Chapter 1: "Why are they so different?"

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"Ino! Come set up these yellow carnations on the stand please."                         "Yes dad!" Ino loved setting up the flower displays with her father on sundays like these. Making them Eye catching,and nose catching was her game. She was pretty much an expert in the feild of the florist business.  There was still something she didn't understand. She loved learning,She was inquisitive. That's why she's so great at what she does. There was still one thing bugging her,and  She needs to know the answers to her questions. 

"Hey, dad?" Inoichi spun his head around to meet  his daughters bright blue eyes. "Yes my little daisy?" Daisy, representative of innocence. It's what ino's mother used to call her when she was a baby. "Why do we have to refuse to serve certain customers? What's up with that?"  Inoichi tensed, and placed the remaining flowers in its holders. He stood up,visibly uncomfortable. He looked like a small child just asked him where baby's came from.

"Well,there.. how do I put this.. they are.. Different." "Different?" "Yes Ino, Different." Ino places the remaining carnations in their pots on a bottom shelf and stood.  "Well,everybody's different. Right? Nothin wrong with it."  Inoichi laughed uncomfortably, trying to lighten the mood. Trying to make him,and Ino comfortable. "Well,these people,are just.. very different." Ino's face contorted with confusion. "I don't get it." Inoichi sighed. "You wouldn't understand now,but you will in due time. All in time daisy." 

Ino began to become frustrated. "I can understand. I'm not a toddler. I'm a fully fledged ninja! That has to count for something. Right?"  Inoichi sighed, tired of the day already. Already dreading the interrogation he had to do at 4 o'clock. "Having the ability to fight,and comprehend jutsu, Does not automatically make you mature. It makes you smart,yes. Not mature."  "I'd like to know why we're refusing customers,thank you very much." Her father glared  "Hey! Tone missy!" Ino sighed, "Sorry. I just don't get it. We want to be pulling in customers,right? So why are we turning them away?!" "Stop it Ino." "Why are they so bad?" She pushed "I said stop." "What's wrong with them?" She pushed further "Why are they so different?"

 " I SAID STOP!" Ino froze, and so did pedestrians outside the shop. They stared for a moment. Then carried on.  Inoichi sighed. "I'm sorry for yelling. I just can't answer your questions right now." "Why not?" "Just, can't." Ino deflated,and began putting away the furtilizer they just had delivered. They worked in silence for a while. Until Ino had enough,again.  "Dad?" "Yes Ino?" He sounded slightly agitated. "Are the people we refuse service to... bad?"  There was almost no sound for a moment. Only the sound of wind chimes filled the air. "Most people believe so,but..No. No there not bad people." 

Ino was now more confused than ever. "Then why not serve them? I mean, there not criminals. Are they?" "No kiddo. There not criminals. Although , people often treat them like they are."   "Then why not serve them? If to not be good people, than at least do it for the money!" Inoichi deeply laughed. "You always were logical about things. Your Mother would have loved you,you know." "I know. You tell me everyday. Besides, who wouldent?" Her father lauged again as she jokingly struck a flattering pose. "Confident as ever. Just like your mother."  Ino blushed. It got her thinking,whisking she'd met her mother. Wishing she could see her again,but that thought quickly passed,like a spark extinguishing on wet kindle.

"Well,if your not gonna tell me,I'm jsut gonna find out myself! After all,we should be pulling in more customers not turning them away! It's terrible from a business standpoint! It's summer! This should be our best selling season!" "Ino, we cant serve them. I'm not saying why,but I'm not gonna stop you from finding out." He took a pause,and a deep breath. "Serving them could tear down our business. People don't like them. Yes,there good people. But not everyone see it that way. We need to appeal to the masses. If that mean turning a few people here and there away,so be it." Ino was fuming. 'How could he? Just turning people away for no logical reason? It's not like him!' "I doubt we'd loose customers over it!  This is the best ,most popular flower shop in kohona! We wouldent loose anybody! Our hest customers have been shopping here for generations! I doubt they would stop!" Inoichi was rigid, 'how could she say that? She dosent even knwo what she's talking about!' 

"This conversation is over." "But- Go set those yellow carnations in their respective pots. Now!" She grumbled to herself. 'Yellow carnations,representative of disappointment. How ironic.' She started unloading them into their pots. 'I'll find out what's going on. I'll find out one way or another. Then,I'll change his mind."

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