The Wounded Deer

Chapter Sixteen

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or it's characters, just this plot, Kaede and Sayu.

"Alright, I want the down and dirty on this guy Kaede. And don't leave any details out like you did the last time!"

"W-What're you talking about there is no down and dirty Ino! I just happened to run into Sayu on my way out of the Library yesterday. It's not that big a deal."

Ino sighed under her breath before she pinched the bridge of her nose. "I still can't believe you would leave out a detail like this!" Ino grumbled.

Last night, Kaede had finally come clean about her whereabouts and explained to Ino that she had misplaced her bracelet, the gift Shikamaru had given to her. Kaede left out a few minor details from the story such as her run-in with Shikamaru and Temari as well as literally running into Sayu a few minutes afterward.

Kaede turned her attention to the front door of the Yamanaka Flower Shop as the bell above the door jingles.

"Leave what out?" A voice interruptted.

Once Kaede saw the familiar sight of pink hair and green eyes, she knew the interrogation would only get worse.

"Get a load of this Sakura! Kaede's been keeping stuff from me!" Ino pointed a finger at Kaede.

"I wasn't keeping anything from you Ino. Besides, it's not really all that interesting anyway." Kaede sighed and leaned against the cash register Ino stood behind.

"What kind of stuff has she been keeping from you exactly?" Sakura  eyebrows rose slightly in curiosity.

"Kaede here ran into this really cute guy at the Library and—" Kaede held up a hand to cut Ino off.

"Ino, could you at least let me be the one to tell her? After all, you WERE the one whining about how I was keeping stuff from you." Kaede interrupted with a frown.

Ino folded her arms across her chest and replied with a loud 'hmph', but signaled Kaede to continue. Sakura simply turned her eyes toward Kaede to hear her side of the story.

"Well, this is the short version of what happened. While I was at the Library yesterday, I lost the bracelet that Shikamaru gave to me for my birthday. I ran into this guy named Sayu while I was heading out the library and he came to our house last night to return the bracelet because he happened to find it before I did. That's it." Kaede shrugged her shoulders meekly.

Kaede showed the sterling bracelet on her wrist out to Sakura and she doesn't say a word for a moment or two before a sly smile reached her face.

"So, how cute is this guy?" Sakura giggled.

"Really cute, not as cute as Sai-kun of course, but he's cute nonetheless." Ino grinned from ear to ear.

Sakura rolled her eyes at Ino's remark. "I was asking Kaede."

"Whoa, whoa, hold on a second there. I just met the guy for crying out loud, he's pretty much still a stranger to me." Kaede held up her hands in front of her defensively, her cheeks quickly burning a light shade of pink.

Ino elbowed Kaede in the arm in a joking way and winked. "Doesn't mean you can't think a stranger is cute. A stranger, might I add, that obviously has the hots for you."

"No way, are you serious?" Sakura beamed, her green orbs sparkling with jubilance.

"Seeing that smile on your face is really the best reward I could ask for." Ino imitated, adding a 'boyish' tone to her voice. "That's what he said to her!"

"Guuuuuuys quit making such a big deal out if it!" Kaede drawled, burying her face in her hands.

"Oh don't be so dramatic Kaede, besides it's all in good fun." Ino pulled Kaede's hands away from her face.