"That jerk Sai actually told me not to cause trouble for him. Is this how he talks to his wife?"
At night, inside Uchiha Yoichi's izakaya, Yamanaka Ino complained with a flushed face about Sai's attitude towards her.
It's been three days since that failed plan. Sakura knows the plan failed, and it was her daughter Sarada who spread it. She came by the next day to apologize.
At the time, Yamanaka Ino quickly said it was fine. She couldn't possibly be angry with Sarada and Yamanaka Ijin, but Sai's words were too much for her, and over the days, instead of understanding, she grew increasingly upset.
This evening, feeling down, Yamanaka Ino came out for a drink after tending to Ijin, unknowingly arriving at Uchiha Yoichi's izakaya.
Not many izakayas in Konoha Village are open late at night. Uchiha Yoichi's place is the quietest, because it's quite expensive, which most people can't afford. Yamanaka Ino has been three times, always sitting with Uchiha Yoichi without paying.
Yamanaka Ino drank another small cup of wine, then asked, "Boss, do you think he's wrong..."
Uchiha Yoichi's lips inadvertently curled upwards, then disappeared as he said, "Hmm...maybe, but you guys are a couple after all, just take a step back."
"Why do I have to take a step back? It's his fault!"
After hearing this, Yamanaka Ino slammed the cup onto the table loudly, full of displeasure.
Uchiha Yoichi pretended to be helpless, saying, "Then what can be done? Even that didn't work, might as well act like it never happened. Besides, Lady Ino, I'm now a pharmacist, not an emotional counselor. The advice I gave you the other day was the best I could offer."
Yamanaka Ino showed a pitiful expression, her blue eyes looking at Uchiha Yoichi's eyes pleadingly, asking, "Boss, is there really no other way?"
"No, the fake affair was used, what next, a real affair? Just act like it never happened and take a step back."
Uchiha Yoichi tried advising, but he knew such advice to Yamanaka Ino, a strong-willed woman, not only wouldn't work but might rather add fuel to the fire.
"That jerk, if he keeps being so excessive.... then... it might not be impossible...."
Yamanaka Ino's voice softened. Under the impulse of drunkenness, any words might come out, many of them heartfelt; with Uchiha Yoichi's unintended stoking of the fire, his seemingly dissuasive words might have the opposite effect.
After a brief silence, Yamanaka Ino suddenly looked up, gazing at Uchiha Yoichi's handsome face, even more eye-catching than Sai.
Though married for nearly ten years, Ino still liked handsome men, which she merely hid because of her family.
Yamanaka Ino's face reddened further, then suddenly asked, "Boss, do you think I'm pretty?"
"Though I don't know what you looked like when you were young, Lady Ino now, both in this country and within the Five Great Countries, you're among the top beauties."
Yamanaka Ino was momentarily stunned, then quickly covered her flushed face, shyly saying, "Oh, stop~ I'm not as amazing as you say!"
"I have no need to flatter you. Though meeting you before, I felt your temper is a bit bad, this feisty yet unpretentious character is also very cute. Plus, Lady Ino, you really care about those around you. There aren't many women in Konoha better than you...."
"I'm not that great, Boss, you're really overpraising me..."
After hearing this, Yamanaka Ino felt a bit embarrassed and covered her face. In Uchiha Yoichi's words, she seemed like the most perfect woman in the Land of Fire, though Ino didn't feel she was that good.
'Could it be...he likes me?'
This thought flashed in Yamanaka Ino's mind, but then she shook her head. She was already someone else's wife, and the person before her had conditions even better than she imagined.... Suddenly, she felt her heartbeat quicken.
"....Boss, I am already married and now someone else's wife..."
Ino felt she had to remind Uchiha Yoichi not to have other thoughts.
"I understand, just thinking how a family-oriented, beautiful, and generous woman like yourself shouldn't be so undecided, nor should you be drinking here, harming yourself over someone who doesn't appreciate you; I hear you have a flower shop, so you must know the language of flowers, Lady Ino."
Uchiha Yoichi looked into Yamanaka Ino's blue eyes, even seeing his reflection in them, then slowly said, "Kosumosu, beautiful, radiant, resilient, that's you, Lady Ino."
"Boss...."
Hearing these words, Yamanaka Ino felt as though an arrow struck her heart, feeling as though this person understood her completely, the person before her truly understood her the most.
At the same time, a trace of undetectable regret arose in Yamanaka Ino's heart, why hadn't she met this person sooner?
"I..."
"Enough talk, how about a cup of tea to sober up a bit?"
Uchiha Yoichi interrupted Yamanaka Ino's words, inviting her; no matter what Yamanaka Ino might have said, he couldn't proceed unless he invited her to his place to take the next step.
"Going home like this would make others worry, best to cleanse the alcohol smell a bit."
Hearing Uchiha Yoichi's words, the scale in Yamanaka Ino's heart tipped a bit more, pressing down the shyness, saying, "Then, okay, sorry for the trouble...."
"This is no trouble, let's go."
Then, Uchiha Yoichi stood up and headed out, Yamanaka Ino following, still immersed in the earlier feelings.
Yamanaka Ino didn't expect to feel such strong resonance with someone she had known for less than a year.
