"I wasn't expecting you back for another week" Hiruzen frowned when the team he'd sent out to escort the two rookie kunoichi across the land entered his office after instructing Karin and Sakura to wait while they reported in after their mission.
Subtly Inoichi pointed at the door "One thing we learned is that those troublesome girls don't like to procrastinate, we had to basically tell them that we were exhausted in order to get them to sit still for longer than an hour" Shikaku grunted.
Half exasperated half amused really "Hmm and what is your opinion on them Inoichi" the Hokage glanced to the blonde who had met Sakura once before but he knew that the girl had to have changed in the last seven years.
While she was who knows where besides Kumogakure "Quiet, they aren't keen on trusting us that's for sure, distant but willing to talk to each other that's what I got from watching them the past four days" Inoichi admitted.
Knowing that Ino was going to be upset if Sakura didn't want to be friends with her anymore and that was the likely outcome "The other girl Karin she's undoubtedly an Uzumaki child that red hair is unmistakable" Choza chimed in.
The Hokage scratched his chin in response "Which makes it all the more imperative that we convince both of them to stay at the end of these three years we were given" Hiruzen reminded, intent on doing all he could to make the girls want to stay here in Leaf.
After a moment he nodded "Right send them in would you there is much we have to speak about" Hiruzen declared, deciding to get this meeting over with so that they could go to their apartments and get settled in.
Less than a minute later Sakura and Karin were stood in front of him "First I'd like to welcome you back home Sakura-chan and also a greeting to you Karin-chan, welcome to Konohagakure your home for the foreseeable future" Hiruzen greeted.
Verdant orbs narrowed "Don't you mean the next three years Hokage-sama" Sakura frowned, making no mention of how she was glad to be back when she wasn't because her heart was back in Kumogakure where she felt she belonged now instead of Leaf.
"Of course that's what I meant Sakura-chan" Hiruzen amended, realizing he'd slipped for a second there, he didn't want the girls to be suspicious of his machinations yet after all because they had yet to settle in.
With that he gestured for them to sit in the chairs before his desk "Moving on, both of you will receive a bi-weekly stipend and have apartments prepared for you to live in at a certain apartment complex" Hiruzen cleared his throat.
Not expecting them to argue "Actually we'd be more comfortable in a single apartment that has two bedrooms Hokage-sama" Karin requested unwilling to be separated from Sakura who was better at managing in order to help them survive.
Hiruzen relented and sent off a message to the Jonin in charge of renting the apartments for them to instead pick out a double bedroom apartment for them both to live in together "Next seeing as your academic records were sent over, here are your official Leaf hitai-ate" Hiruzen said.
Placing two headbands down in front of the girls "Third for the first month or so, I'll be assigning a Jonin to check up on you once a week to ensure your doing alright here and there's also the matter of assigning you both to teams" Hiruzen informed.
"Can we be a team together please just the two of us like it was back in Cloud cause we're not really comfortable being split up when we work so well together Hokage-sama" Sakura blurted, terrified of losing the one person she could rely on at the moment.
While gripping Karin's hand tightly who felt pretty much the same way as she did "Unfortunately Leaf is not in the practice of simple two man squads, it's three genin and a Jonin here and there are a couple of teams that need an extra genin on their team, apologies" Hiruzen announced.
Effectively shooting down that request continuing on with the meeting, completely unaware that Sakura wasn't really paying him much attention anymore until he was finished "Do you have any questions" Hiruzen inquired.
Once he was done explaining all that would happen "No" Sakura intoned flatly still holding Karin's hand as they both stood and waited to be dismissed from the office, Hiruzen frowned, wondering what had caused her to become so emotionally detached.
When she had at least been speaking with emotions earlier before he remembered the request "Perhaps we can come up with a compromise if you stick out a month with the teams I assign you to and are still dissatisfied I'll reassign you as a two man squad together" Hiruzen offered.
Red met green "It's the best we're going to get Sakura-chan" Karin sighed, knowing that there was absolutely no way she'd be able to get along with teammates that weren't Sakura all of whom she wouldn't know.
Nor would she be use to them even after a month, Sakura grimaced but nodded in acceptance right on time as someone knocked and was allowed into the office "The apartments ready, Shisui Uchiha at your service Sakura-chan, Karin-chan" Shisui bowed.
Always excitable despite being an Uchiha "I'll also be the Jonin in charge of checking up on you once a week for the next month, cool huh you get me one of the strongest Uchiha in the village, the most friendly to" Shisui popped back up with a huge smile on his face.
