"Why did you come back?" "I had to. For you." "What?" "I love you. I always have. You are my everything, and a life without you is no life at all." "I… love you too."
How did she do it? He just came back to her like that, it's just too dramatic! But that's the thing, it's only a little romance novel. Just a trashy paperback I found on the kitchen table.
Nothing so wonderful would ever happen in Konoha. Especially not to me. It's been a while since I actually had a boyfriend, and even then he was completely pitiful. Sai didn't deserve my attention, and let's face it; whenever I walk into a room, all eyes fall on me. It's hard for people not to bask in my glowing aura of beauty. To him, I was just a showpiece he hooked on his arm to raise his self esteem and cancel some of the social insecurities.
But sometimes I wonder, I really do. While everybody around me moves at high speed, I'm stuck watching them pass me by from behind the counter of a flower shop. I sit here, day in and day out, waiting for my moment to shine. I barely even get missions anymore! So much for being an accomplished and deadly kunoichi. But at least I manage to keep my appearance up to scratch.
The bell attached to the doorframe tinkles merrily behind me. I throw my paperback on the counter and run my fingers through my gorgeous platinum ponytail. And I press play on my mental routine. "Good afternoon, my name is Ino. How may I assist you today?" I don't even have to look up, my nails seem far more interesting.
"Well, I gather this is a flower shop. So naturally, I'll be needing some flowers." Hang on, I know that voice! I swing my legs over the counter to face the familiar customer, someone I haven't seen in a very long time.
"Shikamaru!" Wow, a face not often called upon anymore. Wasn't he supposed to be on a mission right now? Why is he back so early? "Weren't you supposed to be on a mission right now? Why are you back so early?"
He looked at me in his cool, calculating way. Shikamaru shrugged apathetically and dug his hands into his pockets. "I wasn't needed. And besides, I have better things to do with my time."
Better things, huh? "Things like buying flowers? I can tell you don't want to be seen here." As he turns bright red, I smile to myself. I'm playing at his weak spot here. Shikamaru isn't the most romantic gentleman I've met, but he must have some kind of love life, right? He's already anti-social; it wouldn't hurt for him to find a playmate.
"Well, let's get this over with," he muttered coolly. "I don't know what I'm doing; you're going to have to help me." He took a step towards me and raised an eyebrow. Wow, impatient much? I shrug and slide off the counter to stand beside my team mate.
He shudders a little bit when I lean in close and peer confusedly at his embarrassed mauve face. Hmn, he really IS embarrassed to be buying flowers. But… Why? As far as I know he doesn't have a girlfriend. He'd be too busy right now; the Chuunin Exams are coming up. He's got so much to prepare… AHA! That's it! Temari will be coming back soon, probably this evening. He's probably going to try again.
I hate to think about that though. They've been kind of on and off for the past few years. I heard that they had this massive row and she left and didn't talk to him for a while… I still don't know what that was about. But still, poor Shikamaru must still be kind of… touchy about all this. I shouldn't pry any more than I already have. I mean, it's not that I don't like the girl. Well, that might have been a bit of a lie. I just hate the idea of her and him, my team mate. My friend. But, if he's only my friend… Why do I feel so strongly about this?
"So…" I say, pushing the bitter thought to the back of my mind. "What's the occasion? What do you want to say?" he looks at me confusedly. I rephrase my sentence. "Is there a particular message you'd like to express by buying these?" As Shikamaru folded his arms and looked at his feet, I knew he'd caught on.
"I… I guess…" Hmn. He may look like a man, but inside he's still the hopeless anti-social rookie I fell in love with. Wait, what did I just say?
"Something that represents… Longing. You know?" He looked at me with his deep, dark eyes. But before I could dive into them and swim through his mind, he'd broken contact with mine. In the awkward silence, I feel compelled to try and make some kind of conversation.
"Longing like… Love?" bad idea. Shikamaru seemed to tense up and turn a violent shade of purple, clenching his fists and breathing heavily. But as I lay my hand on his shoulder, he seems to relax. He looked so strong and masculine, but the squeak of a response uttered from his lips proved him otherwise.
"Y-Yes."
"Well, Uhm…" why is this so hard to do?! "I suppose… Be right back." I had to hurry away with my hand shielding my glowing beetroot face as I retreated behind the counter. Sitting down with my back pressed against the shelves, a small phantom gasp escaped my lips. Finally cooling down, I was able to pull a heavy almanac of flower symbolism from the jumble of catalogues and registers, and throw it down on the bench.
"Have a look through this and pick out the ones you want, okay?" how am I able to talk right now? But on the other hand, why is it so difficult? With that, I ran up the stairs into the back room to wash my face.
--
I came down five minutes later, refreshed and slightly calmer. Shikamaru was standing by a rack examining a bunch of flowers. He must have found what he was looking for. I walk over to him and stand at his side. "Aah, Amaranths," I hear myself saying. "A symbol of unfading love. Good choice." I can feel him watching me as I carefully pluck out a bunch of amaranth flowers and place them on the counter, then wrap their stems in some attractive cellophane. Unfading love, huh? Lucky Temari. Holding back tears, I manage to look up and smile at Shikamaru over the counter. "The… gift tags are over there," I breathe. He simply nods and takes a blank one. Leaning over the bench, he takes out a pen and scribbles something on it, then tucks it into the cellophane held together with ribbon. I shouldn't let him buy these; I should be throwing them in his face! But I don't as I calculate the cost of his bouquet. He glances at the register and hands me the correct change.
"Great, thanks for your help Ino," he says. I look down at my feet, pretending to be interested at something on the floor. I reply with a mild nod. I breathe deeply as his footsteps grow soft and the familiar tinkle of the bell on the doorframe can be heard. I look up to watch him walk away. But then I realise something.
"Wait, Shikamaru!" I yell as I poke my head out of the door and run into the street. "You forgot your…" but he's gone. "…Flowers." I head inside and take my place behind the counter. I stare at the bouquet of amaranths, trying to think of why he would have left them here. It's not like Shikamaru to be so scatter-brained and leave things behind. Oh well, with Temari on her way back he must just be excited.
I pick up my romance novel and flick through it, trying so desperately to distract myself. But they're just sitting there on the counter! He'll probably come back for them when he realises they're still here, so I won't bother taking them to him. But even still… I wonder what he wrote in the gift tag? It won't hurt to just take one little peek…
I throw my book down and gently pull the tag out of the bunch of flowers, careful not to destroy any. I brace myself for what he so desperately wanted to say to Temari that he had to buy her flowers. It occurs to me that this is a huge invasion of privacy, but what the hell? He won't find out… will he? So I slowly open the tag.
There are only two words on the blank slip of card. But those two words scribbled in black pen are enough to make my heart stop beating and destroy my breathing pattern. I feel weak at the knees as I read them, and read them again, just to make sure that I read them right the first time. It appears I did. And suddenly my questions are answered.
"Keep them."