A/N: =D Thank you so very much for your thoughtful and detailed reviews and especially for waiting!
*TooBlueForYou identified a mistake in this chapter - I messed up the paragraphing at the very last part (Temari/Kankurou intro) - must have been really careless. But its all corrected now! :P Many thanks to TooBlueForYou for that! :D
Disclaimer: Naruto and all characters are created by Masashi Kishimoto.
2.
"Hold on a second." Hinata said, sitting up straight in her seat.
She had to give voice to her feelings. To save herself first and foremost, before committing to something this...crazy. Gaara had agreed, but she...she didn't know if she felt comfortable with this.
Plus she had to also save this 'plan' before it was torn to shreds by the seasoned gossip reporters of Hello! or the other various gossipy magazines often splashed with pictures and juicy headlines. They certainly knew a publicity stunt when they saw one, and the consequence of this one was irreversible - the people would think Gaara really had something to hide.
"I- I... have something to s-say."
Both men turned to her.
Jiraiya's questioning gaze switched from Hinata to Kurenai and back to Hinata again.
Kurenai waved a tissue at him. "Take a seat. We've discussed this very carefully while both of you were out, and my team generally agrees with- what Hinata herself has pointed out and suggested." The dark haired woman glanced at said person and nodded. "Go ahead, Hinata."
The Hyuuga cleared her throat.
Calmly does it now, Hinata.
"W-we need to be a little clear on one thing," Hinata said tentatively, leaning on her elbows and fidgeting with her pen. "We should be careful when we say that we want someone to pose as Gaara's girlfriend. Do we mean to project such an image or to set in stone the fact that Gaara has a girlfriend?"
Jiraiya's white eyebrows rose thoughtfully while Kurenai nodded and proceeded to blow into a tissue. Hinata licked her lips and nodded slowly, looking expectantly at the men.
"If we were to hint that he is romantically involved, people will naturally pick it up and start to talk amongst themselves. At the same time, if it turns out that someone has found out that his supposed girlfriend is probably a member of the Sand Hawk's PR team, we are not guilty of a publicity stunt because Gaara would not have uttered a word about having a girlfriend at all - it would have been mere speculation on gossip mongers' part. And so, if we want to do this, we need to do this carefully. I-"
Darn. She actually couldn't bring herself to say that she couldn't do this. She couldn't go right out and say. That was the problem. She was always so obliging.
"That's it."
She stopped, took a deep but inconspicuous breath through her nose, and glanced uncertainly at the man who called the shots. Her stomach churned violently and her palms were cold and clammy against the other.
So she couldn't outright say she didn't want to do this. But she had to save herself from this frightening prospect. Figuring that little loophole out and tweaking it was enough to save her skin. It might not appear to make much of a difference, but at least she need not have to do some serious acting with her very good looking co-actor. It would be so very embarrassing to pose as Sabaku Gaara's girlfriend. Maybe someone like her colleague, who was blond and gorgeous could, but not her.
Hinata desired control and stability in her life, not chaos, not something unpredictable like this. She wanted a boring, stable life - busy she could handle, but not...this.
And sometimes, she absolutely hated herself. For the life of her, but she just couldn't outright say 'No, I can't do it, because I'm easily embarrassed, and I'm not appropriate for Gaara.'
It was like... matching Mickey with Daisy Duck or something, instead of Minnie.
Not that Gaara was Mickey though. Far from that. And neither was she Daisy Duck.
Kurenai shot Jiraiya an expectant look.
"Shrewd." Jiraiya said, rubbing his chin and gazing at her. "Very delicate thinking there, Ms Hyuuga, covering our loopholes up like that. Thank goodness we have you in our team here."
Hinata managed a tiny smile.
Don't say that, don't say that! She mentally chanted. The dark haired woman could almost feel the jealousy radiating off her fellow colleagues with the exception of Kurenai. It was possible she was being over-sensitive, but she knew a jealous colleague when she saw one and felt one. Praise given to her privately was fine, because no one could be jealous, but Hinata had learnt that sometimes, being given positive comments in front of certain people were bound to get you into conflict and unwanted jealousy. At times like this, she sorely wished she hadn't been present.
