As the date came, the reality began to hit [Name] as she swept the floor of her empty apartment. Everything placed in it's original boxes when she first arrived. Her shop also cleared out, however, she gave away the last of her products to whoever came forward. From below, she can hear Kankuro instructing the movers, treating them as if they were his subordinates. As she opened a bag to dump the dust she could see her bloodied shinobi outfit at the bottom. She sighed, only reminding herself that she can assemble a new one once she gets promoted as a jounin. That is the goal for this move. She was done casting false realities over her real desires. Although the excitement of battle was brief, she secretly relished the feeling, missed it. Even if she has grown comfortable to Suna's weather, people, Gaara...she pushed herself to make this rash decision.

"When are you leaving again?" asked Kankuro when [Name] joined him downstairs.

"In just an hour, the earlier, the safer," he's dressed casually so early in the evening.

"Let's go out for breakfast then!"

"I don't know..."

"Why not?" he pats her on the back, she raises a brow. "Oh. Oh. Already got plans?"

"Er..."

"Of course you do, it would be strange if you two didn't have one last hurrah," he removes his hand when it drifted to her lower back. "...are you healed up yet?"

"Well, I've been told by Temari that I have a scar."

"You could let me check in on that, you know, just in case," from day one, Kankuro's flirty encounters have never passed on.

She rolled her eyes, hauling a box she hid behind the counter. Kankuro takes a peek at the contents, seeing layers of cardamon cinnamon packaged inside. "That should be the last of it," her travel backpack bounced as she exit the store. Looking back on the inside as she waited for Kankuro to join her, locking the door for one last time. She passed the keys to him, picking up the box and walking towards the Kazekage's building.

"Hard to believe you're actually leaving," commented Kankuro. "I thought you were joking...well, I'm more surprised after this time you and Gaara aren't a dating yet," she didn't respond. Being a few inches taller, he can see the pink tint upon her cheeks, "...don't you want to tell him?"

"Not until I become a jounin..."

"What's with that lame reason? Plus, that may take way longer than you plan."

"I just don't feel...worthy enough for him," she admits to it.

"He stayed by your side all night, he was stubborn before, but geez, he hardly finished those reports for the Chuunin Exam," said Temari, treating [Name] out to breakfast for her first time out of the hospital. "You know...he held your hand too, he looked at you so tenderly, [Name]," her voice softens. "He was so afraid, you know? We all were." She giggled at [Name] who stopped midway from eating her food, stopping to imagine the scene Temari described her. "Hmph, thinking about changing your mind?"

"...No, just surprised."

"Hey," she places a hand over [Name]'s, "As the eldest of the Sand Siblings, believe me, I would rather see you provide my brother happiness."

Now that she is running away, she found no reason to hold back to her peers. To him, her stubborn lips won't bring her justice. The term "friend" no longer seemed like a suitable label for him. She knew her feelings burrowed more than the meaning, more than a "best friend." This is only an excuse to run away once more. When she told him her plan in departing she was taken back, shattered, that he agreed. However, she knew he thought of the best for her, and only her. There is no benefit for his side, well, maybe having more focus on work.

"Thank you. For...everything."

"Well, duh, he is the Kazekage," she growled at him. "He's gonna be pretty lonely without you around..."

"...not really," she stared at the sky and the colors it portrayed. "...we may be apart from him, but as long as our bonds are there, he's not alone anymore."

"...we?"

"That Naruto boy he talked about," his face always lightened up by mentioning the name. "He and Gaara have an understanding I will never be able to reach. He considers him his first friend...well, if he wasn't, we wouldn't have the Gaara today would we? Someone like me wouldn't have made an impact on him, I hope I can meet that boy one day."

"...jealous, huh?"

She huffed, seeing they are at the entrance of the building, "I don't know why I even bother with you sometimes..." She took a step forward, halting, realizing this may be the last time she speaks with him. Stubbornly, she looks back, seeing his expectant arms open along with the usual, cocky grin of his. She placed the cargo down, accepting his embrace for once, "See you around."

"Yeah, same here," her last view of him is a raised arm.

Upon her tread upstairs and through the hallway she nearly bumped into the old woman who still remained haughty as ever. "Chiyou."

"Girl," she wondered if she even bothered learning her name.

"Still alive and kicking I see?"

"Yes, because of. My. Tea!" she exclaims while holding a square, tin jar, no doubt containing a new concoction of herbs. She twirled around [Name], stuffing the jar into her bag before she could reject, "Drink this and you will probably live up to my age!" She lets out a raspy laugh as she headed in the opposite direction, "Don't slack off on inventing something new for me to challenge. You better come back with something new, [Name]!"

She couldn't help but snicker, bowing towards the Elder, and then continuing to Gaara's office.

Forgetting her manners, she didn't bother knocking, and to her luck, there was no one to disrupt but him.

His desk clear of papers, only holding a small stack of books and his loyal cactus that continued staying healthy. The morning came, the rays leaking through the window. Orange and yellow mixing with red, he appeared stunning. His eyes continued to remain distinctive. His smile, his gaze, everything beginning to make her shudder. Her beauty also being illuminated, but he remained silent as she placed the box on his desk. He reaches for her hand, her soft palm against his rough skin, her heart is flitting even though she knew well where he planned to take her.

The morning air felt crisp and cool against her blush.

"Remember that time..." he spoke lowly, approaching the edge. A silhouette formed from her perspective as he leaned against the rail, "I accused you of not understanding me. I realize now..." He crosses his arms, "If I don't try and help you, it wouldn't be fair to make that accusation." She fearlessly occupied his side as she always did before on their outings. When she seemed comfortable he continued, "Not far from here...from where we stand, I killed my uncle." He saw her flinch, it was a strong start, but it is where he wanted to begin. "My caretaker, Yashamaru, the only one I believed who loved me. As a child, as a jinchuuriki, even when I tried to make up for the awful things I've done, they've done nothing but reject me," he spoke coldly. "Yashamaru, kept me from the point of insanity. He taught me the pain caused by bonds. The pain of 'love.' I believed he loved me...until he claimed the opposite. When he was hired to assassinate me by my father...saying my mother never loved me. On that day, Shukaku rampaged the village for the first time." He tilts over her, one arm balancing on the rail, behind her, "I carved this scar as a reminder to love only myself. My siblings being nothing more than pawns that I can toss away at any time. The term 'friend' meant nothing to me. It made me laugh, it's still new to me how people willingly submit their lives for someone else's." Naruto continued to serve as his staple, "Now I know though..." He sternly gazes at her, "I would give my life to you, if it meant for you to continue to smile, laugh, live." She is entranced with his words, but brought back down as he continued, "...for all my comrades."

Her trembling mouth shut, the words withdrew once more.

She lowered her eyes, "Thank you...Gaara. I'm glad...I could have a little influence on you." He held his hand out, the gesture she used to adore now caused her heart to plummet. In the form of a handshake, so this is the way he intended to say goodbye. She shook her head, lowering his hand back to his side, reaching to caress his cheeks, tiptoeing to not miss, placing a kiss on the exact spot of his scar. He's dumbfounded, "You had plenty influence on me...Lord Gaara." And with that, she fled.