Clueless to a Fault
by dave-d

The door slammed shut.

Whenever the building maintenance man came by on his next rounds, he would see that the hinges were bent and the knob had fingernail prints embedded in the solid brass. "It's not like I care or anything!" Ino tossed her hair and flounced down a series of stairs. "It's none of my business, right?" The look on her face had a group of genin clearing a space for her as she approached the exit.

It had taken weeks, but she had finally come to terms with her feelings, and had worked up the courage to approach Shikamaru. She liked him, as more than just a teammate or a friend. He was a genius. He ought to know that, right? So, if things had gone better, he would have accepted, wouldn't he? Nooo-oo-o. She had to be there. Why did that hussy pick today to visit Konoha?

"Why do I need another rival?" Ino stomped along the sidewalk, hair tossed this way and that by a stiff wind. "That was enough trouble, before." Yes. Her crush over Uchiha Sasuke had ended her close friendship with Sakura, who had a similar crush. Up until that point, she had been Sakura's first friend, and had helped Sakura develop her own identity and feelings of self-worth. When they were both children, she gave Sakura a ribbon so she didn't have to hide her forehead, which had been the physical feature that had earned the other girl a lot of torment and teasing. "It was so stupid, before!" The two had become bitter rivals; but, neither one was successful.

When Ino had knocked on Shikamaru's door, she had been a couple of seconds away from blurting things out. But, he had looked somewhat uncomfortable, and a bit put out. The reason was simple enough. Temari was there. That would have been bad enough. If the other kunoichi had been there on a friendly visit, she would have put on a smile and chatted happily with her, hiding her disappointment. Oh no. Things couldn't be that simple, could they! 'Hello, Ino' Temari had said amiably enough. 'Is this going to be a double date? Shikamaru, you could ask your other teammate to join us.'

"Choji!" Ino kicked at a garbage can that stood in her way. The heavy and newly dented can rocked back and forth, and finally thumped back down on the concrete. Great. Now her toes ached! "He's the last person on earth that I would date!" Choji was her friend. He was a fellow member of Team 10. Like she and Shikamaru, he wore one of the earrings that Asuma had given them. She would trust him with her life. But, she did not want to date him. "Oooo-ooo-oo-h… that witch probably knew that…." She was still muttering under her breath when she reached the flower shop.

Ino was very talented in Ikebana, the way of the flower. The family shop was the one place that she could usually trust to lift her spirits when she was down. In part, it was because she found flowers to be so wonderful. Not only that, but flower arranging forced her to get in touch with her inner self. In contrast to the decorative form of flower arranging that was prevalent in some of the other Hidden Villages, the Yamanaka family method creates a harmony of linear construction, rhythm, and color. But, harmony was the furthest thing from Ino's mind.

"Double date!" Ino wrestled with the cut flowers, instead of working with them to make art. "Why would I want to do that?" If she couldn't go out with Shikamaru, she sure as hell didn't want to go along with him and his date, watching him fawn over some other girl. The nonsensical nature of that thought didn't register. Shikamaru? Fawn? On anyone? She was too frazzled to see the incongruities. "Ohhh…." She had fallen into some of her old routines, paying too much attention to the beauty of individual flowers, instead of working on an arrangement that would symbolize heaven, earth, and humankind. "This is probably the way that she would do it… the tramp…."

Eventually, her mother suggested that she leave the flower arranging to someone else. She didn't question her daughter on her problems, guessing correctly that it had something to do with affairs of the heart. Accepting things with good grace, Ino left the shop, intending to do some practicing off on her own. That kind of thing would help her get rid of her pent up aggression. Making her way along one path, she saw a flash of pink, and heard someone laughing. It was Sakura! She and the rest of Team 7 looked to be heading back from the training fields.

"It's not like I'm too embarrassed to see anyone." Ino crept behind a tree, and watched as the four shinobi strolled past. Sakura was scolding Naruto for something. Kakashi was bringing up the rear, reading that book of his as he walked. Sai was busy asking his friends about the various things that came up in their argument. "I forgot how cute he was…." Her pride raising its ugly head again, she grabbed the side of the tree tightly, pealing away some bark. Her logic was faulty, but she didn't notice, or didn't care. 'If Shikamaru is doing something that makes me jealous, then I will return the favor!' That gave way to "You know… maybe it would be nice to spend some time with someone else….'

Keeping her distance, she began trailing after her fellow ninjas, formulating a plan as she ambled beneath the majestic trees. A double date. That might not be such a bad thing, after all. Things would be less threatening that way. And, maybe she could use it as another step towards patching up her relationship with Sakura. Yes. That was a brilliant idea. Shikamaru wasn't the only genius in their group!

"As long as we aren't interested in the same boy, there shouldn't be any trouble." Ino remembered what her sensei had told her before his death. Asuma had said that her spirit was strong… that she was a helpful child… and that she should take care of Choji and Shikamaru, who were both very awkward. He also told her not to lose to Sakura in ninjutsu or in love. "She likes Naruto, I think…." She wrinkled up her nose. Even though she had come to like Naruto a lot more, he wasn't high on her list of 'hotties'. "Sai… on the other hand….mmm-mm-m." He was a bit of a mystery, alright. In a way, his looks reminded her a bit of Sasuke. "He called me Ms. Beautiful." She stopped a moment and frowned. He had also blurted out her feelings for Shikamaru in front of the assembly!

Hungry, she stopped at a street-side stall and bought a basket of small tomatoes. Chewing on one, she looked for a flash of pink, or the telltale orange jumpsuit. Wiping a bit of juice off of her chin, she nodded her head. Something orange had rolled across the street, further down. No doubt Naruto had said something that led Sakura to punch him again. That girl was freakishly strong! Hurrying along, she wanted to catch up before the three went their separate ways.

"Sakura!" Ino called out when she saw the pink-haired girl wave to her companions, as if she was ready to head off on her own. "Wait! You too, Sai!"

"Huh?" Sakura looked at her approaching friend. She and Ino had buried the hatchet so to speak, but there was still a long was to go before they were bosom buddies again, if ever. "I wonder what's up?" She frowned over at Naruto, who was whispering something in Sai's ear. He had really gotten on her nerves today!

"There's something I wanted to suggest," Ino replied, motioning for the other girl to step away from the two boys. "It's… well… none of us ever has a lot of time for this kind of thing…." She played with her hair a moment, trying to figure out the best way to say what was on her mind. "I thought it might be fun if… you know… the two of us would go out with a couple of guys we like…."

"What?" Sakura's eyes widened. She never would have expected anything like that, especially from Ino. She narrowed her eyes, wondering what had brought this on. "Shikamaru and…." She glanced at Naruto out of the corner of her eye. On any other day, she might actually consider such a suggestion.

"No! Not Shikamaru!" Obviously, Naruto's hearing was very good. "Not if she's talking about today." She scratched the back of his head. "I just saw him walk past with Temari." He pointed off to one side of the business district. "I was going to run over and say 'hello' to her." He got along very well with Gaara and his two siblings. That never ceased to leave him feeling cheerful, whenever he remembered how things had originally stood between them. "Double date, huh? I never would have guessed that Sakura was your type…." He grinned.

