Memories
Summary: it started at a wedding and ends in a wedding
GaaIno pairing
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Chapter 2
Gaara was busy stamping his documents for procurement and mission and academy admission requests. Forgotten or at least trying all about what had transpired on that fateful day one and a half month ago.
"Gaara" he heard his right man, Baki called out from the other side of the door
"Enter" he replied and Baki entered the room
"the council has requested a meeting from you" he said, Gaara eyed the man in front a mere second and then continued on stamping "Now"
"Scheduled it by four thirty this afternoon" he replied, not even paying anymore attention on Baki
"Yes, sir" Baki responded, resigned at the Kazekage's refusal and left him on his paperworks.
By four in the afternoon, all of the paperworks that needs to be stamped on was already piled at the foot of Gaara's table, a cup of tea was replaced and the Kazekage leisurely look outside of his office window when a knock on his door was heard
"Gaara, are you there?" Kankuro opened the door without waiting for a reply and he was greeted by a narrowed look from his little brother. "Chill, I was just gonna ask if you're ready for the meeting"
"I said four thirty, why are you even bother about the meeting?" Gaara said, obviously annoyed at his brother.
"Because. . ." Kankuro trailed, a look of uncertainty on his usual smug face. "well, just go to the meeting room okay, little bro?" he said and walked out of his room.
The proposal was quite good, if not, excellent. It was high time for Suna to invest in a long term economic project that even civilians would benefit for their own.
Gaara looked at his advisers, who in turn, looked at him expectantly; his gazed landed on his own older brother, who uncharacteristically busied himself in inspecting his nails. Temari, who was unexpectedly at the meeting was avoiding his stare.
"Kazekage-sama" one of the councilmen called out and Gaara looked at him
"We'll need a concrete proposal if you want to request the hidden Leaf's help" he replied, addressing everyone in the meeting "Give me a final proposal and I will send it to the Leaf Village" he added, Kankuro instantly stood up and walked towards him, a scroll on his hand.
"We already have it." his older brother gave him the scroll, Gaara eyed it for a moment and then turn his eyes on Kankuro. "I asked Temari to get some advice from Shikamaru" he said as he eyed their eldest sibling.
"I'll read this in my office, the meeting is adjourned" Gaara announced and left the meeting room; Temari and Kankuro exchanged meaningful glances that their baby brother was unaware of.
A fine sunny day in Konoha and a lot of people are busy with their own errands, including Ino, who was busily arranging the flowers that an older couple purchased; she wrapped the bundle in a purple ribbon and gave it to the customers as she said her thanks and the happy couple exited her shop.
Off missions and day off from the intel division means Ino's day to their flower shop. Since her father died, the flowers and their shop had been Ino's safe haven; it was as if, her father's presence had been transferred to the beautiful flowers at their shop, so she always made sure to have a day or two to work there.
That's why she was not expecting when Sakura appeared on her shop
"Ino, you are summoned to the Hokage's office" Said her pink-haired friend. Ino was arranging the hydrangeas that was displayed at the far corner of the shop.
"I'm off missions til next week" she replied without looking, Sakura advanced to the counter and sat at the stool in front, inspecting the displayed cactus on a small pot with ribbons on it.
"Kakashi-sensei said it's just a meeting" Sakura said, "since when did you start selling cactus?" she added, Ino finally turned her attention to the other woman on the room; a smile graced her face and eyes twinkling as if she thought of something very very amusing
"Oh~ since Shikamaru's wedding" Ino replied, Sakura's pink brows knitted at her statement, obviously wanting to get more details "Sakura, what time do Kakashi-sensei want me there?"
"Whenever you're free" Sakura replied, though still suspicious at her best friend's earlier statement.
"Perfect!" Ino exclaimed as she stretched her legs and looked back at Sakura "I'll just go upstairs and tell my mother, then we're good to go, okay?" she said and went to the door on the right from where was Sakura was seated.
The Hokage tower, which was situated at the farthest area of the Leaf was bustling with shinobis who were jumping to and from and civilians coming in and out. Ever since the end of the war, Konoha had taken the lead in maintaining the peace in all of the five great shinobi nations, and that was thanks to Uzumaki Naruto who led the shinobi alliance to victory; and as a result - requests from missions and trading had been coming wave after wave.
The sixth Hokage, Hatake Kakashi, though wanted to quit a long time ago, was still on the position because the advisers still wanted Naruto to study the foundation and the routine work of a Hokage.
As the two kunoichi neared the stairs of the tower, they saw Naruto, who instantly brightened when he saw Sakura.
"Oh~ Ino, I was about to fetch you" he said as they ascend to the stairs. Ino rose a blond brow at Naruto who were now walking beside her pink-haired friend, as they simply held hands. "Kakashi-sensei's waiting for you. He needs to talk to you asap because he has meeting at six." Naruto explained
"then, I'll be off then." Ino said as she walked ahead of the couple "I'll see you never, couple" she added and both Naruto and Sakura looked her retreating figure, a blush tinted their faces.
"Hokage-sama" Ino called out, after a while, she heard Kakashi said enter and so she opened the door. "Do you have a mission for me?" She asked the moment she was in front of him.
"Yah~ Ino" Kakashi greeted as he got a scroll and gave it to her "That is a mission request from Suna." he stated, "And they specifically requested for your service" Ino looked from the scroll in her hands then back to her superior
"Is this a supervising mission?" She asked, "I believed Kankuro from the hidden Sand asked my opinion about flowers and herbs propagation in their village during Shikamaru and Temari's party. Kakashi nodded, pleased that he was spared from explaining.
"It's a two-week mission, one month tops." Kakashi added "they want it to be three months, but I rejected their offer because I don't want one of my best Jounin to be away for that much longer" Ino scoffed at Kakashi's remark
"Hokage-sama, as much as I respect and adored you, I will not go back to the barrier team" Ino said and Kakashi was obviously dejected at her reply.
"Well, it seems you already made up your mind." Kakashi surrendered as he raised both of his hands to emphasized his point "you'll leave next week." Ino just nodded "You're dismissed."
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