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

Chapter 19: News of the Fallen Hokage

Ino's eyes fluttered open, a haze settling over her vision as she struggled to reorient herself. Her head ached, and she found herself lying on the cold stone floor of the arena. The once-excited atmosphere had vanished, replaced by sounds of alarm and hurried whispers. Panic was in the air, heavy and oppressive.

"Ino, you okay?" Shikamaru's familiar voice brought her back to full awareness. She looked up to see him standing over her, his face tense, eyes scanning her for injuries.

"Shikamaru..." Ino's voice was weak as she sat up, rubbing her forehead. She looked around at the chaotic scene, her memories rushing back. "What... what happened?"

Shikamaru sighed, glancing away momentarily as if gathering himself. "You were caught in a sleep genjutsu," he said, his tone grim. "A lot has happened, and things have taken a dark turn."

Just then, Sakura joined them, her face pale and grim. "Ino, you're alright!" Sakura's relief quickly shifted back to worry as she continued. "We need to get you up to speed. The invasion has already started, and..." She hesitated, looking to Shikamaru before continuing, "Lord Third... the Hokage... he's been killed."

Ino's eyes widened, shock hitting her like a physical blow. "What? But how?"

"Orochimaru," Shikamaru said simply, his tone low. "He infiltrated the exams, and in the midst of everything... he killed Lord Third." He clenched his fists, looking away, the weight of the tragedy bearing down on them.

Ino's heart ached as the gravity of the situation sank in. She could see the sadness in Shikamaru's eyes, the burden he was carrying. She reached out, placing a hand on his arm, trying to give him a small measure of comfort. For a brief moment, they held each other's gaze, a silent understanding passing between them.

Shikamaru exhaled, glancing toward the entrance. "I need to go now. There are orders coming down, and... well, it looks like I have a role to play." He gave her a faint smile before turning to leave, his calm demeanor masking the uncertainty they all felt.

As he disappeared into the crowd, Sakura looked back at Ino, a questioning expression in her eyes. "Ino, you seemed really worried about Shikamaru back there. More than... well, anyone else." Her words were hesitant, but her gaze was direct.

Ino felt her cheeks flush, and she turned her head away. "It's not like that," she mumbled,

Sakura raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. "Just be honest with yourself, Ino," "I do not! You're imagining things," she insisted, rolling her eyes. "I still like Sasuke. I'm going to win him over, Sakura, and there's nothing you can do to stop me."

Sakura smirked, unfazed by Ino's protests. "Uh-huh. Sure, you like Sasuke," she said, her tone almost playful. "But it's okay, you know, to like someone else. I mean, if you actually liked Shikamaru... well, it would make winning Sasuke's love a lot easier for me."

Ino's face flushed a deep shade of pink. "I don't like Shikamaru!" she snapped, her voice louder than intended, catching the attention of a few passersby. She quickly lowered her voice, shooting a glare at Sakura. "I've always liked Sasuke, and I'm going to be the one who wins him over, not you."

Sakura only shrugged, still wearing that knowing smile. "Alright, alright, keep telling yourself that, Ino," she said lightly. "But just remember, it's okay if things change. And, well, Shikamaru seems to be on your mind more than you think." With that, Sakura gave her a quick wink and walked away, leaving Ino standing there, torn between irritation and confusion.

Ino scowled, determined to brush off Sakura's words. But as she stood alone, she couldn't quite shake the thoughts creeping into her mind.

Sakura tilted her head, studying Ino thoughtfully. "You know... maybe you should tell him."

Ino's head snapped up, a spark of defiance in her eyes. "Tell him? Tell him what?" she retorted, crossing her arms tightly. "There's nothing to tell because I don't like him!"

Sakura chuckled, undeterred by Ino's fierce denial. "Ino, come on. It's pretty obvious you're worried about him. And maybe—just maybe—he likes you, too."

Ino's heart skipped a beat, but she quickly shook her head, determined to deny it. "You're out of your mind, Sakura! Shikamaru's just a friend. We've known each other since forever. Why would he...? Besides, I don't even like him like that."

Sakura just smiled knowingly, giving her a gentle nudge. "Maybe you do, and maybe it's time to stop pretending you don't."

Ino huffed, her cheeks flushed as she avoided Sakura's gaze. "I still like Sasuke," she muttered, as if reminding herself more than anything.

Sakura rolled her eyes, though her tone softened. "Sure, keep telling yourself that. But don't let Sasuke distract you from someone who might actually care about you. And maybe," she added, giving Ino a sincere look, "maybe you owe it to yourself to see if there's something more with Shikamaru."

Ino scoffed, rolling her eyes as she tried to defend herself. "Sakura, there's no reason for me to like Shikamaru. He's lazy! You have to practically beg him to do anything, and when he does, he just says, 'this is a drag' like everything's the worst. Sure, he never actually lets us down, I guess, and yeah, he's fine to talk to when he's not dozing off. His voice is... okay, I suppose." She hesitated, her voice softening. "And it's not like he's that good-looking. Though, I mean, he'd probably look cuter if he wore his hair down or something."

Sakura's eyes lit up, and she grinned like she'd caught Ino red-handed. "Cuter? So you already think he's cute?"

Ino's face flushed a deep red as she sputtered. "WHAT? No! That's not what I meant! You're impossible, Sakura!" She shoved her friend toward the door. "Get out! Now!"

Sakura laughed as she let herself be pushed out, casting a knowing look back at Ino. "Alright, alright! But maybe think about it a little, okay?"

As the door closed, Ino stood there, heart pounding as Sakura's words echoed in her mind.

Ino threw herself onto her bed, the springs creaking under her weight. She picked up the team picture of herself, Choji, Asuma, and Shikamaru, staring at it with a mixture of annoyance and confusion. "I guess he's not that ugly," she muttered, her cheeks heating up again as she scrutinized Shikamaru's relaxed smile.

"What am I even saying? Eww, that's so gross!" she exclaimed, her voice laced with disbelief. With a frustrated huff, she tossed the picture onto the bed as if it were a hot coal, watching it flutter down with a scowl.

Ino rolled onto her back, staring up at the ceiling, her thoughts racing. "Ugh, what is wrong with me?" She couldn't shake the image of Shikamaru's face from her mind. He was lazy, he complained all the time.
"This is such a drag." Ino said giggling at herself.