A/N: I was going through my old fic again, and did you know I had the chapter title "The Aftermath" twice? I'm still cringing at how I never caught that.

--

The next day was, for the most part, lazy.

Sakura washed the non-permanent dye out of her hair, and she was glad to see it back to its normal vibrant pink color. She sighed, holding a limp, wet strand of hair. "Great, I'm back to normal."

Ino had to spend the night at Sakura's house because Hinata's parents were too strict and Tenten's parents were out of town and didn't want anyone over.

She glanced from the bathroom to her room, where her door was slightly ajar.

Karin was still sleeping in, and Ino was still unconscious from last night's events.

Turning from the mirror, to the door, and back to the mirror, she decided.

"Man, I've had enough of trying to wash out my hair. I'm gonna make breakfast." She muttered to herself, shutting off the light as she exited.

Akane was in the kitchen, making breakfast when Sakura entered. She glanced up with a small smile. "Good morning, Sakura. You hungry?"

"Am I ever." The pinkette took a seat at the island counter and watched her stepmother work.

"How's Ino doing this morning?" Akane asked, her voice lowering.

"Still conked out, I'm afraid." Sakura frowned. "She's taking it pretty hard about Shikamaru."

"Who's that? A friend of yours?" The redheaded woman turned back to the rice that was cooking.

"Oh, totally. An ex-friend by now." Sakura said sarcastically, crossing her arms.

"What's wrong this morning, sweetie?" Akane scooped some rice on a plate and placed it in front of her with a frown. "Did you have a rough night last night?"

"Little bit." She yawned. "What time is it? I forgot."

"It's a little after eleven." Akane checked her watch. "I'll have to be leaving at eleven-thirty today. They want me in for a surgery again. You know what to do by now."

"I know. Watch the house, and if I go out, make sure everything's locked." The pinkette recited with a dull voice as she got up and grabbed some eating chopsticks out of a drawer in the kitchen.

"Make sure Ino and Karin get some rice too. I have to go soon. I love you." She kissed her forehead and grabbed her bag (no doubt filled with her scrubs and hospital shoes), keys, and walked out the front door.

Sakura mumbled a goodbye through mouthfuls of rice, and just as the front door shut, Ino walked down the hall sleepily, rubbing one eye.

"Good morning, sleepyhead." Sakura swallowed her food and gave her a half-smile. "Get enough sleep?"

"I guess I did," Ino said, yawning. "What time is it?"

"It's..." Sakura squinted at the clock above the stove. "About eleven-sixteen."

"Okay, I see." Ino grew quiet and sat down next to her.

Sakura finished her rice and stood, ready to take the bowl into the kitchen, but stopped once she saw Ino's face.

"Ino, what's up? I've known you for eight or nine years already, and not once have you ever been this quiet."

"I just..." The blonde sighed, resting her elbows on the island table. "I still can't wrap my mind around all that happened last night."

Sakura nodded, understanding. "I know how you feel...I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I deserved this, anyways." Ino laughed mirthlessly. "Karma for being such a bad friend, I guess."

"No, really, I'm sorry." Sakura emphasized, setting the bowl back down on the table. She hesitated before speaking agian. "I...Friday afternoon, I saw him with that Temari chick. I knew I should've said something...but you just seemed so happpy, I didn't want to..."

"...I get it." Ino looked down. "You didn't want to take away my happiness."

"I really am sorry." The pinkette repeated, wrapping a comforting arm around her shoulders. "Forgive me?"

Ino looked up at her, slowly smiling. "Of course I would. You never had to apologize."

The two began to hug, and were only interrupted by Karin walking into the kitchen.

"Sup." She nodded to them both and glanced at the rice cooker. "Cool, Mom cooked breakfast."

"Oh, right!" Sakura immediately pulled away and looked at Ino. "D'ya want any breakfast or something?"

"Sure. I'm really hungry." Ino nodded.

"Alrighty. Want any egg with your rice, or not?" Sakura was already on her way to the fridge.

"Hmm, sounds good to me. It's one way to spice up a meal in the morning." Ino licked her lips just thinking about it.

"I know, right?" Sakura laughed, grabbing two eggs from the fridge. She grabbed a clear bowl and a pan and began working.

Sakura's ringtone began echoing from her bedroom, and she groaned.

"Karin, can you please get my phone?" She asked. "I'm kinda tied up at the moment."

"Sure. One minute." She scooped some rice into her bowl and set it on the counter, then rushed off to the pinkette's bedroom. A moment later, she walked back, phone to her ear.

"Who is it?" Ino asked.

Karin mouthed 'It's Tenten', and Sakura dropped the spatula she was working with in order to get her phone.

"Mhm. Sure, hold on. Here she is." Karin held the phone out to Sakura, and she took it quickly.

"Hello? Tenten, hi!" She greeted, balancing the phone on her shoulder as she returned to the stove, continuing to cook the egg.

"Hey, Sakura! How's Ino doing?" Tenten sounded pretty happy over the phone.

"She's fine now. We're just having breakfast." Sakura glanced over to the blonde to see her talking with Karin.

"Cool. Well, I was just calling to ask if you guys wanted to come hang out at the mall today?"

"Sounds fun. Lemme ask." Sakura placed the spatula back on the counter and turned to the two. "Hey, you guys wanna go to the mall with Tenten today?"

"Sure, that sounds fun!" Karin piped up.

"Um...I guess I'm in." Ino smiled unsurely.

"Alright, they said yes." Sakura replied. "What time do you want us to meet you there?"

"Well, I was figuring that I could come pick you guys up or something."

"Sounds like a plan. Is there a set time you're getting here?"

"Hmm...expect me around twelve-ish."

