A/N: Whoops! The beginning of my last AN was a bit..confusing SO! I'm going to clarify before I get started.

This fic. was supposed to be a part of Ramen Soup for the Teenage Soul but since it turned into a two-shot I had to make it a separate fic.

Sorry for the confusion, folks!

Now it's time for the disclaimer! Take it away Shikamaru.

Shikamaru: Fine. Brightfairy8 aka Miaka-chan (you know, that name is really starting to be a pain..) does not own Naruto.

Brighfairy8: Thanks and by the way, I'm sorry if I couldn't come up with a better pan-name. It's the only one I could think of!

Shikamaru: Yeah? Well get rid of it.

Brightfairy8: Umm no. Now be quiet before I send Ino on you.

Shikamaru: -no comment-

I passed by Ichiraku's, and I saw Naruto there with Hinata. I can't believe I'm saying this, but they actually do make a nice pair.

Still..I kinda feel bad for Hinata. She's gonna have to deal with that knucklehead every single day. Such a drag..

Aw crap! That reminds me! I gotta find Ino and apologize, but for what? Eh..I dunno, but for some reason seeing her cry today like that sorta made me feel guilty.

I continued travelling down the path staring at the clouds, thinking of the best way to apologize to Ino-chan.

Wait…

Aw geez. I did not just say Ino-chan, did I?

-sigh- This is such a pain.

Well, here I am: The Yamanaka Flower Shop

Status: Closed for the day..

-

-

-

What? Is she really that mad at me? I didn't even do anything!

This is the part where I groan..

Great. Just great. Only one thing to do now..

Should I

Just walk away?

Stand there like a total idiot and hope someone will open it like Naruto would do? No. Only Naruto would do that, and since it's his thing I'm not gonna even bother with this suggestion ("Hey! I heard that, Shikamaru!" Naruto screamed. "That's fine," I muttered to myself, "he probably would've heard it sooner or later from Sasuke anyways.." "Yeah that's true-HEY!" "Clueless idiot," I muttered to myself again.)

Do the right thing and just keep knocking on the door 'til I make her mad? That's the most troublesome option ever, but if she'll eventually answer..then…

Looks like C is most logical.

'Here goes.' I thought to myself.

And so I started knocking like there was no tomorrow.

'Come on, Ino. If you're not going to be answering to anyone at least answer to your own teammate…and friend.'

At the Hokage's office, Sakura was currently having a chat with her teacher, the one and only Tsunade.

"Shishou, do you think the plan worked?" Sakura asked.

"I'm sure it'll work out fine, Sakura. Don't worry. I'm pretty sure Shikamaru has the same feelings for the Yamanaka girl as well," Tsunade replied with a wink.

"Let's hope so-"

Suddenly the phone rang.

"I got it," Sakura said while getting the phone.

-

"Hello?"

"Sakura! It's horrible!" the person on the other line said. She was sobbing.

'Ino..' Sakura immediately thought.

"What happened, Ino?" Sakura asked in a pleading tone.

"I met Shika-kun at the tree and he-he-"

All of a sudden a loud BANG BANGING was heard on the other side of the line.

"Ino, what's with the noise over there?" Sakura asked.

"Ino? YO INO!! OPEN UP FOR ME!"

Shikamaru was now resorting to shouting. Several minutes had gone by, and Ino had yet to answer the door.

'Troublesome woman..'

With Ino-

"Umm..Sakura?" Can I call you back later?"

Sakura on the other line raised an eyebrow.

"Shika-kun is here!" Ino exclaimed.

At once, relief spread throughout Sakura's face.

"OH! Ok Ino! Talk to you later then! Ja!"

"I'm guessing that the little mission turned out quite nicely after all?" Tsunade asked Sakura while smirking triumphantly.

"Yes, Shishou. Sorry for doubting you," Sakura quietly laughed.

Tsunade laughed. "Don't worry! What matters is that the plan was a success! I say we should celebrate. SHIZUNE! HOW ABOUT GETTING ME SOME SAKE?"

Sakura sweatdropped.

'Of course…but I guess she can have some this one time.."

I sighed heavily before saying,

"Troublesome woman. What happened earlier?"

Ino wasn't so sure what to say to him.

'It was just a mistake..I guess he didn't realize-'

"You know, you look kinda cute when you've got that sad look on your face," Shikamaru suddenly said.

Ino's face lit up. "Really?"

"Yeah," I replied. She really does…

Come to think of it, she's been loads nicer to Choji and me over the past few years since Sasuke left the village. I guess she decided to give up on him after all. Good..

"Hey Ino?" I said.

"What?"

I blushed a bit. Ino saw this and giggled.

'Her giggle…I guess it's safe to say that it's cute-'

"Umm…well..I was just..wondering well maybe if we could uhh…go out together some time? You know? Just…just the two of us?"

I offered her my arm after saying all that 'Please say yes please say yes please say yes-'

Ino smiled and her eyes shined.

"Ok!"

We walked out of the shop arm in arm.

As we walked through the village I realized,

'Her eyes..they're blue…like the sky. Heh. That's where the clouds are. Everytime I look at her she reminds me of the clouds.'

Maybe that troublesome woman isn't so troublesome after all.

A/N:

Done! Sorry for the long wait.

Dedicated to my first reviewer of this fic, StaYgolden3262