Ino leaned her ear closer to the door. Inside, muffled voices could be heard. One was of her father's and the other was of her Jounin sensei, Sarutobi Asuma. A sudden feeling of fear struck her. What had they been talking about for the past half hour? She straightened up and looked around. Then, deciding that there was no clue anywhere, she bended her back and strained her ears to listen better. Mor muffled voices. She stayed in this position for a few minutes, listening to nothing at all but gibberish from inside the room. Sighing, she sat down beside her teammate, Nara Shikamaru. He was busy drawing stuff on the huge brown stains on the ceiling in his imagination. Ino watched him intently, wondering if this was how Genius really worked...

"How troublesome…" He muttered after some minutes. "We've been waiting for half an hour with nothing to do… My neck hurts already..."

"I know that." She said, playing with her fingers. "Please stay a little bit longer."

He frowned. "Why did I agree to accompany you in the first place?" He scanned her from top to bottom and marvelled at how quiet she could actually get at times like these. "You know, you're kinda fun to be with... When you're like that."

"Oh really?" She teased. "We haven't been doing anything in the past half hour."

Shikamaru twitched. "I was just joking." He turned away his head to prevent her from seeing him blushing. "Don't take that seriously."

She giggled and pinched his cheek. "You're kinda cute when you're embarrassed."

He backed away. "But that still hurt you know."

"It was just a slight pinch!"

"It still hurts…" He said, holding his cheek.

Suddenly, a huge puff of smoke exploded in their line of sight. After the smoke cleared, Izumo appeared before their eyes. He motioned for Ino to follow him.

"You are called. Come inside."

Ino deliberately stood up. Shikamaru gripped her hand.

"You sure you're alright to go in there alone?"

"Yah. What's wrong? You've been like bugged..."

"No, nothing. I just feel bad about it."

He let go of her. He watched her as she entered the room. He lounged back at the sofa, still staring at the ceiling. The stains seemed queerly larger and more real. He wondered what to do next. An idea popped into his mind. The most wonderful idea. Smiling to himself, he decided to take a nap. The thought of dreaming about delicious stuff was getting into his head when his thoughts were interrupted by a loud cry. Ino ran out of the door, crying. She ran to him and embraced him in a tight hug. Clearly, she was unaware of what she was doing. Shikamaru, unable to free himself, could not move. He felt her warm tears fall on his flak jacket.

"Shi…ka…ma…ru… I'm…"

"What? I cannot understand what you're saying. Stop crying for a while." He moved her slowly away from his body and she sat on his lap. He reached for the soiled handkerchief in his pocket - surely she would not mind now - and wiped her tear-stained face. "Now, tell me what happened."

Ino sobbed. "We're leaving."

"You're what?"

"I said I'm leaving." She placed her head on his shoulder. "I'm leaving Konoha."

"But… why do you have to leave?"

Thoughts raced on his mind. Ino had always been like a little sister to him, his baby. She cannot go, at least, without him. Well, maybe not now. Though he would not admit anything, he somehow liked her. Wait! What was he thinking? Does he really love her? Maybe yes. Perhaps, he really liked her. Or maybe more than that. He stared at her. She had begun to cry again.

"We're moving…"

"Is this true?" He brushed a tear from her face with his finger. "Stop crying already. Why do you have to move?"

"The shop is going bankrupt and so is our family. My father decided to move." She whimpered. "And I'm going to miss you."

"I'm going to…miss you too."

She looked at him, her eyes searching every inch of his face, searching for sincerity in what he said. His soft brown eyes melted her heart. She softly touched his cheek and her tears fell. Shikamaru smiled at her reassuringly.

"Say, why don't we hang out for a while?"

Ino looked up and sniffed. "A-a-are you sure? You don't have work to do?"

"Work can come later. It's bound to be finished sooner or later." He stroked her hair. "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go!"

Shikamaru stood up and guided her along as they walked out of the hospital. She was still sort of weak after the shock of the revelation had seeped into her soul. He felt quite nice just doing this, holding her shaking hands and placing his arm on her shoulder. He felt good, better than he ever did.

