Disclaimer: You know the drill. (Insert your favorite standard disclaimer here)

A/N: Sakura and Ino are probably around 17 or 18 here. Yeah, whatever. AU, I guess. And some heavy flash backs. Since my Naruto CDs are all gone (burned all the series in to CDs and delete those in the PCs), I have to rely on the manga now for the script.

Two girls were sitting on a grassy sloped place just beside the side walk. To their right, just 6 meters away, was a short bridge. Eight meters below them was the stream, which was connected to a river outside Konoha. The two were in the Konoha hospital earlier, and they just finished having their dinner nearby. Apparently they were now resting there under the moonlight of the full moon before they decided to get back to their respective homes.

"Ne, Ino-chan."

"Hm?" Ino answered inattentively.

"Thank you."

With that, the girl named Ino was forced to shift her gaze from the moon to her pink-haired companion. "Eh? What for? I should be the one saying that after you tended my wounds, see?" Ino pointed the bandage on her arm. She was injured during their latest mission, and Sakura, having no missions for the past few weeks, volunteered to mend her friend.

"Un…..But…. It's my job as a medic to do that, isn't it? And besides…" Looking at the moon, Sakura shifted her gaze at the water and continued. "I don't think I would reach this far…. being a medic-nin and a jounin that is, if it wasn't for you."

"Huh?" Ino could only give a face telling that she was confused, and that she couldn't believe what she was hearing. "You're not making any sense at all. Sakura-chan, you know all too well that you've become a medic-nin because of your determination. And you're a very smart woman to boot.

That brought a small smile on Sakura's face "You're too kind".

"Mou.. enough of that big forehead." Ino laid down and put her hands at the back of her head. She brought her gaze back at the full moon, but also looked occasionally at Sakura whenever she talked. "What's got into you anyway… acting melodramatic all of a sudden? It's not like you. Bet the lack of mission's drove you to this, huh?"

Sakura chucked. "I guess you're right. Having nothing to do got me all thinking. And you know what? I just realize that….." She paused, and then continued on a slightly serious tone. "I've really been acting rather mean to you all this time."

'What is she saying?'

Sakura brought her knees together and hugged it as she continued. "I've been thinking…."

"About….?"

"About the first day I met you…"

"………."

"I could still remember…."

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A young little girl with a little disheveled pink hair sat alone on a park, crying as quietly as she could. Her clothes were in a mess as well, but not to the point that it need to have more washing and ironing. A couple of scratches could be found on her hands, but it was nothing really serious. She sat there; her knees were in front of her blocking her slightly bent body. Her hair hid her face; given the fact that her head was in slightly bowed position, and that her bangs were quite long. So in order to see her face, one would either sit down in front of her or bend his or her knees fully.

"Everyone makes fun of your forehead, huh?" A blonde girl with short hair asked the pink-haired girl.

The crying girl was surprised, and raised her head a little to see who just spoke to her. "Who… hic…. are you?" she asked, as she wiped her tears away using the back of her hands.

"I'm Yamanaka Ino." Answered the blonde girl. "What about you?"

"I'm… hic…. Sakura…... Haruno.. Sakura."

Little Ino looked closer at Sakura. "Ahhh… I see." she said, and touched Sakura's forehead with one finger. "So this is the big forehead." Ino then placed her full hand, right palm to be precise, on Sakura's forehead as if she was checking the girl's temperature. "So you try to hide it with your hair. You look like a ghost."

With that being said, Sakura began to cry again.

"Eh?" 'Great. I've made her cry. What will I do? Oh, right'. Ino then patted Sakura's head when the blonde stood up. Subsequently, Sakura looked up at Ino and saw that the blonde smiling. "It's Sakura, right? Come here again tomorrow."

"H-Huh?"

Ino turned away and started walking. "I'll give you something really, really nice."

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"At first, I thought you only came up to me to ridicule my forehead like what the other children did. You came back the next day with a ribbon and tied my hair. You said that I'm much cuter showing my forehead, and that the other children make fun of my forehead because I tried to hide it. You may never recognize it, but by that time, you thought me the meaning of confidence."

"……………."

Sakura continued. "And for the first time, I had someone who I could call as friend. Ino-chan though had several friends already at that time."

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A middle-aged woman with curly shoulder-length hair and eyeglasses was standing on the fields. Behind here were abundant trees, while in front of her sat a bunch of children who were all girls. Apparently, the woman was a sensei, giving lectures to her students.

"As female ninjas" she started. "We must not only be skilled in ninjutsu, but also possess a wide amount of knowledge and culture. If you cannot sneak into the enemy's territory and pass for a normal woman, then being a spy will not be possible. She then adjusted her eyeglasses and continued. "Today's lesson will be flower arrangement."

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Sakura gave a small smile at the thought. "At that moment, I was a little depress and nervous."

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"Now children. Go off and pick some flowers."

"Hai!" Cried the children.

"Ino-chaaaan! Matte!"

Ino turned around to find Sakura running towards her, but before she even reached her, Sakura tripped.

"Mou…. Sakura. You're so clumsy." Ino gave a disapproving look and helped Sakura to get up.

When they finally found a place where they can rest, they both sat down and picked some flowers.

"I'm so bad at this stuff." Sakura said miserably. "What about you?"

"Nani? But you're named after a flower! Well… there's actually a trick for this."

"Eh? Really?"

