After a quicker morning than anticipated, even with the conversation she'd had with Sasuke, Ino was greeted by Sai, who had the keys to the safe house that she would be staying in. She wasn't looking forward to staying there, but at least she'd be able to maintain her usual daily routine. There was just one thing she'd yet to deal with, and she wasn't entirely sure if she wanted to.
"Ready?" Sai asked.
Ino rubbed her forehead, heaving a sigh. "Yeah, I guess I am. Sorry, I'm just... Not really thrilled about this idea." Who would be in her position? She wanted to go home to her own bed and feel safe. Unfortunately, her home wasn't the safest place for her to be at the moment. Was this how Sakura felt after she'd been attacked? No... perhaps not as severe, but if it was anything like what she was feeling, it made a lot more sense why Sakura had chosen to stay with Sasuke.
"You needn't worry," he said reassuringly. "I won't let anything happen to you." His words were sincere, giving Ino a sense of relief. Even if she felt incredibly awkward around him, she could at least count on him. He'd been more than helpful during this process, even if he'd made a few missteps along the way.
"Thanks," she said back, releasing a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. "Really, I mean it. You've... been a lot more helpful and supportive throughout this than what's expected of you." He seemed surprised by her comment, based on the expression on his face.
"It is part of my job," he said, confused by her comment. Was he doing more than was expected? He was confident that protecting someone also meant making them feel safe and comfortable. Having them on edge made his job more difficult; they were prone to impulsive reactions instead of clear-minded decisions. The calmer they were, the easier it was to look after them, nothing more.
"Well, we should probably get going, shouldn't we?" Ino said, slinging her bag over her shoulder. "I have all of the files I need, and I'm assuming we'll have access to a secure network there for research, right?" She had a VPN she could work through, but the more security she had, the better.
"Yes, you'll be able to connect to a secure network. Cell phones will have to be turned off, but we will have access to burner phones, and there will be a landline. No one knows of the location, not even your best friend." Sai knew Ino would have liked her friend to be aware, but the less they knew, the better. That way, the people after her couldn't use them to find her. Detective Uchiha had access to the information for emergency purposes, but only if it was necessary; Sai had made sure that he had clearance for that exact reason, and the clearance was limited. Detective Uzumaki and Chief Hatake knew as well, but nobody else was aware of it outside of that small circle.
"Sucks, but if that's the best we've got, that's the best we've got. As long as there's some way to get in touch with them, especially for emergencies, then that's enough for me." Any sort of emergency would be necessary.
Just as they were entering the parking lot, Ino felt her phone go off; out of curiosity, she checked it, surprised at who it was. Why would Sasuke, of all people, be texting her?
Sorry to bother you, but... what does Sakura like?
What does Sakura like, huh? Oh, this sounded like it was going to be juicy.
"It would be wise to turn your phone off for the drive," Sai recommended as they reached his car.
"I will once we're leaving here. I just need to send this message." It was important for her friend.
She likes simple things. She's not one for jewelry, though she'll wear it if you buy it for her. Necklaces are your best bet; she can't really wear rings or bracelets, and she's not a fan of earrings. A pretty headband in either mint green or red would be good. Otherwise, take her for a spa day or a massage. Or maybe a movie. She was talking about a new one coming out. I'll find the name and send it to you later. Gotta run.
She read over her message, making sure she covered everything she could. Oh... there was one thing she'd almost forgotten.
Oh, and if you're getting her flowers, don't get lilacs. She hates lilacs. Well, perhaps hate was the wrong word, but it was close enough. Sakura was allergic to lilacs; every time she smelled them, she'd just end up sneezing the rest of the day from the pollen. Hopefully, that would be enough to help the detective make up for the crap he'd pulled. Ino wanted things to work out between them. Despite the occasional misstep, Sasuke seemed perfect for Sakura. He truly cared, and he would do anything to protect her. That was the kind of person Sakura needed. Someone who would be a rock for her, remain as steady as possible, and who would be open to her warm, loving heart.
"Ino?" Sai asked, snapping the blonde out of her thoughts. "Your phone." He pointed to the device in her hand, drawing her attention.
"Oh. Right." She made sure that she backed up her files before turning it off, tossing it into her purse. Sai started the vehicle and pulled out of the lot, glancing over at Ino. She appeared to be distracted, thinking about something as she looked out the window at the scenery. "Is there something on your mind?" If she had concerns, he would do his best to ease them.
