Chapter 2: Details, Details

Ino's neck had begun to hurt. She didn't know how many times she had propped her head up to leaf through a magazine while waiting for her shift to end. It's been so many years it was like second nature.

She sighed.

It had been a few days, almost a week after the New Year's party and she was kind of missing it. Well, she was kind of missing the guy she had kissed.

If only she had gone up to talk to him!

The blond frequently wondered what his name was, if he had a girlfriend, what his favorite color was, what college he might be in…

Gah! This was driving her mad! Where was a distraction when a girl needed one?

"Hey, Ino pig!" Sakura greeted loudly as the bell chimed on the door.

"Hey." Ino didn't even feel up to insulting her friend back. She just wanted to see that boy again.

Sakura gave Ino a strange look. "Is something wrong? Where's the loud voice? The 'I'm so perfect' attitude?"

"I don't have to pretend to be perfect Sakura –"

The pink haired girl cut her off. "Yeah, yeah. Now there's that narcissism peeking out. What's going on? You've been weird since that exclusive party you went to. Alone."

Ino rolled her eyes. Sakura loved bringing up that she didn't force her along, even though Sakura was too stubborn, insisting on going over homework instead.

"Sorry, didn't want to share the attention all the hot guys were giving me." Ino quipped. Sakura copied Ino's eye roll.

"Well at least you didn't say that they'd ignore me, which brings me back to the point I was making. Something is wrong with you." Sakura pointed out. "You know, more than what's normally wrong with you, piggy."

"Shut it, forehead."

"Not until you tell me what… or more likely who… is on your mind." Sakura smiled.

Ino glared back at her friend. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Just tell me, or I'll have to blackmail you."

"You can't blackmail me." Ino snorted. "I'm the one that TAUGHT it to you."

Sakura shrugged. "Then it's just a matter of who has more embarrassing information about the other."

Ino smirked. "Christmas."

"Thanksgiving." Sakura retorted.

"Halloween."

"Pft. Please, Halloween and the day before."

The girls glared at each other. "We do a lot of embarrassing things when we're together."

"It's mostly your fault Ino; I wouldn't normally do half the stuff I do when you're egging me on."

"You have to admit that I am a lot of fun."

Sakura huffed. "Now tell me all about this guy you're pining after!"

Ino smiled as she propped her head by both hands. Her magazine was long forgotten now that she was going to toy with the information she may or may not give to Sakura.

"Well… He was hot."

The pink haired gave her friend a disbelieving look, "No? Really? Come on, Ino give me some real details."

"He was… taller than me."

"Wow. " Sakura smirked. "You're a giant. That must have felt great to look up at him."

Ino smacked the other girl's arm. "We didn't talk the whole night, but I felt his eyes on me more than once." So she was adlibbing. Who could blame her after listening to all of those weird guys?

"He sought me out and kissed me when everyone counted down to one. It was an amazing kiss. He didn't drool all over me, or try to tongue me to death."

"That's gross, Ino." Sakura deadpanned.

The blond shrugged. She knew the pink haired girl was waiting for more information, but that was all she was going to give. She picked up the forgotten magazine.

Sakura waved her hands around. "That's ALL you're going to tell me? What's his hair color? What length is it? What color are his eyes? What was he wearing? DESCRIBE him, not some vague form of romance that you two tangoed with for one night and that's all there is to say."

"But that is all there is to say." Ino chimed. "I don't know him and I'll never see him again."

"I didn't think you would be one to give up so quickly, Ino pig." Sakura shook her head at the blond. "You're losing your touch."

"I AM LOSING NOTHING!" Ino shrieked. "I just couldn't think clearly after he kissed me!"

Sakura suddenly doubled over laughing. Ino realized her mistake. She let something slip that she hadn't meant to.

"Ha, ha! Ino… couldn't think… got bested by a guy… from one kiss!" The green eyed girl started laughing harder, until all Ino could here were gasping breaths.

She brushed her long hair back and put it in a ponytail while Sakura went into hysterics. Ino believed that keeping as much to herself as possible was definitely best. There was no telling what Sakura might do with anymore damaging information.

Ino debated poking Sakura with the end of a broom, but her father came down from the upstairs of their families flower shop. He paid little attention to the girls after giving Ino the okay to go, but that was to be expected. He had long ago gotten used to the two wildly teasing and laughing at each other.

A few more giggles escaped Sakura as she walked with Ino, "Where to now?"

"I don't know. The mall?"

"Do you ever get tired of shopping?"

"No."

"You're paying for lunch."

"Fine, Forehead."

"Aww." Sakura poked Ino's cheek. "See you're cheering up now."

"I'm not telling you anymore about the mystery guy."

Sakura pouted. "Not fair."

Little did Ino know once she proclaimed him as 'mystery guy', Sakura wouldn't give up trying to find out more. The pink haired girl annoyed the blond everywhere they had gone. She suddenly blamed herself for teaching Sakura to be stubborn. Where was that shy girl she once was? Bring her back!

"Come on!" Sakura pleaded.

"No."

"I'll give you my Tsunade lipstick collection."

Ino stubbornly refused to say anything. Despite her whining about wanting that specific collection for months and not getting it she knew nothing good would come of it.

Sakura touched her chin with a finger. "You know you can probably find him. You're pretty good at spying and not getting caught. Then again, he wasn't that important… Kisses mean nothing, right?"

The blond sighed. It had been the best kiss of her life since she had started dating. Sakura had a roundabout point. Ino hated that about her smart best friend.

"You have a point." She hedged. A smirk started creeping up the blond girl's mouth. Sakura was smart, Ino was clever. They were the most capable women anywhere. She would find her man.

Well, he'll learn the hard way that he was no Ino Yamanaka's.

"Where do we start?" Sakura asked.

Ino pulled out a flyer from her purse. "Where else? The place the party was hosted itself."

"Pretty fancy flyer."

She let the pink haired girl pull the piece of paper out of her hand and analyze it. Her green eyes skimmed the words.

Business men everywhere!
Come to our party for fun and to
make more connections.

For those who love mixing business and pleasure…

Sakura gave Ino an unreadable look as she stopped reading the flyer. "This is horrible. Why would you want someone who mixes business and pleasure? This is for some sleaze balls…"

Ino cut her off. "It's for twenty-one to twenty-five year olds." She pointed to one of the fine prints. "And there were other girls there."

"I think you need professional help, Ino. There is no way that any guy who would go to this would be right for you."

Ino winked at her worried friend. "You'd be surprised."

"This is going to be bad."

"Don't be such a drama queen."

"Sorry," Sakura handed the flyer back. "I know that's your job, not mine."

"Right, well… Are you ready to check around where the party was held?"

"If I have too… but something doesn't feel right with this…"

Ino smacked her arm. "Don't start getting bad premonitions when we haven't done anything yet!"

Sakura groaned. "I have a feeling this is going to be the most humiliating thing ever."

"Obviously you don't know me that well." Ino teased. "I'll come up with plenty of more embarrassing things after this adventure!"

"I thought this was a mystery…" Sakura added.

Ino rolled her eyes. "The man is the mystery, forehead. And we're going to hunt him down!"

"Where'd your hesitation go?"

"Out the window," Ino hugged the other girl. "Thanks for cheering me up."

Sakura laughed. "I can't wait to see what this guy looks like!"

The two hurried off towards the hotel that held the party. Both of them were hoping that they'd get good results.

Who do you think it is?