Blonde long hair perfectly tied up in a ponytail swayed effortlessly as the young woman purposely traverse the way from the Business building to the main library. Ahh, there she is. Taking the first book her hand made contact with from the nearest shelf standing by the wall, she stepped behind the pink-haired girl and hit her side with the book.
"Oww!"
"I knew I'd find you here."
"What the hell Ino."
"Quiet," a nerdy-looking boy scowled from the table near them.
They both looked apologetically to the person.
Ino, the blonde-haired girl took a seat beside her equally nerdy best friend. "You're not answering my texts or calls," she whispered accusingly.
Sakura just rolled her emerald eyes and continued reading.
"Forehead, I feel so abandoned," Ino whined, her glossy lip pouting for effect.
Knowing that her friend will never choose her over studying, especially that she usually hungers for the pink-haired girl's attention only when she wants to gossip, she stopped her mewling. "Fine. But I'm coming with you to your parents' house. I'm missing aunt Mebuki's cooking."
An hour passed, in which Ino also took the time to search for a book she'll be needing for Literature, before Sakura decided it's time to go home. The two teenage girls rode a bus heading to the Haruno residence together.
"Ino dear," Sakura's mother came to greet their visitor. "You didn't say you'd be coming. It's a good thing I'm just about to start cooking dinner. I'll prepare extra for you," she continued excitedly.
Hugging and kissing Mrs. Haruno on the cheek, Ino answered, "You're the best, aunt Mebuki."
"You two look more like mother and daughter than us mom," Sakura can't help but be amazed by how close her and Ino's family have become.
She yanked the snoring blonde sleeping on her bed.
"Ino I swear you really are a pig."
You wouldn't have guessed a girl as pretty as Ino snores like a boar while sleeping on her side, sheets sprawled around haphazardly.
"Hmmnn," complained the girl as she tugs at the red oversized tshirt she took from Sakura's piles of sleeping clothes without permission.
It's been a while since they had a sleepover. Back when they were young, Ino would practically live in Sakura's house for a month, then the following month, it's the other's turn to stay at the Yamanaka residence.
Sakura's dainty hands flew to the snoozing girl's feet to tickle them. It made the girl yelp and jerk violently she almost fell to the floor if it wasn't for the assaulter pulling her by the shoulder.
Never fails to make her undead to the world.
"Get your butt downstairs once you've removed your eye boogers," jested Sakura.
Five plates of towering stack of pancakes for five different syrups. Yep, prepared definitely for Ino. What's funny is no matter how much Ino eats, her figure remains the body of a model. Meaty on the right places. Unlike her, a little lacking on the front department. She was about to proudly announce in her head that she at least 'got them booty' when her best friend's palm smacks the said body part. The wink after warranted a sticking out of the tongue from Sakura.
"Oh, Ino I didn't know you're here," Kizashi Haruno, the good-humored head of the family took a seat next to his wife. "You're not visiting as often."
"Good morning too uncle," greeted the girl familiarly.
"I wonder when it's a boy that my baby girl will bring home."
Said baby girl choked on her water. "Dad, I swear, other parents would forbid that."
"You are always on top of your class," her mom pointed. "We don't really mind if for a change, you want to have a boyfriend."
Boyfriend? And she overreacted over a boy who doesn't have an iota of chance with me. Sakura rolled her eyes to which his father made a funny remark. Ino is very used to this family dynamic as it very much resembles hers.
"Ah, I almost forgot I have this," Ino said as she takes out a purple dress on a hanger. There's a special corner in Sakura's closet that's dedicated to her clothes. Years ago, she forced her best friend to agree with the arrangement. You never know when we'll have an unplanned sleepover, your tops can't accomodate these, was Ino's reasoning while pointing at her boobs. The banter didn't go without a pull on a tuft of blonde hair.
After slipping in the dress, Ino went straight to the vanity to do her make up. She swiped the excess lipstick off the left corner of her lip. "Hey, Sak," she could see from the corner of her eye that Sakura has come out of the bathroom and is already dressed in her usual shirt and skirt. "I've been meaning to ask you. Do you still talk to him?"
