My Heart Yearns

(Naruto)

Mmm...ramen. I munched down on my ramen quickly and slurped up the broth. "Another please!" the man handed me another bowl and I went to work on it.

"Naruto?" I raised my head from my ramen and looked toward the person who spoke my name.

"Ino?" I questioned, noodles hanging from my mouth.

"Ew, keep the ramen in your mouth."

"Sorry," I mumbled and slurped them up and swallowed them.

"Anyways, I just wanted to talk with you."

"Me?" I mumbled. Ino wanted to talk to me?

"Don't get full of yourself," she replied sharply.

"No, no, I would never do that," I responded and she rolled her eyes.

"Can I get you something?" the man behind the counter asked.

"A small shrimp ramen, please," Ino said as she sat down beside me.

"What did you want to talk about?" I mumbled leaving my ramen for a second before returning to my bowl.

"I was just wondering," she said staring off at the wall. "How is Hana?"

"Good," I replied quickly.

"I really miss her. Is she eating?" Ino asked. I couldn't help but stare at her. I never thought of her as the motherly type of person. Girl...women...what ever.

"Yep! Another ramen please!"

"Ugh," Ino said. "Is she sleeping well?"

"I don't know," I said honestly. "She seams to be."

"You're ramen," the man said.

"Thank you," she replied before turning back to me.

"Hey Ino," a guy with brown hair said smiling at her. I had never seen him before. Who is he?

"Hey," she replied to him.

"I'll see you around," he said as he kept passing. She rolled her eyes.

"He's so annoying," she mumbled to me.

"Who is he?" I questioned.

"Honestly, I have no idea." I was going to laugh but I didn't think Ino would like it. Sakura always punched me when I laughed at her jokes. Ino looked over at me.

"What? I'm really not funny at all am I?" I quickly shook my head.

"It's not that...it's just every time I laugh when Sakura jokes around, she punches me."

"Naruto."

"Hm?"

"Please. Don't compare me to Sakura."

"Sorry."

"I better go," Ino said putting her purse...pouch...thing down on the counter. "Thank you," she said handing the man behind the counter the money for her ramen.

"Bye," I said before asking for my check.

"Bye," Ino replied. Then she turned around and walked out of the ramen bar.

"You're bill," the man behind the counter said. I looked at it. Wow, I ate a lot today. Then I reached my hand into my right back pocket. It wasn't there. Then I checked my back left pocket. It wasn't there either!

"I-I..left it at home," I said.

"Pay up," the man said his eyes seaming to get darker.

"Ino!" I called quickly. She turned around and looked at me.

"What?" she asked annoyed.

"Can I borrow money?"

"What? No!"

"Sakura always says the same thing..." I said trying to get her to pay.

"Ugh! Fine, here's the money." She set her purse...I'll call it that...on the counter as she searched for the money. Then she handed it to her and the man handed her the change.

"Happy now? You better say thank you."

"Thank you!" I said grinning with my eyes closed. Then Ino left the ramen bar again.

"Idiot," Sasuke mumbled and I jumped.

"Sasuke!" I yelled at him. "Don't jump out like that!"

"I've been standing here since Ino gave the man the money. Idiot."

"I'm not an idiot!" I yelled.

"That's what you think," Sasuke said putting his hands in his pockets and walking away. I glared at his retreating form.

"Well, to home I guess," I mumbled. Then I smelled a fresh pot of ramen. I turned, it smelled delicious. If only I had money, I thought before looking at the counter. My eyes widened. A small purple purse was there...Ino's purse! She must have left it.

"Ramen! Just made!" I quickly grabbed her purse and turned to smell the ramen again. Letting it fill my senses. Mmm...ramen.

"Maybe, she won't notice," I thought grinning.

"Two chicken ramens please!" I said then stopped. "No, never mind." I turned around out of the ramen bar. I couldn't spend her money. It wasn't mine to spend. And sure, I got her to pay for mine, but that's not cruel like stealing is. I stopped at home and grabbed my green froggy wallet. Then I started walking to Ino's shop.

"I hope she doesn't think I took it from her," I thought. I looked to my right and stopped where I stood. "I should probably thank her." In the window was a pair of sky blue chop stick things that the girls put in their hair. Then on the tips they had deep blue heart crystals. I walked into the store and asked the man at the register to bring them. Then I asked him how much they cost. They were not cheap...they were really expensive.
I looked down at my wallet then at the hair things.

