A taste of love
A collaboration between Christine, Isabelle, and Colette
It was a quiet day in the village hidden in the leaves. The war was over and there was finally peace. Ino was tending the flower shop in the place of her deceased father, she was watering a flower when her mind went to a certain person. It was Sai, the man that had somehow stolen her heart. She had thought that after Sasuke had left the village that she would never love again, but somehow this silent, artistic boy had swept her off her feet. She smiled to herself and sighed longingly. Her heart was beating fast and her cheeks were flushed.
Sakura appeared, "Ino, why are you said?" she asked, looking at her flushed cheeks. Ino looked up at her, "Sakura, I'm not sad," she replied softly, with a content smile the sun gleaming on her face, I'm happy." Sakura looked at Ino, her best friend and rival. The look in Ino's eyes, Sakura knew it well. Ino was in love, the question is who was the lucky guy. It couldn't be Shikamaru or Choji those three had been friends forever. Shikamaru had Temari and Choji was seeing a girl from the cloud. "Ino tell me what's going on."
Ino looked away defensively whilst blushing. "That's none of your business." She crossed her arms. Sakura groaned, "Tell me or I won't split my ramen with you," Ino sighed, "You know Sai?" Sakura gasped. Ino sweat dropped at her friend's assumption, "Why would you be so quick to assume that I love him?" She began to worry. Sakura put her hand on Ino's shoulder, which calmed her down. "Ino you're my best friend, I can tell when you're in love," she assured Ino.
Ino sighed in defeat, "Yes I am in love with him, but it is hopeless. He was once a part of the root faction meaning they got rid of all his emotions. He wouldn't love me, or even know what love is," Ino put her head down on the counter. "I think you're wrong Ino I saw him in the library the other day; while it is weird he is trying to learn how to feel again so this means you still have a chance," Sakura says giving Ino a thumbs up. Ino looked up at her best friend, "Do you really think I have a chance?", "Yes you do."
Ino got up calmly and began to walk to where Sai would be; the library. He was in a little nook all alone. She smiled to see him reading so intently. "Hey, what are you doing?" "Reading," he replied. "I want to put these 'emotional experiments' to the test," he said pointing to a picture of two people kissing. "Mind if I try with you?" Ino turned red. "You don't know what that is!" she yelled, Sai turned red. "Uhh that's right!" He picked up the books and ran. "Wait!" Ino called out. "you didn't check out the book!"
Sai is running out not even paying attention to what Ino said. He never stopped until he got to the park. Once he got there he put his hand over his heart, "what is this feeling? Why is my heart pounding?" He kept thinking of Ino's face, "Why am I thinking of her? She has nothing to do with my heart failure." He thought. He decides to clear his mind by drawing. He took out his sketch book and pencil and began to draw, before long he was done. He looked at his work and was taken aback. It was a drawing of Ino's face.
Ino decided to look for Sai, out of concern. She finally spotted him drawing under a cherry-blossom tree in the sunset. "Sai", Sai heard. "Why are you here?" It was Ino. He quickly tried to hide his drawing. "This is where I come to think," Ino smiled, "Then what's on your mind?" "Oh, uh, I don't know. Uh." He began and was stopped when Ino sat down with him. Ino looked down at her hands, "So, how is Sakura?" Ino asked with a fake smile on her face. Sai was very skilled at spotting fake smiles but didn't want to push it. "Good. What about Sasuke?" Sasuke was in the custody of the interrogation unit, and Ino was in charge of said unit. Sai didn't want to admit it, but he was jealous of Sasuke. He was jealous because Sasuke was able to spend more time with Ino tan he was.
What a weird feeling that was. Jealousy. It was burning and he felt odd. "Well … you know, Ino, if you guys aren't close and you need someone to talk to, I'm always here…" He looked at her. "I always want you to be here." Ino looks at him in surprise, "Thank you," she smiles and grabs his hands. "You know that you're not alone right. I am right here." With those last four words Ino had eased all of Sai's worries. He had feared, more than anything, of being alone. But now he had someone with him.
…They walked back home in the sunset, Japanese cherry blossoms floating romantically in the air. Sai took her hand in his and they blushed, looking back at each other. They stopped when they saw both Sakura and Sasuke there, staring in front of them gasping. "Well…" Sai said breaking the silence. "This is interesting"
THE END