Chapter – 26 An Awkward Interaction

Yamanaka Flower Shop, Konohagakure

As the proprietress of the Yamanaka Flowers, Yamanaka Ruri disappeared after leaving behind Sasuke and Ino at the shop, and the atmosphere at the shop became a little awkward. 

While it's true that Ino felt guilty, she also couldn't help but want to talk with Sasuke, maybe not to use this opportunity and leave a good impression, but just to have a simple conversation. It's just that she was feeling too self-conscious, and she was unsure of what to say, after all, this would be her first real conversation with her crush.

'I… I know, I should start with that…' suddenly, she had an idea, and while fidgeting, she spoke, "I… I am sorry for your loss, Sasuke-kun…"

Sasuke looked at the girl in surprise. He hadn't expected Ino to speak such a thing all of a sudden, and nodded lightly, "Thank you Ino…"

Truth be told, Sasuke is averse to the idea of receiving pity or insincere condolences from others, a sentiment he often encounters from others whenever they talk about the Uchiha Genocide, but this time, he could feel a sense of genuineness from Ino that differentiated her from the others. Perhaps it's because of her infatuation with him, or maybe it's because she is still only an innocent child and hasn't been corrupted by the evil of the Shinobi World that she showed genuine sincerity while offering condolences, which prompted Sasuke to express his gratitude toward her.

Ino smiled lightly. She was very happy that Sasuke accepted her condolences and even expressed his gratitude. She felt that she could talk to him more as they waited for her mother to make arrangements for Sasuke's order. As the thought of wanting to talk more with him appeared in her mind, Ino racked her brain and tried to think what she should talk about, 'What should I speak?' 

But nothing came to her mind, and she screamed inwardly, 'What the hell?! Something… anything…' Ino thought more and more and more and soon she had an idea, 'I know…' she raised her head and looked at Sasuke as she spoke, "Sasuke-kun… your Shurikenjutsu is really good…"

"Is it?" asked Sasuke curiously.

Ino nodded with bright stars shining in her eyes, "The way Shuriken curve when you throw them, and the way they collide multiple times before hitting the bullseye… it's really amazing… and it's so cool! I want to be able to throw Shuriken just like you!"

"Focus on improving your skills more rather than wasting time on pointless things, and you'll get there in no time…" answered Sasuke as he shifted his attention from Ino to other flowers in the Shop.

Ino asked curiously, "Do you really think that I can reach your level in Shurikenjutsu, Sasuke-kun?"

"What's stopping you?" questioned Sasuke as he turned his attention back to the girl behind him.

"Uhh––well…" she had a troubled expression, as she answered, "I… I am not confident enough when it comes to Shurikenjutsu…"

"And why is that?" questioned Sasuke.

"Ugh–it's… it's because I am not very good at Shurikenjutsu… I am not talented in that field…" Ino quickly found an answer. But is that really the truth? Is it really true that she is not very talented in Shurikenjutsu, or is it that she is too busy daydreaming about a certain boy that she doesn't train enough? Perhaps the answer to these questions is something only she knows.

Sasuke shook his head with a sigh, not wanting to give a response to her answer.

Noting Sasuke shaking his head in disappointment, Ino felt a little flustered, "I… I…" But she couldn't bring herself to say anything.

Ignoring Ino's inner crises, Sasuke looked around the shop, observing different flowers, no, rather than observing different flowers, he was sensing presences in and around the shops, 'There seems to be someone else inside… but, that Chakra is too weak, I doubt that its Yamanaka Inoichi…'

He pondered for a moment, then turned around and stared into her eyes as he tentatively asked the flustered Ino, "Isn't Yamanaka Patriarch around to teach you Shurikenjutsu?"

"Huh? You mean, Otou-san?" mumbled Ino and answered while avoiding eye contact, "Well… well… Otou-san… he does teach me… it's just that… um… how do I put it? He is a bit too doting… and embarrassing…! So, I don't like to learn Jutsu from him."

Sasuke shook his head, "You should cherish what you have while you have it, or else it might get taken away before you know it, and at that time, no matter how many tears you shed, it won't return, ever…!" 

Coming from someone who had lost his entire clan in a single night, Sasuke's words were incredibly powerful and directly hit Ino in the heart, and she couldn't help but nod, "I… I understand, Sasuke-kun…" and added after a pause, "After Otou-san return from his mission, I will start to sincerely train with him."

'Mission? Has Yamanaka Inoichi gone out of Konoha on a mission?' thought Sasuke as his heartbeat suddenly increased. If that's really the case, and Yamanaka Inoichi has indeed gone out of Konoha on a mission, then this is a perfect opportunity for him to steal the Scrolls of Secret Yamanaka Jutsu!

Ching-aling!

Just as Sasuke had such a thought, the bell at the gate chimed, and the gate of the shop opened. Ino and Sasuke turned around and noticed a customer walk in. Sasuke did not know the person.

Ino smiled apologetically at Sasuke, "I am sorry Sasuke-kun… looks like I have to take care of the customer."

Sasuke shrugged, "Don't mind me…"

Ino sighed as she walked toward the counter, and greeted them with a bright smile, "Welcome to the Yamanaka Flowers~" after which she began to help them out with their purchase. Just as the first customer was about to leave, the second one walked in, and then the third and then the fourth, and so on, keeping Ino occupied and leaving no opportunity to continue to talk with Sasuke which made her pout in dissatisfaction, but it couldn't be helped.

While Ino got busy with the customers, Sasuke walked around the shop, one by one observing various flowers on display.

