Oh No I'm In Love With The Bartender!

Ch 20 Operation Ino

The cabin was nice... really nice. Sakura was amazed at the view they got from the cabin. Mountains powdered with snow and the lake in front of them. It was still too early in the season for it to freeze over, but that did not stop the snow from blanketing the banks. She took a deep breath letting a generous puffy cloud flow out into the cold air. "You sure this will work?" Naruto asked as he took a place by her side. Something about his words made her stomach twist with anxiety. If she failed to reach Ino, what would she do? Could she carry on living with the emptiness of losing her best friend, her sister? She didn't let the thoughts spiral. Sakura had to keep her nerve. "It's has to." She answered. Despite her anxiety creeping in the pit of her stomach her voice was bursting with determination.

"I dunno I still say you show just punch it out." He said placing his hands behind his head. Sakura side eyed him. "Yeah, I'll keep that advice in my back pocket. But I doubt it'll be that easy. Girl world is governed by completely different rules than the ones guys abide to." He furrowed his brows at that. "Yeesh, girl world seems messy." He said as he tugged his scarf to cover his mouth. Sakura blinked, "is that scarf from Hinata?" She pointed a gloved finger at him. "Yeah, how'd you know?" He asked excitedly. Sakura smiled at him. "Your initials are embroidered with fine detail.. Hinata only works this hard for someone she likes." She winked. The pinkette watched as he ran a thumb over the embroidery. A pink dusting settled on his cheeks at the realization.

"Hey, two cars just pulled up." The voice made both of them turn. It was Sasuke. She was glad that they had all agreed to help her with her plan. If she had done it alone she had a feeling she would chicken out. "Show time already?" Naruto asked as he went inside to look out of the window. Sasuke's gaze would have made her nervous before. But not now. Now they were a comfort to her. Like the softness of the night sky with the sparkle of starlight. It made her feel safe and secure and it gave her courage. She wasn't sure if her eyes gave her away or what had prompted him to do what he did. But she stood still in his presence and watched as he lifted two fingers to tap her forehead. "You can do it." He seemed to act before thinking. Sakura lifted her hand to touch her forehead in confusion. Had she had something on her forehead?

He flinched when he recognized her confusion. "Oh, sorry. That's just something my brother would do to me whenever I'd be scared of doing something. I won't do it again if you don't like it." He said as he rubbed the back of his neck. Sakura shook her head gently. "I like it. I think it's sweet." Sasuke blessed her with a small smile. Sakura would have gushed over it a little more if she wasn't in her current position. "They're getting out!" Naruto announced causing both Sasuke and Sakura to run inside. They joined Kakashi and Naruto by the window. This was it. It was D-day for Sakura. Today was the day she would confront Ino and fix her friendship or die trying. Maybe she was being a bit dramatic but to Sakura it really felt like a piece of her would die without Ino.

By now they could hear the voices of the group outside the cabin. Hinata and Ten Ten had followed the plan exactly. They both brought their cars so that Ino would not drive. She would be stuck here for the weekend and Sakura would have her chance to ambush her. It all seemed a little extreme but dealing with a pissed off Ino was like fighting a tigger with one hand strapped behind your back and also someone gave the tigger a gun. It was brutal. They needed all the space the could get. What better place than the woods. Now that she was going over the plan in her mind. Luring Ino to a cabin in the woods to ambush her and beg for forgiveness seemed a bit psychotic.

"Wow, this cabin looks sooo pretty! Doesn't it babe?" Ino's voice made Sakura begin to sweat. "Yeah, I definitely was not expecting this. I thought it was going to be a grimy little cabin" Ten Ten was more blunt than she would have hoped. Causing Kakashi to frown at her words. "Tell me again how you guys were able to afforded this?" Ino asked. Making Hinata and Ten Ten sweat. "Are you calling us poor?" Ten Ten shot back. "No, but this looks expensive." Ino said pointing at the cabin. They were practically at the door already. Sakura felt like she might feint from the nervousness. "Hold up there's someone by the window." Hearing this, Kakashi and Sasuke grabbed Naruto and scuttled back into the shadows. It was show time.