Birthday Bouquet

Unlocking the door to the flower shop, Haruno Sakura breathed in the alluring scent of all the different kinds blossoms which filled the front room. If there was something she loved about working in her best friend's business, it was the smell of flowers in the morning.

Placing her bag on one of the back shelves as she went behind thecounter, she proceeded to put on her apron, ready to begin another day of work. There were some flower arrangements which needed to get done by the end of the day and she had even promised Ino that she would try to get them finished before lunch.

She went into the back room to acquire the blossoms she needed for the intricate ornaments she was working on. Their storage room was relatively large compared to the size of the shop and many large water filled flower buckets rested along one side of the wall while other blossoms were kept on adjacent shelves. Ino's tiny office was located at the end of the room and a small table which would barely sit four people rested to its side. Thiswas what they all jokingly denominated the 'kitchen area' and a small microwave and coffee maker rested by a small sink on a nearby counter.

Sakura looked around to make sure everything was in place before turning to the flower buckets and choosing the best blossoms fromthem.

Yamanaka Flowers always had all kinds of requests for many different types of occasions. Usually, Ino's mother would handle most of them, since she managed the central shop and had numerousassistants. But some of the time, the clients were just too many and she would delegate some of the tasks to her daughters. Ino, being the youngest, ran the smallest of the three shops the Yamanaka family owned, but this didn't mean she slacked off.

On the contrary, the blond had an amazing skill when it came to flower arrangements, an ability she shared with her best friend,

Sakura. Both their ornaments were usually in high demand and reserved only for the most special clients.

Thus, Sakura found that she needed to get fifteen table pieces done before closing time, each one different from the other but using the same types of flowers. Some of their clients' requests were sometimes unbelievable and the amount of details they demanded would've driven anyone mad. But the pink haired girl found she actually had a knack for such jobs and arranging flowers was something she simply loved to do.

Apart from that, the pay was extremely good when compared to other flower shops and working in such a friendly environment wassomething she was constantly grateful for.

Taking the flowers she needed, she brought them over to the counter, where she arranged them in the order they needed to be placed. She took a large piece of green foam from one of the shelves and set it down, concentrating on the way she was going to go about creating her first art piece of the day.

As if on cue, the hands on the clock hanging on the wall marked 8o'clock and Sakura walked towards the door, turning over the signhanging on the window, letting the world know that Yamanaka Flowers had just opened for the day.

Staring out the glass, the pink haired girl watched the traffic drift by, with many people walking down the sidewalk, heading towards the centre of town. The shop was located near an office district, were tall business men and women walked and drove by intheir impeccable suits, looking as if they were the busiest people in the world. According to Ino, having the shop in such a locality was ideal, since the crowd who worked in the nearby buildings was obligated to walk by their window every single day.Not surprisingly, the blond's schemes had worked and the flower store acquired a steady and constant clientele, making it extremely successful.

This didn't mean they were saturated with clients all day, but they did make enough profit to have a rise in their pay checks every so often.

Turning from the window, Sakura returned to her stool behind the counter once more. She knew that Ino wouldn't be coming in until around 10am, since she loved to have her morning beauty sleep. Lee, however, was a different story. Knowing that the pink hairedgirl would be covering the first shift of the day, it wouldn't surprise her to see him walk in the door at any moment.

Her co-worker's infatuation was something of a joke between the four who worked at the shop and it brought about all kinds of humorous antics. Sakura had made it clear to Lee from the start that she didn't want to have a relationship with someone she worked with every day and he had taken her rejection in stride. This didn't mean, however, that he would stop his advances nor that he would stop making all kinds of small gestures for her.

But Sakura wasn't overly worried about Lee, since he knew exactlywhere they stood and wouldn't expect more from her than an honestfriendship. He was such a sweet man and especially skilled at flower arrangements too. The pink haired girl actually enjoyed his company since he could be extremely funny at times.

The bells of the door chimed as someone walked in and not surprisingly, the only male assistant of the shop walked in, carrying a carton with two lattes on it.

"Morning Lee," Sakura greeted, a wide smile on her face.

"Lovely to see you, Sakura" Lee replied, teeth glimmering in the soft shadows of the morning. "I brought you your morning dose, since I know you need it. I came by early since you need to finish those arrangements quickly, so I can take care of any customers that come in."

"Thanks, I really appreciate it," she said, taking her cup of coffee and placing it to the side of the ornament she was working

on. "I know I told Ino I would try to get these done before lunchbreak but I think it's going to be impossible."

"Don't worry, no one can beat you when it comes to making table pieces in record timing!" Lee exclaimed, giving her a thumbs up as he put his own cup of coffee down on the counter.

Giggling at his antics, Sakura continued to work on her adornmentas Lee walked into the back room to retrieve his apron and leave his things.

"I just want to get as many done as possible this morning so thatHinata won't have too much work in the afternoon," she said when Lee came back carrying a broom. "She almost killed herself with those wedding pieces last week and almost had a nervous breakdownat one point!"

"I know," Lee replied as he started sweeping. "I swear I've neverseen her so close to weeping over work before. She even pulled anall-nighter to finish them on time."

"Yeah, Ino almost killed her when she found out!" Sakura said, taking a sip of her coffee. "She should've told us she needed help. We would've pitched in after our shifts without any problem."

"Well, you know how she is. She always wants to get things down by herself cause she actually thinks she depends on us too much,"he said, shaking his head.

"I think Ino might give her a day off this week, since Mrs. Setsuku was extremely pleased with Hinata's work. She said they were the perfect adornments for her daughters wedding," Sakura replied, imitating their customer's squeaky voice in the last sentence.

Lee laughed and was about to say something when the first customer of the day walked in the door.

"Ahh, good morning Kanna-san," he greeted. "Do you wish for the usual?"

The young secretary smiled at both of them. "Yes, please. I need the weekly arrangement to adorn the reception of the office. Eventhough Toki-san said she wished to have some different colours onthis one."

"Hmmm, let's see," Lee said as he walked behind the counter and starting taking some flowers from the shelves. "We always give her some blue and violet hues. How about mixing them with some red and orange?"

"That would be lovely," Kanna replied as she walked forward to survey his work.

Sakura tuned out their conversation after a bit and continued to concentrate on her work. It really would be an extremely long dayand she wished she could make it through unscathed. There was so much which needed to get done, but at least Lee was here to help her.

Taking some of the blooms in her hands, she started arranging them according to Mr. Hitsuro's preferences, losing herself in the blends of colours she was creating.

XXXXXXXXXX

He hated his birthday.

He hated it from the core of his being.

The anniversary of his birth had never been a date to celebrate, to enjoy… it was marked by the very opposite concept of what a birthday stood for.

It was marked by death.

While taking his car keys from the small table next to his apartment door, the red head reminded himself of all the reasons

why there would never be any joy when it came to 'commemorating' the day of his birth.

The day Gaara was born was the day his mother passed away. After an extremely difficult childbirth, she had finally succumbed to her weakened state and was only able to bless her lastborn son with the gift of his name. She had died while holding her newborninfant in her arms for the first and last time, looking down uponthe frightened jade eyes of the baby who had exhausted her life.

Or so his sister had told him.

Many times throughout his existence, Gaara had imagined just whatthe scene of his birth had looked like, especially during the long lapses of insomnia he suffered from. The doctors rushing around the room, trying in vain to use the latest technology to safe the life of the woman in the hospital bed, who had by then given up on all chances of surviving childbirth for the third time. The red head could clearly picture his small self, cradled in the loving arms of his mother… but then, the image would always shift, and instead, he would see his small self being heldin the hands of a rotting corpse.

Distractedly, he opened his car door and got in, turning on the engine as he backed out of his apartment building's parking lot, his mind completely lost in past events.

In his family, the fact that he had killed his mother had always been an unspoken knowledge. As he grew up, he felt the tension and disgust, especially from his father, as clearly as he felt the cold grip of loneliness surround his heart. He knew his siblings had hated him during their childhood… here was this newcomer to the household, small and useless, which had taken a mother and a wife away by coming into the world. What child wouldbe ready for such a blow so early in life?

His father would always treat him differently, and try as he might, he just couldn't bring himself to love his youngest son. Gaara knew that he probably saw too much of his mother in him, and every time he would gaze upon his face, he would be reminded

of his loss. This feeling was passed down to his other children, Temari and Kankurou, who would take their cues from their father and kept a deliberate distance from Gaara to avoid his displeasure.

Or so his brother had told him.

Many years afterwards, Kankurou had explained to him how the alienation his younger brother had suffered was a condition established completely by their father and both him and Temari did not dare disobey the tyrant. The man was an extremely disciplined person and he wanted his children to be no less, therefore, when he gave an order, he expected it to be obeyed… orthe consequences would be dire.

Hence, in their own way, the three children of the household had lived a childhood of terror and fear, not daring to step out of line even for an instant. Temari and Kankurou had been forced to watch their younger brother grow up a lonely child, with no one to help him ease away the fears of his nightmares.

Driving down the road in his Range Rover on the way to the office, the red head kept reminiscing about his childhood, something he was wont to do in this most wretched of days. Try ashe might, there was no stopping his mind on his birthday from returning to that time when he had been the most miserable.

Wanting to get his son as far away from him as possible, Gaara's father had enlisted him in a private boarding school for boys andhe would spend most of the year away from home… much to his relief as well as his fathers. There, the red head would vent outall of his frustration on the other kids and was quickly singled out as the school's bully. He would pick a fight whenever he could and developed an unusual skill for such encounters, gaininga notorious reputation.

He would skip classes very often and would leave the school for extended periods of time. It was on these fieldtrips that he had developed the habit of smoking at the age of twelve, and no punishment from his teachers would change his behaviour. Word of

his escapades and of his inappropriate conduct reached the ears of his father, but the man just couldn't be bothered to care. In any case, the red head was an extremely intelligent boy and wouldalways pass his courses with exceptional grades. Therefore, in the end, his teachers and principal dictated that it was best to leave him alone.

So, for a long time Gaara lived the early years of his life in a bustling school full of young vibrant boys, where no one, not even his mentors, would acknowledge his existence. Bitterness andresentment tore him apart from the inside and his violent behaviour was only the outcome of the tormenting chaos which raged within him. With no one to turn to, he closed his contact with the world and painfully realized that the only person he could ever count on was himself.

But life always had a way of opening doors when you thought therewere none… and thankfully, just when the red head's life was about to take a turn for the worst, a little light shone through.

He was taken out of class one day and told that he needed to go home. Some kind of emergency had happened but no one would tell him exactly what. When he arrived at the mansion, he was greeted by his siblings and bluntly told that his father had passed away.

"Good," he told both of them and he walked up the steps of their luxurious house, making his way to his room. He locked himself away for days and didn't attend the funeral. No matter what Kankurou and Temari did, he didn't emerge, not even to eat.

But just like him, his siblings were thankfully a stubborn pair and they were determined to crack their baby brother's shell onceand for all. Now that the ever-looming threat of their father wasout of the way, they were resolved in making up for the time theyhad missed.

Gaara was fourteen the day he knocked Kankurou out for the first time and it wouldn't be the last. All kinds of verbal and physical fights ensued as the trio tried to establish some sort living arrangement. Being the only one over eighteen, Temari was

their official caretaker and had been given the authority to manage their vast inheritance and their father's business until her two brothers came of age. Therefore, she was the one in charge, at least in theory, and most of the time her siblings would do as they were told.

Of course, the one who always gave her a headache had always beenher younger brother. He refused to go back to his boarding schooland she refused for him not to finish his education. Physical prowess being his forte, the red head found he simply couldn't match his sister's level in skill when it came to verbal lashing and discussions… even though he did try. Coming to a compromise, Gaara agreed to finish high school at a local institution but only if Temari stayed out of his life and didn't bother him; she agreed to keep her distance only if he managed to get good gradesand not come in drunk on a school night.

They shook hands on it and the issue was never discussed again… that is, until Gaara brought in a slutty girl late one evening and Kankurou discovered both of them naked in the bathroom.

Gaara chuckled evilly at the memory as he stopped for a red lightat one of the city's busiest cross roads. It hadn't been his brightest moment, but there were some things hormones did to you which simply couldn't be controlled, especially when you were a teenager. The girl hadn't meant anything to him, just like all the ones after her, but she had surely given his older siblings the fright of a lifetime.

The red head thought Temari's head would come off from all the yelling she did that night. As she said herself sometime later, it was one thing to try and help steer your younger brothers in the right direction but it was another thing entirely to put up with their antics when they hit puberty. Try as she might, she couldn't avoid having the conversation about contraceptives with him, so, she 'discussed' it with him at the top of her lungs while he stood in front of her dressed only in a pair of boxers while the girl stayed hidden inside the bathroom.

After that, the three of them came up with an agreement concerning such circumstances and concluded that 1) no sex buddies on weekdays, 2) there should always be a stash of condomshidden somewhere, 3) no condoms meant no sex, 4) keep the noise down to the bare minimum and 5) always stay inside the bedroom. These rules applied to all three of them and if they were broken,punishment would be handed out accordingly.

Surprisingly, even though a little bit of chaos would always be present, some strange semblance of order reigned over the household from then on and living together became more than bearable for all of them. At one point, they were all somewhat shocked when they found themselves giving each other Christmas presents and the like, or when they found they were sharing a quiet dinner and discussing the events of each other's day.

The process was slightly slower for Gaara, who had never had any type of close relationship with anyone in his life. But his siblings were patient and they didn't force him. They wanted him to open up to them when and if he was ready, and tried not to pressure him in the least. Even though he never said it, the red head had been extremely grateful to them for this and it was something he would always cherish secretly.

So, at the beginning, he would stay in his room and they would only see him a few times a week. He started emerging little by little however, and whenever he did, Kankurou would always try tostrike up a conversation of some sort or would challenge him to agame of pool down in the basement.

The red head scoffed such invitations at first and thought himself above such interactions. But he found he was lured to linger slightly longer each time he came out of his room and eventually, he would sit for a while with his brother and sister while watching TV. He didn't say a word but his presence was dulynoted and bit by bit, he came to be a part of his home's world, something he had never been able to accomplish during the early years of his childhood.

Now, after having successfully graduated from high school and obtained a business degree with outstanding grades, after having acquired a job as assistant manager for their family's company and having started an independent life of his own, he found that many years had passed since those times…

And like it or not, it was time to celebrate his wretched birthday again.

Which meant that it was the day he visited his mother's grave.

A scowl formed on his face at the thought as he arrived at Suna Electronic's building. Going into the parking lot reserved only for the high managers of the company, he parked his car in his own private spot. He took his bag from the passenger seat, the backpack he had used since high school. Gaara had never actually cared about following the 'established protocol' when it came to business etiquette and Temari had actually fought with him for many months just to get him to wear a decent shirt and trousers when he had started being her assistant. After a while he had complied but would not go far enough to wear a tie everyday and reserved its use for extremely special occasions.

Riding the elevator up to the 10th floor, Gaara prepared himself mentally for the day. He was sure his sister wouldn't forget his birthday, much to his aggravation, and he slightly wondered what stupid festivities she had hidden up her sleeves. Temari had always made a point of spoiling her baby brother whenever she hadthe chance, even though she was an extremely stern woman when it came to being the chief manager of a multinational corporation. The red head usually didn't mind the softer side of her nature onoccasion but he didn't wish it to show up on the day of his birth, especially since she would openly tell the world that it was his day.

It wasn't nice to be reminded of his nativity, for whenever someone came up to him and congratulate him, he would always remember his mother.

For this reason, he was always morose and ill-tempered on this day, something which didn't seem to deter his sister, no matter how hard he tried.

Gaara walked out of the elevator. Their main secretary greeted him amiably and congratulated him, but he only nodded in responseand headed directly towards his office, which was located to one side of Temari's. Luckily, her door was closed and he managed to slip by unnoticed.

He sat down on his large desk and looked out the large window which offered an amazing view of one of the city's parks. He always loved to stare out the glass in silent contemplation but found he didn't have as much time as he wanted to enjoy this strange hobby of his.

A blinking light caught his attention and he clicked on one of his phone's buttons to listen to the pending message.

Temari's voice popped up on the speaker as she sang 'Happy Birthday' to him at the top of her lungs.

Deleting the message even before it finished, the red head held his face in his hands as he leaned on his desk and tried to control his rising ire. He was bound to yell at someone by the end of the day, he simply knew it. He could only hope that his sister wouldn't even think about getting him a cake during their lunch break like she had last year. It was one thing to blow out the candles in the private of his home but it was completely different to do so when surrounded by a bunch of idiots who worked for him that he didn't even pretend he liked.

Even though his people skills had improved somewhat, Gaara wasn'texactly the friendliest person around. People mostly irritated him with their inefficiency and stupidity and their office was infinitely plagued by such morons. Personally, he would've fired most of them and retained only a few who did their work right, but Temari vehemently refused to even think about such an idea. She always said that it was partially his fault for not even

trying to get along with his co-workers and he guessed she was right to some extent.

In truth, he really didn't care what they thought about him as long as they did what they had to do. They kept their distance and respected him, knowing he was the co-owner of the company. This was more than enough for Gaara, who had learned to play the roll of the bully all through school and was happy to keep playing the part in his adult life.

Turning on his computer, he checked the pending tasks he had for the day and started them without a second thought, more than gladto be given a chance to forget what day it was. He knew someone would remind him about it sooner or later, so he welcomed any opportunity at forgetfulness that he could get.

Just as he had started to fall into his usual work rhythm, his office door crashed open.

In walked Temari wearing a gigantic jester hat, a plastic whistlein her mouth and making the nastiest din in the world as she paraded around.

Gaara closed his eyes in an attempt to control his temper and prayed for the day to be over.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Sakura, how far ahead are you?" Ino asked around a mouthful of salad.

The three of them, Sakura, Ino and Lee were sitting at the 'kitchen' table, having a quiet lunch. The day hadn't been extremely busy, so they were able to sit down together to eat andif any customer walked in, the bells from the door would let themknow.

"I'm almost done," the pink haired girl replied, stopping a moment in her eating. "I only have three ornaments left and if this slow day keeps up, I'll finish them in no time."

"Good," the blond replied. "That way Hinata can have an easy afternoon. Did you remember to add the bluebells to one of the pieces?"

"Yes, I've already done the central table's arrangement," Sakura said. "It was one of the first ones I did since it was slightly more complicated."

"Great! I can always count on you," Ino told her, a smile on her lips.

"What's going on with that large request we have for next week?" Lee asked, looking up from his meal.

"I haven't decided how exactly we're going to tackle it since mother said we should work on it together. But I think all of us will have to toil extra since it's B-I-G. We're doing the arrangements for a darned business conference… I think it's aboutelectronics or something. Whichever the case, we have to decoratean entire hall of the Fujima Hotel."

"The Fujima Hotel?" Lee asked, slightly shocked. "Not again!" he finished, partially covering his face with his hand.

Sakura shuddered as well. "That wedding last year really did somehorrible things to us, didn't it?"

Her raven haired co-worker nodded her way, a look of dread in hiseyes.

"Don't worry too much about it," Ino told them, sounding confident. "This time, my mum's covering our backs… we won't haveto do it all by ourselves again."

"I truly hope so," the pink haired girl said.

"Yosh! No need to worry then!" Lee exclaimed suddenly, standing up and looking down at them. "We have the vitality to get the jobdone and nothing will stop us!" With that, he gave both of them one of his characteristic smiles and a thumbs up.

Bursting out in laughter, Ino couldn't help but laugh at his pose. Sakura tried to hide her giggles behind her hand, but she knew it was useless.

The bells on the door chimed as someone stepped into the shop.

"Good afternoon, everybody," Hinata greeted in the loudest voice she could manage, which meant that the occupants in the storage room barely heard her.

"We're back here, girl!" Ino shouted to her.

The silver eyed girl stepped into the back room and sat down at the only available chair at the table, placing her bag on a nearby shelf.

"How's the day going?" she asked.

"It's been pretty slow, thankfully," Sakura replied. "I've been able to get most of the ornaments for Mr. Hitsuro's party done. Lee's been helping out, so I'll get those finished today and we can ship them tomorrow morning at the latest."

The quiet girl nodded. "Good, then maybe we can start working on next week's project."

"Not so fast, missy," Ino interrupted. "You almost died on us last week, so you're going to take it easy. Why don't you take the day after tomorrow off?"

"Friday?" Hinata asked, her eyes lighting up at the news.

"Sure. You can have a long weekend and come in for a fresh start to the chaos which will definitely ensue on Monday," their blond boss replied.

"Thank you, Ino!" Hinata exclaimed, clapping her hands excitedly.

"Now, now, I think I know why you're so happy," Ino said while narrowing her eyes suspiciously. "If my sources don't fail me, you went out for coffee with a certain blue eyed young man I saw

hanging outside the shop the other day… he was kind of loud, if Irecall correctly."

The silver eyed girl blushed to the ends of her hair, turning hergaze away and trying to look anywhere but at Ino.

"Bingo!" the boisterous blond cried out, banging her hand on the table. "We still have 10 minutes left of our lunch break and I think that's enough time for you to let us know all the juicy details…"

"Errrrm…" Hinata said, fidgeting with her hands.

Sakura giggled at her best friend's antics. When Ino wanted to get information concerning a man out of you, there was no way of fighting her interrogation. She wasn't exactly sure how she did it, but you ended up telling her everything, even the things you would've liked to keep to yourself.

"Spill it!" the blond exclaimed, leaning forward towards Hinata.

The shy girl sighed in defeat. "Well… we went to the Creamy Café…"

Lee and Sakura leaned in with interest, just as curious to know about their friend's date.

"…his name is Naruto and he's really sweet…"

XXXXXXXXXX

Gaara felt as if his prayers had been answered.

Thanks to the will of some benign deity, Temari had been blessed by sudden enlightenment, and instead of putting her younger brother through torture by celebrating his day in front of the whole office, she had allowed him to leave work early.

All three of them always visited their mother's grave on Gaara's birthday, but Kankurou and Temari always allowed the red head to go first, since they truly thought it was a privilege neither of

them had any claim to. This was probably the reason why the dark blond had let him go, thinking he would have more time to spend with their mother.

Inwardly, Gaara had thanked her for this but didn't say anything out loud.

Hence, just before the clock of his office struck 2pm, he was outthe door and making his way down to the basement, avoiding any type of contact with any idiot who would've likely stopped him towish him a happy birthday.

He had had more than enough with Temari's hat, which he had promptly dropped into the garbage can under his desk as soon as she walked out his door. The red head could only hope that she didn't find it and use it to torment him further.

The sunny morning had darkened into a cloudy afternoon. The cemetery his mother was buried at wasn't that far away from the business district and Gaara thought he had more than enough time to visit her grave before it started pouring. As he drove along the relatively empty streets of the city, he decided that it might be a good idea to bring his mother a bouquet of flowers.

After giving her life away so that he could have his, it was indeed the very least he could do for her.

Turning a corner, he swiftly looked around for a flower shop. He was sure he had seen one around this part given that he drove past here everyday on the way to his apartment.

After a few seconds of searching, he was regarded with the sign of 'Yamanaka Flowers' some distance away and he proceeded to parkalmost in front of the shop.

Making his way over to the side walk hurriedly and locking his car as he went, he opened up the door of the flower shop and stepped inside.

He was met by the sight a small black haired girl who was showingan old lady some colourful flowers which seemed to have been taken directly out of a rainforest. He swore he would've been blinded if he were to stare at their almost phosphorescent glow for too long.

Looking around, he spotted the counter to his right where he found a loud blond talking on the phone and apparently taking an order from a client. To one side, a pink haired girl worked silently on what he could only guess was some type of ornament. Deciding she was his best bet to getting out of here fast, Gaara approached the counter and stood in front of her.

"I need a bouquet," he stated simply, the command in his voice evident.

Seemingly startled, the girl dropped the flower she was holding and looked up abruptly as she voiced an apology.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't hear you come…"

Brilliant emerald eyes looked up at him, as the look on her face turned from startled to surprised. Her mouth was open as she stopped in mid-sentence and she simply kept looking at him without finishing what she was saying.

Not understanding what was exactly happening Gaara stared back ather, his gaze steady, waiting for her to fulfil his order and be done with it as fast as possible.

But then, out of the blue, she smiled at him… a genuine charming smile and the red head couldn't help but realize how truly beautiful she was.

Maybe he should repeat what he had said.

"I need a bouquet… please."

"Sure sir, give me just a second," the girl replied, her smile widening as she stood up from her stool.

Rainfall

Sakura couldn't believe what she was seeing.

This sort of thing didn't happen, at least, not to her. And even though she had seen quite a number of handsome men in her life, none had ever walked into their flower shop before.

And surely, none of them were as nearly as handsome as the man before her.

Standing on the other side of the counter, the red head who suddenly demanded a bouquet from her was, in one word, stunning. His hair had a tousled aspect to it, as if he didn't really care about what it looked like. Jade orbs rimmed with black stared back at her, cold and hard, as if they could see straight throughher and uncover her darkest secrets. The chiselled features of his face were brought into high contrast with a crimson tattoo onhis forehead. Love, the kanji read.

And the devil-may-care attitude he was emanating was simply too alluring for a girl not to notice.

Thankfully, Sakura's lapse of admiration went seemingly unnoticedand she managed to collect herself enough when he spoke again.

"What's the occasion?" she asked, as she stepped back towards theshelves behind her to get some paper for the bouquet.

There was a moment of silence and Sakura thought that he might not have heard her. But as she turned round to look at him once more, she saw him staring intently at her, a strange expression on his face.

"Birthday," he said abruptly after a few seconds as if he didn't want to divulge any information.

She smiled widely at him. "And who's the lucky one who will receive the flowers?" she asked happily.

"What's it to you?" he snapped back, forehead creased in irritation.

'Ok,' Sakura thought, stopping dead in her tracks. 'Having a bad day, are we?'

"Errm, I just need to know so I can choose the type of paper," she explained while she ran her hand through her sort tresses nervously, signalling to the numerous bouquet wrappings on the shelves as she did so.

Jade eyes widened slightly as he realized the reason behind her query and the angry look on his face lessened somewhat.

"My mother," he said, his voice just above a whisper as he turnedhis eyes away.

If he had been any other person, Sakura's concerned disposition towards the suffering of others wouldn't have hesitated to kick in, especially when she saw the fleeting sad look on his previously defiant face. But she could sense that he was already riled up enough concerning the whole situation and she thought itwas wise to just let it go.

