Arranged

Chapter 4: Confirmation

She did just as her mentor had suggested. She rushed like the speed of light towards the Yamanaka's flowershop. It was only a matter of minutes until she arrived. She was about to rush in through the rooftop door but suddenly stopped herself. She sighed and rubbed her temples. Sakura admired her sensei to no end, but sometimes she wished that she wasn't so casual about forgetting about the most important of facts. At this moment, the thing at the top of the list was telling the Rookie 9 and the rest of her friends that she had just one more full day to spend with all of them until she was escorted to her new home in Suna to be wed to the Kazekage. She smoothed out her hair and clothes and attempted to look composed. She walked down the flight of stairs and smiled to find her best friend fussing over a bouquet of flowers. Ino finally turned around. Instead of a welcoming smile, she frowned deeply. It took Sakura only a second to figure out what was wrong. She sighed and shrugged apologetically.

Ino just shook her head and grinned "Geez, you'd think you'd have some brains behind that big forehead of yours. How many times have I told you?! Don't come in through the rooftop door."

A small vein popped up on Sakura's head and she scoffed "Ha! I remembered. I was just afraid I'd have to push Miss Piggy away in case she was blocking the usual entrance."

Ino gave her friend a dark glare "Is that so?" Sakura smirked and returned the glare "Yeah." They held their possitions for a while until Ino cracked. She giggled her head off while Sakura put an arm around her shoulders. The girls smiled at each other.

Sakura started again "Sorry I came through the roof Ino-chan. But..." She suddenly looked down at the floor to try and conceal her sad frown. However, Ino notice the change in her. She lifted Sakura's chin so that they looked at one another "Sakura-chan. 'But' what? If that comment I made before was a little too harsh..."

Sakura waved her hand dismissively and laughed nervously "Iie, iie. It wasn't that. It's just that" She looked her friend in the eye "I'm leaving Konoha."

She was surprised to find Ino laughing. "Is that all?" Ino walked away and started fussing with the bouquet again "So when are you coming back?"

Sakura stayed silent as Ino held up the vase to the light, her back still turned towards Sakura.

"I'm not coming back..."

SMASH

The tiny pieces of crystal that once formed a beautiful vase laid on the floor of the store. Their reflective rainbows left intricate patterns of light splayed across the walls and the two kunoichis' faces. Ino turned ever so slowly to looked at her friend. They stood there for a minute that soon felt like a millenia. Sakura was the one to finally break the silence.

"I said I..."

"I know what you said!" Ino hollered. A tear rolled down her paling cheek "PLEASE tell me this has nothing to do with..."

Sakura cut her off "It has absolutely nothing to do with the Uchiha-teme!"

Ino nodded slowly and looked down. Sakura sighed "Ino, you're acting as if something bad is making me leave." The blonde kunoichi looked up with a confused expression. "Nothing's happened?" Sakura smiled softly at her friend and shook her head but Ino kept a blank face. "Then why?"

Sakura snorted "I don't think you'd believe me if I told you."

Ino nervously quircked up the corner of her mouth for a quick second "Ha. Try me."

Sakura walked over to her friend, being careful not to tread over the peaces of glass. She came face to face with her long-time companion. The pink-haired nin cradled the blonde's face in her hands and looked her square in the eye "I've been betrothed."

Silence.

"Say what?" Ino inquired dumbly.

Sakura chuckled, looked down and then looked back up "I'm. Getting. Married."

Not a second later, Sakura was covering her ears from a screeching Ino. The next thing she knew, her friend had her in a bear hug and sobbing while incoherently babbling things. Sakura managed to pull away enough from Ino to get a grip on her arms.

"Ino! Calm down! Kami, girl. You act as if I were never going to get married."

Ino suddenly sobered up and refused to look her comrade in the eye. Sakura furrowed her brows, noticing that something must have been said behind her back.

"Ino. How many more?"

Ino still looked away "W-what are you talking about Sakura-chan?"

"Don't you 'Sakura-chan' me! How many more people were betting on this?"

Ino mumbled something that came to the effect of "I don't know. A few."

Sakura sighed. Do I really seem that hopeless?

Ino took the chance to change the subject "But who cares?! My best friend is getting married! But..." Ino scrunched her nose in distaste "You said 'betrothed'? To who?"

Sakura laughed nervously "You'll never believe me." Ino shook her head furiously "Iie, iie! I will! Tell me!"

"Gaara."

Ino paled. Sakura could only laugh "Kami-sama, Ino-chan! You look like a ghost. Don't worry so much. I'm sure he's changed a lot. Or at least that's what Tsunade-sama and Shizune-niisan say."

Ino sighed "Tsunade-sama? So that's why I haven't heard about it."

Sakura nodded and chuckled "Hai. You know Tsunade-sama."

Ino nodded and smirked "Guess you still have to tell everyone else, huh?"

Sakura sighed and rubbed her temples "I guess I..."

Just then, a man burst through the door. "Yamanaka-san! Have you heard?! Haruno-san is..." the man was startled to find that very person right infront of him. His confused expression quickly recovered into a bright smile "Congrats Haruno-san! You'll make a fine wife! And to be marrying someone like the Kazekage is...!"

Sakura cut him off "Gomen! But where the hell did you here that?!"

The man looked a bit surprised but once again recovered "Oh! Workers from the Hokage's Office began to put up notification fliers a little while ago. The whole village is buzzing!"

Sakura went pale "Ino..."

Ino nodded "You got it. I'll close up early and we'll head over to your apartment."

Sakura turned to her friend and smiled nervously "Arigatou."

After fifteen minutes, both kunoichi were jumping off rooftops and heading towards Sakura's apartment.

Sakura looked at her comrade, not slowing the pace "Oi!" Ino turned to her "If I'm right they should be there."

Ino grinned "Would you expect anything less of them?"

Sakura laughed "Them, no. You? Hmmm, maybe! By the way, what was that little thing you have about using your rooftop to go in and out?"

Ino frowned at her friend "Very funny billboard-brow."

Sakura scoffed "Thanks Ino-pig!"

Both grinned at each other and continued to their destination.

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AUTHOR'S NOTES:

Not much to say about this chapter. A little drama, comedy and a few unrequired tears mixed into this segment. Overreaction compliments of Ino Yamanaka. I don't know if I should have gone into Ino's appearance more. But if you guys request it for later chaps, I'll see what I can do. I will say that I'm thinking of something important for Ino in the story, but that's all I'm giving away (b/c I'm evil mwahahahaha!). Also, the man wasn't specifically a shinobi or anything; just a regular villager. I didn't want to go into too much detail though. I was afraid it might unesseccarily distract readers from the conflict at hand. Again, if you think that I should have gone into more detail, just comment.

R & R,

Jocelyne

P.S. I'm just realizing that there's been a lot of estrogen and not enough testosterone (( spelling?)). For those of you who don't know what I said, too much woman and not enough man. So maybe that's why I added the random guy. And for the guys reading my fic, have no fear. The boys of Naurto will make their appearance in the next chapter. Thanks!