𝐥𝐚 𝐝𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐞𝐮𝐫 𝐞𝐱𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐬𝐞 ; 𝐧𝐬

𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭

"Naruto!" Ino hurriedly walked to Naruto, sitting by his side as she started using her chakra to heal him. "What the hell is going on?!?" she screeched, scared and mad all in one.

Naruto felt relieved feeling her chakra ease even a little bit of the pain "It's nothing, don't worry about it." he sighed. He put his head on the toilet seat as he closed his eyes, hoping to rest for even a second.

She was furious by his dismissal of what's going on. She was her best friend! she deserved to know what's going on with him no matter how small he might think it is. "I haven't seen you in weeks because you've been going to kami knows where! and then the first time I see you, you're here sitting on your bathroom's floor, puking! What do you mean don't worry about it?! Of course I'm gonna worry, you idiot!" fuming in anger, she yelled at him still rubbing his back, her eyes watered.

"You're right. I'm sorry. Thanks, Ino." he smiled fondly as a teardrop fell from his eyes. He felt warm and fuzzy hearing her words despite the pain this flower is causing him. How did he get so lucky to have her in his life?

"Tell me what's really going on, Naruto." Ino implored softly, her face scrunching up in worry.

"I'm dying." he stated like he was talking about the weather. Naruto didn't want to tell her like this; with him on the floor literally dying from puking nothing but saliva dripping from his mouth. But to be honest, he didn't really know how to break it to her. He didn't want to see her sad because of his impending death. He slowly opened his eyes noticing that she hasn't said anything and amusement engulfed him seeing her looking like a goldfish from shock for once.

"WHAT!!" with her eyes wide like a saucer she shrieked at the top of her lungs, finally done processing what she just heard.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU'RE DYING?!?!?" she demanded, her chakra flickering on and off from shock as she glared her eyes at him. He can't die! Naruto's invincible! He defeated the Akatsuki's leader! He fought Madara! heck he bloody sealed a goddess!!

Naruto winced, suddenly coughing again for a good 20 seconds, backing up Naruto's words. "It means I'm dying, Ino." he repeated.

Her body stilled, meeting Naruto's blue eyes and she saw acceptance. Naruto who never gave up, who stood tall in the face of danger looked... resigned. Lost for words "Wha- how? what happened?" she faltered.

"Apparently I'm dying because I love Sasuke too much." he muttered, closing his eyes as another hurl came, dry-heaving for seconds. Ino snapped from her trance and steadied her chakra once more.

"What? I don't understand." confusion was clear on her face.

"Hanahaki Disease. He's dying because of the Hanahaki Disease." Kakashi said out of nowhere, scaring them to death as they looked at him in attention.

"WHAT THE HECK KAKASHI-SENSEI!! Scared the crap out of me! Kami-sama." Ino yelled glaring at Kakashi in anger, her hand to her chest, calming her panicking heart from her crazy sensei while Naruto also glared at him silently, too tired to do anything else.

Kakashi just stood there, eyes smiling at them, half his face covered by his Icha Icha book as always. "Sorry I'm late, Naruto."

Her eyebrows pulled down together "Wait- did you just say Hanahaki, Kakashi-sensei?" she asked, wanted him to clarify because as far as she knew, that disease is just a myth. There's no way that Naruto's dying because of that- is what she thought until she heard Naruto heaved once more but this time it wasn't just nothing.

She gasped, a sudden coldness hits her at the core from seeing it with her own eyes. She could clearly see flowers, no, petals after petals flowing out of his lips, each one of them dipped in blood. Horrified, she immediately used more chakra to stop the blood and hoping that it would stop the flower from growing even just a little bit.

"Naruto!" She yelled in a frantic voice as Kakashi hurriedly put away his book and walked to Naruto's other side and started rubbing his back in comfort. "It's almost done, Naruto. You can do this." Kakashi said in reassurance hearing Naruto whimpered in pain even with Ino's chakra.

After a minute or so, Naruto finally stopped. He sighed in relief, physically and mentally exhausted. Kakashi helped him up to his room, laying him down on his bed to let him rest while Ino went to get a bucket of water and a towel to wipe away his sweat.

Ino tucked him in, and sat beside his bed wiping his face when she noticed the petals inside a jar by his bedside.

"Camellia." she abruptly said. Kakashi and Naruto looked at her in question -well Naruto did- "Your flower. It's called Camellia. It means <my destiny is in your hands>." she elaborated.

Naruto released a hollow laugh, "How fitting." he mumbled. Kakashi and Ino watched him slowly falling asleep after hearing his heart-rending laugh, a heavy feeling settling in their stomach.

"How long has this been going on Kakashi-sensei?" she quietly asked, making sure not to wake up Naruto.

"A few weeks now. I found him inside his office, having difficulty breathing." he stated, 'reading' his Icha Icha book.

"What about Kurama? What did he say?"

Kakashi just shook his head in response.

"So it's Sasuke, huh." She sighed exasperated looking at Naruto's face, clear fondness in her eyes. She knew Naruto loved Sasuke, she just didn't think that he loved him enough to get the legendary disease.

"Unfortunately."

"Do you think...?" she trailed off, not finishing her question.

"I don't know, Ino. Time will only tell." Kakashi stood up, putting away his book and teleporting away to a secluded training area to vent.

"...time." she wept in the darkness, Naruto's quiet breathing soothing her mourning heart.

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Phew! This one chapter definitely took me awhile. I lost some inspiration there for a sec lol anyways thanks for reading! Tell me what you think about this chapter. Did you expect it to be Ino? or maybe Sakura huh? Comments and vote are appreciated! :* Cya next chapter.