Hello everyone. Longtime no see, yes? Before start to making excuses for why I haven't continued Why Can't I Love You? -(go read it, newcomers), I'd like to say it's good to be back. Again, as always, I have to thank those who are still reading, reviewing, favoriting, ect. my previous story. And a special thanks to Ranita4ever, who encouraged me to begin righting again.

Now I know this isn't a continuation of my previous fic, but I don't hope you will enjoy it. Also, for those waiting on a new chapter for Why Can't I Love You? -(seriously, go read it now!), rest assured, I'm still planning to continue it, however, I've run into some problems with my old laptop, which I've yet to take to the shop, soooo...chapter 4 is stuck on there with no way for me to access it. I apologize for those who are still looking forward to it, but it be just a little while longer.

And now for the excuse: School, video games, and my own laziness. Seriously, though, I've been busy with college, so in between fanfic and school, school won every time. However, I'll try to take time out of every day to write at least a little something. Sound good? Okay then, enough of my meanderings. Enjoy the fic ;p

Chapter 1: Date Me!

The boy was too ecstatic. From the outside looking in, one would think the spiky-blonde was insane skipping, dancing, hooting, and hollering chants of triumph to himself throughout the streets of Konoha; And on such a dreary, rainy day like this no less. And why shouldn't he celebrate in all his revelry. No one knew of the lifetime achievement he had just met, something he had put years of sweat, blood, and tears into - all literal, in a sense.

The boy could remember many of nights going to bed, the feeling of despondency and defeat burrowed deep within the confines of his chest, all seeping out into glum sobs accompanied with sorrowful tears; All a product of his inaptitude compared to a certain runaway ninja. Despite all his greatest endeavors, all his most notable advances, he still didn't feel any sense of progress and even more so, after the stoic Uchiha had up and left Konoha behind. Sure the spiky-headed blonde defeated several threats to Konoha and the ninja world itself, such as Pein, Madara, and even Sasuke himself, garnered the respect of countless citizens in Konoha, and even became a notable legend spanning across several nations. All this he was very happy and grateful for, but none of the fame, the power, or the success could fill the hole hollowed into the very entity of his aching soul.

Yes, his soul ached with every hurt, every letdown, and perhaps, with every praise. So many times he thought to himself how could he rightfully deserve the confidence and trust of so many people? How could he lead them if he couldn't even fulfill one lousy promise to the one he admired the most? He could remember the solemn, yet slightly contemptuous look she'd given him , the tears that stained his shirt, the way the pink-haired kunoichi pounded on his chest in denial of the news the blonde delivered that day. Each strike hurt; not hurt in a physical sense of the word, but more so with each strike a weight attached itself to his heart. It was bad enough that someone he had considered to be like a brother to him was now dead, and by his hands nonetheless, but now the beautiful flower he had been so fond of for so long, whom she considered the esoteric rogue ninja her one true love, was now overcome with despair.

But what choice did the blonde male have? He had fought, and bled, and pleaded, but it all fell on deaf ears. Sasuke had flirted with darkness so long to the point that madness and revenge consumed him. Words would no longer sway the last Uchiha. He was long gone from who he was as a member of Team 7.

Since the Uchiha's death, Naruto's and Sakura's friendship had begun to dwindle to a mere husk of what it formally was. The two teammates still communicated, but the conversations were never the same, boiling down to simple "how's life" or a mission briefings, and overtime even those became less frequent, and the duration of the conversations shortened. Eventually, as time progressed, the only time the blonde male managed to see the emerald-eyed kunoichi was on missions, and those to lost their luster and sense of communion.

The silence went on for years. The wall the Uchiha built between Naruto and Sakura seemed as if it could never be surmounted, fortified with Naruto's regret and Sakura's lost love, Sasuke remained a lingering menace at the edge of the two ninja's psyche and an ally to their misfortune. Despite the apparent disconnect between him and Sakura, he still managed to put on his trademark brave face, though, all his friends knew the spiky-blonde on the inside was distressed. It was a shame that none of them could do nothing more than watch as their two friends continued to distance themselves from one another, and from them in the process, but it was up to the two of them to overcome the personal demons that invaded their lives.

However, all that changed for the blonde today. He had finally conquered the bitter curse Sasuke had left behind; or so he hoped. The day prior, he had managed to ask the pink-haired kunoichi out on what he felt was a long overdue date. He was surprised that she agreed, though, he wasn't sure if she agreed out of guilt for how she had been treating him the past few years or not.

He had pondered whether he had rightfully deserved Sakura's attention and time again, even after he had failed her. He had long since learned to somewhat cope with Sasuke's death, but a sense of regret and failure still haunted him. However, all of that seemed washed away, if not for today.

It wasn't the second chance he had longed for and knew he would never have, but if he was granted another opportunity to make the blossoming flower he loved happy again, then perhaps, he could finally overcome the feeling of guilt he had of the Uchiha and finally have his love realized and rewarded.

"Hey there, Naruto!" called a familiar husky voice. "Looks like you're having a good day today." Naruto snapped to in mid-stride, gracefully landing back on the solid earth he had been gliding across and turned his attention to his favorite ramen shop owner he so often visited for a meal or two. Depressed or not, Naruto could always drown his sorrows in a bowl of Teuchi's world famous ramen, or at least it deserved to be "world famous" to Naruto. No other ramen shop got better than Ichiraku, but that wasn't necessarily grounded in facts, only Naruto's personal bias.

A beaming smile, teeth, gums, and all, stretched across his face. "Oh, hey old man. Yeah, I'm in a great mood today."

"I see," the man responded, cleaning a bowl he had in his hand. "Want to talk about it over a nice, hot bowl of ramen? It's on the house."

"Nah, maybe later," Naruto declared, smile still etched on his face. "I have a date with Sakura-chan today, so I have to rush home and get tidied up." Naruto hated to turn down a free bowl of ramen, but if there was anything he loved more than ramen, it was Sakura. Besides, Naruto needed at least ten bowls of Ichiraku's ramen before he would be close to satisfied.

Many of his friends couldn't understand how the whiskered male could be so deeply in love with the cherry blossom kunoichi, but Naruto knew what he wanted, and that was the pink-haired kunoichi. She was as beautiful as her name implied she was. Naruto couldn't help but go gaga for the way her illustrious pink locks danced in the wind, bound by the forehead protector she wore atop her scalp, or how her emerald gems demanded he focus his own blue orbs on them; And her smile. It was a sight he had missed so much, the tinge of fleshly pink that made her lips out to be a forbidden fruit only Naruto felt he was worthy enough to taste, and they further served to libidinize the fair skin that surrounded that "forbidden fruit."

Any other guy would argue that the girl lacked a certain endowment in certain areas much like the female Hyuga or even the other kunoichi of Konohagakure, and maybe, even a lack of feminine charm, due to her often aggressive, no-nonsense attitude, but no one could deny, she was still a very beautiful and intelligent girl. Besides, Naruto at least knew of the feminine finesse she harbored for those close to her, and he took pleasure in the knowledge of this, as he had seen it as a one-up he had over any other guys who may attempt to steal the blossom kunoichi's heart away.

"Ah I see," Teuchi said with a smile, turning his attention away from the bowl he was cleaning. "So you finally landed another date. Well, you can stop on by anytime and tell me how it went another day."

"Free ramen still stands?" Naruto asked, eyebrow risen.

