470Story: "Loves Me Not"
Author: YukiTenVianey Team
Original Concept: Shizuka Taiyo
Disclaimer: We don't own Naruto, but that's pretty obvious. You all knew that already.
Before we begin, please be warned. - This is not the kind of story we would usually write about but the challenge was just too tempting to deny. Even so, it's done with our writing style and if you already know us, brace yourselves for a lot (and we do mean a LOT) of heart breaking drama.
If you DON'T know us, well… we're warning you now, aren't we?
That said, let's begin with the story. Oh and, Shizuka-san… CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!
Chapter One
We Should Be Proud Of It
"Come on Chouji…" Ino sighed as she rolled her eyes. "Since when does eating too much make you sick?"
From the other side of the bathroom door, she could hear her teammate throwing up so hard it would seem he planned on turning his stomach inside out.
"Oh Ino… I'm so…" Here he made a pause to gag. "I'm sorry, I…" A loud burping sound, followed immediately by a gross 'splat!'.
"It's all right." She told him sympathetically. "Take your time, don't worry."
Shaking her head sadly, she walked away from the bathroom and into Chouji's living room, where Asuma and Shikamaru were staring vacantly at each other.
"Well?" Asuma asked as soon as she appeared on the door.
"It's over guys. There's no way he can come like this."
"Damn…" Asuma muttered.
"Well, party's out then." Shikamaru yawned. Unlike the others he didn't sound sorry at all. "We'll do it another time… maybe…"
"Yeah…" Ino sighed resignedly. "I guess we could try again next month and…"
"No!" They all turned to the hallway to see Chouji standing there. He was pale and feverish and looked as if he'd lost a couple of pounds. "You can't call it out, not now!
"Then what do you suggest we do?" Shikamaru cocked an eyebrow. "We can't go with you looking like that and don't even try to convince us that you're feeling better."
"I know I can't go, but that's no reason for you to stay as well. Remember it took Ino a lot of begging for his father to let us use their vacation hut to host it. Besides, I'd hate to be the one who ruined it for everyone else so why don't you go and have fun and I… oh…" His hand flew to his mouth and he dashed to the bathroom once more. "Just go already!" He managed to cry out before slamming the door behind him.
"Well… what do you think we should do?" Asuma asked the other two.
"I think…" Shikamaru began, scratching his head lazily.
"We should listen to him!" Ino chimed in. "I mean, it DID took a lot of effort to convince Daddy and we can't just waste the opportunity now that we have it!"
"You're right." Asuma agreed. "But we'll have to make it up to Chouji somehow."
"If we could just wait and…" Shikamaru suggested.
"We'll think of something on the way!" Ino interrupted again. "Now grab your stuff and let's get going!" She slung her messenger back on her shoulder and tugged at Shikamaru's arm.
"Take care Chouji!" Was all he could say before being practically dragged out of Chouji's house.
(Loves Me… Loves Me Not…)
"We could take him to that "All you can eat" barbecue." Asuma suggested as they followed Ino.
"We can't." Shikamaru grumbled, dragging his feet to show just how displeased he was. "Last time we went there he got us all banned."
"Damn, that was my last choice."
"Here we are!" Ino announced proudly as she gestured towards the two-story hut ahead of them.
"And do you HAVE to shout it out?" Shikamaru grumbled. "Can't you just say it like, I don't know, a NORMAL person?"
"Oh, I'm sorry!" She raised her voice even higher. "Is this good enough for you Shikamaru? IS IT?"
"All right, that's enough." Asuma broke in. "This is supposed to be fun, remember? So now be good and stop fighting."
"Yes Sensei!"
"Hum."
"I got al the food and snacks ready since yesterday." Ino said as she unlocked the front door. "But I was expecting Chouji, so there might be a lot of left-overs."
She stepped inside and turned on the lights to reveal a simple yet beautifully decorated living room. The smell of freshly picked flowers reached their noses at once.
"Hn, fancy." Shikamaru mumbled as he studied the giant flower vases and immaculate white couches. On the center of the room stood a small, hexagonal shaped table made entirely out of glass.
In a way, he was glad that Chouji had been unable to come and be around so many things that he could have easily ruined.
"That's not mine." Ino said as she suspiciously eyed a blue cooler sitting on a corner next to the T.V. set.
"Oh, no." Asuma shook his head. "I brought it this morning."
"You?" Ino wrinkled her nose skeptically. "And how did you get in?"
"Well, I had to ask your parents if it was okay to bring it along and, since they all agreed, Inoichi lent me a key."
"If they… agreed…" Shikamaru frowned. "What exactly did you bring?"
Ino was a step ahead o him and threw open the lid to reveal about 20 colorful, drop shaped bottles buried in ice-cubes.
"Are these…" She dipped her hand in the ice and pulled out a green "Kiwi flavored" bottle. "Are these alcoholic drinks?"
"It wouldn't be a party without them, would it?" He shrugged. "Besides, this is a moment of celebration. Completing an S ranked mission is not something we do everyday and we should be proud of it."
"Yeah!" Ino cheered in that annoying, high-pitched tone of hers. "Let's get started then!"
She tossed a yellow bottle at Shikamaru who, being caught off guard, had to fumble with it to save the rug from imminent disaster.
"Hey, what are you…" But Ino had already dashed into the kitchen.
She reappeared moments later carrying a large tray toppled with potato chips, which she set on the hexagonal table.
"Boys!" She said dramatically, hands on her hips. "I challenge you to a chip-eating contest!"
"No way." Shikamaru grumbled, but to his surprise Asuma seemed to be pleased with her ridiculous challenge.
"All right." He smiled as he took the cigarette off his mouth. "Just don't start crying once you lose."
"You've gotta be kidding me." Shikamaru shook his head, then unscrew the cap of his bottle and drained it all in one gulp.
If he had to endure a whole night with those two, he didn't want to be sane enough to remember it later.
(Loves Me… Loves Me Not…)
After what seemed like a decade of hearing Ino's never ending babble, Asuma's drunk tales and being dragged all over the place as Ino's dancing partner, they were all finally too drunk to keep on going.
"Well, that's it for me." Asuma sighed as he got up and headed towards the stairs. "Ino… which one is my room?"
"The first one, Sensei!" She grinned stupidly at him. "Mine is the second and Shikamaru's the third!"
"Gotcha." He answered, stumbling up the stairs.
"Soooo…" She collapsed on a couch next to Shikamaru, who appeared to have melted against the cushions. "What should we do now that we've lost the "Adult Supervision"?"
"Hn." Shikamaru slowly tried to sit up properly. "Go to sleep, perhaps."
"Hmmm…" Ino sat in silence for a moment, then asked something he would have never expected to hear, much less from her. "Shikamaru… would you like to kiss me?"
Woah, woah… WHAT?
(Loves Me… Loves Me Not…)
Well, it was a bit short and very simplistic, but we promise it'll get better.
PREVIEW:
"Then you know how to do it? Are you a good kisser?"
"Ye… no… how the hell should I know, I've never kissed myself!" He snapped, his face turning bright red. "Why do you care anyways? It's not as if you've ever cared about anything I do!"
"Because I've never kissed anyone." Ino answered pitifully, then she drew closer and all but sat over him. "Could you be a good teammate and teach me Shikamaru?"
Hold the world! WHAT?
Chapter Two: "Like Me"