Predecessor

Glitter

Trigger Warning & extremely unedited + not proofread so could be cringey, could sound super rushed, I'll go back and fix later xx 

"Aa. Suspended again, Anko?" says Sakura, one small hand on the doorknob and the other carrying a jar containing a thicket sample.

Grunting, the Mitarashi picks up the pillow from beneath her head and throws it weakly at Sakura. It lands at Sakura's feet at the same time Anko rolls over, aura oozing gloom.

"That stupid old man," she grumbles, begrudgingly. "Can you believe this, Sacchan? That's twice in one month! The nerve!"

Sakura suppresses the smile threatening to peek past the corners of her lips as she recalls the earlier incident Anko had caused in a laboratory. Well. Perhaps, incident is far too underwhelming of a statement. Disaster is a more accurate term.

Considering it's the Mitarashi, Sakura has no problem believing that there's a very plausible reason behind Anko's suspension but she never says so aloud.

Sitting upright slowly and nudging a hand through her insane bed hair, Anko asks, "Ne, ne, Sacchan, what are you doing today?"

The morning is still early, and before breakfast, Sakura likes to sit on the roof of the apartment complex in the sun to do some light reading. She usually heads to the hospital on her way to Ino's house to drop in to say hello to Tsunad- Io, of course, and then she and Ino walk together to the academy.

Sakura cocks her head. "The same old. This afternoon, I'm planning to meet with Hyuga Hiashi-sama though. Why is that?"

"Ehh? That old Hyuga? What for, huh, Sacchan?" Anko pries, eyes glistening in interest.

"I want to formally request that he allow Hinata attend afternoon tea with Ino and I," explains the Haruno. She has put much thought into how she should address the situation. She recalls a time when Hinata - though, nervously - explained her living situation.

Unlike Ino's father, Hinata's is bound to be far more uptight and picky about who takes his eldest daughter's time.

"I see," the Mitarashi says, "Well. Good luck."

"Was there something you wanted to ask me, Anko?"

Anko waves her hand lazily and collapses back into her bed, rolling herself up like a sushi roll in her sheets. "Nah. I'll see you later."

Sakura lets out a giggle.

"I'll bring you back some sweet dango then."

Anko lets out a cry of victory as the bedroom door closes with a gentle click.

"Thanks, Sacchan! You're truly the best! You make an honest to God lady tear up!"

      And treating Hinata to afternoon tea should've been all it was.

Sakura has never seen Ino freeze so rigidly before. Not even when Sasuke rejected her. Not even when she received such an awful grade from Misa.

Because though she's shallow, her naivety only strokes the surface of her person.

Ino loves cat despite being allergic to them. She loves Sasuke despite his cold demeanor. She loves being a kunoichi despite her sensei. She loves nail art, she loves her friends and she loves the smell of dew on a fresh morning.

Ino also loves people.

She can never turn her back on someone, regardless of their identity.

"Ne? Misa-chan? Do the parents know that the person who's teaching their daughters is a fraud?"