The reactions he got were not friendly in the least as both girls winced, probably not use to someone being so exuberant and gave him uncomfortable smiles at the same time "Well like I said the apartments ready so I'll show you the way" Shisui clapped.
Forcing himself to remain upbeat and excitable in the hopes of drawing the two out of their shells, with that he led Sakura and Karin from the tower and across the village to an apartment complex up a flight of stairs and to one of the few double bedroom apartments in the complex.
In fact it had been the only one that was available "Thanks Uchiha-san" Karin said as she accepted the keys from Shisui while calling him by his last name to his distaste before they disappeared into their new apartment.
After the door shut Shisui stood there scratching his head in confusion then shrugged figuring he could give them a little slack it was their first day in Leaf after all and headed back to the compound since his duty was done for now.
Meanwhile the minute the door had shut behind Karin, Sakura growled under her breath "This is absolutely ridiculous, he lied to Raikage-sama when he said that he'd keep us together as a team and gives us that compromise bullshit" Sakura grumbled.
Clearly upset as she set her pack down before throwing herself unceremoniously on the floor with a loud thud that probably disturbed whoever was living beneath them on the floor below "He's treating us like children who don't know anything" Karin said.
"Not to mention he made it sound like we'd be here indefinitely not just three years" Sakura scoffed, rolling her eyes, the Hokage probably thought they were naive, impressionable, preteens with no understanding of how the world worked.
Karin grimaced "Yeah I noticed that to and right now the Hokage is my least favorite person in this village for lying to Raikage-sama like he did after promising that he wouldn't split us up" Karin admitted.
Joining Sakura on the floor uncaring of how they might look to anyone attempting to spy on them "Come on might as well unpack" Sakura sighed twenty minutes later as she stood before helping Karin back up onto her feet so they could unseal their belongings.
They worked on arranging things clear up to dinner time, barely taking any breaks in that time frame "And done" Karin breathed when she moved her bed into the perfect place in her new bedroom that was way smaller than the one she'd had back in Cloud.
Sakura didn't seem all that impressed either really to be honest because they didn't have a veranda for her to grow her plants out on "How about we eat dinner and read those scrolls Cee-sensei gave us" Sakura finally suggested.
When they'd walked the entire apartment over three more times just to make sure everything was in place and unpacked with nothing missing from their belongings "Good enough for me" Karin nodded.
Feeling as if the detailed training schedule Cee had drawn up for them was going to be the only thing that kept them from going insane so Sakura quickly cooked dinner and once they'd sat at their kitchen table unrolled the scrolls.
To reveal the enclosing seal drawn on the inside but when they unsealed the scrolls more than a stack of papers detailing their schedule came out of the seal, there was also an individual letter and a small locked box with a key.
The letters were read first "I can't believe Cee-sensei would do something like that for us even though we were only his official students for a short time" Sakura murmured, unlocking the box to find another seal.
And out came a large stack of ryo to get them through as Cee had said in the letter, from his own savings because he knew it would be difficult first starting out in the Leaf Village and he didn't want them to struggle as they had originally in the Cloud Village.
"Well technically Sakura-chan we were his students for over four years" Karin snickered lightly having received the same thing from Cee so neither one felt jealous over the other not that it mattered as she slid her half over to Sakura.
Who smiled sadly as she added it to the pile then sealed it back into the box while leaving some out "There's still some daylight left, want to go down to the market with me" Sakura asked, checking the position of the sun.
Upon exiting the apartment an unfamiliar Jonin appeared in a poof of smoke before them "Going somewhere, are you in need of an escort" the man, a brunet with hazel eyes grinned, flicking the senbon needle in his mouth from corner to corner.
Sakura grit her teeth "No thank you we can find our way just fine on our own" Karin informed, walking past the still grinning man on Sakura's heels as she headed down the stairs to lead her deep within the heart of Konohagakure probably.
Left behind Genma scratched his head "Ouch that stung a bit" Genma said, crinkling his nose in frustration at being brushed off without even a second thought but he had his orders and he was going to do them regardless.
As he hurried after the girls who had surprisingly already made their way to the market without asking for directions "Self reliant little things aren't they Genma" Shisui appeared next to him as he watched them buy groceries.
"Yeah they didn't even want my help leading them here just said no and that was that" Genma nodded, not sure if they'd done the right thing in making the girl come back, especially since she had a tag along with her.
