Two days later, Ino set off for Shikamaru's house once again. She knew Shikamaru had a mission in the afternoon and she could talk to Yoshino privately. Lingering on the doorstep for a moment, Ino patted her hair and knocked softly on the door.

"Hi, Yoshino-san" Ino said with a smile when she opened the door "Can I talk to you? I want to explain about what happened a few days ago..."

"I daresay you should!" Yoshino said, raising her eyebrows "I'm here alone now, so come on in" She stepped aside and beckoned Ino in.

"Are you hungry? Thirsty?" She offered, seating Ino at the kitchen table. Ino shook her head politely and waited for Yoshino to sit down.

"Okay, first thing, thank you" Ino said "I mean, I would've had my cover blown if it wasn't for you. You weren't hurt were you?"

"Oh, no, I'm fine. It was no problem." Yoshino said "I figured it was you who left the rose, and you just got stuck or something. So what's the story? I want to hear everything!"

Ino remembered the slightly revised version she had come up with in her head, leaving out the terrible love triangle she was stuck in. But something about the kind way Yoshino was speaking to her, the friendly way she was acting, like the two of them were really best friends, made Ino change her mind. She hadn't had a best friend since Sakura had declared them rivals, and she hadn't realized how much she missed it until now.

So she took a deep breath, and told her everything.

Yoshino listened intently, commenting here and there, nodding in understanding and laughing at the silly parts. She was a good person to talk to.

"Tell you what, Ino" Yoshino said when Ino finished explaining "I'm going to make some tea, and then we're gonna come up with a plan"

"Really?" Ino repeated, a little bewildered.

"Really!" Yoshino said happily "You're such a sweet girl, Ino. You're the kind of girl I'd want for my son. That's why I tipped over in my chair and made a fool of myself for you."

Ino laughed softly and waited for Yoshino to make tea. When she came back, she placed two cups in front of each of them and a pot in the middle.

"I didn't tell you this before, but I will now" she started, taking a sip of her tea "When I told you Shikamaru was on a date, I was kidding. I've been after him about whether or not he was dating that girl for a week or so now, and it was still on my mind. If I had known what you were feeling-"

"It's okay Yoshino-san. I might not have realized what I really felt if it wasn't for you" Ino said, tracing her fingertips across the warm teacup.

"All right then. So, they really must be dating after all, considering what you've seen. However..." She paused to sip her tea again "You must be on his mind, if he called her Ino" She smiled, unable to help herself, and Ino joined in.

"So, what we need to do is make him realize that I'm the one for him?"

"That's right! I'll help you. I'll suggest that the rose is probably from you, is that okay? Then, if he asks you about it-"

"I don't know" Ino said, cheeks reddening "It's kind of..."

"Embarrassing?" Yoshino supplied. Ino nodded "That's true. I suppose it really would be"

"Yes...But I'm not giving up. Not this time. Never. This is a strong feeling. I know I can win this, and I know I belong with him." She paused, a realization coming to her "Yoshino...I love Shikamaru"

"You do?" came a voice behind them. Ino jumped violently, snapping her head up. Shikaku stood there, one eyebrow raised, staring at Ino. Embarrassment sinking in, Ino turned red and lowered her eyes.

Why do I have such bad luck with this stupid house? What's the darn thing got against me, anyways? I mean, my timing is so screwed up...

"Shikaku" Yoshino barked, making Ino jump for a second time "Sit"

She pointed to the chair she herself had been in when she toppled over, looking strict with her mouth in a thin line. The man's eyes widened, looking at his wife, who kept staring him down. After a moment, he quickly obliged and sat in the chair.

"If you say a word of what you've heard here" Yoshino said sternly "There will be consequences. Quite unlike any you've ever seen. I'm quite serious. Ino has taken an interest in our boy, and I'm going to help her out. You got that?"

There was a moment of silence in which Ino stared wide eyed at the couple, and Shikaku looked at his wife in bewilderment.

"Yes ma'am" he said finally "But Inoichi's gonna kill me if he finds out..."