Besides, he was just a customer, she realized sadly. It wasn't like she was ever going to see him again.

"Alright, give me just a minute and I'll come up with something for you," she said cheerfully.

He simply nodded back.

The pink haired girl was tempted to ask him what his mother's favourite flowers were, but once more decided against it. Therefore, she picked blooms on a whim and came up with an intricate bouquet of reds and whites wrapped in silver paper along with an elaborate bow of the same colour.

Gaara watched her work, somewhat mesmerized. He'd always thought that flower shop assistants were women who didn't have any other way of making money and all they did was hang around the shop and

gossip all day. But as he watched the girl before him work, he was amazed to see that every movement she made and every flower she placed had a purpose, and in a span of a couple of minutes, she came up with a flower creation which could easily be judged as a piece of art.

Even though he didn't show it, the red head had always held a secret admiration for beautiful things throughout his life, especially when it came to nature, and the combination of coloursand hues this assistant had come up with was simply enthralling.

"Here you go," she told him as she handed the bouquet over to him. He stared at the flowers in his hands with surprised admiration. It seemed like she was well fitted for this job.

"Errm, I sort of used your hair as inspiration for the colour scheme," she admitted shyly, as a slight blush covered his cheeks. "I thought that you might have inherited your hair colourfrom your mother and… well, I hope she likes it."

Gaara just stared back at her in puzzlement. 'How did she know that?' he thought in surprise.

"That'll be 4.50, sir," the black hair girl who was suddenly behind the counter interrupted with a smile. "Sakura, Mrs. Tanukawants you to make one of those tropical pieces of yours for her."

'Sakura,' Gaara thought, as he acknowledged her name inside his head.

The pink haired girl turned suddenly towards Hinata and nodded, slightly disappointed that her interaction with the handsome man had come to an end. "Sure. Mrs. Tanuka, this way please."

"Oh Sakura dear, I'm so happy you'll be able to make this for me.You see, I'm having the girls over for tea this evening and you know how they simply love…" the old lady started to say, drowningthe pink haired assistant with her rambling.

The red head couldn't help but glare at the annoying woman and hewatched how Sakura would simply smile as she started to prepare the flowers. He didn't know how she could actually put up with her.

"Sir?" the black haired girl asked him, reminding him that he still had to pay for his bouquet.

Taking the money out of his wallet in a hurry, he paid her and turned on his heel, stepping out of the door without glancing back.

Sakura watched him through the window as he climbed into an expensive looking car and drove away into the jostling traffic ofthe city streets. Ignoring Mrs. Tanuka's rant completely, a sad feeling overcame her and her emerald eyes turned downcast for a second.

"Oh God, my mother will be the death of me!" Ino exclaimed as shefinally hung up the phone.

Turning towards her friend as she proceeded to ramble at the top of her lungs about all the requests her mother had given her for their project next week, Sakura managed to fake a smile as she continued to make the tropical ornament for Mrs. Tanuka, forcing all thoughts of a red headed stranger in the back of her mind.

XXXXXXXXXX

He placed the flowers beneath the tombstone, kneeling before it as he did so. The clouds had parted slightly and a few rays of sunshine were beaming down on the green lawns of the cemetery.

Gaara sighed, looking at the engraved words on the stone before him with a look of longing.

He had never met his mother… he had never had a chance to feel her or smell her. All he could cling to was an image of her he had made inside his mind, based upon the many photographs he had one day found in an old cabinet in the house. Gaara didn't know

what type of woman she was or what she liked to do while she was still alive; his siblings couldn't help either, since they had been really young when she had passed away.

Despite the fact that he had never known her, the red head made it a point to come and visit her every year on the day of his birth. It was a sort of cleansing ritual through which he tried to purge the guilt he felt deep within his soul. After the twentyodd years of his life, he still blamed himself for his mother's death and he would probably continue to do so until the end of his days.

Hence, he would sit before her grave for hours without end, contemplating the turns his life had taken up until that moment and wondered how things may have ended if the events on the fateful day of his birth hadn't taken a turn for the worst.

Bringing his knees up to his chin as he sat, he placed his muscled arms around his legs. When he was a child, he would come here to sit before his mother's resting place and would cry his heart out for long moments. He would weep for the injustice of the world and would embrace the tombstone as if it were the only thing he had left in his crumbling life.

That was before had his heart hardened… before he built up the strong walls around it to keep his father's cruelty at bay. He had been weak back then, something he had promised himself he would never be again. And up until now he had prevailed, he had emerged victorious on the day his father had died… victorious in the battle of wills both of them had waged throughout his early years. A silent combat his father had initiated because he couldn't bring himself to love his third born son.

But even though the anger lessened somewhat with the tyrant's death, Gaara harboured a latent wrath against life within him. Itwas something he simply couldn't help given that it was the way he had taught himself to approach the world since he was very young.

So, when he approached his mother's grave this day, he did not allow the sadness to linger for long. A feeling of numbness in his heart replaced any inkling of sorrow which might want to filter through and he used the opportunity to reaffirm his view of life… to reaffirm his existence. You always had to stay one step ahead of other people, always look for their hidden motives since no one would ever approach you without wanting something inreturn. This he had learned the hard way while being the child ofa multimillionaire man; none of his friendships, except one, had ever proven to be anything but liaisons created out of interest. This was the reason you always needed to be extremely careful andto always assume that you were walking on thin ice; it was necessary to strike first before the other person had a chance toact.

It was the philosophy he applied in business and in life, and it had served him well. It had helped him to keep his adversaries atbay and to bring down anyone who had ever dared to oppose him.

Fisting his hands as he strengthened his conviction upon this fact, he looked up to his mother's name, engraved upon the standing stone.

'I promise I will never fail you,' he thought, the first words hehad ever 'spoken' to her directly since he was a small child.

A soft breeze flew by suddenly, caressing his cheeks and his hair. Gaara allowed himself a moment of weakness as he relished in the feeling it provoked on his skin, closing his eyes. He found himself thinking that if his mother was still alive, this was what her hands would've felt like.

But the wind died down as abruptly as it had started and when he opened his jade orbs again, he found himself staring directly at the flowers he had brought in homage.

'That's odd,' he thought for a moment, but then his mind unexpectedly brought back images of the pretty flower assistant who had made the bouquet for him.

It wasn't a sin to admit that she had been beautiful, that much he would openly say. Her cheery disposition and her ready smile were attributes which only brought out her beauty even more and it was clear to see that was she exactly the opposite type of person that he was.

Thinking the best of people until they proved otherwise, it was easy to sense that she was a trusting person and always believed the best in others.

'Disgusting… absolutely disgusting,' the red head thought in revulsion. A perspective like that could only bring trouble and it was only a matter of time until the true cruelty of the world came up and bit you in the ass. Only naïve people would ever think like that… people who had never been truly hurt in their entire life.

He found himself glaring at the flowers, as if they represented everything he didn't want to be and he refused to even give the annoyingly light-hearted assistant another thought.

Looking up to the sky, he realized that the clouds had gathered again and that the breeze he had felt before brought announces ofrain. The cemetery was located upon a hill on the outskirts of the city and it offered an amazing view of some of the business district's buildings.

Gaara's mind started to drift after a while and his eyes inevitably returned to the flowers before him. Before he could help himself, he started to admire the colours of the blossoms, going over the different hues of reds and whites wrapped in the shiny paper. The combination was simple but it brought out a stunning display of the natural beauty of the flowers.

Red and white.

White and red.

What did you get when you combined red with white?

… Pink.

Just like her hair.

He stopped the thought before it even had time to formulate, furious with himself for coming up with such idiotic and useless ideas. How his mind had trailed down that path was beyond him andhe truly couldn't explain what had led him to such a worthless contemplation. The pollen from the flowers was clearly affecting his brain. His stomach churned with ire at his stupidity and it took a few minutes before he calmed himself.

It was when he finally managed to reign in his anger that he feltthem… the first drops of rain landing softly upon his cheek.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Sakura, it's almost 3 o'clock! What are you still doing here?" Ino scolded.

"Oh," the pink haired girl stated, as if she hadn't been aware ofthe time. "Yeah, you're right. I really should get going."

"Are you ok?" the blond asked, looking at the wistful expression on her friend's face.

But any traces of unhappiness disappeared behind one of Sakura's smiles. "Of course I'm ok. Why shouldn't I be?"

Ino didn't answer and only stared at her with suspicion.

"I think I'm going to go visit my father," Sakura said, as if that explained everything.

"Alright," Ino replied, immediately dropping the subject. "Say hito him for me," she said with a wink, before disappearing behind the back room door.

Sighing in relief, Sakura was glad that her friend hadn't pushed her, since she actually didn't know what was wrong with her herself. Her body had been invaded by a feeling of mellow sadness

and no matter how hard she tried, she wasn't able to shake it off. So, she decided it was time to go see her father, a habit she had developed whenever she felt out of sorts.

She took out a few mountain laurels from an adjacent bucket and wrapped them quickly in a piece of white paper. Laurels were her father's favourite and she would never forget to bring him some whenever she went for a visit.

"See you tomorrow guys!" she yelled and was answered by the chorus of Hinata and Ino's voices as they said goodbye.

"What do you think is wrong with her?" the blond asked, once she heard the shop door close behind Sakura.

"I'm not sure," Hinata replied, sipping on a cup of warm tea as she sat at the table. "But she started acting strangely after thehandsome red head left."

"What handsome red head?" Ino asked in shock.

"The one who came in a while ago. I think you were on the phone with your mother," the raven haired girl replied.

"Why do I always miss these things?" the blond mumbled while rolling her eyes. "Well, what about him?"

Hinata giggled slightly. "I think Sakura kind of liked him, sinceI caught her staring at him when he went up to the counter and talked to her."

"She ogled him?" Ino asked in disbelief, "Right here in the shop?"

"I think she did," Hinata answered behind a shy laugh.

"How could I miss this?" the blond cried out while burying her face in her hands as she came to sit down.

Silence reigned over both of them for a few moments while Ino wallowed in her misery.

"We need to find out who he is!" she finally exclaimed, standing up abruptly.

"But how?" Hinata asked, thoroughly confused.

"Did he pay with a credit card?" the blond asked in hope.

"No, he paid cash."

"Damn it! He will not elude me," the flower shop manager stated with resolution. "It shouldn't be that difficult. Come on, how many red heads are there in this city? Definitely not too many. He probably works around here too since the clientele we get is pretty local. I'm sure that if we ask around in the right circles, we'll be able to find out everything there is to know about him," she finished, a malicious glint in her eyes. "I will play matchmaker with Sakura yet!"

Hinata smiled, but wasn't entirely sure about the whole thing. "Ino, don't tell me you've forgotten the last time you paired herup with one of your supposed 'suitors'?"

"Ahhh, that doesn't count," she replied, waving her hand as if the fiasco at the Italian restaurant hadn't been anything.

The raven haired girl only looked at her questioningly.

"Besides," Ino continued, seemingly unaware of the look her friend was giving her, "this time I know she likes him since she was the one who ogled him in front of us. All we need to do is bring them together!"

Hinata could tell when her blond friend was already too deep in her scheming to halt her plans. Sighing, she listening intently as Ino designed the detailed interrogation they were going to bombard some of their clients with. Obviously, they needed to do it without Sakura noticing so they had to be extremely careful. According to the blond, if they worked their connections right, they would be able to find the red head by the end of the week.

Shaking her head as she walked up to the shop front at the sound of the door, the raven haired girl hoped everything would turn out alright for Sakura this time.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Hi daddy," Sakura greeted as she kneeled down to place the smalllaurel bouquet upon the base of the tombstone. "I was feeling kind of weird today so I decided to stop by."

Sitting down upon the soft grass, she crossed her legs indian style as she faced the large gravestone on which her father's name had been lovingly carved. She placed her bag and umbrella ather side as she started to update her father concerning her life.

"I've been doing alright. Work's been really busy but it's actually great. I'm getting the chance to do what I like so I can't complain. We've got this large request for a conference next week and I'm sure it's going to be hectic."

The pink haired girl turned momentarily towards the sky and noticed the ominous clouds gathering above her. But that didn't stop her from talking cheerily to her deceased father.

"Mom's doing alright too. She's still travelling around the worldwith Ronny, but she called the other day to see how I was doing. No offence daddy, but I think he's really good for her… I can tell by her voice. When you left us, she was very sad for a long time. Now, she's just cheerful and spirited… like the old her. And like I told her, you wouldn't mind her seeing another man as long as she was happy, especially after all this time. It seems she finally took our advice!" she finished with a smile.

"I've been saving some money to see if I can go visit them sometime, maybe during the summer. It would be great to see her again…" the pink haired girl trailed off as she felt the first drops of rain start to fall around her.

"Urggh, sorry daddy, but it seems I'm going to have to cut my visit short," she said as she stood up, grabbing her bag and

opening her umbrella. "I love you and I promise I'll be back soon. Oh and Ino sends her love too!"

And with that, she kissed the tips of her fingers and placed her hand lovingly upon the stone. Closing her eyes for a moment, she thought about him and the way he may have been looking at her with those green orbs of his, ever concerned about her welfare.

"See you!" she said in farewell and started walking along the lines of gravestones. However, as she looked up, she spotted a familiar yet completely unexpected sight some distance away in the exact same row that her father's grave was located.

"Oh my," Sakura exclaimed, as she spotted the handsome red head from earlier in the day sitting in front of a grave, the bouquet she had made for him on the base of the tombstone before him.

'He said it was for his mother,' she thought, comprehension finally dawning upon her. Suddenly, his brash demeanour at the shop became understandable and her heart couldn't help but clenchat the sad picture he made. She also noticed that he didn't have an umbrella with him and the rain would surely intensify in a short time.

Mustering her courage, Sakura took a step in his direction.

She kept walking until she was almost upon him, slowing her pace as she neared. He was apparently unaware of her approach and she came to stand behind him, offering him the cover of her umbrella without saying a word.

XXXXXXXXXX

The rain ceased momentarily and he wasn't exactly sure as to why.It continued to drop incessantly upon his mother's tombstone but somehow it wasn't falling on him.

And then he noticed it… the presence of a person behind him.

Jumping up lighting quick, he landed in a defensive stance next to his mother's grave.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," a familiar female voice said to him. "I saw that you were getting wet and thought you might want some cover."

It was her. The girl from the flower shop.

At first he thought his eyes were playing tricks on him but he suddenly realized that she was standing there, right in front of him.

"What are you doing here?" he asked crossly, his anger coming quickly on the heels of his initial shock. The last thing he needed was to have an idiotic girl stalking him.

"Oh, I just came to visit my father," she replied, pointing at a grave some distance away along the same row.

He could clearly see a small bouquet of flowers resting upon the stone and he realized that she was telling the truth.

"I see," he said, his face softening slightly. Gaara had never met anyone around his age that had dead parents as well. He didn't know why but it felt slightly comforting to know that he wasn't the only one in the same predicament, even though the circumstances of the deaths of their relatives were probably completely different.

An uncomfortable silence descended upon them and they looked at each other with strange expressions on their faces.

The red head scanned the woman before him, with her jeans, dark blue tank top and grey jacket. Even in this depressing weather and while visiting her dead father, she seemed to exude a sense of contentment with the world around her. He didn't know if he should hurl in disgust or feel attracted to her because of this.

He decided it would be prudent to further examine the situation before coming to a definite conclusion.

"Errm, you probably should be getting under the umbrella," she said, as the rain intensified slightly. "You don't want to catch

cold and that shirt looks kind of expensive," she finished with achuckle.

Looking down at himself, he realized that if he stayed out in thedownpour, he would be soaked soon enough. True, the designer shirt he was wearing was expensive but he actually didn't care about that; he had a dozen just like it in his closet. She was right about the cold though. Grumbling slightly, he admitted defeat and moved to stand next to her under the shelter of her parasol.

They stood there side by side for an awkward moment, until Sakurarealized they hadn't been properly introduced.

"Sakura," she said politely, as she stretched her free hand towards him.

Gaara looked at her proffered appendage for a moment. "I know," he said, remembering her name from the flower shop.

"Oh," the pink haired girl replied at a loss, not sure of what todo with her hand now. "And your name…?" she asked, all hopes of him offering it freely going down the drain.

The red head looked up straight at her then, assessing her. He was never too comfortable when it came to giving his name, since when he did, people usually recognized who he was and would then drop a whole bunch of annoying questions on him concerning his business or lifestyle. Being one of the young heirs to the country's largest firm wasn't something which had ever sat well with him. People would always try to make liaisons with him or his siblings so that they would be in their 'web of connections',as if having powerful and rich friends made them so much better.

But he had gotten himself in a tangle now and he simply couldn't avoid her direct question. Either way, if she started rambling onhim and acting like an airhead teenager, as it was wont to happen, then he had all the more reason to cut their little encounter short.

Expecting the worst, he plunged straight ahead. "Gaara," he finally stated, taking her hand in his and shaking it in acknowledgment.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," she said with a brilliant smile.

When he released her hand he couldn't help but exhale deeply and mentally prepared himself for the coming storm.

The strange thing was… it didn't happen.

Instead of jumping up and down and squealing like a hormonal female, she just solemnly turned towards the grave before them.

"Your mother?" she asked carefully.

He nodded in response, utterly confused with her reaction.

"Do you mind if I offer her a small prayer?" Sakura asked shyly.

"Of course not," he replied before he could help himself. He looked at her as she moved the pole of her umbrella unto her shoulder and brought her hands together in front of her. Bowing slightly, she closed her eyes and paid homage to his deceased mother.

Gaara couldn't help but stare at her with open wonderment in his jade eyes.

Here he was, the assistant manager of the Suna Corporation, standing next to a young woman who, in all probability, should know who he was… but instead, it seemed she had absolutely no clue. And instead of pestering him, she actually showed respect towards his mother's resting place and offered a prayer for her soul.

No one in his entire life had actually done anything similar for him… no one.

He turned towards the gravestone once more and as he did so, he felt the same breeze as before caress his face.

Sakura stood up straight after a couple of minutes and turned to look at a still baffled Gaara. The expression of his face had changed abruptly and confusion shone through his pale green eyes.But before she could ask him if he was alright, his complexion hardened once more and his usual look of arrogance filtered through his features.

The downpour increased tenfold in that moment and Sakura internally groaned as she realized that she would probably be soaked through and through by the time she made it back home.

"We should get going," she said. "Do you want me to walk you to your car?"

"Don't bother," the red head replied irritably.

But Sakura wasn't one to be deterred so easily.

"The parking lot is on my way, so it shouldn't be a problem," shereplied stubbornly, starting to walk in the appointed direction.

Not saying anything, Gaara fell into step beside her. Since her parasol wasn't all that big, he was forced to walk extremely close to her and as he did so, he could smell the faint scent of vanilla in her hair. Her closeness was starting to get on his nerves.

They walked all the way in silence until they reached the edge ofthe pavement.

"Where are you parked?" she asked.

The red head pointed to a sleek white Range Rover a small distance away, expecting her to say something about his car.

But once more, the pink haired girl proved him wrong and simply walked in the direction of the driver's side.

Not for the first time, Gaara wondered if someone was playing a sick joke on him. This whole scenario was simply too strange and

it was definitely starting to make him uncomfortable. Thankfully,it would be over soon.

Unlocking the door with the press of a button, he opened the doorand climbed in. As he was about to thank Sakura, his cell phone rang and the car door closed as he reached to answer.

"What?" he practically yelled into the receiver.

The voice of his very loud best friend greeted him on the other end.

"Hey Naruto," the red head replied, his anger pacified as he realized who it was.

A soft tap sounded on his window and he turned up to see Sakura standing there as she waved goodbye to him through the glass. At a loss, he waved back absently and watched as she turned round and started walking away.

Unable to prevent himself, he stared at her receding back as she made her way across to the sidewalk and started walking in the direction of the cemetery's gates.

Naruto was now yelling something about going out for a drink to celebrate his 'taboo day' but Gaara wasn't listening. He had realized that Sakura didn't have a car, since she walked straightout of the parking lot. The rain was relentless and he could clearly see that her jeans were already soaked up to her knees.

"Sure, I'll meet you there. At what time?" he asked the loud blond, wanting to end the conversation quickly. e H

"8 o'clock? Alright, see you then," and before his friend could say anything else he hung up. He placed his keys in the ignition and the engine roared to life.

He suddenly hesitated and realized what he was about to do. It was so unlike him that he thought he must be the victim of some strange mental disease which made you do stupid things which you would normally avoid under any circumstance.

Looking up at his rear view mirror, he caught his wide jade eyes staring unbelievingly at him.

"What are you doing?" he asked his reflection.

No answer came and his car came to life as he started driving towards the exit.

On the way, he slowed when he came near a walking Sakura, who wasabout to reach the gates.

"You want a ride?" he offered gruffly as he lowered his window.

She was so lost in her thoughts that she jumped slightly at the sound of his voice. Turning towards him and realizing who it was,the straight line of her lips transformed into a smile.

"Are you sure?" she asked. "I really don't want to bother you."

"I'm only offering once," he snapped in impatience.

'Geez, what a temper!' Sakura thought.

"Thanks!" she said out loud as she walked across the street and up to the passenger door.

Climbing inside, Sakura sat down in an amazingly comfortable leather seat. Gaara turned up the heat and sent warm air directlyto her legs.

"Ooh, that feels great, thanks," she said. He only grunted in reply.

"Where to?" he asked her after a moment, deciding then and there that he had completely lost all hold of his sanity.

Of Rides and Smells

After she had given him her home address, a deadly silence had fallen amongst the only two passengers of the car. Gaara had onlygrunted in acknowledgment, signaling that he knew of the

neighbourhood she had mentioned and proceeded to drive in its direction. Thankfully, it wasn't too far away, which meant they would only be in each other's companies for a few minutes.

Sakura was never good when handling awkward silences and she fidgeted with her fingers as she held her hands on her lap. The red head didn't even have the decency of turning on the radio to make things a little more comfortable so she surmised that he wasn't bothered by the situation at all.

Taking a small risk, Sakura lifted her emerald eyes slightly and turned to look at him innocently enough. His damp hair was even more tousled than before and he had rolled up the long sleeves ofhis shirt up to his elbows, revealing the corded muscles of his forearms as he drove with hand on the wheel and the other on the gear. His slightly wet shirt was clinging lovingly to his well built form, outlining the contours of his chest.

The pink haired girl tore her eyes away and decided to concentrate on the splashes of rain falling on the windshield.

The downpour continued mercilessly and it beat down on the car asthey drove down the cemetery hill. Gaara was trying his best to ignore the woman sitting next to him and focus on his driving buthe was finding it extremely hard. As soon as she had climbed in, his vehicle had been drowned in the smell of vanilla. It was as if her entire being was made up of the damned substance, the scent surrounding her like an aura and impregnating everything she touched with its reek.

It was doing weird things to his body, entering through his nostrils and making him extremely conscious of her presence in the seat next to him. He had wanted to turn and look towards her at one point but he controlled the useless urge and continued to concentrate on the road.

When they reached the intersection at the base of the hill they were greeted by a massive traffic jam standing completely still in the direction they were headed.

Forgetting about Sakura altogether, Gaara voiced a vulgar curse as he turned to look at the car clock. It was almost 5pm and it was obvious that they would meet the city's rush hour. It was just his freaking luck.

"I know a short cut", Sakura said helpfully, noticing his lapse into a fit of road rage. "You need to take a left here instead ofa right."

He looked up at her then and his jade eyes pierced through her asif trying to discern if she was telling the truth.

The pink haired girl smiled nervously. "Trust me. I've taken the route loads of times."

"Have you?" he asked, evidently unconvinced. "How could you have done that if you don't own a car?"

"That doesn't prevent me from taking a cab, now does it?" she said in reply, completely undaunted by his harsh comment. "Taxi drivers know this city better than anyone and they obviously know how to bypass the rush hour."

Sighing, the red head was apparently satisfied by her answer. He took a left turn when the light went green and interestingly enough, he avoided the long line of cars by taking the alternate route the flower assistant had given him. Making his way down seldom frequented avenues, he managed to arrive almost at the centre of town with amazing timing. He filed the information of the short cut away for future reference.

"So," Sakura started to say, thinking that her little tip had gained her some points, "what do you do for a living?"

Gaara looked at her out the corner of his eye before answering. "I work for an electronics corporation," he answered simply.

"Oh," she replied. "And do you like it?"

He turned fully towards her at the unexpected question. Having anticipated the obvious direction of 'what is your post and how

much money do you make' that her casual chit-chat would most likely take, he was once more surprised by this cherry haired girl.

"You could say I do," he replied noncommittally.

"Was it what you dreamed of when you were a kid?"

"What?" he asked, utterly confused.

"You know, what you always thought you would grow up to be."

Gaara was silent for a few moments, as he thought over her question. When he was young, he had been too preoccupied with being a rebel and not doing what his father told him to even think about his future. Besides, the job had been basically thrown into his lap and he had assumed he didn't have any optionswhen it came to accepting it or not. Strangely enough, he decidedto answer her with the truth.

"I never dreamed of being anything when I was a kid."

"Oh," Sakura replied, taken slightly aback. She suddenly thought about his mother and decided she was heading in a dangerous direction. "Well, I wanted to become a doctor when I was a littlegirl, can you believe it? I wanted to, you know, save people and make them feel better when they were sick," she offered without him asking.

"Why didn't you?" Gaara inquired. For the life of him, he didn't know why he should be interested in such a meaningless fact but the question slipped from his lips before he could think it over.

"My mother didn't have enough money to pay for my college tuition, and even though I had good grades, they weren't enough to get me scholarship," she replied, a regretful tone in her voice.

"So you chose flowers instead," the red head scoffed in an arrogant voice.

"Hey, don't make fun of my job!" Sakura exclaimed good-naturedly,making light of his comment despite his gruff tone. "It was the best option I had since I wasn't going to make it into any university. Either way, I love working with flowers and I used towork every summer at Ino's shop until she ended up hiring me fulltime."

They felt silent again for a while as they made their way throughthe city, but thankfully it wasn't as awkward anymore. As they passed by some errant food stands, Sakura graced Gaara with another one of her random remarks.

"Do you prefer to add chilli to your hot dog or not?" she asked.

The red head just looked at her as if she had sprouted a second head.

Sakura laughed at his expression and wondered if he was always this serious. "Well, do you?"

