:Okay, my second fanfic! This is sorta a sequel to my previous one, Fear and Regret, but focusing more on the Kiba-Ino part. Don't worry, you'll be able to understand most of the story without reading the previous fic, but hey, I would love it if you did!

:O yeah, I'm put up the chapters again... doing a bit of cleaning up and fixing a few things...

:I don't own Naruto… obviously.

:Chapter 1…

Chapter 1: Rainy Memories

Ino Yamanaka was shifting in her bed, finding it hard to sleep, even after such a long day. She had just returned home to Konoha after four years of training. She missed everyone so much, but didn't really see anyone except the Godaime, who they reported their progress to, it was lengthy and boring, where Ino just stood silent, listening. The Godaime then sent her home immediately to rest, but she was finding it very hard to get any.

Come to think of it, the previous four years were probably the hardest, most tiring four years of her life. Training under Anko Mitarashi is in no way a field trip. It was hard, and grueling. But, after getting used to the hard work, constantly being called a 'maggot', and the intense boot-camp style training methods, it turned out to be okay after all. Now more confident in her mind-jutsu skills, and finding her true place as a shinobi, intelligence gathering was now her strongpoint.

Still, today was such a long day, all she wanted to do was to to sleep, for tomorrow would surely be an even longer day, with everyone asking her how she's been. She herself would also like to see how Konoha has been for the past four years, surely a lot of things have changed.

Giving up on trying to sleep by tossing and turning on her bed, Ino sleepily stood up and made her way towards the window. She looked up sadly at the dark sky above looming over the village, her long blonde hair untied and trailed behind her. As she looked out the window, small droplets of rain began to fall from the sky.

"You don't look to happy to see me…" she muttered, talking to the sky. She used to love the rain, but that was long ago. She despised how much the tiny little droplets of water were like tears, tears that started to flow from her eyes, she hated how much they reminded her of…him.

Oh, she could remember it like it was yesterday, one of her fondest memories…

Flashback: Seven years ago, at the Yamanaka Flower Shop…

It's been a week after the failed retrieval mission for Sasuke, and Sakura was still an emotional wreck. Ino tried everything to comfort and reassure her best friend. But she knew that only time could heal this type of pain. One thing was for sure though, she had no more feelings for the Uchiha. It was nothing more than a childish crush. She was ashamed of letting her friendship with Sakura slip just because of a pathetic rivalry for a boy who clearly wanted nothing to do with either of them. Well, it was Sakura who ended their friendship anyway. Ever since they clashed at the Chunin Exams, Ino had been jealous of Sakura, though she would never admit it. She was jealous of how boys seemed to notice her more and how strong she was getting as a shinobi. She vowed to herself not to be outdone again.

"Ino, I h-have t-to go n-now." Sakura said, tears now rolling down her cheeks.

"Okay, but take care of yourself. Don't worry too much." Ino replied.

The shop had an order of flowers to a customer three blocks away, which isn't really that far, considering she didn't have anything better to do, she decided to deliver the flowers herself.

As she made her way through the crowded streets of Konoha, carrying the flowers she was to deliver, she felt something furry rubbing against her feet. She couldn't see the thing, until it was too late, she got thrown off balance and fell to the ground with a shriek escaping her mouth. That furry thing turned out to be a dog.

"Oh, sorry. I lost control of my dog. It won't happen again." A boy with messy brown hair and red fang marks on his cheeks said, embarrassed .

He helped the her up, and noticed the Konoha headband on her waist. "Have I met you before? In the last chuunin exams right? You fought that pink-haired girl on Naruto's team." He asked, starting to pick up the flowers.

"Yeah. I'm on Shikamaru's team. You're the Inuzuka right?" She replied, brushing the dirt off her clothes. She hasn't really met the boy before, but she saw him in the previous chunnin exams, in that fight against Naruto.

"Yup, call me Kiba. Oh, I'm really sorry about this. Say sorry Akamaru." He said. His dog then sat in front of her and gave her the cutest puppy-dog-eyes imaginable.

"Aww. He's so sweet." She said, petting Akamaru, who yipped happily at her.

"Can I help you carry these?" He offered with a smile that showed his fangs.

"No need, I can handle it." She answered.

"But really let me help, it's the least I can do."

"Well, if you insist."

As both of them make their way to the customer, the sky grew darker…

Ino knocked on the door, and delivered the flowers to a sweet old lady. Good thing she didn't notice that the flowers had fallen on the street.

"Right. Now that that's done, would you like to hang out or something?" Kiba said, she noticed that there was something strangely awkward in his voice, like he was nervous or something.

"Why not? I'll be bored and it's not like I have anything better to do." She replied.

"Okay. So, where do you want to go?" He asked, scratching his head.

