I don't own Naruto.

After that day i met Shikamaru we became really close, we were practically best friends! I couldn't even believe it! It's just that the other kids always look at me and they would fake cough saying

"Gold Digger!" and Shikamaru would whisper to me "Don't mind them, I'm here." And that's all i need to hear to feel OK again.

Shikamaru and I would always walk home, he asked his father if he could just walk home and not always wait for the driver to arrive (as if he's waiting, the car is always parked at the front of the school), his father agreed but not willingly i think his mother has something to do with it.

While walking home we would always passed by a street lamp that would always flicker when we're passing it and when i say always it is always and now we're passing the street lamp and just on Que it flickered

"heh. Troublesome lamp."

"maybe he likes you, it wants your attention"

"hnn, no maybe it likes us. Both of us"

"whatever you say Shikamaru, Whatever you say"

"Ino"

"hmm?"

"let's sit here for a while, it's still a little early"

"Sure"

"..."

"alright Shikamaru what is it?"

"nothing just enjoying the view"

"what view?"

"that view"

"where? I can't see it."

"you're really troublesome you know."

"No I'm not"

"you know why you can't see it?"

"no"

"because you face is covered with your hair"

I awkwardly touched my hair and looked at him.

"well it hides my face to everyone"

"why would you want to hide your face?"

"I've been accustomed to it since they started bullying me. It's kind of a protection or something for me."

"protection? It gets in your eyes all the time, you always tripped on your own feet and can't see well because of it."

He was fumbling with something on his uniform

"here. A plastic clothes pin."

I looked at him weirdly

"what would i do with that?"

"sigh" he gathered my bangs and clipped it with the plastic clothes pin on the side of my head.

"Shikamaru.. what are you doing?"

"well what does it look like?"

"you're clipping my bangs out of my face"

"there! you see! You can see it because your bangs is out of the way." He smirked at me and i just blushed furiosly.

"you have a pretty face Ino don't try to hide it." He looked away his face a little darker than before and my blush just reddens.

"with a plastic clothes pin?"

"uhh.. well do we have anything else here?"

"no.. where did you get this anyway?"

" It was clipped on my uniform this morning, they probably let the sun warm my clothes instead of using the dryer."

"well at least you save a small amount of electricity." I joked

"heh.. yeah right."

Then suddenly it started raining.

"eekk!" we both squeaked and started running to find shelter.

"well this is troublesome"

"we're stuck under a slide and drench to the bone, what's the point of hidding in here?"

"i guess it's common sense, we might catch a cold."

"but we're already drench! let's just run for it!"

"Tsk, troublesome... Ready?"

"hmm.. ready!"

And we're both running and laughing under the rain having the time of our life.

We finally made it to the corner where our ways would be separate.

"Ino, you know what view i was enjoying earlier?"

"no" i smiled at him.

"you!" he said so confidently and i just blush at him. He smirked at me saying "and you look cute blushing." My blush reddens realizing that he could see my face clearly because of the pin on my bangs

"whatever Shikamaru. Bye!"

"Bye!"

Today is Saturday and i'm outside gardening, that's what i do when I have a free time I've known shikamaru for a really long time now 10 months, 2 weeks and 27 days, i know it's silly but I've been counting the days since we actually met.

"Ino!"

"Yes Dad?"

"Could you please buy these at the store for me."

"sure Dad" i smiled at him, washed my hands grab the list and the money then I'm off to the store. I passed different houses that i passed everyday on our street every house just looks the same i smiled to myself and touched the clothes pin if it's still there and smiled again after Shikamaru gave it to me i never bother taking it off well, of course if necessary i'll only take it off when i'm taking a shower, sleeping etc..

After i finished buying the stuffs i walked home.

"sobs..sobs.."

"huh?" did i imagined it? I listened again there was nothing.

I continued my walk. "sobs.. sobs.."

There it goes again. i wonder where's the owner of the voice

"hello anyone there? are you hurt?" i said a little loudly.

"sobs.. sobs.."

I finally found where the voice was coming from it was from a small cottage, i know that a nurse lives there alone and she's always not there.

I peeked through the window and saw a boy, sitting on the ground hugging his knees crying.

"pssst! Hey, are you okay?"

"huh?"

"hey over here at the window!"

His red-rimmed eyes went wide he crawled over the window and looked at me and i looked at him too. He's cute with his messy brown hair and weird red tattoos on his face.

"Hi! I'm Ino Yamanaka" i said to him slowly

"my name's Kiba Inuzuka"

"it's nice to meet you kiba" I smiled at him

"it's nice to meet you too Ino, well if the circumstances were different."

I laugh a little "umm.. do you need help?" then i realize something i swear the nurse lives alone here then why does a kid like my age be in there.

"hey! Are you okay you're not kidnapped are you?"

"of course not. The nurse that lives here is my aunt." He said slowly.

"then why are you crying?"

"I...I just miss my mom."

"oh... I-If you don't mind me asking where is she?"

"she's on a business trip with my dad." He said avoiding eye contact with me, i just feel like he's hidding something but i didn't pressed on the matter.

"OK, umm sorry but i gotta go my dad will get worried if i don't come home soon." I bowed suddenly then bump my head on the glass.

"hmmphh... just be careful i hope to see you next time Ino-chan!" i know he was holding his laughter so that i would not be embarrassed.

"Bye Kiba!" i walked back home give dad the groceries and entered my room sat on my bed opened the book i'm currently reading and started reading.

Then it dawned on me that Kiba called me Ino-chan.

So how was it?

Kiba was added to the picture, sorry if it's a little rushed like the last chapter but i'm trying my best.

And thanks for the encouragement Kari Hitsugaya, ShikaInoInuKikIchiHime36, zeroplus, gift!

Merry Christmas!

R&R!