Ino was working her shifts in the building B of Konoha hospital this week and she has wore her hair down to hide the bruises that Temari gave her two days back. Ino tried to remain as if nothing happened and the night with Shikaku never came but, it came back as a needle and penetrate right into her eye. After the night with Shikaku, he never spoke with her. Even the morning after he was not in the house and left a note for her that said to have breakfast before she left the compound. He never came before her after that night. Maybe he was ashamed of what happened between them and avoided her for good.
Ino was now getting out of the room for a patient having high fever when Sakura bumped into her.
"Ino oh I am so sorry." Sakura apologized but Ino still averted her gaze and she bowed her head down to accept her apologies. Sakura sensing something wrong followed the unusually shy blonde girl. "Everything alright Ino?" Sakura stopped her next question because she saw that for the first time in like forever, Ino has let down her hair. "Why have you let down your hair?" she asked Ino.
"Nothing, just new style" Ino avoided meeting the pink hair girl's eye and she hurried clutching the file close to her chest.
"Hey wait!" Sakura grabbed Ino's arm and whipped her around to gasp at what she saw. "what in the world happened to you?" Sakura shouted in the lobby making Ino fear that someone will hear her. "And... who did that?" Sakura seemed angry.
"Please don't shout Sakura---"
"Ino?" Ino stood there frozen in her spot. Her eyes wide as the moon. The person who asked the question was none other than Shikaku Nara. He avoided her for the last two days and now he has the time to talk to her?
Shikaku was just getting out of his briefing room when he heard noise coming from his left side. Already Shikaku was worried about the night between Ino and him, which made him feel like dirty perverted old man and that's when he saw Ino and Sakura. Sakura as usual was scolding the blonde girl and it amused Shikaku that Ino was not talking back this time. He knew those were the marks of her fight with Temari but, why hasn't she treated them yet?
"Your face busted Ino!" at those words said by Sakura, Shikaku frowned and stomped towards the girls.
Sakura was not breathing properly at the sight of the Nara head. His stature always made her weak in her knees. His walks were always powerful and his words demanded submission. He was a visitor in Sakura's dream many a time and that made her wake up satisfied and oh so squirmy.
Getting out of her day dreaming, Sakura focused on what the Nara leader was talking.
"Why didn't you treat those bruises?" Shikaku asked with firm tone in his voice. Ino's face was bruised. Looked like she was involved in a gang fight which this girl horribly lost getting beaten up by all the members. He clenched his fist to stop himself from growling. "Will you look at ME?" he asked harshly and the blonde girl flinched at his tone.
Ino stared at him with fear. Shikaku was controlling his anger and that Ino could tell by the signs he was giving. His clenching of fist, gritting of teeth, and breathing ragged. Ino blinked her eyes to get a clear vision and she wet her lips to answer the already irritated Nara man. Ino gave a look to Sakura who was staring at the pineapple headed man in shock.
"I, I .." Ino looked everywhere for help but none was offered. "Its, it's a.. Tsunade told me to ---"
"I don't care!" Shikaku shouted to the blonde girl. He took hold of her wrist and started dragging her with him to the Hokage tower. Shikaku was now fuming at Ino. "Why would she not tend you?" he asked in anger.
"I don't want you to get involved in my life Shikaku. I am troublesome." Ino brushed his hand away and walked fast towards the door only to stop for a moment. "You coming Sakura?" she cracked her voice.
