A soft humming escaped her lips, as concentrated blue eyes scanned the different shelves in the grocery store looking for the item her dearest mother had requested.

'Pickles, pickles, pickles…' Mumbled Ino over and over, as if hoping by chanting the item by name it would magically appear before her. "Urgh, don't these people label anything properly in here?" Griped the blonde glaring at a pyramid of ketchup; which she found near the entrance of the frozen food aisle; having followed the 'labels'... so then maybe she could assume someone had switched them? If that was the case, she could already form assumptions in her mind on who would do such an aggravating, juvenile thing...

'Pickles?' she asked hopefully, turning into another lane; which happened to be stocked from top to bottom with junk food; Ino's least favourite food. (Though she had given up dieting, it didn't mean she didn't eat healthy.)

The next three isles over, seemed to be pickle-less as well... and was starting to get on the blonde's already fraying nerves. 'Where the fuck are the goddam pickles?'

'How rude, young people these days have absolutely no respect!' Snapped an elderly woman disapprovingly, as she pushed past Ino snootily. Blushing in embarrassment, Ino bowed her head apologetically and jetted a route away from the woman. (While ignoring inner Ino, who had wanted nothing more than to slap the woman silly.)

Halting as she neared the green goods center – which, mind you carried no pickles. Ino sighed in defeat, it seemed like everything was messed up in the store. (She was pleased to find that not only she was confused by the mix up.) The downfall was that all of the courtesy clerks had their hands filled with other customers; and those not being served trailed in a long human chain of baby chicks following the employee around helplessly. Ino was not about to join them, with her pride she would be much better off suffering on her own thank you.

With a small amount of determination fuelling her, Ino turned down the next aisle, though not having high hopes that it was the one she needed. Staring at the rows upon rows of Captain Crunch and Lucky Charms, Ino assumed right. At this rate, she would never get out of this cursed grocery store. And with her current home life she wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing.

Hm, the longer I stay here I don't have to do some silly chore that mom and dad want me to… but at the same time when I do get out… well let's not think about that. Mom sure can be scary when it comes to her pickles… or any food for that matter.

Inwardly sweat dropping at the thought of her parents, whom she loved dearly, but drove her up the wall at times. With a sigh, Ino lazily walked down the lane while running her fingers along the shelf without a specific destination.

'It was awesome! I used that jutsu that Kakashi-sensei showed us and then - you should have seen it teme, everyone started running around in a panic! Like the village was on fire or something! It was great - no one knows where anything is all because of me! Number one ninja!' shouted a jubilant voice from the end of the aisle.

'Hn.'

'Gah! Stupid teme - obviously you can't appreciate my fine skills as a ninja! Shows what you know!'

Wait a minute she knew that voice.

Peeking around the corner of a shelf, Ino spied Uzumaki Naruto the lane over bragging to who other than Uchiha Sasuke. The dark haired male looked none to pleased about being in the blonde's presence as he eyed the medical gauze and bandages in from of him.

Ino bit her lip ducking back behind her shelf, of course Sasuke would be in the medical area - she had after all smacked him hard enough to draw blood not even half an hour ago. And just her luck he was in one of the few aisles she had left to check.

'- You're just jealous cause you weren't able to come up with something as brilliant as I have!' Declared Naruto, tossing a victory sign in his rivals face.

So it was him.

Sasuke measly swatted the offending limb, pushing the blonde out of his way with a scoff. 'As if I would stoop so low to do something so stupid.'

'Sasuke-teme!' cried Naruto moving in to punch the boy, but was halted when a minor wave of killer tent was sent in his direction. Jerking in surprise, the momentum of Naruto's thrust caused him to swing off balance and collided into Ino - who had come out of her hiding place, in hopes of giving the dead-last of their class a good tongue lashing.

Caught by surprise, Ino lost her footing from the force of Naruto's shove and landed straight at Sasuke. The poor Uchiha never saw it coming, having turned back to looking for his purchase, as both he and the female ninja now lay sprawled out on the titled floor.

Forget Naruto, Ino was sure she was going to have an aneurism.

'Oh great.'

'Ino!' Cried Naruto's idiotic voice filled with surprise in the background as blue met black. Gulping nervously, Ino felt chills runs down her spine from the intensity of the Uchiha's stare.

'Can I help you with something?' Was the dark haired youth's sarcastic drawl, as he sat up wearily. Ino sprawled out on top of him fell down to his lap with his movement. Her face momentarily squished against his chest – which mind you, smelled like the cologne he wore; very good. Jumping back as if burnt, Ino scrambled off Sasuke and onto the floor behind him, desperately trying to avoid his gaze. 'He doesn't look happy – well of course not, you've knocked him down again. Ino you baka!'

'Eh... heh, um...' Just great of all times to have her inner Hinata Hyuuga to take over, it had to be now! Feeling a blush creep up on her face Ino squeezed her eyes closed tight, secretly wishing when she opened them she wouldn't be in the middle of the grocery store, beside a stoicSasuke and laughing Naruto making a fool out of herself, yet again.

Luckily, her torture was ended when Naruto; who found the situation incredibly funny slapped her on the back in mirth. Sending the poor girl flying again; or maybe not.

