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Sakura looked at Ino, who was flopped face first on her bed. "What happened?"
"I got a very Shikako flower arrangement," Ino said, waving her arm in the general direction of her dresser. Atop the dresser was a vase with a not particularly attractive flower arrangement. It wasn't horrible, but the flowers were clearly chosen for meaning rather than aesthetics.
"Alstroemerias, chrysanthemums, violets, daisies and lilacs. Those are all friends and family flowers." And that was very Shikako, but not really worth commenting on.
"Almost," Ino groaned into her pillow.
Sakura scowled at Ino for being dramatic and not elaborating. This would be easier if the girl who worked in the flower shop would just explain. "Alstroemerias are for strong bonds, prosperity, support and survival. White ones, so love and strength as well." It was a good flower for Ino. "White chrysanthemums are for friendship, optimism and faithfulness. Violets are also for faithfulness… and affection and intuition. Daisies are innocence, joy, good fortune and new beginnings. Lilacs are for spring, renewal and youthful innocence. It still seems like something you'd send a friend who's like family." In particular, one who had overcome a great hardship, but Sakura wasn't going to remind Ino of that part.
"Ugh," Ino said into the pillow and then turned to look at Sakura. "Those are lilac colored - light purple - lilacs, which also mean first love and violets are sometimes used for a friend that maybe you want to be more with. And Alstroemerias have recently started to mean less family love and more romantic love." As if flower meanings weren't annoying enough without them changing over time.
"If you just use the common meaning for violets, it could mean... Shikako is supporting you with Sasuke?" Sakura huffed. "Though I think she would have mentioned something if she finally decided to take sides."
"You were the one who said you were still interested in Sasuke last night."
"Right." Ino hadn't said she was still interested, though Sakura wasn't sure if that was because she really wasn't interested anymore or she just didn't want to argue at the festival. Sakura sighed. "You could just ask her what she meant."
"No!" Ino sounded almost afraid at that idea.
"Ino, we're not in the academy anymore. Playing guessing games was fine when we didn't have actual crap to get done." Wow. She felt like she was channeling Tsunade there for a moment. Just last night she had been lecturing Shikako for cursing.
"It's not that simple," Ino said into the pillow again.
"Why isn't it that simple?"
Ino flipped onto her back. "Okay, so this could mean 'I have a feeling you'll find your first love soon.'"
Violets for intuition. "That makes sense."
"Or it could mean 'I don't want to ruin our friendship but I want you to be my first love.'"
That would definitely explain why Shikako had never been interested in Sasuke. "Now I see why you don't want to ask."
"Or since it's Shikako and I'm not sure she's discovered hormones yet, it could have nothing to do with romance and just mean, 'Cheer up, I've got your back.'"
"Ino, we were talking about dating just last night. I'm sure she has at least an academic understanding of the subject." Sakura flopped on the bed next to Ino. "But I get why you said it's a very Shikako flower arrangement." Hail to the reigning queen of "What did she mean by that?"
"I know!"
"Well, I didn't get flowers and we were both a bit upset about being single. The only real difference is that you didn't say you were interested in someone in particular." There was also the possibility that Shikako thought that dealing with the fallout from the failed Mind-Body Switch was worthy of extra attention, even though it had been awhile. That train of thought was forcibly derailed as Sakura practically felt something click in her head. Or Shikako thought that Ino's comment about Naras being irresistible was flirting on Ino's part.
"Right, so she knows I'm available." And just maybe a bit interested.
"And you don't know if this is some sort of way to cheer you up or if she's feeling you out." Sakura groaned. "And if she's afraid of rejection this ambiguity might be deliberate."
"There is another possibility," Ino said darkly.
"What's that?"
"My dad was working in the store this morning. Shikako might have just said she wanted something for hope and renewal and my dad suggested lilacs, but chose these particular lilacs to mess with me. Same deal with the violets. She might have wanted something for thoughtful affection and he suggested these. She might not have even noticed."
Ugh. Yamanakas. Though to be fair, lilac colored lilacs would be considered the default. Sakura wasn't sure what kind of excuse the violets would have. "Well, on the bright side, if your dad is playing evil mind games on you, then he probably thinks you've recovered from Orochimaru."
"I survived Orochimaru. I can survive my dad."
"It almost makes you wish Naruto was around to contract out some revenge pranks."
"You know, Shikako listened to him plan most of his pranks." Ino sat up. "Right, new plan. Ask Shikako if my dad messed with her message at all, but subtly, and if so, get her help to revenge prank him. If not, deal with it then."
Sakura propped herself up on her elbows. "What do you want her message to be?"
Ino fell back. "I don't know. I can't even blame that on Orochimaru. He had about as much sex drive as a rock. It wasn't even 'eww, sex' it's more like 'sex, I might have heard about that.' He didn't think enough about the subject to add or subtract anything."
"Well, at least that makes me feel better about him giving Sasuke his - what did Naruto call it? - demon hickey?"
Ino shook her head. "Let's not think about that anymore."
Sakura rolled off the bed. "Right. We have to see if we need to get revenge on your dad."
They did.