"You…." Ino almost took the bait. Holding her breath for a moment, she calmed down. She knew that Naruto was joking. Still, she clenched and unclenched her fist, thinking of Shikamaru walking anywhere with the other girl. She made it a point to look over at Sai.

"He's been like that all day," Sakura said with an exaggerated sigh. If anything, that moment of shared annoyance helped break the ice some. "You don't know how lucky you are…." More than anything, she wished that the original Team 7 could reform. But, she was growing to trust Sai, and wouldn't really want to trade the village's noisiest and most unpredictable ninja for anyone else.

"Perhaps you should have asked Choji…." Sai offered. "…If Shikamaru has grown to favor a different girl. No doubt he would… mrphl brgl grphlbrll…." He raised one eyebrow, wondering why Sakura had her hand over his mouth.

"I…." Ino fought to maintain her cool. Sai wasn't making this easy. Not that it was going to be simple for her, in any case. "I was actually thinking of you, Sai…." There, she had said it. "And… seeing that… I thought that Sakura…."

"Would want to go out with me!" Naruto struck a Gai-like pose, thumbing himself in the chest. "According to Sai, she has a thing for me." He grinned, eyes closing. "Sakura always was a slow learner. Back when I had a big crush on her, it was Sasuke-this and Sasuke-that… hey, it was the same thing with you, too…." He opened his eyes and stared at Ino, surprised to see her blush. "But… nowadays… I'm not sure she'd be my type…." Talking big would cost him. Big time.

"Idiot!" Sakura connected with a frightful uppercut, sending Naruto flying. He landed on the umbrella of a large vending cart, causing the whole thing to collapse, nearly flattening the old man working the register. The 'Inner Sakura' was busy kicking the stuffing out of an imaginary Naruto. "Don't believe everything you hear!" She did have feelings for her teammate. But, she had never brought herself to embrace something like that. It might have no place in a functioning team. And, she would hate to ruin the friendship she was forming with him.

"Owww-ww-w…." That was all that Naruto could say at the moment. He worked his hand seals, creating a number of Bunshin to extricate him from the tangled wreckage.

"I have heard that love is blind," Sai offered. A moment later, he too saw the scenic sight of the streets below him, before landing on top of Naruto.

"I wish they were both blind." Sakura worked her arm to loosen up her shoulder. "Blind… deaf… and dumb…."

"It looks like they have the 'dumb' part down already," Ino quipped. That had her and the other girl sharing a shy smile.

"Yes," Sakura nodded her head enthusiastically. "You're right." She sighed. "Maybe… if you had picked some other week…."

"It's OK," Ino said with a wave of her hand. "I don't doubt that Sai would feel more comfortable if either you or Naruto were around." She smiled, not about to give up on her idea. "I think I know a good replacement for you. I just hope that she doesn't faint again…." That last qualified left little doubt who she was talking about.

"That…." Sakura clearly caught on. Hinata. Ino was talking about Hinata. She didn't know how she would feel about Naruto going out with her. She might be shy and retiring, and no real threat. But, she also idolized Naruto, and would overlook his many flaws in a way that she herself couldn't do yet. "She…."

"Jealous?" Ino smiled. She was the last one who should be talking about envy at the moment. Then again, that was precisely why she hoped that Sakura was feeling the bite of the green-eyed monster.

"No!" Sakura put her hands on her hips, making a fierce face. Then, her features softened some. "Maybe…." She sighed. "I don't know…." She tried to look at things from everyone else's perspective. "It might be good for her."

"Yes," Ino said in agreement. "Just one date… and she would forget about Naruto forever…." That had the two of them grinning again.

"Hey! Sakura-chan! Are you two talking about me again?" Naruto limped up, with Sai close behind him.

"Don't flatter yourself," Sakura said. "We're all agreed. You and Sai will be going on a double date with Ino and Hinata." She folded her arms across her chest, as if saying 'Don't even bother commenting. It's been decided for you.'

"But… what…." Naruto made a face, tugging at one ear. "Don't Sai and I have a say in the matter." He was getting irritated, since he hated the way that Sakura bossed them around at times. He had spent his early years crushing on Sakura. Them he had gone off to train with Ero-Sennin, and those feelings seemed to stay away when he returned to the village. Still, if he dated anyone, he kind of assumed it would be Sakura, despite what he had said. He hadn't given a lot of thought to Hinata yet, even though Sai had blurted out her secret at the last shinobi meeting.

"No," Ino and Sakura said at the same time. "And don't bother being contrary…." Ino hadn't been born yesterday. She had a good idea of how a guy's mind worked. Shikamaru could be a poster boy for passive-aggressive behavior. Choji was as needy as they came.

"There may be a beneficial aspect to this," Sai said to Naruto. "You seem to suffer injuries when you interact with our teammate." He rubbed his own jaw. It was sore. He wondered if a tooth might be loose. "In speaking with Kiba the other day, he mentioned the Hyuuga girl. He and Shino believe that you could get her to do anything you might like…."

"Anything?" Naruto's face went stiff. He blinked rapidly, before smiling. He was thinking about ramen and anime. But, seeing how he had tried on any number of occasions to show Sakura his newest perverted jutsu, it shouldn't be surprising that Ino and Sakura were thinking something else. "Alriiii-iii-ii-ight…." He rubbed his hands together.

"Pig!" Sakura usually reserved that word for the girl standing next to her. "Jerk!" That word did not have a similar exclusivity for Ino. They both connected with attacks at the same exact moment.

"Hah!" Naruto crowed, thumbing his nose at the girls. "Missed!" It was a clone that had taken the beating. "Girls aren't a big deal," he said, unwisely turning his back to speak with Sai again. This time, the two kunoichi did not miss.

"Girls are scary," Sai said. "Our date should wait until tomorrow. I will need to visit the library again." He had reading to do about dating. It would be better for his health, if he didn't make mistakes the way that Naruto did.

"As long as you don't read any of those Icha Icha books!" Sakura shook her fist at Sai, who took a step back out of reflex.

"He'll will be fine," Ino said, tossing her hair.

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The air was brisk and filled with scents.

Ino smiled, catching a whiff of something wonderful cooking, down by the center of the village. She closed her eyes, drinking other odors that seemed so fresh, not longer after a quick rain.

It was a beautiful day. She had spent a lot of time in front of the mirror, making certain that she looked her best, too. Toying with the idea of stopping by Shikamaru's place first, ostensibly for no apparent reason, she quickly killed that notion. The day would be ruined if she came across that other girl there.

"You're not feeling to nervous to go through with this, are you?" Ino looked over at Hinata. He other girl had said very few words since the two of them had met at the gate to the Hyuuga estate. "I'm sure that Naruto would understand…."