Time passed bit by bit, and soon more than half an hour had passed. It was only after the nth customer had walked out did Ino breathed a sigh of relief as there were no more customers around for the time being, and she turned her attention toward Sasuke standing in front of a bouquet of a particular flower.

With a smile, Ino approached him from the side, and explained, "That's a Daffodil. They are often one of the first flowers to bloom in spring, symbolizing the end of winter and the beginning of a new season, as a result, they are commonly associated with new beginnings…" then she bent down and took out one of the Daffodils from the bouquet, and offered it to Sasuke, "Here… take this… you like Daffodil, don't you?"

Sasuke shook his head, and turned down Ino, "No… you couldn't be more wrong. The only flowers I like are White Chrysanthemum and Black Rose."

"I… I see…" Feeling awkward, Ino withdrew her hand, and added with an embarrassing smile, "That's… rather unique taste…"

Sasuke hummed lightly, "Hn."

In fact, Ino felt a little afraid upon learning the names of flowers that Sasuke likes. The White Chrysanthemum symbolizes purity and mourning, and the Black Rose symbolizes mystery and death. The two flowers are conflicting in nature, yet they share a connection when it comes to 'death.' For a person to like both the White Chrysanthemum and the Black Rose, it can only mean that they have embraced that common connection between the two, and this scared Ino.

The atmosphere once again became awkward as Ino did not know how to respond.

Time passed bit by bit as the two stood in silence, not knowing what to speak, and it wasn't until Yamanaka Ruri returned to the shop that the two remained silent.

.

.

.

As Yamanaka Ruri returned to the shop, she sensed a heavy atmosphere, and couldn't help but wonder, 'What happened?' She wanted to ask Ino and Sasuke, but taking into account that discussing such a matter is unprofessional and might affect the deal, she decided to not question it immediately, instead, she coughed to attract the attention of the two children, "Ino-chan… Uchiha-kun…"

Sasuke glanced at Ino, then shook his head and went toward the counter.

While keeping her head down, Ino followed after Sasuke.

Yamanaka Ruri glanced at her daughter with a sigh, and spoke to her, "Ino-chan… Kazama-kun inside needs a helping hand, can you help him out?"

Ino nodded silently, "Umm…" she glanced at Sasuke one last time, then leaving her mother and Sasuke alone in the shop, she went inside. She still had that daffodil in her hand, which did not go unnoticed by Ruri.

Neither Sasuke nor Ruri spoke anything until Ino had left, and even after she left, there was a brief silence which was broken by Sasuke's question, "Are the flowers ready?"

It seemed as though Ruri wanted to say something, as she opened her mouth, and tried to speak, but upon noticing his eyes, she could only sigh and nod, "Yes…" she paused for a moment, and took out several Scrolls from the pocket of her dress that she passed on to Sasuke, "Here… I have sealed the flowers inside these Storage scrolls… There are two thousand White Chrysanthemums, and two hundred fifty of each of White Carnation, White Lotus, Plum Blossom, and Camellia… A total of three thousand flowers…"

"Thank you…" said Sasuke as he took the Scrolls handed to him by Yamanaka Ruri and kept them inside his Shinobi Bag.

Once Sasuke had kept the scrolls, Ruri took out another Scroll, and passed it to him, "This is the remaining amount… fifty thousand Ryō… after cutting all the expenses."

Sasuke spoke, "Keep that amount as an advance payment for the three thousand White Chrysanthemums I would need next year on the same day…" 

Hearing Sasuke's words, Ruri withdrew her hand, "Alright…"

Sasuke nodded lightly, then turned around as he walked toward the gate of the Shop.

Ruri glanced at the back of the young Uchiha as he left the shop, then went inside to check up on Ino.

As soon as she went inside, Ruri noticed her daughter crying while squatting in the corner. She went forward and embraced her daughter, "Ino-chan…"

"Okaa-san…" more tears burst out of Ino's eyes as she was enveloped in a hug by her mother.

Caressing her daughter's head, "It's alright Ino-chan… tell Okaa-san what happened?"

But Ino did not give any reply and continued to cry.

Yamanaka Ruri sighed and did not question her daughter anymore, just continued to caress her head. 

In fact, she did not need to question, she had a feeling that she knew the answer already. After all, she too was once a young maiden. The seed of love had sprouted in her heart too in her younger days as it grew into a bud and wanted to bloom, but not all buds bloom the way you want them to, some buds die down before they can bloom, and something similar happened with her. But that doesn't mean she is unhappy now… While she feels nostalgic about her first love, that doesn't affect her feelings toward the man she is married to. Therefore, Ruri is confident that one day her daughter will also find the person who will accept her love and make her happy.

.

.

On the other side, after leaving the Yamanaka Flower Shop, Sasuke made his way toward the Konoha Cemetery. It did not take him very long as the gate of the Cemetery appeared before him.

As he approached the gate of the Cemetery, Sasuke suddenly noticed a figure coming to the cemetery from another road, and frowned, 'What the hell is he doing here?' If he is being honest, he doesn't want to meet this person at all! But the problem is, he can't just turn around and leave since that person has already spotted him. 

'Just control…' Sasuke calmed down the burning anger in his heart, and while making sure that his emotions didn't reflect on his face or his eyes, he walked forward. 

Soon Sasuke and the person in question both reached the gate of the cemetery.

The person in question looked at Sasuke with a saddened smile, and spoke, "Ahhh… Uchiha Sasuke-kun… what a coincidence to meet you here… are you here to pay respect?"

'Coincidence? I think not!' Sasuke screamed in his heart.

.

.

.

.

.

As always, drop your power stones, comments as well as reviews, and also if you like the story so far, then make sure to add the book to your library for constant updates of new chapters.