CHAPTER THREE

Sakura forced herself to walk away slowly. I can't run away, she thought, even though that would have been a normal thing for me to do, had it been afternoon time... (She was busy as a medic ninja.) But during the dark hours of night, when everything was slow and calm, except the racing of her heart; and when there were no duties to distract her completely, an odd vulnerable feeling overtook her; especially just now when she had been so close... She just didn't know how to get rid of it.

Sakura looked up at the sky. Thick black-gray clouds were inching along ominously. Is that what my heart feels like now? Sakura wondered. She felt melodramatic, but pushed that aside, and realized that the sky did reflect what she was feeling in her heart. She remembered Naruto's warm, embracing scent and felt sharp adrenaline-induced jitters in her stomach. A brief view of Sasuke-kun appeared in her mind—first as the aloof young boy, then as the still cool and aloof but older teen. Yes, Sasuke still radiated total suavity and ruthless grace. Who could deny it? Somehow, Sakura couldn't imagine why she had liked the dark haired Uchiha so much. It was a weird and greatly ironic that she thought that now, when Sasuke-kun had basically been her whole life before; but she really couldn't remember why she had! She knew very well that her whole life had been dedicated to Sasuke, winning his heart, then winning him back...up till now.

Sakura felt a small chuckle almost escape her lips but it seemed to freeze in her throat just before it could make sound. Instead of a dark-haired-Uchiha-lover… when had I become a blonde- ramen-loving- guy kind of girl? Sakura knew that she could ask away until the end of forever and she still wouldn't know the answer. Maybe she was keeping it purposefully out of her own reach.

Sakura pushed back her long jagged bangs behind her ear. Why do I care about the answer? Sakura wondered. Or for that matter, the question? Sakura loved the poking, adrenaline rush she got when she was around Naruto. The only thing I would change...Sakura narrowed her leaf green eyes just at the thought. Just one minor detail. Sakura had the image in her mind: perfectness, meekness, and totally unsuspecting. With a slight scowl, Sakura walked into her house, and then jumped a few feet in surprise at the bright artificial light that greeted her. She widened her eyes, guilt taking over all her functions, the most obvious one was the dark pink blush that rushed across her face. Her parents' disapproving stares were enough to light a candle all the way across the room, Uchiha-style. She mentally prepared herself for her excuses and pleadings for forgiveness. Her mind and heart weren't in it though. Both were several blocks away, at a small apartment that stank of ramen...

Naruto watched the pink haired medic ninja leave. Then, he opened his apartment door and slipped inside. After clicking the door shut, Naruto turned on a lamp, then changed into some sleep worthy clothes. As he undressed, he glanced at the small note. The paper seemed unusually white as if it was from a brand new pack, or something. The choppy hand writing looked unmistakably like his. Reading the list-well not a list, since all it was was one word-he agreed with Sakura that it was his handwriting… Yet, he couldn't remember ever writing anything like it. It certainly didn't seem like something he…

Of course it is! Naruto thought. This is a great idea. …. I'll do it tomorrow though… He walked into his apartment, and shut the door behind him. His mind was turned off by now, and made his way to the bathroom to wash his face. Then he lazily pulled off his shirt and collapsed onto his bed. Sleep came easily, and his dreams were filled with a girl with lavender eyes and blue-black hair.

Ino was tired of her dusty, dark organizing job behind the front desk in the store by now. With every blink, her mind thought that more dust particles were sticking to her eyes. She would have loved to organize the flowers in the display and in the shop, but she had already done that. Twice. And her parents didn't have time to do it… and someone had to do it…

The door opened with a loud CHANG. Ino knew immediately that it was a man coming into the store. It had felt like a masculine touch, Ino thought. Even Tenten didn't barge into the store like that. She could if she wanted to, obviously, but she didn't ever want to- and that was the point. She got up and turned around, and after she greeted the customer, her thoughts were miles away from Tenten in an instant.

It was Naruto, in a blue and orange jacket, with his signature lopsided smile. He looked around the store curiously.

"Hey, Ino, what's up?"

His hair was slightly rustled, in a windblown way, as if he had run to get here. For all she knew, he could have.

"Just finished a phone call," Ino lied.

"Oh- did I interrupt-"

"No, of course not," Ino said. Awwww, Ino thought, trying not to grin crazily at Naruto. "What can I help you with?"

"U m… flowers…"

Ino smirked, but on the inside she was adoring. "Really… you don't say?"

Naruto scratched the back of his head, maybe rearranging his hair, or maybe just in embarrassment. "That was a pretty dumb answer, wasn't."

Ino didn't reply, hoping that her silence would answer, "yeah, duh," when actually she was like, "no, not really, well, yeah, but it was cute."

Naruto roamed the store for a few minutes. Ino felt the aura becoming exceedingly awkward. She wanted to say something… but why was she at a sudden loss for words? She heard Naruto's footsteps stop. Is he done already? Ino wasn't sure whether to be happy or sad.

"What did you find?" Ino asked, freeing herself from behind the desk. She found him in front of the purple-light lavender, really- azaleas, his eyes glazed over.

"The Azaleas. They are very popular." Ino said. Even though they weren't the most at all-they were an odd choice.

"Okay," Naruto said. He picked up a lavender colored bouquet. He followed Ino to the cash register. She rung up the order, and held out her hand for the money. He dropped a few coins into her hand, the coins chilled but his hands warm. Ino felt goosebumps on her arms. Okay, that was unnecessary!" she told herself. She split the two bouquets and put them in separate plastic covers.

"Why are you splitting it up?" Naruto asked.

"There's two," Ino said, freezing in mid-action. "I can combine them if you want." She almost said sorry, but Naruto's simple word stopped her momentarily.

"Oh." He said, Simply, plainly. Ino inhaled softly.

"Keep the other one," Naruto said. He held out his hand, apparently for one of the bouquets.

Ino wanted to clear her throat, but she didn't… want to? Would it have seemed rude? "What?"

Naruto kept his hand held out-impatiently, maybe. "You keep the other one. Give me one of them."

Ino followed his order shakily. "I charged you for two-"

"INO!" Naruto cried. The blonde jumped on the inside. "I'm giving it to you! Stop being so much trouble."

Do you like trouble? Ino wanted to ask, but she was so embarrassed by now. Naruto turned around, and in his swagger, made his way to the door. He waved over his shoulder nonchalantly and exited the store, with a twang of the bell.

Ino was breathless. She looked down at the light-lavender petals. She brought her nose to them. Hahhhhhhh! she sighed in her head. When was the last time she had gotten flowers? Last week? No… farther than that… When was the last time she had a boyfriend? … Last month? Um… Ino blinked. Suddenly, she couldn't remember much of anything. Nothing, except electric blue eyes and a tan body full of swagger.