[Yamanaka Flower Shop]
Ino was yawning while watering the flowers on the shelves and trimming the leaves under her mother Yamanaka Rino's direction.
Living with your parents really had this one downside.
Even when she didn't have any missions, she still had to get up early and help out under her mother's orders.
She could never get a proper lazy morning's sleep.
She had actually tried to tactfully float the idea to her parents before, that maybe she could move to the Senju compound.
But Yamanaka Inoichi and Yamanaka Rino had flat-out rejected it.
Because of that, Inoichi had almost invoked the family rules on her.
Even though he was forced to turn a blind eye now that Aoba's status and strength in Konoha were what they were, and because his own daughter was completely devoted to him, he still tolerated the guy's multiple-boat-stepping.
But if they ever did anything they shouldn't before marriage, then even if it cost him his life, he would drag that white-haired brat down with him.
"Seriously, Dad and Mom are too much. Just living together doesn't automatically mean we'll do that kind of thing…"
Thinking of that, Ino couldn't help muttering under her breath, but as she thought about it, her face flushed.
"Ino, what did you say?", Rino, who was arranging flowers to the side, seemed to hear her daughter mention her while talking to herself.
"Huh? Nothing, I didn't say anything."
Ino shook her head fast. If her mom found out what she was thinking, she would definitely start nagging again.
Seeing her daughter like that, Rino more or less guessed the gist.
So she didn't want to bother with this romance-addled girl. She was definitely thinking about that white-haired boy again.
Ding~ Dong~
Ino had drifted back into her absentminded mode, but when the door chime rang, she snapped out of it and looked over.
A girl like a cherry blossom walked into the shop with a smile, as if all the flowers in the place dimmed in that moment.
"Ino!"
"Sakura!"
Seeing her long-lost best friend, Ino's face lit up happily, but quickly shifted to surprise.
"Why did you suddenly cut your hair?"
Sakura didn't have her usual smooth long hair, but a crisp, neck-length short cut.
Her whole vibe felt completely different from before.
She gave off a bold, sharp feeling.
"What do you think of this hairstyle? Does it suit me?"
Sakura spun once in front of Ino, clearly delighted, showing off her new look.
"It looks good, and it suits you, but Sakura, don't you really love your hair?"
Ino looked at her friend with a bit of concern, afraid something had upset her.
"Yeah, which is why this is just the Transformation Technique."
As she spoke, Sakura formed a seal, and after a puff of smoke, her original self appeared. She even winked at Ino.
"So that's it. I thought something had happened to you."
Ino breathed a sigh of relief.
But for some reason, she still felt something off about Sakura. She seemed more… outgoing than usual.
'Did she run into something good?'
Sakura turned back into the short-haired version again, and only then did Ino notice the mark on her forehead.
Staring wide-eyed, she asked, "Sakura, you already mastered the Yin Seal?"
Sakura touched her forehead and smiled, "I really have to thank Inner Sakura for helping."
"So jealous. If only I had a second personality helping me train too."
Ino's face was full of envy. The gap between her and Sakura was already getting bigger and bigger.
Sakura's lips curved uncontrollably upward, though she still tried to comfort her.
"Aoba already said it, didn't he? Once you master all the clan's secret techniques, he'll give you a surprise."
"Sigh! That's still going to take a long time."
Ino sighed, then said, "Anyway, never mind that. I heard from Aoba that after mastering the Yin Seal your body stays in peak condition forever. So in that case…"
As she spoke, her gaze fell on Sakura's flattest area, and she whispered, "In that case, wouldn't you stay like this forever? Never grow?"
"Impossible!", Sakura reacted loudly, sounding pretty worked up.
The sudden noise drew the attention of the others. Rino also looked over at them.
Ino immediately slapped her hand over Sakura's mouth and gave her mom an awkward smile.
But Sakura still glared at Ino unhappily.
This was her biggest frustration at the moment.
In this past year, even Karin had grown noticeably. Hinata and Yakumo especially were already pretty comparable to adults, but she was the only one stuck in place.
Even now, she didn't even have an A-cup.
Sakura pushed Ino's hand away and said, "You know, Lady Tsunade was the same as me back then, this…"
"It's because she trained the Yin Seal that she became so terrifying now."
"I already mastered the Yin Seal, so in the future I'll definitely develop to Lady Tsunade's level too."
As she said this, her face filled with longing.
Clearly she'd already sunk into her own fantasy.
Ino didn't want to crush her best friend's hopeful dream, so she grabbed her hand instead and said, "Alright, forget that. Let's go hang out."
Sakura's expression turned a little stiff, "Yeah, but I want to look at the flowers first."
"Look at flowers?"
Ino was puzzled, and Sakura pretended to browse the flowers on the shelf.
———
Not long after—
Another ding ling ling rang out.
A man and a woman entered the shop hand-in-hand.
"Aoba?"
Ino finally understood why Sakura insisted on staying to look at flowers.
The ones who walked in were Aoba and Uzuki Yugao.
"Ino, Sakura."
Aoba waved at the two. He was a bit surprised Sakura was here too.
But with her spiritualization training and insane sensory range, it wasn't strange she knew he'd be coming.
"Aoba!"
Sakura dashed over and hugged Aoba's waist.
"Hehehe!"
With the difference in their heights, Sakura could bury her face right into his chest, so no one could see her acting all lovey-dovey.
Ino's eyes flew wide open. Even Uzuki Yugao seemed stunned.
'Is this girl really Sakura?'
'So bold.'
"Alright, Inner Sakura, there are people watching."
Aoba patted her head and quietly reminded her.
Yugao finally understood. No wonder. Sakura would never be this straightforward.
Inner Sakura lifted her head, looking secretly pleased, "Honestly, I didn't expect you to figure it out so fast, Aoba. Even Ino didn't notice."
Aoba stayed silent. With that behavior, anyone could guess.
"Oh I knew it. I knew something felt weird about Sakura today. So it was you!"
Ino stomped over, glaring. Seeing Sakura still hugging Aoba made her even more annoyed.
"How long are you planning to hold onto him?"
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