The Twelve of Two

by silentknight021

An abrupt confession by Naruto sets the stage for a twelve hour timespan between Sakura and himself. As they learn more about each other, Sakura begins to understand what was always there while Naruto comes to a decision. NaruSaku

7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any characters related.

5:36 AM:

"Are you about done in there?"

Having just finished taking a quick shower and dressing in fresh, accustomed clothes; Yamanaka Ino took a moment to scowl at the locked door, or rather the person who was knocking. "I'm almost done, Okaa-san! Just give me another minute," Ino hollered over the hum of the fan. She hadn't gone more then twenty minutes into the day and she was already despising the outcome. Even a naughty daydream involving Sasuke wearing nothing more then a towel wrapped around his waist—and even that had been skimpy—wasn't enough to console her from the inevitable headache.

A shipment of fresh stock, which was supposed to have arrived yesterday afternoon, was being delivered today instead. Certainly not the first time it's ever happened, but it would have been nice if more notice had been given instead of an abrupt message saying that the delivery would be arriving in forty-some odd minutes this morning. Father's composure had been calm and unshaken, old training routines taking charge. The same couldn't be said for her mother, who'd been panicking and rushing about to get things ready for the arrival. The store didn't open until nine for gosh sakes!

Rubbing condensation off the mirror Ino wrapped a towel around her wet hair, wishing that she were six years younger. She might have had a chance to duck out of her duties, but that was doubtful. Even then, she had always prided herself in her knowledge and ability to arrange and sort flowers in majestic display. That confidence and self-assurance had given her the drive to emerge as one of the higher-ranked kunoichi in her graduating class. Being the daughter of a family-owned business certainly balanced its share of highs and lows like anything else. Unfortunately, her ikebana talent was of little use in the midst of the battlefield and with what little missions she'd been involved in lately because of Shikamaru and Chouji's recent injuries, more time had been spent working in the flower shop instead of her ninja training. Not that she was out of practice. Not by a long shot—and she had picked up on a handy variation to her mind control technique.

There was another series of knocks on the door, followed by an impatient, "Ino?"

"Just another minute! I—oh for…" Throwing up her hands in a gesture of defeat, Ino grabbed a wide brush, reached for the knob, pulled the door open, and, almost bumping into her mother in the process, hustled down the hall.

"Well it's about time, young lady. Other people live in this house, too," the older woman commented, annoyed at this sudden, not entirely surprising, display of rudeness shown from her fiery daughter. She was clearly not in the mood for this sort of teenage brazenness.

Ino spun on her heel, one loose end of the towel coming loose. "We have two bathrooms," she pointed out vehemently, holding up two fingers to accentuate the fact. "Why didn't you just use the other one if you couldn't wait?"

Her mother snorted gently. "Because your father is using that right now, and your definition of a minute usually ends up ranging from five to ten," she countered frostily.

Ino glared at her in annoyance, and the older women returned the gaze, raising an eyebrow almost in a challenging notion to try and prove her wrong. Relevance aside, Ino continued to spur the stubborn urge to try and win the meaningless squabble, possibly out of how sulky she was feeling for being up this early—and felt the traces of underlying tension drain away. Along with setting up the stock and getting the flowers arranged for buyers, she had already been designated to be on shop duty from the morning to the early part of the afternoon. Dealing with a grumpy mother on the side wasn't going to help matters any.

"Fine. Go ahead. I'm pretty much done in there anyways," Ino grudgingly conceded. "I can finish up in my bedroom." She whirled, hurried the short distance to her room, and closed the door before her mother could venture a question to the change in her manner. Flicking on the light, unraveling the towel and wrapping it loosely around her neck, the ends hanging off her collarbone and shoulders, Ino stepped over and pulled out a portable brown stool tucked underneath a desk/mirror combo that contained make-up and a small assortment of cosmetics. Pulling the seat apart, Ino hastily wrung out the dampness from her thick silky hair, then began brushing out the tangles. Each string seemed to be spun from the mellow radiance of a winter-sun.

She hadn't gone more then four strokes when she paused abruptly, titled her head, sniffed the air experimentally and wrinkled her nose at how stuffy the bedroom had become. Padding over the hardwood floor and onto a plush wool rug, Ino pulled the drapes back and opened the chest-high window three quarters of the way up, then lowered it so that it wedged and locked just above the halfway mark. Cool wet air circulated, taking away some of the permeating mustiness.

At the firm, steady plummet of rain tapping against the ground and seeping into the soil, splashing and adding to the already-heaping brown puddles on the street in the front of the house—A mask of content filled Ino's face, overlaying the thin annoyance she'd felt a subtle moment ago. Why adults allowed themselves to get so worked up over absolutely nothing was something she'd never understand, or didn't care to understand for that matter. And anyone that wanted fresh lilies or tulips on this gloomy morning was either going to have to come up with a boat or else pack some diving gear along.

At this rate she might have had to come up with something along those same lines. She had already made plans to visit with Chouji, who was still recuperating in the hospital from the dangerous after-effects of using the special Akimichi clan pills, to find out if he was still being released that afternoon or the next day. Her and the rest of the team had been planning on throwing a party of good health in acknowledgement to Chouji's recent heroics. Asuma-sensei, and Shikamaru, especially, had been insistent that something special be done and thus were giving him one of the best and absolute worst options possible in existence, an unprecedented calamity of every sort possible.

They were going to allow Chouji to pick out the restaurant.

Ino grimaced at that ghastly thought. The last time he'd been given the option of choice had not been a pretty sight for both parties. Most places in town and the other regions were quite aware of the legendary Akimichi appetite and were usually well prepared for the visit. The new Korean restaurant that Chouji had picked out, and one of the most expensive place's in town to boot, had seemingly not been educated about the clan's eating legacy. That ignorance would teach them a somewhat important lesson.

There he'd proceeded to eat and devour every last slab of beef in sight and all of the supplies that had been kept in the back. Not only did he close the place down for the next couple of days but also went above and beyond Asuma-sensei's budget, even though he had repeatedly insisted that he would have more then enough money to pay for everything. Along with Chouji, her and Shikamaru had also had to dip into their savings to cover the expensive outing. It was after that when a limit had been set on the amount of food Chouji was allowed to consume before he had to start paying for his own unless conditions had been set in advance. She could still remember the dumbfounded cook and the owner's awestruck, but widespread smile when they'd handed over the money. "Come back again when we're up and running…"

Ino stopped brushing her hair and slid her arms through the opening letting them dangle over the edge of the windowsill along with the brush she casually twirled back and forth, a wistful smile creeping over her lips as she remembered their first mission after the teams had been drawn up. She recalled describing—or pouting—to her parents, in great detail, the heavy disappointment at being paired up with a lazy complainer and someone who prodded and did nothing but inquire about the next meal break. Instead of sympathizing, her father had laughed, proudly explained that she couldn't have been matched up with better or more reliable teammates. And nothing she said could sway his opinion otherwise.

She hadn't believed it—still wouldn't even after having a couple more assignments under the belt. But it wasn't until one particular skirmish with a group of mediocre thugs when she finally understood what her father had really been referring too. By combining their particular talents, they were able to add to each other's family strengths and make up for their individual weaknesses. Together, they, the trio, really did make a solid team.

Something brushed against her wrist; minuscule, but it was enough to make her skin tickle. A flicking motion revealed a white blossom, most likely from the pagoda tree flourishing nearby. Not just the plants but also the inhabitants and the wounded village had needed a heavy rain like this for a while, something to blur the deep impression created from the despairing events over the past weeks.

The symbolism of the seedling and the life-giving downpour began to mix and swirl in her imagination, a dejected looking person popping up almost instantly. A sobbing girl who had her face buried in her lap with the deliberate intent of trying to hide, either herself or else something that she considered absolutely portentous, away from prying eyes.

"Sakura…are you still having a rough spell…?"

Old feelings of antagonism aside, Ino couldn't help but have a little sympathy for Sakura's plight. Confessing one's love to somebody only to be shot down was definitely a kick in the stomach. On Mrs. Haruno's behalf, she'd recently tried to talk to the girl, to pull her out of this funk, but forehead had been quiet, withdrawn, and just not in the mood for conversation. It was like looking at the same girl who would get upset over the little things that she couldn't control from those first days in the academy all over again.

What actually made it worse was that Sasuke—after thinking about it—fit the profile of someone who wouldn't have been satisfied living a perfectly normal life in a governed village. The slaughter of the Uchiha clan hadn't been much of a secret although the conditions behind it were still a bit iffy. Being a bookworm, Sakura probably knew more of the details involved. Once things improved she'd see if forehead was willing to disclose some of those juicy tidbits, or else she could just come up with her own research. It would probably do her good to start hitting the library again, anyways.

But she was needed here. Ino's enhanced hearing picked up on her father's heavier footsteps on the main floor in the shop while her mother's shower sounded as if it was drawing to a close. Sooner or later, one or else both of them were going to come up here to find that she was not ready. Ponderings' had caused her to lose track of time, and the room had become a little chilly; she could almost see her breath in the brisk morning air.

Making a quiet reminder to see if Sakura wanted to join the feeding frenzy that would ensure, Ino dropped her brush on the recently tousled bed and pulled the window down, leaving just a ribbon-sized opening for ventilation.

"And if not, then I'll drag that crybaby by the neck if need be," Ino voicelessly admonished as she dropped the towel on the seat and faced the mirror. Taking a handful of hair and fastening a small elastic band off the dresser to tie it down into a ponytail, Ino pleasantly noted that her hair was slowly becoming longer, gradually resembling the familiar length she'd had it before the exams. Unlike Sakura, she didn't look quite as good with shortened hair nor felt that it suited her rather charismatic personality—

'Clink'

Ino froze in mid-thought, glanced at the window with a bewildered expression. She could have sworn that something small, hard and solid just bounced against the glass. That, or else the drops had turned into ice pebbles. It was probably cold enough.

"Only another reason why everything needs to be in a rush on this oh-so-fine morning."

Snuffing out her rebounding agitation in a long breathy huff, Ino finished with her hair, did an once-over in the mirror. Even with things being in a whirlwind, a girl still had to take the time to look her absolute best for the customers. She tried a smile—

'Clink'

—And frowned. There it was again. She hadn't been imagining anything. No mistake about it. Something was tapping against the windowsill. But there hadn't been any hail a minute ago. And even as she looked over in the direction, she couldn't see anything that resembled falling sleet. Just a steady rain, but there was no way a downpour like this could make that kind of sound. Then what…?

'Clink'

"Ino!"

It was no longer a question of her imagination. Someone outside—an urgent but very familiar voice—was yelling out her name. Retracing her footsteps and looking outside, Ino surveyed the scene. "I don't see anyone out there—"

'Clink'

A pebble bounced off the glass a few millimeters from Ino's nose, startling her a step back. Once intrigued but now plain irritated, Ino yanked up the window and stuck her head out the window to give whoever that was a piece of her mind for adding to her already tight schedule. She should have just ignored the distraction.

But then again, it might have been about something important.

Stretching her body outward to get a better look, Ino caught a glimpse of a form half-sheltered underneath the spilling eaves troughs. "Hey!" she barked. "Who's down there?"

The crouching figure didn't answer, but flung a handful of small rocks towards the wet street. Annoyed mumblings of "…Thought I was going to have to break the damn thing…" floated over the wind, reaching her ears.

"I know that voice—know it quite well!"

Ino's assumptions were quickly proven correct when the person had backed away from the house sufficiently enough to get a better look. Matted pink hair, dripping clothes, saturated skin—Ino had to fight in order to keep unexpected laughter from spilling out. "Good morning, forehead-girl. Out for a early stroll or just trying to grow a set of gills?" she wryly inquired, a few light snickers managed to slip past.

"At least my ears work, piggy!" Sakura shot back, flinging water off her hands. "What's your excuse?"

Ino shrugged off the insult, responded mildly, "That's pretty weak considering that I'm dry as a bone and you're…well, soaked to the bone."

Sakura shook wet bangs out of her face. "Brilliant comeback, Ino. Did you come up with that one all by yourself or did you need to look it up?"

"Nope," she replied. "Unlike some people present, I don't need to bury my head in a ton of books to spar in a verbal conversation. And as for the pun, I figured I'd save it just especially for a—" she paused to glance left and then to the right, "—rainy day, but thank you for giving me the chance."

Sakura shot the blonde a sharp glare that would have sent most people scrambling for cover but Ino merely smiled gloatingly, very much aware that she had scored the winning point in their impromptu battle of wits. And Sakura, to add to her frustration, could find no scathing words to take that victory away from her.

"Grr…forget the insult. Must, MUST, try and act pleasant…"

"So Sakura," Ino carried on, faint undertones of triumph lingering, "What could be so vitally important that you would need to show up here this early in the morning?"

Her temper under tight control, Sakura answered unenthusiastically, "Is there a crime against having a friend come and visit?"

Feeling insulted, Ino shook her head. "There would be if I was the Hokage and it was this early. You'll have to do a lot better then that."

Sakura sighed, reluctantly nodded agreement. "Yeah, I know—look, I need to talk to you about something."

Ino's eyes perked up, but rather then jumping at the bait like she was probably expected to, she cupped her chin against the heel of her hand in an expression of intrigued puzzlement. "And this 'something' couldn't have possibly waited until a more reasonable hour?"

"No," Sakura growled, teeth grinding together, her bad mood—brought on by lack of sleep—rapidly returning. "It couldn't have."

Ino snorted in response. Everything always had to roll around Sakura's timeframe. "Fine," she said, tiring of this game a little. "What exactly did you want to talk about then?"

"Well, it's…" Sakura started to say when she looked up at the dark sky, realizing that she wasn't getting any drier by standing out here. "You know, this would probably be easier if I just came in there and explained instead of us trying to shout at each other."

"It probably would be," Ino replied matter-of-factly.

"Yeah…so when exactly were you going to go ahead and let me in?" Sakura demanded.

Ino shrugged, gestured with her left thumb. "You know where the front door is. Just knock and I'll meet you down in the shop."

"Umm…" Sakura stalled. "Actually, if you didn't mind, I was thinking more in terms of coming in through your bedroom window."

Ino paused in turn. "Why?" she asked.

Sakura dug her sandals into the ground, looking embarrassed and a little awkward. "It would be easier," she finally said after several seconds of glancing everywhere else but her. "And I wanted to talk to you…privately."

Ino frowned at the invalid response. "That's still not much of an answer, forehead."

Unable to contain her temper any longer with this expectant interrogation, Sakura finally blew up and shouted, "It's raining out here, Ino! Are you going to let me in there or not?! Her teeth practically clashed together with each angry word spoken.