"I'll take care of Inoichi if I have to" Yoshino said, still scowling. Ino couldn't help but smile at her.

"Geez woman, he isn't even your husband" Shikaku said, resting his chin in his palm and sighing a little before closing his eyes and going silent. Yoshino ignored that comment.

"That's how you handle em" she said, winking at Ino. Ino grinned, recalling times in the past when she had 'handled' Shikamaru.

"I know that grin" Yoshino added "You already know how to do that, don't you? You're a great girl, Ino-chan"

"Thank you" Ino said, smiling at the nickname. She hadn't called Ino that since she was a kid. It was nice to be called it again, out of closeness instead of respect this time. Thinking of a good story about her 'handling' she opened her mouth to tell it, but was interrupted.

"Ino? What are you doing here?" came Shikamaru's voice. Yoshino and Shikaku turned around to look at him, frowning in thought at Ino, sitting at his dining room table.

"She's staying for dinner" Yoshino said before anyone else could say anything.

"She is?" Shikamaru said "You didn't tell me that"

"It was a spontaneous decision" Yoshino said, not lying in the slightest. Then she gave her husband a sharp, pointed look. He flinched, and had to think a moment before saying something.

"Yeah, I think I'll go ask Inoichi to stay too." he said, lazily getting up and heading out the door. Shikamaru frowned slightly, watching him leave. "Choza is on a mission. Besides, he and Choji ate the whole fridge last time they were here." He smiled a little to show it was just a joke.

"So what are we having for dinner, anyway?" he said, retrieving a teacup and sitting down in the chair his father had just left.

"Uhh...Ino was just helping me decide that" Yoshino said "What do you think, Ino?"

"Oh" Ino said, slightly taken aback at the sudden attention "How about something like mackerel?"

"Hey, that's my favorite! Let's have that!" Shikamaru said, smiling at Ino.

I thought so...

Yoshino tossed Ino a look, with a slight smirk, that clearly said "smooth move."

"Nice suggestion, Ino" Yoshino said, standing up and walking towards the kitchen "Shikamaru, you keep Ino entertained while I make it"

"Uh..sure, Mom" he said, probably wondering at the over-stern tone in her voice. Ino looked away, staring at the leaves in the bottom of her cup. With an audible slurp, Shikamaru finished his own tea "Come on, Ino" he said, standing up and beckoning her upstairs.

Ino glanced at Yoshino before heading up the stairs. Yoshino winked and mouthed 'You're winning'. Ino grinned, fresh determination filling her heart and giving her new energy.

"I'm coming" Ino said in a sing song voice before bounding up the stairs after him. He led her to his room and shut the door with a sigh before plopping down on the bed lazily. Ino glanced around, a little unsure of where to go amongst the mess, with Shikamaru stretched across the bed as he was.

Don't act shy, stupid! Pull it together Ino! Be bold!

She frowned a little, brushing aside dirty clothes with her feet, trying to find a place to sit. With a sigh, she bent down, clearing away the junk littering the floor. Shikamaru watched her for a minute before sitting up slightly and leaning over the side of the bed.

"Here" he said "Sorry it's so messy...It's troublesome to clean" With that, he attacked a pile of dirty clothes next to the bed, tossing it haphazardly to the other end of the room, attempting to make a clear space on the floor for Ino to sit.

"There" he said, after flinging things around for several moments. "You can sit there" Ino didn't answer "Ino?" he twisted around to look at her.

She had several pieces of Shikamaru's dirty clothes on her, and around her feet.

"You...really should clean up in here" She said, taking a tshirt off her head. "But you're aim is good. I'm pretty sure everything you threw hit me"

"Ah ha...Sorry" Shikamaru said, smiling sheepishly. Ino smiled back and sat down, stepping over the pile of clothes at her feet.

"Pretty rose" Ino said, jumping into conversation quickly "Who's it from?"

