Away
It had been 10 minutes, and Hinata was still in her room. Ino had closed the door, and the walls were soundproof, so she had no idea what the girl was doing. And to make matters worse? Neji was glaring at her with such intensity that she could have sworn her shirt was catching fire.
"The elders are going to kill us."
"Screw the elders. Hinata needs some confidence if she's going to fight her sister."
"And you know this because..."
"Because I have ears and I'm not nearly as stupid as people portray me to be."
Hinata saved them of future debate by exiting her room. She still wore the orange shirt, still had on the pony tail, and still had the perma blush. But Ino grinned encouragingly at her anyway.
Unexpectedly, Hinata hugged her, and since she had been so shocked by the intimate action, she just stared in front of her. At Neji. And his shocked face. Ino smirked at him. He glared. And then, again, Hinata saved them both.
"Arigatou Ino chan. I'll win today. For you, for Neji neesan, for Naruto kun, Kurenai sensei, Kiba kun, Shino kun and for me. Arigatou"
Ino pried Hinata of of her. She spoke without stuttering once! it was whispered granted, but it was an iprovement.
"Don't mention it!"
Hinata smiled, and Ino shooed both her and her older cousin out the door.
"Know go and kick your sisters ass! If you want, you can even point at the so caled 'elders' and laugh in their face!"
Only when both Hinata and Neji left the house did she notice that on the back of the T-shirt she had given Hinata, were three new words, words Hinata had obviously written herself. They simply red,
'Believe it!'
Ino didn't see Hinata the next day, or the day after that, and, she worried for her friend. Had she won? Had she lost? If she lost, what would happen to her? Maybe………..Maybe Hinata just didn't want to see Ino again. Sakura hadn't.
Ino decided that it was no use sulking and brooding. If Hinata wanted to continue being her friend, great! If not? Ino would let it pass.
At the moment, the Yamanaka was going to go buy flowers at the former Yamanaka flower shop. Ino had sold it to a girl named Moegi, whose teammates and jonnin sensei had died in one of the sound invasions. Moegi had quit being a shinobi, and had attained a certain interest in flowers. Ino had thought her everything she needed to know, and then gave her the Flower Shop. She couldn't afford either the building or the time to continue selling flowers, but Ino had given the flower shop to Moegi on half the money, and so, Moegi made Ino a deal, She would not charge any white flowers, nor any lilies, if Ino ever decided to buy them.
The building had been reconstructed, but it still looked pretty much the same.
The shop's door opened with a jingle. And Moegi looked up from the Magazine she had been reading. A grin split her face.
"Ino dono!"
"Moegi! How many times have I told you to call me Ino, or Ino chan! 'dono' sounds old! I'm not old!
Moegi put her hand behind her head and smiled sheepishly.
"Sorry……"
Ino waved her apology aside, and took out four white roses.
"Can I take them?" She asked Moegi.
"Of course! Take as many as you like!"
Ino smiled at the girl, and with a friendly 'see you later' she left the shop. Ino put the flowers in her kunai holder, and with a happy whistle she set out towards the ninja memorial stone.
Of course, with the mood she had now, she wouldn't have noticed the white eyed protigy, inerestingly watching her as shewalked towards the memorial.
Sqweel! I'm so happy! I got many reviews! yay! yay! and well, next week I have a completly free week before finalls...i'm in my semestral exams right now...and today's my Birthday! Yay me! I'm finally 14! and...um...next chapter should be posted up next monday I think...