Language of Flowers
This is my first shot at Sai and Ino pairing, so tell me how you guys think about it. All meanings of flowers are taken from various sources, but they mean differently to everyone, so if you happen to see a meaning of a flower that's different from what you know, chances are it has multiple meanings. hehe..
Disclaimer: None of the characters belongs to me, neither are the meanings of flowers, i didn't make them anyway.. haha.
Chapter 1: Colors of flowers
Ino grumbled as she carried the gigantic bouquet of Forget-me-nots out of her family's flower shop. Mum had told her once again to deliver flowers. Not that she had a problem with delivery, she's been doing that since young and had gotten used to it a long time ago. The only thing she finds frustrating is that bouquet in her hands…
The streets are rather crowded these days and business is getting better. Her mother had told her to send those flowers and return back to the shop immediately to help out, something about a new order of roses coming today. Ino decided to cut through the park to the designated building to save time, and also to get rid of the flowers as soon as possible.
She leaped onto the nearest shelter above an eating-house's door and crossed the street to the other side. Finally out of the crowds, she thought and began making her way through the playground. She was surprised to find it empty, as usually there would be kids playing ninja games here.
But there's someone there, someone clad in black, sitting on the motionless swing reading a book. Ino tilted her head a little to get a clearer view of who is it at the swing.
"Oh, it's him." She realized and approached in high spirits. The figure sensed her from afar and looked up in the midst of reading and smiled.
"Hello." Ino said with a bright smile.
"Hello beauty." Sai returned. Ino was taken aback by the name in which he chose to call her despite this not being the first time, as she's rather used to people calling her 'Ino' or in some cases, 'Ino-pig'.
"Haha, what's with the nickname?" Ino laughed. "No one has called me that before."
Sai looked down at the book he was reading.
"It says here that instead of using suffixes to a name, using nicknames would position themselves in a particularly special and close relationship with the others."
Ino blinked for a few times. Close relationship? She reached forward and inclined the book upwards.
'Posturing Better Interpersonal Relationships'
"Oh." Ino understood. She heard from Sakura that Sai came from Roots, where he was trained to be a ninja with no feelings. Now that he's going to remain in Team 7, it's only natural that he learns to be sociable with the others. No surprise he's clueless about interactions.
"Where are you going?" Sai asked, trying his best to be friendly, after all, she is a friend.
"I'm delivering these flowers." Ino held out the gigantic bouquet of Forget-me-nots. "Irritating if you ask me…"
"Irritating?" Sai asked.
"This guy is trying to court this girl and everyday he would call and ask for flowers to be sent to her." Ino fumed. "But the thing is that she is already attached, and today is the third day he called to have these Forget-me-nots sent there! I wouldn't be surprised if the girl dump these into the trash…"
"Forget-me-nots?"
"Oh, it's the name for these flowers. They represents faithful love, undying hope, memories, do not forget, you get the idea." Ino hastily explained.
"Flowers have meanings?" Sai asked in shock.
"Well, yes." Ino replied. "Different flowers have different meanings, and sending them to people can convey different messages."
Sai took a moment to take in her words. Hmmm… it's like flowers can talk… the language of flowers…
"Then why do people send flowers to others?" he asked again.
"Well, like this guy here," Ino looked down at the bouquet in her arms. "He's trying to tell the girl how much he loves her by sending her flowers everyday…
"Then some people send flowers as a gift for occasions such as birthdays, weddings, anything. It's a form of telling people you care and remember them."
"So can flowers improve interpersonal relationships?" Sai asked awkwardly.
"Of course!" Ino said brightly, something that she is familiar with. "If not why do you think guys buy flowers for girls during courtship? Or when they need to apologize?"
Ino looked at Sai and found him thinking deep. Somehow, he looked rather dashing in that form, just sitting there, deep in thought…
"Thank you Beauty, I learnt a lot today." Sai smiled and said, startling her in her thoughts.
"Don't mention it." Ino smiled back. "Well, I guess I better be going."
Ino took a few steps away from the swing and towards her destination.
Ino got back to the shop just in time the roses came. The man with a blue cap gave her a clipboard in which she signed it hastily and hand it back. The variety of colors just amazes her without fail each time a particular stock of flowers arrive.
Then pulling on her apron, she began to arrange the roses according to their colors in the containers with water. Red roses, white roses, blue roses, pink roses, lavender roses…
When she's satisfied with the look of the new arrivals on the shelf, she stepped back to survey her work, only to knock into someone behind.
"I'm so sorry I didn't know you were there…" Ino apologized to the customer behind her, but when she looked up, she saw someone familiar instead.
"Hello again, beauty." Sai's smile came into vision. Ino stood there, stunned by the unexpected visitor. "Hi?"
