Ch. 4
"Sakura-chan what's wrong? Why do you look so sad? You sounded fine when we spoke on the phone just an hour ago!" Ino ran her hand through Sakura's hair, and rested her arm around Sakura's shoulder.
"I ran into Sasuke while I was waiting for you here." Sakura mumbled.
"Oh? Don't let him get to you Sakura-"
"But he's right!" Sakura cut off Ino and broke their embrace.
"I'm going to become a lonely old cat woman if I don't start acknowledging the people that care about me!"
"Naruto's with-"
"I know! I'm not talking about Naruto!"
"Then who?" Ino asked genuinely confused.
Sakura stood on tippy toes to whisper in her friends ear. Ino gasped slightly and looked at her friend.
"But do you?"
Sakura nodded and Ino smirked the way she always did when she got the opportunity to play matchmaker.
The Yamanaka Flower Shop two hours later (7 p.m)
"How was your day Ino?" Katsu asks his younger sister as she helps him close up the store for the day.
"It was pretty interesting I'm helping Sakura with something."
"I'm glad to see after all these years you two are finally getting along and to think that you were both brought together by the one thing that drove you apart."
"Sasuke…" Ino whispers.
"The future is so much more ironic than we imagine it to be in the past."
"How was your day then Katsu?" Ino counts the money from the cash register.
"My day? Uhh my day was uh um regular." Katsu responds as he nervously searches for something under the counter.
"I don't believe you and what are you looking for! You didn't drop anything!"
"Or did I?" He questions Ino with wide eyes.
"You didn't!"
"Yes I did." He says as he puts his hand in the space underneath the counter,
"I dropped….this!" He jumps up and tickles Ino furiously.
"Stop! Stop!" Ino cries out while laughing, "Stop! Dad!" She yells and Katsu quickly stops tickling her.
The shop becomes awkwardly silent. A sadness hangs in the air.
"Dad's gone Ino." Katsu clenches his fists.
"I know." Ino murmurs, "but he's always with us in spirit."
"That's true and now it's time for you to go get dressed and ready."
"Why?"
"You have a date!" Katsu smiles reassuringly to his sister.
"With who?"
"You'll see!"
"A regular day huh?" Ino shakes her head accusingly at her brother.
"The best parts of life are surprises little sister."