Chapter 22- The Final Confession!
THIS STORY'S SO DAMN LONG, SO PLEASE LET ME CUT IT SHORT… LET'S SEE HERE… AH! LET'S SKIP TO WHERE THE PRINCE KILLS THE EVIL WITCH!
ANKO: Ahhhh! I'm dying! I'M DYIIIIIIINNNNGGGG!
SHIKAMARU: Your evil plans would never work, you evil witch! I will never let my dear princess go without me confessing my love for her.
CROWD: Awww…
Then, the backdrop of the stage changed… From a fiery castle, it became into the room of a sleeping princess. Shikamaru slowly walked to Ino's bedside and looked at her with love and tenderness.
"My dear princess, now is the time for you to find out just how much I've fallen in love with you… I've been too shy for too long. I want to be the first person you see when you open your eyes…"
Then, he slowly drew himself closer to Ino, to kiss her.
"This is so beautiful!" Shikaku cried, "Got a tissue?"
Just when he was an inch away from her, a fire occurred. Naruto accidentally set on the flame machines. Flames spread over quickly to the hanging curtains… The people ran and screamed in terror. Ino quickly opened her eyes as Shikamaru took her hand and pulled her up.
"We have to get out of here!" he said, "The set's on fire!"
They ran as quick as they could as they grasped each other's hand. They ran and they ran, until Shikamaru suddenly felt something in his body… The potion was losing its effect and his body became weaker and weaker, until he collapsed in the middle of the leafy green garden of the academy.
"SHIKAMARU!" Ino cried. Then, she knelt down and placed his head onto her lap. "Please, Shikamaru," she said, "…don't faint now! I… I really have to tell you this right away!"
Shikamaru didn't respond and he remained motionless and unconscious.
"Shikamaru," Ino said, teary-eyed, "Don't… do this to me! Please, I beg of you! I don't want to wait for tomorrow to come! The moon's looking lovely this evening, so please don't ruin this precious moment! Shikamaru!"
She cried. Her tears dropped onto Shikamaru's face. She then, took his body into her arms and held him tight.
"Shikamaru," she said, "I want to tell you… Who I really love…"
Slowly, Shikamaru opened his eyes and blinked.
"Ino," he said softly.
"Shikamaru!" Ino said, a bit happier, "Oh, Shikamaru! I'm glad you're back. Because now… I finally have the courage to tell you… Who I really love now."
Shikamaru sat up, rubbed his eyes and asked, "Okay, then… Does that person have dark hair, tied in a ponytail?"
"Yes," Ino replied.
"Does his first name begin with an 'S'?"
"Yes! And an 'H' and an 'I' after it, too!"
"Does his last name start with the letter 'N'?"
"Yes," she said, now blushing.
"You've known him for a long time, right?"
"Yes, quite a long time…"
"And he wears the same pair of earrings as you?"
"Yes! Yes, he does!"
"I now know who you love, Ino…" Shikamaru said, "I now know who you dumped Sasuke for…"
"I'm pretty sure you've finally got it this time!" Ino cried with excitement.
"IT'S MY FATHER! YOU LOVE MY FATHER!"
Ino's eyes grew larger, annoyed. Then, she yelled, "Not your father, you idiot! I'm in love with his SON!"
Shikamaru replied, "Really? I don't remember having any brothers! I'm an only child!"
"Exactly my point!" Ino replied, "There is no one else… Shikamaru, I… I'm in love with you! I've fallen for you! I've realized Sasuke just wasn't the right one for me. The perfect guy… Has been with me the whole time. I love you, Shikamaru."
"Ino…" he said, with affection, "Please, forgive me for being so anxious… I thought you'd never fall for a lazy guy like me. Ino, I… Ino, I love you too. No lies. No regrets. I love you."
"Shikamaru,"
"Ino,"
Ino shyly smiled at him, blushed and said, "I'll take that kiss you were supposed to give me before the whole set went on fire!"
Shikamaru blushed and replied, "I'd give you that kiss anytime!"
Then, slowly, they drew closer to each other, until they finally shared their kiss… Truer than the last ones… Then, slowly, their lips parted. They looked at each other lovingly and called out one another's names…
"Ino…"
"Shikamaru…"
Suddenly, there was a round of applause. They looked around and saw EVERYONE clapping and yelling. They blushed.
"That was so beautiful!" Shizune said, wiping her tears, "Bravo!"
"I'll say! I can tell it's way better than the script! You two are fantastic!" Gai commented, crying with tears of joy.
"Gai-sensei!" Lee cried out.
"LEE!"
"The power of love is so beautiful, isn't it?" Kakashi said.
"Yeah…" Iruka replied, "Wha- hey! Why're you staring at me! Stop it!"
Everyone was happy. The cast of the play, the teachers, the people of Konoha, and most especially Ino and Shikamaru. Their troubles in love were finally over…
The kiss…
The confession…
The fairy tale ending…
And no, I am not gonna say, 'And they all lived happily ever after!'
…damn, I just said it.
-FIN-
Stop reading, 'tis the end! Hey! I said, stop it! It's the end of the fic already! Do something better like cleaning your grandmother's bellybutton, or picking your nose, or something… Come on, I'm busy here!
-END-