Three years ago, a little before the Chunin exams.

Ino was tending the flower shop bored out of her mind, she made the mistake of trying to get out of even more boring and hard training her father was giving her for the Chunin exams, as a result he said that if she didn't want to train then she had the time to look after the shop and give her mother a break.

Finally, there was a Bing bong sound that signaled someone walked in activating the new electronic bell, the entrance to the shop was an open doorway and more than once they had lost a sale because someone was in the back and the customer felt ignored, it was a weird little device that used an invisible beam of light of all things like a trip wire.

"Welcome to Yamanaka flower shop! My name is Ino, how can I help you today?" the platinum blonde said chipperly with practiced ease and an award-winning smile, as much as she hated being alone in the shop sometimes, she loved serving the customers, it was very fulfilling.

She was greeted back with a giggle "Wow, you're right cousin, she is peppy" came a girl's voice.

"Yeah, but I like her, she seems nice" responded a boy's voice.

"Hey Ino!" that voice however Ino recognized.

Ino really looked at her guests and realized that her best friend Karin was standing with two blondes. It was a boy and girl about her age, and they had to be twins, they were nearly identical.

Karin was in her usual ninja outfit of a two-piece fishnet armor body suit that covered her from her neck to her ankles, a dark charcoal mini skirt, a dull green short sleeve shirt with a brown decorative bar across her chest, and the usual accoutrement of her official Leaf hitai-ate, black sandals, and her cute glasses with the chocolate-colored frames.

"Ino! I have someone for you to meet, well two of them, but anyway these are my cousins!" she said gesturing to the boy and girl. "This is my cousin Naruko" she said introducing the girl first.

She was very pretty, so much so Ino actually blushed despite herself. She had a heart shaped face and Ino noticed strange markings on her cheeks, they were thin dark lines, three on each cheek. They looked cute but the flower girl couldn't decipher what they were for…maybe she just really liked cats. Her bright goldenrod blonde hair was in two pigtails high on either side of her crown and went on till they touched her rear, the hairstyle reminded Ino of this really popular magical girl anime that she used to watch when she was little, the style worked for her and amplified her cute and innocent look.

The girl had big eyes of the most magnificent blue Ino had ever seen, Ino couldn't decide which blue gemstone they reminded her of, just when she thought they were like an aquamarine the light would shift and they would be darker almost like a sapphire. Ino did get jealous looking at the girl's body; the girl had a figure that made the Yamanaka a little pissed off at the unfairness of it all. Even though she had to be the same age as her, she was already developing an hourglass figure. Widening hips, tone tanned legs, a plump butt, and was her boobs bigger than hers?! Ino glanced at her own body and for once regretted all her diets, she was more developed then a lot of girls in the village, but now she was realizing why her mother and aunties kept saying she was too skinny.

The girl, Naruko, was wearing a bright orange number with blue accents, normally Ino would think the color was an eyesore…but for some reason it suited her sun-tanned skin, so it passed Ino's sniff test and she honestly admitted it ensemble combined with her bright hair and eyes gave a certain cheeriness. Like a beam of sunshine given life. She had on a cropped jacket, showing her cute belly button and flat tummy, zipped all the way up making it more fitted but not skintight but the sleeves were still loose. The shoulders were a soft baby blue, and the collar and cuffs were white with padding. She had on a matching orange mini skirt much like Karin's, she even had the same armored tights, and blue sandals matching her shoulders.

Ino noticed the headband, she had to take a second glance because she almost thought it was the Leaf sigil, it was the normal navy-blue cloth that her village used but the symbol was three spirals flowing into each other seamlessly. 'Hmm' the Yamanaka girl thought 'Never seen that one before, it reminds me of the crest on the back of Jonin vest, I wonder what village it's from.'

Ino took all of two seconds to size the other girl up, after all she was a fashion pro and could pick out the next hot trend with just a glance in any boutique, and overall Ino thought the girl looked good and had good taste. But it was her kind smile that made Ino relax around the foreign Kunoichi, she couldn't place it, but something made her instantly like this Naruko girl, and she was Karin's cousin so that was good enough for Ino.

