The Influential Maiden
The police department had an immediate meeting after the two influential men arrived in Konoha. Gaara cleared his name with the support of Shikamaru's self-research data which he shared with Kakashi along with the blooded scythe knife he collected from Temari and Mizukage's documents about Senator Sato.
"I apologize for the accusations we put on your shoulders and the death of your brother" Kakashi said
"We know the risks of our actions, there's no reason for you to apologize. We just need to expose Senator Sato's agenda without getting caught. All of these are part of our plan" Gaara explained with his stoic expression
"I'll give a unit of my army for the search tonight. How many do you need Kakashi?" Raikage asked
An unexpected call was received during their conversation. A young officer announced to them that an incident occurred inside Shino's home. They all know who Shino is after Gaara revealed everything to the police department.
"Sir Kakashi, I'm sorry to intervene but the department received a devastation news that Shino was now dead"
"Dead?" Gaara asked
"Yes, your spy also confirmed when they arrived at his house. They said that they heard a gunshot and immediately informed the police after that. Shikamaru was badly injured but his girlfriend was now in the care of the investigators"
He immediately knows that her sister was there and is very much involved in that incident so he instantly stood up from his seat. Gaara has been searching for her sister that night but his spy was quite late to rescue her. Nevertheless, she was now safe, thanks to the man she was with. Gaara will never handle another loss.
"How was the girl?" Raikage inquired
"She's alright but she hardly talked to the officers. She also initiated the emergency call to the hospital; they already gave her assistance"
After receiving the announcement, they immediately storm their way to Shino's house where they met Temari who was now looking detached from reality. She was anxious, traumatized, worried, and distressed. Gaara can't help but feel pity for her sister, this is not what he wanted for her to be in. This time, he wanted to protect her so he will do everything to guard and defend his sole sibling.
"I want to see him tomorrow morning. They told me I could see him tomorrow; I have to see him. Gaara? Come with me please-tomorrow" Temari begged after seeing them, she wanted to make sure that Shikamaru will be taken care of after all the things that had happened that night.
Gaara and Raikage stared at each other, they were both waiting if who should tell her about their plan. He gazes at her sister, ready to spill his command.
"I'm afraid we couldn't. We'll be leaving the city tonight" Gaara said
"Then I'll stay" she said
"Young lady, listen to your brother. This city will undergo a big search for the felonious Senator. Every village was now starting to tighten its security for that specific reason. He might escape and flee to every village in an attempt to hide and war might ignite if we fail to follow our plan" Raikage spoke
"I can assure your safety in Suna, Temari-but not in here. Shikamaru will have his own protection while getting cured in the hospital, I talked with Kakashi about that"
"I'll join the Konoha unit if you let me Gaa—" before she finished her sentence, her brother interrupted.
"Temari, you know you're one of the targets after we exposed the Senator, right? Do you think Shikamaru will be that much safer if you're around him?"
Just like her, Gaara is not afraid to tell the truth if you needed to hear them. Temari's senses were brought back to her after realizing that it was better to stay away for a while and follow the protocol for everyone's protection, especially now that Shikamaru was in a grave situation.
And the feeling of blaming herself for putting him in this serious condition didn't leave her conscious mind.
"The train will be leaving in an hour, young lady you should decide now" Raikage glared at her, waiting for her decision.
The warm coffee that she was holding was now cold, her lips were dried up from the freezing wind swaying that night.
"And Kankuro wanted you to come with me, fled the city, away from danger-he asked me to take you back to the village before he died"
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Winter
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Spring
Summer
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Autumn
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She counted the seasons that have passed, Konoha has different weather compared to Suna. Her eyes opened from the yellow-orange rays of the sun reflected on the golden grains of sand.
Her palm glided on her white bedsheet, and a memory of him invaded her mind. The ghost of his scent, his dark hair, his tan skin, and the warmth of his body keep reminding her every morning. That's her usual scene every time she woke up in his bed, back when she was in Konoha. But now, she wakes up inside her empty and lonely space.
Before she was consumed by her emotions, she stood up from her bed and plucked her fingers out of the window to feel the weather, it's always been warm and dry.
It's been more than a year since she left Konoha and Temari had quite an experience being there. Senator Sato was finally captured and imprisoned due to the laws he broke and for the innocent people he killed. Every village becomes stricter on its military forces in order to protect its citizens.
Suna gained recognition from all the villages after the sacrifices the siblings gave in order for the world to be safe and guarded, away from the possible ignition of war. Gaara and Temari always visit Kankuro's grave and share stories with him, hoping he could hear them even in the afterlife.
The world was so peaceful right now but her heart is still at war.
Her life has never been the same since that incident.
What if I stayed?
A feeling of regret starts to occupy her heart but her senses shake it all off. In her mind, this is the best thing she could do…..and Gaara was right, Shikamaru will forever be in danger if she stayed in Konoha. Senator Sato's murder spree didn't end the day they left the village, he swiped all of their opponents by using his forces. Fortunately, the kages extended their hand to capture the feracious Senator.