Unfazed, Ino stared down at the angry girl with a quizzical expression. It wasn't like Sakura hadn't used the window to come into her house before. When they were kids, Ino would often use it as way to sneak out of the house to play with Sakura and the other girls or to get back into the house after breaking curfew and escape a likely grounding. This had carried on until they had become genin, but by then their competition over Sasuke's attention had taken precedence, and old habits were otherwise forgotten.

But something about this wasn't adding up. Why was Sakura so insistent on coming through the window instead of simply going through the front door? Not that the idea wasn't impractical, but what could have been so important that Sakura didn't want her parents to know that she was here? Whatever the reason was, it seemed fascinating. And just maybe—

"Ino!" Sakura's sharp voice cut through her thoughts.

"Alright, alright," Ino grumbled under her breath. Putting her contemplations on ice and lifting the window up again, Ino walked over to the dresser as Sakura leaped through the opening to land gracefully on the carpeted area, specks of water flying from the impact. Retrieving the towel, she spun and tossed it towards Sakura. "Here. It's a little damp, but dry yourself off before you catch a cold. Take your sandals off and close the window—but don't close it completely," she made sure to add. "Leave it open a crack."

Prying her feet loose, Sakura snatched the towel out of the air and immediately began dabbing at her clothes and arms. "Damp doesn't even come close to describing how absolutely drenched in water I am," Sakura complained as she pulled the window down remembering to leave a smidgen of open space as instructed.

"Well that tends to happen when you're walking around without the proper necessities like, say, an umbrella and a rain jacket. Were you trying to start a new fad or something?" Ino asked, taking a seat on the bed.

"No, it was suppose to be a fashion statement," Sakura retorted, voice heavy with the sarcasm. "You know, you're like some desperate comedian. You just don't know when to quit with the lame jokes until the audience is booing you off the stage, do you?"

Ino blinked, a bit taken back by the fire in Sakura's demeanor. "You said you needed to talk to me about something; so talk," she said in a short tone. "Otherwise, go back outside and cool off some more. I've dealt with enough crabbiness for one day already. Yours: I can certainly deal without."

Chastened by the warning, Sakura dropped her eyes. "Yeah—sorry. I didn't get very much sleep and I'm kind of grumpy…" caught Ino's brow twitching, "…really grumpy because of it," she reluctantly corrected.

Sakura's attempt at an apology taking some of the edge out of her own crankiness, Ino commiserated instantly with the girl. "Yeah…I know the feeling. Is that helping any?" she abruptly asked, pointing at the towel.

Finishing with her skin and beginning to work on her wet locks, Sakura lifted her shoulders in a light shrug. "A little bit. You wouldn't happen to have a blow drier handy would you?" She paused, hesitantly asked, "Ino—this towel…it hasn't been—?"

Chuckling, Ino shook her head for negative. "Yes, it's clean. I was the only that used it." She moved to the other side of the bed, "And no, I don't have a drier handy," she added. "Closest one would be in the bathroom, and Okaa-san is in there right now," she explained, a sudden lance of irritation evident in the honorific.

Not missing a beat, Sakura smirked. "Are you two at each other's throats again?" In her view, those two always seemed to be fighting about something. It was pretty well the same kind of relationship that she and her mother seemed to thrive off.

Pulling the side of the blanket back, Ino made a growling sound in the back of her throat to express disdain. "That's basically the gist of it. You'd better have a seat, so I can mop you down."

Sakura glanced at the sleeping cot skeptically, a corner of her lip curved down. "You sure? My clothes are still wet. I'll just wind up getting your bedspread all drenched."

Ino waved a nonchalant hand. "Don't be ridiculous. It's not like they can't be washed, and they're probably due for it anyway. Stop worrying."

Severely tempted to shoot off a deliberate retort relating to her comment, Sakura, instead, tossed the towel on the end of the bed deciding not to push whatever luck she had left. Once she was seated, Sakura let out a soft, grateful exhalation as Ino wrapped the bulky blanket around her back, her slender hands scrubbing briskly alongside Sakura's shoulders. After a minute of this Ino decided to check her progress. "Is that better?"

Sakura glanced back over her shoulder. "Yeah, thanks. You can stop now." She waited until Ino was sitting down next to her before presenting her opening. "I, uh, suppose you want to know why I'm here," Sakura timidly asked.

Taking a second to tuck a foot underneath her other thigh, Ino casually answered, "To, uh, talk," she replied, using the same hesitant tone that Sakura had to show how unusual she was being. "We've already been through that. But what's so important that you didn't want my parents to see you?" she pressed, reaching over to tousle Sakura's already ruined hair like a little kid. "Other then to hide your ravishing hairdo?"

Knowing that she was going to have to open up a bit sooner or later, Sakura gently bit the inside of her cheek, spoke cautiously, "I kind of…needed to ask about something."

Ino kept her expression carefully neutral. "Go on."

Sakura closed her eyes. "I need a favor," she answered directly.

Ino made a face then flashed an annoyed look. "What, like a tooth removed? I hope that wasn't too painful to have to spit out. Now what do you need?"

Gathering her nerve, she turned to face Ino. "This is going to sound awkward but hear me out," she explained, pausing for a second to work out her beginning. "See…it's like this," she started out. "I—"

There was a short knock closely followed by the bedroom door opening as Mrs. Yamanaka strolled through, already dressed, sporting a similar looking towel wrapped around her hair. A taller, slender woman, Sakura was quickly reminded of just how startlingly attractive she was, clearly exuberating the same natural poise and self-confidence that Ino exhibited. It was fair to say that she was ranked solidly behind Ino when the question of role models was concerned. "Ino. Your father and I are waiting and—" her firm voice broke off as both Ino and Sakura turned to face her. Clearly surprised to see the other girl in the room, Mrs. Yamanaka stammered, "Oh…good morning, Sakura."

Smiling pleasantly—as if she'd been that way this entire time—Sakura inclined her head in a trim gesture of politeness. "Good morning, Mrs. Yamanaka. How are you?"

Mrs. Yamanaka automatically returned the bow. "I'm fine, dear," she replied smoothly, then asked inquisitively, "but when did you show up? I didn't see you when I was in here this morning."

Sakura faltered, not sure of what to say. Like a dimwit, she hadn't prepared for the possibility that she would have to justify her reasoning for being there in Mrs. Yamanaka's presence. "Well, I—"

"Oh, she's been here all night, Okaa-san," Ino quickly spoke up, catching Sakura's eye and deliberately cutting her response off. "Sakura was feeling down, so I invited her over so that we could have a girl talk, but then it started to rain and I told her to spend the night here." She glanced at Sakura for approval and winked. "Isn't that right?"

Sakura nodded to confirm her part in the fraudulently slick tale. "Yes, that's right," then quickly said to Mrs. Yamanaka, "I apologize for sneaking over so late and for keeping Ino. I honestly didn't know she was needed down in the shop," and she really hadn't.

Mrs. Yamanaka smiled thoughtfully at the girl, going back to the explanation that Ino had given when she had explained the difficulty that Sakura was having in Uchiha Sasuke's departure. She had sympathized; careful to explain that failure in a teenager's first love was often the most difficult to handle and that it would take time to mend that inner anguish, although Ino hadn't exactly taken the news lightly, either.

What had surprised her was the immense concern her daughter had expressed over Sakura. Despite their rivalry and their desire to outdo the other in terms of skill and ability, they were the closest of friends right to the very end. Seeing them sitting together like this was quite a refreshing sight. The things that could reunite people together were often strange and unusual events. And she just plain liked the girl.

"That's all right," Mrs. Yamanaka finally acknowledged. "If I had known you were here, Sakura, I wouldn't have had Ino up so early. You must really be improving on your stealth abilities. I didn't even see you. Did I happen to wake you up?" She placed a hand over her mouth at the realization of the mistake. "Oh, dear! My sincerest apologies if I did. I hadn't known—!"

Sakura held up her hands to ease the woman's palpable guilt. "Oh no, that's fine. I needed to be up early anyways so this works out for me perfectly."

Mrs. Yamanaka didn't seem quite convinced but it was clear that she wasn't going to argue the issue any further. "Okay, but again I must apologize for the noise and clutter. Our inventory shipment was supposed to have arrived the other day but it was switched for this morning so we've had to rush in order to have the old inventory cleared away to make room for the new stock," she carefully explained.

Ino sprang to her feet. "Speaking of that, I should probably be down there giving you guys a hand—"

Her mother held up a hand to halt her daughter's momentum. "No, no, that's all right. Your father and I can take care of that. You both just stay here and gossip for a while. Would you like me to bring up some tea?"

Ino turned to look at the guest—correction, their guest. "Tea?"

Sakura declined, not wishing to be anymore of a bother. "I'll be fine. I should probably be going in a while, anyways. I need to let my mom know that I'm okay before she sends out an ANBU search party," she added for dramatic flair and a little disarming humor.

Mrs. Yamanaka laughed. "I don't think she'd go quite that far, but what better notion would you need to prove that she cares about you?"

Sakura smiled ruefully. "I know." It wasn't needed but, nonetheless, she said it again, "Please excuse me for being such a pest."

As expected the older women waved the apology aside. "Not a problem, Sakura, not a problem. I'm just glad to see you with a nice smile on your face. Stay as long as you like and be sure to let Ino know if you need anything else, you hear?"

Promising that she would do just that, Mrs. Yamanaka nodded once more before gracefully exiting, quietly shutting the door behind her and leaving the two alone again. Once the sound of her footsteps faded down the recesses of the hallway, Sakura's sigh exuded real gratification. "Thanks, Ino. I owe you one."

Ino looked at her nonplussed. "For…?" her voice trailed off, then realization suddenly struck like a shuriken in the chest. "…Oh, you mean telling that fib was the favor?"

Sakura gave her a scathing look. "W-well, yeah. Why the hell else would you have lied for me?"

The girl shrugged, casually ran a lazy thumb along her perfect fingernails and then blew on them. "To get myself out of about two hours worth of work." She waited until Sakura's facial color reached a bright shade of angry red before casually adding, "And to pull your butt, and probably mine, out of whatever fire you had a part in starting."

"Kill two birds with one stone," Sakura grumbled. "I swear that when you're not trying to get a rise out of me—"

"—Then it's the other way around, right?" Ino finished the statement for her. She patiently waited while Sakura considered the validness in that sentence. She then burst out into fits of what must have been tension releasing laughter. The atypical, yet delighted sound of Sakura's giggles roused Ino enough to join in rare chorus along with her. Laughing at nothing yet everything was a behavior that the two hadn't exhibited since simpler times, before any speck of rivalry was ever even conceived. When they'd finally quieted down, Ino leaned back and smoothly pushed off of the bed. "I haven't heard you laugh that hard for quite some time, forehead," Ino admitted as she waltzed over to the window to look outside. "You must be in better shape then I figured."

"You sound as if you were almost worried," Sakura remarked with a slash of sarcasm.

With only a smile and a nod in return, Ino pushed the pane up enough again so that she could stick her head outside without restriction, folding her arms along the smooth. sturdy frame. "Dummy—of course I was worried. I'm not that cold-hearted!" As if the matter was getting too personal for her taste, she swiftly changed the subject. "This is almost a nice change of pace," Ino spoke up, making indication towards the gloom outside. "After everything that's happened, the village could use about a week's worth of rain to wash away some of the bleakness. Wouldn't you say?"

"Not so much a week, maybe," Sakura offered, keeping pace and trying to be realistic while retaining to the fact that Ino took a great deal of enjoyment from a good shower. "But a good day's worth would definitely do the trick. It's been such a dry summer, too."

Ino offered no response but the vigorous nod indicated she was pleased with the response. "I wonder what time it started to rain?" Ino casually ventured. "It must have been quite late in the night."

"I'm not too sure, but it would have to have been somewhere around midnight," Sakura innocently replied, unaware so far that Ino was fishing for information. "At least that was about the time I noticed it," she was quick to add in her defense.

"Mm. I see." Ino was silent as she continued to peer outside, a short gust whipping her ponytail from side to side. The hollow sound of wind chimes rang from another house nearby. Sakura wrapped her arms around her ankles, unsure of what else to say for the moment. Then she heard Ino whisper, "Well, this should be interesting."

"What should be interesting?" Sakura inquired, an immediate pang of anxiety creeping through her.

As if confirming Sakura's nervous suspicions, Ino turned and smiled wickedly. "The response that you're going to give me explaining just where you were last night, and why I just told that fib for you."

Panicking, Sakura started giggling again, this time out of sheer apprehension. "Oh, there's really nothing to explain," she found herself blurting out. "All I did was sneak out of the house to get some air, got caught up in the bad weather, and had to spend the night at somebody's house. There's absolutely no need to make a big deal out of something that isn't," Sakura stumbled as she rubbed the back of her head while continuing to laugh over-extravagantly, hoping against hope that she sounded more blasé.

Turning to lean against the wall and casually folding her arms, Ino continued to grin ravenously. A performance like the one she was witnessing might have been clever enough to fool someone else who wasn't acquainted with Sakura's nervous habits. Very fortunately for herself, and rather unfortunately for Sakura, she was not that 'someone else' but rather the close childhood friend who could spot and easily identify untruths from a long ways away. And based on the great length that Sakura was apparently going, this looked to be quite the whopper of a secret. "And just who would this somebody happen to be?" Ino pressed, deliberately making sure to put a weighting amount of emphasis on the word 'who' as she went to knell on the bed again.

Silently apologizing to Naruto, who was probably still sound asleep right now, Sakura responded lamely with, "Umm…well, nobody all that special in particular. Just, you know, a friend."

Casually sliding a foot along the slick floor, Ino made an tsk tsk sound. "And this friend of yours—who obviously didn't have any umbrellas—just happened to be awake at what, say…midnight?" she asked, remembering the time proximity that Sakura had given

"Well, yeah, I mean it was Friday and a lot of people just happen to stay up late on Fridays'," Sakura retorted—babbled—in reply. "I mean, didn't you stay up late last night?"

Ino wasn't buying into the direction of the argument. "Sorry, forehead, but no. I was sleeping. Stop trying to change the subject and 'fess up already, or else I'll—" She suddenly stopped talking, a sudden epiphany latching hold of her, sprouting an instant suspicion that rose like some magical beanstalk. Did all of this go-between nonsense have something to do with their deep-rooted fixation over Sasuke? Did Sakura know something about him; some personal secret that she was afraid to discuss because it might have alienated the two of them even further? Maybe even something relating to his leaving, or else…was it possible that maybe he was still—

"Does this have something to do with Sasuke-kun, Sakura?" Ino outright demanded, her train of thought instantly becoming vocally empowered. "Did he come back? Is he back in the village? Are you hiding him somewhere?" Her rampant questions raced along as fast as her imagination allowed.

