Disclaimer - I do NOT own Naruto or any Naruto Character.
Chapter 5 - Sakura
The three shinobis, plus Akamaru were walking through the streets of Konoha.
Kaoru hadn't noticed , because she was tired the day before, how beautiful the village was.
Konoha was by far bigger than Suna, and had a higher number of population. The purple haired girl could see why. The warm weather was comfortable, not like in Suna where the heat was almost painful. Also the village was so colourful, the blue sky contrasting with the green trees. It was heaven on Earth.
Kaoru, on contrary from other Sand-nins, hated the Hidden Sand Village. She would never said it, because of her "shinobi pride", but she couldn't stand that awful place. People were judgemental, cold, emotionless, and then there was her father...
Kaoru bit her lip thinking about him. Her eyes glanced a small girl who was holding hands with her father. They were both laughing and happy.
'Konoha is so much better.'
The trio arrived at the main shopping street.
"Where do you want to go, Kaoru-chan?" Kiba asked smiling.
"Hmm... I have to..." she had to find some kind of lie, "buy... girl stuff."
"Girl stuff?" Kiba asked confused. She smirked too herself, it was a good lie.
"Yes-" she was cut by Kankuro.
"So that's why you are acting weird, you're with the red flag."
'Acting weird? Did he notice something? Am I not hiding it right?'
Kaoru panicked inside, she tried to stay calm, which was harder than she thought, still she replied.
"Kankuro-dono, that's none of your business."
It was a good lie, it was better for them to think she was with her period instead of the truth. No matter what she was bleeding like crazy, so if they found out bloody bandages, she had an excellent alibi. Although, not the most honorable one.
She turned to the small drug store nearby. The boys giving her some privacy to buy her "girl stuff", stayed in the crowded street.
The shop was much bigger inside than she thought, when she was outside. There was only one other costumer there.
"So, tell Tsunade-sama that I ordered more of these herbs, but they will only come tomorrow" the employer said to the girl.
"Ok, but I will take the ones you got." the girl responded. The employer nodded and went inside; Kaoru deduced he went to his storage room.
Another man came from the same door.
"Hello, what can I help you?" he asked Kaoru.
"Do you have this?" she showed him a small paper.
"Oh, cactus flower healing ointment, yes we have."
"I want a bottle and I want some bandages too, please," Kaoru replied. The man went inside to pick up her items.
"You're from Suna. I can see your headband," the girl said. Kaoru glared at her.
"Yes, I am," she coldly replied. The girl ignored her tone.
"I don't understand why Sand shinobis use cactus flower ointment, it's a really slow healer."
"We use it because it's heat-resistant. And it's cheap." Kaoru smacked herself mentally. What the hell she was thinking, talking about cheap?
"Oh, but here in Konoha, it's quite expensive. We don't have those kind of cactus around here. It's considered luxury, only Katon users buy those." the Leaf girl said, "You know what? I think I can arrange you something better and cheaper."
Kaoru looked at the girl. Why was she so kind? It was the first time they met, and she was from another village... The pink haired girl smiled. When the employer arrived, she asked him to replace the ointment.
"This one, heals faster, and it's 10 times less pricey. I personally use it in missions," the girl said. So, she was a Kunoichi too. Kaoru smirked.
"What's your name?"
"Haruno Sakura." she extended her hand.
"Kurokaze Kaoru." Kaoru shook her hand. "Thank you, Sakura-san."
"No problem, Kaoru-san." Sakura smiled.
'Konoha shinobis are so much nicer...'
Sakura left with her herbs before Kaoru. Kaoru paid for her things, which left her wallet almost empty, (she wouldn't dare to think on the price of the cactus ointment she first asked for) and grabbed the small brown package. She thought about Sakura. The kunoichi seemed a happy person. Was she happy to be here? In this wonderful place?
Kaoru smiled. As she stepped out the store, her smile faded away.
Sakura was with the boys. Not only that but Kankuro was kind of hugging her.
Something was building inside Kaoru, something deep in her stomach. Her lungs hurt, like she was stabbed from inside out.
'What's wrong with me?'
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Kankuro and Kiba waited for Kaoru, outside the shop. A strange silence between the boys, like something had to be said, but none of them knew what. It was definitely a unconfortable silence.
"So, what happened between you and Kaoru-chan?" Kiba asked the puppeteer, breaking the awkward ambient.
"What do you mean? Nothing happened."
"Oh, I'm not blind. I can see that something is up, do you hate each other or something?" the Inuzuka boy asked.
"Sort of. We used to be friends when we were little, but then her mother died, and she became distant... She changed in so many aspects, that when we were at the academy it was like she wasn't Kaoru anymore. She just cared about studies and training. We were the only two students that were really bad at close combat, but great with chackra control. So we ended up having the same classes. Somehow that was embarrassing. She's a year younger than me, and I had to work a lot to keep up with her. She became great at sealing, like her father," Kankuro replied thoughtfully.
"Her father, is he still alive?" Kiba asked. Being raised without a father, made him sympathetic with those that were raised by single parents.
