"Ino!"

Naruto rapped impatiently on the green-painted door of the Yamanaka family's flower shop, cursing mentally. Ino must have seen him; heard him; it had been almost a minute, so why the hell wasn't she getting the door?

Hands fumbling across peeling green paint, he knocked again, more violently this time. With each contact he made with the barrier between himself and answers, he sunk more deeply into a pit of irritation and muffled sadness. If she knew why I was here… "Ino!" he shouted, banging with renewed vigor. "Inooooooo! Open! The! Dooooooooor!" What, do I need to say that I have hot gossip on someone? Is there some kind of entrance fee that can be paid in rumors? "I! Have! A-" Quite suddenly, there was a lack of a door and an excess of Ino. Naruto, she assumed, did not notice her, because he continued to shout, eyes shut tightly.

"Naruto!" the bonde snapped angrily. "What in the gods-damned world are you doing here? You do realize that, firstly, this is not Ichiraku's, and, secondly, that we're closed?"

Naruto's eyes flew open and he snapped to attention, peering at the red-and-white sign hanging on the door. "Well, so you are," he said, surprisingly meekly. "I'm sorry, Ino. It's really important."

Under the glare of the just-brightening streetlights, he looked much younger, much more innocent, save for the shadow that had fallen across his face with his apology. Something was eating at the boy, obviously. "Well, come on in, then," the girl said grudgingly. A little more gently, she added, "So what do you need?" As they entered, Ino pulled the door shut with a thud that emanated a sense of finality, leaving the two enveloped in the sight and smell of thousands of blossoms. She leaned back against the nearest shelf, stifling a yawn as she did so. "Flowers, chocolates…advice." Ino watched him out of the corner of her eye, gauging his reaction.

Naruto followed suit, resting his weight on the counter. "I need you to answer some questions," he asked uneasily. "Try to be as accurate as you can," he directed. "This-this is really important."

Ino raised her hands in a reassuring gesture. "Fire away, then. I've heard it all."

Naruto spoke slowly, choosing his words in a circumspect manner. "What…exactly…did you see at the Chuunin Exams…when you used the Shintenshin on Sakura?"

Ino sat for a moment, mentally stuttering. What…what the hell! Where did this come from? This, of all things? "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold the phone. What?"

Naruto banged his fist on the table impatiently. "What did you see, Ino? This is important."

"In Sakura's head…at the exams three years ago."

Naruto nodded. "Please, just answer. I can't explain."

Ino swallowed; shook her head in confirmation. "Let me draw it. Do you have any paper?"

Naruto pulled out the most recent paper-Sakura's conversation with herself. "Here," he stated, placing the note with the written side down. "Use this." He looked away, not wanting to watch, for some convoluted reason. Staring at a terra-cotta pot filled with hibiscus, he was startled out of his reverie by Ino's voice.

"…and this is basically what it-Hey! Are you listening?" Ino's righteously angry voice invaded his thoughts. In irritation, she shoved it at him. "Here. And that reminds me; I'll be right back." And, with that, she darted into the back room.

Listening to Ino-possibly the most irritating female in all of Konoha-bustle about in the back room, Naruto decided he didn't understand women. He shoved the paper she had given him back into his pocket, deciding to look at it later. He didn't need that right about now, and chose to concern himself with the copious amount of swearing coming from the other room, followed by the reemergence of a rather frazzled-looking Ino, clutching a glazed pot.

"Your order," she said breathlessly. "Or, at least, I think it's yours." Both looked down at the innocent pot in the girl's hands, filled with red and white chrysanthemums. He saw the peek of yellow-white among the leaves-a letter, he would bet his life on it.

Or bet mine, it's worth so much less.

"Forehead ordered them, and told me to give them to you before she left for that last mission about a week ago." She looked up again, a mischevious glint in her blue eyes. "Chrysanthemum, red: love. Chrysanthemum, white: truth," she quoted.

Naruto felt something break. Forcing a smile-the embarrassed blush was already there; since when was it so hot in here?-to his face, he thanked Ino, who waved him off absently.

"Well, enjoy your flowers and your answers," she said jokingly.

Naruto raised a hand in closing, imitating his former sensei. "See you around, Ino."

"And come by again tomorrow, why don't you?" she asked in a sudden monotone. "I'd like an explanation for that letter."

The door shut behind him, shrinking the block of dynamic light that fell onto the street. Naruto was left standing in the dark, eyes wide open.

I'd like an explanation for that letter.

"So do we all, Ino. Trust me."

He started walking again.