Leaving the izakaya, Uchiha Yoichi led Yamanaka Ino into the pharmacy.
Upon reaching the second floor, Yamanaka Ino immediately smelled a strong scent of medicine, curiously peeking inside.
Uchiha Yoichi spoke without turning back, "This is where I experiment with alchemy, Lady Ino, if you're curious, you can visit tomorrow."
Yamanaka Ino, startled like a child caught stealing, lowered her head and whispered, "I wasn't peeking..."
"Heh..."
Hearing the laughter, Yamanaka Ino suddenly clenched her fist angrily, asking, "What are you laughing at...."
"So cute, Lady Ino."
"Huh?"
Yamanaka Ino was suddenly taken aback, and then her face instantly turned red. She shyly said with a flushed face, "That's not true, stop saying that~"
As she arrived on the third floor, Ino curiously looked around. It was her first time visiting Uchiha Yoichi's place.
Because the walls on both sides had been knocked down, the room felt spacious, and the long, ten-meter glass windows offered a clear view of the street outside, with streetlights shining in, bringing a hint of brightness to the dim room.
There wasn't much furniture in the room. A large bed was at the far end, with a carpet in front of it, and some scattered pieces of furniture, giving it a very clean and minimalist feel, offering Yamanaka Ino a unique experience.
"Good tea from the Land of Tea, there's not much produced in a year. Please have a taste, Lady Ino."
Uchiha Yoichi placed the tea beside Yamanaka Ino and noticed her looking somewhat restrained. He said, "Lady Ino, no need to feel so restrained. Aren't we friends? I'm more used to seeing your sassy side."
"Who's sassy!"
Yamanaka Ino immediately retorted. However, after this interruption, she gradually relaxed. She then picked up the tea and took a sip; its rich aroma, slight bitterness, and sweet aftertaste flowed in her mouth, invigorating her.
"It tastes good~"
Uchiha Yoichi smiled and said, "If you like it, drink more. If you like it, I'll give you some to take home."
Then the room suddenly fell silent, as if both were truly savoring the taste of the tea. Neither spoke for a moment.
After a few minutes passed, Yamanaka Ino suddenly turned her head, her expression somewhat serious as she said, "About what you said just now..."
"I meant what I said just now!"
Before Yamanaka Ino could finish, Uchiha Yoichi interrupted, "I believe you felt it too, something we've never felt before, like our hearts were connected...."
"Huh? Ah... you, you how could you..."
Yamanaka Ino's face instantly turned red. She hadn't expected Uchiha Yoichi to be so bold, to say it outright; she had originally intended to pretend nothing had happened, but with Uchiha Yoichi's upfront confession, she didn't know what to say.
Despite feeling shy and a little scared inside, there was an unexplained delight deep within her heart that even Yamanaka Ino herself didn't notice. She was clearly married, yet she didn't dislike Uchiha Yoichi saying these words....
Then, Uchiha Yoichi stood up, came to Yamanaka Ino, took her hand, and lifted her up as he continued, "Lady Ino, do you find this unpleasant?"
Most married women might have already pulled away and slapped the man for holding their hand like this. However, Yamanaka Ino felt only shyness inside. She wanted to withdraw her hand, but the force she used indicated she wasn't very willing to pull her hand away from Uchiha Yoichi.
With a flushed face, Yamanaka Ino turned her head and whispered, "Don't do this, I consider you a friend...."
Before she could finish, Uchiha Yoichi held her other hand and asked, "Lady Ino, does this bother you?"
"No, please don't..."
"A cosmos doesn't feel shy, so why can't you face your own feelings? I don't want to see you go back and feel neglected, ending up all teary-eyed. That wouldn't be beautiful, nor would it live up to the flower's language of the cosmos...."
Saying that, Uchiha Yoichi slowly moved his face closer. He moved slowly enough for Yamanaka Ino to easily avoid or pull away.
But all she could think of was Uchiha Yoichi's previous words, referring to her as his cosmos, and Sai's message to Ijin to "not cause trouble".
"Mm~"
Yamanaka Ino's red lips were sealed by Uchiha Yoichi, making her make a sound.
Then, her waist was embraced by Uchiha Yoichi, and the two figures overlapped in the light cast by the streetlamp outside the window.
"Don't do this...."
"Boss, this isn't right~ I'm already married...."
With a move of his hand, Uchiha Yoichi undid the button on her purple coat.
He whispered by Ino's earlobe, "Just call me Yoichi tonight, Lady Ino."
"Mm..."
Then the two of them, led by Uchiha Yoichi, reached the bed.
After a series of rustling sounds, Yamanaka Ino felt an unprecedented thrill, and her feelings gradually intensified.
"Ah!"
The path that hadn't seen a guest in a long time was suddenly visited by a well-built guest.
Instantly, Yamanaka Ino let out a long cry.
Their figures quickly entwined, on the wide bed, by the wardrobe handle, even by the window with its transparent view.
Tonight, Ino experienced a completely new sensation.
xxxxxxxxxxxxx
The sun gradually rose.
Bathed in the morning light, the overlap of their two figures slowed down, until they finally stopped.
At that moment, Ino was almost unconscious, only able to respond instinctively.