"Oh, hello again. Looking for something?" Ino snapped back into reality and asked nicely. How nice to run into someone twice in a day, she thought… very nice…
"No actually." Sai scratched his cheek with a finger awkwardly, like a little child who has just lost his words. "I followed you just now to the shop where you had to deliver flowers, sorry about that."
"Uh… Why?" Ino frowned. She was being followed, and she didn't even notice!
"I was curious about the outcome so I followed." He smiled sheepishly, something which Ino found rather weird.
"So what did you see?" Ino asked, turning her heels to head back to the counter. "I left as soon as I dropped off the flowers."
She bended over the counter and took out a pair of hand pruners.
"Oh, the lady said something about perhaps sending him some striped carnations…"
Ino snickered as she headed back to the roses.
"What does it mean?" Sai asked. Ino turned around to face him.
"Striped carnations mean 'I'm sorry I must say no'. Meaning, she is rejecting him."
"Oh, so it means she does not want to be with him?" Sai asked. Ino nodded. "Why?"
"Uh…" Ino gave it a thought before answering. "Well, could be because she didn't feel the same kind of love he is expressing towards him. And from what I know, she likes someone else who in turn likes her."
"I see…"
Ino walked towards the shelf of roses and picked out a red rose which was looking rather lethargic. She took the pruners and snipped a small diagonal portion of the stem before placing it back into the container. She turned around and saw Sai looking around the shop, amazed by the variety of flowers and colors. He looked like a child who had just stepped into a candy store, but then again, it is what makes him interesting to look at.
"You know," Ino started. "Different colors of the same flower can mean different things?"
Sai jerked his head back to face her.
"Really?" Sai asked in a tone which tells Ino that he's curious.
"Come." Ino grinned and walked towards a shelf full of carnations.
"Just now, striped carnations," Ino pointed to the named flower. "Means 'no', 'can't be with you', basically refusal."
Sai nodded.
"Carnations generally mean fascination, devoted love. But, as you can see, colors can change the meaning of it…" Ino explained.
"Red ones mean admiration, usually for someone special, like a teacher or mentor, or even someone you like.
"Dark red version expresses deeper sentiments of love and affection, for a lover perhaps?
"Pink ones mean the person sending flowers would never forget the receiver. It also means gratitude, to thank someone for what they have done for you.
"White carnation would mean, purity, luck, innocence, sweet, lovely… Represents pure love, and you can be telling the person he or she is adorable." Ino described. Sai reached out and touched the yellow carnations that are resting at the bottom.
"Oh, and yellow ones means rejection and disappointment." Ino hurriedly said. Sai was taken aback at that and retrieved his hand as though he touched a boiling kettle.
Ino thought the action looked rather cute. He's exploring new territories, new frontiers and experiencing things which ordinary people find normal…
She felt a surge of pain when she thought of the life he's been through. A life of no feelings, no one who cares for him, no one whom he is willing to lay his life to protect. No friends, no family, no love…
How did he survive in such an environment? Given her, she would have gone mad long ago. The previous Hokages and the current one all believed in love, that a ninja would become strong when he or she has people important that he or she wants to protect.
"… Hello?" Sai's voice punched the silence, bringing her back into actuality. Ino turned to look at the chap standing beside her.
"You seemed rather dazed today. Are you all right?" Sai asked.
"No. No, I'm fine." Ino smiled brightly, happy at the fact that he's concerned about her.
There was an awkward silence in the shop as the two looked at each other. Then…
"INO!"
Ino turned and saw her mother appearing at the doorway.
"Oh who's that? Your friend?" her mother said, noticing Sai standing beside her daughter.
"What?" She asked, a little annoyed at the fact that she appeared at this bad moment.
"A bouquet of 12 roses."
"Color?" Ino turned to the shelf she was arranging not too long ago.
"Red and white."
"Who's getting married?" Ino shouted back as her mother disappeared from the doorway.
"My friend's daughter."
Ino shook her head in resignation and went over to the shelf.
"Weddings use red and white roses?" Sai turned and followed her.
"Red and white roses represents unity, so usually it's for weddings." Ino explained, glad that Sai is still interested in the topic.
"Six red, six white…" Ino mumbled as she picked out the flowers and carried them to the counter. She began to arrange the flowers and preparing the bouquet, while Sai remained standing at the rose shelf, looking at the various colors.
Seeing that, Ino began her explanation while preparing the bouquet.
"Roses are the more common flowers that people use to convey messages as they represent love and gratitude. Pink roses, being the more prevalent color among roses would naturally take the basic meaning. Now it also signifies grace and elegance, as well as sweetness and poetic romance. Different shades of pink also mean differently. Dark pink symbolizes gratitude and appreciation while light pink roses are associated with gentleness and admiration."
