gaara said slowly. "Don't you?"
"Is the air conditioning in that wing fixed yet? It's too hot in my room so I can't sleep worth a damn." He said monotonously. Without awaiting an answer, he stepped out of the first kitchen, leaving the boys behind.
"That makes it a little obvious…" Naruto mumbled, smiling.
(^A.H^)
By Friday afternoon Ino was mentally exhausted. And the only person she had to blame was Tsubaki.
Tsubaki had practically (in her eyes) pushed her to the sidelines while she directed her cheerleaders in moves her mother NEVER taught her.
Ino had half a mind to confront her mother about it but she had other issues to deal with at the moment.
It took her approximately two days to memorize two of her solos in the musical and she was ready to perform the one she needed at rehearsal today. She's been rehearsing with Sai during school every day at lunch and with Shikamaru every day, after school, before she went to work either at the girl's house or the mansion.
Not once did Sai attempt to do anything with her, which both relieved and confused her, but she did not dwell on it.
So, Friday afternoon, a day without practice (to her relief) they went on with rehearsal.
On stage Naruto and Shikamaru stood acting out one of their scenes together. Naruto had obtained a long white beard that afternoon and mustache while using a ruler as his current wand, just for the hell of it.
Sakura sat listening carefully while Megami watched the crew work in her pumpkin costume that bounced every time she walked.
On the edge of the stage, Ino went over the few lines she had with Yusei.
"Nice job you guys!" Sakura called when the scene was done. "We should start going off book by next week, which is also when we'll try and stop scene cuts. Mega, where do you want to move into?"
"Act two, scene four." Megami blurted without taking her eyes off crew and the much movement going on behind.
"Alright, Ino!" Sakura called.
Ino looked up from her script with a brow raised.
"That's you! Do you have that song memorized?"
Ino instantly beamed and stood up. "Of course!"
Sakura motioned for her to take her place on stage.
She smiled brightly when she passed Shikamaru who was walking off with Naruto. He smiled lazily back at her as she stood center stage.
"Spotlight! Music!" Sakura called as Megami stood up.
"Go ahead Ino." Sakura said as Megami stalked over to where Tsubaki stood.
With the spotlight on her, Ino took a deep breath and looked down as the music began.
She glanced down to where Shikamaru sat, watching her carefully like everyone else.
There's a song that's inside of my soul
It's the one that I've tried to write over and over again
I'm awake in the infinite cold, but you sing to me over
And over and over again
So I lay my head back down
And I lift my hands and pray to be only yours
I pray to be only yours
I know now you're my only hope
Sing to me the song of the stars
Of your galaxy dancing and laughing and laughing again
When it feels like my dreams are
So far, sing to me of the plans that you have for me over again
So I lay my head back down
And I lift my hands and pray to be only yours
I pray to be only yours
I know now you're my only hope
I give you my destiny, I'm giving you all of me
I want your symphony
Singing in all that I am at the top of my lungs
I'm giving it back
So I lay my head back down
And I lift my hands and pray to be only yours
I pray to be only yours
I pray to be only yours
I know now you're my only hope
Mmmm...mmmmm oooooohhhh..ooo
Ino smiled confidently when claps went around. She turned and blew a kiss to Shikamaru who also happened to sit in front of Sai. He clapped for her, a smile on his face with dulled eyes.
"That was great Ino!" another voice clapped. "But do you mind doing it again? I didn't catch the whole thing?"
Ino shot her eyes down to Tsubaki who stood by a nervous Sakura. Tsubaki smiled up at her,
Standing in Megami's seat.
"Why? You're not the cast director." She snapped coldly, her hands on her hips, not caring if she offended her.
Tsubaki, not seeming to take notice, looked down sheepishly and scratched the back of her head.
"Actually…I am now…while you were performing Megami talked to me about switching places because Crew looked more fun to her. I hope you don't mind."
As if life couldn't be biting her in the ass any more, as soon as Tsubaki finished, a crew member walking by with a bucket of gray paint (Ino's least favorite color) tripped, letting the entire bucket of paint cake Ino's hair and clothes.
"Oh no…" Sakura sighed, covering her ears, just as the furious scream engulfed the school.
(^A.H^)
"Come on Ino! Calm down! Please!" Sakura yelled.
"Ino stop!" Hinata yelled fearfully, "you'll kill her!"
"That's the idea!" she yelled as Sakura and Hinata tried to pull her off Megami, with whom she was choking aggressively at the moment, and Tenten tried to help a struggling (and fading) Megami out of her grip while Neko circled them, barking wildly.
At around five the girls stood in their living room, dressed in after school clothing, awaiting to go off to work…of somewhat, as Ino had been hunting Megami since the moment they opened the door.
"You little twerp! Why did you all of a sudden decide you wanna change jobs!" Ino grinded her teeth. She had left rehearsal to shower in the girl's locker room.
"I'm—so—rry—I—know—I—just—want—ed—to—build—stu—help!" Megami choked.
"Ino! That's enough!" Sakura yelled, forcing her off.
Ino's chest rose and fell heavily as she stood in a bright light blue crop top, black short-shorts, and blue bunny slippers.
Megami sat on the floor and rubbed her neck, frowning.
"Tsubaki was really nice about it, she said she liked doing Crew a lot so I told her she didn't have to switch, but she kept insisting if I really wanted too—"
"Of course she was nice about it!" Ino spat, "she's Tsubaki! She's fucking perfect!"
The girls stood silent for a few moments, simply watching her.
Tenten put her hands on her hips and took a deep breath.
"Ino…look…we all know you don't like Tsubaki very much because of what happened…but you have to remember she honestly didn't know. She's been trying to get you to forgive her for years now…why are you still holding back…?"
"You have to accept the fact that Tsubaki is truly a nice person." Hinata pleaded.
Ino turned to right and glared at the stairs. After a few seconds she turned back to Sakura with a stern look.
"She has nothing above me, understand? I'm only taking direction from you."
Before Sakura could respond the kitchen phone abruptly rang.
"I'll get it," Hinata sighed as she jogged to the kitchen.
The girls waited in silence for her to return as they listened to the very faint conversation.
After a couple minutes, Hinata finally returned.
"Tsubaki just called to ask if we're still coming over to her penthouse tomorrow to visit, I told her we would come at noon."
(^A.H^)
"You know you didn't have to come. You could have just told her you were busy."
"Oh please, if I didn't she'd get all whiny and upset. Besides, I actually want to see where she lives." Ino huffed as the girls carpooled in Sakura's Porsche while Megami took her bike behind them early Saturday afternoon.
Ino and Sakura sat in the front while Hinata sat behind Ino and Tenten sat behind Sakura.
"I hear this part of Konoha is really nice, I don't think I've been up here," Hinata said as she looked out the window, her hair blowing back.
"Of course it's fancy, that's why she lives up here," Ino growled. "The boy's mansion isn't that far from here."
"Speaking of the guys, what're they up to today?" Tenten asked, leaning into Sakura's seat.
"The album goes down in a couple weeks, right before the battle of the bands, so they have to finish." She explained without taking her eyes off the road.
'You're destination is on the left.'
In accordance with her G.P.S, Sakura turned on the left, pulling into a luxurious glass apartment complex.
As Sakura searched for a parking space in the midst of the expensive cars they passed by the front entrance where a girl in dark blue boyfriend jeans and a white tank top stood, rocking back and forth with Armani sunglasses and long tied up black hair.
"She can make just about anything look good huh…" Ino grumbled, knowing she, being Ino, would never be caught dead in such an outfit, no matter how comfortable.
Jimmy Choos and Gucci were her thing.
"Girls! You're here!" Tsubaki beamed as the girls stepped up after both Sakura and Megami had found parking spaces across from each other right near the door.
"I was afraid you didn't want to come, you didn't sound too eager on the phone." She said nervously twiddling her fingers.
"We were just in a spat," Hinata explained.
"I'm sorry," she apologized.
Ino openly rolled her eyes. She was always apologizing, even if it had nothing to do with her, it bugged her endlessly.
"Well, come on up. I made pink lemonade," she beamed as she motioned for them to follow her inside.
(^A.H^)
"You girls can help yourself to anything in the fridge. I don't know why I stock it so much since it's just me. I'm usually never here either." She laughed as she finished swiping her card and opened the golden door, letting the girls inside.
"Woooow!" Megami aawed as she circled the room.
The girls stepped into the living room of the penthouse. A bright tan half moon sofa with a soft black rectangle carpet that touched over to the high definition wall flat screen on clear black marble wall that covered the entire penthouse.
Below the flat screen sat a white granite fire place with a dead fire. In front of the couch, between it and the fire place sat a medium glass table that carried a small white vase with pink azaleas.
Two small tan love seats sat on each side of the half moon couch with red heart shaped pillows on each side of each one of them.