"Sure thing," Teuchi gave a nod.

With free ramen added to the list of things to look forward to, Naruto went on about his merry way.

Teuchi picked the bowl back up and proceeded back to cleaning it. "To be young again."

After a couple of turns and a few unplanned meet and greets, many involving the people of the village, a few no name ninja, and some raving fangirls noting how chipper he was today, he'd finally made it home. He only lived a couple streets down from where Ichiraku Ramen and all the other major stores were located, but the trip seemed much more prolonged from all the citizens that happily greeted him today. Ironic, considering most, if not all, of those now happy faces used to distort with malice for him. However, he was grateful they'd all finally come around to him and accepted his existence and worth. Better they talk his head off than give him death stares, right?

"Geez, it felt like it took me forever to get here, with all the villagers and shop keepers wanting to chat it up," the blonde male sighed, twisting the key in the keyhole of his small home to gain access to the inner quarters. "At least the rain stopped. Sakura might have cancelled on the date if it kept pouring like that."

Naruto entered the house, quickly setting the gift he'd bought for Sakura that morning on the round clothed table nearest the kitchen, he began to get out of the soaked jacket and t-shirt he wore. He was pressed for time, since his journey to and from the store to purchase Sakura's gift was met with many interval disruptions. He knew for sure he would be late, but he hoped the gift and the good time he was sure they would have would make up for that.

Naruto made his way through the kitchen living room hybrid to the bathroom which was a neighbor to his own bedroom. He casually tossed the sopping wet clothes on the sink counter, a mound to soon be forsaken and forgotten until he realized he needed to tidy up. Naruto made his way over to his tub and turned on a steaming, hot shower before commencing to take off the remainder of the wet clothing. Carefully, he stepped into the tub, a slight wince as the fiery droplets pattered against his skin, but he was soon able to relax his muscles with the warmth of the water. After a quick shower, Naruto dried himself off and wrapped the towel around his lower extremities, before shaking his hair dry much like Akamaru would do his furry body after a bath by Kiba.

He tampered with his hair for a bit, finally getting it back to the messy spiked hairstyle he adored so much.

"Alright, now for some clothes," Naruto said, now satisfied with his hair. The whiskered male marched jubilantly into his room, a sense of rejuvenation about himself. A hot shot can work wonders.

"Now what should I wear?" Naruto opened the uppermost drawer and observed the contents inside, which were all oddly neat considering how messy the rest of his house was. The aspiring Hokage was far from a fashionista, being he only ever wore his usual black and orange jumpsuit, so he didn't have much in the way of casual attire.

The blonde male hummed to himself before ultimately establishing what to wear. He grabbed a pair of boxers with yellow ducks spread periodically throughout them to replace the towel that guarded his "precious jewels" and then draped himself with a black t-shirt, three-tipped flames around where the sleeves touched his biceps. His pants were the usual orange, and they were slightly baggy compared the pants he wore with his jumpsuit. He debated whether to wear his forehead protector or not, but he ultimately decided to substitute it for a tie-around headband, just to maintain that heroic look. Not very fancy attire, but it was casual enough for him to go on a date with.

"I better hurry," Naruto said, observing the time on the ramen clock he had hung over his bed. Sakura must be getting impatient with how late I am right now." He swiftly dabbed some fragrance on his wrist and neck, grabbed the gift he'd bought for Sakura, and made his way out of the door.

The blonde ninja quickly took to the rooftops, noting that it would be faster, and he could more easily avoid the hustle and bustle of the streets of Konoha. Nimbly as a ninja should be, the overly exuberant boy shot from rooftop to rooftop, a pace faster than usual but still careful enough to keep proper footing and keep from disturbing the residence with faint taps. His flawless footwork was truly a testament of the countless hours of experience he put into his ninja training.

'Sakura is going to scold me for being late, but she'll love the gift I bought her.' The boy laughed inwardly at this, a gaping grin across his face, teeth and all. It would be more like a pleasantry for him to hear his pink-haired love interest scold him again like she used to whenever he screwed up. Perhaps, he would even see the radiance of her smile once more observing the rosiness of her cheeks amongst her fair skin, declaring life had assuredly returned to her.

No longer than five minutes, Naruto had arrived atop of a small convenience store in the shopping district. On the left side of the store was a decent sized gravel road, 20 feet wide and circling around all the way to the Hokage's office and the quieter sections of Konoha. It was an ideal course for quiet walks, and of course, dates. Several wooden benches lined the outside of the gravel road on both sides, along several light-post to provide illumination for the night birds that walked Konaha's streets at the wee late hours. Truly, it was a quaint area to get away from all the busy shopping districts and the claustrophobic feel of how all the homes and buildings in Konoha meshed together.

A shadow, to which Naruto assumed belonged to Sakura, protruded out from the side of the building where the bench couldn't be seen. Rather than make a grand entrance by hopping off the roof in front of the cherry blossom girl, he decided it'd be more appropriate to greet her normally; didn't want to scare her off before the date even started. A leap and skip later he was off the building, careful not to alarm any passersby. Smoothly, the blonde shinobi transitioned from the alleyway he'd leaped to into the busy crowd of the district.

'Good. She's still waiting. We're going to have so much fun...' It didn't take Naruto to long after he'd made his way around the corner to find out that the shadowy figure he had assumed was Sakura, well, wasn't Sakura but instead was the sunshine blonde Ino, sitting impatiently on a bench, dressed as if she, too, had a date - which she did.

"God damn it!" Ino cursed. "Where the hell is he? It's been an hour already." Ino was beginning to think her date stood her up. She was beyond pissed. She didn't know the guy well nor did he know her well either, so she could understand if it was intimidating for him to date a girl as pretty as her, but if he was such a coward he could just ask her on a date and have her get dolled up just to not show instead of letting her know he wanted to cancel ahead of time, then he wasn't worth her time.

Before she could continue inwardly ranting any longer, the sound of the other blondes voice brought her back to.

"Eh!" he yelled, an accusing finger waving at her. "What are you doing here, Yamanaka?" Great. Now Naruto was there to annoy her nerves beyond the max. This wasn't exactly what Ino would call a perfect day, and she could honestly say, Naruto was the only way it could get worse. She had nothing against the whiskered blonde, but they weren't necessarily friends either. Sure he was good friends with Chouji and Shikamaru, as was she, and sure she was good friends with Sakura, as was he, but regardless of whether their paths intersected in multiple ways, their relationship remained merely acquainted, never reaching that more "platonic" level. Of course, that didn't mean they hated one another. They both realized that there simply just wasn't to much two bull-headed and strong-willed blondes could accomplish together, aside from uncivil disputes.

"I'm waiting for someone," argued the platinum-blonde. "Is that a crime? Besides, I could ask you the same thing, Uzumaki?" Emphasis totally put on the name.

"I'm supposed to be here going on a date with Sakura, but instead I find you here." The blonde male turned up his nose at the girl. He truly was annoyed with the fact Sakura hadn't shown up yet, but possibly one of his least favorite people in the whole village was there instead. Ino wasn't a bad person; a little haughty, perhaps kind of rude, and most definitely selfish but not a bad person. At least when it came to Chouji and Shikamaru and those she considered trustworthy friends, she was more easygoing and bearable. However, to be blunt, Ino annoyed Naruto. Plain and simple.