"Yeah, he's one of Suna's counselors. He's a wise man. Although, he is not an active shinobi anymore."
"What happened?" the younger boy asked.
"Mission gone bad. The guy was so messed up, afterwards, that he had to have psychological counseling. Then is wife died and he raised Kaoru by himself. Somehow that gave him his sanity back."
They stood silent for a bit.
"I think that's why Kaoru is like that, the OCD thing, because she doesn't want to go through what her father went," Kankuro continued.
"I think she's a nice girl. She likes me better than you for sure," Kiba joked. Both boys chuckled.
"Yeah, I guess she does. But I don't hate her, you know. It just annoys me the fact she is so neat, acts so perfect in everything. I also lost my mother when I was a kid, and I had to leave with a monster. I spend a lot of nights awake thinking that Gaara would kill me if I fell asleep. And I didn't become that messed up."
"You are a bit messed up, Kankuro," Kiba said.
"Yeah, I am... but I know I'm not perfect. And I don't act like I am. Kaoru does that."
"True, but... she kinda looks perfect, right?" Kiba asked.
Kankuro stood silent.
'Yeah, that's what I can't stand.'.
"At least I'm better in close fights than her," Kankuro said.
"Dude, you kind of suck in taijutsu." Kiba said. The puppet master glared him.
"I may not be good at taijutsu, but I can fight if I want to, I'm not a small guy you know? And I'm pretty strong too," Kankuro replied defending his honor.
"Well, that is an advantage that's for sure... Oh look Sakura!" Sakura came from the drug store towards them.
"Hey Kiba... oh hey Kankuro-san!" Sakura greeted smiling.
"Hey," the puppet master answered with a smile.
"Oh now I understand! That girl from the store is with you?"
"Kaoru? What has she done?" Kankuro asked expecting the worst.
"Oh nothing! She's really nice."
"Nice? Whatever, I'm not even going to comment that... Say, Sakura?"
"Yes?" Kankuro patted awkwardly her back in a gentle way.
"I never had the chance to thank you for curing me," Kankuro warmly said.
"Oh, you don't need to. We are allies, we help each other," Sakura replied.
They both broke the semi-hug-thing, and Kankuro glanced at the shop entrance where Kaoru stood. Their eyes met, and part of him regret it... the hug. However, he had no reason to regret it, right?
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Kaoru was always mean towards Kankuro. The guy was always making fun of her, so she hated him. But that hate was now something different.
Since that morning, Kaoru barely spoke to either puppet master and dog boy. Something was different in her, and both boys could see that. Her eyes were gloomy. Deep inside those blue eyes, there was a new emotion.
Kaoru, in all her life, suffered; she had felt all the bad feelings that a person could feel, physical pain, emotional pain, sadness, depression, sorrow... But this was something completely different and new. And it was scaring her. All these earlier feelings she had, she always managed to hide them. She would put her "perfect girl" mask on and no one would see the real Kaoru. No one would ask questions.
But this new emotion, she couldn't hide it. She didn't have the strength to do it.
That morning, they planned to meet at night at Kiba's. Sakura promised to bring her team, and Kiba said his team would come too. It was strange for the sand Kunoichi, she was not used to this kind of things. Being social was something she had forgotten long time ago. Of course she knew how to act in meetings, and with team mates and missions. But being in a "social event" like this was nerve-wracking.
Kaoru looked at herself in the mirror. She had change her black shirt, into another. The sleeves of the new one only reached a little bit past the elbows, but her gloves were long enough to cover the bare arms. Also she decided to let go the Suna headband.
Night came really quick, quicker than she expected. The trio had dinner, Kaoru spoke only once to compliment Kiba's food. She spent the rest of the dinner hearing the boys talk about... well whatever boys like to talk.
After dinner, the door was knocked. Kaoru offered herself to wash the dishes, so the boys could hang out with the others. After several minutes of arguing with Kiba about it, Kaoru won.
She could hear the voices in the living room... Opening the water tap and taking of the long gloves, she washed the plates. Then she felt a presence behind her. She acted like she had not.
Closing the water. She realized she knew that presence only too well.
"What do you want Kankuro-dono?" she asked without turning around. Her gloves were left in the table, behind her.
'Stupid mistake'
"I can sense you are uneasy. Are you looking for these?" Kaoru looked over her shoulder. Kankuro was holding her gloves.
'Shit.
Why does he do these things?
Why do you hunt my weaknesses so hard, Kankuro?
Do you enjoy my pain? Are you like him?
Why everything that you say and do hurt me?
Why, Kankuro?'
"Kankuro-dono, please leave my gloves on the table and leave," She asked without sounding cold or harsh. Her voice stabbed Kankuro, it pierced through his body. It was not an order, no. She was begging. Not in an obvious way, but in a way only a person like Kankuro could understand. A person that knew how pride could hurt when it was broken.
'Something happened today' Kankuro though. They stood silent for a while. Kaoru felt his presence gone. His Ki was not there anymore.
She turned around, and startled. He was less than 30 cm apart from her. He was looking straight at her eyes. Those dark eyes of his said it all... She was screwed...
To be continued...
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