"Hm? Oh, sort of, yeah. It's nothing, though, just something stupid." She waved a hand at him. The last thing Sai needed was to get involved in the messiness of her best friend's love life. He had more pressing things to worry about, like their investigation. Speaking of... There were a few files she could go over offline while they were driving. Since she'd become a lawyer, she'd handled more than a few legal and financial documents for her family. If there were anything to be found in the files that were intended to be hidden, she would find it with Sai's help.
"I do not mind if you wish to confide in me," he said honestly.
Ino barked a small laugh. "It's funny how you're asking me to confide in you, but I know nothing about you." After she'd said it, she realized just how rude it was. "Sorry, I just mean... You did all this research on me and knew all these things about me, but I don't know anything about you other than your name and position. It's just... awkward, you know?" How could she hope to build a friendship of any kind if she knew nothing about him? If he was going to be her bodyguard, then he owed her that much.
"There's... nothing really to know," he answered slowly. That wasn't entirely the truth; there were just things in his past that he wouldn't share with anyone. His memories were fuzzy at best when it came to his childhood, and the things he did remember... well, they weren't necessarily believable, nor were they logical. Even he struggled to put them together. The rest was effectively standard procedure; he'd been in a military position, then moved to the international investigative division of ROOT. He wasn't sure what Ino was expecting to learn about him.
"That can't be true," she said, shaking her head. "Everyone has a history, a backstory, a place they came from that led them to where they are today." She wasn't going to fall for whatever attempts Sai was pulling at brushing her off. He could at least sate her curiosity! Sure, he'd said he didn't remember his name, but there had to be a few things he remembered, right?
"You're not wrong. Everyone does have a backstory." How could he explain it? "I do not remember my history. Anything I do remember is... disjointed, and it makes little to no sense. The parts that I do remember I cannot piece together into a logical explanation of what happened. I do not even know if half of them are true or if they are simply figments of a child's imagination that are left in an attempt to fill in the pieces." Human psychology was strange and unique that way. Without remembering things in full, it wasn't easy to separate imagination from reality in childhood memories.
"You don't remember... anything? Nothing concrete?" Ino couldn't imagine being in that scenario. It was bad enough to find out that you weren't the person you were raised as; not knowing anything was a whole other scenario.
"Nothing that makes any sense." More accurately, if what he remembered was true, he felt he was better off forgetting it. Being a child, holding a gun, gunning down others without remorse... A child soldier. He didn't want to believe that was what he'd done. That he'd been brainwashed to slaughter without caring about what he was doing. That he'd been turned into little more than a machine without emotions. Even now, he still wondered if he was the same. If he were put in the same situation, that he would revert to that state. Anything he felt, he couldn't bring himself to understand. He did his best to mask it, but even talking to Ino, he felt out of his element. She was so... different by comparison. She seemed to wear every emotion on her face, living in the moment, feeling anything and everything around her.
"Sai? You... look like there's something you want to say," Ino asked curiously. She'd seen the change in his expression; he seemed to disappear for a moment as if he'd mentally left the car. He was still driving effortlessly, but something was off. Something that worried her.
"No. It's nothing." Getting her involved in his past was a bad idea. He couldn't put his finger on why, but he knew it was. As if on cue, they arrived at the safe house, prompting him to put the vehicle in park. "We're here," he announced curtly, stepping out of the car and closing the door. Ino was baffled; she hadn't expected him to brush her off so readily when she asked. He was hiding something, and it worried her. She'd grown to care about him, if only because he seemed kind-hearted.
"Sai, wait!" Ino called, scrambling out of the car. He was already at the trunk, grabbing their bags and closing it before opening the front door. Ino moved to follow him, surprised he'd grabbed all of their bags in one go. He was cagier than she expected. The last thing she wanted to do was offend him! That was a step in the wrong direction! She followed as he deposited their bags in the living area, seemingly ignoring her.
"Sai, please, listen-I'm sorry," she said frantically, resting a hand on his shoulder. He wasn't expecting the sudden touch; he stiffened the moment she touched him, fighting to take a deep breath. He had to retain his composure.
"Don't apologize," he said with a level tone. "You have nothing to apologize for. I am going to get some rest. I suggest you do as well." He avoided making eye contact with her, moving to the bedroom with his bag.
Ino stood in the main room, stunned into silence. Something was wrong, and it had her worried.