"I'm… ummm… I'm fine…." Hinata almost walked into a lamp post. She was anything but fine. She was struggling mightily, trying to figure out something she could say to Naruto. Anything! "I think…." While this was only a friendly double date, there was a lot more on the line for her than there would be for some other girl.

"He'll be very impressed," Ino said, feeling a touch of envy. She had chosen one of her nicest outfits, with a colorful top and a classy skirt, the two leaving a good bit of her midriff bare, without making her look like a slut or something. She shouldn't have any doubts that Sai would be left speechless. But, Hinata had traded in her ninja clothing and trademark coat for a lovely dress. Her make-up was impeccable, and there were small gemstones strung through her lustrous long hair.

"I… well… I hope so…." Hinata came all too close to falling down an open manhole cover, totally oblivious to the orange plastic cones that signaled danger. "I did my best…."

"If he doesn't like it, then he doesn't deserve the attention of a girl like you!" Ino was feeling somewhat responsible for Hinata, since she had dragged the other girl into this. If something happened that crushed her friend's dreams, she would be devastated, even if it the turn of events might benefit her in the long run. "I wonder if Sai and Naruto bothered to dress up, too…." The answer was soon in coming.

"Ohhh…." Hinata caught sight of something, just before she caught a door that opened right in her face. She apologized for walking to close to a woman's doorstep. "There they are."

It had been simple enough to notice Naruto again. He was wearing his usual orange jumpsuit. But, to his credit, he was wearing a clean set. Standing near him, Sai was a sight to see. Long ankle length robes looked like something out of a past generation or a storybook. It was Ino's turn to narrowly avoid disaster, as she just missed being hit by a basin of wash water thrown off of an overhead balcony.

"Greetings," Sai said when the girls walked up. He held out a bouquet. "Girls like flowers," he recited, remembering something he read. He cocked his head, seeing how Ino reacted. It seemed that girls did indeed like cut blossoms. "I hope I did well enough."

"You did great," Ino gushed. She wondered if he had gotten them from her shop. It would be a fine coincidence if he had! "You look great, too." Suddenly, she didn't find it very easy to think about Shikamaru. Temari who?

"Hinata?" Naruto rubbed his eyes, seeing Hinata. "Hinata?? " He walked over and looked at her closer up, circling her like a moon orbiting a planet. "Hinata???"

"Ummm… yes…." Hinata rubbed her fingers together, unable to stop her habitual reflex. She didn't know what to make of Naruto's behavior.

"Yes, it's Hinata." Ino made a pained face. She didn't want Naruto to ruin things. Sai had gotten things off to such a wonderful start. "She obviously made quite an effort to look nice." The way she said that was a clear condemnation of his own efforts.

"You…." Naruto stood staring for few moments. "You really…." He had to cough to clear his throat. The way he moved one hand in front of his face made it look like he though he might be viewing a mirage. "You really look hot…." His eyes went wide. He actually blushed before smacking himself in the forehead, "I mean… you look really cute!"

"Mmm…." Hinata blushed and looked down at her feet. She hadn't noticed the way that Ino had scowled when Naruto said 'hot'. "Thank you very much. You look nice, too." He was wearing his necklace on the outside today. There was something different about the way he had done his hair, too. Very much aware of every detail, she noticed things that the other girl couldn't have picked up on.

"Naruto," Sai said, tugging on his teammate's sleeve. "Women are 'Pretty'. They are not 'Cute'."

"That's right, Sai!" Ino took hold of Sai's arm, causing him to look somewhat perplexed.

"I said that Hinata's cute," Naruto said, sounding a touch belligerent. "I meant that she's cute." He folded both arms over his chest and stuck out his chin. "She very pretty, too." Not to be outdone, he held his arm out, feeling a bit uneasy about that kind of thing. He swallowed hard when Hinata took hold. At least he didn't come close to passing out, the way that she did!

"I believe he is telling the truth," Sai stated, reading Naruto's face. "One should never lie to women. They always find out the truth." He looked over at Naruto. "However… as you should know… eye contact is best made above the shoulders…." That had Naruto looking up at the sky, Hinata putting a hand over her modest amount of exposed cleavage, and Ino looking like she was ready to open a can of whoop-ass. "Saying something sweet will sometimes get you off the hook. Doing something sweet will always get you off the hook."

"Huh?" Naruto put one hand behind his neck. Then, his eyes widened. He had forgotten something. "Hey! Hinata! I almost forgot!" He began rummaging inside of his carry bag. "I didn't get you flowers. I got you something better! " That had Ino making a sour face. Jewelry would be the only thing that might be better than flowers. She hoped that he hadn't gotten Hinata something tacky and cliché like candy. "Here… they're all for you…." He handed a small booklet to the white-eyed girl.

"Naruto-kun?" Hinata flipped open the book. It contained a number of tickets, each of them good for one free bowl of ramen at the Ichiraku Ramen Bar. "Are these just for me…." Hinata forced herself to finish her question. It was a risk; but, Naruto had taught her the necessity of taking chances sometimes. "Or… ummm… could we use them together…."

"Sure! " Naruto smiled, his whole face lighting up. Sakura always turned him down. He saluted her and nodded his head. "Believe it!" He stared at Hinata again, seeing her in a new light.

"What are those?" Ino gently took the booklet from Hinata's hand. "You can't be… geee-ee-ez…." What a terrible gift to bring a girl at the beginning of the first date. At the beginning, middle, or end of any date! That boy was hopeless. At least Sai had made a big effort to learn things that might prove practical. He was her new hero.

"Thank you, Naruto-kun." Hinata's face blossomed, as if it were a bud opening. He eyes sparkled nearly as much as the gems in her hair. "This is… I think… it's the nicest gift anyone ever gave me…." She was being sincere. No, she wasn't all that fond of noodles. At least, not yet. But, he had given her the chance to spend more time with him. What more could she have asked for? She looked ready to swoon.

"Hinata looks very happy," Sai observed. "Perhaps his choice of a gift was better than mine." He pursed his lips. "I will take note of that."

"No!" Ino nearly shouted. "Flowers are always great. Trust me." She started to pull him along with her. "And, when you go out with a girl, wear her favorite outfit, not yours." She meant 'her favorite outfit of yours.'

"Hah!" Naruto laughed. "I could see Sai wearing one of Ino's outfits…." He stopped and stared at his friend. "You know… early on… the two of you did dress somewhat alike…." He nodded his head, looking at Hinata. "Sai used to show a lot of belly, too. Some people couldn't tell if he was a boy or a girl!" He nudged Hinata gently, which had her squeaking. "Know what I mean?"

"Ummm…." Hinata looked over at Ino and Sai. "Yes…." It was true. Normally she wouldn't say anything that might hurt a friend's feeling. But, she didn't feel so bad, agreeing with Naruto that way. She felt her face growing warm.

"Women like a gentleman," Ino said somewhat crossly. She gave Naruto the evil eye, wondering if a double date was a good idea after all. "Not someone who feels they need to act like a clown all of the time to get attention."

