Shikamaru sipped his hot chocolate, stretching out himself on the purple sofa. It was a cold winter evening and he had been spending the last hour in Ino's cozy living room. The day made him tired and weary. Relaxing in a friend's home seemed the most inviting form of relaxation. As a matter of fact, he had been spending most of his afternoons or evenings in Ino's apartment ever since Asuma's death. It saddened him greatly and it was wonderful to have someone whom you can tell your feelings too. It seemed suicidal at first (considering the fact that Ino was somewhat a gossip girl) but he soon got used to it. He finally decided that Ino was a good listener and adviser. Tonight, they had been talking of his day. Shikamaru had been teaching part-time in the Academy and the idea excited Ino.

"Most of the students are troublesome," He said dryly. "I don't know if I'll get used to them..."

"Kids are cute." Ino said, giggling. "You're better off teaching. At least, you get some salary every month!"

"Well, that's the only thing I look forward to..."

"Looks like you'll be receiving your first payment tomorrow, huh?"

"Yeah... I'm happy about that."

"Who wouldn't be? I mean, you worked hard for it..." She looked into his direction and smiled widely. "Anyway, you've got something to say, right? You're not here just to tell me about the school and stuff... I see it in your eyes ever since you stepped into my living room. Now spill!" She said, rather excitedly.

Shikamaru laid his arms on the top of the sofa. "You remember the time I told you about my ideal?"

Ino smiled. Of course she remembered very well. How could she forget? It had all happened one autumn afternoon. It was bright and a good deal hotter than most autumn days. It seemed best to go out of the house and take advantage of the weather. They were sitting in her garden. She was showing him her latest, mail-order romantic novels.

"'What must my lady be that I must love her?'" He had quoted from one of them. "This sucks... They're so out of place and how can women accept such proposals?" He placed the book down.

"What? You don't like it?" She queried, glaring at him angrily. "That's the latest book from the best writer in the shinobi world, Masashi Kishimoto! Don't you know that-" A cunning look came into her eyes and she winked at him. "But... Tell me, Shikamaru... What is your ideal woman?"

Shikamaru coughed. "My what?"

"Your ideal woman... Are you that deaf or just simply ignorant?"

"My ideal..." He repeated the phrase twice then looked at the clouds in the sky. "My ideal woman is a girl who is neither ugly nor pretty... Slim, perhaps, and not so loud-mouthed as you are." He received a warning glance so he quickly added. "She must also have those bright brown eyes and dark brown hair... Satisified?"

Ino nodded as she remembered the moment. That was one of the times she cherished the most. Shikamaru never confessed things like those anyway. She looked across the room to her reflection in the mirror. Blonde hair, blue eyes, and, not to mention, a loud mouth. There was no way she was his ideal. She looked back at him.

"What about it?" She asked.

"I have found her." He smiled a roguish smile. "She was with Kurenai-sensei yesterday. I asked her about the girl and she said that the girl's name was Hana and is visiting her. Hana is her niece and will stay in Konoha until the birth of the baby. I am to dine with them tonight."

"Oh really?" She raised an eyebrow. "It's a wonder you were invited, by Kurenai-sensei, of all people! Oh, if only I could get through to her and tell her how your table manners really are..." She said sarcastically. "I'll bet that she'll regret that she invited you for dinner with her niece! I won't be surprised if-"

"Okay, okay, you've said enough." He said, placing the mug on the table and leaving, clearly annoyed. "Whatever... You've lowered my confidence, I can tell you. It was nice of you to let me come but I think it's time I leave. Goodbye."

Ino smirked and opened a window as soon as he was walking away.

"Hey! You'll come back tomorrow, right? I didn't mean to lower your confidence or anything... Come back, alright?" She shouted after him.

She need not remind him though for Shikamaru came the next night, raving to her about Hana. He had dined with her and Kurenai at a famous restaurant in Konoha and he greatly enjoyed it.

"Hana is nice. I'll bet you'd like to meet her. She's a good soul and..." He sipped his coffee. "She ain't as troublesome as you are..."

"Excuse me... It's lazy people who are troublesome."

Shikamaru ignored the remark but kept on talking about Hana. Ino smiled at every sentence. She was delighted that he had spoken but something inside her hurt. She did not understand this feeling. Thinking it was nothing but just the thought of losing him as a friend, she ignored it. But as the days went by and Shikamaru kept talking more and more about Hana, the pain grew and it troubled her. Once when Shikamaru had gone from the nightly ritual, she lay on her couch and cried her heart out on the pillow, for the sake of getting rid of the pain inside her.

