Naruto is by Kishimoto Masashi. I do not own the characters, art, story etc..
Pairing SaiIno.
A short about Ino stuck in a mission working a restaurant. Hokage Naruto gives her an assignment saying that it is important for an investigation they are working on. She should find out information on any strange people coming to the restaurant.
Turns out it was an elaborate prank by Naruto after all. Ino played a prank on Naruto a few weeks back involving Sakura. A mind transfer jutsu that got Ino out of work for a whole week. Naruto was too willing to do anything for Sakura and Ino reaped the benefit. Her jutsu advanced to the point that Sakura couldn't even recall Ino switching with her.
Sai takes advantage of his girlfriend's situation at the restaurant to ask for her hand in marriage. He truly had no clue about the prank but invited all their friends to the restaurant seeing it as an opportunity.
Just a brief short about life in Konoha. Don't know why Kotetsu is so sleepy.
Sai's Proposal
Ino finished taking the orders for her tables and passed the ticket to the cook. Her feet were killing her because she had to fill in for an absent co-worker, a double shift. This mission was the worst thing she ever agreed to in a long time. Not a single lead trickled in this day and she wondered just what Naruto thought when he assigned this duty to her. Worse it seemed like all her friends were there in the restaurant.
Sai sat waiting with their friends in a booth by the window. The booth directly behind them had a whole different circle of friends who just happened upon this place as well.
Ino took a tray of cola to them. Sakura seemed pleased to get out for once. Neji and Sasuke in some random conversation about sake. Sai took the time to catch up with TenTen.
Chouji munched on the last of the complimentary table snacks. Shiho and Yurika in conversation while Kotetsu seemed sleepy. Izumo smiled as Ino passed out the drinks to their table.
"Chouji would you like me to refill the snack tray," she asked.
"Oh uh sure thanks," Chouji replied.
"Sorry your food is taking so long a lot of newbies working today," she apologized to everyone a little sarcastically.
"It's no problem," Chouji said trying to reassure her.
"Well maybe you guys should take off after you eat. You don't have to wait for me. Especially you Kotetsu. Should I bring you coffee or something," she asked.
"No thank you," Kotetsu said.
Shikamaru and Temari rejoined the group in the booth. They greeted her.
"Well I got to get back to work," Ino said.
Everyone was there and all the booths occupied. She had no time to think about how unusual it was that everyone was there, because things were too busy.
As things quieted down she made her way to her friend's table. The bus boy cleared the plates. Sai handed her book with the check for their table. She made her way to the cash register and started to log the ticket. She opened the ticket book and just stared for a long while.
"Marry me love Sai," she read and re-read the words on the ticket.
Everyone in the booth was grinning stupidly at her. Sai made his way over to her.
"Yes," she said blinking several times.
"I was going to propose to you later on our date but since you picked up the assignment I figured why not go for it. I'm glad I did," Sai said.
"Explain to me why everyone is here," Ino asked upset now as realization settled in that she was tricked.
"I just thought it would be nice is all."
"Please…Kotetsu looked like a cat dragged him out of bed or something."
"That table is purely coincidence. I didn't even know they would be here. Besides there is something else going on but we can talk about it later."
"I probably don't want to know. It's not a personal matter but a security matter because you have that look."
"Look?"
"Yeah, look. Anyway let your friends go home before he falls asleep in the booth. Tell him I said thank you."
"Coincidence I'm telling you," Sai protested.
"I'm going to finish my shift…mission so I'll see you later," she said and kissed him.
"Fine. I'll stop by later," he kissed her and headed back to the table.
He was going to continue to pretend that this was a serious mission. Ino was fuming now she'd pay them all back especially Naruto she knew that baka was involved.
Chouji pated Shikamaru on the shoulder and waved as he left. Everyone else silently cleared out congratulating Ino on the way out the door.
Ino finished filling a bottle of soy sauce and set the bottle aside. She did her best not to laugh or cry at her situation. Sai caught her attention once more.
"So I'll come by around-
"Go," the owner of the restaurant said startling them, "go, go, you two."
The elder waved them off like they were annoying alley cats.
"I can-
"Shh, no arguments you two go on. I can finish the close up."
"Thank you sir," Sai said and added, "I can kick him out if you need to-
"Let them have their time I don't need the booth anyhow so go on," the old man turned and started closing up the restaurant.
Hope you enjoyed reading it. I tried to include characters that might work together. Shiho and Yurika sometimes work with Shikamaru as decoders and such. Ino-Shika-Chou. ShikaTema. Kotetsu and Izumo worked with Team Asuma (10). Don't know why Neji and Sasuke make a cameo but whatever.
