Ch. 2
Sasuke shakes hands with Naruto and Sakura and then walks away.
"So that's it huh?" Naruto questions as he turns to Sakura who is trying hard to hide her pain.
Naruto throws his hands behind his head and squints looking up towards the sky.
"All these years, and he finally apologizes. He even said thank you."
Sakura winces, and her eyebrows crease together in pain. Her lip quivers.
"Are you ok Sakura?" Naruto asks as he attempts to see Sakura's face. Sakura hangs her hand and covers the left side of her face with her hand.
"His thank-you's are meaningless." She whimpers.
Naruto embraces Sakura in his arms, and Sakura cries into his shoulder.
"It's hard for a guy like him Sakura. The only people he ever truly loved were taken away. He spent so many years alone and trying not to let anyone else in…his thank-you's aren't meaningless-they mean this is as much as I can show my love for you." Naruto says to Sakura slowly.
Sakura steps out of Naruto's embrace and looks at him with tear filled eyes for a long while.
She nods with understanding, and runs away.
"Where are you going?" Naruto calls after her but Sakura does not stop running, and does not turn to respond.
Sasuke sits on the roof of the Yamanaka flower shop and debates within himself whether or not he should enter. Ino, who is inside of the flower shop, senses Sasuke's chakra.
20 minutes later
Sasuke enters the Yamanaka flower shop with a casual look on his face.
"What took you so long?" Ino asks as she rubs the side of a small glass vase sitting on the counter opposite of the cash register.
Sasuke recognizes the flowers in the vase and clears his throat.
"What do you mean? Were you waiting for me?"
"I sensed your chakra a while ago. I was wondering how long it would take you to come in." Ino moves from behind the counter and walks right up to Sasuke.
She stretches her arm out, and he stiffens uncomfortably. Ino flips the 'OPEN' sign on the flower shop door to 'CLOSED'.
"Now then, how'd you're talk with Naruto and Sakura go?"
"I think it went well."
"Did they say anything?" Ino sits on a stool with her back straight.
"No, we just shook hands."
Ino motions for Sasuke to come over to her.
"That was very brave of you to do what you did. Saying I'm sorry is not always easy."
Sasuke gently pulls Ino's ponytail. "It was for me, I had some great motivation."
Ino blushes, and rests her hand on Sasuke's arm.
He leans down towards her, "I'm not a monster." He whispers when his onyx eyes are at the same level as her bright blues.
"No, you're just a cold hearted and lonely child." Ino responds with a hard gaze.
"I don't want to be alone anymore." Sasuke wraps his arm around her and pulls her towards his lips.
Sasuke and Ino kiss for just a moment. A soft and passionate kiss. Ino pulls back, and places her hands on Sasuke's chest.
Ino pushes Sasuke off of her and walks toward the flower shop door. "Then prove it." She says as she flips the sign back to 'OPEN'.
"How?" Sasuke looks at Ino with sad eyes.
"Go and figure it out." Ino opens the door for Sasuke to leave.