"I read that as well," Sai added, nodding his head. "I also read that being attentive is good. If you did something wrong… or even if you didn't…apologize." He smiled, seeing Ino give him a 'V' sign. "As for clothing, think boxers. Silk boxers." He held one finger up as if he were giving a lecture.

"That's a bit…." Ino couldn't get her word in edgewise. Neither she nor Hinata needed to think about silk underwear. Sai wasn't as much as an authority as he sounded. Now he was spitting out random things that he had come across.

"Two words," Sai continued, happy to share the fruits of his research. "Clean socks." He pulled up on his robe to give testimony to the fact that he had followed that rule to the letter. "Hair gel does not equal a shower. Aftershave does not equal soap. Warm is not as good as clean." He ducked his head when a strong gust of wind blew his robes tightly around him. "And always try to remember that 'No' means No. 'Yes' means Yes. Girls don't like it when you act like Mr. Big; they like it when you are Mr. Big."

"You… I think…." Ino closed her eyes. She had forgotten just how clueless Sai was. He might look uber-cool; but, he was a naïve as they came!

"Hey! I don't need to brag about how big I am!" Naruto said in jaunty fashion. Then, he realized just what he had said. He caught Hinata before she hit the ground. When she was steady on her feet again, he let her go and started running towards his building. He stopped.

"Where are you going?!" Ino stamped one foot. That imbecile! He better not be headed back to get on a pair of silken anything!

"I need some clean socks," Naruto said. "And a shower." He waited long enough to see Ino react. Then, he ran back and chuckled. "I was just kidding. I showered. Twice, even!" He took Hinata's arm again, and winked at her. That had her turning pink again. "Why does everyone think I'm some kind of idiot?" He didn't give anyone a chance to answer. "I know some things, too!" He struck a Lee-like pose. "Women really don't mind if you open doors and pull out chairs. You don't always have to pay for everything. You don't have to wait three days after the first date to call. Sometimes they need to talk about problems. The toilet seat thing really does matter." He was going too quickly, speaking before thinking. "It's OK to kiss on the first date… I mean…."

"Hinata!" Ino hung her head. Hinata had fainted again. "Good job, Naruto."

"I should write those down," Sai said, bringing out his scroll and ink pen. He stopped mid sentence. "Should I have practiced the kissing thing?" He wondered what Ino's jaw dropped. She probably forgot to practice, too!

"Let's just go get some dinner," Ino said, her face flaming. Worst part of it was, she actually began thinking about kissing. It wasn't Shikamaru's face she saw at first. But then, when did picture him, and he was kissing Temari, she began walking twice as fast, practically dragging poor Sai along after her.

"You know," Naruto said, marching along at pace that Hinata had trouble matching in high heels. "We could use some of Hinata's tickets, if she doesn't mind…." There was no such thing as too much ramen, too often. "…And bring the food back to my place to watch some anime!"

"Ummm…." Hinata held tighter to Naruto's arm. She would get to go back to his place. That was almost a fairy tale land, to her. "I would like that…."

"Hinata didn't get all dressed up to eat noodles and watch some stupid movie." Ino said in a huff. She certainly wouldn't be caught dead in Naruto's apartment, and had no desire whatsoever to slurp down noodles, even if it was with Sai. "You should think about doing what the girl wants…." She added 'Moron' under her breath. "I'm sure Sai is sophisticated enough to want to eat at a fancy restaurant."

"Dating is about two people coming together to see whether they are compatible, and then enjoying each other's company in a way that will foster formation of a close bond." Sai didn't really care where he ate. Food had never been a big thing to him. He still didn't understand why some people placed such a strong emotional context on things that they ate, considering that anything put into their mouths would be exiting from the other end in a relatively short period of time. " In doing so, there are things that you should remember."

"Yes teacher." The way Naruto said that had Hinata giggling. He smiled, liking the fact that she appreciated his sense of humor. Hinata was a lot cooler than he ever would have imagined. This date thing was fun after all!

"Pay attention," Ino said with a perfunctory wave of her hand. "You might learn something." She felt a slight bit of trepidation. Sai wouldn't toss in any more of those random and off color 'truths' again, would he?

Naruto mouthed 'You might learn something' and walked like Ino, until she turned to look back at them. That had Hinata feeling as if her heart might explode. She had never enjoyed herself in this way before.

"Dating should always be fun and it is your responsibility to ensure that it is." Sai pondered the true meaning of that. How could he make things fun, if he didn't yet have the best grasp of what fun was? "When you are dating, ensure that you do everything you can to make the outing enjoyable."

"That's right," Ino said. "You are doing a great job." She looked back at Naruto and sighed. Poor Hinata.

"Are you having fun, Hinata?" Naruto looked a bit concerned, since deep down, he was a very considerate person. He walked taller when Hinata nodded her head, a look of adoration on her face.

"Eye contact is crucial when dating, so it is good etiquette to provide as much attention as possible to your date." Sai chose the wrong time to practice that. He ran smack dab into a stack of boxes put out for trash collection and flipped over. But, graceful as a gazelle, he managed to land back on his feet and keep walking without missing a beat. That left Ino speechless. "Your date should feel that she is the only person in the room. If you use the date as an excuse for general partying, then you will fail."

"Huh?" Naruto scratched behind one ear. "I'd rather have Hinata feel that she and I were the only two people in a room." He was being a wise guy again. But, he wouldn't shed a single tear if he didn't have to spend any more time tonight with Ino. "Of course… if I was the one with Ino… I would want to think she was alone…." He ducked when Ino took a piece of rubbish that Sai had knocked loose and threw it at him.

"Mmm hmm." Hinata felt that she and Naruto were the only two people alive. She hardly noticed that Ino and Sai were there.

The group of them made there way through heavier crowds of pedestrians and patrolling ninjas. They were in the heart of the village now, near the best eateries that Konoha had to offer. Ino obviously had a particular destination in mind. When they reached the sidewalk in front of one of the more posh establishments in the Fire Country, she wrinkled up her nose. There was a line to get in. She should have thought to make reservations.

"You will be courteous and complimentary," Sai lectured, seeing that they had time to burn and this was a very appropriate topic of conversation. "Your date has made an effort for you, and any unwanted personal opinions are not welcome at this stage." He smiled when Ino grinned at him. Why did it feel nice when a girl did that? He had read a lot about what a man should do, but couldn't find anything detailing what a man should feel. "As a man you must never talk to a woman's breasts. They hate it." He needed to repeat the fact that he had mentioned earlier. Naruto could be a slow learner at times. The punishment he received from Sakura on a daily basis was clear indication of that. "Appreciating a girl for her feminine charms is one thing; but, talking to her breasts is down right rude and is not acceptable. So, hold her gaze throughout."

Ino didn't know whether to applaud or frown. Sai was absolutely right. But, did he really need to say that kind of thing in front of her and Hinata? "I think…."

