The next morning Kankuro sat in the shade underneath the awning of the house he shared with his siblings. He often sat there repairing and upgrading his puppets when he wasn't training. He found that lately it had taken up most of his time. With the current peace between villages, he didn't train as much, but he still worked out to keep in shape.

"Dammit!" Kankuro whispered loudly as the tool he was using on Crow proceeded to break in half and give him a nasty cut on his left hand. He walked inside and ran his hand under the cool water from the kitchen sink before dabbing his hand dry and possibly doing the shitiest (shitiest?) wrapping job known to man. He had His fair share of scars on his hands for the same reason. You'd think after working on puppets for so long he'd be a pro. And he was. He was an artist. But his thoughts often wandered causing him to lose his concentration.

"This would be easier if my hands weren't so big."

Once Crow was put back into his scroll and secured to his waist, Kankuro left the house and headed towards the market. Whenever a tool broke he would go to the market in search for new ones. Since Suna was allies with more villages than a few years ago there was almost always a new tool just for him that he'd never seen before.

Kankuro walked to one of the shops he favored and wiped a few beads of sweat off his face. He decided not to wear his shinobi uniform or face paint given that it was unusually hot out. Even for him.

"Kankuro, my boy! How have you been?" The shop owner greeted him with a smile.

"I'm fine, thank you. How about yourself?" Kankuro smiled back at the man he knew all too well.

"Well I haven't been kicked out by the ol' lady yet." The shop owner joked making Kankuro smile ever wider.

Kankuro stopped by this shop in particular so often that he became good acquaintances with the shop owner. He was a married man. Probably around his father's age if he were still alive now. He was also very cheerful and very loud. Kankuro had even been crazy even to go drinking with him one night. It was the first and last time. Not because Kankuro disliked the man. No. The problem was when he carried the man home after he was too drunk to walk only to find his wife waiting at the door. It was not a very nice scene.

"So what can a do for you today?"

Kankuro raised his left hand showing the makeshift bandage. "Broke another one." He said unfortunately.

"That's the third one this month."

"I know, I know."

"Tell you what." The shop owner reached under the counter and set down a brand new tool, knowing exactly which one Kankuro needed.

"This one is on the house."

"Oh no, I can't. You're too good to me."

"Nonsense. Its because you're so good to me and my shop that I'm still in business." The man smiled. "Take it as a thank you. It's the least I can do."

"Alright, thank you." Kankuro bowed and the shop owner bowed back.

"Anything I can do for the Kazekage's brother."

And there it was. One of the things he hated to hear the most. There were two of them actually, that and...

"How come you don't have a girl yet?" His friend asked.

Yep. That was the second. Kankuro hated being treated special just because of his place in the village. He wanted to be treated and respected by who he was and how he got his position. Not because of his little brother. Don't get me wrong he loved having Gaara as the Kazekage. He was proud of him, but Gaara got to the top by himself and he wanted to do things on his own as well. And because of his makeup and uniform as well as his war reputation and nightly activities, the civilians were afraid of him. Sure the respected him as son of the 4th and brother of the 5th, but he could see it. He could see the slight fear in their eyes. It was possible he had a short temper. Maybe he could work on that, but let's not forget all the ladies that would give a leg, or an arm to sleep with him. They just wanted bragging rights so they could say they slept with the Kazekage's older brother. Not that he minded. It often kept him busy. In the end, none of them meant anything to him. They were simply there to entertain him.

"I just haven't been looking." Kankuro replied.

"That's too bad. A guy like you. Good looking, smart, strong...rich. I bet the ladies love you."

Kankuro chuckled. "Yeah, but that's the problem. Isn't it? By the way thanks for the compliment. Maybe you'd like to date me." Kankuro joked.

"Haha see you around Kankuro." The shop owner waved goodbye as Kankuro walked out.

That was the problem. Yeah he could settle down, but did he want to? Not really. He wanted his life to be fast paced and full of...pleasure. Although not like I'd been great lately. And finding a girl? No problem, but finding a girl that was interested in him? Not in a million years.

Lost in thought Kankuro didn't realize what was happening till it was too late. He fell to the ground after rounding the corner and assumingly walking into someone or something.

"Watch where you are going!" A feminine voice yelled.

"Me?! Why don't you..." Kankuro looked up to see who he had run into. Whatever he was about to say had flown out of his mind because what he was looking at was probably the most beautiful girl he had ever saw. At least that's what she had looked like to him. He got caught up in her green eyes and didn't realize she was talking to him.

"Hello, idiot, yeah I'm talking to you!" Angry. Check.

"Oh uh.." Kankuro quickly stood up and held out his hand for her to take. She looked at him surprised like she hadn't expected him to help her up. She took his hand and he helped her to her feet.

Kankuro took the time to take in her appearance. Her what was once probably straight brown hair was now disheveled like it hadn't been combed in days. It was held together by a bandana that covered her head. By the look of her clothes, and hands he'd say she hadn't bathed in a few days either. Most likely the last time she combed her hair. She was also shorter than him. The top of her head just under his chin.

"So, what's your name?" Kankuro asked.

"What's your name?... What's your name? You just ran right into me, knocked me over and all you have to say is "what's your name?""

"Uhh..."

"Yume."

"You got a last?"

"That's need to know. What about you? What's your name?" Yume asked.

"That's need to know." Kankuro replied back sounding like a complete asshole.

Yume glared at him. "Whatever."

"I don't think I've seen you around before."

"Oh yeah? Do you make a point to know everyone in the damn village?"

"Well, I know a lot of people in the village."

"But not everyone." Yume said matter of factly with a fake smile.

Kankuro rolled his eyes. "Ya know maybe I have met you before and I hated you so much that I pushed your memory out of my mind." Kankuro put his hands behind his head and walked away leaving Yume fuming.

That was a lie. If he had met Yume before he would have remembered. Despite her bad mouth and appearance there was no way he would have forgotten her. She was simply gorgeous.

After his encounter with the new girl Kankuro stopped to buy Gaara and him lunch, then headed towards the Kazekage mansion.

A/N- Ok here it is. The second chapter. What do you guys think so far? If you haven't already figured it out, Yume is my OC. I looked up a name and made her up as a went. With a few plot related details thrown in there.