"No, no, no and no," Sakura responded swiftly and curtly, already well prepared for this inevitable diatribe. Although it was already to be expected that Sasuke would become a topic here, Sakura neither had the time nor the patience for bothersome accusations, and thus, was determined to pop this bubble before it could further expand into something that wasn't. "This has nothing to do with Sasuke-kun."

"Yeah right," were the words that instantly sprung into Ino's brain. After all of the events that had transpired, there was absolutely no way that Sasuke couldn't be an issue here. It wasn't possible. And yet…something about Sakura and the way her chin was set…

"You're a little mad at him, aren't you?"

Showing cracks in her countenance, Sakura frowned at the awkward, out of the blue question. "Mad at who?" Sakura questioned, trying to play dumb.

The feelings of accusation gone, Ino pulled herself a little more into the middle of the bed and crossed her ankles, burying her feet under the depth of the covers for additional warmth, her toes touching Sakura's already warming legs. "Sasuke-kun. You're upset with him." She waited a moment for Sakura to process that possibility before asking her again, "Aren't you?"

Sakura glanced down at her hands. "Why would I be mad at Sasuke-kun?" she softly asked.

"I don't know," Ino replied, her voice turning quiet. "Why would you be?"

Sakura's eyes shot up angrily. "Don't you even! I'm not in the mood for some psychoanalyzing crap! You're not a psychologist or an academy councilor, Ino! Don't try and start acting like one!"

"I'm not," Ino said, her voice cooling a few degrees. "What I am doing—trying to do—is act like a friend here; the key word being 'trying', and you're really not making that easy. I know something's bothering you and—"

"Why are you just simply assuming that it's about Sasuke-kun?" she asked suddenly.

This time Ino was the one to glance away. "Well what else could it be?" she asked in an unrepentant voice.

Sakura was mildly surprised that the compulsive urge to verbally or else physically lash out at Ino for her continuing need to bring this competition into view was otherwise absent. It almost didn't seem to matter how many times it was said. In this type of conversation, Sasuke would always remain the central focal point here. But if there was ever a time to shed light on a couple things, it was now.

"Ino…I was…no, I am a little angry with Sasuke," she spoke gently, deliberately leaving out the honorific that she always proudly added to his name to show how serious she was. "After everything that's happened and the people that have been hurt because of all of this, it wouldn't be right to turn the other cheek and say that everything's perfectly okay when it's obvious that it isn't." She waited until she had Ino's full attention, most importantly eye contact, before continuing. "I'm sorry…that I snapped at you like that. It wasn't called for. I just…ever since he left, I've been acting like a basket case all week. I really placed a lot of unneeded blame on myself for the things I thought that could have been prevented when they really couldn't. I figured that I could have done more to keep Sasuke from leaving, but it was only until recently—very recently—when I realized that that wasn't the case." She smiled sardonically. "I guess when a person wants something bad enough where they're willing to push their own friends aside…"

"Do you really believe that?" Ino blurted out in a forthright stance, completely ignoring that last statement. "I mean, you can't actually think that he would just leave like that without having some kind of regret." Obviously, this question had been jumbling around on her side for a time. She simply hadn't had the occasion to have it answered until now.

"No. Not now…not even then." Sakura pulled a little more of the blanket across her lap. "I get the impression that he was going to leave for awhile now. Ever since he—well, since we participated in the Chuunin exams." The topic of Orochimaru and the cursed seal wasn't a particular subject that needed to be discussed right now. If absolutely needed, she could bring it up some other time once things had cooled down—

"You're talking about that strange aura of chakra that came from Sasuke-kun," Ino pointed out almost smugly. When Sakura couldn't find a reasonable reply, Ino shook her head. "I was there, Sakura. A person doesn't forget those certain kind of details. I've already deduced the idea that something happened to him in that forest. Something important." Ino looked askance at Sakura. "Correct?"

Sakura nodded ruefully. "I didn't want to say anything until I figured out a few things myself," she protested, "but that's a part of it, yes. It happened just after we fought with Orochimaru and—"

"Hold on a minute," she interrupted. "Orochimaru?" Ino repeated the name slowly. "The same legendary Orochimaru once regarded as one of the most powerful ninja ever existing, and the person who was behind the entire attack raid of the village? That Orochimaru?"

"Yeah…that Orochimaru," Sakura reiterated, the bitterness in her words could almost be pertained to chewing on a particularly sour lemon. "He cursed Sasuke-kun by placing a strange seal on the side of his neck. Whenever he tried to use any sort of jutsu or the sharingan, the seal would then activate and try to take him over. Kakashi-sensei had said that the markings were contained, but to what extent…that I'm not sure of."

Ino crossed her arms. "But why Sasuke? Was it because of his ability to use the sharingan? Did he do that just to restrict him?"

"I think…it depends on the way you look at it," Sakura explained carefully. "From what I had seen, the seal provides an enormous boost of strength, but at the same time, the body is unable to handle that kind of unnatural chakra and starts to break down. I'm pretty sure that there are other side effects too, but this is what I've been able to gather so far."

"So it's double-edged, then" Ino clarified.

Sakura nodded. "I'm certain that Tsunade-sama or Kakashi-sensei, given time, could have been able to make further progress on the workings of the seal, but Orochimaru is probably the only one who fully understands how it actually works. He deliberately planted that mark on Sasuke-kun simply because he knows just how important power is to him."

"And Orochimaru knew that Sasuke-kun would be tempted enough to leave and seek him out?"

"That's right," Sakura grumbled, "and what makes me angry about it is that Sasuke-kun is smart and savvy enough to know that he's being used by Orochimaru, for whatever that purpose might be. And even knowing that, Sasuke-kun is still allowing himself to be used." Grabbing a pillow from behind, she placed it over her lap and planted her elbows atop of it while cradling her face against her palms. "And then there was that skirmish he had with his brother which of course didn't help matters any either." Her lips crinkled with deep dismay.

Ino repressed the unsettling feeling of guilt that was building in her gut. If she'd had any form of tact, she probably would have quit pushing and left the whole Sasuke issue alone already instead of snooping around. Frankly she was surprised that Sakura hadn't told her to buzz off and/or else mind her own business. Either it really wasn't bothering her as much as she'd said it did or she had this whole issue buried a lot deeper then what Ino had thought.

Still…

"You don't—you can't really believe that Sasuke-kun would just throw himself into the arms of the enemy. I mean, you said it yourself that he's smart enough to know that he's being led by the nose," Ino found herself asking. "I know that he was—is—your teammate, but even I can't accept that him leaving without having a deeper motive. How do you know that it's Orochimaru and not Sasuke-kun who's being used?"

She'd been mentally preparing for some massive outburst; not the tiny expression resembling a smile that danced along Sakura's face. "You came to that possibility, too, huh?"

Ino snorted, ran a lazy finger alongside her nose. "Well, yeah. That does seem a lot more rational then just flat-out abandoning the village, but who are we to say. We both know that Sasuke-kun isn't all that outspoken. Well not to me, anyways. But then again—" Ino stuck her tongue out at Sakura, "—he's not on my team."

"And envy is still your favorite color," Sakura tossed in, returning the childish gesture with one of her own. She then became serious. "And besides, what better way to figure out the venom of a snake then by understanding the snake itself."

"Keep your friends close, but keep your enemies even closer." The old expression jumped into Ino's mind. Although she wanted to sound a little optimistic in light of this new possibility, surely Sakura understood the massive amount of risk that went along with an idea of such dangerous proportions. And if that really was Sasuke's plan this entire time…"Whatever the reason might have been, being angry with him for the rest of your adolescent life isn't going to make it any easier to acknowledge the fact that he's gone," Ino pointed out. "There is a thing such as life after Sasuke-kun."

Sakura blew an unladylike raspberry. "I've already arrived at that conclusion, piggy. You're the one who keeps bringing the subject up."

Ino reached forward and smacked her on the shoulder, not quite that willing to peaceably hand over the victory. "Oh, just never mind. All I'm trying to do is form my own conclusions on the whole matter," she said in a manner of childlike petulance. "I'm certain that every other kunoichi in the village who ever had a crush on Sasuke-kun is doing the same thing."

"And I thought I was bad," Sakura mused silently. Turning to stare at the window, Sakura quietly said, "Well whatever the case is, I'd like you to keep what I said pertaining to Orochimaru to yourself. It's probably not exactly the kind of gossip that should be spread around the village, especially not after all the damage that's been done. Right now, people need to feel reassured that things will get better in time. You know?"

Ino solidly agreed. "That makes sense to me. Everyone's got enough on their plate as it is. Things might as well be left alone, at least for awhile."

Sakura nodded but didn't turn to look at Ino. When Sakura didn't glance back after several seconds, Ino turned to look at whatever was catching Sakura's eye but she couldn't see anything, aside from the half-opened the window and the clouds beyond. From past experience that mesmerizing stare indicated that Sakura was deep in thought over something that she regarded as being important. Ino then remembered Sakura saying something about being at a friend's house just before the conversation sidetracked. For somebody who was referred to as being nobody special, Sakura sure seemed to act like it was someone with the answer to some great mystery of the universe. And if this really wasn't about Sasuke, then what was it all about?

"Why did you come here, Sakura?" Ino asked, deciding to be as completely straightforward as possible. Politeness could only get a person so far. "Telling a fib for you is one thing, but not knowing why I'm fibbing for you is completely different. Now you didn't come here just to ask for favors. You came here because you either wanted to talk about something relatively important, or else get my opinion on a particular matter. Either way, I think you owe me the truth."

"I already told you the truth," Sakura murmured stubbornly, half-wishing that Ino would drop it already.

"Yes, but—!" Ino realized that she was becoming agitated again, forced the note of irritation into submission before going on. "Sakura…thank you, for putting a few things into perspective and shedding some insight about Sasuke-kun. But…you said that he wasn't the issue here, and we both damn well know something is gnawing at you," she told her.

This elected a defeated sigh from the visitor. "You just…won't give it up, will you?"

Knowing that she was beginning to break through to her, Ino smiled dazzlingly, knowingly. "You know I'll prod you endlessly until you talk."

"That's what I'm afraid of…"

"It's stupid," Sakura muttered at last.

"Try me," was Ino's reply. Knowing that she almost had Sakura won off, she pushed by saying, "C'mon. We're best friends. I promise I won't make a big deal out of…whatever it is." She completed the pledge with another smile. "Okay?"

Sakura tried not to grimace. That sounded about as favorable as a desperate mouse trying to bargain with some lazy cat. Desperate or not, once she'd made that choice to show up over here and ask for a favor, she'd also resigned herself to the fate of whatever outlandish terms of agreement Ino could come up with. And they really weren't all that outlandish to begin with. If anybody was being difficult here, then she was the guilty party. This…reluctance…to discuss the late and/ now early hours at the apartment paled in comparison to the occupant himself. She still hadn't been able to connect any plausible conclusions when she'd left this morning, and felt just as uncertain as she'd been while sitting by the side of his bed watching him sleep like some cunning stalker. And the few hours of sleep she had managed to gain just didn't seem like they'd helped at all.

Ino mentally sighed. "So much for confession being good for the soul…" Clearing her throat, she prepared to try again. "Look…Sakura—"

"I went to Naruto's last night."

The finger Ino had been holding up in a scolding manner slowly began to shrink and disappear back into her surprised fist. That succinct response didn't sound completely baffling. The two were teammates after all. It just wouldn't have been her first guess. "Well that's…" she paused to find the correct words, settled on simplicity, "…no big deal. Hardly a reason to keep it hidden behind three layers of security jutsu."

Sakura swabbed at her temples. "It's actually, umm, a little more complicated and confusing then that."

"Oh?" Eyes lifting in surprise, Ino drummed her fingers against her leg. "Well…why not start from the, uh, beginning and, uh…" she shrugged, lifted her hands in a indifferent motion, "…take it from there I guess—Now when you mean Naruto, you're talking about Uzumaki Naruto the prankster, right?"

Sakura twitched. "No. I mean the other Naruto—the doppelganger—that lives about seven villages north and four villages over to the east!" she growled already starting to regret letting Ino talk her into broaching the subject. Strangely, although not surprisingly enough, just bringing his name up in the open like that had began to disassociate and drain some of the stress out of her. Come to think of it, she wasn't feeling quite as tired as she had five minutes ago either.

"Well then?" Ino said, inviting her to speak.

But the moodiness was still there. Probably would be for the duration of the visit. Stifling a snort at her persistence, Sakura turned to look at Ino, wordlessly promising vengeance if this conversation started to turn into a fracas. "Just don't interrupt me," she said, intelligent green eyes narrowing in warning. Only upon receiving a solemn nod from a calm faced Ino did Sakura began to give a measured recount of the events prior to now.

Despite the nagging innuendo that the crafted detail she was using would have been satisfactory for a mass murder scene Ino carefully listened as Sakura talked about the past couple days, talked about how low she'd been feeling; her dejection, how she'd felt a little embarrassed and foremost relieved when Naruto had shown up and the almost self-seeking feeling of comfort that she'd felt with him just being there. She then talked about her indiscreet resolve to go to his apartment to continue the conversation. Partially for Naruto's sake, but the reality was that she'd had her own interests in mind. Voice softening, she then talked about that visit in loose detail, talked about Naruto's accommodating hospitality—materialistically, emotionally, or compassionately. She was calm for the most part, placid even—until she got to a point where she described herself watching Naruto while he slept in his bed. Something in Sakura's expression seemed to change—notably her eyes—while she spoke.

Hearing her talk Ino found it more and more difficult to take in this conversation without the nagging allusion that words were being said but nothing seemed to be fitting in place; a plethora of mismatched puzzle pieces. She kept expecting Sakura to stop and say that she was joking—kidding, but the conversation kept progression and she didn't appear to be doing that. For all intents and purposes Ino just couldn't quite buy into the peculiar series of events that Sakura was attempting to describe (not that she'd been expected to); especially since Ino recalled, with acute memory, the number of occasions Sakura had expressed such utter and complete dismay that they were allowing the class clown of their graduating class (who was supposed to have failed anyways) to be placed in team seven. Her team. Ino had always been able to comfortably smirk over that addition. "Let forehead suffer a little with that headache." It had been as good a sign as any that nobody ever completely got their way without some sort of stumbling block to trip over. Maybe it'd be a good idea to bring that up afterwards…

But she'd been told to keep a vigil silence right now, and good friend protocol decreed that it was important that she respect those wishes so by the time Sakura had finished with her semi-lengthy anecdote, Ino had only one absolutely pressing question to ask.

"You…slept…in the same bed…with him?"

A muscle in Sakura's cheek seemed to burst. "That stupid, stubborn Naruto wouldn't give me any choice in the matter!" she argued. "I kept telling him, repeatedly, that I'd sleep on the couch and he could take the bed, but he wouldn't listen. Wouldn't have any of it! I even tried to say that it was better that way, that it was necessary so that he could recoup from his injuries, and the bastard still wouldn't budge!"

