AUTHOR'S NOTE:

This was a brainchild of a tired day of window shopping.
Please review and enjoy reading!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.


2. Impressions

. . .

The leaf village finally regained its peace. Sights of both civilian and ninja families were strolling through the Village plaza, chatters of the children, laughter and less patients in the hospital became a common notion in Konoha. Less patients meant a slow day for medic ninjas and nurses.

Sakura sighed softly, as she fondled with the fine finish of her very own desk. She took pride in that Lady Tsunade appointed her to being the head medical ninja in the said hospital, shortly after retiring her place as Hokage. She had bragging rights, and that made Sakura smile slyly. She won't admit it, but after having some reconciliation and reciprocated feelings with Sasuke, after what she liked to call, their "Romantic Rendezvous" but she liked, no-loved, the idea of Sasuke finally taking notice in her capabilities as a kunoichi. Wrapping her white lab coat tighter, she turned her chair and fell into a quiet nap.

She wondered if Sasuke was thinking of her recently.


Ino, dainty and cheerful, was in her casual clothes on her way to fetch her best friend, Sakura, at the hospital, for some long-time planned retail therapy (Shopping!). It was a good chance for them to catch up and pamper their selves after such unbridled war. As Ino was walking towards the hospital, she caught a glance of Naruto, Sasuke and Kakashi having brunch at the Dango shop. Ino, being such a gossipmonger, slowly approached the men, stealthily as she can. She slowly eyed the men conversing at their table, scattered with paper or documents, with the pastel colored dumplings and tea.

"Ne, Kakakshi-sensei the village been really peaceful these past days, don't you say?" Naruto sheepishly yawned out.

"Yeah, I guess you can say that. Hokage duties isn't necessarily a piece of cake, though." Kakashi said.

Sasuke loafed at his seat, yawning as well.

Ino rolled her eyes at how boring their conversation got, but still gripped onto the entrance curtain idly.

Kakashi scratched his head, and said "But, I'm glad I was finally able to catch up on my reading. Paperwork isn't exactly the funnest thing in the world. Can't believe you'd want to be a hokage, Naruto."

Naruto gagged at his dumplings "Hey! I think there's more to that, you know?! And besides, me and this ol' crabby Sasuke will be here all day. Sasuke here will treat me dumplings while we fix up his apartment papers he he! Got pretty wrecked up, during the war…". Sasuke rolled his eyes "Don't bet your luck on this dobe."

"Is that so? That's good. Better that you won't be causing anymore trouble in the village, ne, Naruto? Talk about 2 cases of destruction of property, just this week." Kakashi pointed, slightly amused.

Sasuke smirked, as Naruto goofishly bickered and yelled back.

Ino cautiously walked away, and smiled smugly.

Be here all day, huh?


"Hey forehead, how's your shift?" Ino greeted (more like teased) as she entered Sakura's office.

"Oh hey Ino-pig," Sakura said as she flipped the pages of her medical book. "It's about to end in 5 minutes, so we can leave right away."

"That's good!" Ino said as she sat at the couch and reclined, and picked up some epicene magazine. It was silent for a while, not until after Ino peered from her magazine, back and forth from her magazine and at Sakura. Sakura took notice and got ticked off, "Hey pig why don't you take a picture?"

Ino got off her seat and cattily walked towards Sakura's desk, "Arrogant forehead!" and grabbed Sakura's book, and with a swift slap of the magazine on the table. "Hey!" Sakura whined. She stared at the magazine page and Ino's french manicured finger pointing at the image.

She pointed at the woman on the page, some featured kunoichi, a fresh Chunin, posing and advertising for some female ninja gear and garments. She was undeniably attractive and had such a flashy smile. Her physique was tall and lean, however still feminine. Her cleavage was at a subtle yet cheeky exposure. A blonde beauty, alright. The girl was apparently named, Hiromi (signed below).

"Forehead, I get it okay?" Ino snapped, "Accomplishing this and that with your medical skills and shit, gotta give you credit for Sasuke finally appreciating you-"

"Ino-Pig!"

"-but damn Sakura! You've let yourself go!"

Sakura was frankly astonished, and quickly turned to the desk mirror. Yep, plain jane, no doubt about it, screamed her inner Sakura. Ino squeezed Sakura's cheeks and whispered "You gotta maintain your beauty regimen! Just like that girl in the magazine. Take a good look at the mirror Sakura!". Sakura, dumb fondly observed and noted her own latterly blemished skin, dry hair, un-plucked eyebrows. Sakura frowned at the fact that the war has not only left a destruction in people's loved ones and infrastructures, but most especially her own femininity. She sighed at the fact that its almost impossible to be two great things at the same time.
Sakura couldn't help but think that she maybe hadn't set her personal priorities straight, as mentally putting "ME" on number 1, bringing "SASUKE" at number 2, and "MEDICAL AND NINJA PRACTICE" at number 3.

"You're right!" Sakura admitted, as she packed her handbag. Ino smiled and yelled "You need a makeover!"

Sakura nodded and there was almost a skip in the girls' steps as they left the premises of the Hospital.

