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It's been a great summer this year. Despite numerous weather forecasts about the stifling heat, their family vacation at the hot springs turned out to be wonderful. However, starting tomorrow, work days will begin again and they will need to return to their usual schedule.
After dinner, Sai decided to work in his workshop and went to the second floor. Ino rarely bothered him at such a time - she respected her husband's personal space and believed that every person should sometimes be alone to gather it's own thoughts.
In the last few days, he was somehow particularly focused, though. Often muttered to himself something like "Have I really lost my skills?" or "I need to practice more." Ino thought that this was due to what happened at the local town at the hot springs, where they stayed.
One evening, while walking around, Sai decided to train Inojin a bit. He handed him several training shurikens and summoned one of his ink beasts as a target. Young shinobi gave his father’s creation a sour look, as if he saw something disgusting.
Having thrown a training shuriken into the beast, and hitting the target, the little boy said "It was awfull, dad, you can do better!"
Sai was so shocked that he had not talked all evening.
“Well” Ino thought to herself “Now it’s Sai's turn to realize that children may not agree on everything with their parents."
And now, after the end of their family trip, Ino decided to have a serious talk with her husband about that. "He really shouldn't be so hard on himself because of Inojin's words. This boy is still small, but his preferences and tastes are already being formed...."
While Sai was recovering his "lost skills" in the workshop, Inojin, in turn, went to the living room to watch TV. The boy didn't like television that much, preferring to spend more time either drawing or playing with friends (which Ino was only glad about).
The head of the clan herself, in her spare time, preferred to take care of house plants, study the scrolls of her father, on which were written his own notes on how to improve Yamanaka techniques and, if there was really nothing to do, read the messages from the elders and send them replies.
Elders... Ino still couldn't believe that it all happened in such way...
After the heroic death of Inoichi, her mother, seeing that she was deeply depressed and tormented by nightmares caused by the war, persuaded the elders and other family members to give her time to put up with the loss, to realize her position and only then assume new responsibilities.
Although the elders agreed, they did not stop thinking about what would be better not only for their clan, but also for the whole village. They had high hopes that in the new Konoha, under the rule of Ino, they, although a small but noble clan, with a long history and excellent reputation, would gain even more respect and, perhaps, even greater political power. They considered Ino a little unrestrained and thought that she still lacked that kind of wisdom that comes only with age, but, nevertheless, respected her abilities (especially increased during the war) and believed that in time she could lead their clan to new achievements. And to begin to strengthen their position could be the conclusion of a profitable marriage...
But what did Ino do instead?
She dared to announce to the whole clan that her husband would be a nameless, unknown killer, a personal puppet of a madman who has manipulated the council of elders for many years.
To say that the old relatives were furious would be an understatement.
They made a lot of efforts trying to prove to this reckless girl that a man like Sai is not right for her “at least” because of the gap between their social positions.
All Ino's arguments about how Sai has changed a lot since he left Root, how his feelings for her are sincere, and that he himself asked her to marry him, knowing fully well that he could offer little to her, were not accepted. Neither Sai's many years of service to the village, nor merits during the war, nor even friendship with the future Hokage could change their minds.
Sai was Danzo's puppet. He was not only a shameful reminder of Konoha and its elders' past sins, but also a keeper of the many dark secrets, which he could use to blackmail them all or, even worse, to destroy the clan from the inside, fulfilling the last will of his dead master, so to speak. Or maybe to avenge himself for all the miseries that he get through, making dirty job for Konoha's sake. And, who knows, maybe that's why he specifically became so close to Ino - just to take advantage of her position?
Ino could swear that while rejecting their absurd statements she got out of her breath.
But what happened next was the last straw and the point of no return.
"You claim that since you used the Mind Transfer Technique on this... man... you got able to understand his thoughts, feelings, and in an instant return to him the emotions that he destroyed a long time ago in hard training... Even if it so... Doesn’t it seem to you that he’s just... got attached to you?"
"Got attached?... " Ino was ready to lose her temper at any moment, but still decided to restrain herself for the time being.
"Yes. For the first time, someone reacted to him with such an understanding. Someone showed him the taste of life for the first time. It doesn't mean that he loves you. He is comfortable with you and he will do everything possible to stay with you. He's now like a stray dog that got attached to a person, which decided to take it out of kindness. This is nothing more than an animal reflex, an instinct for self-preservation. "
The event after this forever broke Ino’s ties with the elders. She used on them Mind Destruction Technique of such power that some of her especially elderly relatives had blood flowing from their noses.
Thus, having clearly shown everyone that she was not going to obey someone else's will, Ino married Sai, accepted him into her clan, and from now on he would appear at all meetings with her as an equal. All other clan members, although initially suspicious of him, later got used to him, learned him better and began respect him, although at times they found his behavior somewhat strange.
It was a difficult but truly happy time for Sai. To such a loner as he, at one moment to find so many people whom he can call relatives... family... it felt almost surreal. Ino was so glad to see his awkward, but at the same time very sweet attempts to make friends with clan members. And, thank heaven, these attempts were crowned with success.
However, she never told him what the elders thought of him. She only told him briefly that they approved of their marriage. Ino was hard on her heart because of that, but she really didn't want to spoil their married life because of the prejudices of these fools. Sai, seeing Ino straining at any mention of elders, decided not to touch on this topic.
The only thing he did, though, was a simple but a very serious statement that he told her one evening soon after their wedding.
