Kintsukuroi

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Chapter 7: The Past

Three figures ran across the sea of sand, leaving three tall trails of sand in their wake, scattering through the air behind them on the account of their speed.

The trio had been traveling for two days now.

Today being their third.

The trio stopped once they hit the end of the desert, where the seemingly endless sand, begins to sprout vegetation.

" Can we take a breather.. or water break.. please guys.. " the one wearing a black jumpsuit with a face semi covered in purple paint, pleaded meekly.

The lone female in the group waved her hand, dismissively, at him to stop his yammering.

" Bah! Kankuro go ahead, and stop asking.. It is your canteen.." The blonde stated in an aggravated tone.

The third party member was silently observing the two, shaking his head at their childish antics while the one identified as Kankuro happily chugged the majority of the water in his canteen.

" ..I can't wait to be in Konoha, already!.. I love our home and all.. it's just.. these are the hottest months in Suna..and Konoha is just hitting spring..This is going to be the best vacation.." Gaara's opted for watching the sands they were leaving behind while they waited.

There was something about to the patches of shrubbery that defied the sand by blooming, it reminded him about his relationship with Konoha.

" This is nothing but a mission.. We do what we must and return to Sunagakure.."

Temari sighed at her youngest brother and unsnapped her fan, resting it in front of where she stood, her left twitching.

" Gaara.. I..I honestly won't forgive you if you don't take it easy. Especially, if I can't relax and catch up with our.. allies"

She finished with a look that could easily be seen as sincere, but Gaara knew corner of his mouth twitched up into a faint smile.

Temari huffed at his reaction and proceeded to clip her fan to her back deciding to continue towards the gates of Konoha.

Kankuro stood there slack jawed, in awe at the fact Temari playfully threatened Gaara, and the fact he reciprocated.

Since the interaction, Gaara was seamlessly back to his emotionless facade, and was currently examining his older brother, curious as to why he looked shocked, before deciding to walk after his sister.

Kankuro noticing he was falling behind, shook off the initial shock and ran towards his siblings as he tried to catch up.

Temari and Gaara never noticed it, but Kankuro couldn't help but smile, unable to recall him doing so, in a long time.

' He really has changed...'


The Gates of Konoha

" Ahh.. Team Baki I presume? May I see your papers?"

The trio searched on their person for their traveling passes and showed it to the silver haired guard, who seemed very familiar.

Kankuro squinted his eyes, trying to place him. The guard in question was wearing, Jonin gear, and sported one visible eye, while the rest of his face was concealed.

" If you're trying to place me.. I'm Hatake, Kakashi, Sensei to team 7. Kankuro's eyes widened once it clicked.

" How could I forget?.. So.. guarding duty?.. What's that about?" Temari stepped forward, taking interest in the conversation.

"Yeah, What?.. Did you do something bad?" the ninja now identified as Kakashi, sweat-dropped his right hand rubbed the back of his head bashfully, while his left shooed the trio away.

" Ha..haha... Run along you three.. Those vegetables won't grow on their own.."

Kankuro and Temari looked at each-other, shrugged and continued their trek towards the Hokage's Office, with Gaara not too far behind, whom seemed to be sporting a small smirk.


The Hokage's Office - A couple minutes after Mid-day.

"My team from Suna! I believe this will be an amazing year for us all! I bet you guys are wondering where you'll be staying this entire year.."

A brown eyed busty woman, with straight shoulder-length blonde, which were usually kept tied in two loose ponytails, sat behind the main desk in the room that had the symbol of fire painted on the face of said desk.

On closer examination the appearance of a violet diamond shape at all times, stayed visible, on her forehead.

The Hokage was always seen in her signature grass-green haori with the kanji for "gamble" written on the back, inside a red circle.

Underneath that, she wore a gray, kimono-style blouse with no sleeves, held closed by a broad, dark bluish-gray obi that matches her pants. Her blouse is closed quite low, Kankuro noted, revealing a more than ample look at her sizable cleavage.

Tsunade's eyes ran across a sheet of paper on her desk, she smiled once she found the information he was looking for.

"So it seems you'll be staying in Nikko Inn.. I'll have someone escort you.. Nara! Get in here!" the middle-aged Hokage yelled, Temari stiffened from the mention of the last name, unbeknownst to Gaara.

The trio turned toward the door they had just came through, which was slowly, but surely, being opened again.

"Yeah, yeah.. I'm coming, what can I do for you today Lady... Hokage.." Shikamaru started to say, in a disinterested and bored tone, until he noticed she wasn't the only occupant and 8 pairs of eyes stared back at him.