The long stain glass window spread from each ends of the living room and captured an almost perfect view of the high buildings in uptown Konoha and led to the terrace and outdoor pool and hot tub.
Along the walls sat knock off paintings from various famous artists and a few images of master swordsman.
In the split between the kitchen and the living room sat a black pillar that held the room up.
The kitchen was nothing to sneeze at as well. In the center sat a black granite kitchen island while the rest of the island and the kitchen itself stood in white. The floors were a shining checkered pattern on ceramic tiles, with silver handles on each white cabinet while granite counter tops sat below, along with stainless steel appliances and a flat screen in the corner.
From the kitchen led to a large hall with doors which contained four large bedrooms with bathrooms within them. Each room contained a flat screen of its own with simple fresh features.
In another door sat her personal recording studio, while the door across let led to a lounge room (apart from the living room) with a pool table, game room, and art center.
"I was going to have a gym installed but I'm not going to be in Japan very long, so I see no need." Tsubaki explained as they swayed to the kitchen where the lemonade sat on the granite countertop.
"This place is amazing, it's nothing like the penthouse we stayed in summer last year." Sakura laughed.
Junior year the girls decided they wanted to go wild summer before their senior year. Sakura and Hinata stole one of their father's credit cards, Ino stole her father's black jeep wrangler, and Megami and Tenten nabbed some fake ID's.
They stayed in a penthouse suite in Tokyo's largest hotel. Hung around nude beaches, hung out with random strangers, went to night clubs, drove around the city and partied to their heart's content.
Or at least until their father's found out.
"Would you like to go out onto the terrace?" Tsubaki offered, motioning to the slightly hidden door beside the window that would let them into the terrace.
"Yes," Hinata said, "It's gorgeous outside today,"
"Funny, it's a little dark and chilly in here," Sakura twitched nervously as she and Tenten avoided a fuming, clouded, Ino examining her home.
The girls followed Tsubaki out and stepped onto her plastic wooden terrace where two square black tables sat apart with three chairs at each table. A tan umbrella hung above each as well.
By the large long rectangular pool sat six multicolored lounge chairs.
"You girls brought swim suits right? You can help yourselves to the pool and the hot tubs are on the south end."
Megami squealed as she and Tenten grabbed their bags and ran back inside to change.
"We just had a hot tub installed in house a couple months ago…" Hinata spoke as she and Sakura walked with Tsubaki.
Once again Ino stood behind, simply watching.
(^A.H^)
Sometime later, when the sun was beginning to set, the girls sat back on the lounge in their bathing suits sun bathing, whilst Megami continued to dog paddle with Mr. Bear on her head.
The girls had swam, made lunch, taken a walk and discussed the musical, prank called the boys, watched their soap operas, played around in the recording studio, played pool and games in the lounge room, then found themselves back outside relaxing by the pool.
"This is nice," Sakura sighed, her eyes shielded by thin Ray-bans while she lay in her hot pink bikini.
Ino lay in her dark purple monokini, Tenten in a forest green strapless bikini, Hinata in a bright blue one piece suit with clear blue sarong, Megami swam in her white shorts and white bikini top, while Tsubaki in a tan monokini. All aside from Megami with sunglasses.
Ino silently fumed, wishing she had brought a different suit.
"How are things in Korea? You know we haven't seen you in a long time." Tenten sparked up.
"Busy as usual," Tsubaki sighed. "A lot of filming going on and day to day photo shoots," Tsubaki said, sighing a bit "When Tsunade called and asked me to come down and help out with the musical I couldn't resist. I knew you girls were going to Konoha high now and I haven't been home in a long while. A lot has changed." She said a bit sadly, sitting up.
"The entire school is different now, and you girls are so much older," she laughed though the girls could see the sadness in her eyes.
She turned her head to where Ino sat still, laid out sun bathing though the sun was diminishing quickly.
"You especially Ino, I missed you a lot. You've grown so much." She smiled sadly.
"Well. People age. It's a fact of life." She said monotonously.
Sakura and Tenten shot her a glare but Tsubaki's expression did not change.
"I suppose that is true."
Sakura sighed, she was glad Tsubaki was oblivious to the brick wall Ino had up and the icicles she sent every time she spoke to her.
"What's changed through in you girls? The last time we talked you'd gotten out of rehab or some other place and were starting high school in the second half…what's happening now?" Tsubaki asked hesitantly.
"As you may be able to tell we've met some pretty interesting guys," Hinata smiled. "They love and accept us for who we are."
"Sakura's engaged," Tenten smirked, causing Sakura's cheeks to burn red.
"Really?!" Tsubaki shot up.
"N-not in a technical sense! I-it's not even official!"
"Oh yes it is," Hinata giggled.
"Tenten's pregnant!" Megami yelled from the pool.
"No way!" Tsubaki yelled.
Tenten rolled her eyes as Hinata and Sakura laughed.
"B-but, you're barely eighteen!"
Sakura shrugged, "the only one who's still a virgin here is Hinata."
Tsubaki blinked furiously.
"I'm saving myself for marriage," Hinata blushed.
"Yeah right! Give it a month or two and you'll be screaming Naruto's name!" Megami yelled.
"Gami! Brother! Ew!" Tenten yelled back as Hinata's cheeks challenged the setting sun.
"That's right, I heard about you and Naruto in the tabloids," Tsubaki said, aghast.
"Oh please! Naruto doesn't have it in him! It's hard to believe he isn't a virgin to be honest." Tenten sighed.
Hinata cradled up into a ball, turning redder.
"H-Hinata! We're just teasing!" Sakura said quickly, waving her hands. "We're not trying to force you into anything!"
Tsubaki's eyes trailed over to a still sitting still Ino at the end of the lounge chairs.
"The next time we meet, I'm gonna be a woman! Remember that." A young Ino said confidently as the Yamanaka family stood in the airport, seeing the eighteen year old Tsubaki off as she headed to South Korea.
Tsubaki continued to stare as the girls continued to say the wrong thing, embarrassing Hinata.
Is that made you a woman Innie? Are you truly a woman now?
Suddenly the sounds of 2NE1's 'Falling In Love' rang. Tsubaki bend down and picked up her tan Galaxy Note, answering.
" You've got Tsubaki!" she said happily to Ino's annoyance.
"Hey Sai!" she perked up, Ino slightly sat up.
Silence rang around the terrace while they waited for Tsubaki.
Suddenly she held the phone with both hands and her smile grew farther than Ino thought possible.
"A date?!"
"WHAT?!" Ino yelled, sitting up and throwing her glasses off far enough to smack Megami in the face.
"I-I would l-love to!...Saturday? S-sounds great….I'll see you Monday then…" she said barely above a whisper as she hung up.
The girls sat in silence for a matter of moments, simply waiting for Tsubaki to say something.
Shocking them, she squealed like a fangirl, tossing her legs up and down back and forth.
"We didn't know you had a thing for Sai," Sakura smiled as Tsubaki settled.
She blushed a bit, "Well, we met the first day I got here, in the hallway. I thought he was pretty cute, for a high schooler anyway."
"Cougar!" Megami yelled from the pool. Tsubaki blushed in turn.
"Is it weird that I'm four years older than him? I mean, He's almost eighteen…" Tsubaki continued on as the girls went on with the conversation.
Ino, on the other hand of course was lost in her thoughts once again.
Since when has Sai been interested in her?
(^A.H^)
With a small coffee in hand and her hair in a slight fritz, Ino rushed to room 629, an empty former English room where she would be practicing with Sai for a good fifteen minutes, as they had no time Friday or over the weekend.
The events of Saturday still danced in her head. Sai calling. Asking Tsubaki out.
Tsubaki.
Tsubaki. Of all people.
With a slightly raised breath and her script clutched to her chest, she slid the door of room 629 open and immediately saw Sai sitting on the brown wooden teachers desk, his left leg slightly crossed over his right with The Crucible in his left hand while the light of the morning sun shined into the room through the blinds and onto his face.
"You made it." He said without looking up at her.
"Sorry," she murmured, pushing her slightly unprofessional (for Ino) hair behind her ear. "I rushed."
In all actuality she had purposely slept in just a bit until the girls dragged her out of bed, then purposely took her time getting ready, even though it wasn't enough.
He patted the space on his right on the next and gave a small smile.
"Take a seat."
She stepped over and dropped her purse by the leg of the table, then hopped onto it with her script in hand.
"Where would you like to pick up from?" he asked.
"She opened her script and flipped through it or made it seem like she was flipping through it. Her mind still couldn't get off the fact that he asked Tsubaki after barely knowing her a week, she'd hardly seen them speak.
Well…he asked her out after a week of meeting.
"Act two scene six?" she blurted.
"Really?" he raised a brow, "we've gone over that so many times, I think we have it down. Wouldn't you much rather do something we're still sketchy on, we have to go off book today."
"You can pick one then," she said with forced kindness, slightly grinding her teeth.