Ino smiled brightly and offered her hand politely "Hi! I'm Ino of the Yamanaka clan, nice to meet you!" she greeted.

But Naruko surprised the shop girl, she giggled giddily and took her fellow blonde into her arms and squeezed real tight lifting her cousin's friend up high in the air, which was saying something because Naruko was quite a bit shorter than Ino. "Aw, come on don't be like that! Any friend of my cousin is a friend of mine! Karin-Chan has told me all about you in her letters! I feel like I know you already!" she exclaimed, extremely happy that she was making a new friend.

Ino was stunned, and not just because a complete stranger was hugging her, this girl was a monster! Her strength was insane! Ino was struggling to breath and her back made a popping sound when the other girl gave a firmer squeeze. But once again Naruko's sweet face tugged at Ino's heart and she couldn't bring herself to be cross with the girl, that happy grin could make a mountain swoon, so Ino just patted the girl's back and strained to smile. "Yeah, sounds good" Ino said using the last of her air.

"Naruko-Chan" the boy sighed "Put the girl down before she passes out…like the others." He gently instructed with a small lace of amusement.

"Oops!" Naruko said dropping Ino on her butt "Sorry, I'm a hugger" she said to the gasping girl on the shop floor.

Ino was able to get back her precious air and stood up "No, No, it's fine. It's actually…refreshing" she said, also thinking 'In a jump off a cliff, near death kinda way.'

Karin giggled "Well now that you met cousin Naruko, this is her brother Naruto" she said gesturing to the boy.

Ino looked at him and her first thought instantly was 'Wow, cutie'.

And indeed, he was but in a much rougher way than his sister. His face still rounded with baby fat, but you could tell there was masculine angles underneath, he had the same blue eyes as his sister but his had this alluring sharpness of confidence in them. Like he didn't have a single doubt in his mind. He also had the same whisker-like marks on his cheeks so Ino was now theorizing it was a family thing, but then again Karin didn't have any, did you have to earn them or something? While his sister's beautiful smile was kind and calming, Naruto's handsome crooked mug was mischievous and energetic, and Ino felt herself feeling revived just by looking at it. Like she just had three cups of really strong black tea with ginseng, it was exciting and made her tingle a little. His own golden locks was much shaggier and spikier than his sister's smooth silky hair, making Ino feel a rebellious troublemaker vibe from him but the warmth she felt from his gaze didn't make her feel threatened. Ino pegged him as a bad boy that visits his grandmother every day. A lot of girl's fantasy guy…and now Ino was one of them.

He wore an outfit almost identical to his sister, but far looser making it baggier, denoting that he placed comfort and function over style. Ino could respect that, to her it meant that he was a hard worker meaning he was a reliable young man, the safe guy a lot of women would say. But still fun as her earlier observation suggested. The blue on his shoulders and sandals was darker. An attempt at separating his masculinity from his sister no doubt, but not off putting. And his pants stopped just about an inch above his sandals on the lower half of his shins.

Once again Ino got a feel for her guest in seconds. He was relaxed but ready for action. She also got a pretty goofy vibe by the way he stood, with arms relaxing over his shoulders and his hands behind his head grinning away, so maybe a joker type. Honestly Ino was having trouble placing him, just when she made up her mind his posture would shift and suggest something completely different. He was just so…unpredictable. She decided to test him a bit with some good old-fashioned flirty teasing.

Ino opened her arms and gave him an innocent batting of her eyes "Well, are you a hugger too?" She playfully invited. To her enjoyment she got an adorable blush from him, but surprisingly too he didn't back away, he rubbed the back his neck with an even bigger grin. It was honestly refreshing to Ino, she never got a boy to give such a positive response before, she was more used to coldness, lazy boredom, or cowardly stuttering.

To the Yamanaka's clear surprise Naruto opened up his own arms in return "Well, I mean might as well, it's good diplomacy Dattebayo. Hugging a pretty girl won't cause any wars, right?" he said cheekily.