"Well, excuse me!" the platinum-blonde fired back. She had risen from the wooden bench she had impatiently been resting on, a little fired up from Naruto's disparaging manner of speech. Ino wasn't one to be insulted. Her pride wouldn't allow it, especially not from someone who was known as the "dunce ninja" of the village.

"Sorry I couldn't be who you expected me to," She continued. "I think I would've settle more for a 'how's it going, Ino-chan,' instead, you know?"

"So where's Sakura?" The boy said digging in his right ear with his pinkie-finger, a motion that implied he hadn't even attempted to listen to her rant. Ino wanted to choke the life out of the little porcupine-head, but maintained her lady-like disposition on the off chance her already late date showed up and witnessed such a heinous act of violence - didn't want to scare him off already, especially on a first date.

"How should I know?" Ino snapped back. "What am I? Her keeper?"

"No," Naruto was far from amused. "You're her fwiend?" His tone facetious, with a mockingly innocent spin on the word "friend." The gibe was fully reinforced with the clasping of his hands and the fluttering of his eyelids, much akin to a girls. Once again, Ino was reminded of one of the many reasons she despised the blonde male. He was rude, arrogant, immature, and above all else, an asshole. Sure, Ino felt like she could be a bitch to people sometimes, but she had tact, unlike the idiot blonde in front of her.

"You're an asshole, you know that?" she admitted with venom.

"Tch. Whatever," Naruto said, making his way to a bench across from hers. "The sooner Sakura arrives the sooner we can get the hell out of each others faces." Naruto didn't like saying things like that, headstrong as he was, but he felt, sometimes, that Ino brought out the worst in him. The problem was they were, in a way, too, much alike. Ino may have been far more mature than him, but they were both, too, headstrong for their own good. Women were already complex enough for him anyway, and another him in a female body, he wasn't sure even he could handle it.

"Fuck off!" Ino fired back, an angry huff as she plopped back in her seat. Ino resented the cheese-headed male more than anything right now. Who the hell was he to show up out of the blue acting like he owned the place, and then mocking her to her face, a shot at her pride she soon wouldn't let go. Hero, legend, or whatever, he was still the same old perverted, idiotic schmuck she'd known since the academy days, point blank. Somehow, just looking at Naruto turned her stomach, as if it wanted to disencumber the sight of him ingested by her very own eyes. She hoped her date would arrive soon, or she would be liable to murder the obnoxious blonde across from her.

Naruto had long forgotten the fuming blonde girl across from him, and had now focused all his thoughts on his missing date. He continued motioning his head from left to right and right to left, careful to avoid looking at the glaring platinum-blonde, in search of the no-show kunoichi.

Thirty-minutes and six lovey-dovey couples later, Naruto was beginning to remember how lonely he was. At this point in his life, the loneliness he felt was self-inflicted. He knew his parents were watching over him, and he had no shortage of friends, but these only went so far, as they were no replacement for a cold, lonely bed at night.

Really, Naruto could have any girl in the village he wanted, sans TenTen, whom was deeply devoted to the quiet but charming Neji, and Ino who hated his guts obviously. Heck, he could even take his pick of women outside of the village. True story: A priestess residing in the Land of Demons had practically asked him for his seed. Much to his obliviousness, he agreed. Then, there was the girl from his very own Land of Fire, whom he'd initially mistook for a girl because of her choice in disguises. She harbored feelings for the heroic blonde, but again, he was oblivious to them. The point being, Naruto was far more popular with the ladies than he thought, if he'd just escape from his tunnel vision. Even with all the attention he received from the opposite sex, the future Hokage only had eyes for one girl, and he was sure he would have her at his side.

Time lapsed on, and still no sign of the emerald-eyed girl. Naruto was beginning to get the feeling Sakura bailed on him, an uneasy self-revelation he was opting not to believe.

'Maybe Shizune-sensei has her working a little extra at the hospital today. She wouldn't stand me up. She promised.'

Despite his attempts to convince himself Sakura would show, as thirty minutes became a hour, and a hour became a hour and a half, Naruto began to fully grasp the cruel reality. She stood him up. She wouldn't show, no matter how long he waited.

The sun was beginning set. The scene looked like a painting. Half of the sun seemed to be hidden away behind the long stretch of earth. The usually bright yellow of the sun was now a couple shades darker, and surrounding the half-sphere were several orangish-red hues with a splash of bluish-black on the outer edges. It was, ironically enough, the kind of scenery he wanted to share with Sakura. Instead, he was inadvertently spending it with the Yamanaka, making the moment less dreamlike and surreal, and more so like an unwanted nightmare.

The light-post were switching on to fulfill their nightly duty as a luminescent source for anyone roaming the streets around this time. With a setting sun, was a fuming Ino at the end of her patience.

"I can't believe he stood me up!" Ino huffed, a face that was a rough fusion of anger and pouting. Ino couldn't believe, of all people, she was stood up. It really should be a crime to stand up someone as beautiful as her.

Ino continued ranting to herself as she proceeded to leave, and then she realized something. She looked back to see that the blonde male hadn't moved a muscle. It was as if something bound him there; better yet, he had not the energy or the will to move. Naruto's eyes had no light in them. He just sat there, a dormant, lifeless figure, hunched over, his forearms firmly planted on his thighs propping the remainder of his upper-body up. His head was hung and his eyes watched soullessly at the ground as if trying to find a greater existence beneath the gravel his feet touched. He was a shell, an empty vessel created by none other than the blooming flower he loved.

'Wow, this is really eating him up.' Ino had been to busy raging over her own missing date to notice the spiky-blonde's change in mood.

Ino wanted to leave the blonde shinobi to wallow deeper into the depressive state he was in, to laugh at how the boy was no longer his cheeky self like had been earlier, but if that was the case, why couldn't she? Naruto hadn't exactly been a gentleman to her, so then why did she feel the need to help him?

Simple. She knew the feeling of disappointment. It was the same feeling she had when Sasuke ran away from Konaha, it was the same feeling she had when he became declared an international criminal, and it was the same feeling she had when he had finally been put to justice.

She didn't fault Naruto for the death of the Uchiha, unlike how Sakura scrutinized the boy. Ino knew all to well it was probably the most difficult task for the whisker-face male to carry out, and that he would, in the end, take it the hardest. Still, the fact remained that it was all difficult to accept at the time, and without the help of her dearest friends and loved ones, she would have been in the funk longer than she had been. They were the building blocks to her recovery, and she was grateful for it. That was the exact same thing Naruto needed right now; a friend. But how could she go about it?

"Hey, it's getting dark, you know?" Ino tried to advise him as sincerely as possible. "Maybe you should head home, now."

"I don't care," the brooding boys voice dry and quiet, devoid of any emotion or flare. The state the usually hyperactive, knucklehead ninja was in was a state she'd seen him in only few times. He sat lifelessly like this when word of his sensei's, Jiraiya, death reached him. Ino remembered just watching piteously, wanting to encourage the blonde things would be okay. She had lost her very own sensei earlier on that year, so she understood how he felt. Yet, she stood by lamenting for him, but doing nothing to help, an action she regretted not acting on. Now could be a chance for redemption for her.