He stared at her for a few more moments before he finally opened his script and flipped through pages.
"We have Act two, scene three together as well but I don't think we've really gone over that."
"Sure. Let's get to it." She said hastily.
He nodded, his eyes trained on the script.
"I spoke with Mordred today." Lancelot spoke.
"Well?...he knows nothing right? Like I said." Guinevere said confidently.
"It is not that way Guinevere. He knows all. He is aware. But…he says nothing…"
Guinevere gasped, "what if he is to tell Arthur?! What hath we do then?!"
"Calm yourself my dear, Mordred promises—"
"No! I will not remain calm! I knew it would come to this! You know Mordred! He is a strange one! He does not love his brother I can see it in his eyes! Why shant he not tell Arthur he asked Tsubaki out?!"
"What?"
Ino blinked, quickly skimming the paragraph again.
The last line was nowhere in sight.
"I-I meant—"
"So, you know I asked Tsubaki out?" Sai asked calmly.
Ino sighed and tossed the script on the table.
"Yes."
"How?"
"I was there…with the girls when you made the call."
"I see."
She turned to look at him, challenging the blank expression on his face with her confused and for some reason hurt one.
"Since when do you like her? You didn't even know who she was until last Monday unless I talked about her when we were dating!" she shot.
"Seriously?! Why are you suddenly into her? You know how I feel about Tsubaki! You didn't even give any sort of warning or something whatever! What the hell ever happened to being in love with me anyway! Why are you suddenly—g"
"I don't think I have to ratify my actions with you." He said harshly, alerting you. "Because frankly I don't think it's any of your business who I can and can't date. Your being pretty selfish if you didn't realize it. Has it ever occurred to you that maybe I just think Tsubaki's nice and I would like to get to know her? What? You expect me to wait around for you forever?"
She whitened.
"I promised you I was going to do whatever it took to win your heart back," he continued as he picked up his things then his bag, hopping off the table. "But that does not give you power over me no matter how much you dislike Tsubaki. I'm sorry Ino, but you have to understand that."
She had no response to give, even so, he left without a second thought, leaving her in the silence of the room, alone.
(^A.H^)
"You're avoiding the question."
"I wonder why."
"Just answer!"
"I'm trying to sleep."
"Why are you being difficult?"
"Stop badgering me!"
"Naruto, just leave him alone." Gaara said calmly without looking away from the window.
"I'm just trying to help," he frowned a bit as he leaned back in his seat as the boys made their way to school in the clean white limousine.
"This isn't a romance novel, stop trying to play matchmaker." Neji ordered.
"I don't need to! They're already together! He just needs to grow some balls and tell Ino how he feels!"
Shikamaru groaned and slumped in his seat, "you've been giving me crap about this since last week, why is it such a big deal?"
"Because! You're the last one and you know it! We've all confessed to the girls and vise versa! And don't try and give us the whole 'I'm the only one that doesn't see her that way' crap because we know you do." Naruto smiled
Shikamaru scanned the boys, thinking Naruto as the only one giving him hell, but all eyes were on him.
"He's got a point."
Shikamaru shook his head and slumped further into his seat.
"What if…she doesn't feel the same way?"
"That's pretty hard to believe," Sasuke said without taking his eyes off his phone. "She shows it pretty damn well…you on the other hand..."
"She's probably waiting for you to say something," Gaara offered.
"Well, she's been pretty occupied lately." He murmured.
"What about before Tsubaki was here, how was she then?" Naruto asked.
Shikamaru blinked and thought to himself.
"Shika-kun…can we talk?" she blushed shyly as she pulled him away from the group at the Alpha household.
"The guys and I were just about to head out to the studio," he said casually looking at his phone. "Can we talk later, I'll call you?"
She blinked and took a step back, "I-It's fine…it's nothing important."
"Shika-kun…there's…um…I wanted to say…" Ino murmured as they slow danced on the dance floor at the masquerade ball in Furyoka.
"Lord hokage gave me the key to the file room, I think the documents may have been in Megami's photo, that's why they stole it." He explained, oblivious.
Ino frowned as she rested her head on his shoulders, "yeah…"
"Shikamaru! Before we go any further," Ino said, stopping him as the fireworks blazed behind them, standing in her kimono while he stood in his yukata, their hands still head as he turned back to her.
"I mean, if I don't get this off my chest right now," she breathed, her fisted right hand on her heart, "I don't know if I'll ever be able too—"
She stared into his eyes as he waited patiently, his slightly hazel eyes bouncing off her sky blue.
"I…I…I-I think the fireworks…are so pretty…" she murmured.
He smiled lazily at her, his eyes dulled.
"That's what you wanted to get off your chest?" he slightly laughed as she blushed. He leaned in and kissed her head, their hands still held.
"You're something else…"
"I have an idea," he said suddenly, alerting the boys. "But, I just hope it works out."
(^A.H^)
Wednesday, was an Ino day.
It was her personal holiday, and not because last week Tsubaki wasn't here and she said she wouldn't be here the next Wednesday as well because she had business. But it was also because today was the day the magazine was being released and of course the middle of the week, which meant wherever you damn well pleased.
And Wednesdays, Ino was more than at the top when it came to fashion.
She rushed out of bed, out before the girls woke up and into the shower and such with the perfect outfit laid out.
Normally, the girls would start the day my brushing their teeth then coming down for breakfast in their pajamas, but Ino was ready and waiting by the time the girls came down groggy and yawning.
"Oh yeah, it's Wednesday again," Sakura said, rubbing her eyes as Hinata stepped over to fridge.
Ino sat in a clear blue loose chiffon shirt with tight sky blue skinny jeans and black suit jacket with black short combat boots and a long gold necklace. It was simple, but it was chic.
"Good morning peasants!" she said cheerfully. "Let's get to breakfast and showers for the lot of you!" Ino chanted.
Sakura narrowed her eyes while Tenten crossed her arms and Megami clapped cheerfully.
"Yay! Are you being Guinevere Ino?!"
Ino smirked, "Sure…let's go with that…"
(^A.H^)
"Uh! Isn't it just gorgeous! Tome` is a genius isn't he?" Ino squealed as she flipped through H.O.T magazine as she stepped out of her car while the girls stood by it.
Hinata stood in a white knee length bandage skirt with a black peplum top, and white pumps. Sakura stood in blue jean short shorts with a lime green tank top and green and black running shoes. Tenten stood in a black leather mini jacket with nothing under, with black torn jeans and black dance shoes. Megami stood in a purple crew-neck with a chibi turtle, along with blue jeans and black gym shoes with black hipster glasses.
"the pictures came out better than I thought," Sakura said as the girls looked in.
"I'm sure everyone's seen it," Ino huffed as they began walking to the building.
Ino looked around, expecting her admirers as she walked in front of the girls. But, suddenly she halted in her place, her hands out as her gold Chanel handbag chimed.
The girls instantly stopped as Ino tilted her head to the right side.
"Oh no, did you go brain dead?" Tenten groaned.
"Shut up," Ino snarled. "Something isn't right…it's too quiet…" she mumbled.
Ino looked around to see girls with the magazine she covered in hand, but their eyes were on something else.
"Where's my praising?"
"Conceited…" Sakura coughed.
"Confidence," Ino said icily.
"I think they're looking at Tsubaki!" Megami said aloud, pointing.
Instantly, Ino twisted to the direction she was pointing at and her blood boiled once again.
Tsubaki stood in the middle of the walkway, or more in a circle of admiring girls and of course guys as she texted on her phone, oblivious, where it seemed she was waiting for someone. She stood in a knee length tight black and gold striped sleeveless dress with a knee length sleeveless cardigan and fluffy ankle length boots. Gold bangles hung off each hand with golden hoops shimmering on each ear. White gold diamond earrings hung above her hoops while her hair lay in a curled updo with bright red lipstick and winged golden eyeliner.
At the corner of her eye Ino noticed the magazines that she already covered (center-folded, with extra photos) had one photo of Tsubaki, laughing with her lose hair blowing as she stood in the exact same outfit.
Ino flipped through the magazine where she had yet the reach the page with Tsubaki. She clutched the pages with her fists as she read the caption.
TOME'S IDEAL GIRL:
TSUBAKI
QUEEN OF FASHION
"B-but…Tome said…I—" Ino said under her breath, her hands shaking.
The girls had hardly noticed the boys pull up until they stepped over to the girls, alerting them as they were about to speak to Ino.
"Hey Ino!" Naruto beamed, waving his hand in a black sweat shirt. "We saw the magazine! You look—"
"NOT AS GOOD AS TSUBAKI!" she yelled, throwing the magazine in his face.
Before anyone could react she was running to the other side of the building with the girls closely chasing behind her.
"I…I didn't say that," Naruto blinked, his waving hand still raised as Shikamaru looked on.
(^A.H^)
The girls stopped at the back of the building, breathing heavily as they stood by Ino who sat against the wall, crying and rubbing her eyes.
