Your sleeping was abruptly interrupted by someone shaking you, desperately ,trying to waking you was Kankuro and by the look on his face he didn't seem very eyes fluttered open and squinted, barely smiled at Kankuro sleepily trying to get yourself out of your realized that you were awake and stopped shaking you, but held your shoulders firmly in place.

"Kankuro-kun Good morning!"

You yawned sweetly.

"Don't you 'good morning' me! Do you know what time it is!"

he yelled quietly

You:No, I don't .Why?

You asked curiously

Kankuro:Have you been eating sugar before bed again?

He replied in a suspicious yet angry tone

You moved your eyes from either side and blushed

"Maybe....,"

"No wonder you don't maybe this will jog your memory,"

He said walking towards your white and blackish vanity across from your bed he reached out for the mirror and took a small picture of Naruto,Sakura, and Sasuke

"Do you remember now or do I have to smack you?"

He asked rolling his eyes at you.

You started at the picture for quite a moment the it all came back to you.

You:THE CHUNIN EXAMS!!!

you gasped loudly practically jumping out of your bed.

Kankuro laughed at you then placed the picture back on the spotless mirror of your fragile vanity then

went towards the door.

"That candy is making you slow, Hinote. Get your ass in gear! Oh! and don't worry we don't leave in another 30 minutes Gaara went off by himself should give you enough time to freshen up,"

"Cool! Thanks,man!"

You replied relived.

Kankuro:Don't thank me, thank Gaara, without him we would've left you by now ,bye-bye,"

You:ugh,whatever....

You muttered annoyed.

You quickly made your bed then ran into the bathroom to as Kankuro so eloquently put it "freshen up"

in a split second you were out of your room walking down the stairs towards the living area

As you looked around the room you saw Gaara leaning on the wall with his gourd not on his back but on his arms were folded and his eyes were closed.

You walked gracefully towards him and stood right in front of him.

"Heeey,friend!"

You greeted cheerfully,as you wrapped your arms around your beloved roommate.

Gaara , widened his eyes,startled by your sudden greeting,but eventually hugged you back lightly with one hand.

"What's up?"

Gaara replied quietly almost too quiet for you to hear.

"How are you?"

You asked him

"Hn....I'm fine,"

He replied once more silently

You smiled that heavenly smile that you knew Gaara he always loved but never quite showed how much he his love for it,It was

so irritating to him. It always made him feel like agreeing to smile sent shivers down his spine, suceeding in making the butterflies in the stomach feeling creep up on him now he was getting annoyed.

"What's wrong with you?"

You asked concerned

"Nothing!"

He scoffed softly

"Are you suure?"

"Sure.......,"

Gaara replied his deep voice even softer than it was before. He turned,his head to the side with this depressed look on his face,almost sad,

You gazed into Gaara's eyes leaning forward slightly not wanting to get too close.

"See... you don't look so sure"

"It's none of your concern don't worry I'm fine...trust me," He said calmly.

But you were still unsure about him being okay. You couldn't help but worry about was something about Gaara's eyes,something very unusual. They were filled with fear,sorrow and regret. It was almost as if he looked like he was about to gazed into your eyes looking right through you, sharing his unknown sadness with you soon making one tear fall from your gracious, crimson red eyes down to your baby soft the tear could trickle downward any further.

Gaara hesitantly lifted his index finger wiping ever tear away then, by instinct, yanked his finger from your face

and sighed.

"What are you crying for? I told you there's nothing to worry about,"

Gaara said in his natural, deep voice.

"Oh that! No, no, you've got it all wrong there was something in my eye!"

You panicked,trying to cover up the moment the two of you just had.

"Don't lie to me Hinote.I don't like liars,"

Gaara replied annoyed

"I'm not lying! It's true really!"

You protested with a light giggle.

Gaara:Sure it is.

Gaara chuckled as he smirked at you with mischievous sucked your teeth at him then hit him on his knew when you were lying you would always start to panic and get defensive when you lie. Temari cut into your conversation

"C'mon guys it's time to go,"

"Okay!"

Kankuro turned to you and Gaara, motioning his head, telling you to follow.

"C'mon Gaara,"

You prompted, walking out of the door .Gaara swung his gourd around his back and followed you, closing the door behind glanced at his left hand,the hand he touched your face with and clenched it into a fist.