Other than that, Sasuke and, as of lately, Sakura were the only ones who could get him in such a depressive state. Ino wasn't stupid, and she certainly wasn't blind. She had seen how much Naruto's and Sakura's relationship was devolving; how the pink-haired girl shunned the boy, and made him feel worthless. Sasuke's death was just as hard on Naruto, if not more, and Ino was aware Sakura wasn't making it better. It was not only as if Sasuke was dead, but Sakura was, too, dead for him as well. Perhaps, even vice versa, and no matter how much he wanted her to know he was here, to acknowledge his existence, he would always be dead to her, buried deep beneath her contempt for as long as they lived, suffocation imminent.

"Hey, come on," she responded, keeping her wits about her. "I'm sure there's a good reason for why she didn't show up. May...maybe something urgent came up and she had to cancel, but wasn't..."

"Just shut up!" the boy loudly interrupted, gnashing his teeth with every word. "Leave me alone!"

Ino was taken aback by the sudden outburst. She wasn't the best at encouraging others, being she seemed to focus more on tearing people down rather than building them up, but she was trying her damn hardest to cheer the ungrateful prick up, and what does she get? Yelled at. Belittled. No more, though. She was done putting up with the blonde sulker. He could stay there and slit his wrist for all she cared.

"F-fine!" she snapped back. "Whatever. Sulk if you want. I don't care. Just stay here and rot, idiot!" He didn't respond, nor did his sullen disposition change. He just sat there, continuously staring blankly at the ground.

Flawlessly, Ino spun on the heels she was wearing, clinched fist and a face tightened in discontent. She stomped ferociously away from the blonde male, a punishment the very gravel she crunched beneath her mighty foot didn't deserve. Ino heated up in another rant, anger apparent in her features, her body language, and the way she walked, warranting several citizens walking the same path to remain wary of her as they passed her by, for fear of falling victim to the ravenous blonde kunoichi.

'Who does he think he is, yelling at me like that, and especially, after I was trying to cheer him? Seriously, what an insufferable jackass. Well, whatever. He can deal with this himself. I'm done trying to help.'

A nagging feeling began to tug at the girl as she continued to storm off. She didn't understand why. He obviously didn't want the help, so why, oh why did she look back?

"He hasn't moved an inch," Ino said, staring in bewilderment. Naruto was only like a small reticle in her sight now, but she could still tell he hadn't moved. He was practically a statue, an added decoration to the park.

Ino was perplexed by what the blonde male had seen in Sakura. At this point, he should have been aware of how Sakura felt about him, and moved on. Honestly, Ino felt like it would have been better for him if he did. His feelings were like cockroaches to the pink-haired girl. She stepped on them and discarded them as if they meant nothing, yet, he continued to pursue the girl.

Why? What was so special about her? Why was he so infatuated with her to the point he would continue to subject himself to such mental and emotional torture?

Ino couldn't wrap her head around it. Even she knew Naruto could have practically any girl he wanted now, despite her personal distaste for the fellow blonde. Many times, Ino had witnessed how some of the girls, even some women, would blush and react to Naruto when they seen or talked to him, twirling their hair, making him bentos, and practically throwing themselves at him.

And then there was Hinata. The lavender-haired heiress had undoubtedly professed her love to the blonde, risking death just so he would know. What ever became of that?

'Move on. It's for the best.' Ino wanted to tell him that, but knowing the boy, he wouldn't take to kindly to it. However, Ino believed this. Even if it wasn't Sakura, there were several girls and women, inside Konoha and out, that would treat him like a king. Trusted, the affection he desired from the pinked-haired kunoichi would probably be limitless with any other, if he gave them a chance. As much as Naruto annoyed Ino, even she could agree, Naruto deserved happiness, too.

'Oh, Sakura. Don't you see what you've done to him?' Looking upon the somber blonde male, she couldn't help but feel sorry for him. Broken, defeated, and hollow was the boy. She wanted so bad to help him, but what could she do? Words were ineffective, and she'd rather not get into another skirmish of words with the gloomy male, lest she kill him, but he really looked like he was at the end of his rope. Just because her and Naruto didn't get along didn't mean she wanted a suicidal blonde on her conscience. Then it clicked.

Ino quickly turned around and headed back toward the blonde male. 'I'm sure I'm going to regret this, but it's worth a shot.'

Naruto was in a trance. He was just a product of that park now; just a mere statue for the birds that fly through daily to defile with their miniature excretions. Naruto couldn't fathom why Sakura would accept his request only to leave him by the wayside. His hope had risen, sure that things would be back to the way they were before, but after today, it was painfully obvious to the boy nothing had changed. Their relationship was strained, nay, broken, and no amount of time, nor expertise could fix it.

'No. There has to be a way to fix this. I'm sure she wants things to be normal again, too. Otherwise, she wouldn't have accepted.'

Memories of Team 7 recollected. He could vividly remember when they'd all first came together as a team. Naruto had unwillingly been tied to a wooden post after trying to cheat the rules Kakashi-sensei had set. Even though they initially failed the trial the first time, they still managed to pass inadvertently by defying Kakashi's order not to feed Naruto.

'Yea. We learned what true teamwork was that day.'

And then there was that treacherous time in the Forest of Death. For the first time, Naruto knew what it was like to be an equal to Sasuke. That exam had damn near lived up to it's name, and it was through their teamwork, and a little help from a couple of teams from the Konoha twelve that they managed to survive at all.

Naruto even remembered things up to the point where Sai replaced Sasuke. Regardless of whether Sasuke was present or not, those were happier times for Team 7. He was still alive, and therefore, still very much a part of Team 7, whether he was out of sight or not.

'Why didn't you return to Konoha after your revenge? While you still had a chance to be welcomed back in with open arms? While did you dive deeper in the darkness, Sasuke? It didn't have to be like this. It didn't...'

Suddenly, Naruto felt himself being jerked up. Broken out of his trance, he looked ahead to see the blonde female tugging him along by the wrist.

"H-hey!" he yelled, his anger rousing up again. "What the hell are you doing? Let go of me!"

"Just follow me, okay?" Ino said, focusing on the path ahead of them.

"You're really pissing me off, Yamanka!" the boy retorted, trying to loose his self of her surprisingly strong grip. "Let go already!"

"I have an idea," the platinum-blonde said, as she looked back at him with a heart-warming smile. "Let's date each other."

Naruto stared at the smiling girl. Somehow, there was a radiant glow about her, he wasn't sure existed for someone such as her. Nevertheless, rather than acknowledge said radiance, the stubborn boy responded the only way he knew how.

"Date you? No way! Let go now damn it!" He looked like a belligerent child, repudiating his mother's tender love and care. That is to say, he looked quite silly at the moment.

Ino didn't yell back. She didn't argue, or even attempt to belittle the raving blonde boy. Instead, for a change, she fought fire with kindness.

"Don't think of it as two lovers dating," Ino winked at him. "Just think of it as two heartbroken friends hanging out. Okay?"

There it was again. More kind words and expressions from, of all people, Ino. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't weirded out by Ino's unusual behavior. Seriously, was this some kind of joke? Was she trying to poke fun at him? And she described the two them as "friends," a word he couldn't recall ever being used to even remotely describe their relationship. Whatever this charade was, Naruto was most certainly wary of it.

Regardless of what he thought, he still allowed himself to be carried along. Hopefully, his thoughts wouldn't come to fruition and Ino wasn't being a sadist of some sort after all.

"Hey!" Naruto yelled, almost tripping. "Slow down, will you?"

Further and further, they went through the districts. Ino was determined to chipper up the blonde male or die trying; preferably, not the latter.