"I don't know" Shikamaru said, lying on his side and resting his head in his palm "It was here in my room when I came home a couple days ago"

"Oh, really? You know, roses stand for love, so a rose given in secret stands for untold love. Isn't that romantic?"

"Hnn" Shikamaru muttered, shutting his eyes

"Hey! You should be paying more attention, Shikamaru!" Ino growled, scowling "Anyway, who do yo think gave it to you?"

"I don't know" Shikamaru said, lazily.

"Someone pretty?"

"I said I don't-"

"Someone nice?"

"Ino, I just said-"

"Someone strong?"

"Geez, woman-"

"Someone-" Ino was cut off when Shikamaru clamped her lips together between his thumb and finger. She couldn't help but feel heat rise to her cheeks, especially when he leaned in closer.

"I said, I don't know. But I'm not too bad at figuring stuff out. So I think I'll try to figure out who left it." he said. Ino nodded, and he let go of her lips.

There was a moment of silence, and then Ino decided to press on.

"Was it Temari?" she asked, her voice unintentionally quieter than usual.

"Huh?" Shikamaru said, taken aback "No, why does everyone think that?"

"...Aren't you dating her?"

"No! Why does everyone think that?!"

"Well, you did kiss her!"

Shikamaru fell silent, and Ino stopped, her eyes growing wide.

I'm going to kick myself.

"...What was that, Ino?" he said, gazing at her thoughtfully, suspicion in his eyes.

"Nothing" Ino said, looking away, towards the window, attempting to avoid his gaze.

"Ino" he said, taking her chin in his hand and turning her head towards him "Look at me. How would you know that? No...never mind...just let me explain. Temari and I-"

"Unhand my daughter!" Inoichi shouted, bursting into the room so fast that Ino screamed in surprise and jumped backwards, falling into a pile of random things on the floor. Shikamaru shot up into a sitting position, looking wide eyed and surprised.

"Inoichi-san! I didn't...I wasn't...wait a second-"

"My little girl is too young to be in alone with a boy like this! What were you thinking, Ino? And you boy! When I get my hands on you...!"

"Wait, Inoichi!" Shikaku said, running into the room "Aren't you overreacting a little? I'm sure Shikamaru didn't have any wrong intentions"

"My little princess!" Inoichi ignored him, "I'll show you!" Suddenly he ran after Shikamaru, who jumped off the bed and backed up, looking more surprised than scared.

"Daddy!" Ino scolded. "Knock it off!" But he didn't listen to her and kept advancing. Shikamaru backed up further, knocking into the table by the window. The rose in the glass vase teetered on the edge, wobbling back and forth before tipping completely and cascading towards the floor.

"My rose!" Ino cried, jumping over the table and catching it, knocking several things off it in the process.

"Your rose?" Shikamaru said, turning around to look at Ino, who was lying across the table with the vase clutched in both hands.

"Your rose?" Inoichi repeated, forgetting his tirade for the moment.

"Ino, I really think you need to explain-"

"Hey! What's going on up here?!" Yoshino demanded, coming into the room. She glared around before her eyes rested on Inoichi "Inoichi! What do you think you're doing?"

"I was just coming to my little princess's rescue..."

"I don't think so." Yoshino said, grabbing him by the ear. "You're coming with me." She turned to leave, still dragging Inoichi by the ear. On her way out, she grabbed her husband's ear with her free hand.

"Ah! Hey, I didn't do anything!" he complained before Yoshino dragged him out and shut the door behind her.

Everything was silent for a moment, before Shikamaru turned back to Ino, who was still lying on her stomach across the table.

"I think...you broke my clock." he said. Ino glanced down to see that his alarm clock was on the floor, face down, not bothering to emit a ticking sound anymore.

"Ah...sorry" she said, struggling to get up.

"Hey, don't try to leave, you need to explain yourself. Did you leave the rose here?"

"No, I wasn't leaving, I was just-"

"Explain" he pressed, sitting on the bed across from her. Ino sighed and shifted in place, trying to make her weird position more comfortable. After a minute of shifting, she looked up at Shikamaru. He raised an eyebrow expectantly.

