"Why did you come here?" Gaara asked as soon as they were out of ear shot.

"I wanted to see who you were talking to. It is unusual for you to have friends." His father replied calmly, but with a tinge of mockery.

"Now that you know, what are you going to do?" The little red-haired boy was very angry. His fists balled by his sides.

"Honestly, I am disappointed. She doesn't seem very bright. You are a smart boy. I was expecting you to choose someone more sophisticated, more elegant. Now that I know, I feel relaxed. This can't last."

"So, you won't interfere?"

Gaara's emotions were mixed. He was angry because his father bad-mouthed Sakura, but also relieved that he didn't have a tougher, more violent reaction.

"I don't occupy my time with small people like that girl. You will understand when you grow up."

Rasa left Gaara speechless. Sand enveloped the both of them and they teleported back to the hotel. They attracted all looks. Everybody knew the Kazekage visited Sakura's home and the boy she was talking to was his son. Envy spread through the girls like plague.

As soon as Gaara and his father left, Sakura's parents started questioning her. They weren't concerned about the boy being a potential danger. On the contrary, the hoped a marriage with Gaaraa in the future was going to bring their daughter a wealthy life. They couldn't see a powerful, wealthy, educated man other than with good eyes. 'We have to keep an eye on their relationship and water it.' Mebuki thought.

"Why didn't you tell us you were talking to the Kazekage's son?"

"I don't know."

"He's cute. You should invite him here again. Should we prepare a gift for him when he leaves the village?"

"Yes!" Sakura replied happily. "I have already made him something."

Sakura ran to her room to bring the handkerchief on which she tried to sew Gaara's name and stretched her hands to show it to her mother.

"No, honey. We can't give him this. You'll embarrass yourself."

Sakura deflated, lowered her head and hands while her mom kept talking, looking at her husband.

"I was thinking we should give them a food basket to eat on the road and a bottle of wine for his father."

"Be serious!" Kizashi replied. "He's the Kazekage. They will stop by a restaurant to eat."

"But, honey. He's also a ninja, which means he is used to staying in nature. They won't eat cooked meals on the road. Oh, no. They wouldn't have how to heat the food." She said in panic.

"That's what I said." Kizashi laughed.

"The wine bottle still is a good idea, though. We will figure it out until they leave. Sakura, how long will your friend stay here?"

"Two days." Sakura was still sad.

"Good."

Mebuki caressed Sakura's chin and continued:

"Throw that into the bin and go change clothes."

Sunset came much later in Konoha compared to Suna. That was why Gaara felt sleepy 2 hours before dusk when Sakura contacted him.

Gaara-kun, what are you doing now?

Sakura! I am looking out the window.

Did you just yawn?

No.

Sakura laughed.

I can tell when you're lying, you know?

Gaara replied proudly:

I just feel a little heavy from eating too much. That's all. I think a nice walk would make me feel better.

Do you want to stroll together?

Sure. I'll put on my shoes and come to you.

Gaara-kun, you came to Konoha with your siblings, right? Ask them to come, too.

He would have preferred to be alone with Sakura, so he hesitated.

They will feel bad if you leave them alone. Plus, I want to introduce you to my friends.

Ok. I'll go ask them if they want to join us.

When they all met in front of Sakura's house, Gaara was more wry than usual because he felt his brother's and sister's eyes on him. Gaara introduced them and Sakura waved her hand with a smile. Temari thought the girl looked weird and shallow. The blonde was more skeptical towards loud people who manifested exaggerated friendliness. Temari couldn't help but notice how her little brother sweated and felt lost in front of the pink-haired girl. Kankurou was just bored. He got dragged by his sister who insisted to know who Gaara kept talking to.

Sakura took the lead and the others followed her, with Gaara closest to her. They were headed towards the park. While they were walking along the river, Sakura saw a blonde boy with blue eyes who was wearing an orange T-shirt and green trousers approaching them. He was hitting stones with his feet with each step he took. When Sakura screamed, everyone was startled and Gaara's sand bustled a little before it calmed down.

"Naruto!"

