Mid Afternoon
"Now that this meeting is done you can go home, but I would prefer that you stay another day. Tonight we are having our annual Spring Festival and I would like you to stay. I'm not taking no for an answer." Tsundere said with a ring of finality in her voice.
"I would be happy to stay….seeing as I have no choice." Gaara said deeply annoyed. All he wanted to do was go back home to Suna. Being away from his village for another day was not part of the plan. He looked back at Kankuro and Temari sighing in silent defeat.
"Good." She said happily. "You need to be dressed formally and don't make that face Gaara, you're a teenager and you need some company other than your siblings. Dismissed." She added with a wave of her hand. I left her office with a sullen expression on my face.
"Hey Gaara, can we go shopping before going back to the hotel. I need to find a kimono for the festival." Temari asked already knowing the answer.
"No I am going to back to the hotel and Kankuro can take you." Gaara said already making his way back to their hotel room.
"But Gaara I don't want to take her…she's annoying just like all other women." Kankuro said whining.
"I'm the Kazekage and you will do as I wish." Gaara said smiling. Pulling out the Kazekage card with his siblings was his favorite past time. He heard Kankuro sigh in annoyance. Gaara really didn't care if he was irritated or not, he just didn't want to take her shopping.
"Fine, let's get this over with." Sighed Kankuro wanting to get back to the hotel and catch a nap before the festival that night.
Gaara looked up at the sun shining wondering when he could make his first escape from this village when he was knocked to the ground with a body laying over his. He looked down finding a fair-skinned woman with long waist length dark blue hair and dark bangs covering her forehead. He looked at her face only to see her eyes closed and her face gradually turning red. She quickly opened her eyes and looked at him, her face burning with embarrassment. Her eyes were white and pupil less with a tinge of lavender and a surprised expression. I waited for her to move, but she just laid there looking at me her surprised expression turning into a horrified one once she realized who I was. I grabbed her upper arms and gently pushed off my chest. I kept ahold of her arms as I stood both of us up.
"Kazakage-sama I-I'm sorry for not watching where I was going." She said bowing. Her face looked sort of familiar. One of Naruto's friends? Then it struck me. She was that girl who was in love with Naruto. I couldn't fathom why he was loud, obnoxious and never ate anything but ramen. Then again Naruto had the sort of personality that changed and drew people to him. Hinata Hyuga that was her name.
"It is quite alright Hinata, everyone gets caught up in their thoughts every once in a while." I said calmly. If this was a few years ago, she would have been a bloody dead girl laying in the middle of the village. With the Shukaku gone I hardly got angry and when I did I started meditating.
She looked up her expression once again looked surprised. Probably surprised that I knew her name no doubt. I looked up at the sky noticing the sun had dropped even lower in the sky. The festival that I was forced into go to would be starting soon and the faster I got there, the faster I could leave. I looked down at the girl and bowed my head quickly before going back to the hotel and getting ready for tonight.
Later that Night
"Gaara! Gaara!" I head someone yell from behind me. I looked around to find Naruto and Sakura Haruno running up to catch up to me. Naruto was dressed in an orange yukata with a black obi and his clan's symbol on the back. His headband was gone, leaving hair in his face. Overall it was very unappealing to the eye. Sakura on the other hand looked very nice in a kimono that was the same shade of pink as her hair, which was done up in a traditional style, and covered with white cherry blossoms that matched her obi. I also noticed they were holding hands too. Interesting, I hadn't known they had gotten together. I myself was wearing the traditional and itchy Kage robes.
"Naruto, Sakura." I said politely. I hope they didn't expect much out of me. I didn't feel like being social today…or any other day out of the year.
"So Gaara how do you like the festival so far? It's nice right?" asked Naruto smiling.
"Aye, it's very nice Naruto." I replied wanting to escape and go find somewhere less crowded so I could stare at the stars.
"You up for some ramen? Me and Sakura-chan were just going to go get some." Naruto asked me. Ramen, ugh. No thanks.
"Sorry Naruto, but I just ate and I'm in a bit of a hurry to find Temari and Kankuro." I said lying. He groaned and looked at me suspiciously.
"Temari was back there with Shikamaru playing some festival games and Kankuro was trying to pick up some girl." Sakura said giving me an excuse to leave. I nodded my head in thanks and quickly went the way that they were pointing to only to make a sharp turn towards an empty park.
I sat back against a huge tree and stared up at the stars thinking about all the paper work I would have to do when I went back to Suna. I turned back suddenly hearing someone sobbing on the other side of the tree. As I made my way around the tree I noticed it was the girl who had knocked me over earlier. She was staring at the full moon with tears running down her face and sobbing quietly now. I was about to make my way back to my original spot when she suddenly turned and looked at me. Her eyes were full of hurt and sorrow.
"Kazakage-sama, I'm sorry to disturb you. I…it's just been a horrible day." She said wiping the tears off of her reddened cheeks.
'No, your fine." I said sitting next to her. Her expression was one of anguish and I was curious to know why. Curiosity always killed the cat and in my case it killed my anti-social behavior for the moment anyway. 'Why are you out here alone crying when all of your friends are enjoying the festival?" I asked her quietly.
She took a deep breath before answering softly "I saw Naruto-kun with Sakura." I nodded my head in acknowledgement. Ah, she had seen the man she loved with another woman. I felt some sort of emotion swell up in me. I didn't understand what it was so I took it as sympathy for this woman sitting next to me.
"I saw that myself. I wouldn't dwell so much on it, you'll only hurt yourself more." I said knowingly.
"I know. I want to be happy for them but I can't. I can't help but feel guilty for the anger I have towards Sakura." She said looking down and playing with a blade of grass. I looked over at her wondering why she felt guilty for these emotions, but then I remembered I was not the right person to talk to about these kinds of things.
"Well there is someone out there for everybody Hinata, whether he is in this village or another. True love will always find a way. " I said standing about to go back to my side of the tree. Her hand froze while playing with the blade of grass. She looked up at me and smiled softly.
I didn't understand why she was smiling; it wasn't like I had said anything great. I nodded my head and was about to leave when she said "Thank you." So softly I thought I imagined it. I kept walking on finding my original seat as comfortable as I left it. I reflected on the conversation I had with Hinata while staring at the dark sky, a small smile breaking out on my face.