Gaara had no idea of what to make of this girl, that much was certain. Here she was, acting like she could make a wall talk with her comments... and surprisingly enough, he was sure that she could make some inert bricks spring into casual conversation.Unlike any other young women he had met, she didn't ask him any annoying personal questions and steered clear of any uncomfortable subjects which would have been natural to discuss with anyone else, but that had always been a sort of taboo when it came to him. It was strange, but it appeared that she could sense it without him even mentioning it.

What was worse was the fact that he hadn't felt this comfortable while talking to a stranger in his entire life and it was something which he wasn't keen on accepting any time soon. But try as he might, he found himself answering her and continuing her completely useless conversation.

"If you must know, I prefer my hot dogs with relish. Spicy foods aren't on the top of my list."

"Mustard or no mustard?"

"What does that have to do with anything?" he snapped harshly, his anger kicking in once again.

"Well, you said you didn't like spicy foods," she replied as if that explained everything. To Gaara's aggravation, she seemed to be immune to his bursts of temper. Any other woman would have been cowering in her seat by now.

"Yes, with mustard," he said between clenched teeth.

"Good!" she exclaimed. "I love mustard. I think you can judge a person's character by what they eat and don't eat."

"That has got go be the most absurd thing I have ever heard," Gaara replied callously, shaking his head.

To his exasperation, Sakura only laughed at his comment and unable to keep up his tantrum for much longer, the red head silently shared her mirth with a half smile a few moments later when her giggles kept echoing inside the car.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Hey, is that Gaara?" Kankurou asked Temari as they stopped for ared light while driving through a downtown district.

"Yes it is," his older sister replied after she checked the license plate of the white Range Rover. Their brother was making the same red light on their right but due to the rain, they couldn't see very well.

They had just come from buying their baby brother a birthday present and were heading the direction of his apartment to drop it off. Gaara had never liked receiving presents on his birthday and his siblings would have to leave them in evident places so hewould find them on his own. The technique actually worked and thered head would thank them by actually wearing or using whatever it was that they had bought him a few days later. It was as if he

thought that not receiving a gift directly didn't actually make it a present.

Temari and Kankurou would simply humour him, knowing that his birthday wasn't a date their baby brother actually enjoyed.

"Wait a minute," the tattooed man said. "Is that a girl with him?"

"What?" Temari asked unbelievingly as she leaned forward on the steering wheel and tried to get a better look.

"Yes it is! Look, she has pink hair!" Kankurou exclaimed excitedly, pointing at the passenger seat.

"Oh my God, I think you're right," the dark blond woman answered,not believing what her eyes were telling her.

"Haha, our little brother found himself a fuck-buddy for his birthday!" Kankurou said in glee.

Temari swatted him hard on the shoulder for the comment.

"Well, that's all he uses them for," he complained, rubbing the injured spot.

"I know, but still, you can never be too sure. Maybe she's the one," she stated hopefully.

Her brother simply snorted. "Not as long as that harpy hangs around…" he said, his implied meaning hanging in the air.

Temari didn't answer him and only followed Gaara's advancing vehicle with her eyes as it passed in front of them, the red headoblivious to their presence.

XXXXXXXXXX

"It's that house over there," Sakura said while pointing.

Gaara spotted the place and parked in front of the small stone path leading towards the door. They were in a middle class

neighbourhood which was far enough away from the centre of the city to be called 'peaceful'. The house had two floors and was partially hidden by a large willow tree. Even though the shadows of the day were beginning to lengthen, it was easy to tell that the garden had been created devotedly and all kinds of flowers could be seen underneath the window sills and arranged between the roots of the tree.

The red head found himself completely revolted at the 'girly' atmosphere the house exuded and wanted nothing more than to make a run for it. Deciding he didn't want anything more to do with this woman, he was happy that their short ride together was over and that his good deed of the day had been accomplished without too many complications.

Even though he had to admit that the conversation they had held while she rode with him had been surprisingly interesting despiteits complete randomness… maybe he wouldn't mind seeing her again.

"Well, thank you for the ride!" Sakura exclaimed happily, taking her bag and umbrella as she opened the car door.

"You're welcome", the red head answered grudgingly.

The pink haired girl laughed slightly at his demeanour. He reallywas a grouch… but a handsome grouch at that!

"Have a nice night, Gaara," she said with a smile as she stepped out of the car and unto the sidewalk.

The red head looked up at her with surprised jade eyes at the sound of his name, not knowing why but liking the way she said itso familiarly.

"Good night," he said, still looking at her.

Blushing slightly, Sakura closed the door and sauntered towards her house. As she walked, she was completely conscious of the redhead's eyes on her back and told herself to keep calm. Looking for her keys inside her bag, she found them after what seemed

like an eternity and unlocked the front door of her home. As she stepped inside, she looked out towards the road and watched the Range Rover drive away.

Closing the door behind her, she leaned her back against it, taking tremendous deep breaths. She really couldn't believe what had just happened… it was simply amazing.

Things like these happened to girls like Ino, not to girls like her. Who would've thought she would meet that gorgeous red head again, and in the cemetery of all places?

In truth, she hadn't been so nervous in her entire life but hopefully she hadn't shown it too much. Whenever she was afraid of something, Sakura made it a point to face it head on, not being the kind of person who cowered before anything. She just hoped she hadn't made a fool of herself.

She had the distinctive impression that she hadn't, since Gaara had actually talked to her in what appeared to be an open manner for his standards. Somehow, she knew that he wasn't the friendliest person ever, especially with his testy demeanour and quick temper; she clearly remembered how he had behaved at the flower shop and the lingering air of arrogance which seemed to hang all around him.

All in all, he was truly an enigma and one Sakura wouldn't mind solving if she was given the chance. Giggling at the thought, thepink haired girl made her way upstairs to her room, intent on changing her wet jeans.

A dose of chocolate accompanied with some warm tea was called forto celebrate the situation, followed by countless daydreams of future encounters with the handsome red head with the jade eyes.

XXXXXXXXXX

Naruto sat alone at the table of one of his most frequented bars.He simply loved to hang out with his friends and have lively conversations with them and there was no where better to do it

than in a friendly atmosphere surrounded by people who knew you and gave you the best service.

Kiba, who had been a childhood friend, had founded the "Rouge Dog" some years after they had graduated from high school and always welcomed his acquaintances with a friendly smile and good drinks.

The blond sipped on his vodka as he watched his old friend behindthe bar, talking animatedly with some other customers. Being a weekday, there wasn't much of a crowd at the Rouge and it was theperfect place to meet the man he was waiting for.

Naruto had come here to get together with his red headed friend who, by the workings of the world, simply hated to commemorate his birthday. Not one to pass the opportunity for a celebration, even if it was a small one, the blond had convinced him to meet him at Kiba's bar for a few quiet drinks.

Right on time, Gaara stepped through the door and returned Kiba'sgreeting with an offhanded wave of his hand as he walked towards the table.

As soon as Naruto saw him, he knew there was something different about his friend.

Usually, Gaara would radiate an aura of hostility so potent that most people would keep a safe distance... and the one who didn't learned the lesson fast. That was how the blond remembered him, sitting in the school yard all by himself, having a smoke while all the other people gave him wide berth. No one in their right mind had been brave enough to approach the dangerous and explosive newcomer… that is, until Naruto showed up.

But tonight, Gaara was radiating something else…

"Hey Naruto," the red head greeted as he sat down on the table.

"What'll you have?" Kiba asked loudly from the bar.

"Scotch on the rocks," Gaara answered without hesitation, turningtowards his friend at the table after doing so. His forehead furrowed in confusion when he caught the blond staring at him with narrowed eyes.

"What?" he asked.

"There's something wrong with you," Naruto replied, not knowing exactly what was different about Gaara.

"No there isn't," the red head answered defensively, his irritability rising to meet the accusation.

The blond only sat back and kept silent, letting the matter drop for the time being. "So, how was your day?"

"Apart from my sister harassing me like a maniac whenever she hadthe chance, it was ok," Gaara answered. "And you?"

"Alright, I guess. Classes at the dojo went on without any problems for a change. I swear to you, those little brats are going to be the death of me."

They proceeded to fall into the usual conversation of Naruto relating the newest fiascos the children of his classes had put him through while Gaara listened on intently, not believing the harsh comments the blond made about them for even a moment. Naruto loved to teach martial arts and he became really attached to his students, considering them the little brothers he had never had.

"I think they're giving you a taste of your own medicine," the red head said, remembering the extremely hyperactive Naruto he had met in school who wasn't able to sit on his desk for more than 2 minutes straight.

"Hah, that's what you think!" he exclaimed in answer.

Their conversation was momentarily interrupted when one of Kiba'swaitresses came up to the table with Gaara's drink and a plate offood.

"Gentlemen, the nachos are on the house," she said in a friendly tone.

"Thank you," Gaara replied, beating Naruto to it.

The blond just looked at him slack jawed but the red head didn't seem to notice, taking a large nacho and dipping it into the guacamole.

"That's it!" Naruto proclaimed loudly while pointing at this friend.

"What's it?" a confused Gaara asked around a mouthful of food.

"You're being friendly… that's what's wrong with you!"

"What?" the red head asked dangerously, completely annoyed now athis friend's stupidity.

"You are! You said thank you to Trish before I did!" Naruto said,as if it were the biggest discovery of the century.

Jade eyes widened slightly as Gaara realized that his friend was absolutely right. What the hell was going on? He decided it was the inevitable after effects of having lived through such a weirdday.

Naruto was obviously not going to let the matter drop. "Did something happen?"

"No," the red head said simply.

The blond narrowed his eyes again in answer.

Gaara's temper was starting to rise to the surface. "When I say no, it means no."

"Alright," Naruto said, lifting his hands in a pacifying gesture,deciding to bring the issue up after a few more drinks.

They talked and drank contentedly, sharing the most recent eventsof their lives and reliving some of the most prominent memories of experiences they had shared during their early years together.Once they had settled into a strange friendship years before, thered head and the blond had become the infamous troublemakers of the schoolyard and were the living incarnation of most of their teacher's nightmares. However, they had obtained an interesting balance, each one softening the edges of the other's most notorious traits.

The time passed by quite quickly and it was almost 11pm when the blond brought up the topic of the girl he had a crush on.

"You just have to see her," he exclaimed passionately, "she's gorgeous."

Gaara rolled his eyes as he drank the last of his fourth scotch.

"She's shy and demure, which makes her all the more endearing… and I finally had the courage to ask her out on a date," Naruto was saying.

"How did you do it?" Gaara suddenly asked, jade eyes sparkling with interest.

If the blond had been paying more attention, he would have found his friend's question slightly suspicious since the red head never showed any interest when it came to the topic of women.

"Well, after talking to her a few times, I sort of mustered up the courage and offered to take her out for coffee. You know, nothing too formal or too imposing. Just a casual meeting at a place where we could talk openly and get to know each other."

"What did you tell her?" the red head interrogated.

"I sort of asked her if she was doing anything on Tuesday afternoon and when she told me that she wasn't, I asked her if she would be interested in going out for coffee with me."

Jade eyes regarded Naruto curiously, as if analysing the information.

"I think you've had enough," Gaara stated before his friend couldsay anything else and signalled for Kiba to bring them their check. "I'll take you home."

"Thanks Gaara," the blond answered, a little tipsy. He was never as good as Gaara when it came to holding his liquor. "It really is getting late and I have to get up for morning class tomorrow."

The blond paid for their drinks, since he wouldn't allow the red head to waste a single coin on his birthday. Walking out of the bar, they made their way down the sidewalk under the streetlamps,heading towards Gaara's car parked a small distance away.

"So, how does it feel to be a year older?" Naruto asked in jest as the red head walked towards the driver's side.

"Absolutely the same as I was yesterday," he replied gruffly, unlocking the door and climbing inside.

Naruto settled into the passenger seat as his friend placed the car in gear and started driving away. After a few moments, he started sniffing the air, his eyebrows creased in puzzlement.

"Why does you car smell of vanilla?" he asked.

"It doesn't" Gaara replied, gripping the wheel so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

"Yes it does," the blond pressed. "It's actually a really pleasant smell."

"It doesn't" the red head said vehemently, his words final.

"Geez, alright," Naruto complained. "No need to get worked up about it."

Gaara resisted the urge to pound his best friend on the head withhis fist. He would definitely have to take his car for a wash thenext morning.

XXXXXXXXXX

As the red head walked into his sixth floor apartment, he droppedhis keys unto the large decorative ash tray on his foyer's table.He had quit the bad habit of smoking some years back, the point of doing so completely lost when his father had passed away. True, he had kept it up for a few years more until one day he haddecided that it was completely useless to continue to be a walking chimney.

Making his way into the living room, he was met by the sight of ahuge gift bag standing on his coffee table. He picked up the cardand read the words: "From your lovely sister and handsome brother" written in Temari and Kankurou's respective writing. He couldn't help but smile and as he was about to peek inside the bag, he suddenly realized that he wasn't alone in the room.

Irked jade eyes looked up at one of the room's single couches, his stance not giving away the alertness into which his body had descended, prepared to strike at any moment if he found the person in the room threatening in any way.

He relaxed when he realized who it was.

"How did you get in here, Maemi?" he asked, the tone in his voiceevidently showing that he wasn't at all pleased.

"Well, I knew your brother and sister would drop by sometime, so I was waiting for them," the tall dark haired woman said as she stood up from the couch. "I just came over to give you a small birthday gift, darling."

And with that, she loosened the straps of the long overcoat that she wore and let it drop from her shoulders. Her lean and curvaceous body was suddenly exposed, wearing a laced navy blue lingerie which revealed more than it concealed.

The red head admitted he that he liked what he was seeing.

Maemi stalked forward, nearing the red head. She was strikingly tall for a woman, standing eye to eye with Gaara and the way her body moved as she walked made a silent promise of the passionate encounter which would most likely take place between them.

Wrapping her arms around his neck, she looked at him with a lustful expression in her hazel eyes. "Well darling, will you letme show you how grateful I am that you were born?" And as if to prove her point, she leaned forward and sucked on Gaara's earlobe, knowing it was one of the most sensitive spots on his body.

The red head felt his pulse accelerate and he simply couldn't ignore the feeling of her curves pressed up against him. This wasthe precise reason why he kept Maemi around. She was the means ofventing out all the sexual impulses he harboured, but nothing else. Like every other woman who had jumped into his arms, he knew that she flaunted her supposed relationship with him in her social circles, her interest in him completely superficial and material. Gaara didn't care what she did or didn't do, didn't even bother to get to know her better in the several months they had spent sharing each other's sheets.

Women like her weren't even worth his time, and he couldn't recall a moment when he had had a single meaningful conversation with her. But she did have a use when it came to satiating certain lustful urges.

Maemi was rubbing against him in an almost violent manner and herdevious hands were making quick work of the buttons of his shirt.Her mouth started to leave a hot trail from his ear and down his neck, continuing down the plane of his chest as her palm shot outto caress the contours of his muscled abdomen. Gaara let her continue, his hands at his sides.

She took his shirt off and pulled up close to him, pressing her breasts against his torso. While she caressed his exposed back,

she brought up one of her legs and wrapped it around his waist asshe proceeded to lick her way up his neck and under his chin.

But as her hands reached towards his trousers, Gaara's hand halted her progress, wrapping his fingers around her wrist.

"What it is, darling?" Maemi asked, not understanding his actions.

"I really don't feel like it," the red head answered and he foundthat it was the truth. While his body may have reacted instinctively to her exposed skin, after he thought about it, Gaara was actually really tired. His birthday was always a difficult day for him and it usually left him spent. Either way, he really didn't feel like having wild and carnal sex on the anniversary of his mother's death.

"I just want to go to bed," he said.

"I can warm the sheets for you," Maemi prompted, trying to get her hand down his pants again.

"No thank you," he replied arrogantly, stopping her hand easily. "I'd prefer to sleep alone."

Recognizing his cold tone, the dark haired woman stepped back. "Alright then, but you don't know what you're missing."

"Sure I do," Gaara replied viciously, "we've done it loads of times."

Maemi narrowed her eyes but didn't dare to challenge his anger. She always knew when it was prudent to step down and if it were up to her, she would never do anything to bring an end to this furtive relationship they had… it brought too many privileges amongst her friends.

"Fine," she said, her pride obviously hurt as she turned to pick up her coat.

"You know the way out," he told her as he turned to walk down theshort hall which would lead to his bedroom, not looking at her even once.

Stomping in irritation as best as she could on her high heels, Maemi took her purse and walked out of the apartment, slamming the door behind her.

Gaara chuckled in malice as he heard the door slam, taking his trousers off while he got ready for bed. He knew she would be back, it was inevitable. She had too much to lose if she cut her ties with him completely.

After washing his teeth, he slipped into his king sized bed and covered his shirtless form with his duvet. It was only a couple of minutes later that the longed for darkness of sleep took a hold over him, signalling the end of this most hated of days.

Chapter 4 – Three bowls of ramen

The incessant rain beat down upon the windows of the small flowershop, drowning the only occupant within with its lulling sound, prompting her eyes to become heavy and for her body to assume a comfortable position for a nap on her chair.

With a groan, Ino forced herself to sit up once more, this being the third time she had almost dozed off on the job. Getting up early for the morning shift was something she had never been goodat. Thankfully, her turn behind the counter was almost over.

It was Friday already and Hinata had taken the day off for some well deserved rest. This, however, meant that Ino had been left alone in her investigation to find the mysterious red head which had stepped so casually into their shop a couple of days before. Sakura's interest in him had been duly noted and the search for his location had been initiated without a second thought. Once they found out where he was, then they would work from there.

The problem was, try as they might, neither Hinata nor the talkative blond manager had been able to discern the whereabouts of said red head, and even though it had only been two days, Ino was starting to lose hope. Her connections with the nearby business districts were worthy of admiration since she always made a point to treat her clients in a friendly manner and they were always more than happy to reciprocate. So whenever she dropped casual questions, they would always supply easy answers. But it seemed that this time, her trusted resources were going tolet her down and the red head's trail was beginning to grow cold.

If it had been anyone else, she wouldn't have been so insisting. But this was Sakura they were dealing with. Ino had at some pointmade it a personal goal in life to find her friend a trustworthy partner who would sweep her off her feet. The pink haired girl had suffered through her life, especially after her father's death and the lack of financial means that it brought. It wasn't as bad as not having anything to eat at the table, but sometimes her mother had to go through amazing feats to meet her daughter'smost basic needs, taking on several jobs at the same time. This all was relieved somewhat when Sakura came of age and started working herself and when her mother found herself a reliable boyfriend almost a decade after her husband had passed away.

She left her house and everything in it to her daughter, leaving the country to go live with her newfound lover. Sakura's mother would insist on sending her pink haired girl some money every once in a while, but her daughter was too proud. Sakura refused to receive any charity from anyone, a proud streak she had inherited from her father, and stated that she was doing fine on her own.

Ino knew all this because she had been the pink haired girl's best friend since childhood and had seen Sakura go through the worse. Even though she had suffered a lot, she would always try to make the best out of any situation, always trying to see the brighter side of things. Sometimes it amazed Ino to see her standing all by herself, strong and solid as stone, throughout the chaos which life would sometimes inevitably bring. Sakura wasn't fazed by much and could look the most nerve-wracking of

adversities straight in the eye. But at the same time, she never became bitter or resentful; instead, she would always think of others first before she thought of herself. Ino knew that if anyone deserved to find a man who would make her happy, it was Sakura.

'That's why I need to find this damned red head!' Ino thought fiercely, slamming her fist upon the counter.

Due to her friend's lifestyle, Sakura had always claimed that shedidn't have time for men. And judging from her record of idiots, bums and psychopaths, Ino couldn't blame her. It was as if all the notorious males would become instantly attracted to her, something which the blond had never been able to explain. So instead of the much needed comfort and security that Sakura needed from her would-be partner, all she received was neglect and a broken heart. This was also another reason why Ino had decided that she would choose her friend's suitors for her, sinceif it was left to destiny who knew with what loser she might end up with. Still, for Sakura to show some interest in a man was an opportunity that the blond would not allow to pass by; hence, sheneeded to find out everything about this mystery visitor so she could make sure that he was worthy of her friend.

But up until now, no one could tell her about the whereabouts of a handsome red headed executive that could posses the initiative to visit a nearby flower shop to buy a bouquet for his mother.

Ino grinded her teeth in frustration as the bells of the entrancesuddenly chimed.

"And why do we look so exasperated this afternoon?" Sakura's voice spoke from the vicinity of the door, where she stood shaking her umbrella from any remnants of rain.

"Oh nothing," Ino lied as she quickly thought of something, "I was just thinking about how we could organize ourselves for next week."

"Hmmm yes, we really need to work that out, don't we?" the pink haired girl replied.

"Don't worry, I'll come up with a schedule this weekend," she said, standing up from behind her chair and stretching languidly."Lee left already, since he needed to do some errands, so the shop's all yours."

"Alright, no problem. I don't expect too many people this afternoon with this weather, so I'm sure I'll able to handle it."

"So what are you doing tonight?" Ino asked.

"Not much," the pink haired girl replied as she stepped behind the counter and placed her things on the lower shelves. "I was actually thinking about renting a movie or something if this raincontinues."

"Yeah, it is a bummer," the blond said, looking out the window and staring at the relentless downpour. "A movie might be nice. I'll give you a call then."

"Sure, as long as you bring the popcorn."

Ino laughed. "You can always count on me."

Taking one last look around the shop, the blond turned and grabbed her purse. "Well, I'll be leaving you then."

"You go get some rest," Sakura said as she tied her apron.

"I wish! My mother wants me to go over to her shop for God knows what. I can tell I'm going to be there all afternoon."

The pink haired girl giggled. "Ahh, it can't be that bad."

"You know it is," Ino replied, a defeated look on her face as shestepped towards the door.

"Good luck then," Sakura exclaimed.

"Thanks. See you later," her friend said with a wave as she opened her umbrella and walked out the door towards her car.

Left alone in the shop, Sakura stepped into the back room, intenton getting some flowers for a new window display she had been planning on making. It was only on rare occasions that she would have the shop all to herself and even though she enjoyed the company of her friends, she also liked to work in a quiet atmosphere every so often.

Taking the blooms she needed, she stepped up towards the counter,happy that she would be able to work on her project without any interruptions.

XXXXXXXXXX

He had been wrung tight as a spring these last few days and he didn't know why. As much as Gaara sometimes enjoyed releasing hiswrath upon the most unsuspecting victims, it really annoyed him when he couldn't pinpoint the source of his discomfort.

After having gone through the day while frowning incessantly at his monitor, he was glad to know that he only had 45 minutes to go before he could step out. Even though he didn't admit it, he looked forward to the weekend just like everybody else, especially after the trying week he had been forced to live through. Due to the upcoming yearly conference of his company's latest advancements in technology, he had been working extremely hard to make sure that all the merchandise which would be on display at the symposium was the best that Suna Electronics couldoffer and he had made it a personal task to assign the most competent people to each stand. This meant that he would be leaving the office at 6pm on a Friday, but it was well worth the sacrifice if it meant that his work for next week would be cut inhalf.

Thankfully, the office was quiet and most people had already leftfor the day. Temari had actually stepped out earlier than usual, saying that she needed to meet with the people who would be in charge of the decoration for the conference. She had wanted to

change the embellishments of the event somewhat, since she hadn'tbeen too happy with last years results, thus, she had supposedly found the best flower specialists in the city for the upcoming event. In all honesty, Gaara didn't care what the decorations looked like as long as the displayed merchandise was in perfect working order. Knowing she could trust him with the most tedious of tasks, his sister was more than happy to concentrate on the flowers.

Flowers…

Stopping the thought even before it formed, the latent annoyance which had bothered him throughout the whole day spiked for a moment. He was unwilling to entertain any useless thoughts that had been trying to creep into his mind concerning a certain flower assistant. The fact that he actually had to make a conscious effort to stop the thoughts was part of the reason why he was in such a vile mood.

Never in his life had he entertained such types of ideas concerning a woman, except from the obvious sexual ones. But instead of the carnal desire which would come whenever he happened to glance at a female who caught his attention, he foundhimself wanting to wonder how the pink haired assistant was doingand thinking about what plans she might have for tonight.

It was simply and utterly ridiculous… and he hated himself for it.

He didn't even need to analyze the situation rationally to know that he had absolutely no reason to think of her whatsoever. She was a random person he had met, like the hundreds of random people he had encountered in his life and there was no motive forher to stand out from above the rest. It was as simple as that.

Alright, so maybe she was easy to talk to and maybe he had slightly enjoyed her company, but it didn't go beyond that. He enjoyed Maemi's company too, even though it was for completely different reasons, and he didn't find himself constantly

entertaining thoughts about the dark haired beauty. It would be stupid to do so.

Ignoring the voice which said that he had had longer conversations in his 20 minutes with the flower assistant than inthe four months he had known Maemi, Gaara decided that he needed physical activity to remedy his situation.

If there was something the red head loved, it was working out. Not only was it healthy for him, but it was also a very efficientway to control his constantly explosive emotions while at the same time keeping his body in top condition. When choosing a place to live, he had finally decided on his current apartment because his building offered a free gym and spa service for its tenants on the ground floor. He liked running as well and had tried his skills at martial arts at some point. However, Naruto quickly decided that karate wasn't the best option for him due tohis temperamental and impatient ways, even though he had taught Gaara the basics.

Thus, the red head always carried an extra set of exercise clothes in his car since he never knew when the need for venting his anger in a physical manner would arise. After thinking it over for a bit and realizing that the rain had finally stopped, he decided he would go out for a run after work; it would be a great way to try out the new pair of trainers his siblings had bought him for his birthday. There was a nice park with good lighting a few blocks away where he liked to go jogging and it would a perfect place to get rid of his wicked mood.

Content with his decision, he found his mind surprisingly clear and managed to get back to the last few tasks he had to tackle for the day without any further distractions.

XXXXXXXXXX

It was exactly 7pm when Sakura turned the lights off at the shop and locked the door on her way out, her bag and umbrella under her arm. The rain had stopped a couple of hours before but

ominous clouds could still be seen hanging low and threatened to renew the downpour at any moment.

Wanting to make it home before they decided to soak the world once more, the pink haired girl started walking immediately, making her way through the numerous puddles on the sidewalk and streets.

She knew she needed to buy something to eat on her way home giventhat there would practically be no food once she got there. She usually saved her grocery shopping for Saturday mornings, hence, her shelves would be basically empty by Friday night. Thinking over all the cheap options she had, Sakura decided she would stopby a ramen stand near her bus stop. With this cold and wet weather, she needed something warm to heat her up from the inside.