The pink-haired girl laid in the bed curled to one side and hold fastened on her pillow against her breast, almost like a silent source of protection. She was a pitiful heap atop the bed. She knew what she had done to Naruto was wrong. She should have never lead him on the way she did, and the guilt of this ate away at her, much like a vulture at an expired carcass. She couldn't imagine how terrible the blonde was taking her absence from the promised date, but she couldn't stand to lie to him. She couldn't stand to be right there, in his face, smiling, laughing, just all out pretending to enjoy his company as if everything were alright with her because it wasn't. Nothing had changed.

She still dearly missed her Sasuke. Naruto had been his killer, and therefore, the destroyer of her future. Contempt for the blonde male was now her replacement for the love she had for the Uchiha, in all truth, her contempt was all she had left, therefore, she had nothing. Contempt and hatred yeilded nothing, this she knew. She knew where malice and malignant intentions let Sasuke.

To darkness. To the ultimate nothingness. Yet, she followed his memory, took ahold of it for unwavering faith he'd still be among her. That cold, unfeeling mass now reaching for her, serenading her further into the deep, black nothingness.

Sasuke's curse. It ensnared her. His darkness was now becoming her own.

She continued laying there. She wronged Naruto, and it reflected on her conscience. That's right. She still had a conscience. She could still feel for her former teammate, even through her hatred for him. Maybe, she still had some humanity left. Not all of Sasuke's darkness claimed her like she feared.

"Naruto," she mouthed the boys name softly, hugging the pillow tighter to herself. "I have to make this right. I have to put an end to this hatred."

Sakura knew what she had to do, for the sake of Naruto's sanity and, maybe, herself. She'd be paying the boy a visit tonight, and from there on, their ties would forever be severed.

Naruto looked around the enclosed room cautiously, watching for anything out of the ordinary. The walls and floor were in tact, the building wasn't up in flames, and from what he could tell, no one was bursting in to assault him, so that meant the world wasn't ending nor was this a plot for a group of yakuza to stuff him in a body bag and chuck him off some cliff in some sort of uncharted land. Nothing may have seemed out of the ordinary there, but Hell had surely frozen over.

Thin strips of beef sizzled on a grill in front of him. The skeptical blonde male brought his attention to the blonde female across from him who was helping herself to a finished piece of meat before she noticed him staring at her, which earned him a seemingly gentle and kind of cute smile. He watched her as she focused her attention on another finished morsel.

'She's totally screwing with me right now. There has to be some kind of twisted catch here. I'm sure of it. What are you up to, Yamanaka?'

"I have an idea. Let's date each other." The words stalked back to his memory, prompting a light blush, barely noticeable, as he remembered how cute the sunshine-blonde looked back there.

"Naruto?" Ino called. "Naruto? Aren't you going to eat? I told you, I'm paying, so eat as much as you like."

Ino and her family weren't majorly rich or anything, but her family did run a fairly successful botany shop. Usually, on Valentine's Day or any holiday involving love or giving, it brought in a surplus of customers looking to purchase fresh flowers to complement whatever other gifts and trinkets they had purchased for their loved ones. Even then, there were still enough flower lovers and blossoming couples in Konoha to sustain a comfortable life style. For Ino, the money she made between working at her parent's shop and performing miscellaneous missions for the Hokage, she earned quite a fair keep to splurge and still save.

Despite Ino's generous demeanor, Naruto didn't buy it. A scowl formed on his face, which turned into aggravation, which became growing anger, before ultimately turning into an exaggerated outburst.

"That's it!" the boy yelled. "Just what kind of nonsense is this, Yamanaka? What kind of sadistic joke are you plotting?" The porcupine-headed male pointed a stiffening finger at the cerulean-eyed blonde, as if trying to magnetize whatever foul misdeeds the girl had conjured up to that single point.

"Wha..WHAT?" the girl was flabbergasted. "Joke? Do I really seem like that kind of a person?"

"Sometimes, I wonder," the spiky-headed blonde, snarky as ever.

Ino was disconcerted with the blue-eyed male. Even with how kind she had been, Naruto still managed to demonize everything she said or did. It was like trying to get through to a raving bull. You're likely to come out of it weary and in pain.

"You know, I really am trying to be nice here," Ino placed a hand over her chest. "I admit, I may have a mean streak, but I don't play immature little pranks on people."

"Oh wow," he spoke facetiously. "So you're trying to play nice now? How wonderful."

"You're really something else, Uzumaki!" Ino argued back, her nerves fed up with the sarcastic boy. "I'm only doing what I can to help! You really looked down back there! I couldn't just leave you that way!"

Naruto's anger boiled over. He was no charity case, and he didn't need someone feeling sorry for him, especially not the platinum-blonde.

"Who said I wanted your help, huh, Yamanaka? After all the crap I've been through these past three years, the last thing I need is some narcissistic, overbearing yutz of a ninja nosing her way into my life! How I feel and what I do is my business, so back off!" The blonde males argument and the sheer force behind it would have been enough to deter the toughest of people. It certainly did its fair share of damage to Ino at that moment. All would have went well. Ino would have been off his back, if it weren't for one thing...

"Yeowch!" In the excitement of the back and forth between them, Naruto slammed the palm of his hand on the hot grill, scolding the tender flesh pretty badly.

"Argh! Damn it!" the boy cursed. He blew futilely at his hand, trying to soothe the gnawing pain of his burn. His palm was bright red, a sign of the severe agitation of the burn, and it had black smudges where old ash from burnt meat and the heated rust of the iron grill had collected. Naruto was so focused on his injured hand that he didn't notice the cerulean-eyed girl had moved in beside him.

"Let me see your hand," the girl requested.

"Huh? What for?" Naruto didn't know what Ino was getting at by asking for his hand, but he didn't trust her.

"Please, just give me your hand," Ino slowly held out her hand, giving the blonde male a gentle smile that said, 'You can trust me.' Somehow, Naruto must have got the memo, because he submitted his scorched hand willingly to her, no further questions asked. Instead, he was admiring how pleasant she looked at that moment.

'Is this really the same Yamanaka I know?'

Ino gently carried Naruto's hand, careful not to touch the scolded palm. She tenderly laid the back of his hand on her bare lap.

A blush colored his face. Ino's thighs were soft against the back of his hand. Even her touch was a welcome release. Now that she was actually closer, he could truly appreciate Ino's features and beauty. She was dawning a completely different color today, one that complemented her ocean-like eyes. She wore a light-blue dress. The hem of the dress was long enough not to expose her undergarments, but short enough to show off the mid-thigh of her creamy legs. The breast area of her dress exposed just enough cleavage that would garner any males attention. He wasn't sure if the dress was sleeveless because she wore a small black cotton jacket on top of it, to complement the black heels she wore.

Her hair was worn in her usual style, a long flowing bang covering the right half of her face and a puffy, albeit lengthy ponytail in the back. Her facial features were gentle and delicate, and the color of her eyes and milkiness of her skin further demonstrated that gentleness. Without a doubt, she was a beautiful girl, and the upkeep of her personal appearance implied she knew it.

Men lined up to have a go at her, and despite her flirtatious nature, she wasn't promiscuous. She never wanted anyone to get the wrong idea about her. She respected her body as a woman and demanded any guy lucky enough to have her entertain him to do the same. Suffice it to say, she didn't always pick the right guy, typically falling for jerks, much like the black-haired Uchiha. She had so many options, though, that she was sure somewhere amongst the masses was her Mr. Right. Besides, no guy could make her cry like Sasuke did, and no other guy ever did.