"Beauty, you should know that the only thing that could stopped me from marrying you was only your refusal. But I think that even in that case I would did anything for your consent. You gave me enough courage so I can follow my feelings. You... helped me to get these feelings. And I... will always be grateful for you."
Ino's heart melted at his words and, while hugging him tightly she understood that nothing in this world can't stop them from being happy together.
Yamanaka elders, angered by Ino's actions, from now on preferred to gather separately from everyone, sending only messages to the wayward head of the clan, in which, in a dry official language, informed her of their thoughts, some politics decisions and other things that cause Ino yawning attacks and irritation.
Even when she was pregnant, and Sai due to official duty, had to attend missions, they did not cease to send her their messages and
recommendations on how she should train the future head of the clan.
Ino definitely experienced some kind of gloating when she wrote to them in her return message that she wasn't going to force her child to do anything against it's will...
......
Inojin suddenly burst into his parents' room. Child's bright blue eyes shone with delight, and in the hand the boy clutched some small piece of paper.
"Inojin!" the blonde kunoichi dropped the document from her hands because of an unexpected noise. "What happened? I told you that you can’t break into a room without knocking. Especially in my and your dad's room!"
"I'm sorry, mom..." the boy was a little bit embarrassed, but after a moment the delight in his eyes lit up with a new force.
"It's just... tonight... there will be a starfall!" - Inojin smiled broadly, "Can I stay in the backyard and watch it?"
Ino was very confused.
Usually Inojin didn't express such strong emotions about anything, only occasionally showing great joy when he manages to learn something new from his father. What made him so excited? Starfall? But she didn't hear anything about it.
"Hun, we’ll have to get up early tomorrow, so I don’t think that..."
"But mom! The news said that today in the Land of the Moon there will be a very rare starfall, and if you write a wish on paper and look at a shooting star, it will definitely come true! One woman told that..."
Inojin talked so quickly and gesticulated so actively that Ino became more and more puzzled. She thought for a moment that her son was an absolutely different person.
“On the other hand,” she reminded herself. "He is still small and still able to believe in miracles. Isn't this the most beautiful thing in the world? However..."
"Inojin, you'll not be able to see this starfall. The Land of the Moon is very far from here".
"But maybe still I will see at least one star? One star is enough! Please, mom..."
Ino took a deep breath and shook her head.
"Since when have I become such a bore? It's really not like me at all!"
"Well, okay... but only a little bit!"
"Yes!"
5 minutes later...
Inojin peered into the black ocean with his aquamarine eyes, trying to notice the glint of a shooting star.
Back then, the sky of Konoha was strewn with stars, but today it is hardly possible to distinguish some of the brightest constellations. It seems that it's all because of an active expansion of the village and increasing light pollution.
While Inojin stared at the sky with fascination, swinging his legs and clutching a piece of paper with a written wish on it, Ino watched him with the warm smile on her lips.
"Everyone's talking about how much he looks like me. But incredibly pale, like Sai. And I always say that it doesn't matter who he looks like – the main thing is that he will have his own story, not like anyone else's. A happy story..."
After a while, the little artist couldn't stand it and began to rub his eyes and yawn.
"Hun... time to go to bed"
"Just a little bit more, please..." He was really upset and still didn't want to leave.
"Okay, but only a little bit..."
10 minutes later...
Inojin slept sweetly with his head on Ino’s lap.
"Ha-ha… Well, I guess it runs in a family…"
She gently stroked his blond hair, watching how he sometimes trembled a little bit - it seems that soon there will be a strong cooling and it was necessary to wake him and send him to the house. But he slept so sweetly that Ino still lacked the spirit to do so.
Continuing to peer into the starless sky, Ino didn't stop thinking about what her son could have wanted, that he was ready to stay in the backyard all night.
"How wonderful childhood is - your dreams are so simple, every day is not like the other, and you don't need to solve serious problems. And parents are... here for you"
And then... she saw it! Just for a brief moment, literally for a split second, she saw the tail of a falling comet! It was impossible, but still it was!
Kunoichi barely restrained the impulse and didn't jump up like a little girl who was delighted to see a cute puppy. But the clear idea that her son was still sleeping on her lap stopped her on time.
She again wanted to wake him, tell him that she was able to see the shooting star, but, after thinking a little, she decided that this would only upset him. He obviously wanted to see everything with his own eyes and make his wish...
Wish...
What would she wish? She saw a shooting star, didn’t she have the right to make a wish?
"In that case..."
Happiness for everyone?
Despite all her natural optimism she knew - that's impossible. There's always be the suffering. It's the part of this life.
Health, wealthy?
Thank goodness, they had no problem with such things. Her family, her clan, her friends - all was well, and she was put all strengths to keep it this way.
Suddenly, she heard behind her the sound of quietly opening doors, and then of quiet steps slowly moving toward them.
"Let me take him to bed."
Sai, fairly exhausted by his artistic training, dressed in a T-shirt, stained in some places with hardened paint, sat down to gently raise his son in his arms. Before he could get up, Ino managed to kiss him on the lips, causing a slightly surprised look on the pale face of the artist, and then a soft smile.
When Sai picked up the boy, a paper fell out of his relaxed hand, which he had been squeezing with such zeal in his little fist all evening. Sai took his son back to the house, and Ino decided not to miss the chance and picked up a piece of paper.
“May your wish become my wish. And it will definitely come true. ”
Opening the note and reading it, Ino was taken aback for a few seconds, and then laughed so hard that the tears appeared in her eyes.
On a small piece of paper, in an unusually good handwriting for a child, it was written:
"Plate with infinite takoyaki."