Pulling her long coat tighter over her body, she walked briskly through the city's busy streets. It always seemed that things picked up a faster pace whenever the weekend approached and everyone was in a hurry to get home on a Friday evening. She knewshe wasn't the exception and fell easily into the pace her fellowpedestrians were setting.

While waiting for a red light on a street corner, she glanced at the windows of some of the adjacent shops. They were some of the most expensive stores in the business district and whenever she had the chance, Sakura loved to stare at the elegant dresses theywould sometimes have on display. Tonight, there was a beautiful navy blue gown sparkling behind the window and the pink haired flower assistant amused herself for a moment while imagining whatit might be like to wear the dress to some sort of ball, where she could dance the night away in it.

Chuckling lightly at her clichéd antics, she crossed the street with the rest of the crowd waiting for the light and arrived at one of the corners of a relatively large park. Her bus stop was located on the other side and crossing it was the most direct route to get there.

As she walked through the well lit stone paths adorning the park,Sakura realized she was getting very hungry. She had had an earlylunch and hadn't eaten anything since. Thus, she decided that if the change in her wallet allowed for it, she might even buy two bowls of ramen, saving one for when she got home. Smiling at the idea, she picked up her pace as she crossed the small bridge above the park pond and spotted the ramen stand some distance away on the sidewalk behind some trees.

With her goal in sight, she turned in its direction and started to traverse a wide paved square with benches and lamps situated all around it. This was the place where people loved to come and feed the pigeons which would conglomerate by the hundreds during the day. But since it was night time, there wasn't a bird in sight thankfully and Sakura could cross the open area without anyproblems.

But when she had taken a few steps on the pavement, her emerald eyes widened in shock at the sight which greeted her across the way, stopping her dead in her tracks.

There, standing casually in front of a bench, stood the gorgeous red head which had given her a ride home a couple of days ago, looking like if he had just finished with some exercises, hair damp and skin glistening slightly with sweat. The gray tank top he was wearing revealed the corded muscles of his arms as he stretched while the black soccer-style trunks he was wearing reached just above his knees, leaving his legs deliciously exposed. Sakura knew that the way his calves flexed when he movedhad to be a sin. To make things worse, he suddenly turned his back to her and lifted his arms above his head as he continued with his stretching, giving her an ample view of his muscled backand his nicely defined rear.

If this was how he looked in the dark, she wondered what his appearance in his current attire would be like in the full light of the sun.

Cheeks blushing at her thoughts, Sakura resumed her walking at a slower pace, her heart hammering in her chest while she tried to

fight the hysterical fit of nervous laughter which was threatening to come to the surface. She didn't know if she shouldapproach him or not since he seemed completely absorbed in what he was doing. Either way, she didn't think she would be able to utter a single coherent word if she were to walk up to him. But at the same time, she didn't want to miss an opportunity to interact with him.

In the end, her nerves got the best of her and when she got nearer, her feet decided to walk in a different direction and shepassed a distance away from where he was standing. Sakura cursed her sudden cowardice and could only hope that he hadn't seen her or else he would know that she had blatantly ignored him.

Finally reaching the sidewalk, she started looking for her walletinside her bag as she approached the ramen stand. Sighing deeply,she knew she would regret her decision to walk past the red head for the rest of the weekend.

XXXXXXXXX

The smell of vanilla suddenly wafted through the air and his muscles instantly tensed. His immediate reaction to the aroma stunned him completely and he thought he was imagining things. But as the scent persisted in reaching him on a slight breeze, Gaara whipped his head around as he searched his surroundings.

It didn't take long to find her. Her pink hair was unmistakable.

Apparently, she had walked nearby without noticing him and she now had her back turned to him as she made her way towards a foodstand on the side of the street. He saw her looking inside her bag for something and she pulled her wallet out as she advanced towards the counter of the ramen place.

His instincts took over and his body reacted without hesitation, heading in her direction hurriedly before he could even formulatea rational thought.

Reaching her in mere moments, he came to a stop when he was only a few steps away and he decided to observe her for an instant. She was looking through her wallet while a frown was starting to cover her pretty face.

"What'll it be, sweetheart?" the man of the food stand asked witha smile.

"Well, I was thinking about buying two bowls but it seems that mymoney decided to desert me," she said dejectedly while showing the man the almost empty contents of her wallet, "so I'll have the vegetarian bowl please."

Gaara instantly noticed that it was the cheapest dish on the menu.

Something inside him snapped and an unfamiliar feeling surged within him. Before he could even think about what he was doing, he pulled out a bill from one of the pockets of his trunks and stepped forward. "Make that three bowls. Add two beef bowls to the order and make one to go. I assume she'll be taking it home."

"Yes sir," the man replied with a smile, taking Gaara's bill without thinking about it twice.

"What are you doing?" Sakura asked in astonishment, forgetting togreet him in her surprise.

"Buying you dinner", the red head replied in a leveled tone.

"But why?" she asked in confusion.

Gaara was about to reply that he had witnessed the fact that she didn't have enough money to buy ramen, one of the cheapest foods you could acquire in the city, but he abruptly decided against it. There was a spark in her eyes which said that her pride wouldbe terribly hurt if he told her the truth.

So, for the first time in his entire life, he lied to protect another person's feelings.

"Because I saw you walk by. Is my company not good enough for youto share a quick meal with me?" he asked in a gruff tone, easily pretending to be angry.

"No, no, of course not," Sakura replied, lifting her hands in a pacifying gesture. The last thing she wanted was to witness his ignited temper. "I would love to have dinner with you."

Jade eyes looked at her in slight surprise at her affirmation butswiftly turned away. Silence fell over them as they waited for their food to be ready, neither one making a move to speak.

After the initial shock of his sudden appearance started to die down, Sakura realized just how truly close he was as he stood there next to her and her heart threatened to explode with its frantic beat. It was so loud that she was sure that Gaara would be able to hear it. She could smell the sweat on body, but surprisingly she didn't mind. There was an underlying scent whichhis skin was emanating, something terribly masculine, and she could barely prevent herself from closing her eyes to enjoy it fully.

But she mind slapped herself effectively, refusing to act out thepart of a love-sick little girl. It wouldn't do to seem desperate.

Despite the fact that Gaara had been the one to initiate contact,he wasn't making any efforts to talk to her and from what she could tell he was making his best attempt to pretend that she wasn't there. But she was aware that this was the way his personality worked since it had happened before while she rode inhis car. Forcing herself to keep calm, Sakura knew it would be upto her to engage him in conversation.

"So," she said, finally breaking the silence while fidgeting withher fingers, "what are you doing around here?"

"Jogging," he stated simply without looking at her.

"Oh," she replied. "This late?"

"I usually do so after work. I had to leave the office later thanusual today."

"I see," Sakura said. "And do you come to this park often?"

"Yes."

"Do you get harassed by the pigeons?"

Gaara turned to look at her then, genuine surprise in his jade eyes. Inwardly he smiled, realizing that this was one of the things he liked about her. Her randomness always managed to catchhim off guard.

"Sometimes," he answered, no hint of his thoughts filtering through his façade.

"Urrgh, I get harassed every day!" she exclaimed while shaking her head.

He looked at her curiously, the silent question in his eyes urging her to continue.

"My bus stop is just over there," she stated while pointing alongthe sidewalk, "so I have to walk through this park to get to workevery day. It doesn't matter how early it is, the damned birds are always there and since there's usually no one feeding them soearly in the morning, they tend to charge at me."

If he had been any other person, he would have laughed at her statement, picturing the ridiculous scene she was describing. Even so, he found himself half smiling at her words and he noticed that the latent discomfort which had annoyed him all day was suddenly gone. Why was she having this effect on him?

"Here you go," the man behind the counter said as he handed them two bowls and a bag. "The third bowl's been packed for you."

"Thank you," Sakura said as she took her vegetarian ramen and thepaper bag. She looked around for a second. "Let's sit over there," she told Gaara.

Looking up to the place she was referring to, he took his own bowl and walked over to a bench located on the edges of the park's grassy areas. They settled down and started eating, the steam from the bowls rising visibly in the night's air.

Sakura sat indian style on the bench, slightly turned towards Gaara. She blew on the hot ramen and proceeded to stir it with her chopsticks. As the red head started eating, she couldn't helpbut notice how his biceps flexed when he brought the noodles to his mouth. Sakura swore that she would be able to watch him eat all evening and never get bored.

Turning her eyes away before she could embarrass herself, the pink haired girl decided to focus on the bowl before her. The food tasted like heaven to her hungry stomach and she could feel the heat of the ramen starting to permeate through her body.

"This is so good," she commented. "You have no idea how hungry I was."

Gaara grunted in agreement. Taking this as a good sign, Sakura kept talking.

"I knew I wouldn't have anything to eat back home so making a pitstop at the ramen stand was a must."

"Why wouldn't you have any food at home?" Gaara asked, turning tolook at her. The strange feeling from before returned and he didn't like it.

"Oh, I save my grocery shopping for Saturday mornings so I don't have anything in my shelves by Friday, except food for the cat," she said with a chuckle.

Gaara simply nodded, the bizarre feeling lessening with her explanation but it didn't disappear altogether.

They continued to eat in companionable silence, each one enjoyingthe quiet company of the other, the pink haired girl offering casual comments every so often. When the ramen was finished and

the plastic bowls discarded in a nearby trash can, Sakura realized that it was getting late. Even though it was relatively safe, she didn't particularly enjoy walking the few blocks from the place where the bus left her to her house during the late hours of the night.

"Well, it's getting late and I really should get going," she saidwith a smile.

Jade eyes turned to look at her and she was suddenly taken aback by the intensity of his stare. Hopefully the shadows of the lampswould hide the sudden blush which she felt creeping across her cheeks.

Not knowing why, what she perceived in those eyes gave her courage and she leaned forward towards the red head and placed her hand over his.

"Thanks for dinner, I really appreciate it," she said happily, squeezing his fingers affectionately.

Gaara wasn't at all prepared for the physical contact and when hefelt the careful grasp of her digits, he felt an uncharacteristicwarmth spread through his arm and down the rest of his body. His eyes looked down towards their joined hands and he seemed unable to look away as a jumble of feelings and thoughts surged through him.

But before he could regain any sense of order in his mind or his body, Sakura pulled away with a shout.

"Damn! There's my bus! I really have to run cause this driver never stops for long."

Gaara looked up and saw the blue and white bus coming to a halt at the edge of the sidewalk.

"Bye Gaara, hope to see you soon!" she exclaimed with a smile as she jumped to her feet while grabbing her things, racing away towards the bus stop and shouting at the driver to wait. He saw

her fumble with her purse again as she looked for some change andas she stepped up into the bus, she turned round and waved enthusiastically at him.

He felt his hand lift and wave back before he could even comprehend what he was doing.

The vehicle started moving and he saw her walk down the aisle towards a seat near the back. The bus then turned a corner and was suddenly gone.

And just like that, she had left him sitting on a park bench withan inner turmoil so great, he didn't know which way was up. Oddlyenough he wasn't angry, which was extremely unusual for him. Instead, he felt confused and slightly content, as if the encounter he had just experienced had been significant in some good way but he wasn't exactly sure how.

He sat there for a long while in contemplation, staring at the corner where the bus had turned and only noticing that he had lingered overlong when a cold drop of rain fell upon his arm, followed by another few. Standing up, Gaara made his way hurriedly towards his car, which was parked on the other side of the park.

The red head walked absently through the stone paths, barely noticing the growing rain, his mind elsewhere, completely lost inthoughts of a pink haired woman. Try as he might, he knew that she would linger in his mind for the rest of the night.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Here's your popcorn," Ino sang while raising her arms as Sakura opened her door.

"I'm glad you could make it," she replied, while taking the bag from her friend.

The blond stepped inside, placing her purse on the living room's coffee table. "Looks like this damned rain won't leave us alone. I can't believe it started again."

"I know! I didn't make it back home in time to avoid it," Sakura replied with a chuckle as she headed towards the kitchen, intent on placing the popcorn in the microwave so they could sit down towatch the movie she had rented.

Ino stepped into the kitchen, eyeing her friend suspiciously. Sakura had always been a happy person and she would exude cheerfulness like a bulb radiated light… but there was an extra kick to that optimism tonight. This could only mean that something good had come her way and Ino had an inkling that it was something related to the opposite sex.

"Sakura, did something happen tonight?" she asked, crossing her arms in front of her.

"No, why do you ask?" the pink haired girl said while taking a pair of glasses from her cupboard.

"I don't know, you seem overly cheery this evening," Ino said, coming closer and narrowing her eyes at her friend.

Sakura laughed as if to shake the whole thing off but the truth was that she found her best friend's accurate perceptions eerie sometimes. As much as she loved Ino, she really didn't want to tell her about Gaara yet. The blond always had a way of pressuring Sakura into making a move on the guys she liked and would suck Sakura dry with an intense interrogation to find out what they were like. She wanted to keep the red head as her little secret for the time being, at least until she managed to analyze her situation better.

But she also hated lying to her friend. In an attempt at a compromise, Sakura settled for a half truth.

"Well, if you must know, I didn't have enough money to buy some extra ramen tonight. So when I was at the stand, a really nice man offered to buy it for me."

"Was he handsome?" Ino's blue eyes lit up at the question.

'Handsome would be an understatement,' Sakura thought. "Yeah, he was ok," she said out loud.

"And did anything else happen?" her friend insisted.

"No, I thanked him and talked to him for a while and then I went on my way," she replied.

"Oh, I see," Ino said somewhat disappointed.

"Sorry I didn't have any more juicy details for you," the pink haired girl said with a laugh.

Ino simply sighed in resignation while rolling her eyes.

"What do you want to drink?" Sakura asked while opening her fridge. "There isn't much. We have apple juice, water or diet cola."

"I'll go for the apple juice, thanks."

The blond proceeded to take the popcorn out of the microwave and emptied the bag into a bowl while her friend served two full glasses of apple juice.

"Let's go," Sakura said as she walked out of the kitchen and turned off the light.

They made their way upstairs to the small TV room just outside Sakura's bedroom. Settling themselves amongst some cushions on the carpet, the two friends got ready to enjoy the movie.

"What did you get?" Ino asked while Sakura placed the movie into an old DVD player.

"Oh, some sort of romantic comedy. It came out recently and the guy at the video place said it was really good."

"Romance?" the blond asked with a laugh, knowing that her friend preferred detective films or dramas, movies which forced to think. "Something did happen to you!"

Sakura's response came in the form of a cushion slamming into Ino's face.

Chapter 5 – Falling petals

The word hectic wouldn't even come close to describe the days that followed. Sakura thought she would go mad with all the work when she walked in on Monday morning and found a huge schedule taped to the wall of Yamanaka Flowers, displaying all the tasks that had to be done before Saturday.

Why had their employers chosen the notoriously enormous halls of the Fujima Hotel?

Lee said it was definitely torture but that they should rise to the challenge. Hinata stated that there was nothing they could doabout it so they should just bear it silently and diligently. Inodidn't even have time to ponder about the whole scenario since she would be going in and out of the shop constantly, having numerous meetings with their employer: a woman called Temari, thechief manager of the corporation they were working for.

As much as they wanted to find out about the people they were labouring their hides for, the flower assistants didn't have a moment to spare and thus, speculations would rise only during lunch or scarce coffee breaks. They were working themselves to the bone and even though other of the Yamanaka shops were helpingout, it was still back breaking work and they were forced to stayovertime almost every day.

Never in her life had Sakura managed to complete so many ornaments in so little time. It almost felt like if she were involved in an endless process of massive chain production and no

matter how much she tried to be optimistic, the weekend had neverseemed so far away. Flowers would arrive in a large truck every morning, and another vehicle would visit the shop twice a day to take the finished arrangements away for refrigeration. It seemed that no sooner had she finished with her morning batch of ornaments that they were already disappearing out the door to ensure their appropriate preservation.

But she knew she wasn't the only feeling the same way, since Lee and Hinata started presenting similar signs of exhaustion as the week progressed.

"When is it going to end?" the pink haired girl asked in desperation Thursday afternoon. They had managed to steal a quickbreak in the back room and wanted nothing more than to fall asleep wherever their heads fell.

"We're almost done", Lee answered, giving her a thumbs up. "The weekend is almost here… it'll be over before you know it. And if it's any consolation, just remember how much we're getting paid for this job!"

Sakura sighed. "I know."

If there was anyone who was acutely aware of the money they wouldbe receiving, it was her. "But still, in this moment in time, I think that no amount of cash would be enough to serve as compensation for my deteriorated limbs."

As she said so, she wiggled her fingers in an attempt to stretch her overexerted hands, wincing at the pain which shot up her arm with her movements.

Hinata giggled as she took a sip from her tea cup.

"I know what you mean," Lee replied as he lifted his hands in front of his face, glancing at his dirty palms and the numerous tiny cuts scattered all over his fingers. "We might need rehabilitation after this one."

Sakura laughed loudly at that, lifting her hands up as well. "I wouldn't worry about that. I'm sure Ino plans on taking some daysoff and luckily, that'll include us as well."

"YOSH!" Lee exclaimed.

"Hmm, days off…" Hinata said, a wistful look in her eyes as she set her cup down.

Sakura smiled at her but said nothing, knowing very well that shewas thinking about the man she had been seeing lately. 'The loud one', as Ino liked to call him; she had questioned Hinata thoroughly at least twice concerning him and from what they couldtell, the shy raven haired girl was really falling for him. Sakura was really happy for her friend but used her experience asa lesson for herself.

If she ever even mentioned her encounters with Gaara, she didn't even want to think about the hours of endless interrogations Ino would put her through. So she kept their meetings a secret and cherished them privately, losing herself in constant daydreams ofwhat could be.

As she stepped up to the front of the shop while Hinata and Lee continued work in the back room, Sakura realized that she hadn't even had time to think about the temperamental red head all this week. During the weekend, her mind had been filled with constant images of him in his jogging outfit and she found herself blushing more often than not. She would think about the casual way they had come to meet, not only once, but twice and what these destined encounters could mean.

If she were honest with herself, she would admit that she was falling for him… and hard. But that admission was extremely dangerous, especially since she really didn't know that much about him. Even so, whenever she thought about his face and thosejade eyes of his, Sakura found her breath catching in her throat and she knew, then and there, that no matter who he was or what he did, her heart would cherish him just the same.

She even started planning for the next time she would meet him, for she had no doubt that they would eventually find each other again somehow. But work had kicked in with a vengeance and suddenly, she didn't even have a spare moment to contemplate a single passing thought of him.

Feeling somehow bereft due to this, the pink haired girl stared out the window for a few seconds, wondering idly how he was or what he was doing in that very instant. But as if the universe was conspiring against her and her train of thought, the door bells chimed as they opened and in walked a client.

Plastering a smile on her face as she stood from her chair, Sakura forced all thoughts of the gorgeous red head to the back of her mind.

"Welcome to Yamanaka Flowers! How can I help you?"

XXXXXXXXXX

"I don't give a shit if they're stuck in traffic!" Gaara yelled into his office phone, his jade eyes alight with ire. "Those computer chips were supposed to be delivered this morning! Who was the idiot who decided that they should be delivered by truck?DON'T WE HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO HIRE A FUCKING HELICOPTER?"

On the other side of the door, Temari grimaced at her baby brother's tone, pitying the poor soul on the other side of the line. In truth, Gaara had been on a short fuse during the whole week as he made sure that all preparations for the upcoming conference were dealt in what he deemed an 'efficient and appropriate' manner. The stress had been building up since the very instant he had placed a foot in the office on Monday morningand he had been behaving like a ticking time bomb ever since.

As the yelling continued, the dark blond woman let out a deep breath. Apparently, the bomb had just exploded and there was nothing worse than dealing with a volatile Gaara while trapped ina working environment. Worrying over the mental health of her employees, Temari knew that the best strategy would be to get the

red head out of the office as soon as possible, but she knew thatwould never happen. Gaara would never even think about leaving the building until he was finished with whatever tasks he had planned for the day, even if it meant that he had to stay locked up in front of his computer until midnight.

Thus, another approach was in order and she knew she needed to provide her little brother with some sort of diversion. And what distraction would serve better than her very own charming self? Chuckling evilly, Temari knew that Gaara would probably eat her alive the moment she walked through the door but she was used to the treatment. There was nothing that he could throw at her whichwould scare her away… and he knew it, which made the whole scenario so much more fun. It was so amusing to see him all worked up when she refused to fall for his taunts.

She heard him throw the phone down loudly and taking this as her cue, she knocked on his door. Before he could even answer, she made her way inside, closing the door behind her as she settled into one of the comfortable armchairs in front of his desk.

"What do you want?" he asked through gritted teeth the moment he saw her walk in.

"Oh nothing, just wondering how you're doing," she said in a mocking friendly tone, straitening her impeccable business suit in an idle gesture.

Jade eyes bore into her face, letting her know this clearly wasn't the time for affable chit-chat.

But as she was wont to do, Temari ignored her brother's moody antics. "How are things going?"

As if a dam had just broken, Gaara drew in a deep breath as he prepared himself for one of his trademark tirades.

The dark blond only looked at him patiently, awaiting the unstoppable outburst.

"You want to know how things are going? I'll tell you how they'regoing… we are surrounded by inefficient, useless and brainless workers who have no idea of how to do their jobs! A five year oldcould do a better than they do! Where the fuck do you get these people, Temari? Please tell me so that I can eliminate the sourceof such an incompetent workforce directly! I've never been cursedwith such a hopeless team before in my life! What do you do when you hire them? Pick the ones who haven't even graduated from grade school on purpose?"

Temari knew that all he was saying was a sham, a product of his overly eager wrath.

"They don't even have the basic trait of common sense! Any simpletask is too much for them to handle so I always end up doing everything myself! I don't know what the fuck you were thinking when you recruited this group of worthless morons! I just think you were under the influence of some heavy drugs because no one in their right mind would even contemplate to hire such inept idiots!..."

She knew he was aiming his daggers directly at her ability as a manager, so she just let it slide, knowing he didn't mean half ofthe things he was saying. Having known him since he was very small, she knew that when Gaara felt frustrated about something, he would always make his best effort to verbally attack the people around him. It seemed that the more he brought others down, the better he felt himself and he had an uncanny way of figuring out a person's weakest point. The key was to ignore his explosions when they occurred and let him lose his steam in the process because if you started answering back, you would fall into his trap and things would end up much worse than they already were.

Doing exactly that, Temari proceeded to look at him and nod at him while he yelled, as if she were truly paying attention. However, her thoughts were completely lost on other things, such as what she could have for dinner later that day. She'd been having this weird craving for Mexican food for the last couple ofdays… maybe she could stop by a restaurant on her way back home…

After a few minutes, she realized that Gaara had gone silent and he was leaning back on his chair, breathing deeply. His eyes had lost much of their rage and apparently he was back in control of his emotions.

"Better?" the dark blond asked, a smirk on her lips as she crossed her legs in front of her.

The red head looked at her with a threatening glare but nodded once before turning back to his computer. How he hated when his sister seemed to know exactly what to do when he was throwing a tantrum. It made him want to start yelling at her all over again but he knew it wouldn't lead anywhere. That was an amateur mistake he had made many times when he was younger but he always ended up losing to Temari's implacable resistance to his harsh words. She seemed completely immune to them and no matter what hesaid, she always ended up having the upper hand.

"Kankurou said they've got everything ready down in the Robotics Department," she was saying casually, as if his fit of temper hadnever occurred, "he said he's come up with a surprise for us."

"Probably another one of his demented androids," Gaara said gruffly.

Temari laughed at his demeanour, much to his aggravation. "Well, those he's come up in the past have been somewhat amazing. Remember the robot cat he came up with 2 years ago? That was priceless! If he'd perfected it, I'm sure it would've been a success in the toy market."

The red head simply shook his head at her.

There was soft know on the door.

"Come in," Temari replied, ignoring the evil look Gaara threw herway when she answered as if it were sitting in her own office.

"Temari-san," Ayame, one of the dark blond's secretaries, greeted. "You have Yamanaka-san on the phone."

"Oh, tell her I'll be right there," she replied as she stood up.

The red head thought that the name Ayame had mentioned sounded familiar, but he dismissed it as a hallucination of his overly stressed mind.

"The ornaments are coming on marvellously," she said, turning towards Gaara. "This flower shop is really incredible! I haven't seen such customer service in years."

The red head glared at her momentarily but kept quiet as she walked out the door. Why, in the name of Suna Electronics, did Temari think that he would even be interested in how the floral arrangements were going? There were so many other important things to take care of and here she was, wasting her time on flowers.

Not for the first time, Gaara questioned Temari's true calling towards being the head manager of the corporation. Sometimes, he thought she would lead them directly to ruin but thankfully, thatdisaster hadn't happened… yet. And if it did happen, he was sure that he would be one to save them all from certain destruction.

Shaking his head, the red head dispersed such apolocalyptic thoughts from his mind, intent on finishing the tasks he had assigned himself for the day on time. There was still too much todo.

"Oh, by the way," Temari said, ducking her head back inside the door for second. "I know you tend to forget these things, so I'llremind you. You're supposed to bring a date to the conference since we're having lunch at the hotel with our top clients. I already know who you'll be bringing, so just ask her not to dresstoo slutty." And with that, she closed the door and headed towards her office.

Gaara groaned… he had completely forgotten about that. The last thing he wanted was to have to deal with Maemi during such an important day and especially around such important clients, but it really couldn't be helped. He only hoped she would get bored

easily after lunch and would leave him alone for the whole afternoon.

He took out his cell phone and scanned through his directory until he found Maemi's number. Instantly, Gaara regretted what hewas about to do but he knew he didn't have a choice… but as he stared directly at his phone screen, he realized that maybe he really did have other options.

'Sakura', he thought immediately and before he could help himself, visions of what the conference might be like with her byhis side flooded his mind. He saw himself walking beside her while he explained about all the different products on display and how they worked. He could imagine her emerald eyes widening in wonderment… he might even give her one of his brother's mini-robots as a gift…

But the red head stopped his useless thoughts on time and predictably, he was suddenly furious with himself.

'How can I be so stupid?' he thought vehemently. First off, he didn't have Sakura's number; if he wanted to talk to her he wouldhave to visit the shop she worked at, not knowing if she would bethere at all. Secondly, he simply did not have the time to go looking for her like a love-sick idiot… he had better things to do, like making sure the conference went smoothly on its way and didn't ruin his career.