Ino covered a smile with one hand. "So, Naruto managed to get you—" she hesitated, straightaway knowing that this next comment was probably going to land her under some very hot water but didn't care, "—under the sheets, so to say. Why Sakura, I didn't think you had it in you." She started to laugh.

Eyes bulging with madness, Sakura launched herself at Ino in an uncontrollable wave of fury, breaking her lively tittering apart and knocking her on her back. "DAMMIT, I WAS TIRED, INO-PIG! TIRED, TIRED, TIRED, DAMMIT!" Sakura screamed insistently and rapidly, her hands tightly clenched around the collar of Ino's shirt as she shook her repeatedly with the ferocity of an hunger driven wildcat determined to snuff the life out of its frantic prey.

"Tired—okay, Sakura, okay—got it, let go now, Sakura—gack—let go," Ino querulously begged, voice gargled and distorted from her head being heaved and smacked against the bed repeatedly. If Ino hadn't been predicting this response, expecting these repercussions—and wasn't feeling so dizzy—she'd be still laughing. Only when Sakura's storm of rage was fully satisfied did she show mercy and finally release Ino from the punishment/physical temper tantrum.

"There was absolutely nothing that remotely resembled the sick idea bouncing around in that peanut-sized brain of yours," Sakura panted between short breaths, nostrils flaring from the abruptness of the instigated tussle. Teasing as it might have been intended to sound, those very assumptions were the absolute last thing she wanted to hear; had nearly feared to hear. If Ino had any current desire to live—which Sakura was rather certain of—then it would be absolutely wise on Ino's part to keep any traces of this taboo conversation within these walls, for both of their sakes. Although based on what happened just now, Sakura felt some assurance that Ino had gotten that particular hint and would keep her mouth shut.

The flood of adrenaline petering out of her system, Sakura looked down, was very much considering the abrupt, but enticing idea of stretching out for just a while. Even just resting her eyes for a scant few minutes would be a treat right now. And she was just about to quit toying with the notion and follow through with it completely when Ino slowly started to sit up.

She used the point of her elbows to anchor herself and, with a light grunt, lifted her head off of the quilt into 'not quite' a sitting position, but an uncomfortable looking slant. Almost sure that she was going to get bawled out for her actions, Sakura reached forward, was about to give Ino a grudging hand up when she suddenly paused, defenses slowly rising again as she studied the blonde-haired girl with a scrupulous glance; neither certain nor prepared for the mischievous sly, almost goading looking smirk beaming proudly off of Ino's mouth. It was as if Ino had been searching for, and finally coming across, the answers to a question that had never been asked. Not in a verbal sense, anyway.

Ignoring her returning apprehension and managing to stare Ino in the eye without panicking or appearing abashed, Sakura crossed her arms, hoped that the strict gesture alone would give the impression that she looked more self-assured on the outside then what she felt inside. "What's with the dumb grin, Ino-pig?" Sakura barked maliciously.

Ino's lip continued to curl in amusement, paying no mind to the flash of Sakura's temper. "Oh, I was just wondering if you were feeling a little more composed, little less tense? I mean; I wouldn't have wanted you to suffer from a total breakdown. Brushing smoldering ashes out of feather-tick is such a pain; the powdery mess it makes on the floor is just as bad, and don't even get me started on how bad the room starts to smell," she said while holding her nose and making phew noises.

Sakura was just about to caution her on the over excessive need for sarcasm and get to the point when Ino drove this ludicrous conversation even further. "Now that you're calmed down, I guess it's safe to ask this now," she resolved, keenly aware that Sakura wasn't in the least. "Tell me, does Naruto snore like a saw in his sleep or is he quiet for the most part?"

"SHOW NO MERCY!" Inner Sakura shrieked.

Blood rushing through her veins and teeth clenching, Sakura was just about to accept that order with the greatest of pleasure, preparing to launch herself a second time at Ino—who had the continued audacity to grin, practically basking in the poisonous concoction that she had deliberately mixed and stirred for herself. If she was relying on that mind technique 'the shintenshin' to help her, she could forget it. It wouldn't work from this close range anyways. In the moment that it would take Ino to sit up, get her arms out and up into position, she would be on her like a shadow. For Sakura, the temptation to pummel piggy again and wipe that look, that cunning smile, off her face was almost too great to resist now. She started forward—

Hold on a sec!

—And paused in mid-surge; almost so abruptly that the pause shocked her, even more so then Ino who'd been forced to fall backwards, freeing up her hands to defend herself. Ino did nothing but lay there as Sakura hunched over her form, lost in thought.

Why had she stopped? What had caused her to halt like that? It wasn't like Ino hadn't been asking for a good thrashing. She'd trusted her to keep a somewhat open mind about this conversation, to not turn around and assume every irrational conclusion possible. But it was just as she'd expected; that pestering, childish characteristic was just so very like Ino. And what was even more peevish was that the pig was smart enough (regrettably) to know that she was like that, and often used that to her advantage, just like—just like she was doing now.

Just like she was doing now…

Oh for—!

Of course Ino knew! Because of the circumstances and the teasing and the prodding, Ino had anticipated that Sakura was going to react in some outrageous manner. Missions and assignments often, and sometimes unsurprisingly, took more then just one day to fulfill. Sleeping arrangements were often kept close together and not scattered in the emergency that bandits or thieves might try to attack in the night and the group was kept together. If that was the case, then why let such a stupid question like Naruto's snoring get under her skin like that? If she'd done some thinking in the beginning instead of going off the deep end, then Ino would have assumed that there was nothing going on and the discussion would have been finished right there. At least that's what Sakura presumed. It didn't help to keep Naruto a mystery in the first place, but now that his name had been brought up and because of her reaction, she'd effectively just let on that there really was an unusual conflict of interests going on here; that is if she hadn't given that suspicion already too.

For her efforts, Sakura, in a huff, still felt like strangling Ino but she snuffed out the temptation, settled for stretching out instead. Left hand behind her scalp, Sakura brushed hair out of her eyes; then draped the other across her chest. "Congratulations, Ino," Sakura grumbled in a deadpan tone. "You've just succeeded in your efforts to get me to make an ass out of myself. I'd give you a prize but I'm fresh out of medals."

"That's okay. I'll take your sulking defeat as a prize over some cheap medal any day of the week." Ino assured her.

Allowing the taunt to pass, Sakura shut her eyes, sighed without rancor. "You know that nothing happened there," she quietly repeated.

Ino shook her head, noted the chill in the room and took a moment to savor the wet scented breeze blowing through the crack. Good thing she'd had the foresight to tell Sakura not to fully shut it earlier or else it might have gotten to muggy in here from their fiery conversation. "Of course I know that, you dummy," she concurred. "Instead of trying to peel the explanation apart like an orange, you should have just sliced it," she made a chopping gesture, "like an apple and got to the point."

Sakura snorted. "Shut the window—it's cold!" she ordered. "And just how would you have reacted if I jumped to the point without any information to back it up?"

"Dunno—but I'm pretty sure that I wouldn't be trying to strangle you." She jumped up and closed the window for the third time that morning. "Or having mood swings for that matter."

Sakura didn't buy that. "Whatever. You were the one who was all 'I won't make a big deal out of it Sakura. I promise," she repeated, managing to do a fair impression of Ino's choice words. "Don't say that you wouldn't have flipped out in some way or another, because you would have."

"Maybe," Ino quickly agreed. "Now could you slide over please?" she asked, trying to change the subject. "It's cold in here."

"I thought you liked that kind of weather," Sakura reminded her but grudgingly scooted over, allowing Ino space to get under the sheets with her. Once she was stretched out and satisfied, Ino heaved out a breath in unbridled content. "There's nothing like it, Sakura. Being under a thick blanket in a bed where it's nice and warm when there's a crispness in the air just has to be about the best thing around."

"Mm," she mumbled, becoming far too comfortable again to really care about Ino's preferred sleeping arrangements. If anything there wasn't really anything left to say or do. She'd asked for a favor and was now obligated to return that debt. They'd had their likelihood exchange of arguments. The matter of Sasuke was closed—for now. And then there was the divulgence of Naruto. She still wasn't too sure what to do with that yet, but she'd figure something out eventually. Maybe…it was just some wacky, emotional phase she was going through right now. That had to be it. Naruto would recover in rapid fashion as usual, make some stupid comment about something random that would irritate her as usual, she'd whap him upside the head, and then go back to wishing Sasuke were there by her side. Everything would be just like it was before.

And what was she doing—going into this for what had to be the umpteenth time again? Things were not like they like they were before. Sasuke was gone and there was no reasoning around that, end of story, period. She'd said that out-loud and she'd discussed it with herself mentally. She'd gone through all the reasons, deduced all the variables, and had sought some way to make all of this sound logical so that she could move on. But words and logic couldn't smother all of the pangs of ache in her intricate, stubborn heart that refused to let go of the past.

And then there was Naruto: A topic that existed in its own right of conundrums, or did it?

By now, Sakura was almost certain that she was making far too big of a deal with this whole thing already. Five hours of friendly accounting wasn't quite enough to change an opinion that had been credited to an accretion of his mischief making over the years—but it was also those traits that had saved them on several occasions in the past. And she had to admit that Naruto had developed in his abilities and was becoming far more reliable then she had ever though possible, so much that even she was starting to get jealous of his improvement. She also respected him for his drive to improve—although she wished that he would spend more time in developing his brain as much as his physical strength. He did have the potential—but lacked the proper mental discipline. When he reached adulthood, Naruto was really going to need someone—a strong female presence who could be both compassionate and tolerant during those times when dreams took more precedence then the grips of reality.

"Sakura? Are you falling asleep on me?" Ino asked, having the courtesy to keep her voice low and non-intrusive.

Sakura yawned for a reply. "I'm just resting my eyes, thinking."

"I see." Ino was quiet for a few seconds, then lazily asked, "Thinking about how you're going to ensnare Naruto?"

Sakura inhaled a sharp breath but didn't huff. She didn't need to open her eyes to know that Ino was beaming, hoping that she'd blow another gasket. "No, piggy. Just trying to plan out my schedule for the day," she managed easily.

"Ah, okay." She was somewhat pleased, though secretly a trifle disappointed that she hadn't gotten an explosive rebuttal again. Ino contested to pushing Sakura's buttons a bit more but decided that she might actually bite off more then she could possibly chew. At least she hadn't had the unwanted pleasure of dealing with Sakura's second mind/personality again during this conversation. Otherwise she might be cowering in a corner, frightened out of her mind while Sakura stalked her with pure malice. An exaggeration of course, but that was still something she didn't plan on wanting to see again. That first time was enough. "You know, I can't believe I'm actually saying this but this has been kind of nice," Ino found herself blurting out.

Sakura glanced over, eyes still closed. "This? This as in me being here?" she asked, searching for clarification.

Ino laughed. "Yeah, dummy," she replied. "Not being at each others throats about who loves Sasuke-kun more or who he likes more, but just hanging out. We don't really do it all that much anymore—and you've been depressed lately." She smiled crookedly. "All I'm saying is that it's nice that you came over to talk and that you're still willing to confide in me about the things you consider important."

"Is that why you took it upon yourself to give me a hard time?" Sakura balked.

Ino sighed in exasperation. "If I hadn't, then you wouldn't have said anything. You would have clamed up, and it would have taken nothing short of an expert torturer to pry any information out of you. And you're a horrible liar to boot," she added for good measure.

Sakura compressed her lips, but said nothing because she knew that it was true. She wasn't the type of person who could keep problems bottled up without the need to surrender to her emotions. She'd been doing that for as long as she could remember.

And she really hadn't wanted to talk about anything here to start with. Ino had needed to coax her into speaking, just as she had done years ago when the other girls' teased her. That was something else she had begun to take notice of. When something really bothered her, she withdrew into a mute-like state. Sakura wondered if her quick temper was just a reflex to cover up her insecurities. Possibly. Probably.

Ino cleared her windpipe, as if she was about to say something, withdrew her breath. It was if she was searching for a string of words she had never considered using before—and even though she had stated it, the actual implication that Ino might actually have been concerned was really just starting to hit home for Sakura. She'd thought that Ino was being inconsiderate for being so demanding, when it had really been her all this time. Sometimes, in the scheme of asking a friend for something, a person forgot that a friend wasn't just some piece in a toolbox, but someone with real feelings and ideals. For true friendship to be cemented, trust needed to be an essential component. Sakura would never have become the person she was today if she hadn't trusted Ino's words to have faith and confidence in herself. She would have to remember that.

"Hey, Ino?"

Arms crossed behind her head, Ino held her breath. "Yeah?" she replied, albeit a bit guardedly, not really sure if her friend's composure was in the high or low range.

In either case, Sakura's response was mystifying to say the least. "Thanks…for being such a pain in the ass."

More surprised then upset, Ino cocked her head, not certain how to take that response. She narrowed her eyes and issued her guest the dirtiest look she could possibly deal under these circumstances. Intimidation didn't prove to be enough to eradicate that playful looking smirk. "One good turn deserves another," she finally offered, chuckling at the lameness of her own answer and nudging Sakura's shoulder in a plucky gesture, "but you're welcome."

Something else prickled along the ceiling of Ino's brain. Now what was it—? Ah, yes. The party she was planning. Best to get that out in the open before she did something totally blonde (Ino rolled her eyes) and forgot again. "Before you get comfortable," Ino said, "I was going to ask if you would be interested in coming out tonight for a small party we're throwing for Chouji. It'll just be dinner, at a restaurant of his choosing. I was going to invite the other squads also; kind of make it into a big gathering of friends. I think he'd really like that."

Sakura nodded approvingly. "That does sound like a great idea. Not only just for Chouji, but for all the guys that just got out of the hospital. It'd be a great morale booster." She eyed Ino skeptically. "Of course, you weren't going to give me much of a choice in the decision of whether I was going or not, now, were you?"

Ino grinned prettily; her white teeth gleamed like polished silver. "You're pretty smart. What do you think?"

That figures. "Well was there anything you wanted me to do?" Sakura offered.

Ino tapped her nose absentmindedly as she pondered aloud, "Hmm…well, I was going to go meet with Asuma-sensei and Shikamaru around noon. I'd go and visit Chouji, just to confirm that he is getting out today, while the guys were going to go around and notify the others. Once I found out which restaurant he wants to eat in; we'd make the arrangements and then get everybody together. I guess if you see anybody that you know or would want to go along, be sure to let them know. We'll designate a meeting place and take it from there. 'Kay?"