Shisui groaned "Well we have three years to make them see that this was really the best option for them" Shisui announced as they sneakily shadowed the two genin, eight minutes in to their shopping trip Choza approached them.
"Hey how are you settling in to the new place Sakura-san, Karin-san" Choza greeted, wanting to help them open up by being accommodating, he felt as if they would need a lot of help to be honest considering how unattached they were to everything right now.
Sakura looked up at him then gave a little shrug of her shoulders in answer "I don't think we'll stay for to long in that tiny apartment" Karin admitted quietly knowing how Sakura felt being unable to grow her plants.
Choza quirked a brow "Oh and it wouldn't have anything to do with having no room for growing things right" Choza commented, inwardly pleased that he'd guessed right when the girls nodded in sync of one another.
"I might have a solution if your willing to indulge me a bit on a small favor, you see my boy, Choji, is in need of some friends, who aren't his teammates, would you two be his friends, in exchange I'll let you use one of the greenhouses my clan owns to grow your plants" Choza offered.
Watching their expressions closely, a glint of hope appeared in viridian irises "Now that's a compromise I'll fully agree on" Karin smiled pleasantly, answering for Sakura who clearly had no idea what to say.
"Thank you Akimichi-san and we'll do our best to be his…Choji-san's friends" Sakura bowed her head, practically on the verge of crying again as her voice cracked some at her flood of sudden emotions that she'd been desperately trying to suppress.
So no one pitied her, Choza smiled kindly and gently ruffled her hair "Meet me at that there restaurant tomorrow once you've met your teams and all that, I'll introduce you to Choji and take you to the greenhouse you can use" Choza said.
Pointing to Yakiniku Q, once they nodded he gave them one more pat on the head and wandered off leaving them to finish up their shopping before heading back to the apartment "Yo, need any help putting your groceries away" Shisui asked.
Already standing in front of the apartment a hopeful smile on his face "Uh no we can manage thank you for the offer Uchiha-san" Karin rejected not really up to conversing with anyone else that given day.
And for the second time shut the door in his face, Shisui groaned under his breath but headed back to the compound while Sakura and Karin put their groceries away before cleaning up, followed by taking showers and finally going to bed after a long agonizing day.
It was during breakfast the next day that a knock sounded throughout the apartment "Okay that's going to get annoying real fast" Sakura sighed, already aggravated despite the day having only just started even as she went to answer the door.
To find Shisui stood outside the apartment yet again "Morning Sakura-chan I have come to escort you to Hokage-sama so that he can assign you to your teams" Shisui greeted, hoping that the girls were done being so reticent.
Oh how wrong he was when Sakura frowned "Surely he's not demanding us to his office before we even have a chance to eat breakfast" Sakura intoned incredulously, the Raikage had never once asked them to come to his office so early in the morning.
"Err Hokage-sama didn't actually set a time limit on when you had to show up so I decided to just come get you early on my own" Shisui laughed in an awkward sounding tone, inwardly lamenting over the fact that the girls were going to start disliking him more and more at this rate.
Sakura barely suppressed the urge to roll her eyes at him in annoyance but gestured him to come in to the apartment and sit on the couch while they ate their morning meal then clean up when they were finished eating.
"Now we're ready Uchiha-san" Karin informed, grabbing her weapons belt that held her special fans and buckled it around her waist while Sakura fished a scroll out of the tiny closet and stowed it away in her storage pouch.
In a blur of movement they were stood inside the Hokage's office where several others were stood awaiting their arrival "Good your here, Sakura Haruno, meet your team, Kakashi Hatake, Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha, Team Seven" Hiruzen nodded.
Relieved that things were progressing smoothly or at least he thought they were anyway "Karin-san your on Team Eleven under the command of Hayate Gekkou Ami Himekari and Fuki Mitokado" Hiruzen said.
Separating the girls "Did you just say Haruno, Hokage-sama I thought she died like seven years ago" Ami chimed in, glaring at the pinkette who had a freakishly large forehead still despite it having been a long time since they'd seen each other.
"On the contrary Ami, Sakura was in Hidden Cloud all this time and I expect you to welcome her back home by being kind" Hiruzen informed, eyeing Sakura who furrowed her brow in confusion, obviously confused about something he'd said yet again.
Ami nodded grudgingly when he gave her a look before dismissing the two newly completed teams so that they could get to know one another "Righto then this way Sakura-chan" Kakashi announced, directing the newest member of his team down the streets to the training grounds.