Thus, he pressed the send button on his cell phone and dialled Maemi's number.

"Hi honey," her purring voice sounded on the other end after a few seconds.

Breathing in deeply, he willed himself to be patient.

"Hi," he said.

XXXXXXXXXX

Saturday morning dawned bright and sunny, but regardless of this fact, the only thing that Sakura wanted to do when her alarm clock went off at 6am was to crawl back into her bed and sleep the day away. Knowing that she would only turn it off if she leftthe clock on her bedside table, she had purposely placed it on a bookshelf on the other side of the room. This way, she would be forced to get up from bed to stop the annoying noise, like she was doing now.

Willing herself to step into her bathroom, she was still half asleep as she undressed for a quick shower. When the warm water hit her face, she jumped slightly, finally winning the battle against the devious schemes of ever-tempting slumber. Around 15 assistants of Yamanaka Flowers, including all of those from Ino'sshop, had agreed to meet at the Fujima Hotel at 7am so they couldtackle the task of placing the flowers with enough time for any mishap before the conference opened at 10 in the morning.

After towelling herself quickly, she slipped on a pair of jeans and a black tank top. There was nothing better than working in comfortable clothes and today she was definitely going to need them. They had to put up all the flower ornaments in their respective booths, tables and decorative pillars all throughout the immense hall without getting in the way of the people who would be setting up everything for the conference at the same time.

It was going to be tricky but they would have to manage seeing asthis job could really bring them a whole new group of clients if they pulled it out right. But still, 7am on a Saturday was still a bit too early for Sakura's agenda. She needed to catch 2 buses to get to the hotel and if she didn't leave soon, she would miss them.

Taking her purse and a dark grey jacket after putting on a pair of sneakers, she made her way in a hurry down the stairs, wantingto have a quick breakfast before stepping out. She took out a bowl and served herself some cereal while heating a cup of milk in the microwave. Taking the cup out, she made herself some instant coffee, since her coffee maker had broken down months ago

and she hadn't found the money or time to fix it yet. She sat down on her small kitchen table and ate quickly, leaving the coffee for last.

As she ate, she felt something soft rub against her leg. Looking down, she spotted Kiri, her black and white cat, between her feet.

"Good morning, sweetheart," Sakura greeted as she rubbed Kiri's back with one hand.

She finished her breakfast in less than 7 minutes and placed her dirty plates in the sink. After doing so, she opened up a can of cat food and emptied its contents into Kiri's bowl, placing it down on the kitchen floor. Deep blue feline eyes stared back at her in question.

"I need to work today so I'm leaving your food out for when you get hungry," as she talked, she replenished her cat's water bowl as well. "I don't know when I'll be back, but hopefully it won't be too late."

"Meow," Kiri answered before jumping up unto the chair Sakura hadrecently occupied and settled for a nap.

Shaking her head at her pet's laziness, she rubbed her ears one last time before making her way towards the front door and stepping out.

XXXXXXXXXX

"I think that's the last of it," Hinata said, whipping her forehead with the back of her hand.

"Thank God," Ino said, while taking off her dark green apron; it was the trademark uniform for all of Yamanaka Flowers' employees."I thought we'd never be finished."

"Me neither," Sakura replied, leaning against a wall. Lee, who was standing next to her, could only nod his head in response.

They were inside one of the back rooms of the huge hall, where they had finally finished storing all the extra ornaments which could serve as replacements in case of any accidents. After having finished placing the decorations just in time for the conference, they were all exhausted from the demanding work and wanted nothing more than to collapse on the floor. But as usual, there were still some last minute details that needed to be takencare of.

"Ok guys, we still need to…" Ino started to say, but she was interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Ino-san, sorry to interrupt," spoke a tall dark blond woman Sakura had never seen before. She wore a spotless designer business suit with a matching skirt, which hugged her figure nicely and even though she was only standing there with a smile on her face, she emanated an aura of power and authority.

"Temari-san," Ino exclaimed, stepping towards her, "not at all, you're not interrupting."

"Is this your team?" she asked as she stepped into the room at Ino's prompting.

"Yes it is," the blue eyed woman said with pride. "Let me introduce them to you."

Lee and Sakura stepped up to stand next to Hinata in the middle of the room as Ino approached them.

"This is Rock Lee, Haruno Sakura and Hyuuga Hinata," she said, signalling at each of them with her hand as she said their respective names. "Team, this is Temari-san, president and chief manager of Suna Electronics."

Lee's eyes widened in shock and he bowed deeply. Hinata seemed torealize who the person in front of them was as well and she mimicked Lee's pose. At a loss, Sakura did the same, not wanting to disrespect their employer in any way.

"It is a pleasure to meet you," Temari said with a smile. "I justwanted to congratulate you on a job well done. You have no idea of how pleased I am with your work. I simply love it."

"Thank you, Temari-san, it has been an honour to decorate your conference for you," Lee replied as he bowed again.

Hinata and Sakura did so as well.

Her eyes narrowing slightly, Temari stepped up to Hinata. "Hyuuga, is it?"

"Yes, ma'am," the raven haired girl replied, managing not to stutter in nervousness.

Sakura stiffened imperceptibly next to her friend, knowing very well that Hinata hated to talk about her family. She didn't know exactly what had happened, but she knew that due to an inner feud, her friend's father had abandoned the Hyuuga clan some years ago, bringing a lot of controversy into the ever conservative and powerful family.

"Ha! Now I see the resemblance," Temari said in a friendly tone, "you are related to Hyuuga Hizashi."

"Yes ma'am, he is my uncle," Hinata replied, blushing slightly.

"I see. Well, I'll be meeting him for lunch today along with his son, Neji-san. Quite a pair those two are," the dark blond finished with a smile, unaware of the effect her words were having on the girl in front of her.

Hinata only nodded in response, keeping her emotions at the mention of her cousin under control.

"And you're the famous Sakura," Temari said, turning her attention towards the girl standing to the side. "Ino tells me that you're particularly agile when it comes to anything that hasto do with flowers."

"Thank you, ma'am," the pink haired assistant replied.

"I have to congratulate you on that centre piece you made for thetable on the stage. It's simply breathtaking. I think I'm going to take it home with me when this whole thing is done."

Sakura smiled. "You flatter me, ma'am."

"And with good reason too," Temari replied with a wink. "Now, I won't take any more of your time, since all of you probably want to get out of here as soon as possible. I have to tend to the boring task of greeting all the important guests which will be arriving soon. Which reminds me, Ino, I need you to come with me.There's some people I want you meet."

"Of course," the blue eyed flower manager replied, as she fell into step behind Temari.

"Great job, guys," the dark blond said once more before she disappeared round the door.

The three occupants left inside the room stood in silence for a moment.

"Suna Electronics!" Lee exclaimed when it was safe to speak again. "Why didn't Ino tell us?"

"I think she didn't want to pressure us too much," Hinata replied, "imagine under what type of stress we would've been if we had known who our client was. Thankfully we've been too busy with our ornaments this morning to notice anything about the conference."

"Errrm… Suna what?" Sakura asked sheepishly.

Both her friends turned to look at her with bewildered eyes.

"C'mon Sakura, you have to have at least heard of them once! They're the biggest electronics company in the country!" Lee exclaimed. "Let's see… they're the brand that came up with that new colourful cell phone on the adds that are plastered all over the place? You know, the one with the catchy jingle on the radio?"

The pink haired girl's eyes widened in recognition. "Ohhh, I think I know who they are."

"Sweety," Hinata said, "the TV in your house is an old model of theirs."

"Ahhhh!" Sakura exclaimed, finally catching on. "Yes, of course! Their building is located near our shop. Oh my God, we're workingfor them?"

"Our thoughts exactly," the raven haired girl replied with a smile at her friend's belated reaction.

"Temari-san is like one of the wealthiest people on the face of the planet," Lee said, his eyes full of admiration.

"Now that you mention it, she probably is," Sakura said, admitting that she was glad that she hadn't known about their employer before or else she would've been a nervous wreck. "But still, for being that filthy rich, she's really very nice."

"Yeah she is. If she wasn't, she probably wouldn't have the patience to deal with my stuck-up uncle and cousin," Hinata said."I just hope I don't have to meet them myself."

"Don't worry dear, with those eyes that run in your family, they're easy to spot. We'll stay clear of them," the pink haired girl replied, squeezing Hinata's hand.

"Yosh, we'd better get a move on," Lee said, coming out of his momentary trance over Temari's wealth. "Sakura, you check the arrangements in the lobby, since there was an usher who was insisting on moving them. Hinata, you make one final round to theleft side of the hall while I take the right. When we're done, let's meet back here to see if there's anything else that needs to get done."

Nodding in agreement, all three of them left the back room, intent on finishing their tasks quickly so they could call it a day.

XXXXXXXXXX

Sakura finished placing the arrangements in the lobby back into place just as the first guests started to filter in. Lee had beenright, an usher from the hotel had changed their position completely and it had taken her around 10 minutes to get the flowers in their appropriate placed once again.

She was standing behind a tall ornament pillar in a corner of thevestibule while she made some finishing touches when she spotted a stretch limo pulling up in front of the hotel entrance. Tall impeccable windows were aligned to her left and she could see thesidewalk and the steps leading into the lobby clearly.

When the limo came to a stop, a valet walked up to the door of the vehicle, followed by some photographers. As the door opened, out stepped a red haired man dressed in a lustrous suit, wearing a dark green tie and white shirt underneath.

Even from this distance, Sakura knew that the tie would match hiseyes perfectly.

Gaara.

Glued to the spot, the pink haired girl couldn't take her eyes off him and the alluring picture he made while standing on the side walk, his mouth in a firm line as he dealt with the photographers and a few interviewers. The elegant way with which he wore his suit left her breathless and Sakura knew that she would be able to stare at him all day and never get tired.

But her reverie was short lived, for out of the limo stepped out a tall, beautiful woman, dressed in a stylish deep purple dress, her long onyx hair arranged in an elegant bun that allowed some thick strands of her smooth tresses to fall down her exposed back. She was a stunningly gorgeous woman and Sakura could do nothing but feel impressed by the aura of magnificence which surrounded her.

Even more so, she felt an invisible hand grip her by the throat when she saw the woman step up to Gaara and hook her arm around his, kissing him lightly on the cheek as they started walking up the steps towards the entrance.

Time stopped suddenly and the air supply to her lungs abruptly ceased.

Sakura thought she was going to die.

Making herself as small as she possibly could, she hid behind thedecorative pillar, hoping that the ground would open up beneath her feet and swallow her whole. Risking a glance around the flowers, she watched as Temari stepped up to Gaara and greeted him.

"Good morning, baby brother," the dark blond exclaimed happily, hugging him openly.

'Brother?' Sakura thought in amazement. 'That means... OH MY GOD!'

Lee's words came floating back to her, reminding her that Temari was the president of Suna Electronics, one of the biggest corporations in the entire industry. And she was Gaara's sister? This meant that Gaara was… Gaara was…

Sakura thought her knees would collapse under her at any moment.

And to make matters worse, the onyx haired woman stepped up to the red head once more and took his hand in hers in a painfully familiar gesture.

'I think I'm going to vomit,' the pink haired girl thought desperately as nausea at the shaking experience she was living through started to kick in. 'I need to get out here… please leave! Please, please leave!'

And as if he had heard her, Gaara continued to walk down the hallway while speaking to Temari, making his way towards the conference room, his gorgeous companion in tow.

As soon as he was out of sight, Sakura bolted. She needed to finda safe haven but she knew she couldn't leave the hotel until their job there was complete. Taking an alternate route, she entered the large hall by a side entrance and headed directly towards the back room where they were storing the flowers at fullspeed.

Once inside the room, she leaned against the wall and slid down to the floor, blissfully alone. It wouldn't do for any of her friends to witness her breakdown. Burying her face in her hands she willed for this awful feeling building in the pit of her stomach to stop… as much as she tried, it wouldn't leave. She wasn't exactly sure what the emotion was, she only knew that it was indescribably strong and it was threatening to engulf her whole. It was desperation, anger and a gut-stealing sadness all mixed into one. Staying in the same position for countless minutes, she tried to get a hold of herself.

"Sakura, are you alright?" Hinata asked with worry.

"Yes, I'm fine," she replied as she pulled her head up suddenly, making sure she whipped her eyes before facing her friend completely. "I think I didn't eat enough for breakfast."

"As you sure?" the raven haired girl asked, kneeling worriedly infront of her.

"Yes, I'm sure," Sakura replied, forcing a smile on her face. A change in subject was definitely in order. "Where's Lee?"

"Oh, he was over by the stage listening to Temari-san's opening speech. The conference has already started."

"I see," Sakura said, realizing she had been hiding for quite some time. "What else needs to be done?"

"Well, we need to replace a couple of ornaments since they got knocked over when the Robotics team made their entrance and that's it. Can you take care of one while I tackle the other?"

"Sure," the pink haired assistant answered even though the last thing she wanted to do was go out there and risk being seen by a certain red head.

"It's over by aisle 15," Hinata was saying as she handed her friend the replacement ornament. "You'll spot it easily. We'll beable to leave after that."

"Alright," Sakura said standing up and bracing herself. This was the last thing she needed to do and then she would be done. She would be free to walk out of the hotel and out of his life forever.

'I can do this,' she repeated inside her mind as she stood by thedoor. 'I can do this.'

Taking in a deep breath she stepped into the throng of people which was beginning to gather around several presentations of merchandise. Sakura walked quickly, her eyes straight ahead, focused on her goal. Thankfully, the area where the ornament had fallen wasn't too crowded yet and she would be able to replace the flowers without any problems.

As Hinata said, she spotted the decorative column easily and she made straight towards it. Placing the ornaments on top of the pillar, she quickly made some last minute changes to the flowers.Once satisfied, she leaned down to pick the ruined arrangement which lay on the floor, some of its blossoms scattered across thecarpet, not caring enough to pick all of them up. All she wanted to do was to get out of there… fast.

She was now free to go but as she turned round to make her way back to the storage room, she was stopped dead in her tracks by aliving nightmare.

"What's the name of this flower?" the tall onyx haired beauty asked, looking down at Sakura with a disdainful glare in her hazel eyes, as if she was making a great effort in speaking to a 'servant'.

It was her.

She had the yellow eyes of a cat… but not those of a loyal felinelike Kiri. Instead they were the eyes of a deceitful cat who would betray you at a moments notice.

"It's called a lily", Sakura answered, proud that she managed to keep her voice flat.

"I see," the woman replied, looking down at the flower assistant's dirty apron with contempt.

Never in her life had Sakura felt such an intense need to punch another person in the face.

"Anata," the woman said to someone behind her, "aren't these flowers pretty?"

XXXXXXXXXX

Jade eyes rolled at Maemi's interruption and turned reluctantly from Kankurou's newest robot towards the direction of her voice.

Nothing in his life would have prepared him for the sight he stumbled upon.

There, standing in front of Maemi, stood the pink haired girl of his daydreams, dressed simply in jeans and wearing a dirty dark green apron over her lithe form. Her short cherry hair was tuckedbehind her ears but was slightly messy, clear sign that she had been working diligently for some time. She was holding a mangled ornament of flowers in one hand and he could see some blooms scattered on the floor around her as she stood next to a pillar with a similar arrangement on top.

It all suddenly clicked.

Yamanaka! That was the name of the flower shop Sakura worked at… no wonder it had sounded familiar. As much as he hated to admit it, had he known that it was her store that Temari had hired, he would've undoubtedly shown much more interest in the flower

arrangements. If he had known, it would've been Sakura standing next to him in an elegant dress instead of this hazel eyed leech.

Without thinking, he stepped forwards, never taking his eyes off of her as he did so. It struck him suddenly that, dirty and dishevelled as she was, she looked so much more stunning to him than Maemi in her deep purple gown. Her face was grimy as well, just as her hands, but to him, it couldn't have mattered less. Ashe neared, he saw her emerald eyes ablaze with uncharacteristic fury, her free hand fisted at her side and strangely, he felt hisown wrath ignite in response at whoever was responsible for her rage. Someone had clearly made her angry just now and he had an inkling as to who it could've been.

Maemi would only mean trouble… he had known that from the very moment he had asked her to accompany him to the conference.

"Sakura," he said, jade eyes wide in surprise as he stepped up next to her.

The pink haired girl blushed to the roots of her hair at his approach while a feeling of panic instantly made its way up her spine. Her ire was completely forgotten in a second and she couldno nothing but stare wide-eyed at his handsome form. This was precisely the situation she had wanted to avoid. Why didn't things ever go right for her?

"Hi," she replied, emerald eyes lowering towards the floor.

"You know her?" Maemi asked in disgust, throwing her hair behind her shoulder arrogantly.

Gaara shut her up with a single hostile glare in her direction. Recognizing the warning for what it was, she wisely stepped back a few paces.

"Are you alright?" the red head asked, turning towards Sakura once more. The look in his eyes changed completely as he glanced her way, his concern for her evident in his voice.

"Of course I'm fine, why wouldn't I be?" she replied, plastering a smile on her face as she finally mustered up the courage to look up at him.

Jade eyes narrowed, clearly unconvinced. "What happened to your ornament?" he asked, his tone clearly displaying his displeasure with the ruined decoration.

Now he was the one surprising her with his randomness!

Looking down at her hands, Sakura finally realized what he was talking about. "Oh this! Errm, it got knocked over so I was sent over here to replace it."

"Did you make it?" he asked, the tone of his voice carefully guarded.

The pink haired girl blinked, not knowing how that mattered. "Yeah, this was one of mine," she replied wistfully, glancing at the ruined blooms.

"It's a pity for your art to be wasted like this," the red head replied honestly, surprising not only Sakura, but himself as well.

Even though his voice was void of emotion, the pink haired girl felt her heart leap at his compliment. She had no idea he thoughtso highly of her work.

But before she even had a chance to recover, Gaara shocked her again and suddenly kneeled next to her, starting to pick up the flowers sprinkled across the carpet.

"Gaara!" the pink haired assistant exclaimed as she dropped abruptly to the floor beside him, "what are you doing?"

"Helping you pick up your flowers," he said matter-of-factly.

"Have you forgotten where you are?" Sakura hissed as she rapidly started picking some blooms herself. "This is your conference."

The red head looked up at her then, a steely look in his eyes. "Do you actually think I care about that?" he asked harshly, as if offended that she might actually believe that.

Emerald eyes widened in shock at his words and they looked at each other for a few intense moments, neither of them saying a word. It was only when Sakura felt Maemi's feline eyes piercing through her back as she watched the whole exchange that she turned her face away, picking up the remaining flowers quickly.

How she managed to get herself into such uncomfortable scenarios was beyond her comprehension.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Temari, Temari!" Kankurou exclaimed as he grabbed his sister by the arm and pulled her from where she was standing at an adjacentbooth.

"What the hell is it?" the dark blond manager asked through clenched teeth.

"Look, look," her brother spoke excitedly. "She's the one! She's got pink hair!"

"What?" Temari asked, thinking that her sibling had finally lost his mind. But as she glanced over to the place where he was pointing a small distance away, understanding suddenly dawned.

Gaara was speaking to a pink haired flower assistant… a girl Temari had just recently met and complimented for her outstandingwork. From the way he was ignoring Maemi, the dark blond woman could tell that he knew Sakura from before and was actually speaking to her.

"She's the one from the car! The one we saw him with on his birthday!" Suna Electronics' president exclaimed abruptly. "Why didn't I realize this sooner? How many people have pink hair in this city? I must be an idiot!"

Kankurou laughed in glee, ignoring her tirade. "I knew it was her! He walked up to her and initiated a conversation… HOLY SHIT!Is he helping her to pick up the flowers?"

Both siblings stared with mouths agape as they saw their baby brother, the most insensitive and tactless person in the world, kneel next to the pink haired girl and start picking blossoms from the floor.

"Are you seeing what I'm seeing?" Kankurou asked unbelievingly, glued to the spot where he stood.

"Yes I am!" Temari exclaimed with a laugh after the initial shockhad subsided. "Come on, we need to get over there before the harpy ruins everything."

And with that, she grabbed her tattooed brother and pulled him along behind her, making her way rapidly over to the kneeling couple.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Ino, Ino!" Hinata exclaimed in what was for her standards a loudyell.

"What is it?" the blond asked in surprise, caught completely off guard by her friend's excited demeanour. She had been making her way towards the storage room to tell her co-workers that they could call it a day but Hinata had stopped her in mid-aisle.

"It's him, it's him!"

"Who?" Ino asked in puzzlement, but before she could say anythingelse, Hinata took her face in her hands and turned her head towards an adjacent passageway. The sight that greeted her left her in awe as she saw Sakura kneeling side by side with a handsome red head, picking up flowers from the floor.

"Oh my God!" the blond exclaimed. "But that's…that's…"

"He's the one who came into the store the other day!"

"But that's GAARA! He's Suna Electronics' vice-president! I saw him in the papers yesterday!" Ino shouted in wonderment. "Are yousure it's him, Hinata?"

"Completely sure," the raven haired girl said, clearly taken aback by the whole scenario.

The blond murmured a string of curses under breath. "I never thought Sakura would score so high!" she said in glee as her oaths dissolved into laughter. "But wait a minute, who's that woman standing near him?"

"That's his girlfriend," Hinata said sadly, lowering her eyes, her previous excitement all but gone.

"How do you know?"

"I saw them talking together before Sakura met up with him. I'd finished replacing an ornament and was making my way over to where she was supposed to be and I saw them chatting. She kissed him on the cheek. I stopped and was going to go tell Sakura that he was here but she crossed their path then. So I went looking for you."

"Damn it! How can he have a girlfriend at a moment like this?" Ino exclaimed, her blue eyes wide. "We need to get her out of there before any more damage is done. Go find Lee! Meet us back at the storage room in less than 10 minutes."

And with that, the blond made her way over to the adjoining aisle, intent on becoming her best friend's saviour.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Thank you," Sakura said softly as they finished picking up all the blossoms.

Gaara grunted in response, handing her the flowers he had retrieved from the floor. "I didn't know you would be in charge of the arrangements."

"I didn't know I was working for your company," Sakura replied.

They looked at each other again, green lost in green, oblivious to everything around them for a few blissful seconds.

But the spell was suddenly interrupted before either of them could say another word.

"Ahh, Sakura, I see you've met my little brother," Temari exclaimed as she stepped up to them.

"Temari-san," the pink haired girl said, bowing slightly in her direction.

"No need to be so formal," the dark blond replied with a smile, "especially not if you already know my brother."

Gaara grinded his teeth so loudly Sakura could hear them from where she stood. She glanced anxiously over at him and realized that he was glaring openly at his sister, evidently trying to gether to shut up. If she hadn't been so nervous, the whole situation would've been extremely comical.

But neither could she forget the hazel eyes filled with hatred which were staring intently at her from nearby.

She could only pray for a miracle.

"Sakura, there you are! I've been looking all over for you," Ino said as she stepped up next to her friend.

The pink haired girl released a breath she hadn't been aware she was holding. Finally, backup had arrived.

"Ino-san," Temari said as the blue eyed woman joined them, "did you know that Sakura here had already met my brother?"

"Really? It is a small world after all!" Ino exclaimed, feigning surprise. She clearly caught a glint in the dark blond woman's eyes, begging for her to play along and it took all of her will power to ignore it. If it had been any other situation, Ino

would've been more than glad to help Temari in her schemes, but there was too much at risk here, especially when it came to Sakura. She needed to know what the situation was before taking any further decisions in her role as matchmaker.

"I'm so sorry, but I think I'm going to have to steal my star-worker away," she continued to say, looking straight at Temari, "we still need to get some things done."

"Of course, by all means," the dark blond woman replied, catchingIno's signal and more than noticing Sakura's complete silence andpale face. "Once again, congratulations on such a great job. We'll definitely be doing business in the future."

"I'm looking forward to it," Ino replied and before anything elsecould be said, she steered Sakura in the opposite direction and started walking.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Thank you," the pink haired girl said once they were some distance away.

"You're more than welcome, even though I should be furious with you for keeping information from me," her blond friend replied. "You can tell me all about him later."

Sakura nodded. "I don't think there's much to tell though… didn'tyou see the woman he was with?" she said, as an unchecked tear slid down her cheek. Now that she was in safe company, her walls were starting to crumble around her.

Ino breathed deeply, placing an arm over her shoulder as they continued to walk down the now crowded aisles.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Explain yourself," Maemi hissed as she stepped up to Gaara, who was intently watching the pink haired beauty walk away from him once again.

"Why would I have the necessity to explain my actions to you?" heasked without even turning to look at her, his jade eyes fixed upon Sakura's receding back.

"Because I'm…" she started to say but he interrupted.

"Because you're what?" the red head asked harshly, still not looking at her, daring her to answer the question.

A deadly silence descended then but Gaara seemed completely oblivious to it. It wasn't until Sakura and Ino turned a corner and he couldn't see them anymore that he turned round and startedwalking away, not glancing at his female companion even once.

Fuming, Maemi fell into step behind him, her rage evident for allto see.

Standing to the side and having witnessed the whole encounter, Temari smiled triumphantly. If she had her way, then this would be one of the last days of the harpy's reign. By the life of her,she was going to enjoy seeing Maemi fall. It would only take sometime and a little effort from her part.

Turning towards her remaining brother, Kankurou graced her with aknowing grin of his own, knowing very well what was on her mind. Turning together, they started to make their way towards the other side of the large hall and let their attention fall on their clients for the time being.

Chapter 6 – Freezing Downpour

The morning seemed to mock her, for instead of dawning grey and dreary, the sun was shining intensely upon the world, bathing it in the warmth of its golden glow. Midday was approaching fast butshe still didn't have the energy or the motivation to get out of bed… there simply didn't seem to be a good enough reason to do so. A sliver of sunlight filtered through a gap in her curtains, landing directly upon her stomach where she lay facing the ceiling, emerald eyes devoid of any emotion.

No matter how hard she thought about the whole scenario, there didn't seem to be an option to for things to improve in any way. Sakura had always believed that in life, whenever one door closed, another would open, giving you the opportunity to make everything better. But right now, it seemed that fate had opened a door for her and she had run directly towards it with all her heart, only to have it slam directly in her face just before she could walk through it.

Gaara had a girlfriend.

End of story.