"If it ever stops raining," Sakura hedged in, hoping that Ino wasn't putting to much reliance on her since she really didn't have the ambition to go on some special manhunt anytime today. Something this impromptu was better left to Ino and the rest of her team—

"Oh, and if you happen to see Naruto—which I'm sure you will—, be sure to clue him in about the get-together we're having, too, " Ino added, as if she'd tried to read her mind and wanted to antagonize her in return.

"If I see him," she responded in a tone that warned Ino not to get carried away again. The reply was nothing more then a reflexive fabrication. She'd already sworn to take Naruto for dinner, and no matter how bottomless his stomach was or if it cost her every last ryou she owned, she'd keep that promise. At least he'd be well fed today. A vision of a happy pup sleeping in his doghouse came to mind. Sakura giggled quietly.

"What's so funny?" Ino questioned.

"Nothing," she answered simply, then turned her head away to ignore Ino's inquisitive stare. "It's nothing."

Ino cast an eye over Sakura's head for a moment more, then shrugged. It didn't sound like it was anything to raise the drawbridge over. Settling back, Ino tugged the blanket back over her body again. Now that she was off the hook for flower duty, the idea of a catnap held a grand appeal right about now. This morning visit had turned out quite well after all. As long as Okaa-san didn't pop in to offer tea again—well, even that didn't matter.

"Sakura, you might as well have a snooze," Ino said getting comfortable herself. After all the harassment inflicted, Ino figured that her guest could do with some sleep. Sakura hadn't responded to the statement, and was thinking or else already sleeping. Either way, she took her lack of motion as an indirect yes. Shutting her eyes, Ino settled back into her fluffy pillow.

With the room blissfully quiet, save for their mingled, low breathing and the tapping of rainfall, Ino half-questioned whether it was good form to feel this relaxed, especially since Sakura actually never did finish the conversation about that dummy Naruto; unless there wasn't anything else she had left to say about him. Having inadvertently ended that discussion, she wasn't sure. The way Sakura was lying with her back turned without an expression to read didn't provide any clues either, and she was a mite reluctant to try and pursue that subject again. Lethargic too.

Ino yawned, extended her arms into the air until the joints in her elbows cracked, and dismissed the idea right there completely. She'd only get bawled out for sticking her nose in Sakura's business again. If there were something else, then Sakura would have to bring up the subject willingly or else work it out in the seclusion of her thoughts.

She listened as Sakura sneezed, then turned and shifted into a different arrangement, felt forehead's eyes probing against her profile. She knew that Sakura knew that she wasn't sleeping. It was implausible but for one fleeting moment, she wondered if her thoughts had been made deciphered. Ino hunched her shoulders for unspoken confirmation, then relaxed, maintaining her silence.

Sakura flopped on to her back with a throaty growl, something to the effect of a grumpy child wanting four or five bags of candy but was only allowed to choose one bag to take home. "What am I supposed to do about him?" Sakura finally mumbled, slapping a hand against the side of the bed frame.

Ino wasn't sure whom that question was being posed to: Her, the ceiling, the almighty, or else all three simulteniously. "About who?" she asked deciding to play along.

"That idiot, Naruto. That's who," Sakura answered swiftly.

"Ah," she answered without surprise. So they were back to this discussion again. For somebody who usually gets lumped in with the same disdain that poison ivy does, Naruto was being tossed up in a positive light an awful lot lately. "I still don't really understand what you're trying to ask. Could you try and be more specific? What is it that you think you need to do for him?" Before Sakura could answer, Ino presented another question. "Better yet, why is it you feel you need to do anything for him anyways in the first place?"

Ino continued. "You despise Naruto, and yet at the same time, because he's on your team, I can understand you caring for him also. That's natural because you've learned how to tolerate his faults and work together. It's perfectly acceptable—Yet, you're making all of this fuss; fretting about him like he's in some mortal danger."

"I'm not fretting about him," she said in a frosty tone.

"You could have fooled me," Ino retorted, turning to face her frazzled friend. "What is it about him that has you yanking the hair out by the root? Did he do something, or else say something to get you all worked up?" she carefully asked.

Sakura didn't answer, only glanced at Ino with an empty expression as if the sound of the question never reached her ears or else was beyond her means to answer. Propping herself into a sitting position, Sakura took her pillow and plunked it on her lap again, hugging it against her chest in a classic angst position. Her eyes were glued to the oak dresser sitting adjacent from them, adorned by the large, polished mirror that captured hers and Ino's reflection. "Yeah, he did say something," Sakura quietly confirmed.

Ino perched herself on one elbow. "What did he say? Was it…was it something stupid? Did he say something stupid? You want me to go over there and knock the crap out of him?"

Sakura shook her head, unable to resist smiling at Ino's rush of questions. "No, no, it wasn't anything insulting; nothing like that."

"Well, then, what? What did he say to get you this wound up?" Ino watched Sakura's expression through her reflection in the mirror saw the grin fading away. She reached up and lightly pinched Sakura's bicep. "Talk to me then, forehead. Don't go mute on me again."

Sakura bobbed her head up and down in acknowledgment, shoulders hunching as if an invisible, heavy load had been planted across her shoulders. To Ino, this sitting girl again resembled some flawed copy that didn't know how to incorporate the forthright personality that Ino had become so accustomed to squabbling with. It really did look like something popping out of memory lane. And she didn't like it one bit. Not then, even less now.

"Sakura?" Ino prodded.

The girl swallowed. "He loves me."

That hadn't been in her explanation! "What?" Ino gasped. The reply had been total reflex. She'd known whom…but still…those words…she needed the satisfaction of confirmation without any shadow of doubt in her mind. "Naruto—he told you that?

"Yeah. As a friend, but…" she tossed her hands up helplessly; the meaning behind the words rather clear.

"But it's Naruto," Ino finished, summing up the point that Sakura had started. Preemptive or not, declarations of love often carried more inextricable purpose then just the supposed simplicity that was intended to be portrayed by the person declaring them. And in Naruto's case…

It meant more.

"Can you honestly say that you're shocked by something like that," Ino said. "He adores you; enough that you told me that you'd beat him within an inch of his life if he ever said something that suggested that innuendo."

Sakura snorted. "Yeah, and I almost did one day when that brat Konohamaru—the Third's grandson—asked if I was Naruto's girlfriend. And instead of denying it like he should have, Naruto goes ahead and says, 'Oh, you kids sure catch on quick. Ho, ho, ho,'" she said doing a surprising imitation of Naruto's energetic voice. She shook her head at the memory. "Dumb ass!"

Ino smiled slightly. "Was that the difference then? Having someone else ask that and Naruto acting on the suggestion, or the fact that he just came out and actually told you using his own words?" She rubbed her nose. "Or do you just like doing impressions?"

Sakura hugged the pillow tighter. "It could have been lots of things. The atmosphere, timing, closeness, himjust being him—it doesn't matter. He knew what he was doing; what he was conveying."

"Does that upset you?" Ino asked. She seemed to enjoy asking that question.

Sakura shook her head, her chin rustling against the pillow sheet. "No, but that's the problem. I feel like I should be upset but I'm not. Just confused."

Ino frowned. "Why?"

"Why?" Sakura repeated. "Put yourself in my shoes for a minute. Let's just suppose that Sasuke-kun hadn't been cursed by the mark, still living in the village, and the three of you are on a simple mission. Let's pretend that Sasuke-kun went to get some food and you're sitting against a tree, the same tree that Naruto just happens to be leaning against. You're minding your own business when all of a sudden, right out of the woodwork, he leans over and says, 'I love you, Sakura-chan.' What do you do?"

Ino shrugged. "I'd probably knock him silly."

"And why would you do that?"

"Because, I'm in love with Sasuke…kun." Name and understanding spiraled and mixed together like colors, producing the answer to the question she'd asked, or at least part of it. Ino wasn't entirely convinced. That seemed too logical, too obvious to be the sole cause of concern. "But is that the only reason, or is there more?" Ino broadcasted the thought verbally.

"There's more, but—" Sakura, realizing that she was going to skip around the subject at hand again, forced herself to stop in mid-sentence. She took a breath, held it while sweeping hair behind her ears, exhaled slowly and deeply. "I've hated Naruto…for as long as I can possibly remember," she said in a surprisingly rational tone. "I totally hated him for getting in my way, interfering with all my hopes, my dreams, my fantasies, everything. I was always convinced that he was nothing but a wannabe ninja. A loser that would never amount to anything, no matter what effort he put in. The one reason, the only reason, why I even tolerated him to begin with was because of Sasuke-kun."

Ino didn't bat an eyebrow. This wasn't exactly new information to her.

"On missions, there were always two things that I'd come to accept would always be unchangeable: Everything that Sasuke-kun did was always right, and Naruto always did everything wrong. Sasuke-kun would always use his brains, but Naruto, he would just plow right through everything with total brawn. I always criticized him for being reckless. I took pleasure in that because to me, it just meant that Sasuke-kun was all the more superior, and taking his side in those matters was the right thing. Sure, there were a couple times that Naruto came through, sure, but I always thought of those as lucky breaks. It didn't change a thing. I'd hoped that as long as I'd kept favor with Sasuke-kun, he'd turn around one day and acknowledge me."

In the mirror, Ino could clearly see Sakura smiling, but it was one without humor. "That's would everybody wanted, forehead. At least you were in his group," she said.

Sakura shrugged off the comment. "But he never really did. He only considered me as bad as Naruto, weaker even; because I had no actual skills, save for the basics we were taught. It was hard to hear him say something like that. It forced me to question if I was ever really cut out to be a ninja to begin with. I lost some confidence. It was to the point…where I wasn't sure if I was going to enter the Chuunin exam or not."

"But if you hadn't—" Ino started.

Sakura nodded. "I didn't want to let them down, didn't want to let myself down mostly. I wouldn't have had the right to call myself a kunoichi if I'd backed out then. I had to see what I was made of, needed to know just who I was."

Ino folded her arms loosely. "I'd say you made out alright. You and Sasuke-kun were the ones that bailed us out, remember?"

Sakura frowned over her shoulder. "No. It was Sasuke-kun and Lee-san who did that. Out of all the times that they protected me, I wanted to be the one to protect them, at least just that once."

"That's good and all," Ino said, sounding a little impatient. "But you're starting to get off subject. Where does Naruto fit into all of this?"

Sakura pondered that a moment. Finally, she said, "Would you have ever pictured him getting as far as he did in the exam? For example: Would you have ever thought he could defeat somebody of Hyuga Neji's caliber? A person who's ranked in the same category as Sasuke-kun?"

Ino shook her head. "No, and neither would you."

Sakura nodded in accordance with Ino's phrase. "But I had faith, which was something I never had with him in the start. I think part of the reason why I despised him so much was because he first struck me as the type of person who would give up at the drop of a hat when the going got tough. I held on to that mentality, even relished it at during the numerous times that he failed, because that just proved the fact that Sasuke-kun would always be better, and I was making the right choice by being behind him; one hundred percent of the way."

Her voice softened. "But Naruto kept trying, much to my surprise and expectations. In moments where even Sasuke-kun thought the situation to be hopeless, Naruto would push through and try to overcome the odds. I thought he was just boasting, but it wasn't until later when I found out that Naruto saved us from Gaara that I realized that all the things he did—whether he succeeded or failed—was because he was only trying to discover his own self-worth. He was just like me…and succeeding at a furious rate. He surpassed me, and was even surpassing Sasuke-kun. And yet…there's just some old part in me that still resents him. Not because of whom he was…but what he's become."

Ino heard the tremor in Sakura's voice, knew that this next twist in her explanation would be of some significance. "Why is that?" Ino gently prodded.

Sakura sank her fingernails into her arms to squelch the nervous tremors in her hands. "I resent Naruto… because I always thought that I'd have to be one who would teach him how to be a ninja, but all this time…it was really Naruto who's been the teacher. He's become someone I can completely rely on without hesitation—"

"But you're repugnant that he can't do the same with you," Ino broke in saving them both from another extensive explanation and cutting to the chase. "Hypocrisy doesn't sit well with you is what you're saying."

Sakura rubbed the back of her head, clearly showing discomfort at the brusque response. "Okay, fine. It does bother me," she angrily announced, tiring of her drawn out ineptitude to pierce the lining of the subject. How many more possible times would she have to enter this acquainted, murky territory without the fear of being stung by old hornets?

"Why can't he just hate me like a normal person would?" Sakura asked Ino. "Why does he have to be that stupid and care so much? Doesn't Naruto understand how much it hurts to know that he cares about me, and that I can't acknowledge that kind of gratitude?" Despair and frustration stabbed at her and she almost wanted to cry again.

Between her teeth, Ino hissed out a quiet sigh. "If he did hate you, would that make you happy?" she stoutly ventured.

The reply was quick. "No, but it would certainly make me feel better. I wouldn't have to feel so guilty."

Ino thought that one out a bit. "Did you ever stop to think that maybe you're making more of an issue out of this then it really needs to be? That there's nothing to really feel guilty about?"

Sakura frowned at the mirror. "What's that suppose to mean?"

Ino rolled her eyes. "Think about it, forehead. You said that he was trying to find himself, his own means of self-worth. He wants to be Hokage so that he can be acknowledged, but that can be defined in different ways. Recognition often begins with the people closest to you. Naruto probably wanted you to acknowledge him, just like you wanted with Sasuke-kun. There's more to a dream then just the dream itself."

Ino's reasoning was like a tranquilizer; settling some of Sakura's ambivalence that had threatened to boil over again. "That still doesn't make the situation right, but I suppose you have a point," Sakura said, grudgingly yielding.

"But it does provide insight," Ino defended, but she could that Sakura was still a ways from being pacified. This conflict was starting to inspire a possible theory. That forehead of hers wasn't designed wide to hold that enormous brain of hers; it was designed to be impenetrable like a massive castle. The only reason why Sakura was so smart to begin with was because she had super heightened senses to suck up all the knowledge. Yes! That had to be it. Any information absorbed was forever sealed in that cranium of hers. No wonder Sakura could never be reasoned with.

Then again, who was she to talk? Perturbed by this turn of events, she resumed the matter at hand, asking, "I still don't get you, forehead. Besides the love matter, what is about this that aggravates you so much?" Ino demanded. "We've talked about everything under the sun except the sun itself. Simplify this for me: No long explanations, no circling, no lists, no charts, and no diagrams. In short: pierce the heart of the matter with a kunai already." She reached forward and touched Sakura's shoulder assuredly to let her know she wasn't impatient. "Tell me."

Sakura relaxed, as if expecting this question for some time now. Explanation had been necessary, but not to the incredible heights she'd gone. She didn't turn but looked straight into the eyes of Ino's mirror image. "Because…I know how much it hurts to confess that you love someone and not have it returned," she answered, quietly and purposely. That example was the hardest to admit.