"It's just a matter of looking closer-"
"Indeed." Jiraiya nodded. "But I think not many people would have been so...sensitive to such details." He smiled warmly. That probably upped Araki and Saeki's (her two colleagues) jealousy meter up a few notches. Really, she didn't like to be competitive and she most certainly didn't want anyone harbouring any hatred against her.
"Gaara. Any violent objections?"
His slow, deep voice was steady and unwavering. Firm, unlike hers.
"I always keep my word, Jiraiya."
"Yes. You do." He gazed at him and bobbed his head in a way Hinata would say was almost fatherly. She drew her eyes away from Jiraiya, only to meet intense jade ones boring into hers. They were still directed toward her. She felt as though she'd been doing a handstand, what with all the blood rushing to her cheeks and brain.
"Kurenai? I'm putting Ms Hyuuga in charge of Gaara. Alright?"
Jiraiya glanced at Kurenai and then Hinata.
"Uh-huh."
Hinata could only nod mutely.
"You'll oversee his affairs from now till this is settled. I'll be entrusting you with this matter then. Stick to what you proposed a few seconds ago, schedule for a release of a press statement as when Gaara wishes and when you think is suitable. I want to know more about Miraimi Yui and her claims too. If you can prove false her allegations with solid evidence, that's even better."
"About what I proposed earlier-"
"You are more than capable. You've handled Inuzuka and Akimichi, haven't you?"
Say it! This is your chance!
"Yes, but I-"
It was at the tip of her tongue, ready to be thrown out: But I don't think I can do it. No one will believe it!
Everyone waited expectantly for her to continue. "But it wouldn't... be very convincing, would it?" She managed in a rush, embarrassed. To make matters worse, she could feel Gaara's intense gaze on her again. Her face burned.
"I have confidence in you." Jiraiya said solemnly. "Weren't you in charge of Inuzuka, Akimichi and Uzumaki before?"
"Yes..."
"So do I have confidence in you," Kurenai said, her voice nasal yet firm.
Hinata mentally threw herself off an imaginary hundred storeyed building. The prospect of having to work with Gaara so closely wreaked havoc on her nerves. Kiba and Naruto were always so jokey, and nice. When she was working with them, she had a sense that they were treating her like a porcelain doll, heeding her every advice and instruction, as though the two huge players were afraid she would shatter into tiny pieces. Chouji was serious and easy to work with, giving his input here and there. He was really, a very nice and gentle man at heart.
All three, unlike Gaara, were not at all mysterious nor...intense. Heck, she didn't have to pretend to be either one's girlfriend!
The moment his name appeared on someone else's lips, most of the time, it was either about his talent or his brushes with the law and slightly surly temper. Definitely no drugs, alcoholic, or plain foolish man-child behaviour, but there was definitely a bad boy aura about him. True, she did not know him very well, and to be fair, she would have to hold her judgment...but doubts and fears still surfaced.
To put it delicately, he wasn't very... what was the word? - comfortable working with the PR dept, that much she knew, and yet his presence here told her that he did care, for his reputation, the team he belonged in, despite saying otherwise.
Could she get him to work with her? There were certain people who thought she was stupid and meek and too studious and geeky. Not good enough. Not attractive, not smart enough to pull this off.
Desperately, she fought the panic welling up in her chest, the exact same kind of internal struggle she'd faced since young.
Whoa, whoa, easy.
Trying to become Gaara's current arm candy was not going to be easy, and he probably couldn't wait for the entire thing to be over. The mere thought of him reacting that way eroded her self confidence even further. Plus, hadn't he said that he 'didn't give a damn about image?' He was already so very reluctant with this. Facing such a man like him everyday would cause her to combust by the time this was over, and Kurenai would probably have to pick up little bits and pieces of her while Gaara whisked another blond woman in his private jet to the Maldives or some romantic little island for a little getaway.