Sakura weaved her hand.

"Naruto!"

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto sprinted towards them happily.

"Naruto, this is my friend, Gaara. They are Temari and Kankurou, his siblings. Everyone, this is Naruto, my classmate."

Sakura whispered something into Naruto's ear and Gaara felt a little jealous. Why was Sakura not whispering to him instead? Why was she whispering to this blonde boy? Naruto started laughing as if he had just found out something important, before he walked next to Gaara and started talking openly. Even if he talked a lot and he was very loud, the boys found him funny. Kankurou joined their conversation, so the boys ended up talking to each other and the girls walked behind them, doing the same. Temari had no choice, but to answer all of Sakura's nagging questions. Sakura would have liked to have a friend who was 3 years older than her, but it was embarrassing for Temari.

In the park, everyone gathered around the guests because Sakura called all of them to meet her new friends. Ino was braver than the others and stretched out her hand to shake Gaara's. He shook her hand shyly. Sakura looked at him and saddened.

Why do you let her touch you, but when I tried to hug you, you didn't let me?

Gaara froze for a second before he remembered something:

Why were you whispering in Naruto's ear when we were headed this way?

I told him you are a Jinchuriki, just like him. That's why he was so happy to talk to you.

Oh, sorry. I didn't push you aside on purpose. Nobody has ever tried to hug me before and I didn't know what to do.

But someone has touched hands with you before, right? Because you didn't seem puzzled earlier.

No. I am sorry. I didn't mean to make you feel bad. We can leave, if you want. I don't really like crowds.

While Sakura was considering his offer, the children kept asking him questions that he couldn't answer because he was too busy talking to Sakura in his head, so Kankurou and Temari took it upon themselves to answer in his stead. Everybody forgot about Sakura except for Gaara.

"Sasuke-kun! Come down here." Ino shouted to a black-haired boy, trying to convince him to climb down the tree and join the others.

His name rang loudly in Gaara's ears and his eyes directed upwards to lock with Sasuke's. Their eyes shot lightning bolts. They would have fought if it hadn't been for the crowd. Sakura's voice made Gaara look back at her.

"Gaara-kun, let's go over there." She said loudly while pointing to a nearby bench with her finger. "It will be quieter."

Gaara followed her without a sound. They walked to a bench which faced the river. The others weren't close enough to hear what they were talking about. And there was no tree from where a certain black-haired boy from the Uchiha clan could spy on them.

Sakura was sitting on the far-right side of the bench and Gaara on the far left. Sakura took a deep breath and tried to forget about why she was a little jealous.

"What do you think about Konoha so far?"

"It's beautiful." Although he wasn't sure if he was talking about the village or about Sakura.

"I was thinking we could go to the market tomorrow. You can taste all the different types of food and tell me what you like. Then, we can play at the playground. I hope Gaara-kun didn't forget that he promised to show me his trick to make the best sandcastle."

"Sure."

"Mom and dad told me to ask if there is something that you want to do before you go back to Suna, so you won't leave with regrets, but with a pleasant memory."

"Anything you want is good for me."

"I see. Did you feel good at my place?"

"Yes."

Sakura tried, but she couldn't make him talk. He always said one-syllable words and never more than bare necessity. She sighed again and Gaara felt that she was upset.

"I am sorry I am not a pleasant company for Sakura-chan."

Her big green eyes turned to look at him and Gaara forced himself to look at the water so he could focus on what he wanted to say.

"It was much easier when we talked through letters. I had time to think of what to write. I could make a plan. I don't know why, but now all of my thoughts are gone. I can't think of anything to say." He scratched his ear with his hand in shame.

Sakura giggled and finally relaxed. Her legs swayed under the bench. Her laugh was so melodious and beautiful in reality! Gaara was fascinated. His face became red and he was flustered again. Sakura saved him.

"I was thinking the exact same thing. I have never spoken so much before you came. I tried to stop myself, but words simply left my mouth. Sometimes I didn't even know what I was saying. It was a tangle in my head. I am so glad I wasn't the only one! I was afraid not to bore you or give you a headache."