It's been more than a year.
She always reminds herself how long has passed whenever her mind convinced her that Shikamaru will eventually come to claim her like he always does. But now, he's nowhere near, not even the silhouette of his shadow.
He's probably mad at me after I left him that night.
After all the sacrifices he made.
I don't blame him, he deserves someone-better.
Someone he is safe with.
Her body was soaked in a steaming bath before preparing herself for work. The warmth of the water made her skin flush, she tried to relax her mind but there was always the same memory that keeps glitching inside of it. She opens the shower to shake off everything but tears start to form in the corner of her eyes, the sprinkle of water that was coming from the shower merged with the tears that were now drawing down to her cheeks.
I didn't even have the chance to say goodbye
She wanted to tell him how much she loves him just like how he always told her, every morning and every night. Shikamaru never failed to show his love when they were together.
But the realization that Temari didn't have the chance to say those words when they were together, forms a pang of guilt inside her heart. All she did was push him away and pin her revenge on him, her tenacious heart keeps holding her back from saying the words she wanted to say.
There's a slight hope that keeps glimmering inside her that someday he will come back, to see her, to hold her, to kiss her like she always dreamed of every night.
Then, her mind keeps reminding her of the same thought every morning.
It's been more than a year. He will never come back.
You left him
After all the preparation she did, Temari drove her way to the academy where she was working. Her feet lead her to the path of her office, to her surprise, Gaara was standing in there wearing his red military uniform filled with gold medals pinned to his coat.
"Gaara? Why you're here? Do you need anything?" she spoke
"I'll be traveling to different villages in the coming days, I need you to overlook the village for me" he responded
Being two influential people in Suna gained them the respect of their people. Temari acts as her brother's consort when he is always away while being the head of the academy at the same time.
"Do, what you need to do. I'll handle the village" she assured him
Gaara smiled and nodded at her but before he left her room, he half-turned and informed her about the activity that will be held in the academy that day.
"And please prepare the academy for the visit today, some villages brought their people to us to present themselves and promote their village. It's time for Suna to open its door for unity" he commands
"I'll take care of it"
"Please prepare yourself as well, Temari" he said without looking back at her sister
After Gaara left her room, she immediately commands her staff to receive the people who arrived at Suna. The large dome built in sturdy cement and sand was prepared for the activity that will be held in the academy.
The young generation of Suna will have a glimpse of the outside by watching and hearing the representative's presentations. Temari wanted her village to have this kind of stuff, for them to be fully aware of what they will see outside of Suna and to form bonds with every village.
All of the visitors passed in front of her while she browsed all the data needed for the academy. Her eyes focused on the papers that she was holding, she'll meet them after the presentation and it will be enough to know them later.
The sun peaked at its highest but the inside of the structure was cold and refreshing, she sat in the last row to supervise everything. All of the lights focused on the stage while the entire dome was dim and dark.
Darui first presented, he showed that Kumogakure used lighting as a source of energy for their village and everyone was amazed.
Chojuro walked on the stage after Darui and presented the different swords that were carved in steel and minerals, a specialty from Kirigakure. The Suna people were captivated by the huge source of water in their village.
Kurotsuchi was next to present, she showed them the grand ships their village made. When it comes to building infrastructure, Iwagakure is the best place to consult.
The last one was from Konohagakure, Kakashi walked in front of the stage where everyone starts to mumble from their seat. His name was widely passed through everyone's lips, and Kakashi is so well known to every village.
Temari fixed her position and glanced at the stage from side to side, hoping she could see someone familiar.
Kakashi presents a set of modern weapons for the police unit and everyone were stunned at the technology he showed. A loud speech echoed from the speaker but her attention focused on anywhere other than the man who was speaking on the stage.
Her heart skips a beat when the silhouette of the man she was longing reflected in the dark area near the stage, he was standing and looking at Kakashi who was now currently presenting their piece to represent Konoha.
How could Gaara didn't told me about him?
How long has he been in the village?
Every second felt like an eternity, her gaze only focused on him. She knows his stance, his physique, his weird ponytail, and everything. A gist of relief emerged inside her, Temari was thankful that he was okay after that night and currently doing well.
The light touched his features while the entirety was embraced by the shadow of the room. Temari wanted to see his eyes once again, yearning on every part of him that day. Her lungs start to catch a breath and her heart constantly pumping from all the emotions she was feeling.
He's now here, in Suna...like she always dreamed of but a foreign feeling starts to stir inside here, why do they both feel like a stranger to each other. Temari wished she could collect enough courage to explain to him why she left Konoha that night.
"Matsuri, can you overlook the dome for me?" she breathlessly said while standing up
"Sure Temari, is everything-alright?" Matsuri worriedly asked
"Yeah, I just need to see—I need to get some air" she stutters
"Are you having another attack?"
"No, I just need somewhere warm"
"Alright, are you sure? I'll take it from here now. Take all of your time" She assured her
"Thanks, Matsuri"
She headed her way to the garden which was filled with flowers that were cultivated in the desert, thanks to Gaara's affinity for flowers, Suna was able to grow a garden filled with vibrant flowers. After reaching the garden, she took a deep breath and rubs her hands to warm them.
