My right hand hurts from all the typing, and my eyes hurt from the monitor… but I don't care! Here is the 6th chapter to my story! I think our pc has a virus, whenever I open my document, some sort of file gets created along with it, I have to delete it every time! oh no! :P


Reiyka carefully adjusted the strap of her forehead protector on her waist, tying it securely. She sat down on the bed and folded her clean clothes. The warm afternoon sun shone brightly through the glass windows. She remembered home. I wonder… she thought, staring into space. Reiyka woke up from her reverie and stood up. She tried stretching her arms and legs but she winced in pain.

"Here we go again." She tried not to mind the growing pain on her shoulders as she went down the stairs, carrying the gourd. It seemed that every time she set her foot down on a stair, the pain grew. Reiyka was so relieved as she set the gourd down beside the door to Gaara's office after what seemed like ages. After regaining her breath, she knocked on the door and opened it.

"Ah, yes, thank you." said Gaara, not looking up, for he was writing a letter. After carelessly setting it down beside his desk, Reiyka plopped down on the sofa, exhausted.

"Where are you going tomorrow, huh?"

"Business trip. I'll visit the military academy with Kankurou."

"I see."

"By the way," he said. "If you need money for food, just ask some from me. I have it here." There was a small manila envelope beside him. Gaara motioned her to come to him. He took it and handed it to her.

"Thanks, I guess…" said Reiyka, feeling very surprised. "Um, if that's all, I'd like to go back upstairs… I hope you don't mind, I feel really sore."

"Not at all."

"Oh wait a minute, that's your room right? I mean, your bed and everything… Where should I -?"

Gaara looked up at her, as if wanting to make her leave already. "Go ahead, it's fine with me. I don't use it, after all, I'm busy."

They just stared at each other before Gaara lowered his head down again. Reiyka excused herself and left. She closed the door, sighing. She clutched her back and inhaled deeply. No wonder he doesn't live there, she thought to herself. It's all the way to the top! Reiyka continued to think of the probable reasons of why he's like that as she dashed up the stairs.

I thought he was rude, but after all, he did let me stay here. She stepped inside, panting. Reiyka now regretted running all the way up. She lay down on the sofa, feeling her back resist the softness of the upholstery. But he also makes me work hard… I still have to clean his office! What a way to treat a princess… But I'd rather be here… Reiyka closed her eyes.

She remembered how she hated always having to wear extremely long and stifling dresses, always having to keep her hair pretty and having to endure long parties with people rarely her age. She remembered going to school and having people flock to her and expect her to be perfect, before being home-schooled. This is the first time that she was treated how she wanted to be treated: normal. Reiyka wondered why she became like that. It's probably because I was always so sheltered, she concluded sleepily.


Reiyka woke up after 30 minutes. She yawned as she remembered that she still had to clean Gaara's office. This has got to stop, she thought. All the climbing up and going down… As she reached the 2nd floor, she caught Gaara closing the door to his office.

"Oh, you again." he said. "I have a meeting to attend to, I won't be back 'til evening." He wore his white cloak and black robes, clutching some papers. "Goodbye."

"Ok. While you're gone then, I'll clean your office like you asked me to." Gaara agreed and walked up the stairs.

Her back providing some difficulty, Reiyka set about to cleaning the room. She opened the windows to let the breeze in. Actually, Gaara's office was pretty organized. She watered the plants, cleaned the windows, swept the floors, fluffed the pillows… But by the time that she had finished, around 7 in the evening, Gaara was still at the meeting. Reiyka decided to buy food for dinner with the money that he gave her.

Staring at the streets and walking slowly (her back still hurt), Reiyka marveled at the lifestyle of the inhabitants of Suna. At first glance, you would think that they were aloof and unfriendly, but once you showed them a warm smile, they would do the same. The streets were all intertwined in such a way that it was quite easy to get lost, but lost in a pleasant way. Everyone is ready to help and point you in the right direction. When she had gotten lost at around the 6th time, two old men playing cards helped her.

"Thank you," she said warmly, nodding apologetically. The two men smiled and continued talking. Turning around, she had heard them say how good the Kazekage was, such a polite young man.

"Yes, I know, he certainly made nice changes around here." one of them said. "I won!"