That sentence, the familiarity behind those words stimulated a long-since suppressed feeling of childish dithering. Very rarely did it occur but when it did, Ino's mind regressed to that key moment she'd chosen to lay eyes upon that tearful, solitary little girl who had all but given up on the world. She'd been intrigued by the girl, wondered how somebody so pretty and smart could take such heart in comments made by a jealous bunch of bimbos. All she needed to have was just a little courage, just a morsel of faith to give her wings. She decided that she would help the girl. After all, she wasn't any sort of threat in her quest for Sasuke's affections.

And then one day, that bright-haired little girl, who had began to flourish through her own support, ran up to her and the rest of the girls and excitedly announced the existence of a mysterious dark-haired boy she thought was rather cute. The secret was really no secret at all. Every girl in the village had been vying for the attention of Uchiha Sasuke.

The only problem was that Ino was also one of those girls.

She'd tried to contradict it, stating that Sasuke was too brash and self-egotistical for her own taste. Ino had spun that story to several girls, including Sakura, to help keep her intentions hidden so that she pursue him in secret while gaining information on Sasuke's preferences. Her biggest mistake was confessing to one particularly determined girl who couldn't believe that there was one person who wasn't crushing on the biggest heartthrob around. Whether it was to tell the truth or just to get the girl off of her back, she'd had a ugly feeling that Sakura was going to find out about it, resulting with a confrontation and probably ending with Sakura turning on the waterworks. She'd contemplated ways how to tell Sakura the truth right up to the moment they'd had their inevitable conversation. Upon announcing that they were now rivals, Ino had been shocked to see how much this once shaggy looking girl had changed over the short period of time. The development of her inner strength to stand and pursue her own goals was a remarkable feat. And all because she had needed a little bravery to stand on her own two feet. Bravery that Ino hadn't possessed at the time…

In scarce moments like these, Ino wondered what would have happened if she done things a little differently. For example, if she'd sought after Sasuke sooner then allowing Sakura to have her leeway. If she'd been more honest and upfront, would Sakura have developed into the strong-willed person she was now? If she'd been able to see into the future and had known how things were to have progressed, would she have taken the time to help that troubled girl mend her broken feelings, or would she have teased and ignored her like every other girl had up until that point. How would Sakura have turned out without someone being willing to understand her? That last question was the most heart wrenching and despairing of all. She hated to think, did not want to think what might have resulted because the truth was—

Ino permitted a small, relieving smile. The truth was that she didn't have to think about any of that nonsense. Sakura possessed far more valor within then she could ever manage. And as far as it concerned, she'd done the right thing then. She'd rather know this Sakura; the one she could have spats with and be guaranteed a fight in each and every event then some weeping shell of a girl covered in bubble gum. Forehead had it made under the sun if all problems such as this one were so easy to solve. She was just a little ragged worn and wrapped up a little to tightly in her web of uneasiness to see the obvious solutions. Well, she'd fix all of that in a hurry! And speaking of which…

"Aw, Sakura, you're just too cute!" Ino suddenly squealed in her best excited-schoolgirl/bubbly pitch. Before Sakura even knew what was happening, Ino lunged forward and quickly wrapped her arms around Sakura's neck in the same playful manner she'd done to Sasuke before the exams had started. If her intent had been to pull Sakura out of her despondent stupor, the resulting shock-like expression on Sakura's face was probably proof enough that she had succeeded.

Confused and slow to react by this way-out-of-place display, Sakura sputtered, "I-Ino—w-what the hell are you doing?"

Ino grinned wolfishly, ignored the question. "My precious little cherry blossom doesn't know how to deal with all of these difficult pulls of the heart, so she has to come running over to big sis, her Onee-chan, for support and guidance. That's soo sweet. My little Sakura-chan is growing up." Playfully giggling, Ino proceeded to pinch Sakura's cheeks for supplementary effect.

"I'm grawna throttle yu," Sakura threatened, her arms flailing wildly in her attempt to shove Ino away while trying to make words. It was difficult to tell if the threat was real or just comical.

Nimbly avoiding her fierce swinging fists, Ino continued to laugh brightly. "Now, now," she chided, slipping into the role of a parent without apparent difficulty. "Little girls shouldn't be trying to hit their elders when they're only trying to help. After all, it's not their fault if children can't accept the advice given with proper grace."

Sakura growled, managed to get a fist up over Ino's defenses, but in a swift transfer of movement, Ino released Sakura's cheek and deftly caught the offending hand, holding it at Sakura's side. Ino then grabbed Sakura's other hand and did the same. "But, then again—"

Chakra and adrenaline rising, Sakura bellowed, "Ino, I'll—!"

"—You're not a little girl anymore, either," Ino stringently concluded, all childish antics gone. Knowing that she would finally listen, Ino released Sakura's hands, tenderly took hold of her wrists instead.

"You've come a long ways from the shy little imp you were once. But, even though you've evolved, you've also still retained that annoying habit of making something out of absolutely nothing! You still feel you need to take every little inconsequential factor and process it down to the very last point of a percent—that's probably why you graduated with the highest marks in the academy."

Under that scrutinizing observation, Sakura bristled but said nothing, knowing that she was right. It was just who she was.

"Don't get me wrong," Ino defended, "I'm not trying to make it into a bad thing or anything. If I had half that ambition and stopped gossiping with the customers so much, I'd probably be hitting the books and soaking up every last bit of knowledge I could. I guess I just like associating with people in general. In comparison, that's probably what separates us."

Sakura scowled. "I don't understand what you're getting at. Are you saying that I shouldn't be studying so much; that I shouldn't memorize details that might affect or save somebody's life someday? Is that what you're driving at because if so, you're wasting both our time."

Seeing how poorly this conversation was starting to turn, Ino resumed the subject at hand. "You came here to talk about Naruto. Why?"

"I don't see what the point—?"

"Answer the question, Sakura, or else get lost and quit wasting my time already!" Ino sharply growled, her patience wearing thin by this debacle.

Sakura glared at the mirror. "Naruto said he loves me, and I don't know how to respond to that," she answered flippantly. "Happy?"

"No. You want to know what I think the problem is? I think the real reason why it bothers you so much is because you're frightened! You're scared that if you turn around and start giving Naruto the time of the day, it'll numb and help you to forget some of the hurt that Sasuke-kun caused while relieving some of this 'so-called' guilt you think you have for ignoring Naruto! Well, here's a news flash, Sakura: Naruto's not exactly the kind of person you can just flat-out ignore and expect to take the hint. Of all people, you should know that!"

"So what?" Sakura asked angrily, spiteful that Ino had hit so close to the marker. It was like a rehashing of the mental soliloquy that she and her other personality had bickered over, and had almost convinced Sakura that she was loosing her mind. "Is there something wrong with having regrets?"

Ino shook her head. "Only if they're for the wrong reasons. And in your case, that's hyperbole. Do you really believe Naruto carries baggage about getting to know the people around him, despite being shot down?"

Sakura opened her mouth to protest, closed it, and then started to think—even though it wasn't necessary. About the way he tried to pick fights with Sasuke-kun, begged Kakashi-sensei to teach him new jutsu, always asking to take her on a date, getting a punch on the noggin, and that enthusiastic, determined grin that both infuriated and, other times, had her heart racing with courage; convincing her that victory was but a stone throw away.

"It's the promise of a lifetime, Sakura-chan!"

"No," she said looking down, unable to meet Ino's penetrating eyes. "That's not the kind of person he is."

"Of course he's not." Ino replied earnestly. Releasing her wrists, she placed her hands on Sakura's cheeks again and gently eased her chin up so that she was looking at the mirror again. "I'm certain Naruto doesn't live his life based on every nasty word ever said to him. If he did, he probably would have given up a long time ago—Just like you might have," Ino said, lightly tapping on Sakura's forehead as a crucial reminder.

"This is hardly the same situation," Sakura meekly protested.

Ino agreed. "I know that. All I'm saying is that you needn't make a scene out of something that really isn't to begin with. Naruto saying something unconditional like that is probably just to make you understand that he cares, and that you can count on him in any tough situation. Just like you could at any other time, right?"

Sakura nodded slowly. "Well…yes, but…still, I—"

Ino smiled knowingly. "But in that same instance, you also want to do something for him in return, but without trying to be overbearing, either. Yes?"

"It's not just that. And you had better quit putting words in my mouth, or else I'll put my fist in yours, piggy." Sakura warned.

"Oooh." Ino's grin got wider. "Someone sounds cheerful again."

Sakura ignored Ino completely. "Last night—there was something bugging him," she said. "Naruto was having these dreams, and not very pleasant ones from the way he was shaking. He looked really disturbed, almost as if he was fighting with something or someone—and loosing."

Ino cocked her head casually. "Everyone has nightmares, Sakura."

Sakura made a face. "Yes, I know that, but he was really thrashing. If this was a common occurrence, then I wouldn't be all that concerned about it. But he was getting into a real fit—did that twice—and I had to step in both times. Otherwise he probably would have plummeted to the floor. That doesn't strike me as normal Uzumaki Naruto behavior."

Ino raised an eyebrow, as if to ask a question; she then shrugged, the corner of her mouth twitching. "Something to do with Sasuke-kun, maybe?" she suggested.

"That's a possibility," Sakura said. "I—I asked him last night—this morning, sorry—but he wouldn't say. But then being almost three in the morning, I wasn't going to make an issue over it, either. But maybe now that he's gotten some sleep, maybe he'd be willing to…talk about it. "

Catching the guilty pause between her words, Ino almost felt compelled to give Sakura another pinch on the cheek for being such a drama queen. Evidently, there was something else going on upstairs with Sakura, something that, despite any snoopy urge to pry, she could only resolve with that knucklehead Naruto. A third party could only do so much. Especially when it seemed like exposed little tidbits had been purposely omitted from earlier. She would have to deal with these problems at her own pacing.

Shuffling her feet slightly, Sakura coughed. "…So, uh, what do you, um, think is the best way—how do you think I should go about doing this?" she mumbled, clearly despondent that she actually felt the seeming need to plot out a conversation. Asking for Ino's opinion wasn't making that fact any easier.

"Well…for starters, you might want to remind yourself that you're not going on a blind date. That could help," Ino dryly replied, clearly reaching that same conclusion. "You're pretty coordinated in the kitchen. Why not bake him something to express a bit of appreciation?" she suggested. "Coming from you, Naruto would probably really like that."

Sakura licked her lips. Now that was an idea. It wouldn't have been the first occasion she'd made/shared something for him. Not only would it be a good way to make up for last night and the past couple days; it might be just the ticket she needed for him to speak up—around a mouthful of food of course.

"Way to use your brain instead of that extra large snout, porker!" Inner Sakura crowed.

"I don't know," she said, becoming downhearted again. "As far as baking goes, I'm not sure if I like the idea of trying to compete with Naruto's landlady in that department. I made the mistake of trying a piece of cake she made for him. Probably the best I've ever had in my opinion. Way better then anything I could ever make."

Ino rested her chin on Sakura's shoulder. "That's ridiculous. Anything you prepared for him—even if it ended up burnt or uncooked—he'd still probably tell you that it was the best thing he's ever had."

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Gee, thanks!" she retorted. Even she wasn't that lousy when it came to cooking.

"But, anyways, you have that," Ino said, moving the conversation along. "Remember that you're also going over there to tell him that we're all meeting tonight at a restaurant of Chouji's choosing. Unless Asuma-sensei decides to pay for it all, I'm just going to assume that everybody will be paying for there own meal, so be sure to bring money."

Having heard of Chouji's restaurant fiasco, Sakura nodded, not quite managing to suppress a smile. "Fine."

"Good. In the meantime…" Ino started to say, becoming serious again, "don't try and be showy and put on some kind of mask. Just talk and act like you normally would; be friendly. Naruto will be on his guard if you confuse him. And then he won't know how to act around you, and that'll just make everything awkward. You don't need to change the world all in one day. All you have to do is be yourself and things will work out like they should in the end. Baby steps. All right?"

Sakura grimaced, but there was a certain ring of truth surrounding Ino's point. If she acted like she was out of place, Naruto might get the wrong picture and assume that there was something wrong with her. Another blatant stupid impression of herself that she didn't needed to give off. "Act like myself…got it," Sakura said aloud as if to get all her ducts in a row.

Ino nodded, then grinned. "But maybe before you go kicking his door down, you might want to try acting like a girl and freshen up a bit. Hot shower, for starters?" Ino advised, sliding a few strings of pink hair and folding them behind Sakura's ears.

Sakura brushed the fussing hands away. "Of course I'm going to shower! Besides putting up with you, I have other things I need to get done as well."

"That so?" Ino released Sakura and slid her body backwards, yawning lazily. "So what else is on the morning agenda. Who else, besides me, did you have to bother?"

"Oh, just Tsunade-sama, the Fifth Hokage."

Ino sucked the last of her yawn back in surprise. "The Hokage?" she blurted out in surprise. "What do you need to ask her?" Ino pried trying not to appear more anxious then she was feeling and doing a rather poor job.

Sakura shot her an I-know-something-you-don't look. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

Ino appeared to think about it, then smirked, shook her head. "If you're gonna go crying to her about something, I doubt she'll be this patient with you."

"No. This will be an entirely different matter altogether," Sakura said solemnly as she stood up, a different sort of nervousness carved on her face, almost as if she was preparing to sign her life away.

"At least give me a hint!" Ino admonished, flinging pretense aside. "You owe me that much."

Sakura turned and clasped her hands behind her back, smiled slightly. "I'm going to ask her to train me, in medical jutsu," she conceded."

Ino blinked in stunned confusion. Every time she thought she had a grasp on forehead-girl's situation, she kept coming up with new ways to surprise her. "Sorry, I'm not to sure I heard you right. I could have sworn you just said—"

"—Exactly what you heard," Sakura said, cutting her off. "I want her to take me on as an apprentice."

Several explanations, each one plausible in its own right, seemed to jump up all at once. "How come?" Ino asked, deciding to take the blunt approach while secretly intrigued.

Sakura rubbed her arms. "Because I need to. I mean, let's face it. What good am I to a squad if I can't be someone they can depend on? There's going to be times where I won't have anyone to rely on except myself, and my own abilities. Rudimentary jutsu isn't always going to stop an enemy in its tracks, or from killing somebody precious to me," Sakura spoke with heavy disappointment.

Ino mechanically nodded, having an instant idea of where Sakura's frustration was deriving from. Aside from chakra control and brainpower, the Haruno family didn't seem to have any actual special clan secrets—none that she, nor Sakura, had been made aware of anyways. Based on her mental capabilities, Ino knew that Sakura had some talent in the genjutsu department. She was good in a fight and knew how to use the terrain to her advantage, but aside from smarts' she possessed no trademark skill to complement those areas, either. Medical jutsu, though, sounded like the perfect field for somebody with Sakura's caliber. "The Godaime won't make it easy for you," Ino warned. "From what I've heard, she has quite the temper."