In order for her to do this well, she had to do what she'd been doing her whole life - constantly erase her insecurities all over again, to prove people wrong (perhaps him too) and mainly, to prove to herself that she was worthy of recognition and respect. Would she pass up this opportunity?
Gaara was a mountain to climb - rugged, rough and rocky terrain, difficult, but possible. If she focused, concentrated, put her best and found the right angle. And if she er, managed to conquer him, pull off everything splendidly and vindicate Gaara, it would be such an accomplishment to her.
And what would her family say about that?
This was the perfect moment, even if no family member of hers had ever asked for her to prove herself.
She wanted to, though.
Hinata swallowed, her throat dry.
"I know you're reluctant to do this." Kurenai said softly, out of earshot of the rest of the occupants in the room. "But you've been brilliant with the rest of the rugby players, and I have so much faith in you."
Kurenai might have faith, but the truth was, Hinata found herself breaking out in a sweat at the mere thought. Yeah, she'd been in worst situations before, when she would almost faint at the thought of having to face a gaggle of reporters and important clients. But this was different. This would not be over in a few minutes.
Remember about him being the mountain. Don't be afraid of him. Don't think about what you can or can not do. Show him what you're made of.
She pulled in a deep breath - the gathering of courage just before that final leap into oblivion.
"A-alright."
"You've got a meeting with your publicist? Publicist?"
It didn't occur to Gaara that Inuzuka Kiba, the tall, handsome winger of the Sand Hawks, would be so utterly surprised to hear that he'd been assigned a publicist in order to save him from the false accusations of a woman.
Huh. Just because he tended to avoid hiring publicists at all costs didn't mean he shouldn't have one in times like these.
"Yeah." He said grudgingly, bending down to pull up his black knee length socks. He could feel the warm sun beating down on him through his heated black jersey as he straightened up and surveyed the green field that stretched before them. It was littered with men clad in black jerseys, some standing, some still in the midst of their warm-up exercises.
"You got a problem with that?" Gaara asked without heat, a smirk gracing his lips. He took in a deep breath, relishing in the crisp, fresh air.
"You never, ever wanted one." Kiba planted his hands on his hips and turned his face to the blinding sun. The darkhaired player squinted his eyes before turning to him. A year younger than Gaara, the Inuzuka was renowned for his insane speed on the field as winger and most of all, for making it to the list of the top 5 try scorers this year.
"I still don't want one."
Although he'd said that aloud, part of Gaara admitted that he did want a certain PR publicist - Hyuuga Hinata.
Not in the sort of carnal way. Mainly primarily to have a chance to...interact with her.
Why? She surprised him at every turn - first, with her firmness in promising not to reveal anything to that nosy colleague, her sharpness and alertness in pointing out and clarifying certain things to save herself from Kurenai's suggestion - it was such a subtle and shrewd move, so simple yet meaningful, he almost hadn't caught it, till the old man had said 'shrewd'. It seemed he'd been judging the proverbial book by the cover that morning. He had believed she would accepted Kurenai's proposal without any objections, the meek little lamb she appeared to be, even perhaps with glee.
But he'd been wrong, because from the way she spoke, she wasn't very keen on taking him up. He'd sworn she looked as though she had been having this internal war inside her head, struggling to decide if she should agree to that slightly crazed plan.
He thought he understood why she wasn't leaping for joy at the prospect.
One. From her black rimmed glasses to the modest blouse and skirt she wore right down to the attentive way she noted down things and arranged her pens, Hinata projected a buttoned up and serious image, a stark contrast to the shallow women who only bothered about make-up and the fastest way to get him into their beds. He imagined she looked like the sort of woman who detailed each day's events in an organiser, arrived punctually for work every day, was disinterested in gossip, and trembled at the very thought of having to do something spontaneous.
Detailed, organised and specific and indifferent to his personal life. Maybe not totally indifferent, but he guessed she would be someone who kept her promises. Precisely what he would want if he had to choose anybody to represent him or meddle in his affairs.
