Authoress Note: This is so far off from my usual writing style. I wanted to just start fresh and do something stylish. This is a new setting, in an entirety different country. And I'm glad, because I don't think (and I'm not completely sure) many authors write stories with this type of setting. If you do, then kudos! Hurray for AUs! Plot bunnies too!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. Sorry, I really couldn't come up with a catchier disclaimer. ;p


Flowers of Meaning

Flower 07: Raison D'être

White Poppy – Consolation

Ino was indefinitely nervous when she shuffled through her parents' mail. All she could catch sight of in her azure eyes were bills, bills, and… a fashion magazine. She had opened the publication slowly, and nearly yelped when a crisp white envelope slipped out and landed softly on the blue carpeted floor beneath her. That day, she was on edge.

She eyed the innocent envelope apprehensively. Did she really even want to know anymore? Disappointment was not something she wanted to suffer. No, she had to. She had to see what was inside. They would either accept or reject – there was nothing she could do to change their decision.

Ino seated herself on the on the floor in her room. Folding her legs, she took the envelope in her perspiring palms. She ran her soft, slender, manicured fingers across the face of the covering. "University of Paris," it read. "University of Paris…" She embraced the fact that she was stalling, but continued to anyway.

The nineteen-year-old blonde released a shaky and hesitant breath. It was now or never, she decided. She reached for a worn-out nail filer, and slit the top of the envelope with it. Ino removed the paper (perfectly folded by the one-thirds) and gulped. The smell of the strong adhesive only proved to increase her anxiety, if possible.

She unfolded the paper quickly, skimming it whilst beads of sweat rolled freely down her face. She was only able to make out, "Yamanaka Ino,""Congratulations,""We are proud," and last but not least, what almost caused her to faint, "Letter of Admission."

"No way…" she muttered breathlessly. Her heartbeats became suddenly frantic. "Now freakin' way… I'm in… I-I made it in! I'm going to France! I cannot believe I'm going to freakin' France! I was accepted into a premiere college! Unbelievable! Okaa-san! Otou-san!" She ran from her room to go find her parents. "You're not gonna believe it! I'm finally gonna ditch this scrapheap of a town!"

°«»°«»°«»°«»°«»°«»°«»°«»°«»°«»°«»°«»°«»°«»°«»°«»°«»°«»°«»°«»°

Paris was not how Ino had imagined it at all. It was far, far, far better than what she had hoped. Paris was a city of divine art and culture. The streets were bustling, and always smelled of some wonderful food Ino had never devoured, but strangely loved none-the-less.

And the fashion… she was beginning to believe this was her place of birth. Window shopping had become an event in itself. There were so many odd colors and mixtures and textures, but she became fond of them quickly. In her opinion, Paris was the fashion central of the world.

Her apartment definitely weren't what she had imagined. She rented an apartment knowing full and well she would be sharing with another person. She had initially supposed this person was of the female gender. But as it turned out, it was none other than a male. A very lazy male at that.

Nara Shikamaru, he told her his name was. He had told about himself, and even about his odd fetish with clouds. His reason for coming to Paris, he claimed, was to do something 'extraordinary' for once. The two also happened to attend the same university.

She also noticed he had a strange habit of muttering 'troublesome' at the most unnecessary of occasions.

Ino smiled a bit at the bittersweet memory. Sitting on a chair on the balcony of the apartment, she stared down at the quaint city. The golden sun was slowly setting behind the horizon, elongating the shadow of the Eiffel tower. A soft breeze blew, sending her blonde locks every which way. Her arms were folded atop the railing, and her delicate chin was resting in the crook of them.

Eventually, somewhere along the lines of her living in the still foreign city, she slowly began slipping into a pensive sadness. She wasn't sure what exactly had occurred. She wasn't tired of the place – she loved it. She wasn't lonely – she had befriended many at the university. But, still…

She suddenly felt the presence of another join her atop the balcony. She didn't bother wasting time to turn her head, for she already knew who is was. She took a deep breath.

She felt his fingers run gently through her smooth hair, and it gave her an unusual air of comfort. "Come on now, what's the matter? Are you tired of smiling?" His voice seemed to move with the wind in Ino's ears.

She shook her head in the negative. "I don't know what's the matter. I feel sad, but I know everything's fine all the same. There's something wrong, I know there is, but I'm at a loss at who or what is causing it. I just feel out of place."

The male crouched down beside her, seeming as deep in thought as she was. His hand never ceased tenderly stroking her hair. "Do you think you're homesick?"

"I'm not. I talk to my parents everyday. Sure, I miss them, but that's not why I'm feeling this way. It's like this emptiness inside me… it's something that I can't place." She spoke softly and slowly, as if searching for the correct words. "I think I need motivation, or inspiration, or something like that. I prayed so much that I could go to school out here. But now that I'm here, I'm working for no one." She shrugged loosely.

"Raison d'être," He spoke simply.

When the stroking of her head ceased, she turned to look at him. She blinked slowly. "What?"

Shikamaru redirected his brown eyes to stare out at the setting scene of Paris in fascination. The sun had almost completely disappeared. "Raison d'être is French for 'reason for living.' It seems like, at the moment, you have yet to find one. If it helps in any way, I'd like to be yours until you find a solid one."

"Raison d'être…" She repeated slowly, testing the word on her English tongue. "You wanna be my reason to live? …Why?"

"Because… I don't want to see you quit. Just hang in there Ino." He leaned forward and left that lightest of kisses on her subtle lips.

The act of romance only lasted a second. But in that second, she closed her eyes and melted into him. Ino felt all her unclear worries just wash away in that mere second. In a second, she felt alive once again.

He smirked as he eyed the soft red on her dainty cheeks. "Why don't we go out and get something to eat? My treat."

Ino nodded.

Shikamaru took her hand and led her out of the apartment.

°«»°«»°«»°«»°«»°«»°«»°«»°«»°«»°«»°«»°«»°«»°«»°«»°«»°«»°«»°«»°

Raison D'être (rày zawn déttrə) – Reason For Living: something that gives meaning or purpose to somebody's life, or the justification for something's existence


Owari


Authoress' Note: Did I just freakin' write that?! OMFG! This is definitely my absolute favorite! I used a completely different writing style and loved it. I cannot believe I was that freakin' descriptive! C'mon now! You know I deserve a review for this one.