"Feminine charm, good." Naruto held up one finger for Hinata to see. "Breasts, bad." He held up a second finger and wiggled both of them. Instead of looking shocked or ashamed, Hinata simply smiled.

"Precisely," Sai said. "You should not be flashy or extravagant. Those are the things that the classless rich do, trying to impress people with their wealth. It shows a lack of taste to throw your money about and entertain with champagne, unless you are simply after cheap thrills." Sai paused. What exactly were cheap thrills? He didn't remember having thrills of any kind, actually. He shrugged. "Smoking and drinking in copious fashion is bad, unless the love of those is shared by both parties. Smoking in a restaurant will do nothing for your image and shows crass disregard for others."

"OK," Naruto said. "That won't be a problem." He never had much of a taste for alcohol, even when he managed to sneak some of the swill that Jiraiya had called sake. Now that Asuma was dead, the only person he knew who smoked was Shikamaru, and he wondered how long that might go on. He grinned, thinking about his friend. "I hope Shikamaru knows that breasts are bad." He whistled innocently when Ino almost tripped over the woman in front of her.

"Naruto-kun…." Hinata made a major effort to speak up. She didn't want to do or say anything that might change Naruto's behavior towards her, but a girl like her had her limits. "Please behave…." She stiffened up when he glared at her for a moment, but felt justified when he finally smiled and nodded his head.

"You tell him, Hinata!" Ino stood with her hands on her hips, giving Naruto a 'You don't see Sai acting like a jerk' look. So far, in her eyes, Sai could do no wrong. She was obviously the more fortunate of the two girls.

"I will remind him," Sai promised. "I hope you will remember this too, Naruto. You should never argue or be rude to others on a date, since it simply is unacceptable. It is important to show your good side, and arguing with waiters and chefs will make you look a fool." He raised an eyebrow when he heard Ino whisper 'Sai is so cool.' It looked as if all of his reading had proven effective. He doubted that she thought Naruto was cool. "You should make it a point to be a good listener, and not talk your date to death. Listening shows interest and the ability to compromise. If your idea of a date is talking about yourself and your opinions all night, then you should do everyone a favor and stay at home."

"Amen!" Ino said, louder than she had intended. A grumpy looking man and his wife turned to turn up their nose at her. The small dog in the woman's arm did the same.

"I…." Hinata shook her head. She didn't care what might be right fore other girls. "I wouldn't mind… ummm…." She truly hated being shy. But, she felt as if she had loosened up some, regardless of how she might seem to others. "Naruto can tell me anything he wants to."

"Cool!" Naruto smiled a big smile again. Sakura always shut him up when he got going, and they were never even together on anything resembling a date. "But… you know…." He looked very serious at that moment. "I want to learn about you too, Hinata-chan…." That had Hinata reaching out to steady herself by grabbing hold of a iron fence. He had shown interest in her. He had called her 'Hinata-chan!'

"Everything in it's time," Ino said, admonishing Naruto. "You shouldn't rush her. Don't forget how shy Hinata is. Especially around you."

"That is true," Sai said, gaining even more of Ino's admiration. "She is rather shy. And Kakashi calls you the village's noisiest ninja." He blinked rapidly when Ino gave him a quick hug after hearing that. Was that a come on? He had read about those. Did that mean she expected physical contact? He thought a moment, thinking back to one particular text. No. It probably wouldn't be a good thing to put his hand on her posterior. At least, not yet.

"Sure, everyone knows that Hinata is shy." Naruto looked over at Hinata. "But she tries very hard. I don't know if anyone tries harder than she does." He would have mentioned himself, except for the fact that he actually was capable of learning. They were on a date, after all. He should do whatever he could to make Hinata feel as special as possible. "I really like a person like that. However long it until she wants to talk is fine with me."

Hinata clasped her hands together. She felt so light in spirit, that she wondered if she might float up to the clouds. It had taken an act of courage to accept Ino's offer for a double date. Her bravery had paid off better than she ever would have imagined.

"Let's see… what else…." Sai pursed his lips. "OK. That is important, I think. You should never discuss your ex-dates or how many people you have slept with. Those kind of things should remain an enigma. As a man, you should never allow yourself to be convinced to talk about sex, no matter how the woman tries to provoke you. Ignore this message at your peril. The longer you sustain the mystery, the better your chances." He wasn't certain what any of that meant. But, someone had marked it with a yellow highlighter, so it must be important.

Ino, Naruto, and Hinata stood with their mouths open for a few moments. Ino couldn't believe what she had just heard. There was such a things as being too clueless. Naruto frowned once the shock wore off. If he had said something like that, Ino would have folded him up like a cot.. In a strange trick of the light, Hinata's eyes looked like they were spinning.

"So… Hinata… that's a very nice dress…." Ino rushed to change the topic. Everyone was looking at their group and whispering. "Where did you buy it?" She engaged her friend in conversation, leaving Sai to talk with Naruto.

"Where did you read all that?" Naruto tugged at one ear. Sai sounded like a walking book. Most of what he said made sense, though. "It certainly wasn't in here…." He took out a copy of the latest Icha Icha book, the one he had ghostwritten part of. His eyes widened a moment after that. Seeing what he had done, more than half of the men in line took out their own copy of that book, holding them up for him to see.

"Hmmm-mm-m…." Sai ran a hand through his hair, looking at the book Naruto held. "It seems to be very popular… with men who are much more experienced than I am…." He held his hand out, palm up. "Perhaps I should see what advice your former mentor has to offer…."

"Don't… you… dare…." Ino materialized, as if out of no where. She grabbed the book from Naruto and sent it arcing over the restaurant. She wished that it could have been the boy instead of the book. "There's nothing wrong with being a complete innocent!" She was beginning to feel sorry for Sakura.

"Well…." Naruto made a face. If he had still been a child, he would pull sown on one eyelid and stick his tongue out. "There goes my dinner conversation…." He quickly turned and tried to look innocent when Hinata glanced his way. He had to be careful of the kind of things he joked about when she was within earshot.

Finally, after only a slightly longer wait, they were shown to a very nice table inside the restaurant. Naruto looked very uncomfortable, looking around. He swallowed hard when he picked up a menu and looked at the prices. Under the table, he took out the frog purse and shook it.

"It's OK," Hinata said to him, correctly surmising why he had begun to sweat. "See…." She held something up. It was a Hyuuga Platinum card. She blushed when she saw Naruto mouth 'You rock.'

After they all ordered, and before their meals arrived, the four friends had a wonderful time. Ino actually found herself warming to Naruto, much to her surprise. Sai looked as if every moment was a revelation.

If only things could have stayed that way.

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The service was exquisite.

None of the four ninjas had ever been pampered like that any time in their lives. At no extra cost, the serving girl refrained from saying anything about Naruto's outfit.

"To friends," Naruto said, proposing a toast. "And to finding out things you might have missed." He was amazed at how comfortable he felt around Hinata. It was nice having a girl nod her head and smile, instead of frowning and stomping on his feet.

"Cheers," Ino said, banging her glass against those of the other three shinobi.