Well...she paid for my ramen...and ramen is the most important thing in the word. So I guess the least I could do was get her these. I slowly handed the man the money for the hair things. Then headed out of the store with them in a small pink bag with a purple lace bow. I looked down at my now squished looking wallet. It was so empty now. After I put my wallet away I once again started walking to Ino's shop.

~*~

(Ino)
"Have a nice day!" I said as a customer left. I sighed; finally the place was not busy. Christmas was coming up, which meant people buying flowers for their lovers and relatives. Which reminded me—my Christmas party was soon. Who had I already invited? Sasuke, Sakura, Shikamaru, Chouji, Kurenai-sensei, Asuma-sensei, Kiba, Neji, TenTen, Hinata, Shino...

The bells on the door rang, meaning someone came into the store. I sighed before looking up at them. Why must a customer come at this exact moment?

"Oh, hi Ino."

"What do you want, Naruto?" I questioned annoyed. Just because I paid for your ramen doesn't mean we're best friends.

"Well uh," he started before pulling something out of his pocket. It was my purse! He lifted it up for me to take. "You left it at the ramen bar."

"You better not have taken one penny! I swear if you did, Naruto, I'll-"

"I didn't take any," he said with almost a sad look on his face. "I can't believe you would think of me doing that." My eyes softened and I regretted what I had just said to him.

"Here," he said pulling out another thing from his pocket. What all is he carrying around in his pockets? He lifted out a small pink gift bag with a purple bow on it. "I bought it for you, to thank you for paying for my ramen." I slowly opened it and gasped as I saw what was inside.

"Naruto...these are..." the things I saw in the window. I had wanted them so bad, but they were way too expensive. How could he have enough money to pay for these? It must have taken at least two months pay.

"I'm sorry if you don't like them you can return them for the money," he stated before looking at his feet. "I just thought they were pretty, they reminded me of your eyes." My eyes? My eyes watered a little bit, that's so sweet. Since when was Naruto so sweet...and mature?

"No," I replied. "They're absolutely beautiful. Thank you."

"You're welcome." I blinked a few times. That's right, I forgot to invite Hana to my party!

"Hey Naruto," I said.

"Hmm?"

"Can you give this to Hana. It's a party invite," I said smiling at him.

"Sure," he said and I handed it to him. Then he looked sad again, and I felt bad. I reached over the counter and grabbed another invitation.

"This one is for you," I said to him. His face lit up as I said that and handed it to him.

"Thank you so much, Ino!" he said happily.

"Yeah, don't mention it." He suddenly looked like something clicked in his head. That can't be good.

"Hey Ino, will you get ramen with me tomorrow?" he asked.

"I'm not paying."

"Is that a yes?"

"It means I'm not paying."

"I'll see you there then...?" he half stated and half asked. I just looked at him. "I'll pay." My eyes softened yet again.

"What time do you want to meet there?" I asked him, giving in.

"I can come get you at noon!" he suggested.

"I'll be at training till one."

"I can pick you up there and walk with you to the ramen bar!" he suggested.

"Okay," I said sweetly to him and smiled. He really was sweet. I can't believe Sakura is so mean to him.

"You won't get harmed at all with the Naruto Uzumaki guarding you!" he said. I sighed. He still needed some work, though.

~*~

(Hana)

I can't believe that Ino invited me to a party. I doubt I'll go, though. It doesn't seem like something that I would go to. A formal dressed Christmas party. "Hana!" Naruto called coming into the room.

"Do you know how to tie a tie?" he asked and I couldn't help but chuckling. He was too cute.

"Why are you getting dressed up? It seems unlike you," I said. I chuckled again when his cheeks turned a light shade of pink. Hmm, a crush maybe?

"Because it's a formal party," he said to me.

"U huh," I replied as I motioned for him to come closer.

"Are you going to go?" he asked as I was tying his tie.

"Oh no," I said to him.

"Why not?" he questioned.

"I'm just not into that kind of stuff," I said before standing up and studying my work. Then I grabbed a brush off my dresser and started putting it through his tangled hair.

"You know..." Naruto started. "I bet Kakashi will be there."

"He said he doesn't like these kinds of things." Naruto sighed in defeat.

