Hiko's pov
The chunin exams were well under way and there was nothing more I could do for team 7 until the training period in three weeks time. Now all I could do is wait to find out who's moving on to the finals. With three weeks free it was time to start getting things ready for Naruto's wedding. Sakura, Ino, Tenten and I had met up in town to go dress shopping.
"I can't believe that Naruto and Hinata are getting married soon." Ino said.
"Me neither, I never thought they'd be the first ones to get married." Sakura said.
"They're getting married and I don't even have a boyfriend." Tenten whined.
"Don't get so down about it. You don't need a man to be happy." I said, patting her on the back.
"Says you, you could get a boyfriend any time you wanted." Tenten moped.
"She's right you know, you're driving Shikamaru nuts." Ino said.
"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked.
"You two have acted like a couple since you were 15! You dating Gaara a couple years back was a real plot twist, I certainly didn't expect it. Now you're single again the two of you act like you're practically married and yet for some reason you're still not official! I walked in on you two kissing for gods sake!" Ino ranted. "Why won't you just date him already?!"
"He hasn't asked." I replied simply.
"He hasn- I'm gonna kill him!" Ino said, smashing her fists together.
"Calm down Ino, this is supposed to be fun." Tenten said, placing a hand on Ino's shoulder.
"Tenten is right Ino, we're getting dresses for Naruto and Hinata's wedding. We can have a word with Shikamaru later." Sakura said.
"Let it be you two, it'll happen when it happens." I said. "Now, does anyone know what kind of dresses they want?"
"I'm not sure, I want to step out of my comfort zone a bit." Tenten said.
"I'm thinking something more modern. It's the only chance I have to wear a new style like that." Ino said.
"I want something that goes with the cherry blossoms, what about you Hiko? What are you looking for?" Sakura asked.
"Long sleeves." I replied as we found a dress shop to enter.
"Sleeves? It's supposed to be hot outside." Ino said.
"Sacrifices must be made. I'm going for a look." I said, subconsciously rubbing my wrists. "Who else will have long sleeves?"
"That's a fair point. You would probably be the only one." Ino said.
"Leave it to you to make a statement." Tenten said.
"Why don't we make this interesting? We each pick out 4 dresses, 1 for ourselves and 1 for every other person. That way we don't end up dressing exactly the same as we always do." Sakura suggested.
"I'm up for that." I said.
"Yeah, it sounds fun." Tenten agreed.
"Well then girls, let's shop!" Ino said.
Time skip
We spent hours going through dresses, picking things out for ourselves and one another. Now we were all sat around outside the changing rooms, trying dresses on and showing them off.
"Now stepping onto the runway, Ino Yamanaka in a dress from Tenten!" Ino announced jokingly as she stepped out of the dressing room in a strapless floor length green dress with a slit up the left side. "What do you think?"
"You should wear green more often but the dress itself doesn't sit quite right. I think you could do better." I said.
"I agree, it's a nice dress but it isn't an ino dress." Sakura said.
"Yeah, I don't know what I was thinking there." Tenten said.
"I'm glad we all agree." Ino said before turning around and heading back into the changing room.
She was gone for a few minutes before returning in a short, red, halterneck dress. She twirld around to show us that it was backless with red ribbons crossing over the back.
"A pick from yours truly." Ino said.
"I feel like the colour is wrong." Sakura said.
"I think you need something blue or purple to bring out your eyes." I agreed.
"Does it come in another colour?" Tenten asked.
"Not that I could find. Back to the dressing room I guess." Ino said.
When she came back out she was in a blush pink tea length dress with off the shoulder puffy sleeves.
"And from sakura." Ino said.
"You can tell its Sakura's pick, I think she picked for herself." Tenten said.
"It's nice but not your style." I said.
"I think it looks perfect." Sakura said.
"I agree with Tenten, you picked this for you." Ino said. "Let's hope Hiko's pick is the right pick."
Ino then came out in my choice, a long, two toned, sleeveless dress. The top was lilac purple and the skirt was a darker purple. Tenten whistled as she stepped out.
"Classy and modern, you look good." Tenten praised.
"I think I picked right." I said.
