Oh, I own NOTHING. Sorry, I forgot to disclaim it.

Chapter three: Bodyguard.

Matsuriwoke up in an unfamiliar room. There was a strange sense of sickness everywhere. She sighed, realizing that she must have been found and taken to a hospital.

There was another girl in the room. She had pink hair that fell to her shoulders. But Matsuri couldn't see her face since she was turned away from her.

"Excuse me, but where am I?"

The rosette whipped around at the sound of her voice. "You've finally woken up! I thought you never would!" she cried happily.

She ran over to where Marsuri lay and placed a hand on her forehead, checking the temperature. Normal.

The rosette started to checjk her chart, then it registered on her that she'd been asked a question. "Hm, you're in the Konoha critical hospital."

"K-K-Konoha?! But- but-"

"Hey, hey, calm down. It' okay. I know. You're from Suna. But the person who found you brought you here."

Matsuri nodded softly. "Wait, how do you know I'm from Sunagakure?"

The rosette smiled at the younger girl's confusion, thinking it the funniest thing she had seen in a long time.

"Oh, my name's Sakura, by the way." Sakura extended her hand out to Matsuri.

She took it. "Matsuri."

"Well, Matsuri, the boy who brought you here made sure to tell me that you were from Suna, not Konoha."

"What does he look like?" Matsuri asked, deciding that it would most likely be Ivi or Juruo, who both had black hair and purple eyes.

"See for yourself," was all Sakura said, "he's still waiting for you outside."

Sakura helped Matsuri up. Matsuri stumbled over to the window. She scanned the people in the chairs. No one she recognized.

"Which one is he?" She asked Sakura.

"That one."

The one that Sakura pointed out was a tall, ginger boy. He seemed to be checking his fingernails. That, or he was just staring down at the floor.

He suddenly glanced up, meeting her eye instantly. He smiled knowingly at her. Matsuri didn't know why, but she immediately decided that, despite him saving her life, he was a jerk, and she didn't like him at all.

The boy stood up, and walked into the room as Sakura opened the door for him. His tread was almost silent over the carpet.

"Hi," Matsuri managed, trying to be civil, despite her dislike for him. "So, who did you find me?"

She was suspicious, knowing fuill well that she had fallen unconscious in her own house.

The boy shrugged. "I was taking a walk, and I saw you lying on the grass outside. So I brought you here."

"Why were you even in Suna?"

She could faintly hear Sakura snapped a rough, "Matsuri!", but she didn't care; something was strange about this guy's story.

The stranger only smirked at her, guessing her obvious distaste for him. "I live there. And I guess I could just say that I thought you were an unconscious drunk I always see sleeping around."

Matsuri's eyes went wide. War had been declared just by that one statement. But she wouldn't stoop to his level. She had her own ways of revenge.

"Well, thank you,..."

"Gaara," he supplied.

"...Gaara, for everything you've done. So, this is good-bye, I guess?"

He shrugged, noncommittally. "If you wish it."

She smiled innocently. "Yes. It would probably be for the best."

He just shrugged once more, then walked out the front door.

Matsuri felt a small smile tug at her lips as he left. When she turned around, she saw that Sakura was glaring fiercely at her. "Do you take pleasure in sending hot guys from rooms, or something?"

Matsuri shrugged. "Only when they're complete jerks. And did you just admit to him being hot?"

Sakura shrugged. "I guess so, but I already have a boyfriend. And believe me, having ONE is enough." She paused, suddenly smirking, "And I didn't hear you deny that you thought that he was handsome!"

They both collapsed in their laughter.

And that was how their glorious friendship started.

"What?!" Matsuri cried, eyes wide. "You think I need a bodyguard?! I'm a ninja!"

The Sunagakure council rolled their eyes.

"Yes. The Kazekage will not have a death on his land. Besides, in your report, you say that it was an Akatsuki member who attack you, so that's something that needs to be investigated. Do you have any idea why they'd want you dead?" one of them asked.

Matsuri sighed. "I don't think they do. The assassin that attacked me also saved my life."

"Yes... by stabbing you,' another one said.

Matsuri shrugged, "I'm still alive, aren't I? Besides, I was unconscious before he left- he could have easily killed me."

The first man nodded. "Yes, that is strange."

"Wait," said the second one, "Did you just say that you were unconscious while he was still there?"

Matsuri nodded, not quite sure what that had to do with anything.

"See? That's reason enough for you to have a bodyguard."

Matsuri rolled her eyes. "I'm not having a bodyguard," she snapped coldly.

"Actually," Baki spoke finally, "Yes, you are. By order of the Kazekage."

Matsuri's eyes went wide in a mixture of annoyance and surprise as she saw several council members smirk at her expression, and Baki's words.

"We've already got one picked out and everything. Don't worry, you'll love him," said the first council member.

Matsuri got the feeling that he was mocking her as a tall, young man entered into the room.

"You?!" Matsuri found herself yelling at him.

Gaara rolled his eyes. "I'll take that as excitement, #Baka."

"Who you calling Baka, Baka?!"

"You."

"Takes one to know one," she retorted.

He smirked, playing his trump card. "No. It only takes an idiot. And in this case, I guess that YOU."

"I think they know each other," Baki said to the council.

They all nodded slowly.

"It was seem so."

*Kunoichi- female ninjo/shinobi.

#Baka- Japanese word for "idiot".