Ino was blown away, not only had he withstood her charms, but he gave it to her right back with his own. 'And what a charmer he is, that little verbal tick is kinda cute too' she thought. Deciding that he deserved a reward she went in…not because he successfully charmed her, and she wasn't trying to feel what it was like to have his body pressed against hers.

Why did her face feel so hot?

Ino and Naruto hugged and Ino had to suppress a sigh of delight. It just felt so good in such surprising ways. For one, Naruto being a little shorter than her was actually fun, yet he was tall enough that his face wasn't in her chest and he didn't lean it down so it would be…but then again was she really against it if he did? Her arms were wrapped around his neck and shoulders, with his wrapped around her waist, and to her appreciation he didn't try to head south to cop a feel. But again, would she really be all that mad if he did? But it was what she felt underneath his clothes that made her a bit…squidgy, Ino believed was the term.

The boy was hiding a seriously hard bod in those baggy ninja clothes. Despite his smaller size he had some nice broad shoulders and she was certain rippling back muscles. His front was just as firm and she swore to Kami, all the Kai, and the Sage of Six Paths that she could feel pecks and abs against her. Ino's hands kept feeling around trying to get a good image when it gripped something hard and round…two things. Whatever they were it felt like a big lumps of steel in her hands.

Ino was so busy, with her busy hands, she didn't notice that she had just grabbed Naruto's butt drawing an adorable squeak from the boy. Naruko gasped wide eyed then covered her mouth in shock. And Karin smacked her face into both her hands with a loud slap.

Naruto cleared his throat "Um, Ino?" he said getting his fellow blonde's attention.

"Hmm" she hummed with a smile on her face, eyes closed in contentment, nuzzling her cheek into his neck.

"Uh" Naruto tried to get out "Your hands, uh well…that's my ass" he finally got out.

It was exactly ten long second for this information to register in her brain. But when it did her eyes flew open, she gave another experimental squeeze and indeed it felt like his buttock…his really nice hard butt. Ino let go and shot away from him like he was made of fire, squeaking out a loud "Eep!" Ino looked at him in horror and embarrassment. "I, I, I-I uh" she stammered, did she seriously just grope Karin's cousin? Karin's foreign cousin?! 'Oh kami! I'm gonna be the slutty girl other village's gossip about!' she would have continued if the boy hadn't saved her from her own thoughts.

Naruto, although blushing hard, didn't seem mad. But then again what healthy preteen boy would be? "Uh" he tried "It's fine Ino." He then chuckled and got his cheeky grin back "Man if I knew Leaf girls were so friendly, I would have visited sooner" he teasingly joked.

Ino snapped out of her stuttering and did a really angry pout, she looked like a red-faced kitten that was denied it's saucer of cream, "D-don't get any idea's buddy, I'm not that kind of g-girl" Ino said angrily.

Naruto put up his hands placating her "Hey, you're the one who groped me" he teased, clearly having too much fun with the girl who was stammering again at his jokes.

Suddenly Naruto was knocked in the back of the head, launching him face first into the hard tile floor with great force at the cry of "HENTAI BAKA!" sounding in the air.

Naruko had come to her new friend's rescue, if she was mad at Ino for feeling up her brother it was overridden by her anger at her perverted twin's stupid teasing. "Leave Ino-Chan alone and I better not hear another stupid word out of you, or you're gonna get it Dattebara!" she screamed, not able to keep back her own personal verbal tick.

Naruto groaned, it was possible his nose was broken, "I was only joking, you're so mean Naruko-Chan" he whined.

Naruko just huffed not giving in to his pitiful moaning "Aniki-Baka, gods you are so annoying."

Just then there was the Bing Bong sound again. "Ino? We're home!" came the voice of Ino's father. In walked the owners of the shop and the heads of the Yamanaka Clan, Inoichi and his wife Inamura. The Clan Lord was a tall man with sandy light blonde hair in a shaggier high ponytail than his daughter, the man wore a typical Jonin uniform and red sleeveless haori, he had a hard face but didn't show hate or anger but in fact was cheery and smiling, a quiet intensity in his baby blue eyes. Ino looked just like her mother, save for the fact she got her eyes from her father, Inamura was a stunning beauty in purple. Her dress was modest but clung to her every curve which were quite ample, her platinum blonde hair was done up in an elegant bun with two golden hair pins. She had an alluring face that could entice or freeze cold given her mood.

