Part 4: Dirtying Hands

Cinema. Restaurant. Beach. So many options for a date, but Ino does not know much of Naruto's likes and dislikes outside of ramen and pranks. Ino considered asking Sakura or Sasuke about Naruto's likes and dislikes, but with Sakura it would be a nightmare, while with Sasuke he could not be any more indifferent if he tried. One person came to mind is their old teacher Iruka Umino from the Academy, but he turned out to be very busy. Naturally with Naruto being her crush, Hinata knew he at least like watering flowers, Ino does like flowers as well so she might work with a trip to a gardening shop outside her family store. The last thing she wanted was being seen on a date with the class clown by her parents. It was bad enough she was brought home wearing Naruto's jacket, as comfortable it was, how did Naruto not sweat so much or even leave an odor in the jacket? Regardless, Ino had a new idea: use Transformation Jutsu to disguise herself as Naruto and ask Sakura to help her get into Naruto's home. It worked for the most part, just acting like Naruto and convincing Sakura without being herself was the challenge. Upon entering Naruto's apartment, Ino can smell it needed deodorizing, but the apartment was not a pigsty at least which made it easier to search around the place. After Ino-as-Naruto went inside the apartment, Sakura left and closed the door with an audible "Idiot" statement.

Ino exhaled with great relief and reverted back to her real look. "Okay, just need to find whatever Naruto fancies in here. Whatever items he has should give me more clues."

Ino went around in Naruto's home, looking for anything that gives Ino a good idea. While gardening is a great idea to Ino, it may be boring as a date. Ino has found some adult magazines with various women shown, upcoming cinema showings, and of course Naruto does indeed have a small garden of flowers. Rare and unique flowers actually. Ino was impressed Naruto even knew how to get them and they were possibly expensive. Ino resisted the urge to touch them and carried on about her search. Apparently Naruto has a large collection of fantasy books from overseas, oddly those did not help his spelling or grammar, Ino thought Naruto was probably trying being funny to cheer her up by having the letter written like that.

"Huh. Naruto may be dumb but he has taste. Although these magazines are out of touch. They're probably references for his Centerfold Jutsu. Wonder if he actually have a type." Ino went to pick up an adult magazine and read it, to her surprise it lacked the spicy content but it's a hidden diary instead. "Woah, hide a diary under covers of adult magazines? I shouldn't…. Well, one skim through won't hurt anyone. I bet he kept track of pranks and how he tried to flirt with Sakura."

Ino read Naruto's diary throughly despite promising a quick look. It mentioned many including what was revealed to him about what he is, a vessel for the demon fox, and what happened in Land of Waves, amazed to hear that one of Seven Ninja Swordsman of the Mist was there, and Sasuke almost died too. Apparently Naruto had an episode of raging red chakra, sounded like the one during Naruto's match against Neji. Ino read more and more and finding out more details from Naruto's perspective what happened there. Ino would say It must've been scary as well as imagining how terrified Sakura might have been against such a dangerous man. Of course Kakashi was there, but there was an infamous Demon Swordsman. Even a Jonin like Kakashi would have trouble against a foe like him. This was all before the Chunin Exams. Speaking of which, it even explained more what happened in the Forest of Death, just how Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke keep finding themselves in life-or-death situations?

"Oh my god. I would've died there. I know we'll get more dangerous missions, but jeez. What's next? A criminal organization after him for some superpower he has? He has the Nine-Tailed Fox inside him. Is that why he was bullied by the whole village during our elementary days? Because he holds the monster that attacked our village years ago? It's no wonder he goes around pranking and wants to be Hokage. How could he not have parents or anybody looking after him? How is he still alive at this point? And… who's Fuu?" Ino noticed something about Naruto's younger years he befriended a girl named Fuu. Not entirely sure, but Ino grabbed another adult magazine to see if it's another diary, but it actually has what the cover promises. "Damn it! I wanted to read more about who's Fuu. I guess Naruto doesn't know much about her except she was a runaway from her village."

Suddenly, loud knocking on the door happened followed by a familiar voice. "Naruto! Are you in there!? You need to get somewhere safe!" It was Sasuke knocking.

Ino gasped and hastily put the magazines back to their places and jumped out of the open window just in time before Sasuke realized the door was unlocked and opened it wide open.

"Naruto!? Damn, he's not here. He must be at Ichiraku." Sasuke shut the door and ran.

Ino panted as heavily as her heart beating like a drum festival, she waited next to the window until Sasuke is gone from the place so she may get back inside. She was almost caught looking through Naruto's belongings while he is out of town with an old man. Ino realized how low she gone just to make her plan work. Hinata must have realized too, Ino is risking more than her dignity and Naruto's trust, she's risking her entire friendship with others if they find out she gone and pretend to be someone she is not, break into that person's home, going through their belongings, and for what? Just so a girl could ask the boy she likes out after Ino shreds his heart.

"Oh my goodness. I know what the plan is, but is it really necessary to break into here and look through Naruto's stuff? Okay, calm down. Ninja do this all the time. It's no different… except when it's your friend and you are trying to win him over and rip out his heart so Hinata may come in like a vulture. I hope Naruto doesn't notice anything is different about his place when he comes back. If he finds out what I did, I don't think ramen or red bean soup or giving him flowers will make up for it. Naruto is a good person, and I am not being exactly good. I need to get out of here." Ino finished to herself when she finally calmed down and opened the door to leave, only to find Sakura was opening the door too.

With a surprised face, Sakura stood silent for a minute and asked a very hard question for Ino to leave without her pride damaging further. the question is: "Ino. What are you doing here in Naruto's place?"

Ino: "I can explain."

Sakura: "You pretended to be Naruto, and look through his stuff? Why didn't you tell me you wanted to get into Naruto's place?"

Ino: "Because I don't want to deal with us acting like children."

Sakura: "Says the woman feeling sorry for herself for breaking into a home. Why are you doing this?"

Ino sighed and sat on Naruto's bed, wincing over her bandaged ankle hitting the bed leg. She inhaled and said this: "So I can get the information I needed."

Sakura scoffed and sat next to Ino. "Why? What do you need to know about Naruto? Is he important for something?"

Ino remained silent, resisting the urge to bark back at her old friend. They're romantic rivals who are after a cool boy, Ino doesn't need Sakura to bring more complications to her hands. This plan to romance Naruto to get him to see Hinata is the woman for him, but it started rough and kept getting more annoying for her. Ino walked away from Sakura and tried to leave the room, but Sakura closed the door and demanded Ino answer her.

"I need to get something done for someone too shy to go ask him herself. I am going to break his heart, like how Sasuke broke mine when I asked him out. Happy now?" Ino answered Sakura's question. That day when she felt so guilty, suddenly that guilt got replaced by anger and determination.

Sakura was shocked to hear that. Ino left the room and stomped out. Ino shook off that guilt she had before getting caught by Sakura, realizing that was not the worst thing to happen. She worried too much and her mind was not straight due to the remaining pain and exhaustion from a few rough days.

Ino arrived home and sat back to her bed and opened her plan book. "What was I thinking? I already got what I needed. I just need to prepare. Guilt has no place in this. Naruto Uzumaki won't know what will hit him. Sorry Naruto, but I'm after you."


Author's Notes: As pointed out in a review, I made Ino a little robotic, but it gave me an idea for extra lines and edit. whether this works or not, I am taking a break from writing When a Dirty Trick Becomes sincere for now, to focus a another fanfic project. Thank you to everybody who reads the story and looking forward to more when the new update comes in like a week or two. Don't worry, Ino will continue her plan.