TEMARI

Temari didn't have much time to process what just happened because her phone rang and Gaara's caller ID appeared. Her brothers wouldn't call her unless it was important.

Upon answering, she heard Kankurou's voice protesting in the background, "She's just going to get mad at the both of us!"

"She will get even more mad if we don't tell her," Gaara told him.

"What's going on?," she ordered more than questioned.

"We are in the emergency room at the college's medical centre." Gaara's voice was flat. "But Temari there is no need for you to come over as Kankurou is only slightly injured-"

Temari didn't hear what he said because she turned around and headed back to the main campus.

INO

Ino's night was turning out to be huge bore.

She had planned an exciting date night with her boyfriend Sai, which ended up being postponed due to an art emergency. His exhibition was coming up soon but she hadn't seen him in a while. She understood the circumstances but she still missed him.

So she called Sakura and Hinata, seeking comfort from her best friends… only to find Sakura more heartbroken than she was, crying into Hinata's arms at the library. Sasuke had left the campus for the weekend without telling her. And just when the two of them had started texting…Ino thought, shaking her head in disgust. She couldn't believe she used to have a crush on him.

She didn't know if Sakura and Sasuke's on-again-off-again-barely-on-the-first-time relationship was ever going to amount to anything, but she was rooting for her best friend's happiness. She, Hinata and Sakura had been through it all in their years of friendship. So at Hinata's suggestion, the trio were going to hang out and watch a movie together. Which would have been a perfect night.

But as they were leaving the library that evening, they'd run into one of the "Suna-stars". Ino chuckled at how genius that nickname was. Kankurou had accidentally hurt himself in the carpentry shed. Chopped his finger off with one of the powertools. It's a good thing the three girls were the top of their medical class or he might have had to say goodbye to that finger.

They managed to get him to the emergency ward in time to get him the medical attention he needed. But then there was Professor Tsunade roaming the halls, ready to grab them for some volunteer work. The lady was like an eagle with huge boobs. Professor Tsunade was ramping up to give them some kind of work for the weekend. Luckily for Ino, an angel from heaven appeared. Beautiful and blonde, Temari rushed through the doors of the emergency ward.

Ino quickly brushed Professor Tsunade away, telling her that it was their sacred duty as the Student Council Members to ensure their new transfer was reunited with her family. She doubted Lady Tsunade cared about that but it was distracting enough for her and Sakura to get away. How Hinata managed to blend in and go unseen always amazed Ino… especially recently when Hinata has been sneaking away more often.

"I'm here for my brother. Is he alright?" Temari asked the front desk urgently. From the way she was dressed, in her tracksuit with a huge gym bag over her shoulder, ino guessed she came straight from a workout. But there was something off about her outfit. A grey cashmere scarf around her neck? You don't bring cashmere to the gym. And you certainly wouldn't wear that over a high-neck windbreaker.

"Temari!" Ino pulled Sakura away from Tsunade when she had her back turned and headed to Temari. "Come with us, your brothers are over here," Ino called her, directing her to the beds.

Temari walked with gusto, obviously concerned. "I wish we could have met in better circumstances. I'm Sakura-" Sakura started to introduce themselves, but Temari already knew their names.

"Sakura and Ino - treasurer and student welfare, right?" Temari said.

Sakura blinked at Ino, as if to say, she's good.

"That's a really nice scarf, by the way," Ino watched as Temari unconsciously touched the scarf, as if she forgot it was there. She clung onto it as if double-thinking her decision to keep it on. Were her ears turning red?

"Thanks. It's a… friend's actually," she said shyly.

Is she blushing? Ino thought.

Everyone knew Ino was the biggest gossip on campus. It's not that she wanted to hurt people, she just knew the value of knowledge. Having information about the campus students and their relationships is what allowed the student council to run smoothly and effectively. And in this moment, Ino had feeling that there was a story behind that scarf. But now wasn't the right place or time for it. So it will have to wait.

Ino pulled back a curtain, revealing Kankurou on a hospital bed. His shirt had bloodstains and one of his hands was bandaged up. Gaara was sitting next to him, legs crossed with an intense look on his face. At the arrival of Temari, the two boys sat upright.

