Kurenai gives Ino a serious talk

“Thanks, Kurenai-sensei.”, Ino muttered as she took the drink from her teacher. Ino had been collecting all the things she had borrowed from Naruto and putting them in a bag at the time her teacher had visited her house, saying she needed to talk to her about something important.

Ino was thankful she had hidden the things back under her bed before they had left to her apartment. The short walk was not giving much time for them to speak, but then again, Ino wasn’t in the mood for much conversation since her mind was full of not so nice thoughts of her blond teammate.

“Ino, I brought you here to talk to you about today’s mission, more specifically the interaction of you and Naruto.”, Kurenai said cutting right to the point. It seemed even the mention of his name was making Ino angry as Kurenai noticed her eyes harden a bit. “I have nothing to say about that stupid baka!”, Ino growled.

Sighing a bit, Kurenai smiled none the less, amused how her students attitude had changed so much since she first got her team. “Ino, Naruto and I had a good talk before I came to get you. He told me all about his relationship with Tenten. I guess you’re a little jealous, aren’t you? That she got him first, I mean.” Kurenai couldn’t help but laugh a bit as Ino gawked at her.

“Me?! Why would I be jealous of that bun-haired tart!?”, Ino shouted as she sipped her drink. “Well, I can think of a few reasons...”, Kurenai replied as she watched her student. “For example, you have been around him longer and she just met him on the mission we had at the store.”, Kurenai said. Ino only huffed.

“Two, you’ve gotten to know Naruto better and see him for more then what you thought he was.”. Ino listened half-heartedly as her sensei kept hitting the nail on the head and driving her to be a bit sadder about the whole thing. She had been feeling differently towards Naruto as of late, even so much as to start comparing him to other guys she knew and no matter what he seemed to come out on top.

“And three, those lessons he was giving you made you have a physical connection.”. Kurenai watched as Ino spit all of her drink she had in her mouth out in surprise. Her face turned crimson as she yelled at her teacher “How do you know about that!?!?!”. Kurenai smiled despite the volume her student had used.

“Ino, you will calm down and listen to everything I have to say before speaking, understand?”, Kurenai said warningly. Ino sighed in defeat and sat down for whatever her teacher had in store for her.

Surprising to Ino, Kurenai went into detail about how Naruto and her had talked about the way she had been acting to him, how she had got him to spill the beans on his relationship with her and the other girls he had been with, while wisely leaving out just how her own relationship to Naruto was.

“I’m going to kill him!”, Ino yelled as Kurenai finished speaking and tried to break for the door. But Kurenai, grabbing the back of her shirt and pulling her, stopped that plan cold.

“Ino we’re not done here, and we’re going to stay here 'till you get it.”, Kurenai said as Ino vainly fought to get loose but failed. “Kurenai-sensei let me go!”, she pleaded, still angry though.

“No, Ino. Besides, there is something very important you’re going to do for me.”, she said, making her blonde student turn to face her. “I want you to tell me exactly what you feel for Naruto. I know the truth and I’m sure you do as well.”, she requested, only making Ino growl. “Yeah! He’s a no-good lying, two-timing Baka!”, Ino yelled, making Kurenai shake her head.

“Ino, Naruto never lied to you. He told you the truth about Tenten, didn’t he? And he wasn’t two-timing you since your weren’t together then, as I remember you were ‘only practicing’.”, Kurenai stated, raising an eye as her student shuffled before her, clearly upset.

“But-but I thought he liked me! I thought he cared! And just as I’m starting to like him he…”, Ino said before covering her mouth at the words she let slip making Kurenai smile. “Aahh, there’s what I was waiting for. Ino, you have to be more honest with Naruto, he is a guy after all. But also, you need to be honest with yourself!”, Kurenai grinned.

Ino didn’t seem as enthusiastic as her teacher was as she said sulked a bit. “Well, I’m too late anyway... Naruto is already taken and I can’t get him.”, Ino said before Kurenai patted her on the back.

“Ino, weren’t you listening to me? Tenten AND Hinata decided to be his girlfriends, who says you can’t be number three.? Or better yet, show them why Ino Yamanaka is number one!”, Kurenai encouraged her.

It worked, because suddenly, Ino got a look of realization on her face. “Yeah… Yeah! He’s MY teammate, damn it!!”, Ino said as her usual fire returned with gusto and her inner self was telling her to take no prisoners for Naruto’s affection. Just then, a thought came to her mind. “Um… Kurenai-sensei, do you think Naruto will… you know… still like me after all I did?”

Smilingly, Kurenai replied “Ino, you know how forgiving Naruto is, now get going, I have to do some preparing if I’m going to enter you into the chunnin exams.”. Kurenai smiled and Ino nodded.

“Um… Kurenai-sensei, about what me and Naruto did...”, Ino said nervously as Kurenai waved her off. “It stays between us, Ino.”. Giving a grateful smile, the blond ran out the door back to her house to plan how to get Naruto and catch up on her study material.

Sighing a bit in relief, Kurenai couldn’t help but grin. “Naruto you owe me one good back rub!”, Kurenai said before a blush graced her face. She could still vividly remember how the last one he gave her ended. But he probably wouldn't get around to do it with her, so she shut the door to her apartment to start the papers necessary to enter her team.