And once there made his students sit down in order to do introductions for the second time before he could start Sasuke turned to Sakura "Is it true that you were really apart of Kumogakure, my Father said that Cloud Shinobi are all Leaf Shinobi hating bastards" Sasuke asked.
Not prepared for the KI that practically choked him out from the unassuming pink haired girl even Naruto felt that killing intent as he edged back away from his teammates because he didn't want to get in the cross-hairs of a fight between the two.
Kakashi grimaced "Okay lets get back to introductions while trying not to kill each other" Kakashi suggested, attempting to reign in his volatile kunoichi who glared murderously at Sasuke before relenting with her KI.
Sasuke wisely didn't ask any more potentially sensitive questions as the introductions were made until it was Sakura's turn "Sakura Haruno" Sakura stated her name not really wanting to give out personal information that could be used against her.
"What else Sakura-chan like what do you like to do, is there anything you don't like, what about favorite food or color, your hobbies and your dream" Naruto chattered, earlier wariness gone as he jumped straight in to trying to befriend his new teammate.
Sakura blinked at the blonde then grimaced and shook her head indicating she wasn't going to say, Naruto was undeterred though and kept pressing her for information until she was on the verge of snapping at the annoying blonde.
She was opening her mouth when Kakashi cut in "That's enough Naruto, if Sakura-chan doesn't want to tell you then its best to leave it for the time being until she's ready to answer those questions right Sakura-chan" Kakashi quirked a silver brow.
And she nodded quietly "On that note your free to go and we'll meet up at the tower tomorrow morning at nine for some missions" Kakashi clapped, dismissing his students, Sakura was all to happy to disappear on them.
Leaving a trail of dust behind her as she ran from the training grounds and most importantly them to meet up with Karin and Choza at Yakiniku Q as agreed upon the day before "Hey how did things go with your team" Karin waved.
Once Sakura had joined her in the booth to await the arrival of Choza and Choji, Karin nearly regretted asking when Sakura curled her lip "First thing Uchiha does is insult me and I also have an annoying chatterbox on the team so it went as awful as I expected" Sakura grumbled.
Extremely peeved at what Sasuke had said still which meant she'd probably be making a trip back to the training grounds to work off her aggression later after this meeting "Yeah it didn't go very well for me what with Ami and Fuki repeatedly insulting me to" Karin sighed.
Glad that she had someone to vent to that understood what she was going through as well, just then the girl who'd started this whole mess waltzed into Yakiniku Q, saw Sakura and made a beeline for the pinkette "Sakura I wasn't sure if you'd make it" Ino squealed.
Practically bursting the girls eardrums in the process and Karin's well basically anyone's eardrums who were sat in the near vicinity of Sakura when Ino had latched onto the girl and yelled loud enough to wake the dead.
"Ino let her breathe, your cutting off her oxygen" a brunet urged suddenly, Ino released Sakura like she was on fire, grateful for the intervention Sakura took a deep breath relieved to be able to breathe again.
Before eyeing the guilty party who looked to her toes, cheeks burning in embarrassment "I didn't mean to hurt you Sakura, I'm sorry, forgive me" Ino apologized as she held out a ribbon, a red one this time hoping that Sakura would accept it.
And that red was still her favorite color to "No harm done if there's a bruise I can just heal it" Sakura assured, carefully taking the peace offering, as all the days they'd spent together came back to her in one fell swoop.
Ino had really been her first friend and she didn't have it in her to be cruel to the blonde regardless of her mixed feelings "Huh heal it what do you mean" Ino tilted her head to the side in confusion not understanding Sakura in the least.
Not anymore anyway "Like this" Sakura grinned holding up her hands that glowed a dull green chakra instead of the regular blue "I've been learning how to be a medical shinobi since I was five and was taught the mystical palm when I became a genin by my sensei in Cloud" Sakura said.
Pupil-less cerulean orbs widened with awe "Really that's so cool, do you think you could teach me cause heavens knows these two jokers don't know how to take care of themselves" Ino snorted, jerking a thumb at her teammates.
One of whom was the brunet from earlier "Sure if you want Ino, Karin and I were going to go train a bit after this so you can join us and I'll get you set up by teaching you the fundamentals" Sakura shrugged lightly, opening up exponentially to her old friend.
