"Sakura-san, I would like to court you. If you let me, of course."
Hearing these words from the mouth of the Aburame heir threw Sakura completely off guard.
Huh?
"I want to court you--"
"I heard you the first time, Shino. I was just... surprised. Umm..."
Shino's eyes were, as always, undecipherable under those tinted glasses.
"Don't take this the wrong way, Shino, but I am not really looking forward to be in a relationship right now. Not that I don't want to be your friend, okay? It was really great that we got bundled together to work on this project. I actually got a chance to know you. But I don't see you that way, you know? I'm really sorry if somehow I gave you the wrong idea."
"You're sorely mistaken, Sakura-san. Why? Because my kikaichu can read heat signatures and you get flustered every time we are in close proximity."
"That's because your stupid bugs insist on getting under my breast bindings for some god awful reason!"
"Ah. To the contrary. They are attracted to the heat, Sakura-san. Why? Because rise in temperature indicates either fear or libido. And neither can be ignored."
Sakura, despite the ominous signs of a superhuman tantrum, found herself in a dilemma. Could Shino be right somehow? His bugs would never mislead him. But... Shino? She subconsciously harboured a crush on Bug Boy?
Ino was so going to die laughing.
Sakura sighed audibly.
"Fine... just one date, okay? Only because I respect your clan techniques too much. And I leave the second any of your bugs get under my clothes. Got it?"
Shino gave a victorious smirk.
*
"You owe me, dude. Big-time. I told ya she would fall for it!"
No matter how annoying Kiba's shit eating grin was, Shino had to concede.
It was unfortunate that he had to ask his mutt of a friend for help. But apparently "chicks" loved him. Poor brain-damaged females.
But Shino had no time to contemplate his friend's questionable attractiveness. He was recently having strange sensations whenever he was around the Godaime's apprentice and he intended to resolve the matter in his usual manner. Cautious, meticulous and strategically armed.
Even if it meant having a raucous Inuzuka as an accomplice and resorting to subterfuge to secure his chances with the girl whose sheer presence induced in him erratic palpitations.
He couldn't have asked his shy, romantically inept teammate for advice anyway.
"It's just the beginning, Kiba."
P.S. ShinoSaku deserves a lot more love, yeah?