Ino focused her chakra from her chest to her hands, breathing calm and carefully hovering her hands over his wounded palm once a green aura began emitting around her hands. Ino watched the now healing hand. Her expression became solemn as she focused on it.

"After all the crap I've been through these past three years, I don't need some narcissistic, overbearing yutz of a ninja nosing her way into my life! How I feel and what I do is my business, so back off!" Ino understood now. Like his palm, Naruto was in pain, but it was pain that was far worse than a silly burn. It was deeper and more personal. So many important figures disappeared from his life. Sakura was all he had, but even it was like she was no longer with him. He felt alone. Isolated.

Ino couldn't understand him. Or so he thought. Ino could understand more than he could imagine.

Ino reflected on his words, still healing the boys palm. Perhaps, she was only thinking of herself, helping Naruto just to free her own conscience. Maybe, she really was just using this moment as an opportunity to pry into his business.

No.

That may have been the case before, but now...Now she wanted to truly help him.

Naruto watched Ino's face as she continued to heal his burned palm. He noticed the somber weight on her eyes as she continued to observe his healing palm. She was sad? But what for? Did he really say something that hurtful to prompt such an emotion?

Ino, and women in general, confused the blonde male, but not more than she had today. From arguing to kind gestures back to arguing and then finally, sadness. She was a complex girl to figure out, indeed.

"Okay. All done," she whispered. The green aura faded.

Naruto examined his hand. The pain was greatly diminished, not a spot of red irritation left on his palm. The boy stared in amazement at the blonde girl. He had no idea she'd learned medical ninjutsu.

Ino looked at the boy. She had known what he wanted to ask, and so, she proceeded to answer him unspoken question.

"I learned a little medical ninjutsu from Lady Tsunade before she passed," Naruto frowned at the mention of the former Hokage's name. "Shizune-sensei has been teaching me over the years since then."

Ino continued to force a small smile at Naruto, and then she lowered her head, the somber look returning. She rested her hands on her thighs. Then there was silence.

"Look Naruto," Ino finally broke the silence. "I don't want to fight anymore. I know I haven't been the nicest to you, and I have no one to blame but myself for that, however, I don't want to be the person to make you suffer more than you already are nor will I stand by and watch you suffer any longer. I'm aware you don't want my help, and you're right. Your life is your own business, but that not what I'm here for. If you will let me, I want to be there for you. I want to always be useful to you, but only if you have use for me. Naruto will you let me be your..."

Naruto became tense. His heart was rapidly beating. Like a ticking time bomb, it threatened to burst. Was this what he thought it was? A confession? Naruto was bewildered by the thought of such a thing. Him and Ino...together. She was about to ask him to be her...

"Friend?"

"Oh..." the blonde male let out, mystified still.

"Oh?" the other blonde spoke. "What kind of response is that?"

The indigo-eyed male was embarrassed. The type of embarrassment he felt spoke for itself, mistaking someone's kind gestures and words for more than what they really were only to find out your assumption was completely unfounded, a simple misconception. Nonetheless, Ino's offer wasn't bad like he thought it would be. Ino simply wanted a peace treaty. That he could live with.

"Excuse me?" came an almost melodic female voice. "Is everything okay? We heard a disturbance earlier and wanted to make sure nothing happened."

The girl had pale skin and chocolate-brown, shoulder length hair. She wore a tan kimono that stretched all the way down just above her sandal dressed feet. It was apparent she had a shapely body, because the kimono was tight enough to reveal a fair sized bosom she tried hard to conceal, a thinned waistline that further complemented her curvy, voluptuous hips. The color of her eyes were a dark-brown hue; cute but nothing that made them standout. It was obvious she was a waitress there with the way she formally stood, holding the bottom length of the tray she held overhand.

"Oh yes," Ino responded with an embarrassed giggle. "Everything has been worked out. Sorry for the trouble."

"It's no trouble," she gave them a delicate smile. "By the way...your food is burning."

"Oh crap!" Ino hopped up from her position beside the blonde male and started picking off the now charcoaled meat. "Naruto, help me get these off of here."

"Wha..why do I have to help?" the boy argued. "You were the one cooking them. Take responsibility for you own actions."

"Stop being stubborn, and just help me," Ino picked another piece of the grill.

"Tch. Whatever," he griped, ultimately helping anyway, despite his prior resistance.

The waitress smiled incredulously. 'Must have been a lover's quarrel.'

"Phew. I'm stuffed," Naruto leaned back, and let out a hearty belch.

"Wow. You almost rival Chouji in eating gross amounts of food," Ino spoke, amazed. What she was more amazed at was how he could gorge himself and not be twice Chouji's size. More importantly, though, was the hurt that was coming to her wallet from the blonde male eating a meal the size of an elephant, which she wasn't all to thrilled about.

'But he looks so happy.' Ino watched the boy rub gingerly at his belly, a wide grin spread about his face. It made her feel good to have accomplished what she set out to do in cheering the blonde male up. Much like she was for her good friends Chouji and Shikamaru, she could be there Naruto as well.

"You know, Yamanaka," Naruto said. "I hate to admit it, but you're not a half-bad person. Here I thought you were just trying to get over on me, but man, that couldn't have been more far from the truth."

"Geez, have a little more faith," Ino groaned. "I'm not some evil witch or something."

"Yeah, I know," Naruto responded, trying to appease the pouting girl across from him. "No need to make a face like that. Really, though. I'm surprised at how much I enjoyed myself here with you today. You're a good person, Yamanka."

"You know it," Naruto didn't realize how much of a boost to her pride this was. It brightened her up to hear him say that. To those who didn't know her, their impression of her immediately was that she was hard to get along with, but really she did enjoy helping people. It can be hard being brutally honest and still make a good impression, but it weeded out the true, honest-to-good friends from the fakers, so it still managed to work in her favor.

"Thank you," Naruto let out. "I really had a lot of fun." The words indicated he was happy and grateful for the time he had spent with Ino, but the tone said he knew he would be coming back to planet Earth soon. As soon as he walked out of that door and left the company of the platinum-blonde, he would be back to his harsh reality.

"Well, I guess I'll be going now," Naruto rose and proceeded to the exit.

"Uzu...maki." Ino silently mouthed the boys name. She watched as he continued to walk away. Inwardly, she debated whether to say what she wanted to tell him. She rehearsed the word several times in head on the way there, trying to find the best way to express it, but she wasn't sure how he would receive it either way.

"Uzumaki," Ino called out to him. Naruto stopped just shy of the exit and looked back curiously at her.

"What's up?" he asked, an eyebrow risen.

"You were happy weren't you?" the girl inquired of him. "I mean, you really enjoyed yourself, right?"

"Uh. Yeah," he responded confused.

"I really meant it when I said I wouldn't watch you suffer," Ino looked up at him, sympathy in her features. "We're friends aren't we?"

"I'd say so," Naruto responded, still trying to figure out what this was about. "Look, what are you trying to get at her, Yamanaka? You're confusing the crap out of me right now."

Ino fidgeted a little bit. The she rose and walked over to the blonde male. She was unable to meet his eyes, already predicting the anger that may exude from them.

