Author's Notes: Before we begin the new chapter/part. I want to once again show my appreciation to many readers taking the time to check this out and giving me critiques and criticism. This fanfic reached 1000+ views in the past week, and I got carried away with writing and overlooked a few things. I do hope this story continues to entertain you and a little surprise, I gotten more ideas for a different Naruto fanfic. While there will be retaining elements from this fanfic, this fanfic will be a different AU compared to another AU Continuity I have planned. Now that's out of the way, please enjoy.
Part 5: A Long Promise
After a couple of weeks, Ino gotten everything prepared to get Naruto on a date with her and thankfully her rashes and injuries were healed. After some time Ino came across Sakura. The two are in awkward silence. No arguments, no insults, no physical contact. After a minute, Sakura broke the ice by asking Ino a question.
"So… this plan of yours is for Hinata, did I get that right?"
Ino nodded, holding her breath and avoided eye contact.
"Hey. What happened in Naruto's house stays there. Nobody will know. I'm just curious why you are going to make Naruto sad when it would be easier to get Hinata to grow a spine and ask him herself. Naruto just got back with Lady Tsunade as the 5th Hokage, Sasuke got seriously injured from a run-in with his older brother, a wanted criminal, and I'm surprised to see you're not trying to cuddle Sasuke right now."
Ino sighed and turned her back. It became clear she just wants to get her plan over with. The sooner the better, Ino kept finding herself in weird situations regarding this plan, she hoped it will go on like normal.
"Fine. Don't answer. Just know if I am asked by Naruto about you, I won't leave a single detail out. If your plan get Naruto off my back though, then I will keep silent. I don't think it will end how you want to though."
"I'll be fine. I lost a friend in you, I was harshly rejected by Sasuke, I failed to become a Chunin like everybody else. What pride do I have left? At least I am getting a friend a man of her dreams. I didn't get mine, so I won't let Hinata feel the same how I did." Ino finally replied and walked away.
"Seriously? You have become so dramatic ever since the Chunin Exams. What happened to you, Ino? Do you really pity Hinata so much you would get Naruto heartbroken?" Sakura kept pressuring on Ino, causing her to be annoyed.
"Because I'm keeping a promise. Yes, I pity her, but I want to return a favor she did for me a long time ago while we were at the Academy." Ino barked back to Sakura, before leaving with no further comment.
Ino remembered that time when she was a mere child, happy, kind, and every boy who were wary of girls and girly things even like her and her kindness was what begun the friendship between Sakura and Ino. Their crush on Sasuke was the reason their friendship ended and turned into a rivalry.
The first few days was an embarrassment for Ino. Now she will make everything perfect. Just get it done and she would likely never hear from Naruto again. For now, just get it done before anything else gets in the way is how Ino feels right now.
—Flashback—
Hinata was a very shy child and a recent addition to the class. It was a field trip day at the Academy where the class would go to a forest to observe ninja at work. Everyone was watching the Chunin and Jonin teach and demonstrate various methods of espionage and other useful abilities, but Hinata could not watch the adults at work, she was focused on the fact Naruto was right next to her. A boy who came to her defense when a group of bullies ambushed her and mistreated her due to her Hyuga lineage. Ino took notice of Hinata's redden face and whispered to her.
"Hey, what's going on? Are you getting a fever?"
Hinata shook her head quickly and pointed at Naruto, who was not even paying attention to Hinata or Ino. Ino realized what was going on and whispered again.
"I know the feeling. I'm like that with Sasuke. I am having a hard time trying to ask him out."
Hinata looked over to Sasuke, who was watching the adults, she sighed and looked away as if he's nothing. Initially Ino was surprised to see Hinata dismiss Sasuke, then again if she likes Naruto? Then why would she like Sasuke like every girl in the class does?
"Well, maybe we will both try to get our boys. Here's an idea, could you help me get him to notice me?" Ino asked Hinata.
Hinata nodded and went back to watching the adults at work. It was not a terrible or a grand memory, but for Ino being rejected at a young age really hurt her, though many would simply dismiss it as young love and the rejection would be natural since they are young, inexperienced, and unaware of worst things that could happen. Ino knew now the rejection at youth was not the end of the world, just it lingers in her mind and her rivalry with Sakura did nothing to help it. Sasuke likely rejected Sakura too, but would Ino know? Likely since Sakura would have bragged about it. Regardless, Ino and Hinata did get something going. Hinata asked Sasuke see Ino at the playground, and that was when she was rejected. Unfortunately the timing was terrible. Sasuke just survived the Uchiha Massacre and his choice of words could have been nicer. Ino as of now has known her mind rotate what the words was, but the meaning is the same: "Leave me alone, I don't like you. You need to get a life and do something with yourself."