"Alright. See you then." Sakura hung up the phone and set it on the counter. "Tenten's coming around twelve-ish to pick us up."

"Cool." Karin said, picking up her empty bowl and putting it in the sink. "I'm gonna go get changed."

With that, the redhead left the living room area, leaving the two friends to their thoughts.

"Hey...you really okay?" Sakura asked, putting the egg on top of the bowl of rice and adding a bit of soy sauce for even more flavoring. She set it in front of Ino with a pair of chopsticks.

"I...I guess I'm not." Ino sighed, muttering 'Itadakimasu' and grabbing the sticks. "What if...I see him again? I have no idea what I'd say to him if I ever saw him."

"Don't worry so much about it, Ino." Sakura said, patting her on the back. "If anything happens, I'll make sure to beat his ass for ya."

--

"You know what? You were right!" Ino smiled brightly as she walked from store to store with Sakura and Tenten. Karin had left a while ago when she'd spotted the guy she had met up with at the party the night before, but promised to meet back up with them in a few hours. "This is so taking my mind off of what happened last night."

"See?" Sakura grinned at her, shooting her a thumbs-up. She'd just gotten her hair cut, and it hung in a neat line that barely kissed her shoulders. "Told you shopping would cheer you up."

"Onto weapons, guys!" Tenten exclaimed, pulling them towards a cool-looking store. "My instructor recommended some new tools for me and I want your opinions on what I would be adept at!"

"Alright, alright." Ino and Sakura laughed at her enthusiasm. Tenten's eyes went from window to window, until she saw a familiar head of brown hair.

She gasped, leaving her two friends behind to glomp the boy looking at the armor in the window. "Neji!"

"Tenten?" He twisted around to see that she'd latched herself onto his back. "What on earth are you doing here?"

"Shopping, what else?" She rolled her eyes playfully at him. "Honestly, Neji, sometimes I think that brain of yours is just for show!"

He blushed, semi-embarrassed, and noticed Sakura and Ino standing a safe distance away, keeping in their laughter. "Oh. Hello, Haruno, Yamanaka."

"Sup, Neji?" Sakura snickered behind her hand. "You guys are too cute together!"

"Sh-shut up..." He looked away with a frown and an even brighter blush.

"You guys, lay off him for a bit." Tenten nuzzled his head. "It's my job to embarrass him."

"That's even worse, I believe." Neji commented, and she gave him a pout.

"So, if you're here, where's Duck-Ass and Ramen-zilla?" Sakura asked.

Upon seeing his slightly confused look, Ino sighed. "She's asking if you came with Sasuke and Naruto."

"Yes, but I've lost them." Neji shrugged. "Uchiha went to go look at jewelry, and Uzumaki...who knows. He's probably at the food court."

"Figures." Sakura muttered. "Knowing that Naruto's here, Hinata's probably here too."

"Yes. I saw them walking around together."

"Sasuke, looking at jewelry?" Tenten snorted incredulously. "I wonder..."

"He mentioned something about that girl he danced with last night." Neji said. "Something about finding her and giving her a ring, or a necklace or something?"

Sakura felt her heart begin to pound in her chest, her palms sweaty.

"Uh, Sak? You okay?" Ino waved a hand in front of her face.

"Palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy..." She muttered.

"Oh, don't go spouting rap references on me now!" Ino slapped her across the face and shook her shoulders. "Pull yourself together!"

"Ouch! Ino, what the hell?" Sakura shouted.

"You got so freaked out you started quoting Eminem." Tenten stared at her, a little worried. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." Sakura shook her head, groaning. "But I think that's gonna leave a mark in the morning."

"Well, serves you right for going into a state of rap shock!" Ino scolded. "Warn me next time!"

"Excuse me? 'Rap shock'? What is that?" Neji questioned, an eyebrow raised.

"Rap shock is what we call the scenario that Sakura gets so freaked out, she freezes up and starts quoting lines to rap songs." Ino told him. "Especially," she sighed. "Meme rap songs."

"Can't help loving mom's spaghetti." Sakura snickered.

"ANYWAYS." Ino cleared her throat. "You see Shikamaru anywhere, by any chance...?"

Neji sighed. "Yes, I'm afraid I saw him with a blonde girl earlier. He was walking near the dress shops."

"Good. Let's avoid his ass for as long as possible." Sakura mumbled.

"Why?" Neji asked, and Sakura facepalmed.

"You mean Pineapple hasn't told you already?" She asked, bewildered.

"Told me what? And what's with your asinine nicknames for people?" Neji was growing more flustered by the minute.

"Guys."

"My nicknames are not asinine, White-Eyes!" Sakura countered, folding her arms. "I'm only tellin' the truth!"

"Do not bring my family's eyes into this!" Neji's voice rose a little.

"Guys."

"I don't know, she's got a point." Temari said with a bored tone.

"Shikamaru broke up with me last night and is with this foreign student called Temari!" Ino suddenly burst, yelling, tears flooding into her eyes. "And now I'm trying my damn hardest to distract myself from the fact that this asshole didn't even try to be faithful with me!"

The area got so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Neji's other eyebrow joined its twin in rising almost to his hairline, and the echo of shopping bags hitting the floor caused the small group to turn around slowly.

Shikamaru and Temari were there, standing several meters away, Shikamaru having been the one to drop the bags in pure shock at what she'd yelled. Temari looked mildly surprised as she clutched a pendant with both the Leaf and Suna symbols with stunning jewels all around them.

Ino felt her eyes fog up even more, and even as he reached out toward her retreating back, calling her name, she didn't think of doing anything else but getting the hell out of there.

--

A/N: We're two for two on the dramatic "running away while crying" scenes, can we get a three?