They spent the remainder of the day in the forest, walking around and picking random stuff from the ground. They trudged across the branches and pines that littered the forest floor and they were filled with scratches but, who cares? They were happy with just each other's company.

"Chouji is gonna be mad at me." Shikamaru noted as they sat down to rest underneath the shelter of a giant tree. "He wasn't included in here... Hey, what's to be laughed at?"

"Nothing."

"Oh come on! Tell me!"

"Alright, it's fun to spend a nice day with a wonderful person," She stared at him for a moment, looking into his eyes that it made him feel nervous. "Like you…"

"L-like me?" He blushed slightly. "Did I hear that right?"

"You're not deaf are you?"

"Of course I'm not."

"You heard that right."

"Ino," She looked at him. "I want to tell you something. I hope you wouldn't laugh at me or anything. Laughing would be ten times worse..." He hesitated and finally said it. "I'm in love with someone…"

"Who is this someone?"

"That someone? Hmm… How do I describe her? Well, she's nice and quite spoiled. Yeah, she was energetic." As he was speaking, Ino's tears were already falling. "That someone is also my best friend since we were children. She told me all her feelings. She cries to me too. You know, I kinda get hurt when she wails for that boy she'd crazy for. You know what? She just said she's leaving so I told her how I felt."

"Oh Shikamaru!" A tear fell from her eyes.

"You know something else? She's been like my baby for years that's why I treat her with such care. And I—"

Suddenly, he felt her lips on his. Electricity flowed through his body and he felt frozen. Shikamaru closed his eyes. He never could have imagined it his way: The strongest female ninja in Konoha is his! Ino pulled away from the kiss and she flushed with embarrassment at what she had just done. She bowed her head low. He ran his hand through her cheek. She looked up.

"You did well…."

"Thank you but…"

Unable to restrain his emotions, he bent down for another but she brought her finger to his lips.

"One is enough." She stood up. "I have to go now."

"Ino!" He grabbed her hand and stood up. "Don't you like me?"

"Look, it's not that. I just have to go." She tried to free her hand but his grip was tight. "Let me go!"

He wouldn't let go. She was ready to spank him. But when she looked at his eyes, she saw them as deep and sorrowful.

"Ino, please, don't go yet." He motioned for her to sit down. "Don't leave me yet." He began to get teary-eyed. It was the first time Ino saw him this way. "I still need you here… by my side."

"I want to stay." She touched his eyes. "As much as you want me to. But I can't. And I'm sorry."

"Please, don't leave me now. Stay here with me. I don't want you to leave me with nothing to remember and treasure forever."

She hesitated and sat down again.

"Ino, I know this mat sound trivial but it's going to rain."

"So?"

"Which means… You can't go home yet. Then there's the possibility that the rain would be strong and we might have to spend the night..." A grin spread across his face. Ino screamed but he cupped her mouth with his hands. "Don't scream."

She yanked his hand free. "You did it on purpose!" She paced back and forth. "Dad will be furious!"

"So? I thought it was fun."

Ino sat down quietly for a moment as the rain poured. Shikamaru placed an arm around her shoulders.

"You'll be safe with me." He stroked her hair and she placed her head on his shoulder. "You'll be safe here."

"I know…"

"Ino?"

"Yes?"

"Would you let me?"

"I guess I would…"

He held her face in his hands and stared at her eyes. He bent his head low and slowly and carefully kissed her on the lips.

"I loved you…" He muttered.

Before Ino could say anything, his arms were around her and his lips on hers. She thought she would cry. She encircled her arms around him.

"Did you feel anything?" He asked as soon as they released.

"Yes, I could feel something. I cannot explain it."

"Okay…"

A moment of silence followed. Ino broke the silence.

"All these years I thought that the right guy was far away but I never thought he was so close, just within my reach… I have met him and now I'm leaving him." She chuckled but it was choked in tears.

"Ino… Promise me that you will come back for me. I don't care how long but I'm willing to wait. Cause I truly love you."

Ino smiled and hugged him tightly that he could barely breathe.

"I promise… I will come back for you…"