“Get out of the way, Ino-pig,” her pink-haired friend snapped in irritation, making a great show of moving around her, “You’re blocking the road.” She paused on the far side of the display with her arms resolutely folded, as she tried very hard to not peek down at what her companion was up to.

“Shush, Forehead,” the girl exclaimed, somewhat muted as she burrowed still deeper into the trough, “People might hold me accountable for your ignorance.”

The owner of the little shop, a plump middle-aged woman with her hair tied back in a bun, waddled forward in a mass of red and white skirts with a kilo-watt smile plastered on her face. “Has my honoured customer found something she likes?”

“Have I ever!” Ino squealed, bobbing back out of the box, clutching her prize to her chest, “Have you seen this?” She spun on the spot, her overlong-fringe and hair flying as she thrust a slim CD case under Sakura’s nose.

Sakura rumpled said appendage. A slender girl in a red split-sided dress and black knee-length hotpants, she studied the brightly patterned item with a quizzical expression on her face. “Yours Eternal by the Chocolate Monkeys,” she read, her heart-shaped face starting to frown, “What the hell is that?”

The stall vendor tutted sympathetically. “Ah, my honoured customer has not heard?” her gleaming round features beamed down at Sakura with an ever ready sales pitch, “They are the new popular youth band from the land of Grass. Their last five singles went straight to number one and they are considered the Number One Boyband on this entire continent.”

“You see? You see?” the blonde shrieked, her broad features and pale doey eyes melting with happiness, “And the leader singer is such a hottie!” She bounced on her toes, kissing the cover repeatedly. The shop keeper smiled happily.

Sakura glanced at her feet, feeling somewhat put out by the whole thing. “Well, unlike you, Ino-pig, I’m devoted only to Sasuke,” she snapped, her stance becoming more defiant by the moment, “I couldn’t possibly find another guy more attractive.” She huffed, sticking her chin in the air as she looked away in apparent disgust. One eye opened just a crack as she gaged her friend for a reaction.

Instantly the other girl paused. “Did I say he was hotter than Sasuke?” she spluttered, a little flustered, “But well… Sasuke doesn’t sing and this guy well... he has… such an amazing voice. I could listen to him singing all day!” She swooned slightly, but collected herself almost immediately, twiddling the end of her long ponytail around her fingers. “Of course, if Sasuke ever sang he would be better. No question asked, but…” The sentence trailed off unfinished, its obvious conclusion left unbidden.

Sakura glanced down at her hands. She shuffled her feet awkwardly and glanced at one of the flimsy wooden walls of the open-fronted stalls. “Somehow…” she murmured, “I can’t imagine Sasuke singing…”

Ino nodded, a little shame-faced. “Yeah…me too…”

Sakura clicked her tongue and tilted her head to the side. “It would be weird.”

Ino nodded, sucking on her lip. “Very.”

Sakura sighed, running a hand up and down its opposing arm. “It kind of spoils his cool, collected image…”

Ino nodded again, shifting on her feet in almost unwilling agreement. “It does.” She glanced down at the album in her hands, tracing its spine a little awkwardly. Sakura sighed deeply. So did she.

“Have my honourable customers seen this?” the stall vendor interrupted, grinning broadly. She flicked a hand towards the back of the shop. “We also carry wall posters of the Chocolate Monkeys. Available in all sizes!”

“Yay!” Both girls squealed with delight, leaping up into the air and beaming madly at each other.

“You see, Forehead,” Ino beamed, elbowing her friend in the side as she leaped over, “You stick with me and I’ll have you up to date on all the latest popular culture.”