"So we're really just going to do this?" I murmured quietly, surveying the crowded cafe.
"There's not enough time to train you formally for undercover work. We're really just out of options." Shikamaru replied calmly, scanning the room as we took seats on barstools at the front counter.
The cafe itself held the cheerful atmosphere that's typically expected; it just looked like a bar. The lull of smooth jazz surrounded us, but it did little to calm my nerves. I quickly memorized the layout of the cafe: The building's walls were made of glass and the floor of worn out wood panels. There was a main counter with elegant black bar stools. Behind the counter was a cabinet of drinks and ingredients. To my left was a small cash register and to my right was a glass display of cakes and pastries. A grand piano took up one of the corners of the room, but it lay untouched.
My eyes darted to the left as I heard laughter. A reunion of friends was occurring. They sat at round black and white marbled tables with chairs, which continued to follow the perimeter of the glass walls. Booths were on the right, with most of the black leather seats empty. Art instillations were framed on the walls, and a large wooden bookshelf was seen, relatively secluded to the left. Greenery was dispersed throughout the cafe, vines weaving into the ceiling from hanging clay pots and each table holding a bouquet of fresh, fragrant flowers. The booths had various cacti and succulents. An almost inaudible clearing of the throat
from Shikamaru shifted my attention.
The barista smiled warmly at the both of us. He was tall and fair skinned with burnt umber eyes and golden hair. Freckles were splashed across his features. He spoke in a soft, playful tone.
"Welcome to Pardon, what can I help you with today?" He spoke, eyes sparkling with hints of something undetectable.
"Do you know where we might find the bookkeeper of this establishment?" I inquired, smiling softly in return.
"You're looking at him. What do you need?" He asked.
"I was told to meet my friend here. His name is Sai." I offered, attention half fixed on the menu behind him.
"Sai.. Oh! You mean Saito? Yeah, he mentioned someone would be asking for him. He's at booth 7. Wow, I just didn't anticipate another gorgeous girl coming after him, let alone in the same day. What was your name again?" He smiled brilliantly, handing me a freshly made lemonade.
"Hey, wha—" I protested, pushing the drink back before I was interrupted.
"On the house. A friend of Saito's a friend of mine." He winked, shooing me off. I took a glance at Shikamaru who nodded slightly in acknowledgment. Maybe being separate was for the better. Shikamaru ordered his peppermint white mocha and I almost grinned at the fact he ordered a drink so contradictory to his personality.
Sai was sitting in a booth with Ino next to him. Sai sipped on chai tea while Ino stirred her straw anxiously in strawberry hibiscus tea. Both eyes glanced in my direction as I sat down swiftly.
"You'll be getting a lot of attention." Ino started abruptly, relaxing into her seat while sipping her beverage.
"Huh?" I responded, not following.
"The free drink. It'll happen more often than not in this town. A way to a girl's heart is through flattery. Your pink hair definitely makes you 'exotic' and a challenge to everyone. And before you ask, I knew because you prefer blackberry lemonade over regular." Ino shrugged with a pointed look.
YOU ARE READING
Deceitful (A Naruto Fanfic)
FanfictionI was lied to. Deceived. Of course, I didn't know it at the time. All I knew was, I was Sakura Haruno, I didn't have a clan, and wasn't special. My family gone, I had no-one to rely on in the world. That is, until I find my sister is actually alive...