"Errm… you decide." She answered, she does not know much about him, and had no idea where he would like to go.

"Okay." He said, and led the way.

They made their way to a nearby sushi bar, about a block away.

"We're here. I hope you don't mind sushi, it's almost dinner anyway." Kiba said happily.

"No problem." She replied. She was a little hungry anyways, mostly because he always ate very little.

Once they found a suitable table, Kiba ordered for both of them.

"So, what's your team like?" Ino asked wanting to know more about the Inuzuka boy.

"Well, Shino is very silent and secretive he also sulks a lot, I guess it's also in his nature, though he and the bugs can creep you out at times too. But he is pretty clever, gets the plans all set and stuff." He said, clearly Shino was one of his closest friends. "While Hinata, the Hyuga heiress, is very shy, and she always seems to blush when Naruto is around. Two weeks ago, while Naruto's team were training near ours, and he called out her name, and asked her is she wanted to get some ramen later. Hinata couldn't even answer. She fainted." He said with a slight chuckle. "She always blushes and faints when Naruto is around. I wonder when he'll get it, for someone who dreams of becoming Hokage, he's pretty clueless." he said, amused."So… What about your team?"

"My team? Shikamaru's the lazy-ass genius that thinks everything is troublesome..." she said, remembering her pineapple-haired friend. "...and Chouji never stops eating, he even brings stashes of food on missions. But we can manage. They aren't so bad once you get to know them. Besides, our fathers are best friends, so we've known each other for like, ever."

Kiba noticed that Ino was a talkative one, she seemed to enjoy chatting... well, at least he wouldn't get bored.

Their food arrived, and Kiba noticed that Ino was hardly eating.

"What's the matter? Don't you like it?" Kiba asked worriedly.

"No, it's not that." She replied, fiddling with the sushi using her chopsticks.

"Then what is it? Are you on a diet or something?" He said, annoyed.

"Well…" was all she could reply. It was true. She's been on a diet ever since she could remember, it was just how she was.

"You're thin enough as it is." He said with a cocky grin.

"You don't know anything. Guys won't notice me if I'm fat." She said.

"You girls think too much about how you look. Besides, changing yourself, and fighting with your best friend just for a guy is stupid." Kiba said. "Besides, the Uchiha is gone, he's not coming back, and he should've saved us all that trouble."

"So I'm stupid now!?" She screamed. "What the heck does he know!?"

"No, sorry." he said apologetically. "It's just that you don't have to force yourself to get thin for a guy to notice you."

"But it's true. Guys notice thin girls more." She said with a sigh.

"No it's not, some girls are so thin we can't even see them, how do you suppose we notice something we can't even see?" he said, laughing. "Besides, I notice you, do you think I'd be talking to you if I didn't? And if you don't notice, I am a guy." the Inuzuka boy said, with a sly smile that showed his fangs.

"Oh…" She was unprepared. His lips caught hers in a light, short kiss.

"Well, this is interesting… a guy never noticed me like that before today. Maybe I was just looking at the wrong guy. Besides, Akamaru is pretty cute, and he's kinda sweet too." She thought as she began to eat her sushi. Maybe eating a little more won't be so bad after all, especially eating with Kiba.

"Well, thanks for the sushi, it was great. I gotta go home." She said with a smile.

"Okay. But let me walk you there." Kiba said.

"Okay. Thanks." Ino replied.

"Oh no. It's raining again." Ino said as they got out of the sushi bar.

"Here, take this." Kiba said, taking of his fuzzy jacket and handing it to her. He wore a shirt under it anyways.

"But, what about you? Won't you and Akamaru get wet?" She asked.

"Don't worry about us. We can handle it." He said with another fanged smile.

"Thanks." She put it on, it was very comfortable, and it didn't even smell like dog, even if Kiba did have a habit of putting Akamaru in his jacket.

Soon enough, they reached Ino's house…

"Thanks again… Kiba-kun." Giving him back his jacket and hugging him tightly. "…for everything."

"You're welcome. See you tomorrow!" Kiba said happily, and petted his dog. "Good dog!"

"Yeah, sure!" She said, going into the house. She couldn't help but wonder if Kiba made his dog run into her on purpose.

Flashback End.

"Why the heck did it have to rain today?" she asked herself, still staring out the window. She remembered the warm fuzzy feeling of the jacket, and that tight hug that felt like a warm fire on a cold winter's day. It made her feel warmer despite the cool wind blowing in. The memory brought a small smile to her teary face.

:Okay, there it is… I mostly copied the flashback part from my previous fic, but changed a few things, it was in Ino's point of view, since she was the one looking back on it…

:So… what do yah think? I won't know unless you review!

:THANKS FOR READING!!