And Karin wasn't the least bit jealous "Great I'll be sure to do that, so what are you two sitting in Yakiniku for anyway and not ordering anything to eat" Ino plopped down next to Sakura, relieved that she was finding it easier than she thought it would be to be friends with Sakura again.
While looking to Karin who was obviously important to Sakura enough that the redhead had followed her to Leaf anyway "Their actually waiting on me isn't that right Sakura-san, Karin-san" Choza saw fit to make his entrance at that exact moment.
Inwardly chuckling at the surprised look on his sons face as he sat down next to Karin and both girls nodded in answer "Dad, does this have anything to do with you going to the greenhouses yesterday to see which one had the most open space" Choji inquired.
Viridian orbs flashed his way in recognition "Yes son, I offered to let Sakura-san use some space in one of the greenhouses to grow her myriad of herbs and other plants in exchange for befriending you and giving you some new friends" Choza informed.
Laughing at Choji's gobsmacked expression at his underhandedness "Nothing but the truth Choji-san" Karin smiled sheepishly, finding it easier to be nice to someone who hadn't yet insulted her or Sakura for that matter.
Maybe being in Leaf wasn't going to be all that bad especially if they had friends who could support them during this hard time "Can Shikamaru and I come with you to the training grounds then" Choji asked.
Attempting to befriend Sakura and Karin as well when they ordered a somewhat late lunch then ate before paying and leaving the restaurant as a large group as Choza led them to the greenhouse he had promised Sakura could use.
And when she saw it, plus all the other plants in the greenhouse Sakura gasped in awe "Oh wow their so vibrant and full of life" Sakura commented, appreciating all the herbs, both medicinal and not that were growing in the greenhouse.
In that moment Choza knew he was making the right choice in this "Right there you are Sakura-san and a key for you to Karin-san" Choza said, handing over the spares he had on hand that would allow them unlimited access to this building.
Karin furrowed her brow in confusion, huffing some when Sakura snickered under her breath "Karin doesn't have the same propensity for growing things as I do" Sakura informed, smiling up at the man who'd been the nicest to them thus far.
"Just keep it in case you lose that one" Choza ruffled their hair, before meandering off, which meant it was now time to head to the training grounds with three extra on their heels, once there Sakura marched over to the river.
Then promptly caught a fish that she placed in front of Ino to instruct the blonde and teach her how to use the mystical palm "Let me know if you have further questions alright" Sakura smiled lightly as she trekked a short distance away.
Before pulling out the scroll she'd grabbed from the closet to unseal her boomerang, "What the hell is that thing" Shikamaru choked, speaking for the first time to her as she shifted into the stance Cee had been helping her develop.
Clearly eager to train "My weapon, it's a boomerang" Sakura quipped without skipping a beat, cocking her arm back while channeling chakra carefully into her muscles to throw her hefty weapon at the targets.
In the moment she threw it Sakura also pressed the trigger to release the blades from the opposite side of the boomerang to cut through the wooden dummies and on the rebound as it came back to her deftly caught her weapon.
Hitting the button to hide the blades again "Kami that was terrifying to watch but cool at the same time" Choji exclaimed, munching away on chips, Sakura giggled softly then threw her boomerang again this time with less chakra.
Across from her Karin was practicing with her fans and that's what they did for half an hour Team Ten just watching or rather Shikamaru and Choji considering Ino was busy before the two put their weapons away to train in other things.
Like taijutsu as they attacked each other trying to find weaknesses in the others defense to exploit and win the fight "That's rather horrifying before now I thought girls were just troublesome, these two are a drag and troublesome at the same time" Shikamaru groaned.
Wincing as Sakura punched Karin and she hit the ground with a jarring thud only to pop back up on her feet seconds later "Ugh I still can't win against you" Karin sighed twenty minutes later looking beat up and more than a little frustrated.
Sakura grinned "Sorry Little Sis, you know that I'm better with physical fighting or what did Darui call it brawling with my fists" Sakura apologized not bragging or anything as she helped Karin back up onto her feet.
Hands glowing green as she healed the worst of the bruises on Karin first then herself "Imouto why would you call her that for Sakura" Ino chose that moment to speak up, having practically exhausted herself of chakra learning the mystical palm.
Only to repeatedly fail this past almost hour "Because Karin is like my little sister I know we aren't biologically related but from the things we've been through that are similar it makes us basically family, plus Raikage-sama helped me adopt her into the family" Sakura said.
