~Kairi's P.O.V~

~Outside Ino and Shikaruma's Flower Shop~

"Good morning guys." I said to Shikaruma and Shikato as I sat in an empty seat next to both of them.

"Hey kiddio, long time no see. I heard you're taking the Chunin Exams this year, how's that going? Kakashi and Anko keeping you busy?" Shikato asked me, as he moved his checker piece, blocking his son's piece.

Shikaruma let out a sigh. "If I let my own father beat me in front of Kairi, it'd be a drag." He said out loud to us.

I smiled at both of them. "Yeah, their keeping me busy, this is my first day that I have off." I said to them, watching them play checker's. /Even I can't beat Shikaruma, he's good. He always seems to outsmart me whenever we play, even though our IQ's are over 200./ I thought to myself.

Shikato smiled at me, as he ran his hand through his hair, a sign that he was about lose. "So, aren't the second part of the Chunin Exams are suppose to start soon?" He asked me.

Shikaruma looked at his dad and grinned at him. "Told ya I would beat you again." With that said, Shikaruma beat his father again. "In another three weeks dad. Apparently, something happened to one of the contestants and Lady Tsuande has put the second exam on hold for right now." Shikaruma added to his dad.

Raising an eyebrow at his son's words, he let out a sigh. "What a bother. That's never happened before, why should it happen now?" Shikato sighed out.

The words slipped out of my mouth before my brain could register what I was saying. "It's because of me, I was raped a week ago. So, Lady Tsuande postponed the exam for a month. So, I could recover and get some therapy." I confessed to them, hearing vases breaking a moment later.

"Oh shit." Were the words that came out of Shikaruma's mouth, ducking his head when his wife, Into came out of the flower shop.

Shikato knew when things were turning south. "I'm out of here, see you guys later." He said to us, disappearing before Ino could grab his forearm and force him to sit back down.

Shikaruma let out a groan. "Honey, calm down Kairi's ok-," Ino cut him off with a slap to the head. "Shikaruma Nara you know damn well that she-," Shikaruma kissed her, she instantly calmed down after that.

"Shikaruma Nara, your an ass." She said to him, as she stared at me, adding. "I'm going to close the shop down for the day, why don't you both come in?"

Nodding my head, I followed Ino inside the shop, Shikaruma following behind us, muttering under his breath what a drag this was.

Once the shop was closed and the blinds were closed, we all sat down at a small table that was off to the side of the flower shop.

Like his father, Shikaruma was also trying to avoid the situation at hand but, unlike his father, he couldn't escape his wife's watchful eye. "I'm going to make some tea." He lied to us, as he almost got up but, Into slammed him back down in the chair he was sitting in.

Ino's right eye was twitching, she knew her husband to well. "Stay there you aren't leaving this shop to go smoke your nasty cigarettes." She yelled at him.

Letting out a sigh, Shikaruma let out a sigh. "But, I'm stressed and you know I smoke when I'm stressed. I'm not very good company when I'm stressed." He whined out to her, making up excuses so he could go outside to smoke.

Rolling her eyes, Into grabbed Shikaruma by the collar of his shirt and forced him to look into her eyes. "I've had enough of your excuses! Your staying right here and not moving. The only person who should smoking is Kairi! As for your stress, deal with it, it would be good for you to have some stress, lazy ass." She nearly shouted at him, letting go of him after she spoke.

I laughed at them as they bickered back and forth. It's funny they've only been married a year but, they argue like an old married couple.

"Okay, enough fighting, tell us what happened. We're listening sweetie." She said to me, holding onto Shikaruma's hand five minutes later, after they got done bickering with each other.

"Ino don't gossip about this either, Kairi doesn't need to be apart of the rumor mill." Shikaruma said lowly to her.

Staring at her husband, Ino let out a sigh. "Like I would gossip about something like this." She said to him.

/Ino you lair, you gossip about our sex life with customers. So, trusting you with Kairi's rape is like feeding to the wolves./ Shikaruma thought to himself. "Go on tell us Kairi, our lips are sealed." He said to me, giving Ino a death glare the entire time he spoke to me.

I nodded my head and told them about my rape, it took a couple of hours but, I did it. I was proud of myself, Ibiki wasn't here to hold my hand through it but, I was OK with that. I didn't need him to hold my hand like a child.

When I finished the story, Into and Shikaruma stared at each other. "Wow, I'm sorry Kairi but I'm sure Lady Tsuande will find the person before the second exam starts." Shikaruma said to me, giving me a smile afterwards.

I gave him a smile in return, as a knock on the door interrupted us. "That would be Ibiki." I said to them, as I stood up along with Ino, who hurried to the shop door and hurried to unlock it.

Standing outside the shop, Ibiki gave me a smile. "How much for a dozen roses?" He asked out to Ino.

Trying to hide my blush from Ibiki, he tried to not show that he noticed me blush but, it didn't work, he almost ending up blushing as well but, stopped himself as well. He was the head of ANBU and he was standing across from the Leaf Village's second biggest gossiper. "Is fifty dollars enough for a dozen roses?" He asked Into, who stared at us both with wide eyes.

Shikaruma walked behind Into and stared at her, waving his hand in front of her face, she didn't respond. "She must be brain dead or something, hold on. I know something that will wake her up." Taking a cigarette out, he pulled out his lighter and as soon it started to light up, Into was out of her daze.

"Shikaruma-," she started to yell at him but, he stopped her. "Customers sweetie." He said to her, grinning afterwards.

Ino let out a sigh. "Hold on sir, I'll get the roses ready." She said to Ibiki, shooting a glare at her husband as she walked back into the shop.

Letting out a sigh as well, Shikaruma stepped outside of the shop to smoke.

Ibiki just stared at me for the longest time, as we stared at each other, we got closer and closer to each other. "I missed you." He whispered to me, as we stood an inch away from each other's faces.

"I missed you to." I whispered back to him, as he held onto my hand after I got done speaking to him.

"Ahem." Ino said to us, ten minutes later, breaking us away from our magic moment.

I jumped a few feet in the air, Ibiki catching me in his arms. "Thank you Ino." He said to her, as calm as he could without turning into a puddle of water with me in his arms.

She nodded and said, "your welcome." Then eyed us. "I hope you guys are happy together." Was all she said to us, closing the shop's door behind her.

Staring at Ibiki, he set me down on the ground then, handed me the roses. "There for you Kairi." He said to me, grabbing my hand, we disappeared to his apartment...

~End of Kairi's P.O.V~

(Author's Note: I still loving writing this chapter even after all this time. I think Ino and Shikaruma make a cute couple.)