It was a nice windy autumn afternoon in Konoha. Classes had ended early that day and Shikamaru decided to spend the rest of the day in Ino's apartment. He had just arrived when he heard a man's voice coming from inside the house. He opened the front door and was surprised to find a nice young man seated on one of the chairs in the living room. The young man had hazel eyes and white blonde hair. He had a forehead protector tied to his arm, just like Shikamaru's. The symbol was of the country of Rock. Ino smiled at Shikamaru and bade him to come in and sit down with her and "dear Ken". He accepted and sat on the farthest chair. He sulked in it all day while Ino and Ken were having a nice discussion amidst cups of hot chocolate. The two, though, failed to notice. They were much too absorbed in their conversation.

"How is Hana?" Ino asked as she poured hot chocolate for Shikamaru after Ken had gone. "Is she fine?"

"Oh she's fine. You've no need to worry about her." He almost scowled. "Who is that guy?"

Ino sighed dreamily. "He is a dear, dear childhood friend. Didn't I tell you about it? No? I must have forgotten... I used to play with him when we were kids before I entered the Academy and his family moved to the Rock Country. I missed him so..."

"You're close?" He asked, scrutinizing her every move.

"Not really... He played mostly with boys but he teased us girls a lot. And-"

"No, no, that's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about now. Are you close now?"

"Not really." She smiled foxily. "Why are we talking about Ken, anyway? Why don't you tell me about the ideal?"

But Shikamaru was in no mood to tell her about Hana's successes. His feelings were all mixed up! He was wondering who that Ken guy was in Ino's life. Is he just an old friend, as Ino said? Or is he something more? Somehow, the thought of the last possibility scared him for who knows why.

Everyday after that, Ken always arrived before him, chatting with Ino until it was dark. Once, Ken had talked with him and it had not gone well so Shikamaru wondered how Ino could enjoy talking to him. One day, however, Shikamaru arrived as usual at the house. The lights were turned off and not a thing stirred inside. He knocked on the door but could hear no answer. Haruno Sakura, who lived beside Ino, noticed him.

"Hey, what are you doing?" She asked, coming over to him.

"Is Ino home?" He asked, raising up a hand to show the cookies he had bought for Ino. "I bought these for her."

"That is so sweet but, sadly, she isn't home. She went out with Ken-san just a few minutes ago."

Now this angered him greatly and he refused to go to Ino's house for a while, feeling hurt because they had never gone on walks. She had always rejected his offers, making up an excuse about the weather. What a fool he was to believe everything she said! He felt dejected and betrayed. Who was really this Ken guy with whom Ino agreed to accompany her during the afternoon? Shikamaru did not even have the urge to visit Hana. He had gone tired of it all, especially Ino. She had betrayed him. Or so he thought...

One night, Sakura invited him and Hana to have dinner with her team mates. He had not the slightest urge to go but Hana insisted on going which left him with no other choice. During the course of the meal, Sakura brought up the subject of Ino. Shikamaru strained his ears to listen. If somebody knew Ino well, it would have to be her best friend, Sakura. He could not hide the fact that he was greatly interested although nobody really noticed.

"She's looking quite fine these days." Sakura said. "Looks like she's finally getting a sweetheart..."

"Who?" Yamato asked.

"Why! Ken-san of the Rock Country, Yamato-sensei! Don't you know? They've been going out on dates forever! Ken is so nice and swell, good for her. They just look so good together! Don't you think?"

Shikamaru sighed. So she was finally getting a sweetheart, huh? It hurt him that she had not informed him of it. Usually, he was the first one to know when Ino spotted a hot guy across the street. Rumors like these spread out all throughout Konoha with amazing speed and soon everybody knew about it so it surprised them when, suddenly, Ken left Konoha. Everyone surmised that Ino had turned him down. Shikamaru felt a strange surge of hope. Upon hearing this, he left his students and went down to Ino's place quickly without quite knowing the reason why.

"Ino, are you out of your mind?" He asked upon entering. "You turned Ken down?"

"What?" She laughed. "Turned him down? I see you've heard then... But have not seen."

"What does that mean?"

"Ken has another sweetheart and he was asking me for advice, that's what. We weren't dating, really. We were just discussing stuff. Do you want some hot chocolate?"

"No... This will just take a minute." He hesitated then said, "Ino, I've just realized that you are far better than any other girl. You're different from them all and you're one of a kind! There's no one like you. You're someone I can't compare to nobody else but... You... You light up my life... You light me up. You make me feel glad so... I just want to say that I like you, very much and..."

He stretched out his arms to embrace her and she accepted.