"Hear hear," Hinata said, remembering how her father did the family toasts.

"I should hit my glass against yours?" Sai looked puzzled again. "That has some significance?" There had been no reason to learn such things while he was still a member of Root.

"It's called making a toast," Naruto said. He really liked Sai a lot these days, despite the way the two had locked horns at first. There was a benefit to that friendship. He didn't feel so stupid at times, having someone around who was even more clueless than he was. Lee fit that description too, but a little bit of Rock Lee went a long way!

"Toast?" Sai rubbed his chin. "Toast is bread that has been browned by exposure to dry heat. Toasting warms the bread and also makes it crisp, so that it holds toppings more securely." He picked up a piece of bread from a cloth-covered basket. It had been toasted lightly. "Toasting is also a common method of making stale bread more palatable, is it not?" He wasn't making any kind of commentary. The bread was delicious.

"Some people are cute when they're clueless," Ino remarked, shocked to find herself thinking about reaching out and holding Sai's hand.

"I'll remember you said that," Naruto said, pointing at Ino and turning to Hinata as a witness.

"I should mention that it is not appropriate to call men 'cute' either," Sai said, remembering something else that he had learned.

"In girl-speak, 'cute' is a good thing." Ino smiled. "I know that some guys go into convulsions at that word." She made a point to look over at Naruto. He picked up a piece of bread and bit into it in exaggerated fashion, sending a shower of crumbs into his lap. He then jumped when Hinata unfolded his napkin and placed it there for him. That had Ino chuckling. "If we say you're cute, you should be very impressed."

"Girl-speak?" Sai looked like he had stumbled upon yet another great question of existence. Did girls have a separate language? "I fail to see why I am clueless this time."

"A toast is an act or a drink in honor of someone or something," Hinata offered kindly. "The act of toasting has three parts: the verbal toast… the agreement… and the symbolic drink. Everyone present signifies agreement by lifting their drinks into the air, often accompanied by sounds of the agreement, which can include repeating the toast word or confirming the sentiment with terms such as 'Hear! Hear!'"

"Followed by touching one's glass against those of everyone else within reach," Naruto added. "But… don't bother trying to learn girl-speak…." He sounded stern. "If you do… you'll turn into a girl…."

"Really?" Sai turned to Hinata for confirmation. Was there some kind of forbidden jutsu involved? The white-eyed girl shook her head subtly.

"Cute," Ino said. "So very cute." Seeing that Sai's napkin still sat on the table top, she did for him what Hinata had done for Nauto. Boys! You just can't take them anywhere. But, that was OK. She never could have seen herself doing something like that for Shikamaru. In fact, she preferred dining with Sai. If her teammate would have been there, the wait to get in would have been 'bothersome;' the price of the meals would have been 'troublesome;' and the whole conversation would been some similar synonym. That kind of thing had been nostalgic when Team 10 went for Korean beef BarBQ, but was out of place in a fine establishment like this one. She sighed, thinking of her dead sensei.

"You really miss him, don't you?" Naruto had his moments of blinding insight. This was one of them. "I think we should have another toast." He was surprised by the grateful look that Ino gave him.

"To Asuma-sensei," Ino said, holding her glass up. "We'll miss you. But we'll never forget the things that you taught us."

"Hear hear," Sai said, after touching his glass to everyone else's. Naruto and Hinata repeated those words.

When the food arrived, everyone attacked it with gusto, in their own fashion. Ino showed Sai what each of the various utensils was for. Hinata, a veteran of countless dinnertime rules, made certain that Naruto didn't do anything to embarrass himself, or the four of them as a group. The meal was so good, that Sai almost began to understand the love affair some people have with food.

"It sounds like someone is having fun." Naruto said, hearing a loud shout coming from the other side of the room. That was followed by all manner of excited cheers and whistles.

"That is the bar area," Sai observed, looking in the direction of the brief ruckus. "I had almost forgotten about that. It should provide the perfect opportunity to practice. The book said that it is a necessary skill to learn." He sounded very adamant. The books had been quite specific. For him to be his best around women, there were techniques to perfect. Perfecting them would allow him to act in a manner that women expected.

"Practice?" Ino wondered what Sai was talking about. Did he mean practicing more toasts? They could do that kind of thing at the table, if necessary. Well, whatever it was, she should encourage it. He was making great strides in such a short period of time. "OK. Lead on. You're the expert here." She gave Hinata a wink, saying that. It had the other girl grinning again. She was doing a lot of that this evening.

"Hmm-mm-m…." Sai looked over at Ino for a moment, and then nodded his head. "Maybe we should bring them with us, Naruto. I previously read that success in something helps one learn better." That had Ino and Hinata looking at one another. Naruto simply shrugged, took one more bite of veal, wiped his mouth, and stood. To be honest, he had learned a lot that night. But, he also wouldn't mind if this was another Sai-moment.

The diners headed over to the crowded corner of the building. There was a huge bar made from ancient polished wood, surrounded by massive bronze-rimmed mirrors. Huge numbers of glasses hung like glittering stalactites. Bottles and their colorful labels were everywhere, in awe-inspiring number. Busy bartenders made valiant efforts to keep up with their clientele.

"First," Sai said to Naruto, holding up one finger. "We should pick the best real estate in the club." He ignored Naruto's 'This is not a club. Trust me, I've been to enough of those with the old hermit.' He maneuvered his noisier friend over to one particular spot. "In business, there are three fundamentals: location, location, and location. The anecdotes of the author were rather illustrative. Numerous times he had viewed hot women in a bar from afar, but was stuck over at a table with his friends."

"Stuck at the table?" Ino frowned. She did not like the sound of that, even though in the back of her mind she knew Sai was merely being Sai. Just where was he going with all this?

"Hot women?" Hinata brought her hand to her mouth, looking over at the bar. There were a number of attractive older women there. Most of them dressing in a revealing manner that she wouldn't even dream about.

"These women aren't so hot," Naruto said unwisely. "The stories I could tell you…." He swallowed hard. Ino's face was frightening for a moment, looking more like an Oni than a girl. He didn't have any problem with that. In contrast, the uncharacteristic look in Hinata's eyes had his knees shaking ever so slightly. He quickly shook his head when Sai asked if he wanted to teach the lesson.

"I should continue, then." Sai adjusted his robes, ran a hand through his hair, and then surveyed his surroundings. "You want to be mobile and ready to nonchalantly get near any woman who interests you. You will want a spot that offers good visibility and high traffic, so as to be able to interact with a sufficient number of people. It is useless to be holed up in a booth in the corner. In the pickup game, it's also good to have an excuse for being where you are. That could mean being in line for drinks at the bar… or waiting to get into restroom … so you do not look like a stalker." He cocked his head again, wondering why Ino was growing red in the face and clenching her fists. Perhaps she already knew all this.

"Pick-up game…." Ino was just about to grab Sai by the arm and tug him away.

