Yamanaka Ino. Like a flower that bloomed all year. She was probably the most beautiful Kunoichi in the village.

And in the recent years since the end of the war, Naruto had found himself interested in Ino. But every time he was about to tell her how he felt, she either had to go somewhere or something had come up.

Naruto was walking to the floral shop with intent to tell her, he was tired of something coming up all the time. As he approached the door she walked and locking the door to the shop. Before he could speak, she raised her hand up to stop him and quickly said, "I can't talk right now Naruto! I have to go get to a sale!"

Before he could say anything she was gone. It was official, she was avoiding him. He hung his head as he sighed in exasperation.

Moments later Ino arrived at Sakura's apartment and quickly slipped through the door. "What do I do!? Naruto keeps trying to talk to me. I know why too! He thinks he's in love with me!" she quickly began, to vent her frustrations to her best friend.

"For the hundredth time Ino. He doesn't like you because the two of you shared a kiss while you were a little tipsy!" Sakura exclaimed as she shook her fist getting quite tired of her best friend acting like this.

"That isn't the problem. Don't you like him? And what about Sai!?" hastily the platinum blond responded as she put her hands on her head.

Sakura blinked and stared at her friend a deadpan expression on her face as she looked at Ino.

"Sai? You mean the Sai who talks about male genitalia? Sai who gave all of us fashion interventions? Sai who actually made the Uzumaki compound less of a man cave and more of a home? Yeah…I don't think that's going to be a problem." Sakura responded as she looked at her friend with some skepticism.

"Oh…right…he did do wonders with Naruto's wardrobe, though you got to admit Naruto does look hot in that fur coat…" her cheeks became tinged red as she thought of Naruto in his fur coat before snapping out of it and saying, "Anyway! Don't you like Naruto?!"

"You know that ship sank the moment I lied to him about being in love with him. Stop making excuses! You know you love Naruto!" Sakura encouragingly said as she looked at her friend, and said, "You're only competition are Hinata, Karui, and Karin. You're up against a girl who is too shy, one who comes on too strong, and well the female version of Naruto with a tan!"

"…But I've been avoiding him…what if he's giving up…" the blue eyes Kunoichi said almost as if she was defeated already.

"THAT DOES IT!!! Come on!!!" exclaimed the pink haired Kunoichi as she grabbed Ino by the arm pulling her outside and dragging her down the street. It was time to end this it was ridiculous that one of the most outspoken kunoichi was so apprehensive.

As she saw Naruto rounding a corner, she grabbed Ino and shoved Ino towards him, the area was perfect to end this stupidity. Mistletoe overhead from a roof some snow coming down from above.

As Ino skid to a stop in front of Naruto she blushed some as she played with the cuffs of her jacket. "…Uh Naruto...I…" she said as she tried to find the words, she then looked up and saw she was under the mistletoe. Mentally taking note that Sakura would pay for this, making her stand under the mistletoe with Naruto.

"Ino-chan I've been wanting to tell you that I…" he started as he looked at her wanting to express his feelings for her but finding himself tongue tied.

"Naruto-kun…we're under the mistletoe, just shut up and kiss me." she said with a playful grin as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

He smiled and pulled her close kissing her tenderly and lovingly, willing and able to fulfill her request. And the kiss lasted for a couple of minutes until Sakura cleared her throat and alerted the two that they weren't alone.

"There! Now it's out in the open! You love him, he loves you! You two go be a couple! I'm going back home!!!" she quickly said as turned to leave glad to be free of the situation for good.

"…What was that about?" Naruto asked in confusion of Sakura's apparent insanity.

"I'll tell you later…we're still under the mistletoe!" she playfully remarked as she smiled at him glad that the confusion was over.

"We are…" he said as he trailed off a cocky smirk on his face as he slowly set his hand on her cheek and brushed his lips over hers tenderly. He had finally managed to win the affections of the ever blooming flower that was Ino.