"I really had a great time with you here today," the girl started, her hand timidly clasped together in front of her. She still avoided his eyes as if they had belonged to Medusa or something. "To see you happy again and to know I'm a part of that happiness makes me feel good, and I want to ensure you stay happy. You're a great person, Naruto, and you deserve to have caring friends around you. I know you love Sakura..."

Ino paused. She didn't want to finish the sentence for fear of the consequences. By no means would the whiskered male harm her. She was sure of that. However, what she was more afraid was angering him. Pissing him off would have been counterproductive to what she was setting out to do in maintaining his happiness. If she could, she would avoid it, but this had be said.

She looked at the boy firmly in the eyes and she said, "It's for the best you let her go. She's hurting you deeper than you can imagine, and you deserve so much more than what she is offering." She finally said it, but just as she feared, it was not welcome advise. Sincere as she was everything was now negated, and without a doubt, she now regretted ever saying it.

"I knew it," the boy whispered. He looked down, shivering violently as he clenched his two fist. He refused to look upon the girl he felt played him along. Just as she had gained his trust, she had lost it. He wouldn't likely give it away so easy again.

How could she say such a thing? How could she expect him to abandon the girl he love so much in favor of his own self-sufficient placidity when Sakura was in just as much pain as he was? And wasn't Ino supposed to be her best friend?

'So this was Ino's true self. The kind of person who abandons her friends. Despicable. As long as Sakura is trouble, I couldn't possibly think of gaining happiness.'

"What?" Ino was frightened by the sudden change in the blonde males eyes. They were beaming at her, judging her and condemning her as a bad person. She could feel it, but she wasn't. She wasn't a bad person. She was only looking out for his self-interest, so why couldn't he understand that?

"I knew this was all to good to be true!" he yelled. Naruto continued to avoid her gaze. He was sure she was taking pleasure in the anger she'd awoken in him. He mentally chastised himself for allowing her to take him this far. Truthfully, Ino wasn't taking pleasure in his anger at all. She was concerned like she proclaimed earlier.

She took a step toward him, reaching a hand out to comfort him "No you're wrong. I wasn't trying to..."

"Then what were you trying to do?" Naruto abruptly cut her off, angry eyes finally peering into Ino's depths. "Because if it's pissing me off, then mission accomplished."

The words were as if someone had struck her. She took a step back and looked away from the blonde males angry, searching eyes, a hand held to her chest.

"No. Upsetting you wasn't what I was trying to do," she spoke softly. "I only wanted to help you."

"I never wanted your help from the start," Naruto's tone ever so menacing. "I'd appreciate it, Yamanaka, if you'd mind your own business, and stay out of mine."

Ino looked back up at the male to see him pulling out money from his wallet.

"Hey wait," Ino piped up. "I told I'd pay for your meal." Naruto ignored the girls words. At this point, they had no relevancy to him. They were just simply meanderings from a girl who was out to destroy his aspirations. He took enough money out to pay for his meal, which the platinum-blonde reluctantly received it. Then he said his farewell.

"Have a good rest of the night," And then he turned to the exit and was gone.

Ino stared dejectedly at the ground. Things had not turned out how she'd hoped they would, and she was beginning to wonder if she should even keep bothering. If she didn't know by now that he wanted nothing to do with her, she certainly knew now. Heck, she doubted he would even spare her a glance, let alone speak to her again. Caring was pointless, though. It's not like they were friends before this nor did she feel attracted to him in any kind of way, so why bother? Putting up with him for this long was a feat in and of itself she should be most certainly be proud of. Still, she had fun laughing and talking with the blue-eyed male, and dare she say, they bonded during that time, kind of like brother and sister.

In the midst of her pondering, she noticed something by the exit door; a small white, square box branded with the pink-haired kunoichi's name on it. Ino simply stared at the box she held gently in her hand.

"You really do care about her, don't you?"

Naruto finally arrived at his house after what seemed like an endless trek; perhaps, because he walked instead of dashing from the rooftops as he did earlier. After the day he had, he'd be surprised if he had any stamina left.

Fatigue mounted the boys body as he galumphed into the house, shutting the door behind him with a lazy groan. He wasted no time in shedding himself of the black t-shirt that covered his upper body and dragged his throbbing feet all the way to his bathroom. Naruto removed the mass of still soggy clothing from earlier off the sink and relocated them, instead, on the floor. He stared at himself in the mirror, his exhaustion clear on his face.

"Man, what a day," the boy spoke to his mimicking reflection. He proceeded to brush his teeth and wash his face, finding a little bit of reserved strength to carry out the minuscule task. The sound of the running water being slurped up by the gaping drain echoed throughout the house. He cut the water off, and then silence.

A brief few seconds went by, and then the tired boy dragged himself across to his room. Naruto flopped limply on the bed. He didn't bother to change out of the pants he'd worn out that day. Simply laying on the bed lifted fatigue from his aching body, allowing him to be at ease physically at least. His body felt like he had done some heavy labor, or fought Bushy Brow. True enough, neither one of these things occurred today, but with the level of testosterone he'd exerted dealing with that Yamanaka girl, he might as well have been.

Naruto lifted his arm to display the formally burned hand before his eyes. He laid there, staring at it, his expression remained blank.

"I can never forget," he whispered. He laid the hand across his chest, closed his eyes, and murmured the words again. Then he drifted off to sleep.

Loudly, the waterfall roared. The sky was blanketed with dark clouds, apparitions of the dark clash now concluded. Two gigantic stoned figures were going down the length of the waterfall on both sides, relaying an unspoken tale of two legendary rival ninja. Atop one figure were two significantly smaller figures, both bloodied from battle. One laid lifelessly still while the other stood over him. Cold, dead eyes stared back up at the victorious blonde. Ragged and bloodied, he stared back in shock, his eyes wide and trembling. The kunai he held in his hand dripped with the blood of the lifeless victim. He had killed him.

Clang. The kunai dropped. The blonde ninja staggered back frightened with disbelief.

"No, I..." the boy stuttered.

Suddenly, lightning struck, and the next thing the blonde male saw was a bloodied katana protruding out in front of his face, his own blood flying in front of him as he did. His vision began to blur, and with his last breath he spoke his name.

"Sas...uke,"

"It's okay," the undead Uchiha pronounced. "You'll die with me."

Lighting struck one more time, and then the darkness finally took him.

A knock on the door woke him from the nightmare. He woke up in a could sweat.

"That dream again," he had a serious headache. Since Sasuke's death he had been having the same nightmare at least once a night.

The knocking persisted, louder than the last.

"Ok. I'm coming," the blonde male groggily spoke as he wiped the sleep from his eyes. "Who could be knocking on my door at this late. Secret S-class mission, maybe?"

The visitor knocked a couple more times before he reached tho knob. "Yes, who is it?"

A familiar voice rung in his ear; one he hadn't expected to hear ever again. "Hey, did I wake you?"

"What the hell do you want, Yamanaka?" He was not thrilled.

"You left this at the restaurant," the blond girl answered, showing him the small box. "I figured it was important to you."

He looked at the box blankly, kicking himself mentally for having lost it so easily.

"I didn't look at what was inside, if that's what you're worried about," Ino admitted, giving him a soft smile. "I'm sure it's a private matter. Didn't want to pry, you know?" Ino not being nosy. Shocker. The paradox is all out of wack today.