"As I mentioned before, being attentive is good. Stalking is bad. You should learn the difference." Sai wondered why Hinata suddenly developed a keen interest in her own shoes. "Consider yourself to be a businessman. You are in the picking-up business. It is wise to adjust your location constantly, taking advantage of the traffic patterns, and maintaining a good line of sight." He took a few steps closer to the bar, following his own instructions.

"He's expressing himself," Naruto said, throwing Ino's words back at her, seeing that she looked ready to explode. Earlier at dinner, she had asked Naruto's and Ino's sufferance as Sai tried to come to terms with the numerous things present in high society. "It would hurt his growth, if you stop him now." He flinched again, when Hinata shook her head. How did she suddenly have some kind of hold on him? He dreaded that disapproving look almost as much as he feared Sakura's punches.

"But…." Ino had to fight to keep from shouting. This was a double date, with emphasis on the word date. It was not some kind of swinging singles seminar. At least, it better not be! "There's a right way and a wrong way!"

"Ahhh… I feared as much…." Sai looked somewhat troubled. "That is one reason I want to practice. Should I begin by trying out pick-up lines on you?" He wondered why Naruto covered his mouth and began snickering. That was hardly gentlemanly behavior. He should act his best in front of his date!

"No…." Ino waved her hands frantically. "You don't have to do that…." Somehow, Sai and pick-up lines just didn't seem to go together.

"I see," Sai replied, looking somewhat relived. "Then it seems that my seduction has been a success, even though I never made any conscious efforts. Perhaps this is not as difficult as the literature suggested."

"What? " Ino tensed up even more. "I didn't… I mean you didn't…."

"You should practice on Hinata before we move on to more advanced lessons," Sai told Naruto. He frowned when Naruto looked over at Hinata and shook his head. "I have never known you to be a coward before. We are teammates. I need to know I can trust you." He continued to ignore Ino's enraged stammering. "I will offer you a number of suitable examples. Perhaps that will make things seem less threatening for you."

"But…." Naruto couldn't get a word in either. He looked at Hinata and shrugged. This should at least be interesting.

"Try this: What does it feel like to be the most beautiful girl in this room?" Sai tried to sound casual and experienced. "You know, you might be asked to leave soon. You're making the other women look really bad." He shook his robe in a grand flourish. "When I'm older looking back at all of my finest memories, and I'll think of the day my children were born, the day I got married, and the day that I met you. "

"Hey! Those aren't bad!" Naruto slapped Sai on the back. "They're true too!" His eyes went wide when he realized what he had said. He couldn't meet Hinata's eyes at the moment.

"That's a relief." Ino didn't look happy, but she had been afraid of what Sai might say. "I think that's enough for…." She was cut-off again.

"You might also consider these: Do you believe in love at first sight, or should I walk by again?" Sai was picking up steam. He felt vindicated, after his first few suggestions had caused Hinata to smile. "Do you have a map? I just keep on getting lost in your eyes." He tried that one on Ino. She actually had a dreamy look on her face for a moment, before shaking her head and returning to reality. "I'm not drunk, I'm just intoxicated by you." Now for some things that he had read in a definitive text. "Your Daddy must have been a Baker, because you got the nicest set of buns I've ever saw." Why did Hinata twitch like that? "You know how they say skin is the largest organ? Not in my case!" He asked a waiter for a glass of water when Naruto began choking. "Have you ever kissed a rabbit between the ears?" He pulled out the two pockets on his robes. They looked like the ears of a large white animal. "Would you like to?"

"Sai!" Ino took the boy by the arms and shook him until his head rocked back and forth. "I think that's enough!"

"I apologize," Sai said sedately, his equilibrium thrown off temporarily. "You are probably correct. Naruto has proven a quick learner when he's motivated." That had Naruto and Hinata both looking down at their feet this time. "I should move on to lesson number two." He began walking up to the bar. "Befriend the bartender or barmaid. Buy him or her a shot at the beginning of the night to get on his or her good side. This will help you get quicker service when you want to buy a woman a drink. Being connected, especially at a hot club, makes you look like a big shot, which can only help your chances. And who knows, you may just wind up picking up the barmaid." He still wasn't clear on that part. Maybe it was simply his lack of experience. Everything comes in time.

"She is pretty sweet…." Naruto looked over at a rather large-chested girl tending bar. He yelped. Hinata had pinched him. She had actually pinched him!

"Good evening, Ma'am." Sai addressed the barmaid. "Could I buy you a drink? We can use my friend's money…." He motioned at Naruto. "The poor fool bet that I wouldn't be able to start a conversation with the most beautiful girl in the room." That had the girl smiling and accepting his offer. She also wrote her phone number on a cocktail napkin and slid it towards Sai.

"You really should remember that we are on a date," Ino said as she swiped the napkin and tore it into tiny shreds. It wasn't as if this was really a big deal or anything. But, there were certain proprieties to follow.

"I apologize again," Sai said, looking a tad crestfallen. She really did want to please. "I did not intend to monopolize things. Feel free to flirt with that gentleman serving drinks over there, if you like. You may not have a better opportunity."

"Th-… Th-… Th-…." Ino was left speechless.

"She probably needs time to think something up." Naruto tried to sound serious. "Girls mature slower than boys." He wasn't going to back down from every one of Hinata's looks. It was about time she learned that. Uzumaki Naruto was not some kind of wussy man.

"I should put things to the test," Sai claimed cheerfully. "It doesn't do anyone any good to simply read about a jutsu. Techniques must be practiced repeatedly." He looked back at Naruto. "Many people believe that pickup lines are lame, since most women consistently rank honesty and a sense of humor very highly as desirable qualities in a man. A pickup line seems too premeditated, which makes it seem dishonest, and to women, dishonesty is threatening, not funny."

"Damn," Naruto said with false anger. "I was going to use that Baker one on Hinata." He smiled when the white-eyed girl tripped over a barstool, bringing a whole stack of napkins down with her. He gallantly helped her up.

"Not all people feel the same way," Sai continued. "Women looking for men at a bar might well enjoy that kind of banter." A few women near him actually nodded their heads and smiled. "I am merely saying that it is wise to consider various approaches, just as it makes sense to learn more than one jutsu. It may be good to break the ice by commenting on the current situation, preferably in a humorous way. Or, you might find some pretext in which to ask her to resolve some question for you. Alternatively, you might ask for her opinion on something pertinent."

"Hinata…." Naruto cleared his throat and winked. He stood straighter and spoke with a deeper voice. "What do you think of Sai's advice?"

"Umm-mm-m…." Hinata didn't know what to say. She shuffled her feet, realizing that Naruto had been making a joke.

"Now. Pay attention. I will start things off." Sai walked up to the nearest woman. "If I told you that you had a great body, would you hold it against me?"

"Geee-ee-ez…." Naruto slapped his forehead. That was the oldest one in the book. Even Ero-Sennin wouldn't touch that one with a ten foot pole. "That will never work." He stood stunned when the woman smiled and turned to face Sai.

