Thought it was You Shikamaru. (Shikaino Shikamaru x ino)

Chapter 14: The Beginning of the Chūnin Exams pt 3

:As Team 10 pushed through the dense underbrush of the Forest of Death, a mix of exhaustion and exhilaration washed over me. We had survived the second phase of the Chūnin Exams, and somehow, we still had our scrolls. It felt like a miracle, considering the chaos we'd encountered.

"Hey, we should be close to the arena now," Shikamaru remarked, his tone as laid-back as ever despite the circumstances. Choji nodded enthusiastically, but I could see his mind was more on food than the upcoming battles.

"Let's just hope we can make it in time," I added, trying to suppress my excitement. After all, we were one of the last teams to arrive, and I didn't want to miss out on any of the action.

Moments later, the towering structure of the arena came into view, its imposing walls a stark contrast against the forest backdrop. My heart raced. This was it. This was where everything would be decided.

As we entered the arena, I could see other teams already gathered, chatting and preparing for what was to come. My eyes darted around, searching for a familiar face. There was Sasuke, standing with his usual aloof demeanor. I felt a flutter in my stomach, remembering how he had fought during the last battle. But my gaze quickly shifted to Sakura, who stood a little too close for my liking.

"Ugh, what's she doing here?" I muttered under my breath, my irritation bubbling to the surface.

"Still hung up on her?" Shikamaru teased, shooting me a knowing look.

"It's not like that!" I snapped back, though I could feel my cheeks heat up at the realization that I was indeed bothered by Sakura's presence near Sasuke.

Once inside, we found a corner to settle down, and I let out a sigh of relief. The chaos of the forest was behind us, but the tension in the air was palpable. We had a moment to breathe, and I intended to make the most of it.

"Okay, we need a strategy for the next round," Shikamaru said, his eyes scanning the crowd. "It'll be tough without knowing who we'll face."

"Not if we stay focused," I replied, trying to sound more confident than I felt. My mind drifted to Sasuke again. What if he got matched up with someone tough? What if he needed my support? The thought made my heart race even more.

"First, food," Choji declared, rummaging through his pack and pulling out some snacks. "Then we can strategize."

"Sure, you can have your food. I need to keep my energy up, too," I said, trying to hide my annoyance. It felt like we were wasting time, but the truth was, I was just trying to distract myself from Sakura's incessant chatter and her attempts to get closer to Sasuke.

As I settled down beside Shikamaru and Choji, I couldn't help but overhear Sakura bragging about her previous battles. "And then I told Zaku that he wouldn't get away with hurting my friends!" she exclaimed, her tone dramatic as she waved her arms.

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, right. More like you were crying in the corner." I couldn't help myself.

"Shut up, Billboard Brow!" she shot back, her face turning pink with anger. "At least I did something! What did you do, Ino?"

"Why don't you check with Sasuke? I'm sure he remembers," I snapped, a triumphant grin spreading across my face.

Sakura huffed, clearly annoyed, but I didn't care. In that moment, it felt good to get under her skin. I needed to remember my priorities, especially when it came to Sasuke. After all, no matter how annoying she was, I had a job to do.

As we prepared for the next phase of the Chūnin Exams, I looked around at my teammates. I knew we had a shot. With Shikamaru's strategies, Choji's strength, and my Mind Transfer Jutsu, we could hold our own. But I also knew I had to keep my emotions in check. No distractions. Not now.