Naruto took the box from her hand, avoiding any sort of eye contact with her.

"Thanks." He proceeded to shut the door, however, before he could fully close it, Ino slipped her foot in as a doorstopper.

"Wait," she called out. She peeked in at him though the crack of the door.

"What?" he said annoyed.

"Can we talk?" she asked, an earnest look on her face.

"Why?" he asked. "What more can you say to ruin my night?"

"Just her me out," she requested. "Then I'll be out of your hair for good, okay?" Naruto looked at her for a second. He contemplated whether he should let her in or not. I mean, she hadn't really been winning him over with her words today, but on second thought, he like her proposition. The sooner he talked to her, the sooner he could get this over with and be rid of her, the sooner he could get back to sleep.

Tho door opened, and Ino was granted access to his not so humble abode. Naruto watched her as she entered, closing the door only after she had made it all the way in. He already had an idea of how this so-called "talk" would go, but he decided to humor her anyway.

"May I?" Ino asked, standing in front a fabric loveseat.

"Be my guest." the boy approved nonchalantly.

She took a seat and gripped her matching sky-blue purse closer to her. She didn't look at the boy. She just looked down and said nothing. Some talk.

Naruto rose an eyebrow at her. "Well, talk."

Ino looked up at the spiky-headed blonde, and then she looked back down, her features riddled with sadness.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

Naruto leaned back on the counter that somewhat separated the kitchen from the living room. He rubbed his forehead in frustration. He could see he was in for a ride. "That it?"

She continued to speak. "I said some insensitive things earlier. I don't expect you to accept my apology, however, I just wanted you to know I'm sincerely sorry. I meant you know harm. Please, forgive my ignorance."

Naruto watched the girl continue to scale the ground with her eyes. Strange words coming from the Yamanaka he thought, but an apology wouldn't be enough to quell his frustration with the platinum-blonde. It was going to take more. A heck of a lot more.

"If that's all you have to say, then it's time for you to leave," Naruto lifted himself forward away from the counter and walked toward the door.

"You really do love her, huh?" Ino bluntly asked, inquiring Naruto of his feeling for her pink-haired bestfriend.

Naruto turned around to look at her. Their eyes met for the first time since they started the conversation. Ino's cerulean orbs were steadfast on his navy pools, eyes searching his for the truth. Naruto looked away. He didn't want her to find him. If he kept staring, she would surely know how he really felt.

"I could never leave things the way they are now," the boy said, melancholy in his voice. "Even if I never have her the way I want to, as long as she is my friend again and she is happy, I can be happy." Even through all the years, Naruto stood by this. No matter how much Ino tried to convince him to let the pink-haired kunoichi go, he wouldn't falter on his own self-promise. He would fight for her. For both of them. And even if it took him his life time, he would bring her back.

"You're really a devoted friend," Ino spoke, a tiny smile on the edge of her lips. "But who knows you to be any other way?" He didn't look at her. His expression and silence said it all.

"Believe it or not," Ino continued. "I, too, care and worry for Sakura." In any other situation, Ino would have called the emerald-eyed girl by her nickname, Forehead, but the moment was far to serious not prompting for a petname at the moment.

Ino continued. "I know you and I haven't been in the least bit close, and I surely do not hate you despite that. You're a good person, and even though we may not be friends, I worry for you as well." The statement caused Naruto to look at her once more. It was a shocking revelation for him to know even Ino could have compassion, and for him no less, considering their not so glorious social history with one another, including this past evening.

"Am I supposed to believe that?" his voice slightly stern.

"I may not be the nicest person around, but even I show compassion for my enemies," the girl responded. "You are an ally, not my enemy. Regardless of your ups or downs, I am your ally, so I will be there for you. I will support you. If returning Sakura to her former self is what you endeavor to do, then know I am here as a support." Naruto's expression remained melancholic. It was frustrating for her to see him acting this way. He was like a lost, frightened puppy abandoned and unloved. She was going to be a friend to him whether he liked it or not.

"Geez, cheer up, will you?" Ino spoke, rising from where she sat. She stood face to face with the depressing boy. "Look, things will be fine. If you need help, just call big sister, Ino-chan, okay?" She pointed proudly at herself.

"But..." Naruto started.

"No buts," Ino interrupted squishing the boys cheeks between her two hands. His face was almost pig-like as she squeezed it together. "Think positive, and stop with the sulking. It's really annoying."

"Iwo, pwease swop doin' nat," his words were muffled by how hard she was pressing the sides of his face. Ino couldn't resist anymore. She burst into laughter at Naruto's attempt to look angry, pig-face and all.

"You look upset little piggy," she jibed, letting go of his face.

He really felt silly trying to argue while his face was scrunched liked that. However, he wasn't amused.

"Not funny," he pouted angrily.

Ino's laughter slowed, before she spoke again.

"See there," she winked at him. "I prefer you like this versus being a Mr. Emomaki." No doubt anger could lead to recklessness given to much, but it wasn't hollow like sadness. With anger was potential strength. Sadness, on the other hand, was a weakness. She is could maiden who overstays her welcome, recalling nothing but painful memories eternally plaguing you. Life is meaningless in sadness, and therefore must be contained. That was Ino's philosophy.

"Har, har. Funny what you did there," he said sarcastically. "I knew you enjoyed pissing me off."

Ino giggled. "But you feel better right?" Naruto didn't notice right away, but she was right. He was little annoyed with her making fun of his face earlier, but he no longer was thinking of the pink-haired kunoichi, which meant he wasn't being "emo" as Ino would put it.

"Hmph. I suppose," he folded his arms, not wanting to acknowledge her properly.

"Thank you, Ino-chan," she mimicked the boys voice through her own feminine voice.

"Whatever." Ino giggled at the response. The stubborn male watched her giggle, a small smile formed on his lips. 'I guess she's not so bad after all.'

The moment was interrupted by a soft knock at the door.

"I'm sorry," Ino spoke. "Were you expecting company?"

"No," Naruto responded. "I wasn't even expecting you to show up this late at my house."

Slowly he opened the door. Who he came face-to-face behind that door would send his heart and mind into a frenzy. As he met her face, his eyes widened, and his jaw dropped. Pinching himself would have been right about that moment, because he was sure he was dreaming.

"Sakura?"

"Hi, Naruto," she quietly spoke. "We need to talk."

And that is chapter one. Wow, it's really long isn't it? Sorry for those who those who don't like super long chapters, but I felt like there was a lot I wanted to establish in this first chapter. Will the latter chapters be this long? Maybe not as long, but just about, so get used to lengthy reads from here on out.

So I'm sure you guys noticed a couple key characters dead. That will be a reoccurring plot point throughout the story, so I do hope you'll get used to it. Note, just because I kill a character off doesn't mean I don't like them, it's just for the purpose of story progression. I hoped you enjoyed this story, and I look forward to seeing you guys again in the next chapter.

Random Thoughts: So I'm totally addicted to Marvel vs Capcom 3 and Super Street Fighter 4 again. For anyone who knows what EVO is, it rekindled the flame for fighting games I used to love so much. Hopefully, I can make time for writing, school, and getting boss at these two in a smooth matter :p

Also, some friends of mine just recently got me into Higurashi. It's a very entertaining mix of mystery and horror, and dare I say, I love watching some of the death's even if nothing is really shown. Geez, I'm becoming such a dark person -_-;