Sakura wasn't deterred. "I don't care. I'm not doing this to be babied or pampered. I already know what my limits are. Now I need someone to help me break through those limits. I want to know what I'm capable of; what Haruno Sakura is capable of accomplishing."

"Is this also because of Naruto?" Ino questioned with an amused but encouraging smile. She wasn't about to forget the turmoil in that much debated topic.

Sakura made a mewling noise, but held her ground. "If you must know, then yes, he's part of the reason," she answered. There was a subtle salmon-colored flush in her cheeks, but she wouldn't be cajoled into any further discussion on that subject.

"Hmm. You really think she'll take you on as a student?" Ino asked, still not quite sold on the idea, and confused as to why she needed to be sold on anything to begin with. It wasn't going to be her arm in the sling.

Sakura shrugged. "If necessary, I'll get the results off of every last test I ever wrote in the academy and dump them all in her lap. I'll even drag Iruka-sensei along to vouch for me if I have to. Either way, I won't leave her office until she agrees to train me or else I get dragged out of there by force. I just hope it won't have to come that," she said meekly. A sudden knot of worry looped and tightened itself in her diaphragm, as if suddenly remembering just whom this request was being made to.

Noticing the change in her composure, Ino spoke encouragingly, "I don't think all of that'll be really necessary. Even for someone of her stature, I'm pretty sure she's had her share of doubts just like the rest of us do. Same thing you're doing with Naruto; just be honest about what it is you want and the rest of it will fall into place."

Those words extinguished some of the anxiety. "I know," Sakura said, offering a thankful smile.

Ino chuckled. "Stop worrying so much, forehead! How many more times do I have to tell you that? Loosen up already!" she scolded, shaking a finger at her. "Geez. You're wound up tighter then a cheap clock."

Sakura rubbed indentation above her nose. "Yeah, well, what can I say? Self-induced lack of sleep gets a person kind of edgy."

"Not to mention surly as an old bear," Ino added in good humor. "You might want to show some prudence before you ask for anything from the Hokage. Getting verbal with her wouldn't be a good way to start things off."

Sakura smiled thinly. "I'll be okay. I've probably blown off enough steam to outdo a kettle. I'm actually really looking forward to having a meeting with her." She giggled nervously. "Hope she doesn't give me a hard time."

"Yeah," Ino said as she studied Sakura's stance, noted how she was rocking herself by lifting one foot slightly and balancing all her body weight on the other before repeating the same thing with the other foot, doing this every second or two. To Ino, this new, unusual habit that Sakura had picked out was an indication that she was more apprehensive then she was letting on and her nerves were shot, or else she was severely fatigued and the toll of it was affecting her mental decisions. Surely this could wait for a couple hours…"What time were you going to go see her?" Ino asked.

"Pretty quick," she answered. "I'll need to go home and shower before I do anything. I can't be seen looking like an old dishrag."

"Yeah…that's for sure," Ino commented blandly, then shifted over to the main focus of her concern. "You know—if hiding your tracks is really a priority for you and you're really not feeling up to all that, I can go and talk to your mother, and you could always get a couple hours of sleep here…that's if you wanted."

Sakura lurched back as if she had been physically struck. "Sorry," she apologized for the antic, "but…hmm…I could have, well, maybe I'm wrong, but it sounded like you were trying to cut me a break. Nah. It must have been just the wax in my ears…" she said, eyes fixed in false concentration as she tapped her ears. Sakura smiled inwardly as her peripheral vision caught a well-earned frown that was deepening rather quickly.

"You rotten little—cutting you a break is the only thing I've been doing all morning!" Ino tartly reminded her. "If I hadn't I would have just locked the window and let you freeze out in the rain like a little rat. And since I know that you know," she exclaimed, stabbing a finger in her direction, "don't think for one second that I haven't figured out that you're only doing this out of spite just to try and get back at me for giving you a hard time, forehead!"

"Oh." Shrugging nonchalantly, Sakura twiddled her thumbs behind her back, her relaxed expression made reading her intentions practically impossible. "Is it working?"

"You'll find out pretty quick, after you've found your face smeared in lipstick," Ino informed her, quickly raising her hands into correct position for the 'shintenshin technique.' Even though she had absolutely no intention of using the trademark skill—and it still wouldn't have worked anyways—it was enough to motivate Sakura into stepping forward and prying Ino's hands apart…

…And also frown at the sight of Ino making a clown-like face with her tongue extended out as far as bodily possible. "Nah, nah, nah. Psyche!" Ino teased.

Both annoyed and amused, Sakura shook her head and dropped Ino's hands. "You're a complete dork."

Ino grinned. "And your attempt at practical jokes is pathetic so I think it balances itself out, don't you?" she said, not disappointed at receiving an answer as she stood up. She hadn't been expecting one.

"Anyways," Ino went on as she turned to walk towards her closet, "you'd best be on your way then if you are going to go and get things done. I certainly won't try and stop you, but you had better take along a rain jacket before you head out into that," she said, thumbing towards the window. Sliding the doors apart, Ino reached in and dug out a large coat with a hood. "Here," she said, tossing the item at Sakura. "This should do, and I've also got an umbrella downstairs that you can use—better use. Otherwise your mom would never forgive me." She took another look at Sakura. "I'd also better give you a sweater too. You're lucky that you were wearing the blanket and Okaa-san wasn't looking very closely, or she might have noticed how wet and wrinkled your blouse is—or was, and might have asked more questions." Ino picked out a suitably warm shirt and also tossed it over.

Sakura studied the garment. "You're kicking me out?"

Ino laughed in surprise, turned her hands up in disregard. "Unless you have something else you needed to get off your chest, then yes. As much as I enjoy listening to the problems that revolve around your love life—and I really do, I also have things of my own that I need to get done as well."

So it was a dismissal, and a quick glance at a small clock sitting on a dresser similar to the one at Naruto's explained further. "Quarter to seven…" she murmured in admiration. "I've been here for an hour already?"

Ino looked. "Well…not quite. Probably just under that by ten minutes or so, but yes; that would be close enough. Time certainly flies when you're having fun, huh?" Ino said, smiling.

"Fun for who?" Sakura asked while walking over to retrieve her drying sandals by the window. "It certainly wasn't me!" Her voice muffled by the extra top that she was fitting over her neck.

"Oh, I'd say that I thoroughly enjoyed this visit," Ino confirmed smugly. "It's not every day that the great scholar Haruno Sakura meets a problem that she can't solve on her own, and over a boy no less." She sighed dramatically. "How the mighty have fallen."

Sakura growled as she pulled the sleeves down, but refused to take the lure like a gullible fool again. She could continue to insist that there was nothing going on between herself and Naruto until she was blue in the face and it still wouldn't make a difference. Eccentric people were like perched stones: All it took was just one little nudge in the right direction and, unless you're somehow faster or made prior arrangements to detour or deflect, there was just no stopping the momentum. Whatever. Let her believe whatever she wants to. All she knew—and Ino knew this as well—was that if any part of this conversation ever leaked out of the room, Sasuke-kun wouldn't be the only one being declared MIA…

"I trust you'll keep this to yourself?" Sakura said. The words were soft but there was a notable edge of warning in her eyes.

Ino nodded. "I wouldn't be much of a friend if I didn't. And I'd expect just as much courtesy from you if I was in your shoes, too."

"Which you would," Sakura added.

Ino smirked. "You damn rights I would."

Sakura relaxed. She knew that she could trust Ino. "I know. But, seriously, thank you for listening, and helping me out. I appreciate it." She smiled. "Really."

Ino, surprisingly, didn't smile back. "You've already thanked me," she reminded her. "As for appreciation, you can show it by not keeping me in the dark the next time around. You pull a stunt like this or make me worry like you did ever again, and I won't give you the luxury of fainting next time."

Sakura bit her lip. "That was a double knock out," she reminded.

"Doesn't matter," she said. "You should never be afraid to turn to your friends if something's bugging you. I hope you'll keep that in mind in the future. You don't and you'll deserve whatever figment of imagination, or petty delusion that solitude happens to punish you with."

"May such suffering bring you such delicious bittersweet sorrow," Inner Ino howled ravenously.

Sakura huffed. "Thanks for making me feel jittery all over again," she pouted, smacking the side of the sandals against her hip. "I was just getting it under control."

Looking almost apologetic, Ino walked up to Sakura and slung her arm around the girl's slumped shoulders. "Sorry, but you're not the only one who needed to get a couple things off their chest," she admitted. "You can stay if you really want to…and since we're on the subject of boys, there was something I've really been meaning to ask you."

"Forget it!" Sakura said, having fallen for that phrase already.

"It's really important!" Ino declared.

"I've heard that before," Sakura replied. "Now let go."

"It's really important," she repeated. "Pretty please."

Fighting to keep her patience, which was near spent, in check, and guessing that Ino was going to settle the childish demand through extortion sooner or later, Sakura figured she might as well play along. "Fine. What is it?" she said sharply.

Ino leaned in next to her ear and, in a conspiratorially manner, whispered, "Tell me something, Sakura. You're the one who would possibly know. Does Sasuke-kun ever take his shirt off when he sleeps? Like, have you seen him with his shirt off—ever? 'Cause it might explain these interesting dreams I've been having lately and…" The words fell on disregarding ears. Sakura left the room before Ino could finish, muttering something along the lines of 'just keep on dreaming, porker'.

Realizing that she was beaming like a hungry shark, Ino quickly chased after Sakura who already had a nice pace going. "It was a legitimate question!" she protested. "And I was only kidding—I haven't had a dream of Sasuke-kun not wearing a shirt for almost two weeks now! Really, it's been nearly two whole weeks!"

Sakura stopped in the hallway, turned and faced Ino with an incredulous look. "You wanna know what I think? I think that talking to Tsunade-sama is going to be a breeze considering the pain in the ass that you've been. Seriously."

Ino pantomimed wounded pride. "That hurts. I thought we made fantastic progress. And on the plus side, you're not nervous anymore now, are you?" she said, tilting her head fractionally.

Sakura groaned, but she had to admit that the piggy was right about that. Leave it up to Ino to get things under way, as well as enjoy the bonus of satisfactory glee. The bitch. Well, her time would come eventually. Sakura's mood lightened at that encouraging thought. "Well," she said, turning to go, "if there's anything I can ever do for you—"

Following behind her, Ino said, "Actually, there is something that you could do for me." Something in her tone seemed to signify that the request was important…and Sakura had promised.

"What is it?" Sakura asked, promising that she was going to belt Ino if this was just going to be another stupid joke. "And this had better be something important, too, and not another stupid question about Sasuke-kun's dress habits." It took her a moment to realize that Ino wasn't following her anymore. Even from the short distance apart, Sakura could tell that the girl was somewhat nervous. "Ino?" she asked again.

"If…Tsunade-sama takes you on and things go well, do you think that—could you put in a good word for me?"

"Huh?" Sakura hadn't been expecting that at all.

Ino waved her hand. "I mean—I don't want you to ask on my behalf. I'll talk to her myself, but I'm just saying that when I do, if you could back me up, I'd really appreciate it. I never had the most outstanding grades in the academy but I'll make up for it through absolute determination and dedication," she said, knowing that she was prattling away.

Sakura glanced at her suspiciously. "Why is this suddenly important to you? Would you be doing it just because you want to show me up, or is it something else?" she pointedly demanded.

Ino sighed. "I'm borrowing the idea, yes. As for showing you up, that isn't the case at all. Even with some of the modifications I've made to my techniques, I've started to reach the limits in my repertoire. What good is a magic trick if the audience already knows how it's done? And besides," she added softly, "you're not the only who feels like they need to improve."

Sakura nibbled on the corner of her lip; whatever Ino's reasons were, she wasn't going to debate her about them…and yes, she had promised. "You'll have to talk to her yourself," she finally stirred, "but let's see how things go on my part for a while. Give it a week or so, then ask. As for a reference, then yes, I'd be willing to help you out there. That is"—her lips shifted into a measured, cool smile, "—as long as you're willing to address me as Sempai."

Ino responded by sputtering—rather comically in Sakura's opinion. "Don't get so high and mighty on yourself just yet, Sakura!" Ino advised her crossly. "You still have to ask yourself."

"Of course I do," she replied without derailment, "but just who do you think is going to be the one helping you review when the Hokage, and perhaps Shizune-san, might be busy and won't have the time to do any teaching, hmmm, Ino-pig?" she leaned forward at that last bit, empathizing her name sweetly.

"You'd just love that, wouldn't you?" Ino said, the sentence dripping with sarcasm. Still she wasn't arrogant enough to know that she couldn't do something like this and not need Sakura's help. Truth be told, Ino figured that she would probably need to put in at least twice the effort that Sakura would in order to carry her weight. She was willing to put in whatever time was needed. All of it if necessary; personal pride demanded that she wouldn't allow Sakura to best her without a fight on her behalf.

"Eventually you'd get used to it," Sakura smilingly reassured as she turned away.

"Keep on wishing," Ino whispered, finishing with a snort. She didn't say anything else though as she followed her downstairs into the main area. Walking into the shop, Ino noticed several upon several various species of wrapped flowers carefully spread out around the counter top and occupying a good portion of the floor. Varying wild scents blended and overlapped with one another. Clearly the deliveryman had been here and gone already. Now the flowers needed to be sorted accordingly and arranged before they opened the shop for the day. As Ino had expected, her mother was bustling back and forth setting expensive, but gorgeous looking orchids in several cooling units, while her father was picking them out, settling them in a vases and, basically, getting them ready for the customers. At least they were, until she and Sakura walked in.

"Good morning, Sakura," Ino's father cheerfully offered without skipping a beat of work. "How are you on this fine day?"

Sakura chuckled. "Good morning to you too, Mr. Yamanaka," she politely returned the greeting with a friendly bow. "I'm doing great."

"She must just turn on the politeness with some kind of button or something," Ino insistently commented to herself.

He looked relived. "Well that's great to hear. Because these two"—he pointed two fingers simulteniously at mother and daughter—"were starting to drive me crazy over how worried they were about you."

Mrs. Yamanaka pretended not to listen, but Ino glared at her father. "Otoo-san!" she cried out in an embarrassed tone. "You weren't supposed to say anything!"

Sakura smiled. "I've already been given the gears from Ino, Mr. Yamanaka. I apologize for the grief I've given, as well as the grief she's caused you in return," she said, easily ignoring the transferred look of annoyance from Ino.

"Oh! Are you leaving, Sakura?" Mrs. Yamanaka asked, catching the subliminal hint that she was departing.

