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I was sitting on a bench, on top of the roof of one of the buildings in Konoha. Actually, it was the same bench that was Shikamaru's favourite cloud-watching spot.
I came here because I needed some fresh air. At home, my parents didn’t leave me alone for one second, always wanting me to do this and that. But I needed some time to cool off. So I decided to go out. But because of my…well, irregular wishes to take some fresh air, I didn’t have a spot where I could be alone. And, I had to confess, I only thought of this bench. The perfect spot. At least, until…

“Hey! What are you doing here, Ino?”

I snapped out of my thoughts and sat up. I was looking at my team mate, and (sort of) best friend. Shikamaru.
I smiled an exhausted smile at him. I didn’t have to pretend to be perfectly all right.

“What’s up? You look…” he searched for the right word. I waved my hand, meaning for him to let go. I already knew exactly what I looked like.

Taking a strand of my sun-blond hair between my thumb and my index, I looked into the sky.

“Well, nothing particularly unnerving. Just…I needed time for myself. And I had some…until you came butting in!” I laughed.

Shikamaru joined me, laughing too.

“I didn’t expect you to be here. I mean, you come here maybe one time per year. The chances were quite low.” He joked.

That was one of the things I really liked about Shikamaru. He was a lazy guy, no doubt, but when I needed it, he always tried to make me feel better and to make me laugh. It was like I knew him forever. In a matter of fact, I sort of did.

I laughed. “You’re right. The chance was only at 1/365. Not very high.”

He looked surprised. “ Wow. You can do a bit theory of probabilities. I’m impressed!”

I pouted a little bit.

“It’s not like I’m completely stupid!” I said and turned my head to the side and “hmpf”-ed. That made Shikamaru smile.

I thought I heard him say “That’s what I like about you.” I abruptly turned my head.

“What was that?”

He looked at me, a hint of… was it shock? shining in his eyes. Like I caught him saying something forbidden. My heart skipped a little beat.

“Huh? Oh, no, nothing.”

I looked at him suspiciously. But I couldn’t ignore my heart. It was like I had a ticking bomb in my chest and throat, ready to explode at every moment.  I turned away from Shikamaru’s face. What was happening to me?

“Well, I got to go. Thanks for the company.” I said quickly, rising from the bench and trying not to look like I wanted to get away as fast as possible. I mean, I didn’t want to leave because of him. It was because of my… strange behaviour. Or the behaviour of my heart.

I went down the stairs, throwing a quick glance back at Shikamaru. I couldn’t see him clearly, but I could definitely see his smile.

~

The next day, a nightmare woke me up. I sat on my bed, panting. In the dream, I was held hostage by some evil ninjas. But as they were trying to get me back, Chouji and Shikamaru were killed before my eyes. That alone was terrible. But in this dream, I didn’t give a damn about what happened to Chouji. I was only crying over Shikamaru.

I shook my head. I had to be really confused to dream something like that. Really, Ino, didn’t you rest enough? I thought to myself.

I dressed up and then went down to the kitchen. On the table there was a note from my parents.

Honey,
we needed to get out of town for some businesses.
We’ll be back in a week. Could you take over the shop?
Take care,
Mum and Dad.

Well, that was exactly what I needed. I had something to do that could hopefully take all my effort, so that I hadn’t to think and think and think.

An hour later I opened the shop. Today was Thursday, so normally there’d be quite a flow of customers.
Unluckily, I was completely wrong about that.

I sat behind the counter for hours without an end. Only four customers came by. So much about me wanting to do something that’d claim all my attention.

After another hour, I decided to close the shop for today. That was exactly the moment Shikamaru decided to show up.

I heard the bell rang and turned my head to the door. He looked around the shop, obviously searching for something.

“Can I help you, Shikamaru?” I asked.

He looked at me for a moment, then nodded.

“I was, uh, looking for flowers… What would you recommend for, well, when you want to make a gift to…” He didn’t finish the sentence.

But I knew exactly what he wanted to say. Anger began to burn in my stomach and…jealousy? No, that couldn’t be. Impossible.

“Well, I’d recommend red roses. If that’s what you are looking for.” I snapped, maybe a bit too coldly. He nodded again.

He paid, his eyes never leaving my face. It unnerved me. It really did.

“Stop staring at me!” I said forcefully.

“Look, Ino, it’s just for - “

“Never mind, it’s none of my business!” I hissed. Then I flinched. That was so unlike me. I never, never, got mad at Shikamaru.

He looked shocked, too. And mad. He looked really mad. He turned on his heels, forcefully taking the bunch of roses and disappeared out of the shop.

It was then, when I sunk on the chair behind the counter, my hand over my mouth, that I started to realize it.
I didn’t know how long, or to which extend. But it was then that I realized that I cared for him. In more ways then just as a team mate or best friend.
I didn’t realize it before. Of course I didn’t. Not even in the most interior corners of my mind I thought that love could play such games with my heart. Now it all made sense. My behaviour of yesterday, my dream, all.
But I wasn’t happy about that. At least, not quite. I couldn’t stop thinking about the loss in friendship that I’d have if I confessed. Normally I was pretty straightforward. But now… No. It was not possible. I couldn’t tell him.

And just after the realization, I took my choice. No word to no one.

