Disclaimer: Not mine.


"Do you think he's cute?"

Ino's trying-to-be-careless tone snaps Sakura out of her daze. The two are standing in Ino's family flower shop, trimming some dry bushes that are being put on sale.

"Who?" she asks, confused. Ino glares at her as if she is stupid.

"Shikamaru."

Sakura blinks at her friend, but then bursts into a fit of giggles.

"What?" Ino asks grouchily. Her face is pink. "Nevermind."

"You like Shikamaru?" Sakura asks, struggling to keep a straight face.

"Maybe," Ino snaps evasively, her ears nearly giving off steam now. She busies herself with her bush, snapping away leaves viciously. "Lee's matured rather nicely," Ino teases, poking a flower from the bush in Sakura's face.

Sakura is thankful of the flower to hide her expression of embarrassment and shame, because even after two years she still waits for Sasuke.