She stood up and gave Sakura a cold look. "Well, sorry for not treating you so roughly!" Ino looked just as exasperated. "You really don't give anyone a chance to get sentimental!"
Sakura looked utterly wronged by that assessment. "You two looked so listless, so I was just trying to perk you up!"
Hinata and Ino both nodded perfunctorily. "Well, thank you so much, Sakura. How thoughtful!" Despite their words, neither showed the slightest trace of happiness or gratitude. All they wore were looks of disdain.
Although Sakura had no idea what the two had been thinking earlier, seeing them bicker with her now told her they had finally recovered some of their spirits. So even as they scolded her, she wasn't unhappy in the least and remained all smiles.
Hinata and Ino were thinking the same thing: it really was impossible to stay angry at someone like her. The jealousy they had begun to feel had been snuffed out before it could take root.
It was rare for the three of them to get together, so Hinata and Ino's afternoon training fell by the wayside. The three happily went shopping and out for food, spending the entire afternoon in high spirits.
But after they parted that evening and headed home, their expressions told a different story. Hinata Hyuga had always been a gentle girl, yet the look on her face now could almost be called fierce.
She silently told herself, I have to train harder from now on. Sakura is already working so hard. I have to work hard enough to protect my companions, too!
Ino was much the same. Her delicate face was filled with determination. "I can't keep playing around like before. Sakura is putting everything she has into this!" As she spoke, she clenched her fists