A/N: I realized that I had been neglecting Kyandii and Ari. Haha. I always do something like that. I'm working them into this chapter, for sure! Spleeness!
oOo
(Gaara's POV)
Everything was going the way the Kokoro planned it. Keitorin and I were together. I had to admit that I had never thought about it before. I never thought about romance anyway, but now that I look back, I can see that especially then, we were the perfect matches for each other. I am quiet for the most part, a strong and ruthless nin. And Keitorin, loud and distracting, but gentle, mild, and endlessly benevolent. I know for a fact that Temari didn't approve of my relationship with Keitorin, and Hiashi didn't want her dating a "monster" but she didn't care.
I remember our relationship best as it began. And it began with a date. We walked through the forest together, quietly, holding hands. Not a word was spoken at the beginning until I leaned in to kiss her. Our lips clashed, and I could feel her body pressed against mine, her arms holding me close.
"Ewww. Keitorin, what are you doing?"
I broke my lips away from her, turning sharply and groaning in distaste. It was Kyandii and Ari. Until I met Keitorin's teammates, I thought that Temari and Kankuro were the worst thing I could have gotten stuck with. I was wrong. Poor Lee.
Kyandii wore her usual attire, a green dress with shorts underneath much like Haruno Sakura's. Her green eyes shone with amusement, her complexion almost glowing in the dim evening light. The happy smile on her face almost made you forget that she was nowhere near as inviting and volumptuous as her teammates, and she really did look good that night. I didn't know what the future would hold for Rock Kyandii, but I remember the first signs. (A/N: Oooh, foreshadowing! I used the thesaurus to make Gaara sound smart...)
Ari wore a light blue T-shirt and jeans, casual clothing as always. Ari was always pretty, and that night was no exception. I could see a faint blush on her cheeks, coloring them rose. Her hair was pulled up into a neat ponytail, not one strand out of place, as usual, and her chestnut brown eyes brimmed with purity and innocence.
I was so suprised at thier arrival that I forgot to speak, but Keitorin didn't. Her eyes flashed with a darker violet than usual, and the whiskers on her face seemed to get thicker and more jagged. "Where did you come from?" She exploded before I could calm her down.
"The condom broke." Ari replied, sticking her tounge out at the black haired girl. "We were accidents."
"Don't be a smartass." I snapped irritably. "Why are you here?"
"Why are you here?" Kyandii shrugged, her gaze never faltering as most people's did as it met mine.
"We're on a date." I said, before Keitorin could come up with a stupid excuse. She was a smart girl, really, but put her on the spot and you won't get intelligent answers. Hell, you're lucky if her answers make any sense at all.
"Oooooh!" Ari and Kyandii chorused at the same time, teasingly. Then, Ari said, "I knew you liked him! I can't believe you finally have a boyfriend!" She gave a happy squeal that broke the sound barrier, and I had to cover my ears.
"Do you see what you do, Gaara?" Keitorin growled good-naturedly. "So what are you two doing here, besides ripping away my sanity, piece by piece?"
"We have good news. Kakashi -" Ari began, but Kyandii cut her off with another loud squeal.
"Kakashi-sensei agreed to take me on a date tomorrow night!" Kyandii exclaimed, jumping up and down. When she jumped, she actually reached Keitorn's height - she is very short.
"That is awsome!" Keitorin exclaimed.
"Yep! And all I had to do was send him on a guilt trip for ignoring me by bawling my eyes out!"
The four of us walked through the forest for a little longer, conversing among outselves quietly. I didn't realize it until she nearly tripped, but Keitorin was leaning on me heavily. "Keitorin, are you..." I started, but she innerupted me.
"I have such a bad headache all of a sudden." She whispered, pain obvious in her voice. "I think I should get home."
"Good idea. We'll walk you." Ari offered.
As we turned in the direction of the Hyuga compound, Keitorin suddenly collapsed, a loud scream escaping her lips. "Keitorin, what's-" Kyandii started to say.
"The curse seal!" Keitorin shouted. "It's the curse seal!"
"It can't be." I narrowed my eyes in puzzlement. (A/N: I do hope that's a word...) "The only ones who could do this are the main family, right? That is, Hinata and Hiashi. But Hinata likes you a lot, as far as I've seen, and Hiashi is like your father figure. It doesn't make sense."
Keitorin's temper kicked in again, and she found the strength to stand up. "I think I know when my nerves are being torn apart by a curse seal, Gaara-kun." Keitorin said in a very controlled voice.
"You're quite right, Gaara. Why would Hinata or myself do anything like this?"
Keitorin's pale eyes flickered in the direction of the sound, wide with suprise and sadness. "Father?"
"Yes. Father." Hiashi whipsered, a superior smile gracing his lips. "I can't say I'm proud to raise a demon such as yourself. That is why you must die, Kokoro Nin."
"Father!" Keitorin mustered up the strength that she had and ran to Hiashi, hugging him tightly. "Don't do this! Stop, please!"
"Stupid." Hiashi pried himself from his niece's grasp. "Who could care for a thing like you? A threat, that's all you are. A nuisance. The only way I can kill the Kokoro is by killing you." This was so much like me and my uncle, that it was painful to watch. I could imagine that I was Keitorin and Hiashi was Yashamaru at this moment.
Another bloodcurdling scream seemed to rip through the air, and Keitorin fell motionless. We all watched for a moment, but she remained motionless. "I loved her." I heard my own voice whisper, but nobody heard.
The screaming attracted attention, and Hinata, Neji, and Hanabi appeared behind Hiashi, staring with suprise and grief Keitorin. Then, nervously, I approached her. Her face had no color, and her eyes were shut tightly to block tears from running down her face. I almost hesitated, but I allowed my hand to rest on her bust. It remained motionless - she wasn't breathing at all - and I knew that she was dead.
"I have done it. I have killed the Kokoro!" Hiashi shouted triumphantly, at last, when I murmured that she was not breathing. "I have killed the Kokoro demon!"
"F-Father...how could you?" Hinata whimpered. I could see that all three of the Kyuga children were crying, and they joined me, kneeling around Keitorin's corpse. I looked to where Ari and Kyandii had been, but they were gone - they must have gotten scared and ran off. Tears spilled down my face as I turned back to Keitorin - the girl I had loved.
We all allowed tears to fall down our faces.
Four tears - one from each of us - missed the ground and instead fell on her face.
One tear for the cheerful attitude that kept him hoping.
One tear for the friend that was always there.
One tear for the role model that led her through life.
One tear fotr the only one I had ever loved, the one who was gone now and would never return.
oOo
A/N: Don't worry - she does come back! Review please!
