The Art of Dating
by Diana-san
02. The Art of Blackmail
"Inojin, you sly devil! So you missed practice yesterday to chase after Sarada, huh, didn't you?" ChouChou grinned as she ran up to Inojin. Shikadai sighed as he shook his head as if he wanted no part in this. The three kids were eating ramen at Ichiraku and ChouChou had instantly brought up the subject once they got their ramen bowls.
Inojin almost spat out the water he had been drinking just now. "H-how did you know?"
"We followed and stalked you for the entire afternoon instead of going home like we should have," Shikadai answered calmly as he blew on the strands of ramen hanging from his chopsticks.
"You didn't have to say it that way," ChouChou scolded. "Anyways, I was thinking, you can treat us both to dango today for skipping out yesterday and maybe you know, for us keeping your secret from Sarada."
Inojin stared at his teammate. "Are you blackmailing me?"
"Do you feel like you are being blackmailed?" ChouChou asked sweetly.
"Yes."
"Then yes. I am." ChouChou laughed out loud as she slurped her ramen.
"You're evil," Inojin commented.
ChouChou rolled her eyes. "Okay, how about three days of dango? Then I won't hold it over you anymore. In fact, I'll even help you. I can talk to Sarada and set up a date between the two of you."
Inojin glanced down at his bowl of ramen. "No, that would be too obvious."
"How about we pretend it's a double date?" ChouChou suggested as her eyes darted over to Shikadai.
Shikadai sensed her stare and looked up from his noodles. "Ha? You're not dragging me into this."
"I can't believe you dragged me into this," he muttered as he shoved his hands into his pockets. He followed behind ChouChou as she pulled Inojin and Sarada alongside her.
"So you guys, we can check out this new pastry shop in town. It'll be Inojin's treat," ChouChou said happily.
Inojin sighed as he nodded all the while shooting glances over at Sarada from behind ChouChou's back.
Sarada smiled and nodded. She was a bit surprised to hear that ChouChou wanted to go out as just the four of them. When ChouChou suggested a group outing, Sarada was surprised that it was just the Ino-Shika-Chou trio plus her. She suggested inviting Boruto and Lee Jr. in case they feel left out but ChouChou had insisted that it was a double date. So Sarada went along because she felt that it was her duty to help ChouChou in her attempts at love.
Sarada observed as ChouChou pulled Inojin along and she smiled as she watched the two interact. They arrived at the pastry shop and the sound of the wind chimes above the door rang as they entered.
"What do you like to eat, Sarada?" Inojin asked as he watched Sarada observe the display of pastries in front.
"Um, the red bean pastries are good. You?"
"Yeah, I like the chocolate-filled ones too."
Sarada smiled. "ChouChou likes those too," she commented as she glanced over at ChouChou who was now by the side displays.
"She likes all of them to be honest," Inojin replied dryly.
"When were you ever not honest?" Sarada shot back with a coy smile.
"Touche," Inojin said with a smile as he picked up a red bean pastry and placed it on Sarada's tray. "Since it's my treat, take as many as you like."
"You mean that?" ChouChou said as she popped up from behind with a grin. Inojin shot her a glare. "Not you," he said quietly through clenched teeth at ChouChou so that Sarada wouldn't hear. "We promised on one each for you and Shikadai!"
"She can have mine," Shikadai said as he picked up a bottle of water. "I'm just going to get this for myself. I don't want to extort you for your buns."
Inojin smiled. "A teammate I can rely on."
ChouChou rolled her eyes. "You say that but wait until he lazes around on our next training day."
The four of them rang up their purchases by the register and headed out. ChouChou munched happily on her chocolate-cream pastry as she eyed Inojin. "Well," she spoke up as she cleared her throat. "Shikadai and I forgot that we made plans with Anko today so we have to go now."
"Wait what?" Shikadai asked as he opened his bottle of water.
"Let's go water boy," ChouChou said as she pulled Shikadai along. "Inojin, you should walk Sarada home, since we can't. Hurry up Shikadai, we can't keep Anko waiting for us."
Sarada watched in a confused gaze as ChouChou and Shikadai went off in the other direction. She glanced at Inojin who merely shrugged with a small smile. "Do you want to go anywhere else before we head home?"
"Ah, perhaps the bookstore. I've been meaning to pick up a copy of the shinobi rules," she murmured as she bit into her pastry.
"You read a lot?"
"I suppose so. Mama always has a library full of books and I read through them from time to time."
They headed towards the bookstore and Sarada paid for her book and thanked the store owner who recognized her since her mama was a frequent visitor. As the two of them walked on home, Sarada glanced back at Inojin.
"Thank you for walking me home," she said.
"My pleasure."
Sarada hesitated in front of the walkway to her house. "It's not my business to say this but you should know that today was sort of like a double date."
Inojin's eyes widened as he swallowed down a gulp of air. Before he could say anything, Sarada continued to speak. "And you should know, that I think ChouChou really likes you so you should give her a chance."
Inojin couldn't believe where this conversation was going. "Um, I think we have a bit of a misunderstanding…"
"Couldn't you notice the signs? She was around us the entire day trying to talk to you." Sarada sighed. "Frankly, I'm a little disappointed that you didn't notice. As a shinobi, you should be more aware of these things."
Inojin coughed as he tried to stifle the laughter inside of him. The irony of the whole situation was killing him inside.
"I'm disappointed as well. Someone as smart as you with the Uchiha genes and the daughter of one of the most intelligent kunoichi in Konoha…to not know of someone's true feelings." Inojin smiled softly as he leaned in closer so that he was at eye level with Sarada.
"W-what? I'm wrong?" Sarada asked as she inched back.
"Very." With that said, he leaned in to kiss her softly on the cheek. He pulled away as he glanced at Sarada's shocked expression. He stuck his tongue out at her. "Baka," he said as he turned to leave. He stopped a few feet away from her as he looked back at her. "See you tomorrow?" he asked with a smile as he waved goodbye.
Sarada somehow managed to put up an arm to wave back as she gaped at him in surprise. "A-ah…" she replied weakly. She turned to run back inside her house as she ran into the living room where her mama was seated next to papa.
"Mama, boys are stupid!" she cried out.
Sakura glanced up from her nestled spot on Sasuke's shoulders. "Huh? What's wrong dear?"
Sasuke glanced up from the mission report he was reading. "Boys? What boy?" The tone in his voice wasn't at all too pleasing. He hardened his eyes at Sarada as he demanded for an explanation.
Sarada's face turned slightly red as she turned to head to her room upstairs. "Never mind," she muttered. She turned back with one look at her parents. "Mama!" she cried out from the top of the stairs.
Sakura chuckled as she got up from the couch. "Let me handle this, Sasuke-kun. You stay here."
"What? Why can't I be a part of this conversation?" Sasuke protested.
"Because dear. You'll break the boy's arms and then that will probably break our little girl's heart."
"Well, as long as you know," Sasuke grumbled. Sakura smiled as she left for upstairs to talk to her daughter. Sasuke took out a piece of paper from his pocket as he glanced down at the list of names written on there. "Boruto, Inojin, Shikadai, Lee Jr… who should I visit first tonight?"