Cerulean orbs widened "The things you've been through what do you mean Sakura" Ino asked gently, getting this feeling that the question she'd just asked was extremely sensitive to not only Karin but Sakura as well.
Because on reflex the two linked hands and held tightly to one another "For the first three years after I lost my memory I lived with a lady named Isha Uzumaki, she was a pharmacist and she taught me how to be one to, but she passed away after my eight birthday" Sakura breathed.
Recounting her story for her first best friend "She was a second mom to me the village that we lived in turned their backs on me, forgot I even existed so I left, that's how I found Karin-chan cause I wandered into the outskirts of her old village" Sakura explained.
Ino growing more horrified by the minute "I was crying that day cause my own mom had died and the village I lived in was awful, they tortured us for a gift we had but right after the worse experience of my life I heard a hesitant voice ask me if I was alright" Karin took over.
Feeling as if she'd be able to tell her story for once "It was Sakura and she tended my bite wounds see if you bite me and suck out my chakra you can be healed but when she was done she turned to leave and I asked to go with her and so we left Kusagakure behind together" Karin said.
"We survived out in the wild for a month traveling in the direction of Kaminari no Kuni all while trying to avoid any Grass Shinobi who might be looking for Karin and we were doing a pretty fine job of it to" Sakura smiled.
Remembering back to the days of when they'd lived in caves "Then he found us one of the shinobi from my old village, he grabbed me, intending to take me back, Sakura tried to stop him so he kicked her" Karin chimed in again.
Unsure if they should say the next part "The pain I felt it was nauseating but I'd already begun to see Karin as family so I stood up and charged at the shinobi, I was only eight but I took him by surprise after cutting the back of his knees and then I killed him" Sakura informed.
Lowering her gaze to the ground, she wasn't ashamed of her actions or anything but it was still pretty hard to tell someone else who might not understand "A few days later Raikage-sama and his two escorts found us and took us back to Cloud with them where we stayed" Karin finished.
Still holding Sakura's hand as tightly as she was holding hers and a second later she was engulfed in warm arms "I can't even begin to imagine the suffering you two have been through, I'm sorry" Ino cried softly.
Guilt eating away at her for dragging Sakura away from the country and village that she clearly preferred if she'd stayed for four long years in it "No but we're here because it was the right choice so nobody else got hurt or had to suffer like we did so its okay Ino" Sakura soothed.
"Do you miss the Cloud Village" Choji asked, already knowing the answer but he wanted to get a more in depth answer in order to better understand the two girls who were basically in unfamiliar territory despite Sakura having been born in Konohagakure.
Karin bit her lip then nodded "Very much, we had to leave behind our best friends there, the best sensei's we could ask for and our home and I don't mean to speak bad of Lord Hokage but he hasn't exactly made a good impression on us yet" Karin admitted.
Shikamaru quirked a brow "What Karin means is that he promised Raikage-sama that he'd keep us together as a duo team then assigned us to teams with people we aren't familiar with and basically insinuated that we were here indefinitely despite us being dual citizens" Sakura said.
"Oh that reminds me who got on Sasuke-kun's team" Ino perked up in the next moment and Sakura raised her hand "Just try not to fall for him alright, I know he's cool and comes from a powerful family but he's mine" Ino warned.
Sakura cocked a fuschia brow at her first best friend "Honestly Ino you can have the stuck up jerk, I wouldn't touch him with a ten foot pole much less fall for him especially when he said that Cloud Shinobi are all Leaf Shinobi hating bastards" Sakura scoffed.
Finding the idea of falling for that asshole ludicrous no doubt "That bad huh though there's more to it than that, Sasuke's just not fond of girls in general, leave him alone and he'll warm up to you" Shikamaru snorted.
Kinda feeling a tiny bit upset on Sakura's behalf "Want me to tell my Dad, work something out for you to be on a team with just one another" Ino offered with a smile, steadfastly ignoring the dig from Shikamaru.
"It's okay Ino-chan, he said that if we stuck it out for a month on our teams and still weren't satisfied he'd arrange things like they were supposed to be with us as a team together" Karin announced.
Yawning and she covered her mouth sheepishly "Looks like someones tired, can we walk you back to your apartment so that we know where you live" Choji grinned, relieved that not once had either girl called him names simply accepted him as he was.
Sakura smiled tiredly at him but nodded so off to the complex they went up to the second floor and to their apartment where they waved to Team Ten and disappeared within their home, made an early dinner and finally headed to bed after a long day.