Sakura, during her academy unto early genin days, was certainly a feminine and posh girl. She often was concerned and conscious of her appearance, brushing her long and satiny hair. Unlike most kunoichi, her routine was often at her dresser, teeming with skin creams, bb creams, lip balms, nail polishes, different varieties of combs, brushes, and foam curlers, cupcake and vanilla perfumes, and of the girly knick knacks. She seemed impractical to others, heavily hauling on beauty products with her mission money, but she was indifferent. Being beautiful (For a particular boy) was the only thing that crossed her mind. This practice gradually faded away, as she entered the phase in her life being determined to prosper as a strong and independent kunoichi. She was more than glad as her best friend was doing her a favor. Or so she thought so.

"Do you have this in green, yeah no. Like maybe a mint green?" Ino charged the pitiful saleslady, going back and forth from the stock room.

"Here ma'am!" The saleslady handed the floral bostier dress. Sakura looked at the dress adoringly and squealed with her best friend. "That's perfect!" they cried in unison.

After paying, they made their way towards a beauty parlor, as Ino blabbering and gossiping as usual. Sakura listened, but was still finding everything surreal. She proved herself in her strength with Sasuke, but was doubting her reasons for having this make-over. She faintly frowned.


"Yup, maybe make the curls bigger, get what I mean? Definitely don't hide her forehead! maybe part in the middle….Yup, yup! light blush, but contour…Ah, I like this one, vintage pink in number 07…"

Sakura and Ino sat next to each other as they were about to get "beautified" as the hairdresser told them. Sakura went with an alibi that she had an upset stomach, reason for the lack of reaction and engagement throughout the day. Ino, being the out spoken (or maybe the slightly more out spoken) best friend, served spokesperson for today. Sakura had an impression that Sasuke was attracted to her before she reinvented herself, as it were some unconditional she spoke too soon. Maybe, she was delusional, that Sasuke was ever attracted to her firsthand. Was it only her strengths? Did he find her hideous, disregarding her strength as a ninja? She quickly reminded herself, that when she revolutionized herself, Sasuke being attracted by her was only secondary. But she still had her doubts.

Sakura kept in her thoughts, pretending to read a magazine, while Ino chatted with the several hairdressers, as the were busy "beautifying" the two women.


"Dobe, there is no way I'll agree to be your neighbor." Sasuke groaned, staring at the specifications of a vacant apartment, facading Naruto's.

"What's that suppose to mean?!" Naruto snapped, sending a pastel pink of a dumpling flying to the ground. "The rent's cheap, but now that you mentioned it, a lot of leaks, noisy cats…"

Sai, who has joined the duo a few minutes ago, smiled "Well, Sasuke-kun, there's always option of asking Sakura-chan if her apartment had an extra bed," Naruto and Sasuke stared at him, interested. "…that is if you guys really need an extra bed." Sai said with absolutely no suggestive and double meaning in his tone. Naruto giggled at Sai's "perversion".

As Sasuke noticeably reddened, about to tell Sai to butt out, the chime of the door rung, as Sakura and Ino entered.

"Hey pig, why are we here? I thought we'd eat at that Takoyaki stand!" Sakura hissed, aware her team mates were there.

Ino pulled her and smiled cunningly. Hehe, you'll thank me later Sakuraa~ ,
Ino ignored her and called out to the three shinobis, "Guys, mind if we sit with you guys?" Subtly being flirtatious.

The men turned and almost caught flies with their mouths. Sakura and Ino were undeniably gorgeous.

You can't compare us! The mask factory called, Hiromi, they want it back! inner Sakura mischievously laughed.

Ino was equally charming, however Sasuke couldn't help but enjoy the view with the pink haired girl. It was as if jazz music suddenly sang out as Sakura took each step. Her hair grew to be at the small of her back, as her lustrous curls swayed and her center part complimented her soft features. Clad in her mint green booster dress, accentuating her bust and toned tummy, and flaring at her hips, flowing a few inches above her knees. Her face was a flush of pink, her lashes adorn and lips supple and feisty shade of coral pink.

Sakura deem to be "eye candy", made up for her awkward walking, nervous as she spotted Sasuke staring.

"Hi guys!" Ino purred, as she pulled Sakura to sit next to Sasuke, and Ino squeezed between Naruto and Sai. "How do we look?" Eyes fluttering and all.

Naruto grinned "Wow, you guys are really pretty! I really mean it!", wiping off his metaphoric drool.

Sai recalling the book he read last Tuesday, "Rules of a Gentleman" stating that when in encounter with a lady in a table setting, should accommodate with such, and excitably handed Ino, his untouched cup of tea, "H-here Ino, have my drink."

Ino blushed, outwardly obvious had something for the pale Artist.

Sakura was almost strangled with the sole awkwardness she felt, as Ino was being entertained, as she watched enviously. Naruto caught on and praised her, "Sakura-chan your such a babe right now! a-aha, not like you aren't usually…" Naruto snickered on. Sasuke twitched at how red he was, and pretended Sakura wasn't there.

"Hey, Sasuke, aren't you gonna say something to Sakura-chan?" Naruto pressed on, forcibly.

All eyes were on Sasuke, and an automatic reflex to stare at Sakura to the bones. If he'd say Sakura wasn't all that, he'd be lying. Taken back at her "metamorphosis", puberty slapped him across his face. raging hormones and all. Pathetically trying to hide it in coughs.

"…Hn…yeah, you look cute, but I liked you better before. Better without make-up." Sasuke plainly said, and sipped on his tea.

Naruto and Ino argued and snapped their vocal cords out, as Sai smiled.

Naruto flabbergasted at how dense his best friend could be.

Ino pissed at how ignorant he could be to female means of transformations.

Sakura grinned. She was assured.