Konohagakure's Kakashi Hatake & Nina Sarutobi have only lived & prepared to die by the Shinobi rules.
Amid an intensive investigation into a spate of mysterious deaths, a birthday party for the elusive Copy-Nin sets off a chain reaction no one quite...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
(Saturday> September 20> Konoha's Medical Clinic)
~Sakura~
Arriving well before the clinic's morning opening hours, Sakura was called to the reception desk to accept yet another bouquet on Ayame's behalf. The area was beginning to look like a miniature version of the Yamanaka clan's florist shop. Plenty of patients, mainly the old biddies, had taken the opportunity to point out to the pinkette that, unlike Ayame's, all she had on the desk in Treatment Room Five was a near-empty glass of water containing two shrivelled cosmos from Ino's last lunch pack.
"So, you really have no idea where it came from?" asked Ino, as if she didn't quite believe Sakura.
"Uh-uh," Sakura replied, shaking her head from left to right. Whom and where yesterday's lunchroom surprise food parcel had come from was a mystery to her, but she knew, even before this conversation and with certainty, it wasn't from Ino. The beautiful Yamanaka would sometimes leave her meals on the lunchroom table, wrapped immaculately, and trimmed with cosmos.
Always cosmos.
"You know, Forehead, you ought to stop waiting around for Sasuke," Ino said, flicking her ponytail over her shoulder. "Why don't you give Lee a chance, huh? It's totally obvious he has feelings for you."
Ino's suggestion needled at Sakura's chagrin. They'd been friends long enough that she could distinguish between a joke and something else.
Dammit.
Realising she'd accidentally destroyed one of the fresh flowers, Sakura quickly disposed of it and rearranged the bouquet. As she did, she contemplated what her friend had said.
From childhood, Sakura compared herself to the Yamanaka, who'd always exuded enviable confidence. And why shouldn't she? There was no denying that Ino was their class's most beautiful and fashionable kunoichi.
It was no wonder she'd made the notion of Sakura pursuing someone other than Sasuke sound so easy. Ino could have any guy she wanted. Sakura did have other options. It was true; Lee's feelings for her were no secret. Sakura would only have to utter the single word of 'yes', and her desk would undoubtedly resemble Ayame's by day's end.
Maybe I should—?
"Ino, please inform Guy that all future deliveries are to be made elsewhere," Tsunade demanded.
Startled, Sakura spun around and eyed the screwhiffed pile of files her Master was carrying. She looked around at the floral-cluttered desk for space, relocating as many vases as possible before Tsunade dumped the files with a huff.
"It's a hazard to my clinic."
"Uh, um. Yes, Milady," acknowledged Ino and rushed out of the clinic's reception.