"Ino," Tenten breathed, "you'll get your pants dirty."
"And your mascara will run," Sakura smiled sadly.
"I don't care!"
"Yes you do," Tenten sighed as they stepped up to her. Sakura and Megami leaned on the wall while Hinata stood in front of Ino with her hands clasped in front of her while Tenten stood next to Sakura with her arms crossed.
she sniffled, her eyes black with running mascara. "She wasn't even supposed to be here today! This is my day! Why does she have to ruin everything?! I don't get it! Why is she so much better than me?! Why am I always second place to her?! She's prettier! More fashionable! Smarter! Everyone likes her better than me!" she cried.
"We don't," Sakura smiled as she bent down to her level, followed by the rest of the girls.
"Ino, you don't need everyone to like you better, you have us, and the guys." Megami beamed.
"It's not that I want everyone to like me better! It's just…I'm sick and tired of being upstaged by her! Of not meeting her level!" she cried painfully.
"She's always above me! She's always taking things from me! School was the only place I had where I wasn't Tsubaki Nakatsukasa's little sister!"
Hinata brushed her hair back as she sniffled.
"Now! She has everyone's attention! My squad! The show! And even Sai!"
"Well why do you care if she has Sai?" Hinata frowned, confused.
"I-I…don't," she murmured, "just pointing out the facts…"
She rubbed her eyes and sniffled, sighing as she rested her hands on her pants.
"Because of her…because of what she did…she made me regret doing something so awful… not that I already regretted more than anything…she made me hate who I was and made me hate her even more…" she whispered.
"Ino…what did you do?" Sakura asked.
Without answering Ino stood up and opened her purse, pulling out a hankie and a pocket mirror, though her face showed no signs of interest in her appearance.
"Come on…we're gonna be late for class."
"Since when do you care?" Tenten asked, breathless.
"Is everything alright?"
The girls turned around, aside from Ino who dabbed her eyes, where Shikamaru stood with his hands in his pockets.
"We're fine…I'm fine…" Ino mumbled as she slowly dabbed her eyes.
The girls stared at Shikamaru sadly, not knowing what to say.
He nudged his head to the side, indicating for them to give him space.
The girls nodded, jogging past Shikamaru while Ino stood and fixed her makeup back.
"You look great, in the magazine."
She scoffed and rubbed her nose as she turned away from him.
"You obviously haven't seen Tsubaki yet…"
"I have, but I also have no interest in seeing her," he sighed, scratching the back of his head. "I think you look better to be honest."
"You have to say that…you're my boyfriend…" she murmured.
"That's right, I am." He spoke, stepped over to her. "And as your boyfriend I'm telling you that there's no point in comparing yourself to Tsubaki."
"Why? Because she's obviously better than me…?" she said coldly.
"Ino, you're not listening to m—"
"No!" she twisted around, "I am listening! But nothing is going to change how I feel about Tsubaki or how I feel when she's around! You could get the entire school to tell me it doesn't matter but it wouldn't make any difference!" she whimpered.
"Ino…" he stared into her eyes.
"I'll never…ever forgive her…" she whispered, brushing past him.
"Ino! Wait!"
Walking into the school area again, Ino instantly stopped when she finally saw the reason Tsubaki was at the school Wednesday morning, when she wasn't supposed to be.
Sai stood in front her, while she blushed as she talked.
She clutched her fists as they kissed.
Sai hadn't spoken a word to her since their discussion Monday but he seemed to have much enjoyment in spending time with Tsubaki.
"Ino," Shikamaru said, turning her around as they continued to kiss.
Without any warning she pulled his head forward and kissed him deeply. He, though confused, kissed back and wrapped his hands around her waist.
'I am a woman now!'
'Are you seeing this Tsubaki?!' she said in her head.
'I'm not a little girl anymore!'
(^A.H^)
Students of Konoha and Oto high cheered aloud as both teams raced furiously back and forth on the court, equally matched.
The cheerleaders of Oto stood on the outside exit of the gym while the Konoha cheerleaders stood by the bleachers, cheering the boys on and using some of Tsubaki's routines.
The two teams stood tied near halftime, where the girls would be able to fully perform the routine Tsubaki had prepared.
As temporary head cheerleader, Tsubaki stood with Ino's gold pom-poms, while the rest (including Ino) stood with the red and tan pom-poms.
Ino participated in the cheers, but there was absolutely nothing cheery about hers. She mirrored her boyfriend as she lazily waved her pom-poms when the girls shuffled theirs. She didn't jump when they did, she hardly moved when they did back flips, and she bumped into other girls.
The other members of Konoha high's cheerleading squad noticed and it bothered them greatly. There seemed there was no enthusiasm or school spirit within Ino.
This issue is greatly because on Wednesday, Ino had officially lost her fanbase. No one paid any attention to her (in a fashion sense) and they continued to praise Tsubaki as if she were a goddess. On Thursday she came to school early in the morning to rehearse with Sai like they had agreed, only to find him making out with Tsubaki in their rehearsal room.
She had said nothing, but simply left. On that same day, during after school rehearsal, Sakura had (kindly) asked Ino to build up her character because Tsubaki thought Ino wasn't putting enough effort or energy into it. Ino had yelled in her face that her acting was perfectly fine and a few choice words that had her and Sakura battling it out on the stage.
But, all was forgiven, though from that point on everyone was a little on edge and sketchy about getting near Ino.
Now, as it seemed Tsubaki had taken everything, including her team. Ino saw no need to show her strengths and shove the reason she got her Pep award in another teams face.
"Ino, you don't seem to be trying at all today, it's almost halftime," one member said, no Miss whatsoever .
"Ino, is everything alright?" Tsubaki asked, concerned.
"I'm fine, I'll sit on the bench then if I'm such a bother," she spat.
"No! no! We need you! But if you aren't feeling well—"
"I'm fine, I think they're getting ready for halftime," she grumbled as she stomped away from her.
Tsubaki followed her, her expression saddened as she twirled her hair with one finger.
"Miss. Tsubaki, it's time!" one member said cheerfully as the buzzer rang. The teams rushed off the court, still tied.
Shikamaru looked around for Ino, hoping for a kiss before she went on which was tradition after every halftime. But, he found her, with other girls, already in her place, her expression dull and bored with everything.
It wasn't until Neji slapped him on the back did he realize he'd been staring at her and needed to get off the court.
The girls of the KHS cheer team took their place. Tsubaki stood in front, her pom-pom's on her hips. The girls mirrored her, while Ino on the hand had hers more on her thighs and her pom-pom's hardly raised.
Music began and instantly the girls were bounced around and dancing in sync to the music. Ino stumbled on her movements, luckily, it was hard to notice as she was in the freshman bunch, which were normally in the back.
She bumped into a freshman girl who cursed and moved past her. She was not in sync with the rest of the girls and as she moved up they slowly began to notice.
"Hm…what are you doing?" Sakura whispered, smiling nervously as they shuffled past each other. Ino simply shrugged because she really did not know.
It wasn't as if she were doing it on purpose. She simply had no enthusiasm.
Megami and Tenten looked at each other in fear and confusion as the same could be same for many others who sat on the bleachers.
"What's wrong with Ino?" Naruto asked as the boys said on the bleachers, watching.
When Ino back flipped she accidentally kicked a junior girl in the face, making her stumble and hold her cheek.
Shikamaru sighed, "I have no idea."
Finally, near the end of the routine the girls were flipping into a standing pyramid. Ino hated pyramids, to her they were boring and too easy and too traditional and she only did them when they fit the routine she wanted. She liked to add flair and originality to her routines but obviously Tsubaki and the others thought otherwise.
She was one of the last to front flip in. She flipped (or attempted to) a couple times. But, she missed her place and slipped, tripping one of the girls already standing, causing her to falling then causing the entire pyramid to lose it's balance, letting the girls tumble down.
Tsubaki, who was at the far top, began falling midair. She screamed, like the others, but luckily was caught by a quick thinking Shikamaru. The music seized.
The cheerleaders groaned as the bleachers sat in silence. They all lay splattered in various places and positions on the ground.
Ino sat up, rubbing her head in a pile of cheerleaders. Her eyes widened when she saw Tsubaki in Shikamaru's arms. He mouthed an 'are you okay?' and she nodded thankfully as he began setting her on her feet.
"What the hell is your problem?!" one girl yelled as she stood on all fours, rubbing her head. Ino instantly turned her head to her.
"You haven't been doing anything this whole game now you messed up the whole routine we've been working a week on!" another yelled as other girls began complaining while Sakura and Hinata tried to calm them and reassure Ino didn't mean to.
But, her blood boiled when she glanced to Tsubaki and Shikamaru then back to the girls.
"WHAT ABOUT THE FUCKING ROUTINES WE WERE WORKING ON FOR WEEKS?!" she screamed.
