Sorry for long updates! And thank you for you all! Well, I don't own Naruto.

Dare to Love You

Chapter 9

"Ga-gaara?"

Gaara just stood there, having cold expression and crossed arms.

"Explain it to me." He stated. Sakura looked at the other direction, anywhere but his eyes. At last, she opened her lips.

"What should I explain?" she asked with a small nervous chuckle. But it didn't affect Gaara. "Don't playing dumb. The dare." He answered.

Sakura gulped. She bet that he had heard the conversation. Argh… she was so screwed up. "W-what dare?" she tried again. But his gaze made her stop.

"O-okay… sorry. But how could you hear my conversation with Ino? And how could you reach here?" she asked. Gaara still had his gaze to her, answered.

"I said my ankle is fine. I wanted to get a glass of water. Before I could reach kitchen, you yelled. So, how I couldn't hear it? And don't change the subject. Answer me."

Sakura bit her lower lip and cleared her throat. "Okay… I'll explain…Well…"

-knock knock-

Sakura jumped on her spot at the sudden knock on the door. She turned back and reached the doorknob, but Gaara pulled her wrist. "I'll get it." Sakura nodded dumbly and stepped back.

Gaara opened the door and looked at the visitor. "Temari?" he frowned. Sakura held her breath.

"Hey Gaara. Have you packed?" Temari asked. Gaara shook his head. "Not yet. What are you doing here?" he asked back. Temari shrugged. "I came to pick you up. Have your business here done?"

Gaara nodded. "Good. Don't be late for tomorrow. We'll head back to Suna at the dawn." Temari stated again. Gaara muttered. "I know…"

"And meet me in a coffee shop near the Hokage building at seven. I have to go now." She looked at the dark sky. "It almost rains again. Bye." The she left. Gaara closed the door, and frowned at Sakura's expression.

"You'll leave tomorrow?" she asked, her voice almost like a whisper. Gaara just nodded. He walked to the living room as Sakura followed him behind. They sat across each other.

"Ino said that you would stay here for a month. But today is still on the second weekend." Sakura gave him a questioning look. Gaara looked at the sky outside. "Why do you care?" Sakura clenched her fist.

"Of course I care!" she glared. Gaara's eyes still didn't look at her. "You don't answer my question. Why do you care?" he asked again.

"B-because I… I… forget it!" Sakura crossed her arms.

"Fine. Now answer my first question." He said again. Sakura grumbled.

"Well… what do you want to know?" Sakura encouraged herself.

Gaara left the sky and stared at her. "The dare, love confession, and why my name mentioned." He stated simply.

Sakura really wanted to bury herself on the ground. 'If I tell everything, he absolutely will hate me…' But she didn't have any choice. The result would be just the same.

Sakura took a deep breath. "First of all, will you promise me not to angry after you hear this?" she asked. Gaara nodded.

"Thank you. Well… one week ago, I came over to Ino's place. Then she told me that you came to Konoha and stayed here for a month. And then, she dared me to..." she stopped to look at his expression. No change at all. Sakura huffed and continued her word.

"She dared me to make… make you fall in love with me, within a month."

The wind began blowing harshly as the rain poured from the sky. A thunder cracked loudly, lightening the dark sky.

After she ended her statement, Sakura shut her eyes, ready for the worst. It turned to exactly like her nightmare. He would say that he hate her, obviously.

But it never came. No yell, no sand, nothing. She could only hear the rain, the wind and the thunder outside.

Slowly, Sakura opened her eyes. She looked at him. His expression was unreadable. He sighed and closed his eyes, and then laid his head back.

"Gaara?" Sakura called out carefully. Gaara remained still. She stood up and walked to his side. When her hand almost touched his shoulder, Gaara opened his eyes.

Sakura startled and pulled back her hand. His eyes showed disappointment glint which made Sakura really felt guilty.

Gaara avoided her gaze. "I should have known it before…" he muttered. He stood up and grabbed his jacket. He wore it with his back faced Sakura. Sakura stood too.

"Stay here until tomorrow. The storm is getting worse." he said in a low tone as he walked to the door.

"But Gaara, I real—," Sakura's word stopped as Gaara stopped his step. He still didn't face her.

"Stop it. I don't want to hear it." He reached the doorknob. Sakura fought back her tears. "Gaara! Listen to me! I lo—," Gaara turned back. Sakura stopped.

"Believe me; you don't need to say that, Sakura. Stay here for this night, I won't bother you." He said with a small smile. "Why do you cry?" he looked at her falling tears. Gaara resisted the urge to wipe away those teardrops and hugged her. He just watched Sakura wiped it herself.

"Gaara…" she called again. Gaara closed his eyes and turned around. He opened the door and walked outside.

"Gaara!" Sakura caught his wrist, but Gaara jerked it away.

Without bother to looking back, Gaara pulled up the jacket hood and muttered. "Stay here, Sakura. The storm is getting worse."

Gaara closed the door.

Sakura looked at the closed door, her vision began to blur by the tears.

"Gaara… I'm sorry…"

"Hey, you early." Temari looked up at her baby brother. Gaara sat on the couch across her. He supported his head by his palm and looked outside.

"I don't want to visit Konoha anymore." He stated. Temari frowned.

"What do you mean?" Gaara closed his eyelids. "I just don't want to."

Temari looked at him with a concerned-sister look. She grabbed his both wrists and pushed them down. She caressed the back of his hand and patted it. "Tell me, what's wrong?"

Gaara stared back to her. "Don't tell anyone." He said. Temari nodded.

"You sure you don't want to talk to her before we leave?" she asked. Gaara nodded and walked slowly to the couch. He lifted that sleeping figure slowly from the couch.

"Please leave me for a second…" Gaara said to Temari as he walked to the bedroom. She nodded understandingly and walked back to the living room.

Gaara put her on the bed as quiet as he could and then knelt beside the bed. He looked at her sleeping face.

Sakura's eyes were puffy, her nose was red, and there were some dried tears on her face. That condition sure wasn't cute at all. But why did his heart beat faster?

Gaara pulled the blanket until her neck and brushed her bangs away and stared at her face. Finally he chose to bend down toward her lips.

Sakura snapped her eyes open. She sat up and looked around. She then looked at the window, the sun already shine brightly outside.

Sakura buried her face on her palms and touched her lips slightly.

'Was it a dream…?'

-tbc-

Maybe this story will finish in the next chapter, I don't know… Please review!