"Honestly?" she began "Yeah, I left the rose here. I was...jealous...because you spend so much time with Temari now. I wanted to show you that I'm still your friend, you know?"

"With a red rose?"

"Er..well...on with the story..." Ino said, avoiding the question. Then she launched into a explanation of what she had done, leaving out the part about realizing she liked Shikamaru as more than a friend and throwing her previously bought flowers into the trees. When she finished, she took a deep breath and looked at Shikamaru expectantly.

"You were in my closet?" he said "All that time?" Ino nodded "And now you know about Temari and I?" Ino nodded again, forcing back tears now "And you left the rose here?" She nodded vigorously, eyes squeezed shut. Then Shikamaru burst out laughing.

"Hey! Shikamaru! Don't laugh! That's mean!"

"I'm sorry!" he said, still laughing "It's just...how do you get yourself into this stuff?"

"I don't know...now quit laughing! It isn't funny!"

"S-sorry...I can't help it." he giggled, trying to hold back. After a moment he sobered, clearing his throat. "So...you went through all that troublesome stuff for me, huh? What's the big deal all of a sudden? It's just me"

"Ahh" Ino said, turning a little red. "Well...I don't know...I just..."

Ino swallowed and took a deep breath, bracing herself.

"I realized..." she said softly, looking up at him "That I love you, Shikamaru."

"...Ino..." Shikamaru said after a moment of stunned silence "I-"

"But it doesn't matter now. Since you're going out with stupid Pine-" Ino stopped herself "Temari..."

"Pine Temari?"

"Yes, Temari! Pine or not! You're going out with her! So...I don't matter anymore..."

"Ino! Don't say that! I'm not going out with Temari, anyway. Geez, woman. Didn't you hear me the first time I said that?"

"You kissed her, I saw you!" Ino argued, tears coming to her eyes. Shikamaru sighed.

Then he kissed her.

Ino's heart nearly jumped right out of her chest. It definitely wasn't the position she had pictured herself in when she had her first kiss, but it was perfect.

When he pulled away, his cheeks were sightly red, and he avoided her gaze.

"Love is troublesome" he muttered.

"Shikamaru...you..."

"Yeah, I never liked Temari like that. We're just friends. I thought I did, but after kissing her...well...it was like kissing my sister or something. But when I was kissing her, I was thinking of you. I guess that's how I figured it out...about you, and stuff."

"Oh, Shikamaru" Ino said, tears coming to her eyes.

"Geez, will you quit crying? It's like it's raining or something you're crying to much"

Ino laughed "But I'm happy, you dork!" She said, before reaching out awkwardly and kissing him again. He smiled.

"You know, I told her after, about how I didn't like her like that. I thought she was gonna kill me at first, but turns out she thought the same thing. Then I told her about you, and she told me I need to tell you right away. She told me to..."

"To what?" Ino prompted.

"To have some balls" he said, rolling his eyes. Ino giggled.

"Oh, can I get up now?" she said, still lying across the table. Shikamaru chuckled and nodded, helping her up. Then he tangled his hand in hers, kissing her fingers. Ino jumped up and hugged him, smiling happily.

"Come on" she said in a bubbly voice "I have to tell Daddy, or he'll kill you later"

"Yeah, I'd really rather not be attacked by your Dad, thanks"

"Oh, come on Shikamaru!"

"Fine" he said irritably "We've been together five minutes and you're nagging me"

"I'm not nagging I'm trying to save your butt!"

"Okay, okay" Shikamaru said, twining his fingers with hers once again and letting her lead him down the stairs.

"Ino!" Inoichi said when she came down the stairs "You had me worried. Eh? What's this?"

"Daddy" Ino said, taking a deep breath "Shikamaru and I are together now. Don't try to stop us, cause I won't listen" She added onto the end, her face turning fierce.

"Princess..." Inoichi said softly, then he smiled "Hey, Shikamaru, you better take good care of my Ino!"

