Ino flips her blonde ponytail in a graceful motion. "Back off forehead! Sasuke-kun is mine."

"He's my boyfriend, pig," Sakura hisses, like a snake ready to attack.

Blue eyes narrow mockingly and with a cold smile playing on ruby lips, Ino says, "Delusional. As if Sasuke-kun would want someone like you when he couldsomeone like me."

Sakura knows she isn't as popular or as sexy as Ino, so her words pierce her heart painfully. However, Sakura refuses to cry and easily converts her hurt and lack of confidence into anger. The pink haired girl seethes in her place, ready to scratch her ex-best friend's eyes out when an idea comes to her mind.

This might work.

"I'll give you Sasuke-kun." Sakura smiles innocently, hopefully. "If you really love Sasuke-kun, why don't you get his name tattooed, within a month?"

The blonde openly stares, her cold smile dropping swiftly. Hundreds of refusals are just at the tip off her tongue waiting to explode. That pink haired-

"If you get the tattoo," Sakura says sweetly, aware of the internal struggle the blonde is having, "I'll give Sasuke-kun to you. And if you don't, you'll never bother us again."

Sakura raises a mocking brow. She knows that the blonde could never mar her skin even if it's for Sasuke-kun (Inoichi-san might have a soft spot for his little baby doll but he'd raise hell over a tattoo or piercing) so the green eyed girl makes a last remark at the blonde. The last push that will force Ino out of her relationship.

"Or are you a coward pig? Can't even show the love you claim so much?"

Ino's eyes are steel and sharp when she answers, "Bring it forehead."

Sakura's confidence wavers for a second before a devilish thought crosses her mind. Ino will never get between her and Sasuke-kun again. "I know the perfect place for a tattoo. You either get it there or you lose it."

The blonde makes a small tsk. "I'm in." Soon Sasuke-kun, her prince charming and only love, will be hers and hers only.

The buxom blonde looks down on the scribbled address once more, expecting them to magically change under her intense gaze because this can't be the place.

Ino stares at the tattoo shop with a critical eye. It's a small rundown shop with brick walls decorated with graffiti. It's surrounded with abandoned, scary houses that must be a hotspot for drug dealers and gangsters, not to mention it's in the not-nice-crossing-whether-night-or-day kind a neighborhood. Every cell in her body tells her that it's not worth it and she should just turn back and admit defeat.

However she is Ino Yamanaka, and Ino Yamanaka is no coward. She won't back down from the challenge, especially if it comes from billboard-brow.

It's for Sasuke-kun, a small part of her whispers while she glimpses around once more.

So the blonde squares her shoulders, lifts her chin, and walks inside the small shop as if she owns it. A little bell rings above her, notifying her entry and her confidence vanishes the moment the door closes. The place is eerie with fluorescent lights, leather chairs, and a marble counter. And also very chilly. Ino wonders who in their right mind would use the air conditioner in the middle of October. Every inch of the walls is covered with designs, from grinning foxes and hissing snakes to crying scarecrows and bandaged canes and bloody fans. Ino stands there, not sure on what to do and contemplating if she can still run for it when a boy her age walks in from a door behind the counter.

The boy is extremely pale which sharply contrasts with his dark hair and attire. From what Ino could see, there are mixes of black tattoos going up his right arm disappearing under his sleeve. She can bet her new Louis Vuitton bag that there are more tats over his chest.

"How may I help you?" the boy asks politely, emotionlessly, unattached.

Ino blinks as she takes him in a closer look. He is quite handsome actually (even with the blank impression) and his eyes are as black as his hair. A gray headband is keeping his dark bangs out of his eyes and the little silver leaf in his ear gleams under the florescent light. He is taller than Ino (even when she's wearing heels!) and looks to be quite fit under those black jeans and shirt.

Tall, pale, dark haired and cold (like Sasuke-kun!) just Ino's type.

"I want a…" Ino finds herself lost to her own words because, not only the young boy reminded her Sasuke-kun so much but also she didn't want a tattoo (her father would have her head) .However, if she backs down now she'll never hear the end of it from Sakura, and she'd be losing her chance for Sasuke-kun. The blonde steels her resolve and is ready to continue when she catches the faint eye roll.

The boy tilts his head slightly. "A tattoo?" There is a mocking edge in his tone that makes Ino's eye twitch.