She had gone over all the events that had occurred three days agoand she had found nothing to indicate that the onyx haired beautywas 'only a friend'. In her desperation to find anything which would prove otherwise, Sakura had only tortured herself further by reliving each and every instance when the gorgeous woman had approached Gaara and taken his arm or hand… every moment when shehad come close and had kissed him in affection on the cheek.

It made her stomach twist in nausea, both sadness and anger piercing through her at the same time.

How could she have been so stupid?

In hindsight, it was painfully obvious that he would have a girlfriend… it was completely impossible for him to be single. With his handsome looks and haughty manner, it was unavoidable for hundreds of women to fall at his feet… women who had much more class and where a thousand times more beautiful than her. Ifhe had such a selection from which to choose from, he would nevereven spare a glance at her.

It only took a momentary look at the ebon haired woman in the deep purple dress to prove this.

She was probably everything he wanted in a female… tall, with long smooth hair, pristine eyes, a flawless face…and a body that would put any supermodel to shame. Sakura couldn't even begin to

try and compete with such beauty; it was simply out of the question. Her ordinary looks would never be enough to win her a place in the red head's heart.

Turning on her side, the pink haired girl faced the window, staring at the beam of light which permeated through the otherwise dark room. At least she had found out on time… before her stupid heart had become even more attached to him. Being completely dominated by her emotions had always been one of her flaws; she was too trusting and she never minded the clear warnings that were thrown in her face, preferring to trust to thehopes of her heart. It had always been the way she had handed relationships, falling in love in a just a couple of days, thinking that this man would be the one, only to have her fantasy crash down around her some time later. It was a completely useless pattern but she was powerless to stop it whenever it happened.

So, she would end up like this, staying in bed until late, feeling completely miserable and immersing herself in thoughts ofwhat could have been.

Something moved near her thigh and she lifted her head only to find Kiri rubbing against her leg.

"Hey girl," Sakura greeted in a whisper. "At least you'll always be here."

"Meow," the black and white cat answered, jumping in front of thepink haired girl and settling down between her arms.

Sakura smiled and caressed her pet's fur lovingly, breathing deeply. She knew she had to get back on her feet soon since the two days Ino had given them off after their exhausting job with Suna Electronics would be over tomorrow and she would have to face the world once more. She really didn't want to deal with herfriends' pity but she knew it would inevitable.

Ino had called the day before, asking for a complete briefing concerning her 'liaisons' with Gaara. Not in the mood to talk

about him at all, Sakura had been extremely concise, only tellingher of their meeting in the cemetery and how he had offered her aride home. The blond could tell from her friend's voice that she was not in the mood for her questions and let the matter drop, saying that there were plenty other fish in the sea. But now thatIno knew, Sakura was sure that Hinata would also be informed about the situation and tomorrow, when she walked in to Yamanaka Flowers, both of them would be all over her, pampering her to no end in an attempt to make her feel better.

The truth was, Sakura didn't want to be reminded of her most recent fiasco with a man and she just wanted to be left alone. Itwasn't that she didn't appreciate her friends' concern but in allhonesty, she really just wanted to forget the guy and move on with her life.

Forget.

Her heart clenched painfully at the word and it protested vehemently against the idea. Closing her emerald eyes, Sakura acknowledged that there was a small part deep down inside of her that thought that she still had a shot with Gaara. It was the part that made her extremely aware of how nicely he had behaved towards her and how he had practically ignored the other woman when she had suddenly appeared at the scene. She simply couldn't forget how he had kneeled down on the floor to help her pick up the flowers of her ruined ornament… he was the vice-president of Suna Electronics, for crying out loud! And he had gone down on his knees on the carpet to help a common flower assistant with her job? It was unheard of! Not to mention the fact that he was stung deeply when she had asked him if he had forgotten who he was… the intensity in his jade eyes when he gruffly told her thathe couldn't care less left her breathless whenever she rememberedthe incident.

The whole situation made this secret part of her heart scream outin protest, telling her that she was special to him... forcing her to remember how they had shared a bowl of ramen while sittingon a humid night out on a park bench, thoroughly enjoying the each other's company.

'I enjoyed his company,' she thought in objection, 'there is no way of telling if he enjoyed mine.'

However, as the thought crossed her mind, she remembered how he had half-smiled at her when she had told him about the harassing pigeons and her heart leaped at the way his cheek had slightly dimpled when he had done so. She was sure that if he ever graced her with a full smile, she would turn to putty right then and there.

But she halted such useless thoughts abruptly, refusing to fall for the devious schemes of her optimistic heart. It was hopeless and she knew it. He would never smile at her in that way, especially not when he had such a beautiful woman by his side. She would be the one on the receiving end of his gorgeous smiles and there was absolutely nothing the pink haired girl could do about it.

Burying her face in her pillow and hugging Kiri to her, Sakura breathed in deeply, trying to fight the tears which were inevitably building in her eyes. But try as she might, she couldn't stop the flow and her dark room was filled with heart wrenching sobs a few minutes later.

XXXXXXXXXX

The rest of the week went by fairly uneventfully and the pink haired girl was glad that she could immerse herself in her work and not think about anything else. Whenever a stray thought of Gaara would threaten to enter her mind, Sakura would stop herselfimmediately, refusing to play the part of the heartbroken damsel in distress.

As she had predicted, Ino and Hinata had tried to cheer her up intheir usual manner, trying to get her to talk about her feelings.In all honesty, Sakura didn't think there was anything to talk about. It was all pretty straightforward: she had liked a guy andhad gotten her hopes up only to find that he had a gorgeous girlfriend and would live happily ever after by her side. The end.

Thus, she put on her award-winning act of pretending to feel fineand smiled more often than not. Sakura knew her friends weren't buying it but at least the rest of the world did. None of their usual customers noticed anything different with her and she went about her daily tasks in the same cheerful manner as she always did. In a strange way, this performance actually helped her concentrate on something else that wasn't the dull ache in her heart and as the days progressed, she found it was getting slightly better.

The worst part of her routine was when she had to walk through the 'pigeon park' on her way to and from work. On her route, Sakura had to walk exactly through the same square where she had found Gaara in his jogging outfit a couple of weeks ago and whenever she caught a glimpse of the bench where they had shared their spontaneous dinner, fresh tears would threaten to flow all over again. But she forced herself to be strong and in an attemptto keep the sadness at bay, she actually changed her course and walked around the park instead of through it. She found that thishelped immensely and each day she found that her erratic emotionswhere getting better and she was finally able to put them in somesort of order.

Thus, she was slightly more optimistic when she arrived at Yamanaka Flowers on Friday morning. She found Lee in the back room and they shared a small breakfast together. Her friend stillhadn't been able to get over the fact that he had been able to attend Suna Electronics' conference and had talked animatedly about all the technological advancements he had witnessed there all week. He was doing it again this morning and even though Sakura hadn't been able to listen to his rants because of obviouspainful reasons, she found that she was tolerating his enthusiasmabout the conference much better today.

'I think I'm finally on the mend', she thought as she smiled at Lee while they cleaned the front room together. 'I just might be able to make it.'

XXXXXXXXXX

He was fretting over something again and clearly, he wasn't at all happy with it.

Gaara had woken up earlier than usual after having gone through anight of restless and uncomfortable sleep. When his jade eyes hadopened it was 5 in the morning and he could not go back to sleep,try as he might. It was clear that he was anxious about somethingbut as it was usually the case, he wasn't exactly sure what was wrong with him. After tossing and turning on his luxurious bed for 15 minutes, he had decided he should be doing something more productive with his time.

There was nothing better to kill anxiety than an innervating and lengthy workout.

Thus, he had lost himself in the familiarity of his exercise routine for an hour and a half, managing to toss that nagging feeling he was experiencing to the back of his mind. It had been some time since he had worked out in the morning and he found that he liked it. There was no better way to start the day than to give your body the training it needed before going to work; itleft you completely energized and rejuvenated, increasing your levels of patience for when the time came to deal with the incompetent morons he would inevitably have to face at the office.

'I'm going to have to wake up early more often', he though idly as he whipped the sweat off his face with a small towel when he had finished with his routine. Leaving the built-in gym of his apartment complex, he made his way leisurely towards the elevator, looking forward to a hot shower.

But as he pressed the button that would take him to his sixth floor apartment, the irksome feeling he had been trying to avoid since last night came tumbling forwards once again. It was a strange emotion, something he hadn't experienced before and he was sure that it would drive him insane soon if he didn't pinpoint its source and eliminate it.

Breathing in deeply as he awaited for the elevator to come to a stop, Gaara closed his eyes for a moment, forcing his erratic mind to become calm. There was a logical explanation to his anxiety and he would get to the bottom of it.

At first, he had thought it had something to do with Maemi. He had been extremely impatient with her the last few times he had been in her presence and in all honesty, he didn't think he couldstand seeing her again. This, however, had always been the case with her and wasn't anything new. Apart from their casual sexual encounters and a few social events where he had been forced to take her as his companion, he really didn't meet with her in any other moment. The truth was that he couldn't stand her personality and would only keep seeing her because of the releaseher alluring body brought to him. Which was, precisely, what madehis recent behaviour towards her all the more strange.

She'd obviously thrown herself all over him on the limo ride backfrom the conference and was halfway down his trousers by the timehe managed to stop her. Having sex in the limo wasn't a new experience for either him or her and he would've jumped at the opportunity any given day. But this time, Gaara found that it simply didn't cut it for him. At the time, he thought it was justthe tiredness from the exhausting preparations for the conferencethat had affected his sexual appetite and instead of taking Maemihome with him for a night of erotic celebration, he had ordered the limo driver to drop her off at her house.

If it had been this sole event, the whole scenario wouldn't have affected him so much but the onyx haired gold digger had called him twice during the week and he had turned her down… both times.It was completely unheard of and Gaara thought there might be something wrong with his hormones. The only rational explanation he could find was the probability of him having grown tired of Maemi and her lustful ways. But he found that this wasn't entirely true since he still found her body incredibly attractive, so what was it?

The answer came unexpectedly in the form of a memory as he unlocked his front door and stepped inside his home.

Bright emerald eyes burning in fury as they stared at the tall onyx haired woman. Fingers that were so nimble when it came to creating flowery pieces of art were fisted tightly in that instant, as if she had been contemplating the idea of hitting Maemi in the face with all her strength. What the hazel eyed woman had done to make Sakura so angry, Gaara didn't know; all heknew was that it must have been really bad to make the pink hairedbeauty, who was always so cheerful and friendly, contemplate an act of violence.

The event had been over in a few seconds and the red head had completely discarded it. But as the day of the conference had progressed, he found that he had ignored Maemi completely and he had continued to do so even after they left the hotel. He didn't know why but the fact that someone had upset Sakura in such a waymade his blood boil. It wasn't until now, days later, that he realized that he had wanted to tear the onyx haired leech apart with his own hands when he had approached; to punish her for offending his pink haired flower assistant.

The red head stopped dead in his tracks at the thought, frozen bythe astounding admission. He had been making his way towards his bedroom, intent on washing off the grime on his body with a relaxing hot shower but that was all easily forgotten in an instant. Dropping down into a sitting position on his bed, Gaara stared straight ahead, his eyes lost in contemplation as raging thoughts raced through his mind.

When, for the life of him, had he started thinking about Sakura in terms of being his?

It was the most stupid thing he had heard of and yet, here he was, trying to figure out how exactly it had happened. If he wereto think over the whole thing logically, it was obvious that he was getting ahead of himself since he had only seen the pink haired girl only three times in his entire life. There was absolutely no reason for him to have become attached to her in any way … you simply did not start behaving in a possessive way towards a woman you had just met, especially when you had only

talked to her for a few minutes each time you had stumbled upon her.

Ignoring the little voice that reminded him that he had talked more to Sakura than to Maemi and had experienced so much more funwith her than with the hazel eyed succubus, Gaara forced his panicky thoughts to calm down. He was just getting himself workedup and was making a big deal of out of the whole situation. Therewas no reason to think that all this proved anything. What did hecare about Sakura anyway? He didn't even know her. His possessiveinclinations were completely misplaced and they didn't mean a thing.

To prove his point, he forced himself to think about the pink haired flower assistant in the arms of another man: cheeks flushed and swollen kissed lips slightly open while her emerald eyes stared adoringly at the one who held her…

A gargled scream escaped his throat at the sudden ire that invaded his being as he buried one of his pillows under several violent punches.

It took him a moment to control his jealous impulses but when he finally did, he was caught completely off guard as he analyzed his reaction.

How could this be possible?

Standing up, he started pacing the room agitatedly, trying to come up with a way out of this mess. He really didn't know how ithad all happened but one thing was devastatingly clear: he had developed some sort of affection towards Sakura and from what he could tell, it could very well be disastrous. The best option he had was to avoid her completely and to never think of her again. This way, his treacherous feelings would not be able to develop further.

But if this was the right choice, why did his heart tighten in pain when he thought of never seeing her smile again?

He slammed his fist into the wall, anger at himself quickly following.

Since when had he become such an emotional idiot? How could he, after everything he had been through in his life, even think about placing himself in such a situation? If there was somethinghe had learned it was to never trust people, never to put himselfin a position of risk when it came to relating to others. If someone wanted to get close to you, it was because they were after something. The world of business functioned this way as well and Gaara made a point to apply this philosophy to his personal life too.

'What personal life?' a small accusing voice echoed inside his mind.

All he had ever done was to push people away… to create a safe distance around him in which he was secure from the supposed evilintents of others. Maybe, not all of the people who had tried to approach him had wanted something in return… maybe all they wanted to do was to offer their friendship. But he simply couldn't jeopardize his position by allowing them to come close because he could not tell who was trustworthy or not. In the end,he had basically decided to turn everybody away and save himself the trouble. It was better to be alone than to be surrounded by bad company.

Then why was his heart screaming for him to put aside this attitude when it came to Sakura?

It was strange but whenever he found himself in her presence, he felt his walls instantly crumbling. He wasn't aware of how it happened all he knew was that he was suddenly enjoying her company thoroughly without any of his self-imposed repressions taking over. It was something that had not happened to him since he had met his best friend, Naruto.

And that had been one of the most life-changing experiences of his life. The why couldn't Sakura be the same?

Gaara listened to his heart for a moment but in all honesty, he simply couldn't answer that question. Your enemies would usually appear before you in the most innocent of disguises and it was only behind closed doors that they would reveal their true nature. The red head didn't know if he could survive Sakura's betrayal if she turned out to be like everybody else and thus, itmight be preferable just to forget her… just to let her go.

Closing his eyes, he was honest enough with himself to acknowledge the sudden sadness which swept through him at the thought. He leaned his forehead against the wall, admitting that he had never been so confused in his life before. No matter whichway he turned, there didn't seem to be a safe door through which he could walk through.

After a few minutes, he tried to get a hold of himself and made his way into the bathroom. Taking off his sweatpants and t-shirt he stepped into his lavish shower, allowing the hot water to flowdown his back as he attempted to give some order to his thoughts.But try as he might, no answer came to him and he lost himself inthe unending sound of the rushing water.

XXXXXXXXXX

"I think it would be best if we left her alone," Hinata said quietly, making sure that Sakura, who was out by the front counter, didn't hear her.

Sighing deeply, Ino recognized the wisdom of her shy friend's words. Sakura had insisted on acting as if nothing had happened during the whole week, being her charming and happy self. Only those who knew her very well and had been in her company for years could tell that it was all just an act… an attempt to keep anyone from seeing her misery. Knowing how the pink haired girl tended to keep everything inside so as not to worry the people around her, Ino had constantly approached her and asked her how she was doing.

Sakura had admitted that she had had a very tough weekend, especially since it had been a long one. Stuck at home for during

the first days of the week with nothing else to do but think overthe events that had transpired at the conference, she had been mourning over her broken heart for several days. But she insistedthat it was all in the past and that she was finally letting it go, so there was no need for the blond to worry. Ino was far frombeing convinced. However, she was forced to let it go when customers kept walking into the shop and Sakura turned to greet them with a huge smile on her face.

"I think you're right," she said to Hinata. "Unlike other times, I think we should give her some time and let her open up to us when she's ready."

The raven haired girl nodded as she took a seat at the table of the 'kitchen area' of the shop. "I just hope she gets better soon."

"I know," Ino replied while serving herself a cup of coffee. "Believe me, if she keeps this stupid act up any longer, I'm going to throttle her personally."

Hinata smiled but said nothing. She was really worried over Sakura and she truly wished there was something she could do to make her feel well again. But when it came to matters of the heart, it was always extremely difficult since each person reacted differently to heartbreak. Maybe what Sakura needed was adistraction…

"Why don't we take her out to dinner?" the silver eyed girl blurted out suddenly.

Ino turned to look at her with a raised eyebrow.

"We could take her to that Italian place she loves tonight, you know, that restaurant down town we went to some time ago… 'Cornelli's'. She always loves to eat there."

"You know, you might be right," the blond replied, taking a seat at the table herself. "We might be able to distract her and it doesn't hurt that the waiters at that place are gorgeous. We can

get Lee to suggest the plan to her so she doesn't suspect it was our doing. Sakura believes that Lee has no idea of what is happening so it would be better if he was the one who asked her. We can say that we're going out to celebrate our kick-ass job at the conference"

"Yeah, that would be great," Hinata said.

"Let's just hope our little plan works," Ino said, lifting her face towards the front room as if she could see her morose pink haired friend sitting at the counter through the wall.

XXXXXXXXXX

Dinner was a lovely affair and in the end, Sakura was glad that she had accepted the invitation.

The four of them laughed and talked while they shared a couple ofbottles of wine over a delicious meal, making the evening one to remember. Ino and Lee would entertain them with their antics, relating funny anecdotes of past projects they had shared at Yamanaka Flowers and how they always managed to avoid disaster bya hairsbreadth.

The pink haired girl found herself giggling non-stop, something she thought she would never be able to achieve when she had wokenup that morning. The effect of the wine was great help too and itmade her relax greatly. She even noticed how the cute waiter would look at her appreciatively whenever he came round to their table and allowed herself to blush at his attentions.

Another fact which had aided her greatly was her ability to keep any thoughts of a certain red head completely out of her mind. When Ino had picked her up at her house, Sakura promised herself that she would go through the night without a single thought involving him. At first it had been extremely difficult, but as the evening progressed, she found that she could genuinely enjoy her friends' company without falling into lapses of misery.

If she was lucky, she would be able to avoid the awful nightmareswhich had been plaguing her since Saturday this night. Sakura couldn't quite remember what the awful dreams were about but she always woke up with an engulfing sense of loneliness and desolation that left her heart clenching painfully inside her chest. She was really looking forward to a full night of sleep and she thought she would be able to pull it off after such a wonderful dinner.

At one point, she fell silent and looked at each of her friends for a moment, amazed at what truly amazing people they were. In that moment, she knew that she would be able to overcome this crisis with time and that she had no need to worry when she was surrounded by such amazing companions.

By the time the check arrived, tiredness had already swept throughout the table and all four of them were more than ready togo home.

"Hinata's coming with me. Do you want me to give you a ride?" Inoasked Sakura as they stepped into the cool night. A soft breeze was blowing and the sky was overcast above them.

"No, it's completely out of your way," the pink haired girl replied with a shake of her head. "Besides, it's not that late. There's still two buses that I can catch, so don't worry."

"Are you sure?" the blond asked.

"Completely sure," Sakura replied with a smile.

"Alright, let's go then Hinata. See you guys tomorrow!"

The raven haired girl waved at Sakura and Lee as she fell into step beside Ino, heading towards her car which was parked a smalldistance away.

"Well, my bus is this way," Lee said, pointing to the right.

"Mine is that way," the pink haired girl replied, signalling to the left.

They both laughed and said their goodbyes, each one heading in separate directions.

It was a relatively long walk from the restaurant to her nearest bus stop but Sakura didn't mind. Her friends had returned her optimism, at least momentarily, and as she made her way down the sidewalk, her steps were lighter than they had been in days.

But she was suddenly apprehensive about her nightly stroll when the cold breeze that had been blowing increased in intensity, lifting the hem of the short light blue spaghetti-strapped dress she had decided to wear for dinner and sending an unpleasant chill up her legs. She was forced to wrap the matching light cardigan she was wearing around her more tightly and she increased her pace as fast as her sandaled feet could manage.

'Damn it! This wind smells like rain,' she thought vehemently andsurely enough a roll of thunder rumbled it's way across the sky. A few minutes later, Sakura felt the first droplets of chilly rain start to fall all around her. 'Just my damned luck'.

The drizzle turned into a full-out onslaught in a matter of moments and Sakura was soaked completely in less than 2 minutes. She was thankful that she had decided to bring the only leather purse she owned tonight, which meant that her mere belongings would remain relatively dry. She didn't have the time to seek shelter or else she would miss her bus. Either way, it didn't look like if the rain would stop any time soon so she bore it allin stride and kept walking.

But as she made her way through the wet streets her soaked dress and cardigan started to stick to her body more and more, chillingher to the bone. Her body temperature had dropped incredibly fastand soon, her teeth were clattering in her mouth. In an attempt to keep warm she rubbed her arms with her hands but no matter what she did, the rain would keep falling down on her mercilesslyand robbing her of any warmth.

After 15 minutes, she finally spotted her bus stop down the emptystreet. The bus was already waiting in front of the small roofed

bench and Sakura fell into a run to try and catch it. Luck wasn'twith her though and before she could reach her destination, her right sandal stuck to a crack in the pavement and she stumbled forward, falling on her hands and knees upon the sidewalk.

Pain jolted through her legs and arms, a desperate hiss escaping her mouth. Despite the sting, she lifted herself to her feet almost immediately only to find that the bus was already leaving.Groaning, she kept walking under the rain, limping with every step. She finally made it to the bus stop and slumped down unto the bench. The small shelter lessened the rain falling down on her somewhat, but she was so soaked that it actually didn't matter.

Leaning forward, she looked at her knees to assess the damage. A trickle of blood was flowing down both her legs but apart from that, she wasn't about to die from a couple of scraped knees. It was painful though and when she lifted her hand to wipe the bloodaway, she realized that her palm was injured as well. Lifting both hands in front of her, she noticed that both of them were bloody as well and there were bits of concrete under the lifted skin. She grimaced visibly and knew that cleaning the wounds would definitely prove painful.

Sakura sighed deeply, lifting her face to the sky. She wanted to scream at the injustice of it all and cry her eyes out. But she forced herself to remain calm. It hadn't been that bad of a fall and the last bus of the night would come around in 20 minutes so it wasn't like she was stranded. All she needed to do was wait.

She wrapped her arms around herself as best as she could, trembling from the cold while she sat there. The downpour continued mercilessly as if oblivious to her distress and she willed herself to be patient. She would be home soon and everything would be alright… or so she hoped.

XXXXXXXXX

Gaara drove leisurely down the street in the middle of the relentless rain, making his way home. He was in no hurry to get

to his apartment and in truth he was dreading the moment when he would have to go to bed. He knew that the troubling thoughts he had been avoiding all day would come back with a vengeance and hewas actually contemplating the possibility of taking some sleeping pills to assure a full night of rest.

He had just come from Kiba's bar where he had met Naruto for a few drinks. The blond had been brooding because the girl he was dating had gone out to dinner with her friends and he'd missed anopportunity to see her on a Friday night. Since Naruto had initiated the subject of the opposite sex, Gaara forcefully swallowed his pride and was about to ask him for some advice concerning his issues but Kiba walked up to them then and joined them at their table. Conversation turned to other things and the red head decided against bringing the subject up.

Their meeting ended early though, when Naruto suddenly received acall to his cell phone from the aforementioned girl. She had called to let him know that dinner was over and that even if it was a little late, if he wanted to meet her at her place for a movie or something it would be great. The blond jumped up from the table, almost forgetting to pay for his drinks. Gaara told him to get going, that the bill was on him this time. Naruto thanked him with a pat on the back and rushed out the door. The red head paid Kiba and walked out the door himself a couple of minutes later, getting into his car just as the rain was startingto fall.

He had driven for some time under the downpour when he passed by the downtown district on his way to his apartment. But as he drove across an almost empty street, his keen sight picked out a familiar silhouette sitting under the phosphorescent light of a bus stop in the middle of the freezing rain. Her wet pink hair was matted to her face and her arms were around her body as if trying to fight the cold. As he got nearer and his car passed right in front of her, he saw that her knees were wounded and that blood was trickling down her legs.

Hitting the brakes hard instantly, he placed the gear in reverse and backed up until his car was parked in front of the bus stop.

As she realized there was a vehicle approaching, she lifted her miserable face to see what was happening.

Not caring about the rain in the least, Gaara got out and went round his car to reach the sidewalk in a hurry. If she had been mugged by some asshole, there would be hell to pay but he needed to make sure she was alright first.

"What happened?" he asked as he came towards her and kneeled in front of her, grabbing her by the arms.

Looking directly into her face, he registered the shock that swept through her and witnessed how her eyes widened in surprise.She was soaked to the bone and her teeth were clattering in her mouth while she stared at him as if he were some sort of apparition.

"Damn it Sakura, are you alright?" he asked again a couple of minutes later after she didn't answer, his temper getting the best of him.

This apparently made her jump to attention and her eyes seemed torealize that he wasn't an illusion and that he was really there in front of her.

"Gaara, I'm… fine," she said through her rattling teeth. "I… I fell… that's all."

"Are you sure?" the red head asked, his grip on her tightening.

As if to prove her point, she lowered her arms from her side and lifted her palms towards him, showing him the injuries from whereshe had placed her hands on the pavement to stop her fall.

He let out a deep breath. "We need to get you out of here. You'refreezing."

Sakura only nodded in response as he stood up once more and made his way towards his car. Opening the passenger door, he took out his jacket and brought it over to her, placing it over her shoulders.

"Put this on," he ordered.

"But I… might… smear… it…" she said, her teeth making it hard to speak.

"Put it on!" Gaara exclaimed, leaving no room for argument.

Sakura simply couldn't ignore the command in his voice and she slipped her arms inside the jacket. It was warm and dry, giving her much needed heat. But before she could be glad of that, she felt Gaara approach her from the side and before she knew it, he had lifted her up bridal style and was carrying her towards the parked vehicle.

"What… are you… doing?" Sakura cry out as best as she could.

"Getting you out of the rain," he replied as if it were obvious.

Settling her on the passenger seat, he made sure she was comfortable enough before closing the door. He then made his way round again to the driver's side and climbed in, her shirt complete soaked from the downpour. Starting the car, he turned onthe heat and directed it towards Sakura. The pink haired girl sighed in contentment as the hot air commenced to bring life backinto her limbs.