The girl was taken aback, she halted from spraying her fruity scented perfume. "No, I don't."
Ino was just about to open her mouth when Sakura beat her to it. "And I don't want to talk about it anymore."
Honestly, she hasn't thought about him in a long while now. That's a thing in her past she doesn't want to recall.
"Well it's because, I told myself I'm not gonna tell you this yet because I don't wanna jinx it but," the blonde walked to her best friend and held her hand. "I'm kind of going out with someone," her eyes are smiling, Sakura could see the happiness in it.
"Really?" was her equally giddy response. "Oh my gosh, I'm happy for you Ino," their arms instantly circled each other. "Well then I need to meet this guy so I could tell him not to break my best friends little dramatic heart. Okay?"
After her single class for that day, Sakura went to their family business. She finds helping serve the customers therapeutic so she comes every once in a while when studying gets a little too addicting for her.
The next morning, she texted Naruto.
'Let's meet at lunch tomorrow.'
A blush painted Naruto stepped out of his apartment. He texted her back to let her know he'll be there after locking his door.
The boy didn't need to ride a bus to get to his Sunday morning job. A few meters of walk is enough and a lot healthier and a budget friendly practice.
Mr. Takeuchi was all smiles at him as always, his eyes squinting. "Good morning, you look extra happy today Naruto."
Tucking the delivery bag safely on his back, the happy teen smiled big. "I'm meeting sir Iruka after my shift."
"Will he be coming here again or-"
"He said he'll have our best ramen for lunch," the boy cut in as he prances to the entrance, the package he's carrying bouncing with him.
"Careful or the noodles will topple over," Ayame called out from the register.
Ichiraku's used to be a simple izakaya until it grew into a spacious restaurant that always packs during night time and the weekends. This is why some customers opt for house delivery giving Naruto a busy schedule on Sundays. Iruka made his way to the only available spot, the chef's table at the open kitchen. His orders came in right when Naruto just got back from his last batch of delivery. He already ordered for the both of them knowing that the boy never fails at being punctual when it comes to their ramen time.
The boy hurriedly sat beside him.
"Itadakimasu."
Slurp after slurp. I hope you never change Naruto. Iruka told himself with a smile as he looks at the blonde devouring his food like there's a monster inside him.
"How's college?" Naruto made a face then continued eating. The middle school teacher ruffled the boy's unruly hair. He should be offended by how the teen reacts when it comes to studying but he knows Naruto like a father would know his son. "What do you have to do after this?"
"Let's see," the boy mused. "I have a packing job at the grocery store, delivery job at a bookstore, walk pets in the afternoon," he paused to think. "That's it. I don't have a lot today."
Naruto was still finishing his fifth and last bowl when Iruka dropped a few bills in front of him. "Add this to your allowance this week."
"B-but Sensei, I-," the boy didn't know what to say.
"Naruto, study hard. Also, if you fall in love, let me know so I can say if she's gonna be good for you," he ruffled his golden hair again then left. Words could never express how grateful he is for his old teacher.
"Forehead," Ino said as she hit Sakura on the back.
Rolling the short sleeve of her red shirt up to her shoulder, Sakura warned, "Ino I swear."
"Shut up. Why didn't you tell me you're dating, I thought we're best friends."
"It's too early to be drunk pig."
The blonde girl finally sat beside Sakura. "Oh don't you change the subject. Who was that blonde idiot looking guy with you yesterday?"
"You mean Naruto," she deadpanned. "He's in my Bio and Chem class."
"Uh-huh. And why did you have to sit together at lunch today?"
"We were partnered for a Chemistry project, obviously we'll talk about it," Sakura explained, her expression says there's nothing special about it. "Also... why are you interrogating me?"
Ignoring the question, Ino continued goading, "Oh my gosh forehead, that's usually how love stories start in the novels I read."
"Pffft. He's not my type."
Ino left her best friend alone to study knowing very well sooner or later she will swallow her words.
A/N: I'm sorry it took me long to post this chapter. I'll try to update more frequently. Thanks for the 18 likes and 20 follows.