Two. Gaara also knew he wasn't superbly ugly nor devastatingly handsome, and thought the NRL Sexiest Rugby Player of the Year thing was absolute bullshit. It had been the source of his ire, especially when his teammates started teasing him about it, until several of them were nominated. He, however, knew all that title crap might have played a part in her hesitating, as well as the fact that he had a different woman on his arm most of the time he was required to make an appearance. If he was correct about number one, then his behaviour of his out in the limelight had... turned her away.
Or had it been hesitance then? He saw the way she was fiddling with that pen, the uncertainty in her white eyes and her body language. Perhaps she was wary, and he'd acknowledged that that trait did save his skin more than once - she had a right to be wary. But what, or who, was she wary about?
...Was it him then?
No surprises there, he thought dryly, although it wasn't a pleasant thought and he would rather she didn't think of him that wa-
Since when did you care what someone from the PR team thinks about you?
He paused in the midst of adjusting the flap of his black and white Nikes, analysing his train of thought.
Yeah, when?
It was rare for him to want a person not to judge him based on what they read from newspaper reports/magazines (especially tabloid ones, those bloody reporters) For more than a decade ever since the harsh glare of the spotlight had been directed at him when he first stepped on the field, he'd been mocking silently at those who'd assumed they knew him without ever speaking to him, who judged him too quickly. He didn't feel the need to correct them at all, particularly people he didn't know well. They weren't in the position to dictate what was wrong and what was right of him.
Neither did he want to assume what someone was like and stereotype them, but there was very fine line between desiring certain qualities and living by these qualities. Sadly, Gaara suspected he'd been judging the proverbial book by the cover too much that morning. She wasn't all spineless, and stuffy - neither was she one of those snobby, polished and superficial PR personnel.
She was very perceptive and intelligent, he'd give her that. Qualities he admired and appreciated in his teammates and the people in his life.
Was that why he was bothered about her views of him?
"-about that blond woman isn't it?" Kiba's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. He glanced at the Inuzuka as the duo started a slow jog toward where their coach, Baki, was. "That was crap. You brushed Miraimi Yui away so harshly that other time, she's definitely lying. I hope you got Hinata as your-"
"Inuzuka! Sabaku!" Baki roared.
"WE'RE COMING!" Kiba yelled, not out of anger, but mainly because the distance between the two players and their tall, bald and heavyset coach was great.
"Tell me more about her later." Gaara clapped Kiba's shoulder and started making his way to the
"Sure." Kiba said at once. It was a second or so before realisation dawned in the Inuzuka's dark eyes. "Wait a minute. You've got her didn't you? You got Hinata?"
"Is that a good or bad thing?"
Kiba's eyes widened. "Whaddya mean good or bad? She's one of the best! Cream of the crop and all. You're lucky you didn't get...what'shername? Ah, nevermind. Just be thankful you have her. With such false accusations, Hinata'll make it right for you."
He didn't doubt what Kiba had said, because he suspected she would too. He'd thought so too. Gaara understood Kurenai's reason for selecting her. She spoke confidently at the right moments, but after that, she seemed to retract and close, like an edelweiss flower would if someone touched it.
If she was so capable, why did she seem so worried about being his publicist? He had several possible answers - some of which ranked high on his list: he was the main primary reason and her lack of confidence, judging from the way she expressed her doubts about herself.
"But it wouldn't be very convincing...would it?"
He never thought he would hear someone actually voice out his/her doubts about herself, much less in front of an audience.
That was odd, but he admitted that it wasn't easy to do such a thing.
Gaara looked forward to hearing Kiba's opinion of her and from the other guys she'd worked with before. He also wanted very badly to fast forward to the meeting he'd suggested with Hinata at half past seven that evening. One, to work on the Miraimi incident, and two, partly because he wanted to confirm the above.
It was crazy to have such an urge to know what made Hyuuga Hinata tick - one moment she was quietly confident, and then uncertain yet so sure of what she wanted to say. It should have made him thought her as a fickle woman with, but as far as he could tell after getting to know her within such a short span of time, she was not.