Sasuke was ready for it this time and was kind enough to catch her this time, sending Naruto a displeased look.

'That was great! First you break Sasuke-teme's nose and now this... I've never seen him fall down before – it was priceless!' Cawed Naruto as his fellow ninja glared at him. Sasuke's hold on Ino's forearms; from when he caught her, distinctively tightened, reminding the blonde kunoichi of the position they were in.

Chancing a peek up at the boy she saw anger swimming in the dark depths of his eyes. And she was the cause of it.

'Heh who knew Ino-chan was such a klutz anyways?' Mused Naruto having calmed down a bit. That struck a nerve. (Not to mention she was still previously miffed at the blonde, embarrassment aside.) Sasuke seemed to have noticed something was off as well, as he instinctively let go of his grip, and eased back into the shadows; behind the safety of one of the shelves.

This went unnoticed by both blondes, as Ino's previous aggravation from the mix up in the store labels resurfaced and added to her current anger. She stood, facing the whisker faced teen with a murderous look.

A second later there was the loud sound of flesh hitting flesh that echoed through the store followed by the inhume bellow of;

'NARUTO YOU IDIOT!'

Peering from around the safety of his shelf, which the Uchiha made note that next time he should go back a few more to avoid the brunt (aka - the loudness of Ino's inhuman screeching) of the attack. Sasuke Uchiha casually walked back to the scene of the crime as if nothing happened.

Ino seemed to have calmed down, as she had collected herself in a much more composed manner and was dusting herself off from their previous fall. Naruto on the other hand wasn't in such a great condition. He was sprawled out on the floor – nursing several large ugly bumps on his head and an Ino sized handprint across his right cheek.

Served him right! Being such a loud mouth idiot, always got him in endless amounts of trouble (and dragged the rest of team seven down with him) Heh, the blonde-dobe had yet to learn when not to cross a Yamanaka... not that Sasuke would actually inform him, of course.

Stopping short in front of his team mate, the dark haired boy turned his attention the blonde; she was force to be reckoned with. The one of few who could beat him countless of times and live to tell the tale. Sasuke had thought of challenging her to a duel many a times, to finally put an end to his miserable defeats – but deep down where he would admit to no one (save this story) he was like Naruto; cowering in her wrath.

'So...' Spoke up Sasuke finally, watching as the girl visibly flinched as if embarrassed or afraid or something. (It was a gesture that the Uchiha never really understood. As whenever Naruto had the rare chance of beating him in training he would go on about it for hours on end, until Sasuke kicked his ass to make him shut up. Why didn't she [Ino] ever relish in her victories, over him – the last Uchiha? Well if she wouldn't take advantage of the situation, then he would.)

'Aren't you going to apologize?'

'Ah – erm, what?'

'You knocked me over remember? Twice actually,' stated Sasuke, man he was an asshole. But I guess you can't get rid of some things, when it runs in your genes.

Ino stared blankly at him. Somewhat resembling a fish out of water, a cute fish none the less. Like his pet goldfish he had when he was a little kid, before his brother got a hold of it and Bob (his dearly departed fish) met his fate in the toilet bowl.

Naruto made a nose from the floor, and Ino snapped her attention to the dobe – glaring threateningly at him. Sasuke stilled, Naruto whimpered, and Ino sighed.

'I'm sorry,' she said finally, though to which boy neither knew – and neither wanted to clarify which one.

'Heh, so what are you doing here Ino-chan?' Asked Naruto having picked his pathetic self up from the floor as the three teens wandered down the different aisles aimlessly.

'I came here looking for pickles, but since someone changed everything around I'm not having much luck,' admitted the blonde, annoyed as Naruto's flashy grin flattered.

'O-oh really? That sucks...'

'I know it was you Uzumaki,' snapped the kunoichi as the Hokage-to-be made an girlish 'eek' sound and jumped behind his silent team mate.

Growling in annoyance, the dark haired male pushed his hands into a hand seal and muttered a quick 'Kai' as everything turned back to normal. Many shouts of joy sounded around them which was joined by Ino's own sigh of relief. (Naruto dejectedly cursed his best friend in the background, though quietly as if not to anger Ino.)

Turning her attention towards the Uchiha, the girl smiled in gratitude. 'Arigato Sasuke-kun!'

'Hn'

Sasuke's cold and impassive face was blank and expressionless like usual. Opposite to Ino's bright and cheery one.

And so things went back to the way they normally were.

'Well I'll be going now, see you around!' Waved Ino as she skipped off, make a sharp turn into the noodle aisle to get out of view. Her pace slowed down, though she still walked speedily towards her destination, she wanted out of there and she wanted out now.

Of all the people to run into, it had to be Uchiha Sasuke.

The boy she had admired since she was a school girl.

The one she had grown to love.

The poor soul; whom Destiny thought it funny to make her victim out of pure accident.

Oh how the game of love was a cruel and vindictive one.

(Phase 02 / complete)

More cleeeaning! Found this chapter mostly complete - just had to do some minor editing and do my usual connecting of the end-middle-beginning. So sorry if the story gets a bit choppy. Le sigh. Long overdue! Gomen Nasai!