Inoichi and Inamura walked into the shop but stopped when they saw their guests.

Inoichi sighed when he saw his daughter goofing off instead of minding the store…also completely ignoring him without so much as a hello. "Ino, when I said watch the shop I didn't mean hang out with your friends" he said. He saw a twitching boy bleeding on his nice clean floor "And I told you no boys! At the very least have Shikamaru and Choji here to, uh, to be fair yeah." He stumbled when his wife glared at him to shut up.

Inamura saw one of Ino's best friend's and smiled at the girl, "Ah, Karin-Chan, how are you dear?" she asked.

Karin bowed to the older woman "I'm doing well ma'am."

"And your mother? It's been sometime since I last saw her" the Yamanaka matriarch asked politely.

"Oh, you know, there is always work on the Cryptoanalysis Team" the girl nonchalantly waved off.

"Ah, I hope she is getting enough sun light. People and flowers are a lot alike you know, they both need lots of sunshine." Inamura then got a sly demure smile "Maybe it's time she started thinking about dating again, get a boyfriend maybe, hmm?"

The girl's nervous sweating was all the woman needed to confirm something.

"Boyfriend?" Ino said like the word rang a bell, she looked up placing her finger to her chin trying to remember. She then gasped "Boyfriend!" she exclaimed, "Oh my Kami! Karin did you hear?" she asked excitedly.

The redhead sighed in annoyance "No Ino, I'm not a gossip like you, I like to Respect the privacy of others?" she said adjusting her glasses.

"Well, you'll want to hear about this, guess who broke up with who!" the blonde said with urgency.

Karin sighed again rubbing her suddenly very tired eyes under her glasses, while her cousin stood to the side and watched with interest…both completely ignoring the young male who was still on the floor groaning in pain.

"Alright" the Uzumaki gave in "So who is it? I know Shizune-Sensei didn't break up with Kakashi-Sensei because I would have heard about it…the woman treats us like we're her own personal group therapy." She huffed out exasperated crossing her arms "She's been threatening to do it for a month, either make him get rid of the porn and buy him a watch, or just dump him already."

"Nope but you're so telling me more later" Ino said.

Karin rolled her eyes and guessed again "I don't know…Kurenai-Sensei finally broke up with Asuma-Sensei? Honestly, I saw that one coming, but I respect her for it, she honestly could do better than some chain smoker who thinks he looks so cool with that macho cowboy crap."

"Okay one; up yours that's my sensei, he's actually a sweet guy…that needs to quit his disgusting habit, but still really sweet. Secondly, No." Ino retorted.

"I certainly can think of worse" Inamura mumbled, right behind her there was green blur with a bad bowl cut, it whizzed by the entryway like a fox chasing a rabbit. The woman didn't see but she shivered as if she could sense something disturbing.

Inoichi was just staring at the boy on his floor making sure he didn't have a lawsuit on his hands.

"Ino, I don't have all day" the glasses wearing girl growled.

"Fine, you're no fun" Ino said waving her hand in a flippant manner, but then she got serious…a furious fire in her baby blues that promised a painful death "Sasuke broke up with Sakura" she said, if her words were any colder the flower shop would have turned into an ice cream parlor.

"WHAT!" Karin screeched.

"Yep, it was just yesterday" Ino informed. She then went over to the counter and grabbed today's paper tossing it to Karin "Read today's society column, you can't miss it…it's the only story" she said with disdain.

Karin did as instruct and read out loud "Today the noble Uchiha clan has made an announcement that brings great joy to the whole village, their honorable son Sasuke who…sweet high goddess it just goes on, blah blah blah let's all kiss Sasuke's ass. Okay here we go, and today they officially announce his…engagement?! Oh, you have to be FUCKING KIDDING ME! Wait? Kona?! As in my Teammate Kona?" bespectacled girl couldn't believe it, but there it was it was plain as day, a picture of Sasuke and Kona posing like a real couple.