Sakura sadly nodded. "Ino's kicking me out—Actually, there's a couple things I need to do this morning," she quickly explained before any more unnecessary complaints from Ino were issued.

"Are you sure, Sakura?" Mrs. Yamanaka asked, throwing a warning glance at Ino who shrugged in turn. "If you'd like to wait for ten minutes, I was just about to prepare breakfast. You're more then welcome to join us."

"That's very kind of you to offer, but I really should be going," Sakura declined politely as she slipped the coat on. "Thank you very much for your generosity and patience. I also apologize that I detained Ino when you needed her help."

Both parents smiled in union. The two of them had taken an instant shine to Sakura the moment Ino had made introductions. Besides admiring the polite dignity she always carried in front of them, Sakura's attributed rise in self-confidence made for a powerful rivalry between her and their daughter…and banded an even stronger friendship. "Well, don't you be worrying about these young boys and their crazy notions of what they think they want out of life," Mr. Yamanaka commented with a grunt. "As far as I'm concerned, that Uchiha boy must be crazy to ignore such a spirited young beauty like you," he spoke without reserve.

Ino gasped. Sakura blushed furiously, wondered just how much Ino had said. "T-thank you, sir."

It was Mrs. Yamanaka who spoke up this time. "Inoichi—stop embarrassing Sakura," she reprimanded him for his candid words. She turned her gaze towards their flustered guest. "She doesn't need to be reminded of all of that. Please be sure that you take an umbrella by the door before you leave, Sakura, so that you don't catch a bug. Summer colds are the worst to get rid of."

After a few more pleasantries Sakura said her good-byes and was walking to the door, when Ino caught her arm. "Don't go yet. Just hold on a sec'." She walked back up to her mother—who, along with her husband, had gone back to sorting the stock—and whispered something in her ear. The older woman whispered something back, nodded almost imperceptibly towards the refrigerator. Ino patted the woman's shoulder in thanks, walked over to the unit and gazed along the shelves until she found what she was looking for. Carefully taking out a singly wrapped flower, she made her way back to Sakura who was standing by the door, patiently waiting in Ino's raincoat with her sandals on, an umbrella already in hand. Ino's parents had gone back to work. Grinning as if she was about to tell a particularly funny joke, Ino handed the bright flower over to Sakura.

Sakura studied the familiar looking plant. "This is—"

"—It's for good luck." Ino said simply, a twinkle in her eyes. "There were others that were larger and more voluptuous but this one really stood out in its color and texture," she explained. "And it's not quite one of the local varieties, either."

"It doesn't look like it," Sakura agreed, her thumb tracing over the appliance-cooled petals. "How much is it?" she quickly asked.

Ino shook her head. "Nothing. It's on the house," she said. "Giving one flower away isn't going to force us into bankruptcy." She half-smiled, knew that Sakura would understand the meaning but hoped she'd take it further then just at face value. "You could probably use a stitch of inspiration this morning, anyways."

"It does…kind of." Looking the flower over again, Sakura tenderly took it by the stem and sniffed. It filled her nose with a soft aroma of faint sweetness. "Thanks, Ino."

The blonde shrugged. "Don't mention it," she said, concealing her appreciation. The cheerful jingle of shop bells rang as Sakura opened the door and stepped out into the rain. Not bothering to put any shoes on, Ino followed in just her bare feet. The canopy above the main entrance provided adequate enough shelter.

Opening and locking the umbrella into fan-position, Sakura glanced up at the quilt of never ending gray skies. "It sure doesn't seem like it wants to let up," Sakura commented as she stepped on the spongy ground. "Not one bit."

Ino wriggled her feet along the wind-brushed walkway, the chill of cold stone feeling good on the bottom of her toes. "Just one of those days," she said. "I wouldn't worry about it. It's not going to deter you or anything. And it'll stop eventually." She looked at Sakura's feet. "Oh, but I should have offered you a pair of rubber boots to keep your feet dry. Did you want to borrow mine? We're probably about the same shoe size."

Sakura looked down as well, then waved a hand for no. "I can live with this. It's just one less thing I'd have to bring back, anyways."

"Suit yourself," she said. "Just don't be in too big of a hurry, or you'll end up falling into a puddle like a klutz."

Sakura scowled. "Quit talking in the past tense. I'm not that clumsy anymore."

Ino laughed. "Yeah, yeah."

Ignoring the rebuttal, Sakura tightened her grip on the handle. "Well, I guess this is it," Sakura said. "Thanks again for everything. I'll be sure to tell Naruto about the celebration you're planning for Chouji."

"Um…yeah," Ino replied, suddenly distracted. "I'll contact you with the details sometime within the early afternoon. I hope you'll do the same," she quickly added, the playfulness almost forced.

"Yeah, okay," she replied, not asking if she was referring to the Fifth Hokage or else Naruto, and not all that ambitious to seek clarification either. "I'll see you later, Ino," she said over her shoulder, lifting her hand in a farewell greeting. She turned and started to walk away—

"Uh, Sakura?"

Sakura groaned. She figured that escape wasn't going to be that easy without additional hoops to jump through. Should have figured that it wasn't going to be that easy. "Yes?"

"Well…umm—actually, it's…nothing, it's nothing," she managed, knowing that it was already too late for denial.

"…Nope, it's something," Sakura confirmed, wheeling around to stare Ino in the eye. "What is it?"

Ino quickly shook her head. "Ah, I already told you that it's nothing."

Sakura took a step forward. "And I say it's something," she repeated, not taking her eyes off of Ino. "It's not like you to start saying something and not finish it. You're a little more outspoken then that. Spit it out." Their roles abruptly switched.

Ino felt uncomfortable. "It's just…this probably isn't any of my business to ask—neither were a lot of other things, either—but…whatever it is you decide to tell Naruto, just…don't hurt him, okay?"

Now that was a bizarre question as any Sakura had ever heard. A take like that from Ino was like her saying she didn't care about her appearance via dieting and wanting to stay ridiculously thin (which wasn't necessary anyways) when she was easily pretty enough. Sakura wasn't sure if she should take offence and address the unforeseen inquiry with a string of sharp words ending with the predictable 'it's none of your business' routine. Ino's bashfulness made that a difficult idea to follow up on. While not entirely taken back, Sakura couldn't just let that slide either. "Could you expand on that, Ino?" Sakura asked, doing her best not to make it sound like a threat.

Ino rubbed her jaw, a habit that didn't really suit her. "I don't know. Like I said: It's not any of my business, but doesn't it seem like you're getting a little headstrong with all of this?" She suddenly shook her head as if flinging the whole thing out from her ears. "Whatever. I—I don't care. So just—whatever it is you decide to say to him, be sure that you actually mean it. Don't tell him something that you know isn't true. Naruto's a dork but he does have feelings and you—you don't want to end up hurting him." She tossed her hands up. "But just forget I ever said anything," she repeated. "Really. It's inconsequential." Sakura hadn't batted an eye so far but that didn't mean Ino was safely out of the woods just yet. With her luck, she'd probably stuck her foot in her mouth again. Despite her nervousness, Ino waited willingly for a response

"Do you recall," Sakura slowly addressed the question, "what you told me earlier? About taking just baby steps, and not changing the world in one day? You remember that?" Her stare was directed towards the ground while she talked.

"I remember," Ino answered honestly, some of the tension in her chest easing.

Sakura twisted her foot against the soil. "Well…I've decided that's what I'm going to do," she resolved. "Take little steps."

"Oh…really?" Ino's surprise clearly betrayed through the reply. She hadn't expected her simplistic, yet firm advice to be taken to the heart. It was nice to know she hadn't wasted her breath completely.

Sakura's nod was unabashed. "Well…yes. I mean; you said it best. There's no point in making a mountain out of an anthill. I shouldn't try to stick Naruto under a microscope just because of something he said." She smiled weakly. "And I guess I deserve to feel like a total dummy for overreacting in the first place," she added, laughing freely at herself to emphasize the idiocy.

"Oh, well. You aren't stupid, Sakura. You just needed to work it out. But you're not just saying all of that just to give me a warm, fuzzy feeling, are you?" Ino deliberated with her familiar brazenness.

"Yeah, like you deserve that kind of satisfaction," Sakura retorted hotly, kicking water-laced grass at her, forcing Ino to jump back. "Why'd you act so surprised when I told you that I was taking your advice?" she asked in a scrupulous tone, adding a smug looking grin to twist the knife.

Ino scratched the back of her head, glanced off to the left. "W-ell…it just sounded shocking that you'd actually take something I'd said to mind. You must have really been desperate and…um…yeah…" she stuck half her tongue out to conclude.

Sakura sighed, for what had to be the millionth time in a week. "I just want to spend some time with him without making it look clumsy on my end. Not out of repentance, neglect, or because I feel obligated," she stated. "Just…honest time."

"You forgot to include prying," Ino reminded, her span of nervousness completely gone at this point.

Sakura glowered. "Oh, just leave me alone! Shouldn't you already be inside helping your parents instead of trying to pump me for information?"

Ino tapped her chin. "The latter is a lot more satisfying."

"I see, well, you'll have to get your jollies some other way," she commented in a regretful tone that was meant to be cynical. "I appreciate the advice and all the help. Thanks a million." Sakura turned and started to jog away, "See you later."

"I want to hear details, forehead! Remember that!" Ino shouted to be heard over the short distance. Sakura waved again in confirmation, trotted up the street, disappeared behind a building—and then she was gone, the neighboring structures obstructing Ino's view.

And that marked the end of that interesting little visit.

"Well, I'd say I had my share of fun for the morning," Ino spoke to nobody in particular while in the midst of a somewhat earned stretch of a job well done. She could honestly say that offering her casual assessment to a peculiar matter for a vexatious friend wasn't exactly on par to solving some six thousand year old nagging riddle or accomplishing some great achievement for mankind. Egotistically, even she knew where to draw the line. And she really had not done much on her part. That was probably a good thing. If she had butted in at a time where Sakura wasn't as edgy or bothered, she might have taken it upon herself to slap Ino's head off of her shoulders for the number of rudimentary and unwanted remarks. Forehead could be absolutely fearsome and calculating when she wanted to be. Knowing that she had played a part in that creation, Ino couldn't help but shudder…

But, in all fairness, that really had been a strange conversation. It had been so unusual to listen to Sakura speak of Naruto in such an aloof and flustered context. Her compassion did seem genuine and the reasoning and concerns did make some sense. After all, Sakura wasn't the only to notice some of the improvements he'd made over the short span of time. The only other thing that troubled her was the awareness of knowing that Sakura had a bit of power over Naruto. Although it wasn't quite a 'crack the whip' type deal, Ino knew that Sakura could easily influence and manipulate him (up to a point) if she chose—but was also mature enough not to use that to her advantage.

Still, whether it was for good reasons or bad intentions, the existing notion that she was only using Naruto because he was suitably convenient was still too strong to ignore. It was probably wrong on her part to think in such pessimistic terms, but she couldn't help it. Even the most careful ideas could backfire with the most disastrous consequences. And there was just no way that forehead was going to forget all about Sasuke at the snap of a finger; not after all that time she'd invested scheming and plotting despite numerous failures. It just didn't jive together—

Or was this simply another step to her maturing.

This logjam was almost in comparison to breaking a branch off of a tree. If you twist and peel the branch enough times eventually it's going to tear away. Sakura had done just that. She'd twisted and twisted until she'd pulled the branch away, exposing an answer that she had or hadn't been expecting, or else prepared to hear just then. This event placed both parties in an unfavorable disposition—but perhaps that had been Naruto's intentions all along. Maybe there was something jumbling around in that skull of his after all…

But Ino had already concluded that this wasn't her problem and, to her knowledge, it still wasn't. All she could do is form her own guesses and hope that things worked out for the best. Whatever that meant and…dammit! Now she was starting to fall into this blasted mind frame! Filling her lungs with clean-scented, replenishing oxygen once more, Ino turned and, leaving that nonsense to drift in the wind where it belonged, stepped back into the house.

Skidding across the mat to remove any dirt or water on her feet, Ino picked up a package of flowers and walked over to her mother, who was still working at an orderly pace to get things put away in the refrigerator. "Which shelf do you want these tulips?"

The older women pointed to the bottom, left-hand side of the unit. "Next to the rest of the tulips," she replied in a hurried composure. "Sorry. How was the visit?" This was a significant improvement from what she'd been like an hour ago, and an apology to boot? Ino would need to make it a habit to have company in mornings like these more often.

Ino sighed elaborately. "Pretty good, I guess. Interesting might be a better way to put it, but I enjoyed it. Sakura's taking things a lot better then what I had anticipated," she commented, answering the inevitable question. Might as well get it out of the way.

"Well, that's nice to hear," she cheerfully replied, as if she'd been like that the whole time also. "I hope she comes over more often—you two were always so close. Is that why you wanted to give her a cosmos flower instead of something more foreign and not indigenous to this region?

"It was for symbolic reasons," Ino answered

Her mother nodded without batting an eye. "I see. So what did you two talk about?" she asked, not expecting a lengthy response, but curious just the same. She'd been young once, too.

Placing another set of tulips with the others, Ino gazed at the colorful arrangement of cosmos flowers on her side of the cooling unit. "Nothing special," Ino innocently replied. "Just girl talk," she elaborated with a faint smile, hoping that Okaa-san would understand.

Mrs. Yamanaka nodded, matching Ino's grin with one of her own. She did understand. With that—and with equally improved spirits, mother and daughter, along with father, worked together to make preparations for the eventual start of another day in the Yamanaka flower shop.

"Good luck, Sakura. Do your best…don't screw up!"

To be continued…

Author's Note: I guess it's safe to say that I'm not a ghost or back from the dead or anything. But considering that I haven't updated in a crazy long time (trying to ignore the numerous dirty looks and the menacing sound of dozens upon dozens of closed fists smacking against open hands)! Um, yeah; been really busy guys…

This was one of those segments I felt couldn't really be shortened without that additional supporting character feedback or else added insight and perception. Again I contemplated cutting this chapter into two parts because of its unbelievably, massive length. And I probably should have, but I figured it might screw up the writing scheme so I left it as one big ass segment. Figure I owe the people who asked/threatened to know when the next update was going to sprout around at least that much courtesy. Really didn't really have time to sit down and slog away at this until the fall season. I kind of had to relearn a couple things in the process (still trying to ignore deathly stares), but I definitely enjoyed getting back in the grove. How some people can write super long, detailed chapters in mere days and make them look so good is way beyond my means…

Anyway, hope you guys liked the chapter. I don't think I ever want to see this one again as far as changes or time spent on it goes. Looking at the same introductory sentence for the last six months was enough of a punishment, and there'll probably be a hundred mistakes on it again as usual. It'll be great to start something different. Thanks again for being so patient.