They sat in silence.
"You didn't complain when she came in and FUCKING changed everything we've been working on and I've been working my ASS off to make!" she yelled, furious.
"Ino," Shikamaru pleaded as he held his hand out, not noticing him step over to her. She slapped it out of her face, alerting him.
"Get the hell away from me!" she demanded coldly as she stood up on her own.
"If my routines are so bad and I'm so terrible at my job you can make Tsubaki your new fucking head cheerleader! I QUIT!" she shrieked.
With a huff, she turned around and stormed out of the gym, slamming the door back, causing it to break out of its hold.
With her cheeks blood red she grabbed her bag from the locker room then stormed out the school, towards her car. Hot tears ran down her eyes as she furiously tried to brush them away.
She fumbled with her car keys, when they fell she screamed in frustration.
"You seen upset about something. Lose the game?"
She twisted to her left, there to see Sai sitting on the fountain by the parking lot as par usual, reading.
"W-why aren't you at the game? Tsubaki's in there…" she mumbled the last part as she bent forward and picked up her keys.
"You of all people know organized school sports are all but interesting to me." He smiled as he hopped off and closed his book.
He glanced at his watch as he walked over to her. "Isn't the game supposed to be over at five? What's a cheerleader doing out here?" he said as he stood by.
She sniffled, "you're looking at a former cheerleader…"
"Is that right?" he asked casually as he stood in front of her and wiped her left tears with his thumb. "That doesn't seem normal. What happened?"
She was surprised he was actually talking to her, let alone showing her affection.
Then she remembered.
Tsubaki wasn't around.
Shikamaru stood by the school entrance doors, breathing heavily after rushing to find Ino. He'd asked the girls to stay behind and let him handle her.
He stood up straight, his breath hitching when he saw Ino standing with Sai as he wiped the tears from her face.
He raised a brow when she turned away and he smiled, she spoke while he listened carefully.
For the first time, he took a step back. Knowing it was probably best to leave her be right now, and convinced that nothing would happen with Sai.
At least.
He hoped.
(^A.H^)
Over the course of the next week, Ino seemed like a stranger in Konoha high. She took no care of herself and cared not of her appearance. She came to school with her hair in messy, disheveled and unstylish buns. She wore her former glasses (the ones she had before she'd obtained contacts in the eighth grade along with the panty hose and blazer that completed the school uniform.
She carried the school books and a backpack instead of her normal purse as well, but, those were little. On Wednesday she shocked the entire school, forcing the girls into fainting spells the morning they saw her.
Ino came to school in a puke green shirt with a Christmas sweater vest over it and a rainbow tie. She walked in an unflattering ankle length loose brown and purple polka dot skirt with gym shoes and orange sock on her right and a pink sock on her left.
She simply stated every single time that she just didn't care anymore. She ignored everyone in class and actually did her work, which shocked Sakura so much she threw up.
At rehearsals she lazily went over her memorized lines and her voice cracked.
"Oh my lanta! Ino's dying!" Megami cried Friday morning when Ino went ahead of them to study.
"She's not dying you twat," Tenten spat. "You know how she is when she's depressed, she gives up on everything…"
"I can't help but feel that…somehow this is all my fault."
The girls jumped up when Tsubaki (who they had not noticed) stood by, looking onto Ino with sad eyes.
"No Tsubaki," Sakura reassured, "Ino's just having some…problems…"
Well, she hadn't completely lied. She was having problems, she just didn't say who or what the problem was.
"Hey…"
The girls twisted around, including Tsubaki.
Shikamaru stood, while the boys made their way up from the limo behind him.
He looked tired (more than usual) and almost desperate.
"Could you guys tell Ino…"
(^A.H^)
"Ino?"
"Hmm?" she mumbled, books spread out on her bed as she sat in her room doing homework (which had made Sakura throw up again.)
"Can we come in?"
Without waiting for a response they opened her door, stepping inside.
"Sure," Ino said sarcastically.
There was no practice for Friday as Sakura and Tsubaki both agreed everyone needed a break.
" Tonight, you're going to do your hair, put on some lipstick, and put on something sexy," Tenten ordered as they sat on her bed.
"And pray tell, why would I do that?" she said monotonously without looking away from her books.
Megami pushed them off the bed and sat down. Ino lifted her head up and threw her hands up into the air.
"What the hell?!"
"Stop talking all intellectual and listen to us!"
"I'm listening," Ino said, annoyed.
"The guys are going to be here in two hours to take us dancing." Sakura explained.
"Not going," she said flatly.
"You? Ino Yamanaka? Not going out on a Friday night? Doing homework?" Megami whispered fearfully.
"Ino, you need to get out of the house. You aren't being you. You're letting Tsubaki get to you and it has gone too far," Hinata said. "Please, you're scaring us."
"We know you miss dressing up," Tenten challenged. Ino's eyes shifted.
"And besides," Megami said. "You've kinda been blowing Shikamaru off. This was his idea, he and all of us think you need a night to forget about Tsubaki and your grievances!"
Ino sighed, flipping off her glasses and setting them on her night stand.
"Must have taken a lot of balls to not do your hair this week," Tenten smirked.
"You got that right." Ino mumbled as she rested against her backboard.
"Alright. Tonight, at least, I can be me," she smiled sweetly.
"Now, let's get out of these clothes and get sexy!"
(^A.H^)
The beating of loud, obnoxious pop music thumped across Tokyo Teen Club as the lot of them stepped in.
The girls laughed as they walked in, each wearing club dresses of their signature colors. The club, darkened with pumping lights was packed as they walked in, the boys trailing close behind.
It seemed they all needed a break from the daily after school rehearsals as it did not take long for the couples to be on the dance floor, intertwined at the sound of the music.
Four out of five of the couples anyway.
Before they stepped inside, Ino grabbed Shikamaru's hand while the rest of them made their way to collective spots to simply enjoy the night.
"Hey…" Ino said as he turned back to her in a white shirt with a black unbuttoned vest and black jeans.
"Hey…" he said, equally as dull.
"I never got a chance to apologize about flipping out on you…and the school…last Friday."
"It's been a week, I think we're fine. We won." He shrugged.
"Shika—"
"Ino, I know having Tsubaki around is stressing you out he smiled lazily. "But I just want you to have fun tonight…and I hope…it ends out in your favor."
Her lips curved into a bright smile as he turned and led her in, still holding her hand.
With Tsubaki around, it was easy for her to forget the simple things in her life.
Such as how much she loved the boy in front of her.
For the next hour, the members of Alpha and Omega danced and some drank as the music blasted and night fell forward.
Ino, for the first time in three weeks was happy. As she danced with Shikamaru and the girls back and forth, she forgot her troubles and simply enjoyed the company of her best friends and her boyfriend which she'd missed in the last few weeks.
All seemed well off as she danced, ate, and laughed to her heart's content, until a familiar face decided to graze the club with their presence.
Instantly, her dancing halted when she saw her.
Tsubaki walked into the club in a little black dress of her own, looking around as, close behind her, Sai stepped up.
Currently, she was dancing with the girls while the guys were doing shots at the bar. When they saw her stop they stopped and turned around.
"Oh shit…" Megami mumbled.
"Just pretend you don't see her," Tenten said quickly.
"Girls, we can't do that to her," Hinata frowned.
"She must have thought she was invited when Shikamaru talked to us about going coming here earlier." Sakura groaned.
When she caught sight of the girls she instantly waved, giving a large smile.
The girls nervously waved back, excluding Ino.
Sai followed as Tsubaki made her way over.
"Hey girls! Sorry we're late I had a shoot to go to," Tsubaki apologized.
"I-It's fine," Sakura waved her hand.
"Well, don't just stand there! Let's party! We look weird standing in the middle of a crowd of dancing people!" Tsubaki giggled as she took Sai's hands. He smiled as they began moving.
Luckily, the boys had made their way back to them, when Ino caught sight of Shikamaru she grabbed his hands, but unlike the way she had done before, now was more forceful.
"Dance with me," she ordered.
He raised a brow, his eyes slightly foggy from the alcohol.
"Okay…? I walked over here for a reason."
"Don't be a smart-ass," she said.
"What's the problem? You were fine a minute ago," he said a bit coldly.
She lifted her eyes towards the couple behind them. On accord he turned around to find Tsubaki dancing with Sai around the other members of Alpha and Omega.
"Oh. That," he sighed.
Ino couldn't take her eyes off of them while Shikamaru in turn turned back to her.
"Ino, please don't start this again. Just pretend they aren't here." He pleaded. "The only reason I suggested we go dancing tonight is because—"
"Why her…" she spat coldly, her eyes still trained on them. "Why is he still with her…?"
"Ino, why do you care?" he demanded to know.
"Why shouldn't I care?" she demanded on her own.
"Ino, I'm trying to tell you—"
He stopped himself, watching her attention now completely on her issues again.