The last he saw her was shortly after the meeting to give her the main elements he wanted in his press statement and she'd promised him that it would be out by lunch time that day. She spoke eloquently when they discussed briefly about his statement, nodding and listening attentively to his words while penning it down.
Something was holding her back. Something was restraining that confidence within her, preventing it from gushing out, full blast. The way he saw it now, it was leaking out in sporadic moments, only when she was eager to communicate something of vital information. One reason might have been because she was modest, but it was far from it, he guessed.
Tilting his head back, he let out a breath. Kiba glanced at him for a moment.
He'd never spent so much time pondering over one woman before - probably it was because he was being wary and rigid, like he always was, and more so ever since the accusations from Miraimi. And the other was because the women who'd traipsed past him did not require anything more than hands and mouth to figure them out.
But now was not the time for such matters. His mindset had to be altered for now, just like he always did whenever he had to focus on playing rugby - tuned off and indifferent to troubles, ready for the physical extremity of their team training session. In fact, Gaara always welcomed it. He needed to expend his energy in doing something, to work out his frustration, and most of all, to focus on what needed to be strengthened and improved on the field, in the game.
For approximately eight hours, there would be no Miraimi Yui, no unborn child, no Hyuuga Hinata.
Just him, the ball, the field, the sun.
"Oi Gaara! MOVE YOUR ASS!"
And occasionally, a very loud blond.
Westport, Suna
Furyoku Temari buckled her seat belt and took in a deep breath through her parted mouth as she watched other fellow First Class passengers stowed away their hand luggages and took to their seats amidst the welcoming murmurs of the cabin crew stationed thoughout the plane.
Leaning back against the head rest, she watched as a dark haired man took his seat across the aisle and retrieved a newspaper from his suitcase.
"Ms Furyoku." A slender stewardess materialised beside her seat, one hand on her headrest, a solemn smile on her lips. She identified herself as the Chief Stewardess and uttered the same words she had heard over the past two days: "The airline conveys our condolences to the passing away of Mr Furyoku Sabashi." She murmured in a low tone, inclining her head. "We are deeply sorry for the loss."
"Thank you." Temari said quietly, a small smile on her lips.
The stewardess nodded and stepped away.
Glancing across the aisle yet again, she watched as her younger brother braced his head against his thumb and index finger and inspected an article carefully, as though he was studying an extremely difficult piece of document he couldn't quite comprehend.
"Kankurou." She half whispered across the aisle, after a woman carrying a gurgling baby in her arms walked past her.
Kankurou turned abruptly to stare at her, as though roused from a daze. Wordlessly, Temari stretched her hand out, gesturing for him to pass her the newspaper in his hands. He relented, digging his fingers through his hair.
"I can't believe it." He raised his eyebrows and shook his head while throwing up his hands. "After all these years, and we never knew at all-"
Temari shook her head slightly, a warning look in her eyes as more passengers started entering the cabin. She wouldn't risk anyone getting a hold of such news and leaking it. Kankurou braced his head against his knuckles.
"So he doesn't know us." Her younger brother muttered, after yet another stream of passengers passed.
Temari shook her head slowly, looking down at the newspaper in her lap. "I don't think so. He might not have known our father at all, because Dad didn't reveal himself to...him."
There was a silence here, as though both of them knew that it would have been a negative point against their father.
"What do you think of the article?"
"You asked me that a million times already, Kankurou. I said it might be true."
"Um-hm. Given his reputation with the ladies, its possble. But Miraimi Yui doesn't seem to be a particularly strait laced woman either. It says here that she's a groupie."
"Its scandalous just because he's well known and she's a groupie." Temari reasoned. "Plus, he's not married, which means he didn't cheat on anyone. And we don't even know if he fathered the child or not."
"Do you think he did?"
"I'll withold my judgment till there is evidence."