Sai turned back to the girl at the counter. She's snipping the long stems off and arranging them in a neat manner.
"White ones?" he asked.
"White roses generally mean purity and innocence because of its color. They are also called 'bridal rose', as they are a representation of unity, virtue, and the pureness of a new bond of love. That's why it's commonly used for weddings. It also carries honor and reverence, which is why it's also used as a memorial for a departed loved ones or a sign of farewell."
"Red roses represent love and romance and are used for sending the strongest message of love. It's the most popular way to say, "I love you" to someone special. For the budding relationship, a red rose bouquet can also signal the beginning of romantic intentions. They can send a message of commitment and an invitation to take the next step."
"Love as in between a man and a woman?" Sai asked, brushing his fingers lightly over a red rose that is blooming perfectly.
"Yes. Example would be Shikamaru and Temari. That's the kind of love I'm referring to." Ino explained, mentally laughing at the mentioned couple. Just the day before she caught the two locking lips just before leaving the Hokage's office building. "You do know who they are right, don't you?"
"Yes I do. He is the one who is dating the sand ambassador right?" Sai answered. "I saw him sending her home yesterday."
For someone who knows the language of flowers so fluently, it's not surprising that Ino is good at building a good relationship with someone. Through flowers, she learnt how to care and love another. Perhaps it might be a good avenue for him to start.
"Just remember, in flowers, colors often express similar meanings. Red represents burning passion, courage and desire. White is a symbol of purity, innocence and sincerity. Yellow are more of unfaithfulness, disappointment and rejection. Lavender can mean sincere love and pink for sweetness and charm. But then again, this is not foolproof."
Sai nodded and turned his attention to the bouquet in her hands. The red and white roses are now nesting in several layers of lace and plastic sheets and decorated with ribbons
"That's beautiful." Sai complimented as he approached the counter.
"Thanks, taught specially by the best flower arrangers in village." Ino couldn't help but brag a little, but that's the truth anyway. "Just a second."
Ino carried the bouquet to the back, leaving Sai in the shop. Among the flowers, Sai felt that he was advancing faster then reading the books. There are things in which books can't really teach, things like love and care…
He wondered how is life with friends and family, and with feelings. Ino led a life like this, unlike his. And so did Sakura, Naruto, Shikamaru and their friends, and all those in the village. He believed Sasuke led this kind of life before, and some reason or the other compelled him to leave it behind.
Suddenly, he felt something he had never felt before in his life. He wanted a new life, a life of happiness and sadness, with friends and family…
Ino shouted something, which Sai made out to be a protest of some sort. Then she appeared, carrying not only the bouquet she was making a while ago but also several small ones.
"Sorry Sai, my mum wants me to deliver these, all to the same place." Ino said apologetically. She didn't want to leave so early, not when he's around anyway… she felt this tinge of joy whenever this ninja is around…
"It's ok, uh… Ino…" Sai started. The girl raised her eyebrows in question. "Can I come? I'll carry them for you if you want."
Nothing he says is going to surprise her anymore, especially he showed up in the shop earlier to learn about flowers. So this time Ino wasn't shocked or surprised, but rather glad that he said that.
"Of course you can come, but I'll carry these anyway." Ino laughed as she led the way out. "After all, I am the one to deliver anyway."
They made their way through the streets, chatting along the way. Sai asked her about the other flowers she's carrying; Ino explained their various meanings and significance. Through the walk and talk, Sai began to open up to Ino, he found it easy to talk and ask her questions, something that he found to be rather comforting.
The sun began to set and the village was dyed in shades of orange and brown. Sai offered to walk her back to her shop and she gladly accepted. Ino came to realize that she is able to communicate better with him. Unlike Sasuke who either ignore or use one-word answers, Sai would respond positively and ask if he is unsure of anything. And isn't this what Ino wanted?
"Thanks for walking me back." Ino said as they reached the shop.
"You're welcome, I saw it in another book that it is customary for men to see ladies home." The ninja blushed a little and scratched his cheek again, something Ino finds rather cute.
"Oh wait here." Something struck her and she dashed into the shop. Sai peered into the glass and saw her darting around the place at super speed. Then she came through the door carrying something. "Here."
She handed him a stalk of four-leaf clover. Sai reached out to take it delicately with both hands and looked at her questioningly.
"Four-leaf clovers are a symbol of good luck." Ino smiled.
"Thank you." Sai said, looking at the gift. "Thank you very much."
"Good luck on your missions and with the interpersonal relationships." Ino said with a little wave before turning back into the shop.
"Bye beauty." Sai's voice came and she turned back. Then with an impulse from she don't know where…
"Bye handsome!"
How? How? How? tell me how it is by sending a flower, uh i mean review... haha thanks