Shikamaru made eye contact with one pair, and as soon as they did, they forcibly tore their eyes away from each other.

" The man I wanted to see! Fix your tone!..afterward.. I would like you to take Team Baki to Nikko Inn.. Now, I'm addressing you three." Tsunade stood and made her way around her desk, addressing the Suna team before her.

"These upcoming months could be a chore for you..or it can become a wonderful experience. Remember, you help us obtain a surplus by expanding farmland, every month, Suna will receive the benefits of your labor. That I can ensure you.. Rest up.. see you three in two days.. Dismissed."

The trio bowed in respect and followed, the one Gaara remembered to be called Shikamaru, to their lodgings.

This particular day in Konoha, the weather was.. beautiful.

The sun shone brightly, the breeze picked up every now and then. The clouds even contributed to keeping the citizens of Konoha out of the sun's beaming rays, from time to time.

" Kon'nichiwa! Shikamaru-sama!" Shikamaru waved his hand passively to the person saying 'Good Afternoon'.

"Sakura.. please.. just my name is fine, we've known each-other since childhood."

The girl known as Sakura, smiled and adjusted the large amount of books she carried, while replying.

Gaara unconsciously examined Sakura, she wore a red qipao dress with short sleeves the slits along the sides accompanied by a zipper and white circular designs.

She also wore tight dark green bike shorts with a shuriken holster around her right thigh, blue sandals, and the standard Konoha forehead protector worn as a hairband.

Her fair skin, short rosette hair and green emerald eyes bringing him back to the moment he pinned her to tree, all those years ago.

'Shukaku..' he asked the ichibi dormant inside him.

' ...What is is boy..'

'Why did you spare her .. All those years ago?'

'...'

Gaara awaited to hear a response back from the one tailed tanuki, but was stunned and perplexed when he didn't receive one.

The unusual silence gave him a sense of uneasiness, which lead him to beckon the Ichibi again.

'..Shukaku..?' Gaara waited patiently on edge, until hearing his beast within him reply:

' In due time...'

Gaara shook his head and focused on the interaction before him.

"I know.. but you're a Jonin.. that counts for something.."

Shikamaru just shook his head, Sakura took this time to examine the people following him, she beamed when she recognized the trio and walked up to Temari, whom took all of Sakura's books only to then shove them into Kankuro's arms, who grumbled in response as the dirty blonde gave the rosette haired girl a big bear hug.

"What a pleasant surprise!.. Gaara-san! Temari-san! And Kankuro-san!.. How long are you guys planning on staying?" Temari grinned and released her.

"A year.. we're basically the...gardening committee.." the response made Sakura smile.

"That's fantastic! I really hope we can hangout soon! There is so much happening this March! I really want you guys to join in on the festivities.." Sakura informed them while lifting the heavy stack of books out of Kankuro's arms, with relative ease, before walking backwards towards the Hokage office, by now Temari's eyes had a mischievous spark to them at the mention of festivities.

"I wish I could talk more! but, I have to run!.. or Tsunade will wring my neck for being late. It's been great seeing you guys again. Great to see you all healed and doing well!..Gaara-san" She stopped her trek to address the redhead."

"How's your student Matsuri?" she finished, sporting a soft smile.

Gaara's eyes came to rest on Sakura.

" I owe a great deal of thanks to you, Haruno-san. Without your medical attention, she would have never been liberated from those rouge-ninjas and ..I possibly wouldn't be standing here today.. Thank you.." Sakura smiled softly at the compliment, the sound of children playing, snaps her out of her reverie as she turns and makes her way to the Hokage office after once again saying her 'goodbyes' and 'see you laters'.

Gaara watched her retreating form from his peripherals and continued to follow Shikamaru to the Inn.


Nikko Inn - 1:30 pm

"Well here you are.. As you may have heard.. The Hokage gave you guys three days off.. I suggest you spend them wisely. Work starts soon" Shikamaru reminded them.

The genius ninja received a pat on the shoulder, and a look of acknowledgment from Sabuku boys, but as Temari neared the entrance to the Inn, about to pass him.

She held out her hand for Shikamaru to shake, said Jonin, looked at it strangely before taking a hold of her hand, shaking it and realized she was handing him a note.

Temari chuckled wholeheartedly at his lost expression and continued after her brothers to their reserved room, thanks to the Hokage.

Shikamaru looked into his hand and opened the note as inconspicuous as he can.

The note read:

'I hope we can enjoy the festivities you'll be showing me later..'

-Tem

A light pink hue dusted across Shikamaru's cheeks. He looked up to the sky, sighing.

' I think I got my work cut out for me..'