"So you really won't come?" he asked with a frown on his face.

"Nope, I'll be right here when you get home," I told him before ruffling his hair.

"Thank you..." he said before he quietly mumbled to himself, "...mom."

"You're welcome! Sorry, I didn't hear the last thing you said. You should stop mumbling, it's a bad habit," I replied to him with an eye shutting smile.

"I just said thank you. I'll see you later!" he said before blitzing out of the room and out of the house. Naruto is way too hyper. I sighed and sat back down on my bed.

"Kakashi is going tonight." My eyes darted to the door. Sasuke was leaning up against it.

"Sasuke," I rolled my eyes.

"He is. He wouldn't go until Ino told him you were going. Then he said he'd go." I blushed.

"Are you going?" I asked. He scoffed.

"Go and be flocked by fan girls? I think not," he replied before turning and leaving me alone in my temporary room. I looked to my closet. Well, if Kakashi is going because of me...I think I can find something nice to wear. I stood myself up and went over to my closet. I grabbed a white dress and quickly changed. It still fit after ten years. Then I brushed my already brushed hair and stood in front of the mirror. Should I wear it up or down? I pulled my hair up into a bun, leaving my long bangs hanging by the sides of my face.

Then I grabbed a small bag in my dresser that held the little make up I actually owned. I put on some lip glass and mascara. Then I grabbed a pair of white flats with little black bows on the front. After I looked in the mirror one last time I headed out of the house.

It was even worse than I expected. The lights were dim and there were so many people there. There was loud Christmas music playing and many people dancing to it. There was a small bar with alcoholic beverages that adults and teenagers alike were drinking. I did chuckle, though, when I saw Naruto ask Ino to dance. She accepted him! I was so proud of him. I don't think I could ever like Sakura. There was just something about her.

~*~

"Hey," I turned around. Kakashi was standing me, a black mask over his face and a black suit on him. He was absolutely hansom. I stared up at him. He brought his face to my ear.

"You're wearing white..." he whispered.

"And?" I whispered back.

"Do you know what it means when you were a white dress?" My eyes widened and realization hit.

"Yes."

"So," he smirked under his mask. "Are you lying?" I blushed and shook my head side to side.

"I never did anything like that before," I whispered. He chuckled and my blush deepened.

"You're cute when you blush," he said.

"Meany," I mumbled.

"You're cute when you're upset too." I put my arms over my chest and crossed them, faking a pout.

"Will you dance with me?" he asked and I stopped my facade.

"Um, yes," I replied. He held out his hand and I took it. Compared to how everyone else there was dancing, Kakashi and I were dancing like we were in some Cinderella movie.

"You're a good dancer," Kakashi said trying to make conversation.

"I used to practice in front of my mirror when I was younger," I replied chuckling at the memory. Before I knew it we weren't in the party room anymore, the loud Christmas music barely touching my ears. We were on a balcony.

"Wow, the stars are beautiful."

"Yes, yes you are." I blushed at what he said. We just stood there for a few moments. Its winter, I thought to myself as I shivered.

"Are you cold?" Kakashi asked.

"I'm fine," I replied. He didn't give me his coat to wear. But he did the next best thing...or maybe the best thing. He wrapped his arms around me.

"Uindo," he started saying in my ear. "Will you...marry me?" My shivering stopped and my heart beat raced. I looked up into Kakashi's eye.

"You'd want to marry someone like me?" I questioned half to myself and half to him.

"I would love to."

"Are you really sure?" I questioned.

"I wouldn't have asked you if I wasn't absolutely positive it was the right thing in my heart."

"Wow."

"What?"

"That was really romantic...especially coming from you," I responded and he chuckled.

"I can be romantic."

"In random rare situations."

"Are you ignoring my question?" he said making fun of me.

"Kind of," I stated honestly. Then he pulled out a small black velvet looking box. He pulled it open and picked up a ring. It was a gold ring with a red heart in the middle and two white crystal hearts, one on each side. It was most definitely a marriage ring.

"Does that help at all?" he said jokingly.

"No, it doesn't change anything," I responded to him.

"Its pure gold and-" I cut him off and kissed him on the lips.

"Is this a yes?" he questioned while kissing me. I broke away.

"Take a guess, ninja boy." He slid the ring on my hand and kissed me again, brushing his lips against mine. Is this heaven?