"Yes genius, that's why I'm here in a tattoo shop." She huffs, crossing her hands under her big chest and cocking her hip.

He slowly blinks, as if he's seeing her completely for the first time, and takes in her appearance. The annoyance forgotten Ino lets her lips curl instinctively; she is wearing form fitting skinny jeans and her favorite purple sleeveless shirt with a generous cleavage that turns all boys to sputtering messes.

Ino is used to the attention from the opposite sex and she is yet to meet someone she couldn't wrap around her finger. The blonde of course faced challenging boys, but with the right tactic they too would eventually fall for her.

Life is so much easier when everyone (except Sasuke-kun!) is bowing at your feet, ready to satisfy your every need.

Is he the shy type? Cheeks flaming in bright red, stuttering his words while his brain fuming error. Or maybe he is a playboy with lusty eyes, mischievous smirk and confidence to sell.

Any minute now, the blonde thinks, he'll be under my spell.

However he is completely unaffected by her Queen Bitch attitude and simply says, "Leave." The tattooist turns around leaving the blonde blinking owlishly.

He… he ignored me! While I'm wearing my favorite shirt!

"You… you don't even know what kind of tattoo I want!" the blonde says, confused, engraved.

"I don't need to." he cuts curtly. "I had my fill from people like you."

People like you?

"Leave," he says again, louder this time. "There is no place in my shop for those like you. And do not bother to come back."

Ino keeps staring for a minute before exploding. "Excuse me? If that's how you treat customers, no wonder this place is in the middle of abandoned-ville." She spits out but the boy keeps ignoring her.

Ino turns her back and storms out of the shop like a hurricane.

For the past two days Ino couldn't get the mysterious boy out of her head. He was the first male to ever reject her (she swooned Shino who had zero interest in girls.) and Ino seriously didn't know why. Even the cold and rude Sasuke-kun Ino admired so much gave her interested-lusty glances whenever she wore short skirts. And he also didn't refuse any of her sexual advances in parties after the right amount of drinks; however when it came to dating Sasuke-kun kept pushing her away (but not Sakura.)

Those like you.

No lust, no appreciation, no interest, not one straying glance. Nothing. Apart from annoyance tattoo boy just ignored her.

Ino is perfect. Blonde hair always neat, clothes always fashionable, make-up done in perfection. Ino is always the first to be invited in parties, she is everyone's friend, and she knows everyone. She can have anyone she desires, (except Sasuke-kun but that's forehead's fault!) the whole university lays under her Louboutin heels.

Not to forget she is tall, fit and curvaceous.

Those like you.

So why, oh why, a tattooist boy in a rundown shop whose name Ino didn't even know, was causing her this much insecurity?

She chews her lip in frustration. How dare that boy make her feel insecure!

If this keeps up, Ino will lose her chance of having Sasuke-kun forever. The blonde fumes in her seat as she glares at the pink haired girl sitting two rows ahead of her. Sakura, that smart little bitch had to make that shop obligatory.

Those like you.

What did he mean?

Was he gay?

She charmed them before.

Was she not his type?

Ino was everyone's type.

Did he have a girl?

That never stopped her before.

The blonde furrows her perfectly curved brows. She won't back down, it's not about Sasuke-kun or tattoos anymore. She, Ino Yamanaka, was rejected, it hurt her pride and stirred her inner fire in such a way that boiled the blonde's blood.

Poor boy, he'll never know what hit him.

She returns two days later.

Ino storms back in, this time wearing short frilly skirt (that kind a worked on Sasuke) and a shirt that ends just under her purple bra. She is smiling confidently with her ruby lips and cocks her hip suggestively when the boy looks up.

There is no sign of emotion in his features. Not a trace of kindness or anger, sorrow or happiness, not even the barest hint of annoyance. Ino, looking at those black eyes fells like she is staring at a porcelain doll's dead and glossy ones. Never has Ino ever seen someone look so… devoid of emotions.

Ino shakes her head internally, breaking herself from his disturbing yet intriguing spell.

He is the one who should be bewitched, not me! Ino fumes.

"I'm Ino Yamanaka and I want a tattoo." She winks playfully, skillfully masking the mess of thoughts from the last five minutes. All her insecurities gone, she is ready to get the name of the love of her life on her skin.

