Differences

"I'm not at all…sure what you're meaning"

"What?"

"Well….. it's quite weird, isn't it".

"……."

"It is."

"…Not if you do it right"

"Ino?"

"Yes, Sakura?"

"……I hate you".

A pair of shoulders dropped in defeat as another pair of hands ran over them with a roller, collecting fluff. If someone were to look around the corner of the old vending machine that sold Fruit'N'nut bars and power drinks, they would see two things; A- two Konuichi of the leaf village. And B - two konuichi of the leaf village - one of which had a plan.

Ino knew, that despite her friend's aggressive and extroverted facade, Sakura was in fact a nervous wreck. Especially in social situations such as this; Ino knew that she embarrassed more easily than a nun in a sex shop.

Ino on the other hand was so much more confident, always had been. Since first they met, Sakura had looked up to Ino's strength and conviction, even when met with a challenge. Sakura, however, had a tendency to get nervous and sweaty. She could never keep it sharp and to the point, never quick and simple. It always ended in tears or at least a punch in the face.

Nothing - much to Ino's annoyance - had changed in the last 10 minutes, as she briefed Sakura on the 'situation'. When ordered, she was to walk down to the reception in the 3rd corridor on the left in the Hokage tower, slip past the radiator with the dodgy piping where she will come across a door.

Now, this was no ordinary door, she was told. Behind it lay the 'most interesting and desirable wonders of the world' Ino said with a far away look in her eyes.

"I can't, I-".

" Yes I know, but you're the only one that doesn't look so suspicious walking around here" Ino whispered frantically, fixing Sakura's hair back.

"Tsunade-sama wont make excuses for me forever you know", she pleaded back. " She even threatened me after our last 'mission'", raising her fingers to signify the quotation marks.

"She does that all the time though" Ino pointed out. There was little Sakura had to fear after 3 years with the Hokage as a teacher/personal slave driver. However, Sakura had to put her fear of pending death behind her for the moment as there wasn't much time left until 14:00. Ino wasn't letting Sakura make silly excuses and explication now!!

"She said she would suck out my life source", Sakura dead-panned.

Ino straightened her scarlet top and white waist coat. It was perhaps thanks to years of flower arrangement that had spawned Inos obsession for neatness and co-ordination; she had taught Sakura many things over the years and in her mind, flattened out any guilt by explaining that this was just another lesson to be learned.

"Yes, well we all have to make sacrifices" she finished and took a step back to look at the finished master piece. " Don't we, now", she said smiling cheerfully.

"But-but"

"No buts! Go!!"

So here she was, past the receptionist down the corridor with the broken radiator and standing stalk still at 'the door'.

Before she had even reached the door the scent of smoke met her nostrils, despite the countless 'no smoking' signs plastered on every surface in the vicinity.

She looked around trying to figure out where this sordid 'mission' had sent her. There was no sign of any one in this corner of the hokage tower; only the distant clicking of shoes from the various receptionists. The cool green lenolium tiles cracked beneath her feet and a sickening gurgle escaped the lopsided water cooler; it had turned suspiciously green and sakura shivered to think when it was last cleaned. From within, a murmur reached her ears. Wait.

Over powering stench of smoke; suspicious looking foods and hung over conversations from within.

From this, Sakura came to the horrifying, yet curious conclusion.

She was afraid Ino had sent her here and, if correct, was possibly the worst social situation she could be in.

In the world.

Ever.

However, in order to get over ones fears, Sakura thought back to a lecture given in the academy after several students had refused to jump the 50ft poll at the end of the assault course, one must confront them head on.

And with that, Sakura patted down her hair one last time, looked about the hall to see it was clear and turned the ice cold door handle.

At once, Sakura had sensed it; the quick burst of chakra, followed by the tinkle of metal senbons flying through the air at such a speed that any normal person would have already been hit with a face full on needles. Thankfully, Sakura need not be afraid, as her ultra sensitive shinobi senses had picked up on the attack. The konuichi swiftly dodged the flying needles, almost automatically, flipped over once to regain her balance and caught two of the poisoned points in between her right knuckles before landing gracefully into the room.

After the adrenaline had subsided and the danger was over, Sakura began to take in her surroundings.

It was a fairly large, dimly lit room, which Sakura's eyes had not yet acclimatised to. As they did, images started to soak in, such as the many old large sofas dotted about the place and a small humming fridge in the corner. Little natural light met the eye, as large orange blinds were permanently closed. There was a smell that reminded Sakura of old socks and new car plastic and a stuffy heat that could give you a head ache in seconds.

With this in mind, Sakura could only think of one place she could possible be; she was in fact, in the high Chuunin and Special Jounin common room. And if she was not very much mistaken - so were the Chuunin and Jounin.

Several pairs of eyes stared back through the dimness.

"Eh…heh" was all Sakura could muster, still kneeling on the floor with the same senbons in her hand.

A small chuckle emitted from the shinobi but nothing more. They turned back to their newspapers and weapons cleaner, just missing Sakura fall spectacularly to the floor jabbing one of her thighs with a needle.

"Hey, can I help you up?" came a friendly baritone voice from above. Sakura looked up to find an out stretched hand of a special Jounin she knew as Juni.

She gratefully took this hand, and was dragged gently to her secretly shaking feet.

" Sorry about the alarm system" he said sincerely, pointing towards the door. " The seal on the handle didn't recognise your chakara print so it…" he fanned his fingers out, imitating the sharp needles.

"Oh.." Sakura said still a little dishevelled. "I didn't realise they did that."

"…Yup"

"Oh…

There was a short pause until Juni asked why she had broken in.

"Em…I was" she started off shyly, but cleared her throat "I mean, I...I often come in here. Didn't you know?" a smug smile on her face."I was actually looking for someone."

"Oh?" he said humoring her a little.

"Yes, Genma as a matter of fact. Is he here?" she pretended to look around casually.

Juni gave a small snort and Sakura expected him to tell her to bugger off. However he turned suddenly around and shouted, quite loudly across the entire room-

"Genma! Theres some Chuunin here to see you!" he gave a cheeky smile at the stunned konoichi and sat back down in his seat.

Far over in the corner near the coffee machine, several heads turned.

"What?" came an extremely irritated voice. "What is it Juni? Do you realise this is the first time I've had a good hand in weeks?" he shouted at his interruption. "Tell him to piss off!"

He turned back down to his hand and placed 5 bucks on the table.

" I'm not sure I will allow my honour to be tarnished by such rudeness to a young konuichi…." Juni shouted back jokingly, waiting to hear the reaction.

"well, what does – konuichi?"

Sakura could not see quite as far back where their poker game was held but had the distinct feeling that several eyes were watching her. She could no longer see Genma but could have swarn –

"why…..hello there", a deep, smooth voice came from behind. Sakura jumped in surprise and made a sound similar to that of a bat. She turned around to be face to face with the aforementioned Chuunin who stared deep into her eyes with a sly grin. His hair was dark as the night but looked soft as velvet; his eyes, whilst studying the features of Sakura's face, were oval, blinking unrealistically long eye lashes; he had a strong jaw, and little wisps of hair poked out the front of his forehead protector.

Sakura did not know what to say.

She had been with other chuunin on missions while Naruto had been away, sometimes whilst socialising with Shikamaru, but she had never met this one before, and sorely wished she had.

He quietly looked her up and down, the tooth pick in his mouth fidgeting as he chewed.

"May I be of service?"


A/N: this was kinda just made up on the spot after a dose of inspiration came to me late one night. i was reading through my favourite sakushika fanfic Little Grasshopper and i thought "heeeeyyyyy...wait a cotton pickin' minute here" and then started to type.