She released a faint laugh, it's funny how she will be facing him again and talk like they're strangers.
It's been more than a year
Her mind reminded her again how much change a year could make. He probably moved on and have his own life in Konoha.
"Suna is really different" a familiar voice whispered behind her
Temari was startled after hearing someone so she half turned and saw him walking towards her spot. The bright rays of the sun captured all of his features, and having a good image of him again makes her body weak.
No response escaped from her mouth after he spoke.
"I've been wanting to see this village since I was a kid. I'm really curious why Suna was very restricted. I really do believe you know the answer-Ms. Temari"
She removed her gaze from him and cocked her head to the side "My father was really protective of the village before-and everyone outside was a threat to him"
"Ahhh-that explains why"
Slowly, her feet start to walk on the other side of the garden.
"I could arrange a person who could guide you here in Suna if you want to, Detective Nara" she impassively said
"I could stay a little after I seal my deal here, in Suna...with someone" he walked beside her, mirroring the tone of her voice
"If you need assistance, the people of Suna are willing to help you"
"I guess, yes. I just need a few answers to my questions. They said the best person to ask is you. The most influential woman in Suna"
She tried to hide the rolling of her eyes while walking beside him.
"I just got a few minutes in my hand so, please say your questions. I am busy with the academy and will probably need to get back to my office"
He released a faded laugh "I'm very interested in Suna's military force, do you think your men are willing to have an alliance with Konoha?"
"I'm not the best person to answer that, you should ask Gaara about it. But yeah, alliance sounds quite good if the deal is right"
"Suna is really different from any other villages" he spoke
"Yeah-you already said that" she mumbled
"It reminds me of something-of someone"
Her pace becomes slower, Shikamaru gazes at her before saying his next words.
"You see, I have this mysterious girl across my balcony. She's so mysterious I always want to stand and smoke my cigarette on my balcony every seven in the evening. There's a thing inside of me that I wanted to know her" He placed his fingers to his lips, mimicking the gesture of smoking a cigarette.
"She's like Suna, very mysterious….very restrictive, no one could enter nor gather any information about this village"
A warm flush starts to crawl up through her skin after she heard his words. She moistens her now-dried lips and clutches her hands while walking beside him.
"And then, luck strike at me the day I met that mysterious woman across my balcony. She's exactly the woman I imagined-behind her silhouettes. If there's a chance that I could repeat that moment, I would" he displayed a gentle smile
She cleared her throat, clueless about how could she respond to his statement.
"I found out that she's very vocal and strong, yet vulnerable to the people she loved. Her raging stare that's sharper than any knife could somehow compliment her warm smile. A rare one you could find in centuries-Just like Suna, the blazing heat of the desert complements the gems you could find inside it. This village has a strong military force yet there's gentleness within, especially on your citizen"
"I still didn't find the question from your statement" She spoke
"How about the last name system, it's my first time hearing that a village doesn't use any last names?"
"Our village is small; we call ourselves the children of the sand"
"Right, like-Gaara of the Sand, Kankuro of the Sand, and Temari of the Sand"
"Exactly" she formed a small smile
Suddenly, Temari felt a warm hand slide in between her fingers. She half turned and saw Shikamaru's dark eyes, it looked longing for something-for someone. Her feet froze to the ground while he slowly walked towards her, closing the gap between them.
"I was wondering if…..a woman who's named Temari of the Sand would like to have her last name?" he slowly asked.
"Shikamaru?" tears start to form in her eyes while looking at him
He pulled a small box from his pocket and open it, a stunning perfectly carved diamond glimmering from the rays of the sun.
"I do hope it fits. I just trust my memory by remembering the size of your hands whenever I hold them"
Her fingers glided to his cheeks and ran her thumb against his skin.
"I wanted to tell you a lot of things. I wanted to tell you how much I love you which I failed to say before. You don't have to ask me because I'm always been yours since the day you prove your loyalty and love to me" she said while slowly wearing the ring that he gave to her.
"I'll forever cherish and protect you. I waited so long just to see you and ask your hand in marriage, finally, this time has come"
Shikamaru kissed the back of her hands and then reached for her lips. Temari's arms wrapped around his shoulder as they both shared a passionate kiss under the blazing desert sun.
Their hearts are finally at peace after all the war they have been through.
She embraced him tightly after they break from the kiss, she raised her hands up to see the sparkling ring on her finger. Temari was so happy to see the studded diamond ring in her hand. Her gaze moved to one of the windows in the establishment and saw her brother Gaara, standing with a faint smile on his face.
She smiled back at her brother while feeling the warm and tight embrace of her fiancé.
END
A/N: Thank you for readinggg! It's all done now. I'm going to have a break after this, I just wanted to say that I really enjoyed writing fanfics since Oct2022, and it was such an experience. I just gained another skill and will cherished it my wholelife! :D
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!