She examined the vest all over with a careful eye. This store had a habit of selling really cheap clothes with tears, bleached spots, tabs from more expensive clothes stapled on, and other such stupid attempts to make their cheap and often damaged goods seem more expensive than the cheap junk they often were. Ino eyed the vest, looking for the usual defects. The last time she bought a item in this store was about two years ago, where she got a sunhat. Or just a regular hat really. Thin thing didn't block anything, let alone the sun on a cloudy day.
Ino turned and looked at her friend a bit further away. Sakura's rather bored demeanor she had on since they left the hospital quickly transformed to the angry inner Sakura once she recognized the pink dress of a hand-me-down based around the still uncleaned scuffs around the knee area. Based around the fire building in her eyes, she was about ready to tear the dress in half in front of the grubby-looking staff member who had tried to fool her. The nearby young teenage girls (The target audience for this place) slowly scooted away as they witnessed a demon starting to appear.
Really, the only reason they came here is to find a treasure deep down in the junk. In this store's attempt to make a quick buck, they would occasionally get something real good and sell it real cheap without knowing.
"This looks good." Ino remarked over to Sakura, who stormed over with a bloody knuckle. "Fairly cheap too." She showed Sakura the tag. "But hey, if you want it…"
"Huh?" Sakura questioned with a raised eyebrow. "Oh, no thanks. Don't you want it?" Ino shook her head for two reasons; one reason was because she didn't have her wallet with her, and the other was simply because she found the thing to be a bit tacky. Ino wondered if the time spent alone in her room made her opinions on clothes change. She didn't wear much; just a series of t-shirts, shorts and whatever looked clean and was within arm's reach.
"Weird." Sakura huffed as she tossed the item over somewhere else. "I thought that thing would be in your style. I guess the rain has been pulling you down, huh?" Sakura turned her head a bit and noticed something in a corner stall. "Be right back…" She trailed off after patting Ino on the shoulder and before running off to get that item that had caught her attention oh so much. Ino rolled her shoulders and walked over to a nearby bench to rest a bit and do some more thinking. Can't say she hadn't done enough of that.
Ino gazed around the store, looking at the different crowds of people. There were the young teen girls, thinking what they got would be the steal of a century. The fathers and mothers watching the girls, all of them regretting coming here and wanting to leave as soon as possible. The teen boys…checking out the teen girls. And some old men as well…maybe later Ino and Sakura can deal with those pervs to relieve some boredom. The last group consisted of employees talking amongst themselves and waiting for someone to check out.
Just as Ino closed her eyes to catch a quick nap, she overheard two people giggling behind her. She tried to ignore it at first, but with the giggling being machine-gunned out and getting louder all the time, Ino growled and turned to face the two. It appeared to be two girls, a little bit younger than Ino herself. The two were looking over the vest that had thrown over by Sakura. They were talking about buying it and fearing the wrath of the pink tyrant. Ino ignored them again in favor of trying to get a little nap.
But the conservation went down a different path as Ino sleepily listened in. They talked about the sad-looking blonde and the angry pink-haired girl…and how they would make a great couple. Ino wanted to jump up and smack the girls into the next era for saying something so stupid…but then the conservation switched to a different gear. The girls compared Ino and Sakura to themselves…
…when Ino turned around and looked at the girls, she spotted them kissing each other. Not in the friendly manner, oh no, but more romantic. On the lips, with a hearty smack. Ino could tell that these two were romantically involved with each other. These two lesbians continued to make the comparison between Ino and Sakura. They could tell the two were good lifelong friends…and could become more if pushed in the right direction. Hearing a couple of strangers talk about her and Sakura almost gave Ino a headache.
But the thing is, this isn't the first time that people have brought up her and Sakura's relationship. Naruto used to joke about it during the days where he was a annoying little shit. Plenty of people around the village would whisper about how the two should just kiss and make up. Their own team leaders mentioned a few times the two share a more deeper friendship than most normal people do…
…but Ino slapped herself in the face. She and Sakura? Not a chance! Neither are gay! Sakura was currently seeing the village hero, and Ino was seeing…nobody. Still tho', she ain't interested in ladies! Men! She wanted a man in her life…a real man…like her father…okay, not like that. She needed someone that would care for her when she felt bad, someone that would be by her side whenever for whatever, someone that would love her…
…in a sense, Ino just described Tsunade. Someone who just spent a great deal of time with her and actually did those things that Ino wanted to do.
"Hey, something wrong there?" Sakura tapped Ino on the shoulder, getting her attention out of her thoughts. "I saw you slap yourself…you feeling okay?" Ino nodded her head as she got up. "Oh, okay. I'm going to buy this." She held up a pink and rose-red coat that looked way too good to be in this store. And going by the waving price-tag, this item was affordable. "You sure you didn't see anything worth your while?" Ino shook her head and lead her friend over to the checkout counter. Honestly, even if she had the money, she didn't see anything worth her time.
Her mind was on other things at the moment too…