"No worries, Inoichi-san" Shikamaru said, clenching Ino's hand a little tighter.

"Hooray!" Yoshino burst out, grinning and rushing over to hug Ino. "Good going, Ino-chan! I knew you'd win!"

"Thank you, Yoshino-san"

"You can call me Mom!"

Inoichi spit his drink out over the floor.

"Get something to clean that up, Shikaku!" she snapped at her husband. Shikaku obediently got up and started searching for a dish cloth of some sort, muttering something along the lines of 'That boy has no idea what he's got himself into'.

Inoichi cleared his throat several times before saying "Well, sweetheart, you're certainly better off with him then any of the other boys in the village. That Uchiha boy and the Hyuuga boy are too high and mighty...and the others are too..."

"Crazy?" Yoshino supplied.

"Odd?" Shikaku put in.

"Fruity?" Ino joked.

"Bonkers?" Shikamaru said. Ino smiled a little at the word.

Inoichi shrugged "All of the above"

A week later, Ino let her father fuss over her before her date.

"Okay, so you're all ready? You don't need anything else? You got some yen? You need a jacket?"

"Dad!" Ino said, stopping him "It's fine, all we have to do is wait for him"

"Okay" he said, settling down into a chair. It wasn't thirty seconds before he started up again "That boy has some nerve to keep you waiting like this! I mean, you've got better things to do then just sit around like that! If he breaks your heart, I'll break his arm-"

"Dad!" Ino said, stopping him again "I told him eight o'clock, and it's only ten to eight. You're stressing yourself out! Calm down, alright?"

"Okay, okay" Inoichi sighed, settling back again. They waited in silence once again.

Shikamaru arrived five minutes later, smiling when Ino opened the door.

"Hey, Shika-kun!" she said, flinging her arms around him.

"Hey Ino-chan" he said "Gift giving is a drag but...I got something for you"

With that, he pulled a rose out from behind his back and held it out to her.

"Oh" Ino said in surprise, then she smiled softly, and took it from him "Thank you"

She put it in a vase and left it on the shop desk, smiling at it for a moment before returning to Shikamaru to leave.

"Now, listen here, boy" Inoichi said in a stern voice "You better have her back at a sensible time! I won't tolerate it if you bring her back late. In fact, if you bring her back late-"

"Dad!" Ino said for the third time that night. She sighed in irritation and embarrassment "Geez, I'll be home on time already, okay?"

"Alright, alright" Inoichi said, crossing his arms.

"Bye, Daddy" Ino said, kissing him on the cheek reassuringly before leaving with Shikamaru.

Inoichi watched the door close behind them, standing there staring at it as a memory from a couple years ago came to his mind.

***

"Geez, Inoichi" Shikaku had said one night "Your girl has gotten so pretty these days. She's all grown up"

"Don't remind me" Inoichi said, taking a sip of sake. Shikaku laughed a little.

"So what do you think about a boy for her, huh? You think she'll end up with my boy?"

"Heh...I don't know." Inoichi replied "Maybe one day, if she can ever see past that Uchiha boy's pretty looks"

"Yeah, Shikamaru ain't as pretty as that boy, for sure. He doesn't care enough to be, anyway." Shikaku said with a shrug, gulping some sake.

Inoichi laughed "He's like you for that. Lazy and all"

"Yeah, he is" Shikaku agreed, then he smiled "Maybe your girl can kick some sense into him."

"I bet she could" Inoichi said, smiling too. "Ino's pretty tough"

"She reminds me of Yoshino sometimes" Shikaku said.

"Yeah, she is a bit like her, isn't she?"

"For sure. I'd bet my...uh" he pasused, glancing around "...right hand they'll be married some day" Shikaku said, saying the first thing his eyes rested on.

"I would too, actually" Inoichi said, grinning at Shikaku's choice of object.

***

Inoichi shook his head a little and turned away, looking at the rose on the counter.

"I guess I just...never expected it to happen so soon." he said to himself before going upstairs "But I guess that just goes to show...we were more right then we thought"