Their lips met.

All the emotions burst out.

All the emotions.

Like fear.

They broke apart.

All the emotions burst out.

Like love.

WORTH IT

--

"Wait!" her voice cried, making him stop in his tracks.

He didn't turn to her as her own footsteps died down behind him. His back faced her. "Shikamaru--!"

"Ino," he said stiffly, silencing her. "I can't work."

He could feel glare at him with her tear-glazed eyes. He should have never have done that. It was wrong, and unfaithful on her part. She was off-limits now. He had missed his chance a long time ago.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have—"

"You're wrong." She said, her words like stone. Unbreakable and solid to its core. She sounded so sure. He turned his head to face her.

"You're wrong, Shikamaru." She repeated, holding his gaze. She would not let it go. She would not let him go. "It can work." She said, her eyes now narrowing, holding back tears. "You just won't let it."

"Ino—"

"No! Listen to me," she cried, finally breaking her stony exterior. She turned him around to face her as he resisted. "I can leave him—I can. Then we won't get married and I… I'll be with you." She said, smiling, but her stinging eyes finally gave in as the tears trickled down. "D-Daddy will understand! He's always liked you best a-and…"

"No, Ino." He said softly, holding on to her tighter as she managed to get in his arms. "I won't let you do that—"

"See! That's was I'm talking about!" she yelled, banging her fists on his chest. "You won't let it!—You won't—You won't try!"

He let her sob into his chest as his own self overfilled with guilt. She's crying because of me. Again. Just like before. Each cry piercing him like knives.

But this was for the best. The best for her. She was good now. Stable, great job that kept her in the village—kept her safe. And…

"But what about him?"

She was engaged.

"What about him?" she flared up, now pushing him away at arm's length. "Since when do you care about him! You didn't give a rat's ass about him be—"

"I know!" he spat suddenly. "But that's only becau—"

"I love you!" she said forcefully, as if pressing it on him. "Not him—"

"But you said yes—you said YES to him!" he lost control. "If you love me, then why did you say yes?" She was taken back at his emphasis.

More tears burned down her face in both anger and disbelief. "I gave up." She said, simply. "I gave up on you, Shikamaru."

He felt like a thousand bricks crashed upon him. "Then what do you want from me now? If you gave up on me, then what the hell do you want—"

"TO TRY!" she screamed. "I want you… to try…" more tears seeped from her eyes. "Try for me."

She had embraced him by then, hiding her face into his chest. "Try for once, please. Shikamaru…"

He felt as if his world was put into slow motion. Her words hitting him slowly, making the pain last longer. He wanted to say he would. But he couldn't. He hesitated—like he always did. Thinking—calculating on his next move. And unfortunately, this move couldn't be anymore wrong.

"I'm sorry, Ino." He said finally, pushing her away. "It's just too troublesome."

He had expected her to cry and insist like she always did after his normal phrase but instead, after a long and painful pause, she smiled. But she wasn't happy. He had never seen her more devastated—and yet, there she was, like it was a normal day, smiling at him, her tears finally stopped.

"Right then," she said in a cheery tone, wiping the remaining tears away as casually as she could. " I'll see you around then, Shikamaru."

She turned away from his and slowly walked away. She had only taken few steps before she turned halfway, just enough to face him and said a low voice, afraid if she made it any louder, she's start crying again, "I'm sorry, this time. I shouldn't have done what I just did. I hope I didn't hit you too hard." She grinned, sheepishly, blinking furiously.

"Ino—"

"I just…" she interrupted sharply, now looking away from him. Trying his best to ignore the tears that now fallen on the ground, she look back up at him and smiled sadly. "I just thought I was worth it."

And with one last turn, she was gone. And the sound of a heart breaking rang through his ears.

--

"I just thought I was worth it."