After the rejection, Ino was left to tears, running absentmindedly as the sun sets. Ino didn't know what to do after that. She sat on a bench, sobbing while wiping the tears with her sleeves, and to her surprise a familiar face came to her.
"Hiya." Hinata spoke to Ino, fidgeting with her fingers.
"Hi." Ino responded. "Why are you here?"
"I saw what happened. I'm so sorry. It's my fault for telling him you like him."
"No, it's okay. It's not a secret anyway. I just didn't have the courage to ask him if he would like to be my boyfriend."
"My parents said we're too young to get boyfriends." Hinata sat on the bench next to Ino.
Ino chuckled and frowned once more. "It seemed like everyone wants to be his girlfriend. I want to know what it's like to date."
Hinata blushed and looked away. Ino took notice of Hinata blushing and she realized why. "It's about the moron Naruto, right?"
Hinata's face turned even redder and attempted to deny it, though every denial seemed more suspicious than the last.
"You told me you like him. I guess it's bigger than that. Why you like-like him?"
Hinata took a deep breath and she begun to list off many traits she admired of Naruto, much to Ino's dismay and regretted asking that question.
An hour later, Ino was laughing at Hinata for her admiration for Naruto. "You were smitten by Naruto because he fended off some bullies, and he gave you his scarf as well as being stubborn?"
"Yes. I want to be alongside him. I just… I just can't get myself to ask what he thinks of me."
"I'm sure he thinks of you as another girl. Just there who saw him be an idiot and probably made fun of him. It's okay you like him. I just didn't think it's possible for anybody to like him like that. You know what? Since you helped me with Sasuke, I'll help you with Naruto."
"But how? I'm too young and I don't think Naruto gets the idea I like him."
"Not now, but someday. Let's start after we graduate. Come to think of it, your name is Hinata Hyuga, right?"
Hinata nodded.
"I'm Ino Yamanaka. Nice to meet you."
"But I only told Sasuke you like him and you got rejected. You don't need to do anything big."
"Nonsense! If I can get you to date Naruto, then I might get a chance to get Sasuke. Perhaps I'm just not the girl he likes, I need to be meaner and bolder and girlier. Let's make a promise. We both will get our dream boys. Okay?" Ino held out her pinky finger to Hinata.
Hinata hesitated, but she crossed her pinky finger with Ino's.
"Someday, we will get those two. I don't care what it takes."
Back to the Present
Ino sighed with movie tickets to see an action adventure movie in her hands, she shuffled through the tickets and remembered that promise. She was a little girl when she made that, so naive like the others, and now she get conflicted slightly not of guilt, but another feeling.
(I think he likes action movies. If I show him a romantic one, he may turn down the date. This movie is about a foreign warrior from a faraway land who learns the Ninja Arts. The hero wants to be king. It sounded similar to Naruto's dream, so maybe he likes this premise.) Ino thought when she is done shuffling through tickets and made sure the date and time matches. She went to try to find Naruto at Ichiraku Ramen, again. This time though she actually found him there.
"Hey Naruto!" Ino happily announced as she sat by him.
"Hey Ino, what's up?" Naruto asked.
"Oh nothing. I have movie tickets I gotten for me and Sasuke to see, but he's injured and I can't force him out of bed. I already tried Sakura, but you know us. So I figured since we rarely do anything together for no reason, why not we see the movie?" Ino explained, hoping Naruto haven't seen this film yet.
"Uh… sure? You're acting a little funny, what's wrong?"
"Oh, no. Nothing's wrong. I just figured we could use some bonding. It occurred to me Choji and Shikamaru are friendlier with you and they can be pretty inappropriate in most situations."
"Didn't Shikamaru become a Chunin though? Why not take him to congratulate him?" Naruto asked with a mouthful of noodles.
"Nah. He won't like this movie. And it's not even a romantic one. It's some foreigner learning Ninjutsu to help with his quest to become a king. Assuming king is the same as Hokage. And really, I don't want to waste the extra ticket I have. I couldn't get a refund." Ino laughed nervously trying to convince Naruto.
"Sure thing. I haven't seen a movie in a while." Naruto finished eating and payed for the ramen.
(Perfect! Now he's caught in my web. Just need him to know we can be boyfriend-girlfriend.) Ino thought with a happy face on the surface, and Inner Ino had a devilish face that rivals Inner Sakura's.
Ino has completed phase 1, now to phase 2. Have a nice dinner. Nothing else will inconvenience her and Hinata's plan.