Without saying anything, Gaara placed the car into gear and started driving away.

Sakura was too numb from the cold and too shocked with the way hehad showed up out of nowhere to notice where they were going. Butafter a few minutes she realized that the red head was heading ina completely different direction from where her house was located.

"Where are we going?" she asked, her voice cracking up slightly.

"My place," he stated simply, not taking his eyes off the road.

"But…"

"But nothing. My apartment is closer than your house and you're going to need some help cleaning those injuries."

Sakura opened her mouth to say something but no words came. It was hopeless. She was in his custody and there was nothing she could do to escape. All the efforts she had placed in trying to get over him would have been in vain and she was sure that she would have to start over again by the time this whole incident was over. The last thing she needed was to see him but it seemed that life was placing him directly in front of her path and she was powerless to avoid him.

Turning her face towards the window, she watched the street lights go by and braced herself for whatever was to come.

Chapter 7 – Nursing wounds

Her cold-numbed senses weren't sure of what was happening. The improvement she had felt in her limbs when she had put on the redhead's jacket had come to a standstill and Sakura was now experiencing a chill that didn't come from the outside… it came from her bones. She had no idea of what it might be and in all honesty, her mind wasn't clear enough, and as the minutes passed,all she wanted to do was to curl up in her seat so she could sleep.

Thus, by the time Gaara had parked his car underground at his apartment building and had walked around the vehicle to the passenger side, the pink haired girl was barely conscious. Wasting no time in waking her, he picked her up in his arms and closed the car door with his leg, heading towards the elevator ata quick pace.

The sudden movement shook Sakura awake and she opened her emeraldeyes only to find that her head was cradled upon Gaara's shoulder. The shock filtered through her but her limbs simply refused to move. This was the last place she wanted to be and eventhough it did feel amazingly comfortable, her brain screamed for her to get out of there. The last thing she needed was to see himagain but it seemed that life had plans of its own. They seemed

destined to find each other, despite anything they might do to prevent it. Sakura didn't even want to think about the implications of this and she really wasn't looking forward to entering his apartment… where his tall and beautiful girlfriend was sure to reside.

The pink haired girl could clearly imagine the disdain in those yellow cat eyes the moment Gaara walked in with her in his arms. Sakura could feel their scorn burning into her already and she knew there was nothing she could do to prevent the encounter. Feeling the emptiness of the past few days settle in the pit of her stomach once again, she let out a sigh of defeat.

Gaara looked down at her then, waiting for the elevator to reach the basement. He watched as her usually carefree face settled into a strange expression, something he couldn't exactly place. He knew she was probably feeling extremely bad about this whole situation and would most likely fall into a speech of 'you reallyshouldn't go out of your way for me' as soon as she was able to. The red head admitted she might be right if she decided to do so,since he really didn't have any type of obligation towards her… in fact, he really should have left her sitting there at the bus stop under the rain.

But he simply couldn't ignore the protective impulses that had consumed him when he had caught a glimpse of her battered form and try as he might, he couldn't prevent them from taking over. He had reacted on pure instinct and even though he hated to admitit, he knew this had been the right thing to do… but he wouldn't go as far as to acknowledge that the feeling of her in his arms was causing a bizarre tingle inside his chest.

Ignoring his stupidity with an inner growl, he went over the expression of her face once more, trying to discern her thoughts.It was evident that she was feeling like shit and was probably more than a little embarrassed, but this didn't mean he was goingto go easy on her for making him worry.

"This was extremely stupid of you," Gaara said in a scolding voice, breaking the silence.

Sakura turned shocked emerald eyes at him, her mouth opening slightly. She couldn't believe he was actually reproaching her for something that had been completely out of her hands! In any other occasion, she would have easily understood how this whole situation must've looked like from his point of view, but not this time. The pink haired girl was cold, miserable and about to come face to face with the hazel-eyed banshee of her nightmares… she was in no mood to play nice with him anymore and before she could prevent it, a spark of temper ignited inside her.

"Well I'm sorry I don't have complete control over the weather," she snapped.

The red head's forehead creased in puzzlement at her uncharacteristic reaction but he found that he liked how her eyeswere sparkling in anger and how her mouth was set in a firm line.It added a whole new and different edge to her beauty, hence, he simply couldn't prevent himself from provoking her further.

"Sarcasm doesn't become you," he said as soon as the elevator door opened in front of him.

Sakura's jaw dropped open at his insolence. "You're one to talk, Mr. Sunshine!"

"At least I don't get caught in the rain like a little kid," he replied, stepping inside the lift and raising Sakura slightly in his arms as he pressed the 6th floor button with the back of his hand. "An intelligent person tends to seek shelter under such circumstances."

"I was going to miss my bus!" the pink haired girl exclaimed, herpatience completely exhausted.

"You could've taken a taxi," Gaara said.

"Not all of us have the means to afford such luxuries," Sakura replied, wanting to claw his face with her nails for being such an idiot.

"Then you ask a friend for money," the red head replied evenly, hiding the fact that the implication behind her words had bothered him.

"Are you insane?" she exclaimed. "Ino would've killed me if I didthat. She offered me ride!"

Gaara was silent for a few agonizing seconds.

"You were offered a ride and you didn't take it?"

"I…" Sakura started to say but stopped herself short, realizing she had gotten herself into a corner.

"The circumstances only support my initial conclusion: this was extremely stupid of you," the red head said as the elevator came to a stop and he stepped out into the corridor.

"Who's got their fucking hand up your ass today?" Sakura shouted in complaint as he walked them towards a pair of double wooden doors at the end of the hall.

Gaara was caught completely off guard at her rebuke and he stopped dead in his tracks. Who would've thought that the flower girl could be such a potty mouth when angered! This was a completely hidden aspect of her personality and he suddenly realized how very little he knew about her. Wondering what other traits she had hidden behind her cheerful and friendly façade, helooked down at her angered face, emerald eyes glaring back at himdefiantly. It was then that he realized that discovering these concealed facets of hers might be something he could thoroughly enjoy.

"Is this how you treat your saviour?" he asked in response.

"Saviour?" the pink haired girl fumed in indignation. "I didn't need to be saved! I was fine!"

"It certainly didn't look like it," the red head replied as he started walking again.

"Of course I…" she started to rebuke but it was then that she caught an unexpected glint of humour in his jade eyes. This led to the discovery of the almost imperceptible tilt of his mouth. He was laughing at her on purpose!

"You're making fun of me!" Sakura exclaimed in realization, trying to squirm out of his hold.

Gaara couldn't help himself anymore and let out a loud snort, followed by a subdued chuckle as he kept his hold on her with ease. It was amazing how she could wake such light hearted emotions in him without even trying.

"You are so mean!" the pink haired girl said, but she couldn't help herself from smiling. His face looked completely different when it was set in a mirthful expression… it seemed like all the worry that would usually filter through was completely gone and she wondered if this was how he had looked like when he had been a small boy.

His only response was to grace her with another amused look as they reached the doors. Settling her sandaled feet carefully on the carpeted floor, he continued to hold her tightly with one armwhile he searched for his keys inside his pocket with his free hand. He found them a second later and proceeded to unlock the door in front of them.

Sakura tried to pry out of his hold since she already knew who would be waiting on the other side. It wouldn't do to have Gaara walk in while holding her in his arms… it could lead to all sortsof problems. But as she tried to get away, the door opened and the red head looked down at her with a questioning look.

"Don't worry, I can walk," she said, but he was relentless.

"With those knees? Of course you can," he replied dryly and before she could do anything, he had scooped her up in his arms once more and walked through the open door.

Sakura braced herself for the worst.

But as they walked in, the pink haired girl noticed that all the lights were off inside the apartment. Gaara switched on some illumination with the back of his hand and Sakura caught a glimpse of a large living room right in front of them. The red head didn't stop though, heading towards his right and down a corridor, turning a corner until he reached a large door at the end. Everything was extremely dark and Sakura couldn't see much, but she thought they had passed an ample TV room along the way.

Gaara walked into a room and turned the light on, revealing a large king sized bed to the right. In front of the bed and the door, large windows offered a beautiful view of the city beyond. There was another door on the wall to the left which seemed to lead to a walk-in closet and the bathroom. By Sakura's standards,the room was huge and she couldn't help by feel a bit dwarfed by it.

The red head placed her down on the bed and moved into the bathroom, coming out with a small first aid kit in his hand almost instantly. Kneeling in front of her, he opened the box andtook out a bottle of antiseptic along with some cotton.

"Gaara, there really isn't…"

"I'm going to clean this first," he interrupted in an authoritative voice, "then you're going to take a hot shower and get out of those wet clothes. We'll bandage your wounds after that."

"You really shouldn't…" Sakura started but was cut off by a single threatening glare from the red head's jade eyes. Sighing in resignation, the pink haired girl realized she really didn't have a say in all this.

Soaking a piece of cotton in antiseptic, the red head proceeded to lift Sakura's dress up to mid thigh, oblivious to the sudden blush which engulfed her face. If he stole a peek up her dress she was going to kill him! This was so incredibly embarrassing. But he was completely professional about the whole thing and it

seemed like he didn't realize there was a completely soaked womansitting front of him with her legs entirely exposed.

Keeping her emotions under control, the pink haired girl breathedin deeply, preparing herself for the inevitable sting which usually accompanied the cleaning of an injury. But to her surprise, Gaara's hands were amazingly careful and the pain was kept to a minimum. There was a look of concentration on his face and he worked efficiently, finishing with both knees in no time. If she didn't know better, Sakura would've thought he had some experience with this type of thing.

"Give me your hands" he said, taking up another piece of cotton and soaking it as well.

Sakura placed them palms-up on her thighs, giving him access to the scrapes she had acquired while trying to stop her fall. Therewere tiny pebbles embedded in her skin and she knew this would bea painful ordeal.

"I'll try to get rid of the bigger ones," Gaara said and he cleaned the wounds carefully with the cotton. Taking out a pair of tweezers from the first aid kit, he proceeded to take out the largest of the pebbles with great care. Sakura couldn't help but flinch as he did so but it wasn't as bad as she had expected.

"You'll be able to clean the rest while running water over your hands," the red head said when he was finished.

Sakura groaned at the painful prospect but kept quite. Even so, she wasn't entirely sure if she felt comfortable enough with taking a shower here, in his apartment. What was she going to wear afterwards? But Gaara beat her to it.

Standing up, he walked straight past the bathroom door and into his closet. The pink haired girl lost sight of him for a second and she took the opportunity to grimace at the mess she had gotten herself into. Taking the jacket off, she decided she had been extremely lucky that his girlfriend hadn't been at the apartment when they walked in and she was beginning to suspect

that they didn't live together. But still, this didn't mean she wouldn't show up at some point. Thus, Sakura decided that she needed to get the hell out of there as soon as she possibly could.

The red head reappeared with some clothes in his hands and placedthem inside the bathroom. Returning to the bed, he picked Sakura up like if she didn't weigh anything, much to her loud protests, making his way into the bathroom once more.

If the pink haired girl had thought that the bedroom had been huge, then the bathroom was enormous. A double sink covered half of a wall to the left with an equally large mirror above it and there was a bathtub on the opposite side of the room which lookedmore like a jacuzzi. There was a separate shower built into the wall next to tub with transparent sliding doors and the toilet seat was located on the other side of that. Sakura felt like if she could get lost inside this bathroom and couldn't do anything else but gawk as Gaara settled her down in front of the shower doors.

"Here," he said, reaching for an adjacent shelf and handing her afluffy towel. "I left some clothes on the sink. You can wear those when you're finished. Shout when you're done so I can come and carry you back." With that, he turned round and walked out, closing the door behind him.

Sakura stared in the direction he had gone for almost a whole minute, holding the towel to her chest and fighting the urge to bury her face in her hands.

How did she get herself into these situations?

XXXXXXXXXX

He knew he was acting like a complete idiot but there wasn't anything he could do to prevent it. The red head could easily picture his friend Naruto laughing at him if he were to find out that he offered a girl shelter from the rain, going so far as to treat her wounds for her. He could see the blond's head coming

off his shoulders from the laughing fit he would have at his expense and he forced himself to exterminate the image from his brain completely.

Gaara was aware that the way he was behaving was completely unnatural for him. Since when had he even cared about another's wellbeing? Taking care of a person was something completely aliento him but when it came to Sakura, he simply couldn't conceive behaving in any other way. Whenever he thought of her sitting there at the bus stop, freezing and bleeding, he was certain thathe had done the right thing.

But just because he had done the right thing didn't mean that it would sit well with him.

The red head was sure that the pink haired flower assistant had put a spell on him because the indifferent attitude with which hewould usually face another person's suffering had evaporated intothin air. He had even made sure to be extra careful when cleaningher injuries because every time she hissed or flinched in pain, astrange feeling of concern would radiate from the vicinity of hischest.

Gaara was sure he most have contracted some sort of unusual disease because despite his vehemence at how soft he had suddenlybecome, he found himself in his kitchen brewing a hot cup of tea for Sakura to drink after she came out of the shower. It was completely unheard of but here he was, wondering how many spoonfuls of sugar he should place in her drink.

"You are a complete moron," he growled out loud as he placed his hands on the kitchen counter and leaned forward, closing his eyesin an attempt to quench his rising anger. It was his usual defensive tactic, to use his rage as a way to face situations which were completely unfamiliar to him… a way to fight the odd emotions which were trying to rise to the surface, feelings he had never experienced before.

Breathing deeply, Gaara forced himself to calm down. It wouldn't do to scare Sakura with one of his tantrums. But the confusion

was hard to fight and he found it hard to place his erratic emotions into some semblance of order. Not to mention the fact that the alluring view of Sakura's thighs had brought a completely unanticipated perspective to the whole scenario.

Physical attraction wasn't something Gaara ever expected when it came to the pink haired flower assistant and it hit him full in the face when he was least prepared for it. This was completely uncharacteristic of him since whenever he noticed a member of theopposite sex, it was usually the attractive curves of her body that caught his initial attention. But it was completely different with Sakura, since it seemed that his mind had noticed her personality first when they had met and it had taken his bodya long time to catch up.

But had caught up with the rest of him with a vengeance and it had taken all of the red head's control not to have his way with her then, especially with that light blue dress clinging seductively to her body. This was, precisely, another issue bothering him. If it had been any other girl on that bed, Gaara would have undressed her without a second thought, thinking only of the pleasure awaiting him underneath the sheets. But when it had come to Sakura, he had thought about her wellbeing first, cleaning her wounds and forcing her to take a shower, placing herneeds before his a thousand times over. Having sex with her had been completely out of the question and he had even berated himself for even thinking about it during such a situation.

This was Sakura he was talking about, not some stupid gold-digging leech like Maemi. But this realization led to another question…

Since when had he, when it concerned a female in his bedroom, ever decided to postpone the chance of a luscious physical encounter?

There was definitely something wrong with him.

As the kettle came to a boil, the red head poured the water into a large cup with a sigh, not knowing what to make of this whole situation.

XXXXXXXXXX

Despite the slight sting coming from her legs and hands, Sakura had to admit that that had been one of the most delicious showersshe had ever had the pleasure of taking. The coldness of her skinhad vanished immediately and the warmth of the water only helped to bring life to her numbed body. She had stayed under the hot spray for some time while carefully rinsing her injuries and making sure that all the dry blood had been washed completely from her legs.

Now, after towelling herself dry, she was dressed in a pair of Gaara's sweatpants and a jumper, both which were extremely large for her. But she wasn't one to complain, especially since they were soft and comfy; thus, she rolled the ends of her sleeves over her wrists and the ends of her pants above her ankles. It had been quite an ordeal in deciding if she should put her soakedpanties and bra back on, but she knew that if she kept them on, she would only get her dry clothes wet again. Defeated, she folded her dress neatly on the towel shelf, hiding her underwear as best as she could beneath it, a deep blush covering her face. Walking with a limp towards one of the bathroom sinks, Sakura located a hairbrush and combed her hair quickly, making sure it wasn't in much of a mess.

Heading towards the door, she opened it slightly and glanced towards the bedroom. "Gaara?" she called, but there was no answer.

Deciding he wasn't in the room, she made her way slowly out of the bathroom and walked out of the bedroom door, searching for him. Out in the corridor, she found two other doors leading to adjacent rooms but she heard noises coming from down the hall. Walking carefully towards the sounds, she passed a large flat-screen TV hanging on a wall with some snug couches arranged in

front of it. A few paces away, a swinging door was open and Sakura could make out the kitchen from behind it.

"Gaara?" she called out again as she walked through the door, only to find the man she was looking for to one side, placing a tea bag inside a cup of streaming water.

At the sound of his name, the red head turned towards the door, jade eyes widening slightly. He wasn't at all prepared for the sight of Sakura in his clothes, which were entirely too big for her, and for the weird intense feeling which surged inside him. Once more, he was forced to fight the urges of taking her in his arms he had been trying to subdue. But as it was usual the case, his anger provided some help.

"What are you doing?" he asked irritably. "I told you to call me so you wouldn't have to walk."

"But I did…" Sakura started to say but she was cut short when he walked towards her, picking her up yet again.

"I'm not a useless doll," she protested but deep inside, she knewshe was thoroughly enjoying the way he could lift her up with very little effort, his arms holding her carefully to his chest.

"I never said that," he replied gruffly, "you don't want to open your wounds by walking unnecessarily."

"Gaara, they're just scrapped knees," the pink haired girl statedas if he were clearly overreacting.

He didn't deign her with an answer as he made his way into the bedroom and placed her on the bed again. Lifting her sweatpants up to her thighs, he proceeded to dress her knees with some special antibacterial gauze from his first aid kit. When he was done, he took her hands and wrapped them carefully as well.

"I've made you some tea," he said grumpily, as if he didn't want to admit his actions. "Do you want sugar with it?"

"Yes please, but just a spoonful," Sakura replied, trying to hidea smile at his demeanour. "Thank you."

Standing without a further word, he made his way out of the room.Left alone once more, the pink haired girl couldn't believe how nicely he was behaving and how he was going out of his way to make sure she was alright. Despite his bad-tempered exterior, it seemed that Gaara could be really caring if he wanted to and Sakura found herself wondering if he behaved like this with his girlfriend.

Sighing sadly, the pink haired girl's expression turned downcast and it was then that she first noticed a scratchy sensation in the back of her throat. Almost at the same time, the inner chill she had experienced in the car made its way up her body once moreand she instinctively buried her hands inside her sleeves. She really shouldn't be cold at all since her sweater and pants were extremely warm. Maybe Gaara's tea would provide the extra heat she needed.

But it was then that she sneezed for the first time.

'Damn it!' she thought vehemently. 'This can't be happening. I have to leave this place.'

Rubbing her nose with her sleeve, she forced herself to focus. The red head couldn't find out that she was catching a cold or else she would be done for. He wouldn't let her leave if he noticed and Sakura wanted to get out his apartment as soon as shecould before she came face to face with the black haired woman. If she had been able to avoid that meeting up until now, she was determined to steer clear of it completely.

But the sneezing started up again and the pink haired girl did her best to suppress it behind her hand. By the time Gaara got back, Sakura had been able to control it slightly.

"Here," he said, lifting the hot cup of tea towards her.

"Thanks," she replied with a smile and lifted her hand to take the cup. But as she did so, her nose started tickling again and it was useless to stop it. A huge sneeze sneaked up on her and she was forced to lift both her hands to her face to cover her nose.

Gaara stood there holding the cup, concern in his jade eyes as helooked her over.

"Oh, it's just allergies," the pink haired girl said, trying to dismiss the whole thing and attempted to reach for the cup once again.

"Is it?" the red head asked, clearly unconvinced. He didn't give her the cup. Instead, he placed it one of his bedside tables and kneeled in front of her once more.

"Gaara, I'm alright," Sakura said with what she hoped was a reassuring smile but another sneeze tickled its way up her nose.

The red head took the opportunity that her hands were busy covering the lower part of her face to place his palm against herforehead. To his dismay, the pink haired girl's skin was hot to the touch.

"You have a fever," he stated flatly.

"No I don't," the pink haired girl said in denial, lifting her hand to her forehead herself. Unfortunately, she found that Gaarawas right. She groaned in defeat. "I really should be going home…"

"You're not going anywhere," he told her, his words final.

"But…"

"It's still raining outside. It'd be suicide," he said as he stood and approached the head of the bed. He lifted the thick duvet and pointed towards the pillows.

"In, now," he ordered.

"What?" Sakura exclaimed in shock, emerald eyes wide.

"You need to warm up some more."

"In your bed?" the pink haired girl cried out. The last thing sheneeded was for his girlfriend to find him under his sheets… this whole situation had gone from bad to worse in a matter of seconds.

Gaara noticed her hesitation. "If you don't move, I can always pick you up."

Glaring daggers at him, Sakura finally relented and crawled her way underneath the blankets, arranging the pillows so she could sit up against the bedstead. After covering her with the duvet and making sure she would be warm, the red head handed her her tea.

"I'll get you some cold-pills," he said as he made his way into the bathroom once more. The pink haired girl heard him open a couple of drawers and he finally emerged with some tablets.

"Drink two of these," Gaara said, handing her a couple of purple gel caps.

"What do these do?" Sakura asked while looking at the pills sceptically. She had always been suspicious of medicines.

"They help with the sneezing and keep your fever down. They mightmake you drowsy, though," he replied.

Shrugging, the pink haired girl downed both pills with a gulp of her tea and sat back more comfortably among the pillows. If she was going to be forced to stay in bed, she might as well enjoy it.

"Do you want to eat something?" Gaara asked through gritted teeth, as if he couldn't believe he was asking the question.

"No thanks, I'm fine," Sakura said with a smile.

He was about to ask something else when the ringing of his cell phone sounded throughout the room, coming from the vicinity of the jacket the pink haired had been wearing before. With a sigh, Gaara picked up the coat at the end of the bed and searched though its pockets.

"Hello?" he answered when he finally found the phone.

Sakura watched him silently while sipping her tea and noticed howhe suddenly slipped into what she assumed was his business mode.

"Hitsugaya-san, how are you?" the red head was saying, his voice completely professional. "There was a problem with what?... I see. Give me just a minute so I can access the system from my home computer…"

With that, Gaara walked out of the room. Sakura could hear him talking from the direction of one of his adjacent rooms and heardhim typing on a keyboard a moment later, still speaking to the person on the other side of the line.

The pink haired girl sighed into her tea cup and proceeded to keep drinking the hot liquid. She had to admit that it was givingher a delightful sensation of warmth from the inside and was vanishing the chills she had been experiencing wonderfully. Afteraround five minutes, her sneezing had diminished significantly and her throat was feeling much better after drinking something warm.

She could still hear Gaara speaking in the other room, his talk with the other person long and tedious. From the bits of conversation she could hear, Sakura could discern that something had gone wrong with some sort of merchandise and that it hadn't been delivered properly. Try as she might to concentrate on what the red head was saying, her eyes were becoming heavy and she couldn't suppress a yawn a couple of minutes later.

Finishing her tea, she placed the cup on the bedside table and decided that taking a nap wouldn't be such a bad idea. Fifteen minutes would be enough for her to feel a little better and her

body immediately agreed to the idea. Her mind was becoming hazy anyway and it was basically begging to be turned off.

Snuggling into the pillows even more, she closed her emerald eyes. She caught a familiar smell from the sheets and she smiled vaguely as she recognized Gaara's scent. She was basically engulfed in it and she relished in his masculine aroma.

'Sleeping in his bed is like sleeping in his arms,' she thought hazily, her smile widening.

Within a few moments, the pink haired girl was completely asleep.

XXXXXXXXXX

"I'm sorry about that, Sakura," Gaara said as he stepped back into the room around half an hour later, "but I really needed to…"

He stopped his rant immediately when he noticed that she was immersed in slumber, her face snuggling in his pillows.

Smiling slightly despite himself, he looked at her for a few moments. Deciding he should be getting to bed himself, especiallysince the alarm clock on his bedside table announced it was past midnight, he took her teacup back to the kitchen and turned off all the lights of his apartment. He made his way back to his bathroom and proceeded to brush his teeth.

He noticed Sakura's dress then and when he was finished, he picked it up to take it to the laundry room so he could place it in the drier in the morning. But as he did so, her bra and panties fell to the floor. Gaara stared at them wide-eyed for an amazed second before he leaned down to pick them up. Taking her light blue cotton panties in his hand, it was only then that he noticed that they matched the colour of her dress perfectly.

Groaning in an attempt to keep his physical impulses at bay, he fought the invading images of Sakura in her panties which were coming at him relentlessly. He breathed deeply and walked out of

the bedroom, making his way to the laundry room located to the side of his kitchen. Placing the garments on top of the washing machine while pretending they were something else, he returned tohis room once more, keeping his urges under control successfully.

His bed was more than big enough for both of them to sleep in, even though he didn't know if that was such a good idea. But Gaara refused to sleep in another bed in his house, so he closed the curtains and turned off the lights. He made his way towards the empty side of the bed and settled under the duvet.

Laying there with his eyes open, he could hear Sakura's soft exhalations nearby. Thinking it would take him a while to fall asleep, he was surprised to find that his eyes were closing on their own account a couple of minutes later, the sound of the pink haired girl's breathing lulling him to sleep.

XXXXXXXXXX

Sakura hadn't slept so comfortably in a very long time. Even though her throat was aching slightly when she breathed, it wasn't enough to dissipate the comfort her body was immersed in and she happily kept on sleeping.

She came into consciousness some time later and her nose immediately caught that delicious smell that had engulfed her allthrough her slumber. It was slightly more potent though and she shifted slightly, realising that her pillow wasn't as soft as sheremembered it to be, not that it was less comfortable.

Moaning slightly, her eyes opened up slowly and she found that itwas light outside already. As her vision focused, she was suddenly confronted with the sight of a well-built chest beneath her cheek. Eyebrows creasing in puzzlement, the pink haired girl tried to get a hold of her bearings and she belatedly realized that her pillow was actually a man's arm. Emerald eyes came into focus suddenly as she remembered where she had fallen asleep lastnight and carefully, she turned her sight upwards, only to find Gaara's sleeping face a couple of inches from her own.

Shock wouldn't even come close to describing it.

Letting out a loud yell, she tried to scramble frantically out ofbed.

Jade eyes opened immediately, catching Sakura as she disentangledherself from the covers only to fall from the edge of the bed with a loud thump.