Reiyka smiled to herself, walking away. She saw a food store and went inside. A few women were inside, carrying baskets of vegetables and canned goods. Reiyka even saw some newspapers bearing the picture of Gaara in the front page. My gosh, she thought, he's famous. Everyone respects him…

Going to the cashier, she continued musing about him. How can he be so distant? And the way how his face looks… he just looks and feels like he so… so…

"Empty…" she muttered. The girl at the cashier looked at her.


By 8 in the evening she had miraculously returned safely to the office building, bearing two brown paper bags of food. She checked his office if he was there already but it was vacant, and so Reiyka went upstairs.

She opened the door and went straight to the kitchen to prepare the food. Reiyka thought she heard some clatter, but she didn't mind it.

"There you are," said a voice. Gaara appeared, coming from the bathroom. Startled, Reiyka dropped the wooden spoon she was holding. His red hair was damp and shiny, and he was wearing a loose black turtleneck shirt and black pants. "Sorry," he added, hearing the spoon fall. "I took a bath. I have to leave early for tomorrow."

"I see." she said, retrieving the spoon and rinsing it. Gaara smelled something cooking. Reiyka continued stirring something on a wok. "Well, you're just in time for dinner." she said.

"Oh don't bother, I was just about to leave." Reiyka saw he was clutching a towel.

Reiyka nodded. "I'll just bring it to your office." she said insistently. She looked at him like he was just playing hard to get. She laughed at his expression.

"Uhh, never mind, I'll stay." said Gaara helpfully. "You've been climbing up and down endlessly." He sat down at the table, wondering if he should help her or something.

Reiyka smiled warmly, setting down 2 bowls of rice with stir-fried chicken and vegetables in front of Gaara. She got 2 small glasses and filled it with ice cubes and fruit juice. Gaara blushed, even though the food smelled great, he really didn't want to eat.

Reiyka gave him utensils and started to eat, motioning him to do the same. She chewed slowly, looking at him, as if making him envious. The trick is to make him talk, she had thought earlier, so that I can know more about him. I should be grateful to him. "It's good for your health if you eat. It keeps up your strength." She took a sip of her drink. "I was home-schooled before I turned 13. I was taught to be obedient, how to be polite and smart about things, and most of all, to be a fine lady. I was taught how to cook, to be kind to others, etc."

Gaara finally picked up his bowl and started to eat.

"My father kept me in the palace all the time. I was forced to study most of the time. Physics, astrology, geometry, religion, even business management and basic medic training! He always kept me busy… He'd also make me go to boring social events, but even though I met and knew a lot of people, I don't really have friends, the same as my age, really. Except for this one guy."

Reiyka smiled, putting down her empty bowl. She gazed at nothing in particular, as if reminiscing a memory. Gaara coughed, hearing the word 'guy', but instead he just took a sip of his juice to make it less obvious.

"My father never taught me justu, as if he wanted me to avoid it. But the guy I'm talking about, his father was a chief of the military, we became friends, and I convinced him to teach me some. Turns out, I also had the ability to make my chakra turn sand into glass. So whenever my dad would leave, he would train me." She drank the rest of her drink. "He has a knack for inventing. He was the one who made my gas-filled glass kunais."

Gaara swallowed the last delicious mouthful of his dinner. "It seems like you're kind of distant with your father." was the thing that he said, not wanting to say anything about the guy Reiyka was telling him.

Reiyka looked up. "Yeah… kind of… I did not have a chance to say goodbye, to both of them." she said absentmindedly.

"Well," he replied, standing up. "Um, thanks for the food, I must go back to the office."

"Don't you want to share something about yourself?" suggested Reiyka, standing up also. She took the dishes and put them in the sink. "I still don't you." Gaara had already reached the door.

He shook his head, and reached for the doorknob, clutching his towel. "There's nothing to know about me." he said as he left.

Reiyka was somewhat disappointed. She could hear his footsteps echoing. She stretched her aching body and decided to leave the dishes for the morning. "My shoulders are killing me!" she said loudly, the words reverberating in the large room. Walking to the bedroom, she wondered for a while as to where Gaara slept if she was sleeping on his bed, but then yawned and decided to leave that for tomorrow also.

"Goodnight." she said gloomily.


A figure loomed in the desert, engulfed by the light that the stars provided for him in the night. He gazed at the nearing city before him. The figure stretched his hand out, and sand rose from the ground. Feeling the traces of glass in them, he let them slip through his fingers.

Almost there, Reiyka. he thought. I'm coming.