"Damn it what is wrong with me!" he thought to himself completely, agitated with himself ,then with you

15 hours later

It was in the forest late at night about 12:45,the moon was full,brilliant,yet its beauty was gauzed by the dark clouds of the night sky passing it stars smothered the sky making the moonlight make a mockery out of one person showed any weakness as they traveled you four were used to traveling long distances,actually, you enjoyed the walking under the diamond stars especially Gaara who couldn't stopped stealing glances of awe of the sky as he walked.

"Wow! It's so pretty!" You said amazed.

"You can't even guess how many stars are up there,"

"Hmmmm,"

Kankuro groaned as he tried to count them.

"Ten,"

" Idiot!" You,Gaara, and Temari all said simultaneously.

"The sky reminds me of my favorite horror movie,"

Gaara marveled.

"How come you never let me watch horror movies with you,again?"

You questioned curiously.

Well,let's last time I let you watch one with me you almost nearly broke my hand!

"You let her hold your hand, Gaara?"

Temari questioned incredulously.

"It was either that or she starts screaming,"

Gaara replied in total horror of the thought

"That's why I don't let you watch them whether I'm there or not," he concluded.

"Viewer Discretion is Advised,"

Kankuro snickered

"Hmph!!!"

You huffed,feeling completely rolled his eyes,wrapped one arm around you shoulder,and grinned a little.

"Don't worry,I'll let you watch another with me,okay?"

You smiled and nodded and put one arm around his two of you never left each others side.

Soon,the four of you decided to set up camp and rest for the fire was lit,The tents were up and one sleeping bag was out,which was yours since you like to sleep under the 's sleeping bag was next yours but not too close about a width apart except he wasn't in it,however,he was laying on top of it flat on his back staring up at the beautiful star-filled sky with an unfathomable look in his eyes.

You were sitting on top of yours your knees buried into your chest gazing at the stars and the puzzling constellations they formed.

"Hey, Gaara-kun. Can I ask you something?"

You asked hesitantly

"What is it?"

He said in an emotionless tone

"Do you think I'm a burden?"

You asked very slowly ,hoping he would tell you what you wanted to hear ,but you knew that that Gaara never operated that was always very bold when he answered your questions and told you like it is, he never sugarcoating anything.... was a sudden silence in the dark yet brillant forest Gaara was hoping you weren't gonna ask that. He didn't want to tell you for some reason.

"Why do you ask?"

He questioned nervously

"I just want to know if you're acting this way...is it because of me?"

You asked timidly,afraid of the answer.

Gaara sighed now in complete boredom and sat up sitting in front of you now his eyes looking straight into yours striking you with an unintentional intimidation

" Didn't I tell you not to worry about that?"

Gaara repeated from yesterday.

"I know it's just that something's been bothering me ever since yesterday.I've been wondering,I was tempted to think that maybe I did something wrong...did I hurt you or anything?"

"Of course not! It's not that at all,Hinote.....I just... have a lot of things on my mind,alright? It has nothing to do with you,I promise," He whispered

"Oh....but still that look in your eyes...It still lingers,"

"You don't what you're talking about,"

He whispered to where you could barely hear it.

He denied your words even though he knew they were true

"I'm sorry," you said,letting your hand slowly crawl towards watched your hand,and let your fingers play and intertwine slowly with his.

"Don't be there's nothing to be sorry about,"

He said with a small smile,moving one of your long,red locks from your face.

Gaara stopped talking and lied down his hand behind his head gazing at the gauzy sky again.

You lied down as well turning over towards Gaara and you two talked until you fell asleep and left

Gaara's Pov

Hinote feel asleep after the long,senseless conversation we had about the stars.I watched her sleep, and,again, that same abnormal feeling consumed me, engulfing me in it's cruel forcing me into it's embrace,like she said the feeling 'still lingers'. No matter how much I try to hide it, somehow she sees and always at her still,perfect figure made me realize how broken I really was. I felt decrepit and alone even though I was used to it.

I never felt this much pain...at least mentally but it was physical pain as well,every time I thought of her

my muscles started aching and I've been getting a lot of migraines. Something was preventing me from giving it the Shukaku? My Pride?Myself?......I didn't know and I didn't want to know.I feel like she has left me in the same hellhole I've been in, where bitter crimson tears fall as the chaos within me grows stronger and stronger.