He wouldn't get his chance tonight.
Not with them here.
With Tsubaki back, her insecurities were taking over again.
"I'm going to get a drink…" he murmured, letting her go as she barely noticed him walk off.
Instead, she moved forward towards the couple she'd had her eyes on.
She forced her way past people, the members of Alpha and Omega separating from the dance floor. She watched Sasuke and Megami go upstairs to the rooms for guests who wanted more than to dance, Neji and Tenten towards the bar, Hinata and Naruto remained on the dance floor, and Gaara and Sakura against the wall.
"May I cut in?" she said bitterly, in front of Tsubaki and Sai who stopped to look at her.
Tsubaki smiled, as if her speaking to her was a prize.
"S-sure!" she said, stepping back as she began dancing by a group of girls.
"Ino?" Sai asked, raising a brow.
"Can we talk?" she asked, her hands clasped around his neck as she swayed her hips.
Shikamaru leaned on the bar, drowning another shot as he watched them. He turned around, from that point not caring, or having the sensibility of what happened next with them.
Sai looked around as the bustling club until his eyes trained back to Ino.
"I guess…but not here…follow me…"
She said nothing as he took her hand and began leading her away from the crowd, and up the stairs.
(^A.H^)
"So…you wanted to talk?" Sai said casually as the both of them sat on the edge of a bed in one of the rooms used for heaven knows what and by heaven knows who.
She took a deep breath as she looked at him.
He raised a brow and stared at her.
"This is about Tsubaki…isn't it?"
"Sai…" she whispered. "you know how I feel…why…why her?"
"I already told you I don't have to explain myself to you, why are you still pressing me about Tsubaki? Why do you hate her so much in the first place?" he questioned himself.
"I don't…hate her…I just…"
"We're not officially dating, we're only seeing each other." He said, turned away to stare at the door.
"That doesn't make it any better," she whispered.
"Well, that's not your call. I don't need your opinion. Tsubaki is nice. Whatever trouble you have with her you have to settle—"
"You don't love me anymore?" she said suddenly.
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, "I thought we already had this conversation. I'm not going to wait around for you forever and don't expect me to. I love you. I may always be in love with you. But, I don't see you returning my feelings any time soon…even being in this room makes me want to convince you…"
He sighed.
"I need to get back to Tsubaki," he breathed, standing up. "I'm sorry that you have a problem with her, Ino. But that does not justify your issues with me being in a relationship with her," he said as he took a few steps.
"So if there's nothing else—"
"Wait!" she said quickly, grabbing his hand.
He turned back to her, a brow raised as he waited for her to say something.
She stared into his eyes with wide doe eyes, her blue eyes glistened as her chest rose and fell.
"Yes?"
She blinked a couple times, silenced.
"Ino, if you have nothing to s—"
Sai stood in silence when she pulled him forward, forcing him to fall on top of her, kissing him.
He lifted his head up, "I—"
She brought his head back down with one hand, kissing him again.
"Shut up," she murmured in the kiss.
In response, he kissed back, deepening it as she ran her hand through his hair.
"Ino…" he mumbled in the kiss. He slipped his tongue into her mouth, expected her to realize what she was doing then, but, no rejection happened, she simply laced her tongue with his.
As they danced he trailed his hand down her dress down to her thigh, lifting her leg up and wrapping it around his waist.
She lifted her right leg and wrapped it around his waist to lock him in. He released from her mouth and licked down her neck. She tossed her head back and moaned lightly.
She pushed him up and twisted them around, leaving her on top.
She helped him pull his t-shirt up, then tossed it off to the floor as he raised up and painfully slowly unzipped her tight off the shoulder yellow dress, kissing her neck.
She held his cheeks and brought his lips back to her in a rough kiss again. She shuffled out of her dress, using one hand to slip it off then tossing it the ground as she did not release.
When her dress was discarded he trailed his hand down her chest without releasing her lips, he slipped his hand into her pink thong.
Her breathing hitched as she released from his lips.
"Tell me to stop…Ino…" he whispered as his fingers did wonders to her sex.
"Never…"
"Ino…tell me to stop…or I won't…" he breathed while at the same time slipping two fingers inside of her.
She wrapped her arms loosely around his neck as she jumped up, gasping and grinding against his fingers.
"No…"
Moments later, she released, letting him slip his fingers out. But, he was in no way finished.
He undid her bra and slipped it off, tossing it to the side as he turned her around, allowing her to kick off her shoes.
He undid the button of his white jeans as he licked her bare breasts. She groaned, turning to her side with her eyes shut tight as he licked each one before trailing down her chest with his tongue.
When he was out of his pants, leaving him in his boxers, he used the same two fingers to slip off her pink thong.
She lifted her legs to allow him to get rid of it. When it was gone he turned back and his tongue replaced it.
She cried out, clutched his hair as she moaned, shaking.
"S-Sai…Sai…Sai…" she moaned sub-consciously.
He allowed his tongue to taste all of her as her desperate cries of pleasure, and his name, filled the room.
Before long, she came, then collapsed back into bed.
While she tried to regain herself, he slipped off his boxers without looking away from her and her vulnerable body.
He leaned over and opened the drawer next to the bed, familiar with the club, the drawer carried packets of condoms, should they be needed.
His blank expression stared at her as he ripped one open with his teeth and single handedly slipped it on.
She regained awareness when he penetrated her, forcing her to cry out again but now in a deeper, more concentrated pleasure.
He cursed as he rode her, quickly leaning down and kissing her again. She wrapped her hands around his neck as their tongues danced once again while he slowly grinded inside her.
They turned so now she was on top, she lifted herself up and rested her hands on his chest while he held her hips, as she rode and grinded against him, their bodies moving rhythmically.
"Sai…" she moaned.
"God…Ino…" he groaned.
Moments passed until she threw her head back, her entire body alert and chiming as seconds later, he followed her, his hands clutching her hips.
She breathed heavily as she collapsed on his chest while his breathing lay no different.
"God Ino…" he breathed. "You have no idea how long I've been waiting to do that again…"
She sighed.
"Tell me…tell me you love me…"
"I love you Ino…I love you so much…"
(^A.H^)
When her eyes shot open it felt as if it had been hours since they'd last opened, when in all actuality, when she looked at the alarm on the desk, it had been fifteen minutes.
Ino groaned, lifting up and rubbing her eyes.
She sat up in the bed, naked and sweaty.
She was fully aware of what she just did and wasn't going to be one of those people who woke up then questioned her actions or how she ended up where she was.
She looked down to Sai who slept soundly next to her, his bare chest visible as one hand clutched the blanket and the other lay on the pillow.
Slowly, she slipped off the blanket and let her feet touch the carpet.
She slowly stood up, monotonously picking up her dress, lingerie, and shoes sprawled in various places across the room.
It wasn't until she bent down and picked up her left shoe did she collapse on the carpet and let the tears rain.
Oh god…
Oh god!
What have I done?!
What have I done?!
What kind of a person am I?
I've really blown it now…
"Who am I?" she said through burning tears. "How…how could I…" she cried painfully, holding her chest, Shikamaru's face dancing across her memories.
She quickly slipped her lingerie back on then her dress. She held onto her shoes as she managed to zip her dress up halfway.
She crept over to the door, rubbing her eyes as she glanced back to Sai.
When she opened the door, her heart sank deep into the depths of her soul at the person before her.
(^A.H^)
"S-S…"
"I was wondering when you'd come out. Thought you'd fallen asleep in there."
"Sasuke!" she breathed, "What are you doing…here?"
"Girls who ask stupid questions are really annoying, you know that?" He said, leaned against the wall in front of her with his arms crossed.
"Here's a better one. What are you doing in there?"
"I…I…" she choked, her heart racing as she stood, desperate.
"I came up to put Megami to bed because she'd felt tired, I told her not to drink because Hyuga said nothing good ever happens when she does. But it seems like nothing good happens when you're sober."
"Sasuke…" she pleaded, her eyes glistening.
"Should I tell Shikamaru or do you want to do the honors?" he said coldly. "Because I hope you don't expect me to keep this from him…"
"Sasuke! Please! I know what I did was stupid and immoral and wrong but you can't tell Shikamaru! You have to give me time! I'm begging you!" she pleaded, tears running down her eyes.
"You don't have my pity." He said coolly. "I just listened to you have sex with Sai. You didn't sound too sorry about it then and it didn't seem like he forced you into anything."
"Sasuke!"
"I'm going to find Shikamaru. There's nothing you can say to stop me." He said casually, turning to walk as he slipped his hands into his pockets.
She looked back and forth desperately as she tossed her head back and forth.
"What about this?!" she yelled. "If you tell Shikamaru…I'll…I'll tell Megami the real reason you couldn't save her the night she was with Kai!"
He halted in his place, frozen.
