Mid-afternoon at the flower shop was usually a boring time for Ino. During her down time from missions, she'd run the shop just to have something to do, but it wasn't much entertainment. Thankfully she had company today, and plenty of fresh flowers to arrange.

"Hey, I'm not sayin' something could happen." Ino mused as she arranged a colorful mixed bouquet of flowers into an elaborate crystal vase, then leaned back to admire her work as she continued musing aloud, "I'm sayin' it's likely that something already has happened."

Ino slid the vase aside and leaned onto the counter, resting her chin on her hands and staring across the small flower shop at a fidgety Hinata, who was busy blushing furiously at Ino's loud and borderline scandalous speculations. "Oh, I don't know, Ino. Are you sure we should be jumping to that kind of conclusion? That's really sudden. Shino hasn't been acting oddly during training, they haven't been seen together except that once," the shy girl carefully defended her team-mate against the already popular rumor. After all, it wasn't just Ino talking- Hinata had heard the gossip in her own clan compound already, just the morning after Shino and Sakura had been sighted together on an apparent date. However, when a clan officially sanctioned a courtship, it was a big deal, fanfare and announcements and all, even for the smaller clans. There had been no announcement about a courtship between Shino and Sakura, so Hinata remained against believing the rumor.

"Yes, but I hear Sakura's been on his clan's compound. I'm pretty sure just anyone can't just go waltzing onto clan land like that, yet they just let her right in..." Ino huffed indignantly, "I feel like she should talk to me more, her best friend! It's not even like she's being secretive. It's a total slap in the face." Hinata flinched at this. Of course, Ino was right about the security of clans property being tight. If it was true that Sakura had been on Aburame land, even Hinata would believe something more was going on between Shino and Sakura, an impressive feat for the reserved Shino. Go, Shino, go, Hinata cheered internally. But it was clear nothing was official. At the very best, they might be on the verge of courtship, or even just screwing around, and Hinata didn't like to insult her friends with thoughts of the latter.

"Well? What do you think of that, Hinata? Sakura, a guest on Aburame land.. not that I know anyone else who'd willingly go there." Ino continued, and shuddered inwardly, as did Hinata at the thought of just how many clan insects would be just everywhere on Aburame land.

Ino shrugged helplessly, her voice lowering to a near whisper, "Bugs be damned, though. Shino looks alright without his baggy coat. A little work and he could be a competitive bachelor. There's potential."

Hinata couldn't help but smile as she peered through some newly blossoming potted hydrangeas and out the window to spy a faintly awkward looking Sai on the sidewalk. He'd positioned himself across the street from the flower shop, and spent an inordinate amount of time sifting through his always organized sling bag, likely filled with art supplies as usual. He stopped momentarily to eye his own reflection in the sweets shop, his expression overall unimpressed. He was not a vain man, so the fact that he'd even bother to look at his own reflection was a surprising event. Sai turned suddenly to meander across the street towards the flower shop, causing Hinata to duck away from the window and slink back towards the rear door of the shop, "I just remembered, I have somewhere to be soon, so I'm going there now..." The rumors about Shino and Sakura weren't the only rumors flying around, and they certainly had less credence than the rumors about Sai and Ino. However, for Sai to actively seek Ino out during the day must have meant something, and Hinata certainly didn't want to stand in his way.

Noting Hinata's sudden retreat to the rear of the shop, Ino quirked a brow and turned to watch as Hinata deftly slipped out the back door without so much as a goodbye. A question never left Ino's lips as the bell alerted her to the opening flower shop's front door, and Sai stepped in slowly. He glanced around before his eyes met Ino's. She grinned slyly, he offered up his best smile, still practiced, but more natural than she'd ever seen.

"Oh hey, cutie." Ino said in a near purr, tucking a stray blonde hair behind her hear, and observing, "What brings you here?"

Sai seemed to think deeply before answering, causing Ino to hold her breath in anticipation.

"I want to experiment with new pigments, and I came to see what flowers you have." He said, finally. Ino felt something akin to crushing disappointment. Was he seriously here because of his interest in creating colorful paint, and not because of her? Had he forgotten their heated make out session from the evening before, and his reluctance to part from her?

"You said your shop has the best variety, I came to verify that claim." He stated, as if nothing at all had ever happened between them.

Ino sighed to herself, I don't now what I expected. This was Sai, after all. She moved around the counter to give him the grand tour of her family's flower shop, while desperately trying to pretend she wasn't happy to see him regardless.

By late afternoon Sakura had finished most of her errands, though she was haunted by images of the previous evening throughout the course of the day. Had she been required to work, she could have lost herself in tasks and distracted herself from recent events, possibly preventing herself from obsessing over things. Alas, her mind was overwhelmingly occupied by the constant flashing of memories of a flirtatious Ino a little too close to a smiling Shino, which continued to spoil her mood throughout the day.

Sakura gravely questioned her own motives, wondering the use in getting angry about Shino was for enjoying the company of another woman. True, Shino was basically on a date with Sakura the previous evening, but wasn't the initial goal to earn him some attention from other women and bolster his confidence?

