Chapter 16: Easel

Little Falcon: My busy days are officially over! *Stretches* finally, I'll be able to update again! Watch out! Here we go again! Read and review just like always, okay?

Standard Disclaimer: I only own the idea that's all. If I did own this series I'll be the happiest person on earth!!!

Inside the confines of a rented hotel room, the gorgeous blond sat seductively on the man's lap, wound her arms around his neck and initiated the kiss.

His jade eyes remained open despite the intimate display of affection the girl in front of him was showering. His lips remained unmoving as his drunken consciousness flew. Her kisses were always soft and sweet… never rushed and rough. Her scent was vanilla… not some cheap perfume like this.

"Get out," even with the amount of alcohol flowing in his veins, he stated what he wanted, loud and clear.

"Gaara, what are you…" the girl tried to engage another kiss but Gaara threw her off his lap and dragged her to the door.

"Ino, I said… GET OUT!" forcefully, the red haired painter grabbed her arm tightly and threw her outside the room. The blond resisted and complained but it all fell into deaf ears. How can I even think that I can forget about her even for just a moment? It's her… it's always been her. Slamming the door at the woman's face, he ran his fingers through his unruly crimson hair. What the hell have I done?!

Weird, how his drunken light-headedness brought out the things he failed to realize when he was sober. His stomach was churning as of wanting to expel everything it contained; his limbs felt like jelly and his vision swayed like he twirled endlessly for hours yet his eyes held a sight that was clearer than everything he had seen.

Somewhere in the room, a loud ringing echoed. While trying to master his senses, Gaara located his jacket and answered his phone.

"Where the hell are you?" the outraged phone of his older sister rang in his ear several times, making his headache worse.

"What the hell do you want?" he tried to sound normal but his slurred speech wasn't helping.

"She's leaving! Sakura's leaving for Paris within this week! If you're in your right state of mind then probably you realize by now that she's your only chance for happiness," Temari ended the call even before hearing another word.

Suddenly, everything around him stopped moving. The phone in his hand dropped on the carpeted floor as his eyes didn't dare to blink. She's leaving… something in his chest grew incredibly painful. An incredible sense of loss and regret made an iron hand that was now mercilessly squeezing his heart. Sakura…

*****

The sky was beginning to grow dark as she made her way to a familiar grave. Familiar in a way, because she had been visiting the certain tombstone for several years already, only knowing that this person gave the heart that was supposed to be hers to her mother. It was for that reason alone that she obliged herself to visit that place whenever she can.

Today wasn't any different. She was visiting that person's grave for that purpose again only this time… she had the opportunity to meet the people this person had left behind. Who would've thought that with only that information, she realized a sin she never made.

Her long pink tresses fell across her shoulders as she bowed her head respectfully in front of the cold stone after offering a bouquet of flowers and lighting some incense. As her emerald eyes reflected the name engraved on the marble, rain began to fall. The sound of heavy footsteps approaching made her turn.

Heavy rain now poured from above- soaking her clothes and putting out the incense. Despite the thick curtain of water in between them, their eyes never let go of each other's.

In front of her, he stood with his tie half undone and his wrinkled shirt covered by his coat together with his black pants. His jade eyes looked at her as if she was some sort of ghost. The pain in his gaze was so evident she had to look away. Without a word, the lady photographer bowed to him formally and walked away soon after.

Gods, she's still so beautiful. Gaara never expected to find her here. He wasn't ready not in the slightest measurement did he prepare for a sudden confrontation with her. The iron hand gripping his heart tightened its hold with every second their eyes remained locked on each other's.

I'm sorry. Somehow he found those words were the most difficult words to say, like they held some foreign meaning or accent that made it impossible for him to release them. When she broke the conversation between their eyes, the hand in his chest disappeared immediately, only to be followed by a soul-wrenching feeling after she had walked away from him. It's over… she's leaving. The feeling made all his strength vanish… not even an ounce left for him to look at her as she walked out of his life.

*****

Tears joined the drips of water that fell on her carpeted floor as she reached her apartment. In that short moment alone, the feeling of losing everything she ever wanted overwhelmed her. With every step she took away from him, the voice in her head kept shouting. "He's the best thing that's ever happened in your life! Don't you dare walk away!" Even now when she was already miles away from him, her inner voice kept yelling at her ear.

"I guess not all fairy takes have a happy ending," she bit back her tears as she looked at the plane ticket laying in front of a large portrait she had yet to decide where to put. A portrait of her handsome prince sleeping.

*****

Like an encouraging sign, the sun rose brightly the next morning. Even though her body felt like it weighed twice as it should, she dragged herself around to prepare for her departure.

Taking one last look at her place, she wore dark shades to cover her swollen eyes. Quietly, she turned around and closed the door.

The lift stopped on another floor just before the lobby to let a few teenagers in. "I want to see it," one excitedly said to the other. "Me too! I hear the media's there too!" the other giggled as they appeared to be oblivious to the Lady photographer's presence.

People were rushing out of the apartment like there was a fire. Unnerved by all the commotion, Sakura kept her nonchalant pace to leave the building.

Her flight will be in a few hours and with the traffic ahead, she began to quicken her steps. "Excuse me," she tried to break through the unusual crowd gathering beside the hotel.

Just a glimpse. A passing glimpse was all it took for her to drop her luggage and turned at the centerpiece of the excitement.

On the wall was painting of a girl facing sideways with her long pink tresses flowing against the unseen wind, with a camera on her hand. The cherry blossoms around her and the clothes she wore were evidence enough to let the lady photographer know who that lady is. Her black shades hid the building tears in her eyes.

"That's you when I first saw you," That tender, loving voice melted the ice around her heart instantly. "I thought you were just a part of my dream back then," she turned around saw him still wearing the clothes he wore yesterday, only this time they were smeared with paint but in her eyes he never looked more handsome than ever.

The flashes of light by the gathering reporters or even the unmoving eyes of the crowd around her did not matter. Only one thing… one thing can break her still unmoving heart.

With his paint covered hand, he scratched his crimson hair- a thing he does when he's embarrassed. "I don't know how to say I'm sorry," there it was that arrogant, charming smirk she grew to love.

The crowd didn't make a sound as they waited for the lady photographer's reaction. The media too put their flashes and cameras to a stand still. Tears trickled down her cheeks as she shook her head without uttering a word.

"You idiot!" her shades dropped to the ground as she ran into his arms and kept calling him an idiot while her tears flowed endlessly. His arms wound around her form with no intention of letting her go.

The people around them cheered and the media relentlessly took pictures of the couple that was kissing each other publicly like they have been separated for the longest time.

Little Falcon: Kyaa! Read and review okay?