"Do you believe in the hereafter?" Sai was doing his best to recall specific lines he had learned. "Well, then I guess you know what I'm here after." That had the woman reaching out to touch him on the hand. "I wonder what our children will look like?" That had the woman laughing and offering to buy him a drink.

"Sai…." It looked like Ino had put up with the boy's nonsense for long enough.

"Thank you," Sai said, refusing the drink. Having been successful, he needed a new target. He went to stand by a different woman. "That's a nice shirt. Can I talk you out of it?"

"Watch…." Naruto had already begun to cringe. "He's going to get slapped." It didn't happen.

Sai's words had a number of men spitting out their drinks or choking. But, the woman appeared intrigued, either by his looks or his seemingly bold approach. "Will you help me find my lost puppy," Sai asked. "I think he went into the cheap motel around the corner." The woman introduced herself and asked his name.

"S-a-i…." Ino was trembling with rage, now. A number of people quickly stepped away from her.

"Oh my…." Hinata walked over to speak with her friend, hoping to calm her down.

"I am very pleased to meet you," Sai told the woman, before moving on to another girl. "Believe it or not, getting laid is still hard when you're this good-looking." He was still rather sketchy on the whole idea of getting laid. It didn't matter, however. He was obviously doing well. A little more practice ought to suffice. Then it would be Naruto's turn. Ino's and Hinata's, too. If finding love was hard work, they wouldn't get anywhere by just standing around! "I've just moved you to the top of my 'to do' list."

"S-A-I…." Ino ran over and grabbed Sai by the collar. She actually lifted him off of the ground. Her face was quite the sight to see.

"If you wanted a turn," Sai said. "You merely needed to ask."

"I think your sweetheart is jealous," the woman told Sai. She smiled, liking to be the 'other woman.'

"Truly?" Sai cocked his head when Ino let him down. "I did ask you first." He would never understand girls. But, that was neither hear nor there. He didn't want Ino to feel left out. "It doesn't matter. I have more. Would you like to try an Australian kiss? It is just like a French kiss, but down under." He didn't understand that one. Ino probably would.

The sound of the resultant slap could be heard clear across the room, despite the noise level coming from so many animated conversations. For a brief instant, Ino looked like a goddess of War. If she suddenly pulled a lightning bolt out of the blue, Naruto wouldn't have been surprised. Sai put his hand to his cheek. It was already swollen so much that he would speak with a lisp.

"You… are… a… total… i-d-i-o-t…." Ino stormed towards the exit, not caring if she was over reacting. She had changed her mind. Clueless was not cute! She would get over things soon enough, but was not going to apologize. There came a point when ignorance was no longer an excuse. Waving off the hat check girl, she made up her mind. She was going to confront Shikamaru and tell him exactly how she felt, Temari or no Temari. Unknowingly, Sai had ended up helping her in a big way.

"But…." Sai began following after Ino. "Does that mean we won't get to the kissing or touching part…." He watched as she yanked so hard on the door handle that she nearly split the door in two. "Wait… a man should not allow a woman to go anywhere alone at this hour…."

Naruto waited a moment before following suit. He held out his hand to Hinata. "I hope you still had fun, Hinata-chan."

"Yes," Hinata said. Her eyes glistened.

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The street lights were all on.

Large numbers of moths were circling the lamps, forming large fluttering shadows on the street below.

Yawning after a busy shift, Sakura left the medical center, hearing her bed call her name. Looking off towards the center of town, she wondered how Naruto and the others were doing on their double date.

"I bet Sai behaving like a perfect gentleman," she said. "It's Naruto that I'm worried about." She smiled a lopsided smile. "Poor Hinata…" Movement caught her attention. Someone was headed her way.

It was Ino. She was walking at a rather fast pace, her large ponytail flopping this way and that. Her large hair bang covered one eye again, even though she had started the night by showing her whole face.

"How'd the date go?" Sakura asked, certain she already knew the answer. There must be some kind of story behind it all. She should be able to get it out of one of her teammates. "That good, huh…." The other girl stomped on past without answering. There was afire in her eyes that Sakura had never seen before.

"...S-t-u-p-i-d…S-a-i...! " Ino's voice carried back to Sakura. "Stupid Shikamaru! " It grew fainter the further she got away. "Stupid Temari! " She stepped around a corner and was gone from sight. "Stupid me…." Her voice petered out.

"I think this might have been just what she needed." Sakura waged that Ino would confront her laconic teammate first thing in the morning, if not sooner. What she wouldn't give to be a fly on the wall. She sighed. Much of the night she had been thinking about Naruto, waffling one way and then the other. She still wasn't certain what she needed. Starting on her way again, she caught sight of more people.

"Hey! Sakura-chan!" That was Naruto. His voice routinely carried further than anyone else that she knew. "Did you see Ino?" Hinata was walking with him. She had hold of his hand! Sai wasn't too far behind the pair of them.

"She just walked by a few seconds ago," Sakura replied. "She'll be alright. She should reach home soon." She tried not to stare at the clasped hands. Maybe she should have gone on that date with Naruto. "So… how was the date…." She tried to sound casual.

"It was great!" Naruto's face lit up. He looked over at Hinata and smiled.

"Ummm… yes…." Hinata looked down at her shoes before meeting Sakura's eyes. The look she gave the other girl left her slack-jawed. "Great…." It was a look of triumph.

"We can't stand around chatting too long, Sakura-chan!" Naruto began walking again, Hinata at his side. "Hinata has a curfew. I don't want the Hyuugas coming after me." The two of them waved and then focused their attention on each other.

"You should not be too concerned," Sai remarked. He might be clueless to a fault; but, that did not mean that he did not have keen powers of observation. "The statistics on teenage romance suggest that the average relationship does not last very long." He took note of his friend's blushing. "Also, it may merely be a casual thing." He saw her relax some after he said that. "Perhaps they will simply become lovers without commitment." He had read a great deal on long term romances, sexualized friendships, part-time affairs, and flings.

"What?" Sakura clenched her fists. Like with Lee, a little Sai went a long way.

"You may well have a chance at Naruto sometime in the future," Sai said. He stood thinking for a moment. He nodded his head. "It may serve you well to become as accomplished at interpersonal relationships as you can. I think it would be a good idea for you to go on a double date."

"What makes you…." Sakura was interrupted. She was tired. She was confused about her feelings. She didn't need this right now.

"I do not think Ino would go out with me again," Sai said sadly. He had liked Ino's company. She had been a pleasant companion. Too bad she turned out to be high strung. "I will need to find another girl." He looked at his teammate. "I will ask around. It shouldn't be difficult to find a boy who would wish to be your date." He snapped his fingers. The sound echoed slightly along the deserted avenue. "Lee…."

"Oooo-ooo-oo-oh! " Sakura acted without thinking. She swung with the type of blow that was usually reserved for Naruto at his worst. It was amazing just how much hang time she got with Sai.

"It seems there is still much to learn," Sai said, looking down at the sleepy village.

END