"Definitely." Sakura agreed.
"I feel like a rich princess." Ino said. "I think this is it. Sakura, its you next."
Sakura stepped out of the changing room first in a purple tube dress.
"This is from Tenten." Sakura said.
"She's not going clubbing! It's a wedding." Ino said.
"It's not really the type of thing I would expect to see Sakura in." I agreeded.
"I'm not really good at this, am I?" Tenten said.
"I just wanna get out of it." Sakura said.
The next dress was just Sakura through and through. It was a pink short sleeved wrap dress that stopped below the knee. Ino knew exactly what suited Sakura.
"That's the one." I said straight away.
"It suits you, you look beautiful." Ino said.
"I think this one's the best one too." Sakura agreed, doing a twirl for us.
"Do you even want to try on the other two?" Tenten asked.
"No, I'm good." Sakura said. "It's your turn now Tenten."
The first dress Tenten tried on was her own pick, a yellow qipao with a flower on the chest.
"Beautiful." Ino said.
"It suits you." I said.
"But I wanted something different, I feel like I'm expected to wear something like this." Tenten said.
"Then try on the one I put in." Ino said.
When Tenten came back out of the changing room she was dressed in a red body con bandage dress.
"I don't care what you guys say, I'm not wearing this one." Tenten said.
"You don't have to show it to us if you're not comfortable." I said.
"I thought I wanted a change but I'm not really sure now." Tenten said.
"Go try on the others and you can show us them if you like any of them." Ino said.
"Okay." Tenten said before heading back into the changing room.
The next thing she came out in was my choice, a yellow asymmetrical dress with one sleeve on the left and a longer skirt at the right with a few cut outs along the sleeve and left side.
"Oooh~ that's nice." Ino said.
"It looks better on than I thought it would." I said.
"It's a bit out there though." Sakura said.
"I'm not really sure on this one but I had to try it. The one Sakura gave me is pretty much the same as the dress Sakura chose so I can't wear it." Tenten explained. "I think I'm just going to wear the one I chose."
"It's a beautiful dress, I think it's a good choice." Sakura said.
"Last but not least, Hiko!" Ino said, shoving me towards the dressing room.
The first dress I tried on was green with sheer sleeves and a sheer skirt. When I stepped out Tenten wolf whistled and I laughed as I did a spin.
"Beautiful! Finally a dress I picked that looks like I hoped it would." Tenten said.
"It's a bit fragile though, it'd rip and catch quite easily." Ino said. "Not much use if you're running around taking care of things as sister of the groom."
"You can see the seams up the back of it too." Sakura pointed out.
"Next one it is." I said before heading back to the changing room to put on Ino's pick.
When I came out I was met with gasped from Sakura and Tenten. The dress was ivory with white lacing and glitter, it looked like a wedding dress.
"I've never seen you look so uncomfortable in my life." Ino said.
"This is not my thing." I said.
"It's beautiful but it looks like a wedding dress." Sakura said.
"I know, I'm not gonna wear it, I just thought I'd humour her." I explained.
"Why put her in white?" Tenten asked.
"1. It's not white, it's ivory. 2. To get Shikamaru thinking." Ino said making the three of us laugh. "Honestly, you should consider that for your actual wedding dress."
"I already have my wedding dress." I said.
"Seriously? Why?" Sakura asked.
"It was my mum's, she left it for me." I explained.
"Aww, that's sweet." Ino said.
"Next dress." I said before going off to change into the next one.
When I came out in the next dress it was an immediate no. It was short and pink and just not very wedding like.
"Sakura, what were you thinking?" Ino asked.
"It looked nicer on the hanger." Sakura said.
"That thing never looked nice." Tenten said.
"It's just your pick left now." Ino said.
"I'll be back in a minute." I said.
The final dress was a long sleeved off the shoulder navy knee length dress.
"That's the one." Tenten said.
"Shikamaru will love you in that." Ino said.
"You don't have to be his wing woman all the time Ino." Sakura said.
"It's funny though. Now let's buy our dresses and get out of here." I said.
"Let's get barbecue!" Tenten cheered.
"We have to invite Hinata then too." I said.