"That's what I thought!" she sniffled. "I overheard you talking to Neji late at night the last time I was at the mansion…I was going to tell Megami this weekend…but…if you don't tell Shikamaru about this…I won't tell…Megami. If you leave me to tell Shikamaru on my own. Because at least I plan on telling him!" she said confidently. "I know you were never going to say a damn thing…"
"Are you blackmailing me?" he said icily, as he turned back and stepped up to her.
"No, because no matter what you're going to tell Megami. But unless you want me to be the one to say it…or maybe even Neji, or someone else to blurt it out, you have to promise me this is between us…"
Her eyes show no sign of force, but pleading with him to agree. While he in turn glared down at her and glanced to the room where the redhead lay, sleeping.
"Please…"
"Fine…" he said darkly.
"It's a deal…"
(^A.H^)
Rhythmic knocks elated a small mansion in the upper parts of Ame. Moment later, a young boy with windswept blond hair opened the door. He looked up to the person before him.
"Well…look who decided to come and visit…"
"Out of the way crab, I came to talk to mom," Ino narrowed her eyes as she stood on the porch of her old home Saturday afternoon. "Is she home?"
"Mom!" Yuki yelled, "the daughter you haven't seen in months is here!"
"Something tells me someone missed me," Ino smirked.
It was Yuki's turn to narrow his eyes at her as he backed up when Imoi Yamanaka stepped up to the door.
"Ino! I was expecting you!" Imoi smiled as she brought her into a hug. "I was so excited when you called and said you wanted to talk! I haven't seen you in a while so I thought a visit was appropriate,"
"Hey mom," Ino half-smiled.
"Come in hun," she beamed as she moved inside, letting Ino in as she closed the door behind her.
"You literally just missed Tsubaki, she was here in the morning looking at some albums with me."
"Actually, mom, that's what I came here to talk about," Ino said as she moved past a maid and walked into the living room with her.
"Really?" Imoi asked, surprised as they sat down next to each other on one of the gold leather couches.
"Mom…" Ino sighed. "I wanted to ask you…um…why…did you show Tsubaki some cheerleading moves but didn't show me?"
Imoi blinked, sitting up and caught off guard by the question.
"I mean, I assumed you showed both Tsubaki and I everything you knew. But, I've seen Tsubaki do some things that I've never seen before, and we've learned everything we know from so—"
"Sweetheart, is that what you came to ask?" Imoi laughed, bouncing a bit. Ino frowned.
"Honey, I've shown you things that I haven't shown Tsubaki. The harder things to be honest."
Ino sat up, "really?"
Imoi nodded, "yes of course. You know some things Tsubaki doesn't, and Tsubaki knows some things you don't. This is because I wanted the both of you to be equal and individuals in your own right."
"You did?"
"Yes sweetheart!" Imoi laughed. "you always seemed to look up to Tsubaki and I was glad you admired her even though she's your half-sister."
If only she knew how she felt about her now, Ino thought.
"But I wanted you to grow up to be you, Ino. Even though it seems like you stopped looking up to Tsubaki in the ninth grade, it still seemed like you had this sort of one-sided rivalry against her."
So I've been told.
"But, you've grown to develop your own personality and style. While Tsubaki navigated to acting you fell into fashion, but I'm happy the both of you took an interest in modeling!" Imoi laughed.
"So…you don't think that…I'm not as good as Tsubaki?" she whispered.
Imoi looked taken aback, "Ino! Now why would I think that?!"
"No reason…" she murmured, turning to her mother with a smile.
"Thanks mom."
"No problem, now is that all you came by for?" Imoi asked.
"Of course not! It's been a while since I've been home you know…"
(^A.H^)
On Monday Ino was back to her normal self, of some sort. Her hair was done, her contacts were in and her books were back to being stands for her jewelry boxes.
"Nice to see you looking you Ino, smart doesn't fit you. Or at least, attempting to be smart," Sakura snickered. Ino rolled her eyes in turn as they headed to the building.
She hadn't spoken to Shikamaru since Friday, though she'd made no move to contact him. He didn't want to speak to her and she didn't have the will power to speak to him.
Without stopping, she caught sight of a familiar face sitting on the fountain reading a book as per usual.
Sensing eyes on him, Sai looked up and stared at Ino while she stared back at him. Instantly she turned away when he smirked and winked at her.
The day went on as any day in Konoha high would, if the days were normal. Today would mark two weeks until the musicals release and everyone was working towards show night.
All characters were off book and the set was coming along well.
That is until, the castle background five particular crew members were working on was suddenly wobbly.
But, for the moment, no one noticed.
The lot laughed as Naruto excitingly waved his wand around, prancing up and down the stage as Shikamaru was supposed to be sitting on his throne, but was trying to contain his laughter.
Hoping to get a laugh out of them, Naruto enjoyed the fact that they were having fun. Ino sat next to Tsubaki and even they were giggling together at the long white beard and the fairy princess wand.
"Alright, next scene," Sakura said through giggles, "we'll do the final scene, where Guinevere, Mordred, and Lancelot are at Arthur's death bed."
Ino gulped, this was one of the few scenes where they all stood together and she dreaded it most.
Because, she stood with all three boys she was having an issue with at the moment.
"How's it feel to be the asshole that ruins a perfect relationship?" Megami laughed, poking Sasuke's cheek when he stepped up on stage.
Ino greatly hoped she was referring to his character.
"Well maybe Guinevere shouldn't have been doing what she did then." he said bitterly.
Ino really hoped he was referring to the character.
While Shikamaru lay in his casket Ino took her place next to Sai while Sasuke stood in front of the casket.
She tried as much as possible to make distance between her and Sai but the scene required them to be close.
She made eye contact with Sasuke. They both held no expression as they stared at each other for a matter of moments, then looked back down.
"And!" Tsubaki called. "Ac—"
"Look out!" one person screamed from the right wing they stood near.
Ino looked up to the creaking that the large castle made. Her eyes widened when she noticed it tumbling down, creating a shadow over her and Shikamaru.
Before anyone could react Shikamaru was up and had pushed her away, where she knocked backwards. Sai rushed to help her as the castle collapsed on Shikamaru.
Ino slightly opened her eyes with little conscious. Faintly she could hear Sai calling her name while crew and cast members were trying to get the prop off Shikamaru's body.
When Tsubaki and Sakura stood in front of her, calling her name faintly, she blacked out.
(^A.H^)
"Is she going to be alright?"
"Yes, yes she'll be fine. She just hit her head when she fell, it's a small bruise on her head but no concussion. It's a good thing he pushed her when he did but I can't say the same for Shikamaru."
"Maru…" Ino murmured, slowly opening her eyes as she shook rapidly.
"Wait! She's waking up!"
"Shikamaru!" Ino said quickly, desperately as she sat up, only to hold her head and drop back into the pillow. "Ow…"
"Ino be careful!" Hinata's voice came.
"Ino! Oh my gosh I was so scared! I thought you'd seriously hurt yourself!" Tsubaki said happily, sad tears running down her eyes as she wrapped her arms loosely around Ino's neck.
"I'll leave you alone then," the school nurse smiled as she turned around with her clipboard and took her leave.
It took a moment for Ino to realize who was touching her and to realize she was sitting in the school infirmary.
"Get off me!" she snarled, shaking out of Tsubaki's hold then cursing as she held her head again.
"Ino…" Tsubaki said sadly, confused.
"When I want your help I'll ask for it! Why don't you go comfort your boyfriend or your fans?! I bed their waiting for you!" she said coldly, her head irritating her.
"Ino…I don't understand." Tsubaki whispered sadly.
"Ino," Sakura pleaded. "She was only trying to—"
Ino clutched her head with both hands, even though it wasn't in pain at the moment.
"Yeah yeah I get it! Only trying to help! Because Tsubaki's kind and sweet and smart and pretty and athletic and a great singer and all around just perfect! And I'm sick to death of it! Would you just leave me alone for once and stop pretending like you care about me?!"
The room stood in silence as Tsubaki stared at Ino with glistening eyes as Ino refused to look at her while the girls stood by, not knowing what to say or do.
"I-I'm sorry…" Tsubaki whispered as she slowly stood up. "I-I'm sorry I've been such a burden to you Ino…if you really want me to…"
Unable to get out another word, Tsubaki stood up, holding her face as tears rained down while she ran out of the infirmary.
The girls turned back to Ino who looked on to her sadly. She doesn't remember the last time she'd seen Tsubaki cry.
"Ino, you know—" Tenten began but interrupted by a frustrated scream, alerting a patient sleeping across from her awake, but not to their notice.
"This isn't fair?! Why do I always end up looking like the bad person? Why does she have to be the way she is?! I want her to get mad! I want her to hate me as much as I hated her that day!" Ino cried, tears forming in her eyes.
"Ino…what…happened." Sakura said slowly as they had been trying to get the story out of her for years but only knew part of it.
"There was something else that happened the day I caught her in bed with Hidan," she spat coldly.