~

The days after that were torture. Shikamaru didn’t talk to me, he only kept ignoring me. Chouji tried to understand what had happened between us, though he never guessed the right thing. But he knew that there was something not right in Shikamaru’s behaviour. Something more… sarcastic and somehow ironic. But I didn’t know.

Every time I  saw Shikamaru, his behaviour would change. One day he’d be mad, the other day he’d ignore me, and then, he started to change his behaviour to one day being mad, the other day nice. My nerves where so hackled up, I was a ticking bomb, ready to explode whenever someone talked to me. Chouji tried to keep his security distance, but he was the only one I didn’t shout at.

~

This went on for another week. My parents were home again, I was totally unnerved and huffy, and on top of that I had to pass my Chuunin Exams. An I was really stressed, because I was the only one that wasn’t already a Chuunin in our team.

The Exams went well, I did it to the last round. My opponent, a girl fr

om the Hidden Mist Village, was strong. But I learned from the best.
My training and teaming up with Chouji and Shikamaru over the last three years helped me to get to my current goal.

As I was pronounced a Chuunin in front of the whole stadium, I felt so light, I totally forgot the last weeks and their events.

Asuma-sensei congratulated me, Chouji even taking me in a big, friendly hug. Only Shikamaru seamed to search for words. Not knowing what would be best to say, he only smiled.

Even if I was still terribly mad at him, even if I tried to hide my little blush, my heart went wild. It was that feeling again, the feeling to be overwhelmed with warmth, a tickling expression in your stomach and the illusion the be able to fly, that overcame me entirely. But I couldn’t let them know. I made a choice. And a promise to myself. So I only smiled a little smile back.

~

It was at the surprise party that evening, that Asuma-sensei threw for me, that I was a bit arguing with myself. The one part of me didn’t care about my friendship. It wanted so bad that I just got over to Shikamaru and told him all I felt. The other was in favour of the choice I made and of the friendship. The friendship that would…well, hopefully be better soon.

Totally lost in my thoughts, I didn’t notice someone approaching. It was only when a hand was held in front of my eyes, that I realized who was standing there. Yes, you guessed right. It couldn’t be any other then Shikamaru.

I looked at him, no word coming out of my mouth. He smiled warmly at me.

“Would the newly pronounced Chuunin and star of the evening be kind enough to dance with me?” he said, with such an enchanting voice that I was only able to nod slightly.

He took my hand and leaded me out of the room. I looked back.

“But the dance floor is -”

“Shhh.”

He put a finger on my lips. We came to a halt in the garden. The music was so loud, it could be still clearly heard. Then he put one hand on my lower back, the other taking my hand in his. Then he pressed me at him.

For a while we danced in silence. I didn’t quite have all my voice back, and he, I presumed, didn’t have much to say. But then I had to know, the part of me that was in favour of my feeling winning now.

“W-what were the last weeks all about? I mean, you were so… mean and, well, strange.”

I heard him chuckle.

“Don’t you know?” He said, his voice in my ears as melodic as before.
I shook my head.

“Well, let’s put it that way. I tried to…well, win something. And to do so, I had to make a strategy. A tactic.”

I was completely  confused.

“What did you have to win?” I wanted to know.

He looked me quickly in the eyes, then turning back to his original position.

“You.”

I stopped dancing. I was sure that my eyes were wide open, exactly like my mouth, and that I looked at him, unbelieving.

“Well, you know, you are not as easy to get as you may think,” he said, “ and I wanted you. You don’t even know what discipline I put myself under to go on with the plan. I’m sorry, it must sound so…weird.”

I still glared at him. Then I looked down. That was all a tactic? Just to get me to like him? I didn’t know if I should be happy or angry.

“Please don’t look like that. I just wanted to know if you would see through it.”

I still didn’t look at him. I was beginning to shake a bit.
Then he took me in his arms.

“Ino. Ino Yamanaka, I love you. I really do. And I promise I won’t test you again.”

Then I couldn’t take it anymore. I threw my arms around him, my head resting on his chest. One or two happy tears escaped my eyes. I wiped them dry.

“I love you too. If you ever do that again, I’ll beat you up! You know I’d do it!” I said in his ear.

He began to laugh. Then he just bent down and kissed me. His lips crushed on mine and instantly every thought vanished from my mind. I closed my eyes, kissing back. It was a kiss that was clearly saying all we wanted the other to know. A kiss for the words we couldn’t say.
Shikamaru gently probed at my lower lip to gain entry into my mouth. I granted it, now tasting the sweetness of the kiss.
It wasn’t like anything I’d expected from Shikamaru. None of his normal laziness could be perceived.
He deepened the kiss even more, just an instant, before we both needed to break free to be able to breathe.

We looked each other in the eyes, both of us breathing heavily.
I closed my eyes, leaning my head on his shoulder, my arms around his neck. He began to softly kiss my throat, making a line from my ear to my collarbone. I sighed.

Then I felt his lips curve into a smile at my neck.

“Do you want to know my strategy to make you come with me to my house?” he asked innocently.

I punched him in the stomach, but laughed at his joke.

“Why’ d you need a strategy for that?” I said, making my voice ever so lightly seductive.

He looked at me with a crooked smile on his face. Then, without a word, he teleported us to his room.