The boy barely spares her a glance. "I already kicked you out once," he stares at her through his long bangs, no headbands today but the silver leaf is still gleaming. "Are you that desperate for attention?"

A slight flush colors her cheeks but Ino keeps her smile, she is nothing but persistent. She walks with the grace of a feline, swaying her hips and long ponytail until she is in front of the register. Ino leans on the counter, careful to give an eyeful of cleavage, she purrs, "I really need to get a tattoo, so how about you put those artistic hands on me and start on some customer satisfaction?"

The boy's eyes narrow a fraction and Ino smirks. Without breaking eye contact, the young man jumps over the counter in a fluid motion, landing inches in front of the shocked blonde. Ino's nose is ghosting over his lips and she can feel his cool breath licking her face. The blonde's cheeks warm suddenly at the sudden close proximity.

Get a grip girl!

She opens her mouth to speak but her words morph into a un-lady like shriek as the boy easily lifts her up bridal style. Even though Ino works out to keep her figure perfect, she is nowhere near light enough to effortlessly lift as he did. The scent of ink, paper, and pine hits Ino's nose and her head swims momentarily.

Ino is in a daze and doesn't realize she is out of the shop until when the boy lets her go.

The blonde hits the concrete with another undignified shriek and he just coolly stares down at her.

"You!" Ino snarls, easily falling back into the Bitch Queen Mode. "Who do you think you are? Dropping me-"

"Sai." He interrupts her rant casually.

The blonde bares her teeth, "Well Sai,-"

"I can see your panties." Sai interrupts her again with minimal grace and terrible timing.

Ino flushes a deep red as she clumsily gets up, adjusting her mini skirt with a low growl. Sai isn't exactly the first boy (or girl, depends on her mood) to ever see her panties, however, she finds it to be extremely embarrassing at the moment.

Ino Yamanaka is embarrassed.

"Look blondie-"

"Ino."

"- stop coming here. I won't waste my artistic skills on your childish fantasies. I'm sure you want something girly like a fluffy bunny or a little cat, or worse something delusional like the name of your crush. I take my art seriously and have no tolerance for those who don't take tattooing seriously." Sai says, with a hint of cold anger and turns back inside, leaving a dumbfounded Ino on the sidewalk.

Mouth agape, the blonde keeps her stare fixed on the closed door of the shop which she was just thrown out. Her thoughts are mixed up, running around in endless circles, giving her a killer headache and micro level eye twitches. The blonde is mostly confused with fuming anger at the side; churning her stomach and making her see red.

Her inner turmoil is broken when she hears a throaty snicker. "Whatcha doin, sweetie? Wanna hang out with us?"

Ino whirls around ready to snap, when her words die and she sees two hooligans older than her, bleached hair spiked with too much hair gel and piercings all over their dirty faces, along with the disgusting smell of booze and tobacco burning her eyes, leering at her with lust filled eyes. Ino's mind reels for a way out because they were the kind of people that spelled trouble from miles away. The red haze of anger vapors swiftly leaving dread behind.

I should've driven here myself, Ino realizes. Internally beating Shika-baka for being considerate and not-lazy for once.

"Leave me be." she growls with fake confidence. Ino prays for them to turn and leave, however, a tiny voice inside of her tell Ino that she isn't that lucky.

The blond one smirks, making Ino wince. The purple suit clashes horribly with his yellow tie and Ino wants to just run away but her feet refuse to budge an inch.

"She seems feisty brother." speaks up the blond whose hair looked like an upside-down broom.

Good to know I still have my sass. Ino muses dryly.

The brother chuckled, reaching to grab Ino's cream shoulders. "It's more fun to tame them."

The blonde girl recoils from the touch, her heart beat going crazy in her ears, she hisses the first comeback that pops into her mind, "I said leave me be, broom hair and fashion disaster."

The blonde bites her tongue. Her hopefully fearsome glare is fixed on the duo while she internally kicks herself for speaking before thinking. If those pissed looks she was having were anything to go by –

Suddenly, both of them have Ino cornered from the sides, the fear halts her thoughts. Ino feels the cold glass on her heated skin and shudders.

Voice cracking, Ino begs, "Stop!" Through her tear-clouded vision, she sees widened smirks. "Get off me!" she tries again, her voice stronger yet fear filled.

