Disclaimer: no matter how much I wish Naruto could never and would never be mine...

Summary: Ino reveals a secret to Shikamaru who silently contemplates it, while their other team members are unaware of it...Oneshot slight InoShika

" Troublesome or not Troublesome "

Ino and Shikamaru sat together at a food shop near the busy market place of Konoha. While Chouji, their other teammate, is busy stuffing himself with food. Not far from them a certain pink-haired kunoichi was walking with a dark-haired handsome young man. They seemed to be on a date as they were holding each others hand. They were none other than Haruno Sakura and Uchiha, Sasuke. Ino's—his scary, bossy, sassy, hotheaded and loudmouthed blonde teammate who was currently beside him-- chldhood best friend and current rival for a boy's heart, while the latter is their long time crush they were fighting each other for. Shikamaru knew what it means. It doesn't even take a genius to figure it out. He knew trouble when he sees one, and this is definitely trouble with a capital "T". He was lost in thinking about how troublesome the situation he is currently in and thinking that Ino would surely have a fit, that he failed to see that Ino was actually calm(some genius with an I.Q. over 200 he is). He would have jumped startled at Ino's voice if he wasn't Nara, Shikamaru, a.k.a. too lazy to do so.

"They look good together, don't they?" she said more than asked.

Completely baffled he asked intelligently(please note the sarcasm here)."Huh?" she merely nodded to Sakura and Sasuke's direction.

He looked incredolous.'Has the earth stopped moving?' "But don't you like Sasuke?" Had he heard it right? She was no longer infatuated with the Uchiha prodigy? He must have heard wrongly.

"Before maybe, but certainly not now." Apparently he had heard right.

He decided to be casual about this newfound information. Freaking out was not in his nature, besides, it consumes a lot of energy.Not to mention the attention he might attract.'Or the bruise I'd receive from Ino if I would do sometihng like that.' Nope. Not likely. But that doesn't stop him from asking in a bored, sleepy and lazy tone. His usual tone of voice.

"Since when have you known this?" Ino looked at him and grinned.

"A long time ago, actually." She said a bit proudly.

' How like Ino to brag.' he thought wryly. He refrained from rolling his eyes.

"Maybe two or three years ago, after our first Chuunin Exam. One day, I just woke up and I felt different. I realized that I don't like Sasuke anymore. Even now I still doubt if it was actually a crush or if I just did it to still be in speaking terms with Sakura, albeit as rivals. But since I knew it, I've never felt more better."

As if to prove her point she balled her fist and punched the air in front of her lightly.

"Then why do you still...?" he stopped for the lack of a better word.

"Fight with Sakura over Sasuke you mean?" Ino finished for him, then grinned.

"Well, let's just say, just because I know it doesn't mean she has to know as well, right?"

Shikamaru just sat there uncomprehending. Not even a genius like him with an IQ above 200, albeit lazy, could figure these women out. They were always so confusing. Oh, what he wouldn't give just to understand at least one woman even if just for a day. But he knew better than to interrupt Ino when she was talking. He had no plans on spending the weekend in the hospital, thank you very much. Taking advantage of his non-replying state, Ino continued.

"I love seeing her all riled and fired up. The look on her face is soooo priceless! Besides, a little competition has never hurt any onebefore, has it?" she winked and gave a winsome smile.

How could he even disagree if she had just did that! Shikamaru felt his heart skip a beat. It was a genuine smile that was rare for him to see on Ino's lips when she was with him.Even if they were childhod friends because of their parents and teammates since their Genin days with their sensei Sarutobi, Asuma. She would be in her usually bossy self ordering and dragging him and Chouji around. Angry with him for being himself—a.k.a. being lazy-- and at Chouji for pigging around. He had no idea that her smile was this beautiful, and mentally noted it in an absentminded fashion. When he realized what he was thinking and where it was leading him he hurriedly stopped panick-striken. Aware of the blush creeping up his cheeks. He was silently thankful to whoever gods were up there that at that very moment, Ino wasn't looking at him. 'How troublesome' he though. Ino stood up.

"Well, I'm off now. I promised my mother to be home early to help her at the flower shop. I'm almost late at that expected time, she'll throw a fit, and we all know her temper." she said exaggeratedly though she had a very fond smile saying that she didn't mind it in the least.

" Say bye to Chouji for me and tell Asuma-sensei that I'm sorry coz I had to leave early. Thanks! Bye Shika-kun!" she waved cheerfully as she ran off and out of sight. A bright sunny smile on her face.

Shikamaru shook his head and sighed. How like Ino to still boss him around even if he was already a Jounin. He leaned back on the table and glanced at Couji who was still eating and obviously have not heard a word he and Ino had talked about. He sat on his seat for a while and looked up at the clouds in the sky as he usually did. One of the clouds strangely looked like Ino that instantly reminded him of her smile. He found himself smiling at the thought. 'Then again I might reconsider.It might be worth the trouble after all.' were his last thoughts before he closed his eye to sleep.

------Finished------

Author's Notes: My first fic ever! At least the first one I posted about Naruto. There are lots of other stories in my head that I just couldn't put out into writing. How is it? Good, Bad or Worse? Please tell so that I could improve! Just beware because I am sooo very lazy and moody! Thanks! Love Y'all!