Temari must run a tight ship. Ino guessed. Are they in for some kind of lecture? Punishment? The fear in their eyes says they are in for some kind of lecture or punishment. But to everyone's surprise, Temari rushed to wrap her brothers in a hug.

"Oh Tem, gross," Kankurou let out.

"Sister, please." Gaara said softly. The two boys rolled his eyes before wrapping his arms around her as well.

Temari let them out of the hug and gave them a good once over. With a nod of her head, her eyelids dropped to a steely glare. She whacked them both on the head. The boys went "Ow" in unison.

"What on earth happened here? Kankurou, how have you injured yourself within the week?" Temari had her arms crossed over her chest.

"I thought I turned off the power saw, but I didn't and well… oops," Kankurou grumbled shyly.

Temari looked at the bandage on his hand, her eyebrows scrunching up in distress.

"Oh don't fret. It was a clean cut and despite the blood loss, it was a very simply procedure of reattaching the veins and nerves. The human body is actually quite amazing because once-"

Ino stopped Sakura's enthusiastic explanation. "Yeah he'll be fine, Temari. Sakura is the top of our class and prodigy of Professor Tsunade herself. She knew what to do and she made sure he got the best treatment," Ino said, proud of her best friend.

Temari rushed over to Sakura and hugged her as well. "Thank you," Ino heard her say softly to Sakura beside her.

Temari turned back to Gaara. "And Gaara, I need to know, what are you wearing? And who did that to your face?"

Now the people present turned to Gaara, who had dark rings of eyeliner around his eyes that made him resemble a raccoon. He also had on a torn mesh shirt, huge black platform boots and several studded belts around a very baggy pair of pants.

"I've been wondering the same thing all night," Kankurou admitted.

"I guess it is time for me to inform you both…" Gaara said seriously. Standing up, he looked between his big brother and sister.

Ino and Sakura quietly watched all of them. They were a peculiar bunch. Three very gifted and very good-looking siblings, who took everything they did way too seriously. Not having siblings themselves, this was exceptionally fascinating.

"I am in a band," Gaara admitted proudly.

"A band?" The other two siblings asked in unison. They turned to each other, mouths agape and then back to Gaara before Temari asked, "Since when?"

"With who?!" Kankurou asked, pushing himself up higher on his bed, ignoring the fact he almost lost a finger a couple hours ago.

"From our day of arrival at Konoha College," he told them calmly. "With my new friend, Lee. He is a drummer. I accompany his drumming with my cello." Then with a smug expression, he revealed, "We are very good."

Ino knew Lee. Everyone knew Lee. Lee was great, and cheery and an all-round sweetheart. How did he end up in a band with dark and brooding Gaara? That was another interesting story to be found out, but first - an opportunity.

"We actually need a student band for the Fall Festival. Would you and Lee be interested in auditioning?"

Gaara looked at her blankly. "I will confer with Lee. But that sounds like a wonderful opportunity. Thank you for asking me, Ino."

This would do well at the next student council meeting. A fusion of the two schools would look great too! Ino thought gladly.

Then someone tugged at the curtain. Hinata's head popped in, with her wide pale eyes and perfect bangs, "Ino, Sakura - we need to go. Lady Tsunade is looking for someone to volunteer this weekend. I think she wants us to change the bedpans…" Hinata's big eyes caught onto the addition of Temari. Temari herself looked at Hinata's sudden head in astonishment.

"Temari!" Hinata let out in pleasant surprise.

"Hinata! It's great meeting you again," Temari responded, equally surprised. It seemed like the two girls knew each other. Ino wished she could've stayed to hear all about that, but at the risk of losing her weekend was too great.

"And that's our sign to skedaddle, folks!" Ino said, "Speedy recovery, Kankurou and let me know about the Festival, Gaara. We'll see you around Temari!" Sakura yanked her through the curtains and the three girls rushed out of the hospital.

"That was the most interesting night I've had in a while," Ino admitted to her besties, "And Hinata, you have got to tell us how you know Temari!"