A Little Crush, a Lot of Bugs

Um.. Heheh.. What to say.. Um.. I suppose I could simply say that this was one of those ‘spur of the moment’ things. Got a cute idea for a drawing, sketched it, and a few months later decided to turn it into a oneshot. Yep. Go me.

This really has nothing at all to do with the storyline, just some made up event during Sakura’s childhood years. Well, it amused me, so my job's done. Tah-tah! Farmer Blob

A Little Crush, a Lot of Bugs

Author: Farmer Blob

“Ino-chan! It flew too high!” Sakura called to her best friend who was a few feet behind her.

Ino approached Sakura and they both watched the dragonfly shimmy through the wind. Sakura hung her head low, as though it saddened her.

The young, blonde girl attempted to sound cheerful, “Hey now.. It’s only a bug. I’m sure there’s.. plenty.. around here.. somewhere.”

Shuffling her feet, Sakura nodded as she watched dragonflies and butterflies flutter within the lush trees. The two girls began to make their way back to the village, when suddenly Sakura gently poked Ino on her shoulder.

“Hm?” Ino was brought to her attention.

“There’s a kid over there,” Sakura lightly whispered, pointing to their left. Ino turned around and squinted.

“Hehe.. I know who that kid is,” she looked back to Sakura, “He… really… likes bugs.”

Sakura leaned over and studied him as he rested against a tree; hands behind his head, one leg crossed over the other.

Ino suddenly gleamed, “He could probably help you catch a dragonfly! Or one of those pretty butterflies…!”

Sakura smiled, “Wow! You really think so?”

Ino grinned and they both giggled loudly to themselves, covering their faces to hide the blush.

From a distance, the boy opened his right eye and looked at the two, giddy girls. Hoping they would leave, he ignored them.

“Sakura! Why don’t you go talk to him? Ask him to help you!” Ino gently pushed her ahead. Sakura suddenly became stiff.

“A-a-lo-alone?” she stammered. Ino looked at her oddly.

“You can do it! Besides, this would be the perfect chance to help you boost your confidence! Go on!” Ino lightly patted her back.

“But, but, Ino-chan! What would I say…?!” Sakura turned around.

“C’mon, you don’t want to be shy forever, do ya? B’sides! That kid wouldn’t hurt a fly!” she paused, “…literally.”

Sakura looked back over her shoulder, when suddenly Ino grabbed her arms and forced her to turn around.

“I-Ino-chan!” Sakura seemed to almost yelp.

“I have faith in you!” and with that, Ino pushed her a few feet in front of her, waited until Sakura moved on her own, and then dove behind a rather wide tree.

Sakura almost tripped over her own left foot as she slowly, but surely, made her way up to the boy. Once she stood almost 4 feet in front of him, she stopped.

Behind his sunglasses, the boy opened an eye and looked up. Sakura blushed and tried to talk, but no words would come out.

Meanwhile, Ino clawed at the bark of the tree, waiting for Sakura to say something.

After a few moments, the boy spoke.

“…What…?” he asked with both eyes open all the while raising an eyebrow.

“Ah, um… I.. uh.. could.. I.. you.. You see…” Sakura’s hands seemed to become itchy as she tried to speak. She looked over to Ino’s tree and squinted her eyes to see Ino motioning her to sit down.

The boy looked at Sakura funny, and then turned in the direction she was facing quick enough to see the young blonde quickly dive back behind the tree.

Sakura started to stutter again, “I’m.. I.. I.. I’m… Gonna sit.” With that, she quickly sat next to the boy, and they both remained silent for a few more moments.

“…Did you want something?” he asked, looking over his shoulder.

Sakura fumbled with her hands and swallowed, “Y-yes.. My friend.. told me.. you liked bugs.. I like dragonflies.. And butterflies.. And I wanted to catch one… But I can’t.. But I want to.. And she said you could help.. Because I can’t.. And… I was hoping.. Maybe you.. could help…,” her voice seemed to fade as she ended her sentence.

She looked over and attempted to smile, however, suddenly, Sakura saw a small, spider-like, black insect crawl up her arm.

“AAAIIII!” she shrieked as she quickly thwacked it off of her arm and crawled a foot away. Suddenly, she saw a whole squad of the little buggers crawl out the boy’s clothing and from underneath him.

Sakura fearfully scrambled to her feet and jumped back. She shakily held her hand up to her face as though she thought she was the only one who could see them.

“…You ok?” he asked, somewhat concerned.

“Y-ye-.. N-n..o.. No!” she quickly, “Ah…! Sorry! Very sorry!! Excuse me!!”

With no time to spare, she sped off back to the dusty road to meet her friend, “INO-CHAAN! You’re so mean!!”

Shino watched the girl with the pink hair shake herself off. Her friend put her hand over her shoulder and praised her for being brave.

He couldn’t help but smile the smallest of smiles as they continued to follow the path.