"Tem? I don't mean to dash your hopes and speak ill of him but this dude looks like one of those people who drives a Lambo, swaggers around in a pair of Oakley shades and holds nightly parties in his villa. It means he could very well have-"
"You have Oakley shades and you drive an Audi."
Kankurou ignored her retort. "I'm just pointing out the obvious."
"And so am I."
"Ah...someone's protective now?"
"I'm just trying to be positive here." She snapped. Temari took in a deep breath and touched her forehead with her hand. "I'm sorry. I'm just-"
"I know." Kankurou said sombrely, cutting her off quickly. "I know. You don't have to apologise."
She looked down and gazed at the picture of the crimson haired Sabaku Gaara, one of the world's most famous rugby player, highest paid athlete, the surly captain of the Sand Hawks and now... her half-brother.
"So we're really gonna walk up to him and say, 'Heyy, bro, it's us! Your long lost siblings!' Just like that? Like that?" Kankurou might have sounded casual and incredulous, but Temari detected a different inflection when he said the word 'bro'. He said it like it tasted foreign and strange on his did a quick scan around her - no one looked as though they were particularly interested in their conversation. And a baby had started wailing loudly somewhere behind them, which pretty much provided a good cover-up.
"Of course not." She said indignantly. "We'll...do it properly."
Kankurou bit the insides of his cheek. "This is nuts," He muttered. "Sabaku Gaara...my god. Can you imagine it? It's incredible. But- but wow." He thumped the back of his head against the head rest a few times. She didn't know if her brother simply didn't like the idea of having Gaara as his brother, or delighted in knowing that one of his favourite sports athletes was actually his younger brother. He didn't want to admit it, but long before her father had confessed his affair, Kankurou had always tuned in to watch the games Gaara played in and discussed it enthusiastically with his friends.
Perhaps he had mixed feelings. So did Temari - she didn't know what to make of it, wasn't sure what was the proper way to react, and at the same time, was cautious of how Gaara would react.
It felt extremely strange...someone in this world who was actually a part of their family all along, and they'd never known it once. It could have made hers, as well as Kankurou's life far more different. A person, whom they often saw on TV, on newspapers, was actually their half-brother. A little like a group of scientists discovering something, only to realise that the law of physics they'd always adhered to had been wrong...or something similar. The point was, normalcy was out of her reach, now that things were shifting and changing so quickly.
It was her father's time to go, she admitted, for he had been suffering for a long time coming - all Temari wished for was that he would go peacefully, and she thought he did so, because her father took pain in his stride and bore with it until the end.
The blond returned her gaze to the newspaper and tried to put herself in Gaara's shoes. She sucked in her breath and shook her head, wishing she didn't have to be the one to tell that to him, wishing that he didn't have to face them.
He wasn't a money grubbing fellow who was unemployed and leapt at the chance to be acknowledged as the son of a wealthy businessman: this was important, because it could put them at a disadvantage. In contrast, Gaara had made a name for himself, had the ability to support himself financially and most importantly, he was (and still is) her half-brother. She had to let him know that, she had to see him and to talk to him.
Gaara was indeed her biological half-brother, because they definitely shared the same father; it been proven in black and white and not merely assumed. Furyoku Sabashi was like that - he wanted to be sure of everything, and he was a stickler for accuracy. The very same one who'd passed away from lung cancer recently, who had apparently, been keeping this under wraps for such a long, long time. So well-kept was it, that neither siblings had noticed anything amiss.
Did he resent the fact that his father had never acknowledged him? Would he? Would he even believe that he had half-siblings? What about accepting them?
The last question, if posed to her, was ultimately a yes. There was no reason not to, afterall.
The seat belt lights came on, prompting a communal clicking sound of belts being buckled while the captain addressed them over the system. Temari raised her eyes and met Kankurou's dark ones.
"Properly." He mouthed quietly. "How?"
It wasn't the how, Temari thought as she folded the newspaper and tucked it into the seat in front of her. She had an idea how, but it was the after part that she was sorely worried about.
Furyoku - pertaining to the power of wind.