The parents decided to let the language slide, they already heard about the announcement, and both knew there was going to be hell to pay for the Uchiha boy if he ever had the misfortune of running into their daughter and her redheaded best friend. Inamura felt bad for Sakura, the girl was so pitiful when she was younger, being bullied all the time and growing up without a mother. And even she felt a little bit of righteous female anger, the boy really was like his father in so many bad ways. There was lot of her friend Mikoto too thankfully, he used to be such a happy an sweet little boy before all the misfortune, hopefully he'll grow out of it.

"Yep…" Ino said with a pop "Sasuke has agreed to an arranged marriage…to Kona. Did you know about this? You are on the same team."

The redhead shook her head no "None whatsoever, then again I can't say I was looking out for it, she's a nut with a snake fetish and Sasuke is…well, Sasuke. But they did hang out training and stuff. Hell, as far as I know she was the only girl he ever talked to aside from Sakura." Karin then felt dread in the pit of her stomach "Does she know about this?" asked.

Ino sighed depressively "You know how this village is, it's only a matter of time. That was the official public announcement from the clan, came out just this morning so it's around at least the council seated clans by now. There's no hope of getting ahead of this, so as you and I both know she's locked in her room listening to the most depressing songs she can find on that computer of hers." Ino shook her head, crossing her arms and leaning against the shop counter "It's her hamster dying all over again."

Poor Mr. Fluffy Butt, if he had only stayed in his cage…he would have been able to avoid Sakura's father vacuuming.

Karin looked at the article with a frown, Kona was actually not that bad of a friend…a bit crazy but a decent enough person, they hung out outside of training and had a good relationship. They had a lot in common, Kona never knew father much like Karin, they also wanted to go into intelligence together. Kona wanted to torture people and Karin wanted to join R&D. She felt a little hurt that her friend didn't tell her about this…then again Kona knew of Karin's relationship with Sakura and Sakura's feelings for Sasuke. It made Karin wonder how much Kona knew about her fiancé's little fling…and if she did whether or not she cared…or if Sakura got hurt.

Karin looked to Ino "They had only been together for a week" glasses wearing girl said exasperated "And what about the Chunin exams? She can't go through a life and death situation like this…especially with her now ex-boyfriend on her team."

Ino nodded agreeing "Which means we need to think of something quick before the exam, I'll sell all my favorite outfits before I allow Sakura to miss out on becoming a Chunin because of him" she said with resolve ending in venom. Of there was one thing Ino was good at she was very organized, she really didn't have the stomach for being a leader, especially if meant to let others get killed. But in another life Ino would have made a very wealthy and powerful CEO, she was a natural born manager.

Karin adjusted her glasses and was trying to think of something. "Um…" Naruko intoned getting the others attention, Karin became embarrassed because she had forgotten her family members were there, "Uh, would this be the same Sakura you mentioned in your letters?" she asked. Inoichi and Inamura just stood to the side, Naruto was also up because the mother scolded her husband with kick in the shin and a psychic command, so the man helped the boy up. Surprisingly he didn't have scratch on him.

"Yeah" Karin answered "Like Ino she is one of my best friends, I'm sorry cousin but I may have to" but Karin was cut off by Naruko "Then let me help!"

Ino and Karin looked at the girl owlishly.

The Inamura finally went to satisfy her curiosity "And who might you be Ms.?" She asked the blonde girl; Inamura's face was kind but her eyes was fixated on the girl and her head band. "Oh! Sorry Mrs. Yamanaka, these are my cousins from the old country" Karin said. Both adults gave a look to each other, Naruko took the que and made introductions, but she seemed to take a lot more serious and position being more professional in his manner.

The girl bowed, her brother following, "I am Naruko Uzumaki and this is my twin brother Naruto" the pair rose and there was a strange air about them, it was…imposing. Regal and intimidating even. "And we are ninja from the Storm Nation" Naruko said with pride. Ino had keep herself from gaping, the twins were completely different from just a minute ago. Karin fidgeting slightly made Ino wonder why she was nervous; her parents didn't look like they were put off but her mother did square her shoulders and there was slightest of clenching in her father's jaw. Ino mentally shrugged and just chalked it up to having foreign ninja in their shop. There was a lot of teams from most of the world in town and everyone was on the alert.