"What you have to do is find a main flower. And then add another that compliments it."

"Ahhhhh…."

"You can't have the flowers clash."

"………..?"

"For example. hora!" Ino pointed a flower nearby. "If that cosmos is the main, then…" Ino pointed another flower. "that Fujibakama that you picked is the extra. Like the Sakura no hana in the spring time, the cosmos is the most beautiful in autumn. And in flower language, it means harmony. It goes perfectly with most other autumn flowers."

A look of admiration crossed on Sakura's face. Ino then put a flower behind her ear. "Ne, does this go with me as nice as with the cosmos? Am I cute?"

"H-h-hai." Sakura replied shyly.

Ino chuckled. "Hey, what's with the pause?"

"It seems like you're having fun today big forehead."

Sakura turned her head and found three girls behind her. The one who just talked was a girl with the long hair. To her left had a spiky hair, while on her right seemed to have an afro style of hair. Ino thought that they were bunch of troublesome children, and frown at that.

The one with a long hair moved her face at Sakura, which in turn, forced Sakura to move back in fear. "You're trying to make yourself look better recently. Who do you think you are?"

SWING!

The long-haired girl suddenly found herself falling on the ground with 5 flowers, stems first, on her mouth. Ino apparently threw the flowers skillfully at the girl who tried to intimidate Sakura.

"Ami-chan!" The spiky and the afro girl ran and helped their friend.

"Gomen-nasai ne" Ino apologized, but obviously feigning it. "I must have mistaken that opening for a vase."

Ami somehow got-up and glared at Ino.

"It maybe weak, but that flower is poisonous. You better spit out." Ino warned.

Sounding serious this time, the three bullies ran away and yelled for their sensei.

"The poison is in the root though" Ino said and grinned when the three were gone.

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"At that point, I was thinking that Ino-chan is incredible and that she knows everything. She's so fashionable and kawaii. And by just looking at how she threw the flowers, showed that her shuriken throwing ability is great. And that compared to you I was just…."

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"If Ino-chan is a cosmos…" Little Sakura looked down sadly at the flower she was holding. "then I'm probably a Fujibakama."

"What are you talking about? If you're gonna ask me, you aren't even a flower. You're just a bud."

"Ah… hehe.. yeah." Sakura gave a nervous laugh.

"……………"

"Ne, Ino-chan."

"Hm?"

"Why did you…" Sakura hugged her knees and looked shyly at Ino. "give me this ribbon?"

Ino smiled. "Hehe, that's because…."

"……………?"

"I just thought that…. it would be a waste if you ended as a bud."

Sakura's eyes widen at that.

Ino examined the flowers she had on her hand. "A bud is meaningless unless it blooms, right? And it could grow into a flower…. Probably even more beautiful than the cosmos."

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"And for what you had said, I want to thank you now. I was too shy to thank you back then, and all I did was…… cry."

'What the….Is she crying?' Sighing, Ino sat up and handed Sakura a handkerchief. "Geez Sakura, I thought you've changed. I can understand you being melodramatic, but you're still a cry baby."

"Ehe…." Sakura tried to smile and wiped her tears. "Sorry."

Ino returned a smile. "But you know what? I'm….. glad. I thought for a moment that you're still thinking about….."

"Sasuke…."

At the mention of his name, the two suddenly became silent. Both of their smiles faltered.

"I deserved this right?" Sakura started bitterly. "After what you did for me when were still children, I just threw you away and stupidly declared that you were my rival after I learned that you also like him."

"Sakura….."

"And now…." Tears began to flow in Sakura's eyes again. "….now I just ended up getting hurt."

Seeing her friend helpless, Ino tried to comfort Sakura by embracing even though her other arm was still injured. She then apologized for being insensitive as to let Sakura remember the tragedy that happened almost half a year ago which involved Sasuke, who was unfortunately still on Orochimaru's side. The said sannin together with his soldiers and Sasuke caused another series of death among the citizens of Konoha including Sakura's father as the casualty.

"I hate him, Ino-chan. I hate him. I hate him. I hate him." Sakura said between sobs.

'Sakura….' The blonde shinobi began to stroke Sakura's short hair. "Just let it out. Cry as long as you want." 'Okaaaay. I know I said that she's a crybaby, but I'll make this an exception.'

After an hour or so, Sakura finally stopped crying. She was now leaning on Ino's shoulder; the side that was uninjured. "I'm sorry for wetting your shirt and for all the trouble I've caused you. I thought I have moved on, but apparently…"

"Hey, it's okay. I understand." 'I would probably been hunting down Sasuke by now if that happens to me.'

Sakura closed her eyes. "At this rate… I need to forget about that.. that bastard."

'Yeah. Same here.'

The cold night wind blew and reminded the two ladies that it was already getting late at night. "We'd better go now Sakura. It's late, and you have work tomorrow. I have to report at Tsunade-sama as well."

"Un." Sakura stood up, and helped Ino up. "Thanks again Ino-chan" Sakura finally smiled once again.

Ino couldn't help but blush a little. "Yeah, yeah, I get that a lot from you today. Whatever."

Before they left, it was Sakura's turn to give her friend an embrace and whispered something on Ino's ear. "I just want you to know that… No matter who and how many times I'll fall in love in the future, you're always be my only best friend."

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End…. Of Chapter 1? Hmm.. still thinking.