That they knew.
"A few days before…" she slightly whispered. "Just after they'd met…Hidan said he liked older girls and that…that Tsubaki was more mature. I hated that he took such an interest in her. It bugged me so much that he was paying more attention to her that I started to hate her for it…Hidan said…Hidan said…" Ino murmured.
"Ino," Hinata pleaded. "What. Happened?"
"He said the only way he would see me as mature is if I had sex with him." She said through grinding teeth.
Sakura and Megami's eyes widened as Tenten took a step back while Hinata held her mouth.
"Tell me you didn't…" Sakura pleaded. "Tell me you…"
"It hurt so bad," Ino continued, disgusted with herself. "and I hated myself after, but I wanted to show him that I could be just as much of a woman as Tsubaki was."
"So you slept with Hidan?!" Megami yelled.
"After all these years you kept telling us you never did!" Tenten yelled. "That it was Sakura who ended up having to sleep with those bastards!"
"I know!" Ino yelled through tears. "I know and I'm sorry because I was so ashamed and disgusted with myself I didn't want to say anything! I never wanted to speak about it! After I saw Hidan and Tsubaki together I lost it! I felt so used and betrayed I couldn't help hating her! You know what happened next…" Ino whimpered.
"But, Tsubaki didn't know we were dating, and that's what she telling me, but I didn't want to believe her. I wanted to hate her for always getting everything and leaving me in second place…but…I guess…" Ino laughed, tears springing down.
"Smacking my head and telling you girls the full story has kind of helped me realize that what happened that day wasn't really Tsubaki's fault at all. And maybe she can't help who she is. At least she is a genuine person and not snobby like me…"
Sakura smiled sadly as she bent down to her level.
"Confidence." She said sweetly.
Ino looked up to her with saddened eyes. "Not conceitedty."
The girls laughed as they bent down to her.
"At least I have you girls," she said with a sad smile. "I've done nothing but obsess over Tsubaki in the last few weeks. I've practically blown you off. And more than anything I've blown Shikamaru off…and done so many things…at this point right now I don't think me telling him I love him will fix everything I've done. But I've been trying to tell him for so long."
The girls gasped as they glanced to the bed across her.
Megami smiled, "So wait…you—"
"Yeah," Ino laughed, rubbing her eyes. "I love him."
"Well it's about freaking time. God damn it, girls are so time consuming it's troublesome."
Ino shot her head up to where, sitting across from her, Shikamaru sat, scratching the back of his head with a tired expression. A few bruises sat on his visible arms and chest as he sighed.
"Shikamaru!" she said excitingly, ignoring her throbbing head as she tossed the hospital blanket off her and rushed into his arms.
"Yeah…ow." He mumbled as she clutched him in a hug.
"Sorry…" she said, to excited to be sorry.
"You have no idea how many times I've wanted to say that to you," she mumbled.
"I guess that makes two of us," he sighed.
She slightly released and stared into his eyes.
"But we could just never find the right time," he smirked as he pushed her hair behind her ear.
"So…that means—"
"Geez what a drag…yes, Ino Yamanaka, I am painfully and exhaustingly in love with you."
Ino's smile brightened when she jumped him, kissing him as they knocked back onto the bed.
"Hey you too! Remember! This is still a hospital!" Sakura called laughing.
"Oh please! We'd never do it here!" Ino scoffed as she turned back and pecked him on the lips. "I want our first time to be special…"
He raised a brow, "are we still doing that?"
She rolled her eyes as she smiled and kissed him again.
Suddenly, she shot up, sitting on him missionary style.
"Oh! I almost forgot!"
(^A.H^)
"Hey…um…Tsubaki?"
The dark-haired girl shot her head up as she had been packing her things to end the day. Her eyes dulled in sadness when she noticed Ino standing by.
"I'm leaving right now, I'm sorry I'm still around." She said sadly.
"No! Tsubaki! Please don't leave!" Ino sighed.
Tsubaki rubbed her eyes as she turned to her, "but I thought you wanted me too—"
"Tsubaki." Ino began. "For a really long time I've hated you for doing something I know wasn't your fault. Then, I found more excuses to dislike when in all reality I was just jealous of you to begin with. I know you're a good person and you have a good heart, I just didn't want myself to believe that."
Tsubaki stared at her baby sister with glistening eyes. She cracked a small smile.
"I knew from the very beginning you didn't like me, but I pretended to be oblivious. But, I tried my best to be the older sister you knew before that whole mess happened. Ino, we may be half-sisters but you know I see you no different than a regular sister. You're my baby sister and I would never do anything to try and hurt you," Tsubaki pleaded for her to understand. "And I'm not perfect, you of all people know my flaws." She laughed.
"I love you and hope there's still room for me in your heart," Tsubaki said hopefully.
Her heart chimed when Ino brought her in a hug.
"You never left…" she whispered.
Tsubaki sighed in contentment as the sisters hugged tightly.
"But, I really do have to go," Tsubaki murmured. Ino released halfway and stared in confusion.
Tsubaki smiled, "I'm being called back to South Korea to re-shoot some scenes in the movie lost in production. But, I'll be back just in time for the night of the musical. But at least I can go back without a heavy heart this time."
Ino smiled as she brought her into a hug once again, embracing her sister and the years they'd lost.
(^A.H^)
"It's kinda sad that Tsubaki's leaving, I'm gonna miss her." Megami frowned as the girls stepped out of the building fifteen minutes later.
"She'll be back in a couple weeks in time for the musical," Ino reassured sweetly.
"I guess this means your back to co-directing duty." Sakura laughed, nudging Megami's head. "Hinata, you should take over as crew director."
"M-me?" Hinata gasped as the girls giggled.
"Yeah! You know what you're doing!" Tenten assured.
"I'm glad you and Tsubaki are sisters again. And I'm glad you finally told us what's been holding you back all these years." Hinata smiled sadly to Ino.
Ino took a deep breath and slowly let it out. "I've spent so much energy hating Tsubaki, I'm beat!"
The girls laughed together.
"You know, the girls of the squad said they need you back," Sakura smiled.
"What? Do they know Tsubaki's leaving?" Ino challenged.
Sakura shook her head, "not at all. They said they miss you and it was wrong of them to blow off your routines…so…if you're willing, there's a spot for head cheerleader with your name on it."
"Well! Who else can fill the role?" Ino huffed, tossing her hair back.
Ino stopped when she spotted a familiar face sitting on the fountain as usual. But, she didn't leave time to make eye contact as she made contact with another familiar face she smiled brilliantly at.
"Shika-kun!" she yelled. Shikamaru turned around from the limo as he watched her rush up and tackle him to the ground.
He grunted as the boys stood by and watched them while Ino kissed everywhere on his face.
"I love you…" she cooed. "I love you so much…"
He sighed, half smiling.
"You're a really troublesome girl…but…I love you too…"
In the midst of her gigging, Ino did not notice the obsidian eyes trained on her as her bubbly form embraced the lazy boy before her.
(^A.H^)
"Arff! Arff arff!" Neko bounced as he ran around the living room while the girls relaxed, watching TV.
"Now you be careful Neko!" Tenten ordered.
"I think he wants to go outside," Megami said.
"Ugh! I'm too tired! Can you take him?" Tenten whined.
Megami looked to Ino who filed her nails, "busy." She sang.
She looked to Hinata who read a book. She slowly lifted it further, covering her face.
"Sakura!" Megami whined.
"I'm—"
Suddenly the sounds of the kitchen phone rang.
"Getting that," she laughed. Megami pounded and stood up, going in search of where Neko ran off too.
Sakura skipped into the kitchen and picked up the phone, smiling sweetly.
"Alpha resistance, Sakura speaking."
She stood for a moment, listening.
"Yes this is Sakura Haruno….yes…."
The color disappeared from her face as the phone slightly dangled from her hand.
"What's up Sakura?" Ino asked when she stepped back into the living room as white as a ghost, just as Megami stepped back in with a whimpering Neko in her hands.
The girls looked to Sakura as her eyes remained trained on the ground.
"It's the call we've been waiting for…" she breathed.
"On Wednesday…" she gulped.
"We're going to court for Kai's trial…"
Love is a powerful object. But when it is twisted and turned to benefit one party, only darkness falls.
T^B^C
Greetings! Woohoo! From here on out there is seven-eight chapters left in A.H! And I hope I'll be pushing them out a lot quicker than the last bunch because expect the climax to be coming up soon!
I really wanted to get A.H done before the end of the year but I'm trying to get my life together. This was supposed to be out long before but writer's block decided to come for a visit for not just this but other things.
But! I'm happy to say this chapter is FINALLY done and I get to other stuff I've been working on.
(Christina! If you're reading this I'm getting my ass in gear and finishing chapter 3!)
Thank you for your patience my peoples!
I'll see you in 2014!
(^Konoha to the stars^)