Sakura slumped onto her sofa and sighed, draping an arm over her head and leaning on the armrest. She pulled her knees up and sighed, "What am I doing, obsessing over something like this?" She sat up, catching the faint scent of Shino and light cologne, intoxicating somehow to her senses. His jacket still on her sofa, she nervously picked it up to examine the garment, the light fibers soft and well-worn. She ran her fingers across the front, imagining what his toned chest might feel like through the garment. She imagined leaning into his chest as his firm, muscled arms gathered her against him.

She frowned at herself for getting lost in such a fantasy, quickly blaming her conflict on the silly agreement that she would give Shino actual consideration.

He's not even my type, she mentally insisted. Sure, he was strong and intelligent, but he didn't exude confidence and cool, at least not so much on his own. Then there was Tenten's drunken accusation from months back that always stuck with Sakura, the impossible to refute claim that Sakura only went for jerk-ish bad boys. Sakura didn't have an argument against her track record at all.

Even so, Sakura couldn't shake the fact that Shino had treated her respectfully and kindly, she'd enjoyed the treatment. But that wasn't enough, was it? Sakura usually preferred someone with guts, wit, debonaire... cunning. Shino just wasn't any of that. And he was an Aburame. Sakura didn't particularly like bugs. Not that it had been a problem, but the clan property definitely made her feel edgy. Not to mention she had nothing much to offer, no famous genes to pass on to potential offspring.

Children with Shino- Sakura felt her face redden at the idea of it, mostly as the thought of the act of procreating suddenly invaded her train of thought. She shook it off, decided to boil herself some water for tea, and forced herself to think more reasonably about things.

Sakura made a promise with herself right then- she'd return Shino's jacket immediately and stop just going with the flow- that could lead to situations she couldn't allow. Sure, she might still coach him on relationships, but she'd be sure to keep a fair distance. She didn't even want to consider that she'd been feeling a little jealous over such a short-lived, simple moment between Shino and Sakura's own self-proclaimed best friend, nor any of the other women who had shown a sudden interest in Shino the moment a layer of clothing came off. None of that mattered, right?

Hours later she found herself again at the Aburame compound, Shino's jacket folded in her arms. She hugged the garment tightly to her as she approached the gates.

"State your name and business!" A thin man huffed at Sakura. She'd never seen the man before, but judging by his dark concealing coat, which was similar in cut to Shino's, he was a bug user just the same.

Sakura tried to stand tall and banish the thought of bugs from her mind. "Haruno Sakura, I'm here to drop something off for Shino." She spoke as confidently as she could.

The man seemed to regard her for a long moment, then he deftly pushed open the gate to allow her entry, "You know the way." He stated as she slipped past him, wondering how he knew that she'd been there before. The thought of being tracked and recognized by the clan's special brand of bug gave her the absolute heebie jeebies. She nodded a thanks to the man and quickly made her way into the bowels of clan land, to Shino's home.

She shouldn't have been shocked to find him leaning against a porch rail, staring right in her direction the moment she rounded the last corner to his home. His expectancy lent more credence to her thought that she was recognized and tracked in true Aburame fashion. She would have prayed for no bugs to be present upon her, but as she caught Shino's stare she hesitated in her tracks.

Sakura had really hoped to drop the jacket off at his door without confrontation. In retrospect, she should have known better than to count on that plan. She convinced her legs to move forward, and as she approached the steps to his home, she held out the jacket to him, arm outstretched, as much distance between the two of them as possible. Thankfully, Shino had again donned glasses, so she couldn't see the questioning in his eyes.

"I thought you'd be out, sorry for showing up like this unannounced." She said softly.

Shino shook his head, smiling ever-so-slightly, "No, that's fine, Sakura. You're welcome here anytime, of course." His voice was gentle and friendly. He looked her over as the air between them grew thick and silent.

"I.. I just wanted to drop this off, that's all. I know it's important." Sakura's words were obviously forced, nervous. She stopped at the bottom step, not allowing her foot to take a step up, making it clear that she was somehow uncomfortable entering his home. Shino's brow furrowed, but he made no movement to retrieve the coat, still a full arms length away.

"Thank you." He nodded to her, then glanced back at his opened front door, "I've just taken dinner off of the stove." He offered in an attempt to overcome the discomfort between them that he didn't quite understand, "My first try at vegetable stew and fish cakes. It's pretty good. I'd like it if you'd join me for dinner..."

Sakura's eyebrows shot up, not only at the unusual combination of foods but at the fact that Shino had cooked dinner, and frankly the aroma escaping his house was nothing less than spectacular. She avoided his gaze, shook her head, "Ah, I'd better not. I'm not really hungry, and have some things to get done before it gets too la.."

Her sentence was completely interrupted the the loudest grumble from her stomach. Her free hand went directly to her tummy in response, and her face flushed crimson in embarrassment. It as then that she realized she'd not eaten much of anything all day, and silently scolded herself for being so dumb.

Shino snorted and attempted to muffle his laughter, which only added to her embarrassment. "I'm sorry! You're a terrible liar." He managed between chuckles. She shot him a dirty look, which only proved to produce more laughter from the guy. It was unusual for Shino to laugh so openly, and it struck her as a more than a little awkward. She couldn't help but laugh at him laughing at her.

"Come on." He said finally, turning without ever reaching out for the coat. Sakura sighed and resigned herself to at least having something to eat. Afterwards, she could surely continue about her plans to distance herself from the Aburame heir. She hopped up the stairs and into Shino's home, closing the door behind her just as the frogs began their night songs.