The parents looked at each other again. Inoichi and Inamura could speak to each telepathically but after years of being married it wasn't like they needed to read each other's minds, but then again how could anyone tell of they were or not, not even Ino had cracked that code yet.

The man finally nodded…which earned a sad look for his wife.

Inoichi addressed to the twins with a pleasant smile, Naruto and Naruko could tell it was real, "Forgive me, I'm an experienced Shinobi, it is hard resisting some old habits, please forgive me and my wife for not being more welcoming" he then bowed with his wife following, Naruko only said it was alright Naruto agreeing whole heartedly.

The Yamanaka heads rose and Inamura had her most lovely smile, "I am Inamura Yamanaka and this my husband Inoichi, and I welcome you to my humble flower shop as well as to our country and village."

Ino was flabbergasted, Karin still seemed uncomfortable, but not at all surprised by the manner in which her cousin was speaking to older couple or the way the Yamanaka's were speaking back. 'I understand their foreign, but this is a bit overly formal, isn't it? Maybe theses exams are more important than I thought' Ino wondered. 'And why is mom speaking for daddy? He's the head of the clan.'

Naruko nodded, she then turned to Ino and her cousin, "Hey! Let me help with your friend!" was all she said. "Eh?!" Ino exclaimed. It was Naruto who spoke up "She's like this, you can't really stop her, she always causing trouble trying to help others" Naruko pouted at her twin "You're no better Aniki, actually you're way worse! Need I remind you what happened on the "Find the lost ferret" mission? Hmm?" Naruko said with accusation.

Naruto glared at his sister "I'm not the one who always tries to flip an enemy by offering them cookies!"

Naruko gasped "Those cookies were to taught to me by Baa-Chan! They are magic remember! Ans besides it works, doesn't it?"

"The one time!"

"Shut up!"

Karin's shout got the two twins to shiver in fear and hold each other, for added affect her Adamantine Chains were out, four glowing golden black chains were poised like vipers about to strike as they swayed. "K-Karin-Chan calm d-down" Naruto stuttered, to him there was nothing scarier than an angry female, it was just how he was raised.

The chains went away and Karin took a breath "Look, we gotta go take care of Sakura, Naruko if you wanna come than come, Naruto go train or something" she said.

"How about a training partner? If that is not too much to ask?" Inoichi asked. Normally a request like that would be considered suspicious, no ninja would want to reveal anything to another ninja, especially before something like the Chunin Exam, but Naruto didn't seem to be all that bothered "That would be awesome!" the boy said.

And that was how everyone parted.

Three years later, with Konoha delegation

Sakura was absolutely still. She now remembered meeting to the sweet blonde girl, if it wasn't for her kind words Sakura would have never found the courage to make it to the exams. However there was one particular thing she could not help focusing on. And she was doing everything into her power not to strangle Ino with her long silky platinum blond hair.

"You…groped my fiancée?" Sakura said lowly, she had no reason to be angry or jealous, she barley remembered the guy from exams. Naruto, an annoyingly loud and hyper Shinobi, cocky and brash with the exception that he had the strength to back it up. For the love of the Sage he farted in his own teammates, that Dog boy, face on purpose! It took a bit of explaining from Kakashi sensei, even he could not deny the boy's adaptability and resourcefulness. Sakura remembered what he said.

"Fights between ninja is never pretty…or dignified. It really impressive, even if they are teammates, this young man's ability to adapt so quickly is worth note, he also realized how wholly dependent the Inuzuka are on their sense of smell, this kid turned his enemy's strength into a weakness and turned his own weapons against him. This Naruto, he really is…unpredictable."

Sakura didn't think anything much of the Jonin's statement until she was later told it wasn't Sasuke who saved her from the rampaging Jinchuriki Gaara…but a foreign ninja dressed in orange.

She had no reason to be mad or jealous…so, why was she?