The brother, leans so close that the putrid smell of alcohol turns the girl's stomach. "Don't be like that, sweetie. Promise I'll be gentle," he whispers excitedly into her ear. "Only for the first round though."

It feels like forever before Ino can react. But even after then, it's weak. Her whole body trembles, so slightly that it's almost undetectable.

"Leave me alone!" she hollers louder, feeling adrenaline, fear and something else build up inside her spill through her words.

The blond delinquent laughs wholeheartedly. The sound takes the mannerism of a snake and curls in the core of her belly, squeezing the air out of Ino's lungs.

This can't be happening, Ino tries to reason, this is just a nightmare.

She trembles when she feels greasy fingers on her thighs and waist, greedily exploring her smooth skin. Her blood flows like ice in her veins as Ino kicks desperately one of them over the knee, and thrusts her elbow hard into the ribs of another. One of them hisses in pain while the other curses loudly, but Ino can't tell which is which through her teary eyes.

Ino takes a deep breath to scream for help, from her chief police father, from Sasuke-kun, from Shika-baka, from anyone, when her mouth is covered by a meaty hand.

"Oi sweetie, no need to disturb the neighbors."

Terrified tears roll down Ino's cheeks one after another as she blindly struggles for freedom. Just when she feels a hand slide under her skirt, Ino falls backwards over something hard, as whatever she was pushed against suddenly disappears.

"When a lady says no, she means it. She is neither playing hard to get nor trying to provoke you by wearing scandalous outfits."

There is tension Ino's shoulders and disbelief in her teary eyes as she gazes up to meet charcoal black eyes on a deadpan face. The owner of the bland tone is no one but Sai, the rude and confusing tattooist whose been driving Ino mad for the last three days. However, never in her life Ino had been so happy so see him.

"Back off mate," the brother threatens. "Found her first."

"Did you now?" The edge of the question sends a chill straight up Ino's spine. Sai's arm sneaks around her middle in an iron grip and pulls her closer. The blonde can feel the taunt muscles and cold skin, through the thin material of Sai's shirt.

Emotionless. Ino can't believe that she used that word to describe the young man holding her rib rackingly close to his chest. Sai apparently is a master on conveying his feelings without showing a hint of them on his chiseled features, because Ino can tell the disgust and annoyance from the aura Sai emits.

"You shouldn't challenge my bro, dude. You'd drop dead." Snaps the broom hair, glaring daggers at Sai who easily towers over them both.

Sai only lets out a controlled breath similar to a sigh. "If you value your lowly lives, disappear at once."

The words themselves are very threatening, however, the young man delivers them with so much boredom that, Ino thinks he's about to yawn.

She didn't feel threatened from the young man, though; she didn't also want to cross roads with him. Sai exudes raw confidence, as if there isn't anyone or anything in the world he couldn't beat into submission.

Ino shivers again, more from the chilly afternoon than the situation she ended herself in. Sai's eyes stray at her shivering form, then returns to the hoodlums who had, in one point in time, stepped away from Ino's personal space.

Because of him, she realizes morbidly, is the aura this man radiates.

For the blonde, Sai is definitely the lesser of the two evils.

The attackers share a single look and Ino can almost see how they think they can win because they have the advantage in numbers.

Are they blind or complete cretins!

Apparently both. The fashion disaster takes out a pocket knife with a smirk while broom head breaks the half empty wine bottle Ino didn't notice, and waves the sharpened end threateningly.

Ino turns her panicked eyes up. She is scared and a bit guilty that Sai will be hurt to because she didn't listen to him when he said not to come back. The young man returns her gaze with calm eyes as if telling her it's okay. If he is confident he can take care of this mess, Ino decides to gamble and believe he can. And suddenly the blonde girl feels at ease.

Sai's eyes are still locked with her when he talks, "I did warn you both."

He is swift as he whips out a Glock G30S, the military model, and casually points the gun at the shocked duo. It takes them a full minute of staring incredulously before it kicks in that the guy has a gun, and sprint off as if hell hounds were close at their heels.

A brief eye roll and a not-so-gentle-tug from Sai, Ino finds herself back inside the rundown tattoo shop. The blonde girl's back is still pressed against his cold chest with one muscled arm curled around her middle and a military issued gun on his other hand.

Lesser of the two evils?

Ino helplessly snorts at the irony of her words.

Out of the frying pan into the fire.