Naruto : Monsters: Chapter 51

"I'll be sure to ask the next time I see him," I promised.

"Thanks." She said before turning back to the flowers, still chuckling with good humour.

...

As I watched the blonde girl work, I found myself immensely relieved by how much this world differed from Kishimoto's version of it. I didn't know if it was because of all the changes I made by being here or if it had always been this way, but Ino had ended up becoming a vastly different person than she was in the series.

For one thing, she wasn't a boy obsessed girl. Maybe it was because she didn't have Sasuke here to flame her infatuation but Ino didn't spend most of her days fighting other girls in an attempt to grab a boy's attention and had actually put some real effort into becoming a respectable ninja. Though she was still pretty much a girly-girl in many ways and loved to gossip like you wouldn't believe.

That was actually another thing that was different in this world. I didn't know if it was something Kishimoto embellished for the sake of comedy, or if it was something about me that scared them off but even though I, like Sasuke, had performed head and shoulders above anybody else in my age group and was hailed as a genius, I was in no way popular with any of the girls in class. 

Neither Ino, Sakura, nor anyone else for that matter had at any point in time developed a crush on me, and I cannot begin to express how immensely relieved I was to discover that.

I didn't know why that was the case and, frankly, I didn't care. I was just happy that I would never have to experience what it felt like to have mobs of fan-girls chasing me around and dogging my every move.

"There," Ino stated a minute later, giving the flowers a once over before nodding to herself in satisfaction, "that should do it. Now, give me a second and I'll be back with your order."

"Actually Ino," I stopped the girl before she entered the back room, pointing to the bouquet she had been working on, "That is my order."

Ino looked stunned, her eyes jumping from the flowers I was pointing to and my face. "Umm Hikaru, not to sound rude but are you sure you ordered the right kind of flowers?" She began cautiously, "Those are purple lilacs, and they have a very specific meaning when giving them to someone."

"Yes, Ino, I know that they're lilacs and I know exactly what they symbolize," I answered, amused but unsurprised by her reaction. In the language of flowers, purple lilacs are supposed to symbolize first or a new love, which is why they were often seen in weddings, even here in the Elemental Nations. Over the years, it has become something of a growing trend in Konoha for a guy to give it to a girl on a first date. "And yes, those are the flowers I wanted to buy."

Ino's eyes went so wide that I thought they might roll out of her skull while she gaped at me, her mouth opening and closing as she tried to speak but nothing seemed to come out.

Finally, swallowing, she managed to pull herself together enough to raise a trembling finger to point at me, "Oh-My-God." Ino emphasized each word, "You've finally asked Naruto out! Haven't you? You're going out on a date!" All but squealing the last word in delight.

"When? How? Where? Details, I need details. Tell me everything. Did you ask her out or did she? You have to tell me!" Ino had a mile-wide smile on her face as she fired out questions after question so rapidly that I had trouble processing what she was saying, let alone answer her back. "Is that why you're all dressed up, for your date?"

I looked down at myself to take in what she was talking about. Unlike the usual type of clothing that I liked to wear, basically a shorts and shirt combo that's not too different from what Neji used to favour, today I had decided to dress up in style. I was wearing a traditional kimono, mostly made up of a single shade of dark blue lined with white, that was tailored from material so fine that, even to someone like me, was clearly expensive.

"Kinda traditional for a first date, don't you think?" Ino comment, coming out from behind the counter to circle around me, looking me up and down with the same critical eye she used on the flowers. "But you Hyuugas love that kind of thing, so I guess it's only to be expected. And it's clear you put some effort into it. Plus I have to admit, it does look good on you."

Ino worried her bottom lip as she thought it over, before finally nodding to herself. "Good enough, I give it a pass. You have my approval to wear that on your date."

"Thank you, I cannot begin to tell you how much your approval means to me," I told her blandly, though I felt my lips twitch upwards, giving away my amusement. I shook my head at the excited girl. "But I'm sorry to disappoint you Ino but I didn't ask Naruto out for a date."

Ignoring the look of bewilderment that Ino was giving me, I walked around the counter and picked up the flowers she had been working on. And I had to admit that it was really well done. The lilacs were mixed with several tiny blue flowers, whose name I didn't know, and were arranged in a way that really helped highlight the purple of the lilac.

Lifting the tiny bouquet up, I took a moment to really examine it from all angles. "And these flowers aren't for her. They're for a different girl, a certain beautiful redhead that I happen to know."

Satisfied, I turned around to complement Ino for a job well done only to find that Ino had turned a pale white. She was standing completely still, as if frozen in place, her eyes staring blankly ahead at nothing.

"Ino?" I inquired cautiously, not sure what had caused the normally talkative girl to go so silent. "Are you alright?"

My words seemed to do the trick because she appeared to start and snap awake, before her head snapped to look at me.

"...Oh god," She began, the empty look on her face quickly replaced with one of dawning horror, "Naruto's going to end up in prison isn't she?"

"What?" This time it was my turn to be taken aback as I tried to understand the leap in logic that led her to that conclusion. "No! Why would you think she'd end up in jail?"

"Because Naruto is going to murder someone when she finds out. Oh god," Ino palmed her face, "I'm going to end up being friends with a murderer."

I couldn't help it, she looked so serious when she spoke that I ended up breaking down in laughter, causing Ino glare at me in annoyance.

"It's not funny." She snapped. "Naruto would really end up killing someone when she finds out. I've sparred with her you know," Ino winced at the memory and rubbed her belly, "and she has one mean punch, even when she's holding back. One good hit is all she needs to take the poor girl's head off."

"Don't worry Ino," I reassured the girl, still chuckling lightly as I walked out from behind the counter and approached her, "Naruto is definitely not going to kill someone over this because she already knows. In fact, not only was it her idea but she plans to tag along with me. You see," I stopped once I was near the girl and leaned towards her ear while simultaneously lowering my voice, as if I was about to impart a very important secret.

"it turns out that Naruto is really into red-heads or at least she's into this particular red-head. And I can guarantee you that Naruto is going to enjoy her company just as much, if not more than I will."

After finally imparting the truthful, if slightly misleading, bit of news, I leaned away from Ino, only to find myself having to fight back the urge to cackle as Ino blushed a bright tomato red at the implications.

Oh how I love messing with people's heads. Especially when I was being completely honest with them.

"I...I…Huh?" Ino stuttered illegibly, actually looking as if she was about to go into shock. A few seconds of nonsense muttering later, Ino's brain seemed to finally begin rebooting itself, "...Icha Icha spoke the truth." She whispered quietly to herself, still clearly out of it.

My eyes bulged at her words, not believing what I just heard her say, before I felt an oh so wicked smile grace my lips. "Oh Ino," I purred, voice thick with amusement, "I didn't know you were into porn."

I didn't think it was possible but somehow Ino managed to turn an even brighter red as she realized what she said, clearly haven't meant for me to hear that.

Ino was staring at me with wide terrified eyes, looking ready to bolt. It was such a 'deer in the headlights' look that I decided for once to show some mercy and spare the poor girl from any more grief. For now at least, you can be sure I'd be bringing this back up again later, this was far too good to drop entirely.

"Well, I have to be going, Ino. Don't want to be late." I made my way around the girl and towards the store's exit. I was about to make my way out but, before I did, I made sure to leave one final parting comment. "Be sure to enjoy your erotic porn. I heard that the latest version is a really good one."

This time when the bell chimed above me as I opened the door, it was intermixed with the sound of my laughter.

...

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