Gaara smiled and looked at his hands in his lap. He would have wanted to hold her hand, but he had never initiated physical contact before. How should he do it? Wouldn't it be weird?

You know, if you wanted to hug me now, I wouldn't say no.

He didn't have the courage to say it out loud. Sakura was surprised at first, then she gave him an unexpected answer:

Gaara-kun, I can't force a hug. I'll give you a hug when I feel it.

Could it be before I go back to Suna?

Hmm, I will think about it. And then she laughed to relieve the tension in the air.

Gaara bit his lip, and then he lifted his right hand into the air. Sand started moving magically and a few rotations later, a beautiful necklace with a cherry flower pendant appeared in Sakura's sounds of joy and amazement. He handed it to her. Sakura took it in her hands and put it around her neck by herself with pride.

"Waa! It's very beautiful. Thank you!"

Gaara smiled with his eyes closed.

Sasuke followed the whole scene from behind them. He was jealous. His nails grazed the tree trunk next to him before he decided to leave.

"Gaara-kun." She said with nervousness. "I have something for you. Mom told me to throw it away, but I couldn't because I worked on it. I decided to give it to you and if you don't like it, then you can throw it away. I won't be upset." Even if she said it, she wasn't sure she wouldn't burst into tears if Gaara actually threw her gift in the garbage.

She took out the handkerchief on which she sewed his name and handed it to him without looking him in the eyes. Hers were already glossy. Gaara took the present with both hands respectfully and looked at his name. The thumb of his right hand traced the kanji as if to make sure it was real. He got even more emotional when he saw how she stressed.

"Thank you, Sakura-chan! You made the effort to learn how to sew just to make this gift for me. I will forever keep this memory in my heart. Sakura-chan is very generous and she has no reason to worry. I would never think any of her gifts are worthy of throwing away. I genuinely thank you!"

Sakura was so happy that she started to cry. She wrapped her arms around him in an unexpected hug. Gaara immediately forced his sand to stay in place. Because he was focused so much on it, his fists balled on his lap and his whole body froze. One of her tears fell on the back of his left hand and it felt like a drop of water falling into a glass full of water.

When he was heading back to the hotel after he had dropped Sakura home, Sasuke suddenly appeared before him. Sand swirled around the red-haired boy because of anger, but Sasuke didn't seem scared. This boy is dangerous. They both thought at the same time.

"Fight me!" Sasuke said.

"Why would I do that?"

"Because you are frustrated Sakura likes me."

"Don't make me laugh! Sakura hugged me, she gave me gifts and she wears the gifts I gave her. You are nothing but a simple pedestrian to her."

"Are you saying you're afraid to fight me? You know you'll lose, right? Why try when you already know the outcome?"

"Hmpf! If I start a fight with a Konoha ninja, Sakura will be in trouble. You will most probably file a complaint and I won't be allowed to come here in a long time."

Sasuke's face darkened because his plan got thwarted.

"However, if you attack me, it's completely different. I will defend myself. Of course, I cannot guarantee that I won't kill you." Gaara said.

"Do you think I am stupid? If I attack you, I will lose my shinobi status and I will be expelled."

He is not as stupid as I thought.

"There's no point in fighting. I won anyway." Gaara said.

"We'll see. She told me that she loved me first. (Even if Sasuke exaggerated a little, Gaara felt like he was stabbed in the heart.) I saved her when she passed out and I was the one she thanked. Where were you? In Suna. I will save her every time. She will fall for me again, little by little."

Gaara was so furious that he wanted to kill Sasuke on the spot.

"You get drunk on water, Uchiha! Sakura is mine. You're already out of the picture."

Sasuke looked down on Gaara and left with a mocking smile, but wounded pride. This rival wasn't a usual nobody.

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Notes: Thank you a lot for leaving reviews! I don't know why one of my readers couldn't leave feedback on my other story. Please try again, maybe there was an error from the site. Thank you so much for your support! You keep me motivated to write more. I am so happy you appreciate my work. What do you think about Gaara and Sasuke's conversation?