"What's wrong?" the red head asked in concern, his voice sleepy, thinking that her cold had gotten worse.

"What's wrong!?" the pink haired girl exclaimed from the floor. "I'll tell you what's wrong!"

Lifting herself to her feet in spite of the pain in her knees, the pink haired girl glared at him, her cherry tresses in complete disarray. "You drugged me into your bed, that's what!"

"What?" Gaara asked unbelievingly, forehead creasing in puzzlement.

"Yes you did! It might make you a little drowsy" she said, mimicking his deep voice. "You drugged me!"

"I did no such thing," the red head said dangerously, this temperrising, "I only gave you some medicine for your cold."

"Then how do you explain this?" she yelled.

"Explain what?"

"We were cuddling" she exclaimed hysterically.

Gaara was taken aback by her statement, only to realize that whatshe was saying was true. They had been sleeping in each other's arms… and from what he could remember, it had been an extremely pleasant experience. He smiled deviously as he turned to look at her once more.

"You probably moved towards me during the night," he said wickedly.

"I did no such thing!" Sakura exclaimed angrily. "You moved towards me!"

"It could be possible," the red head admitted calmly. "So? You seemed to be enjoying it."

The pink haired girl gawked at him, attempting to deny what he had just said but knowing that it was completely true. Using her arm and chest as a pillow had been amazingly comfortable.

"You did all this on purpose!" she yelled, trying to change the subject.

Gaara only looked at her with an unbelieving expression on his face.

"Oh God!" Sakura said, burying her face in his arms. "If she finds me here she's going to kill me… I need to get out of here."

"If who finds you here?" the red head asked in puzzlement.

But the pink haired girl wasn't listening in his distress. She made her way clumsily to the bathroom, intent on locating her dress so she could leave.

"Where are my clothes?" she asked anxiously from the other side of the door.

"I put them in the laundry room so I could dry them for you," Gaara replied serenely, sitting up on the bed and stretching. He was actually finding her little fit of hysterics quite amusing but he still didn't understand who the person she was talking about was.

"I need them back now!" she said vehemently, coming back out of the bathroom and into the room. "I really need to leave."

"Why are you intent on getting out of here? Does my company repulse you so much?" the red head asked teasingly.

"Of course not, but…" Sakura started to say only to re-realize that Gaara was actually shirtless and sitting on the bed, his upper torso deliciously exposed in front of her eyes… and to think that she had been sleeping on that chest just a couple of minutes ago.

A mischievous expression crossed his jade eyes when he caught herstaring so openly and the pink haired girl buried her face in herhands again. She just wanted the ground to open and swallow her whole. Breathing deeply, she tried to concentrate of something else apart from the urge to straddle his hips and kiss that smirkoff his face.

'I want to die,' Sakura thought in desperation.

"I really need to leave," she said seriously a few moments later.

"Why?" the red head asked, equally solemn.

"What do you mean why?" the pink haired girl asked in surprise, "Don't you have any respect for your girlfriend?"

"What girlfriend?" Gaara asked, completely confused.

"What do you mean 'what girlfriend'?" Sakura asked in disbelief. "The woman that was plastered all over you at your conference, that's who!" she finished angrily, completely taken aback by his insensibility.

"Oh," the red head said, understanding suddenly dawning. Through all this time Sakura had thought that Maemi was his girlfriend?

He let out a loud snort at the thought and chuckled in mirth.

"What are you laughing at?" Sakura asked angrily. She didn't findthis conversation funny at all.

"She's not my girlfriend," the red head said with a wicked grin, deciding to put her out of her misery.

"She's not?" the pink haired girl exclaimed, clearly unconvinced."She was all over you, you liar!"

This only made Gaara chuckle harder. "That's just the way she usually behaves. Sakura, she was only a date."

The pink haired girl simply stared at him in bewilderment, not sure if she should trust him. The woman had been extremely convincing in making people believe that they were an item. But Gaara really wasn't a person who would lie about such things… sheknew that deep down inside. From what Sakura could tell, he was one of those people who said the truth no matter what and to hellwith the consequences. Thus, any doubts she had about the whole situation were completely dissipated a couple of minutes afterwards when he continued to grin mischievously at her.

"Are you sure?" she asked one last time, not wanting her hopes tocome crashing down on her again.

"Of course I'm sure," he replied as he made his way across the bed towards her and sat up on the edge. "There's no reason for you to leave."

"Ok," Sakura said, crossing her arms in front of her and looking away, acting as if it all really didn't matter.

Jade eyes sparkled in amusement but the red head decided to let the matter drop. "How's your cold?"

"Oh yeah," Sakura replied, suddenly remembered that she had had afever the night before. "It's better thank you. My throat hurts slightly but apart from that I feel great."

"And your knees?"

"A bit sore but I'll manage," she said as she bended her legs somewhat.

"Good. How about some breakfast?" he asked as he stood up beside her.

"Breakfast would be great," the pink haired girl admitted as she massaged her suddenly rumbling tummy. Starting the day in such a way could really wake your appetite.

"I'll see what I can make," Gaara said as he walked out of the room and towards the kitchen.

Sakura noticed that he refrained from putting a shirt on. Sighingin defeat, there was nothing left to do but follow him.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Those pancakes were delicious," the pink haired girl said in content as she sat back in her chair.

They were sitting at the kitchen table, their plates empty beforethem. The sun was shining through the window and a view of a neighbouring park could be seen through the glass.

Gaara nodded in response as he stood and started picking up the plates.

"Don't. You cooked so I'll do the dishes," Sakura said while standing herself.

"You can just rinse them and put them in the dishwasher," the redhead said while he stretched lazily.

The pink haired girl decided he was probably doing it on purpose so she would ogle his chest but she refused to fall for the bait,no matter how tempting it seemed. Taking the dishes from the table, she brought them to the sink, ignoring Gaara completely.

The red head grinned and was about to say something when the doorbell rang.

That was strange… he really wasn't expecting anyone.

He made his way towards the front door, leaving Sakura with the dishes.

But he was unpleasantly surprised when he opened the door.

"Honey!" Maemi exclaimed as she threw herself in his arms. "I wasin the neighbourhood and decided to drop by." She stopped her rant to caress his bare chest for a moment. "I also knew you probably weren't showered yet so I thought we could share a bath…"

"Maemi, get out of here," Gaara said dangerously as he pushed heraway.

"But dear…" the hazel-eyed beauty started to say.

"Out, now," the red head said curtly, his jade eyes glaring at her threateningly.

Maemi looked over him then but before she could utter another word, she heard the sound of clashing dishes coming from the kitchen.

"Shit!" a female voice exclaimed from somewhere inside the apartment.

Mouth gawking open in disbelief, the tall woman managed to get past Gaara in an unexpectedly rapid movement and ran towards the source of the noise.

The red head cursed himself for letting her catch him off guard and raced behind her, intent on throwing her out of his house as soon as he got his hands on her.

But Maemi's long legs allowed her to arrive at the kitchen door in a few seconds and the sight she encountered made her blood boil.

There, dressed in Gaara's sweatpants and jumper, was the stupid pink haired flower girl the red head had spoken so familiarly with during the conference.

"You little wench!" the hazel-eyed woman exclaimed as she loungedforward, face distorted in anger.

Sakura was caught completely by surprise while she placed the plates in the dishwasher. At the sound of the woman's voice, she turned towards the door, only to find the hag of her nightmares coming towards her, yellow eyes alight with rage. Sakura felt theblood leave her face.

Gaara arrived at the door then, only to see Maemi in front of Sakura, her arm raised as if to strike the smaller woman.

A yell of utter wrath spilled from his mouth.

But Sakura was quicker than the raven haired banshee and before she could slap her across the face, the pink haired girl ducked and moved out of the way with a yelp.

When her swing missed its target completely, Maemi lost her balance and stumbled forwards, but a deadly grip on her wrist prevented her from falling. Turning around, she came face to facewith a jade eyed demon.

"YOU BITCH!" Gaara shouted at the top of his lungs. "OUT, NOW!"

Dragging her by the arm towards the door, the red head ignored her cries of pain as he squeezed her wrist as hard as he could. He threw her out the door, not caring that she stumbled upon her high heels and had to lean against the wall to prevent herself from falling.

"Don't you ever show your face around here again!" he yelled before slamming the door closed.

He ran back to the kitchen and found a pale faced Sakura leaning against the counter, emerald eyes wide, as if she couldn't believe what had just happened.

"Are you alright?" he asked, taking her in his arms without even thinking about it.

Engulfed in his arms, Sakura's shock started to subside. "I'm ok," she said with a smile some moments later.

Gaara breathed deeply and relaxed a little but his anger at Maemiwas far from being extinguished. "I'm so sorry. I didn't think she would be capable of something like that."

"Don't worry about it," the pink haired girl replied. She could tell that his body was completely taut with barely controlled rage and she didn't want him to worry about her more than he should.

He only nodded in response and as if he didn't realize what he was doing, he held Sakura close to him for a very long time.

XXXXXXXXXX

Maemi fumed as she rode the elevator back to the ground floor. She couldn't believe that she had been replaced by an ordinary andugly flower assistant. The girl had no class whatsoever! How could you prefer such a commonplace wench over a gorgeous beauty like herself? It was completely illogical.

Her wrath was consuming her whole and she immediately began to think of ways in which she could pay Gaara back for insulting herin such a way.

'How dare he?' the raven haired beauty thought in anger as she made her way towards her sports car when, walking out of the building's doors.

She would definitely have to do something about this… she wouldn't keep quiet. She would have him back no matter what and she would use the dirtiest tricks in the book if she had to. She would force both of them apart and then the red head would see how infinitely superior she was when compared to the stupid flower girl.

That pink haired idiot would taste her revenge even if it was thelast thing she did.

Chapter 8 – Of Scheming and Calls

Ino couldn't believe what she was seeing… she really couldn't.

She tightened her grip on the steering wheel of her car and blinked several times but the vision before her eyes wouldn't disappear.

Thinking that it might be fun to accompany Sakura on her Saturdaygrocery shopping, the blond had decided to go over to her house without calling. Ino knew that her friend loved to loiter around during weekends and would still be in the house by the time she got there. Being one who loved to sleep in, it always took the pink haired girl a few hours to finally make the decision to stepout of the house.

Thus, her surprise was complete when she arrived at the corner ofSakura's street and saw a shiny Range Rover parked outside her house some distance down the road. The sight wouldn't have shocked so much if she hadn't spotted her friend climbing out of the passenger side of the car, wearing the exact same dress she had worn to dinner the night before.

Ino's mouth dropped wide open.

She hit the breaks immediately and backed up a bit, not wanting her friend to notice her presence yet. There was a mystery to solve here and she would be damned if she didn't figure it out.

Sakura was standing on the sidewalk, chatting happily to whoever was driving the car. Narrowing her eyes, Ino tried to make out the person behind the wheel but the sun's reflection on the windshield made it impossible. However, judging from the pink haired girl's behaviour, it seemed she was reluctant in closing the door of the vehicle so the person could leave. She was also smiling excessively, not unusual in her cheerful friend, but Ino could tell when Sakura was really happy about something. And right now, she was basically surrounded by a glow of contentment.

'Oh my God, please tell me she got some action in bed…' Ino thought while giggling like a maniac.

But who was the person in the car?

The pink haired girl kept chatting for around five minutes. Ino had no clue as to what she might be discussing but eventually, she waved goodbye and closed the door. The person in the car waited for her to open the door to her house, where she waved again before going inside. Ino thought she saw Sakura limp a bit as she walked towards her home, but she dismissed the notion immediately. Once Sakura was out of sight, the car started moving. From where she was parked, Ino would be able to see the one driving it since they would be forced to pass right in front of her.

But as the car went by and her blue eyes recognized the red hair and expressionless façade, she gave out a loud yell.

"HOLY SHIT!" she screamed but covered her mouth with her hands immediately.

She really couldn't believe it.

It was impossible… it really was.

Confusion settled over the pondering blond as she tried to put the pieces of the puzzle together unsuccessfully. It was the mostunexpected situation ever, especially after the events of the previous weekend. Gaara had a girlfriend... or at least that's what they had all concluded. Could it be that Sakura had decided that this didn't matter and was resolute in being his unofficial lover?

Ino chuckled at the possibility but knew that her friend was smarter than that.

Shaking her head, the blond realized that it wouldn't do her any good to sit there in her car and speculate the day away. She wanted answers and she was going to get them. Knowing Sakura was

a tough cookie when it came to divulging information she didn't want anyone else to know about, Ino was prepared to fight her head on… she simply couldn't go without knowing what had exactly happened. Not this time.

She put her car into gear and turned the corner, parking outside Sakura's door. Jumping out, she basically ran towards the house and rang the doorbell desperately.

The pink haired girl answered the door almost immediately with a look of surprise on her face.

"Ino, what are you…" she started to say.

But the blond didn't let her finish.

She pushed Sakura back and stepped inside the house, closing the door behind her. Taking her friend by the hand, Ino sat her down on one of her living room couches, ignoring her mumbles of protest and confusion.

"You will now proceed to tell me why Gaara, the vice president ofSuna Electronics, just dropped you off at your house while you wore the same dress you had on last night."

Silence descended upon them and nothing could be heard throughoutthe whole house while the two women stared each other in the eye.

But it was broken as harshly as it had arrived.

"ItallhappenedsofastIhadnoidea…" Sakura said while springing up from the couch, speaking as fast as she could while starting to pace the living room.

"Calm down," Ino snapped, ending her incoherent stream of words.

Breathing in deeply, the pink haired girl smiled and began again."I have no idea of how it happened. I was sitting there at the bus stop, wet and miserable, when all of a sudden, he appeared out of nowhere and took me out of the rain and…"

"Ok, ok… so you got caught out in the rain?" Ino asked, refraining from mentioning the fact that if Sakura hadn't declined her offer to take her home the previous night she wouldn't have been wet and miserable... but then again, the red head wouldn't have picked her up either.

"Yes and I fell and he picked me up in his arms and took me to his apartment…" Sakura continued, bubbling over with excitement.

"He picked you up?"

"Yes, because my knees were hurt and he didn't want me to walk and he wrapped my wounds in bandages and…"

"I knew I saw you limp a bit!" the blond exclaimed, looking down at Sakura's knees. There were fresh scrapes on both of them but they appeared to be healing just fine. "Keep talking!" she prompted her friend.

To her surprise, Sakura proceeded to do just that.

This was something Ino hadn't expected. She had been sure that she would need to pry out the information from her friend by using all kinds of interrogation techniques but this was completely unprecedented. Sakura was actually telling her everything even before she even asked. This meant that something very good had happened and the pink haired girl's excitement was starting to rub off on her.

If she wasn't careful, they would both start screaming like schoolgirls soon.

"Ok, wait!" Ino shouted, stopping Sakura's tirade suddenly. "We are going to rewind and start at the very beginning and you will tell me everything. But before you do, I think I'm going to need some coffee… even if it is that disgusting instant stuff you keepin your cupboard."

The pink haired laughed happily and led her friend into the kitchen. Life was wonderful at the moment and she couldn't wait to share the contentment she was feeling with Ino.

Things were finally starting to go right in her life and she wouldn't let anyone spoil it for her.

XXXXXXXXXX

Some hours later, Ino stepped out of Sakura's house, leaving her friend to daydream about the millionaire red head with whom she had spent the night with. In the end, the pink haired girl hadn'tgotten any action in bed like she had hoped, but that was a detail she could overlook... at least for the time being. Either way, it wasn't like her friend to go throwing herself over the first man to cross her path, even though she had managed to slip beneath his sheets even if it hadn't been in the most conventional manner.

Ino had to laugh loudly at that.

This was the golden opportunity she had been waiting for and she planned on using all her scheming powers to make Sakura's relationship with Gaara work. Her friend truly deserved to be with someone she was crazy over and from the way she spoke of Suna's vice president, it was evident that the pink haired girl had been swept off her feet. Ino had never seen her this excited over a man before and she wasn't one to sit down and wait patiently… not if there was something she could do to speed up Sakura's imminent relationship with the wealthy redhead. Obviously, this didn't mean she would stick her nose where it wasn't wanted; instead, it implied subtle manoeuvres that were all the more helpful because of their indirect action and the main actors of the play would barely know she was backstage pulling the strings.

However, the incident which had occurred with this Maemi was something that didn't sit well with Ino. From what Sakura had told her, Gaara had definitely ended whatever type of relationship they had shared right then and there, but the blond

could tell that she wasn't the kind of woman that would let things go so easily. This could definitely prove disastrous for Sakura and they needed to tread carefully.

But she would think about that later. Now, she was definitely looking forward to speeding things up between the red and pink lovebirds.

Smiling deviously, the blond unlocked the door of her car and fell into the driver's seat. Her mind was going over a million plans she could put into action… even so, she decided to bid her time. She knew her turn would come soon and she needed to make her move when the time came to win in this game.

Turning on her engine, she made her way out of Sakura's neighbourhood and into the sunny Saturday afternoon.

XXXXXXXXXX

Temari made her way towards her personal office on Monday morning, carrying a fresh cup of coffee in one hand and the newspaper in the other. She really liked starting the week at herown pace, which would usually imply catching up with the news during the first hours of the morning. Unlike her little brother,the dark blond was definitely not a workaholic and had no problems in delegating responsibilities. This was what being a manager was all about and she exploited her position whenever shehad the chance. This didn't mean she didn't work hard when it wasnecessary… it just meant that she had her way more often than not.

She was looking forward to a good read and was leisurely greetingher co-workers in the top management offices as she walked by. Suna Electronics' president was in no hurry to reach her office and she stopped by to chat with whoever crossed her path.

Until someone bumped directly into her, forced her into a quick walk and steered her directly towards her door.

"We need to talk," Kankurou whispered near her ear, his words meant for her only as he smiled at everyone in the office in mockgreeting.

"We do?" Temari asked, sounding confused and trying to keep her coffee from spilling at her brother's rapid pace. "Did something happen with the new chips?"

"No, it's nothing like that," the head of the Robotics Departmentreplied with a sly smile. "You're going to have a field day with this one…"

The dark blond narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously but didn't say anything. They reached her office a few moments later and closed the door behind them. Temari walked towards her desk and sat down in her large chair, holding her coffee mug carefully in her hands.

"You're not going to believe this," Kankurou said eagerly, his tattooed face brightening with a huge smile. He sat down in frontof his older sister, bubbling over with barely contained excitement.

"Well, spill it then!" Temari exclaimed impatiently, wanting to know what exactly had made her usually calm brother react this way. Acting as if she was prepared for anything, the dark blond took a sip of her hot drink…

"Gaara blew the Harpy off," Kankurou stated suddenly, his smile widening.

Suna's President spit out her coffee all over her computer monitor. "HE WHAT?"

"He blew her off! He kicked her out!" the tattooed man shouted happily. "And this time for good!"

Temari simply stared at him with her mouth wide open. "How do youknow this?" she asked incredulously. She knew very well that Gaara never talked about his personal life to anyone. Both of

them would actually have to pry out any kind of information from him most of the time so he definitely wasn't the source of this amazing news flash.

"I went out to dinner last night with some people from my department and the Harpy was there at the restaurant…" Kankurou explained. "She basically threw herself all over me, weeping and howling."

A look of disgust crossed Temari's face at the thought but she didn't say anything, allowing her brother to continue.

"She told me that our brother had thrown her out and had said he didn't want anything to do with her. She said she was devastated and would do anything to get him back, that she didn't have anyone else to turn to and that I should be the one to help them get back together."

"She should've been given an award for her act," Temari commentedacidly. "She must've made quite a scene."

"She did," her brother replied with a smirk. "I clearly wanted toget rid of her as soon as possible since people were starting to stare, so I just told her that she needed to talk things over with Gaara."

The dark blond chuckled mirthlessly, knowing very well that when it came to her baby brother, talking things over was never an option.

"But here's the best part," Kankurou said, leaning forward on hischair. "In her wailing, she mentioned that she had found him in his apartment with another woman!"

"WHAT?" Temari asked, standing up from her chair this time.

Her brother nodded smugly at her while he crossed his arms over his chest in triumph.

"But who?" she asked, her mind starting to race over the possibilities.

"I obviously needed to find out, so I casually asked her, pretending to be shocked at the news…"

"And?" Temari asked; the suspense was going to kill her.

"It was the flower assistant!" Kankurou exclaimed with a short laugh. "The pink haired girl!"

"SAKURA!" Temari shouted unbelievingly.

Both siblings stared at each other for a few silent moments: Kankurou looking at her with a huge grin on his face while his sister gaped at him with her mouth wide open.

"I can't believe this!" Suna Electronics' President finally exclaimed. "This is the best news ever!"

"I know!" her brother replied, throwing his head back and laughing openly.

But Temari's brain was already three steps ahead. She needed to do something about all this. She definitely wouldn't waste this golden chance at happiness that had suddenly appeared in Gaara's life. Ever since she had seen them interacting together at the conference, the dark blond had noticed how differently her littlebrother behaved around Sakura. He treated her with kindness and admiration, something which had never happened in his relationships with women before. To think that this slip of a girl could make her violent and antisocial brother behave in sucha way was to admit that there was a possibility for him to find the much needed love that had always been missing from his life.

And as an older sister, Temari was not going to sit down and takethings calmly. She was not going to allow her baby brother to discard this woman like he had done many times before.

"We have to do something," she stated, turning back towards her brother and sitting down. "This is too good a chance to waste."

"But what?" Kankurou asked lifting an eyebrow. "You know he'll just shut us out if we ask him about it."

"There has to be another way…" the dark blond said, determinationin her voice. "There has to be someone else who we can ask…"

"Well, we could corner the girl and interrogate her," the tattooed man said with a sly grin.

"And scare her out of her wits? No!" Temari replied, dismissing the idea. "We can't afford to give the impression of two nosey and paranoid siblings."

"Well, we sort of are…" he admitted.

The dark blond gave him a hard look. "This is for his own good."

Kankurou rolled his eyes but kept smiling. "If you come up with something, let me know," he told her as he stood up; unfortunately, it was time to get to work. "I'll obviously help with any wild and demented scheme you come up with."

"Gee, thanks for your unconditional support," Temari replied cynically as he headed towards the door.

"You're welcome!" he exclaimed with a laugh as he made his way out of her office.

Left alone, the dark blond's brain went into overdrive. There hadto be a simple solution to all this. There had to be a simple wayto subtly manipulate this situation in her favour. If left to hisown means, Gaara would probably ruin the whole thing and Sakura would end up walking out of his life. This was an incredibly plausible scenario, especially when you considered his people skills… or lack there of. But Temari wasn't about to let that happen.

As she sat down, she looked at her flat screen monitor and grimaced in disgust. She had forgotten all about her 'spitting cobra' incident. Opening her drawer, she took out a box of tissues and proceeded to wipe the coffee off her screen. She really should apply some cleaner on the glass or else the smell would never disappear.

Pressing a button, she called up her personal assistant and decided that it was time to start her day. But in the back of hermind, her thoughts kept churning as she kept wondering about Gaara and his new relationship with the pink haired flower assistant.

XXXXXXXXXX

Sakura gazed dreamily out the window and watched the people pass by on the sidewalk. The sun was shining down upon the world and everything seemed to glow underneath its golden rays. She had been thinking about the weekend all day long and didn't seem to be able to stop herself.

Sometimes she thought that every meeting she had had with Gaara had been meant to be. From the way they had met and how they had stumbled upon each other at the graveyard that day and including all the events which followed… everything seemed to have some strange semblance of order. It was as if some cosmic force had been pulling them towards each other and they were helpless to stop it.

At least, that was what Sakura thought. Smiling happily out the window, it was easy to think that the redhead had been destined to walk into her life. Still, this didn't mean that things had been easy. The pink haired girl's heart still clenched whenever she thought of him in Maemi's arms and she had to remind herself that Gaara had actually thrown her out of his apartment to avoid falling into a rout. The redhead wanted her, not that hazel-eyed banshee.

Well, at least he had given the impression that he wanted Sakura,even though he hadn't said anything. A moment of doubt crept overher and she considered the possibility that Gaara didn't have anyreal interest in her. Come to think of it, he hadn't even asked her for her phone number. How were they supposed to contact each other again?

'Stop it, Haruno,' she scolded herself inside her head. 'You didn't ask for his number either… you actually forgot. You were

too caught up in the excitement of the moment and maybe he was too.'

Nodding to herself, the pink haired girl remembered the smile thered head had given her just before they had said goodbye and realized that there was nothing to worry about. Somehow, they always ended bumping into each other and she was certain that they would end up meeting again… most probably under the most unlikely of circumstances. It was just a matter of time.

"…kura?" a soft voice to her left suddenly said.

Jumping slightly in surprise, the pink haired flower assistant turned wide emerald eyes in the direction the voice was coming from… only to find Hinata smiling at her.

She must have been lost in her thoughts indeed if her quiet friend had been able to startle her!

"Mrs. Kazuko is here for the arrangement she had ordered. Could you get it for her?" the sweet girl asked shyly.

"Yes, of course!" Sakura said, walking away from the window and smiling at her client. "I'm so sorry… I was just thinking about something."

"Don't worry," Hinata replied with a knowing smile. Ino had already filled her in on the situation and she was extremely happy to see her pink haired friend lost in daydreams which surely featured a certain redheaded man.

"I'll get the ornament for you right away, Mrs. Kazuko," Sakura was saying as she went into the back room of the shop.

"Ahh, the spirit of young love," Lee said, coming up to stand next to Hinata, broom in hand. His eyes were sparkling with emotion as he stared in the direction the pink haired girl had gone. "Sakura is definitely making the most out of her youth!"

Hinata giggled softly at his antics but deep inside, she wholeheartedly agreed.

The phone rang then and the dark haired flower assistant walked up to the counter to pick it up.

"Yamanaka Flowers, how can I help you?"

"Good afternoon, I can speak with Ino please?"

Hinata was sure she had heard the female voice on the other side of the line somewhere… but she couldn't exactly pinpoint where.

"Sure, one moment please," she answered, before going into the back of the store and finding her boss sitting at the kitchen table.

"Ino, you have a phone call up front."

The blond flower manager rolled her eyes. "Why can't they leave me alone for once?" she asked in resignation as she stood up fromthe chair and made her way to the front counter. She picked up the phone with extreme reluctance.

"This is Ino speaking…" she said, making an effort to sound nice but failing miserably.

Hinata, who had followed her into the front of the store and was already busy with some arrangements they needed to deliver by theend of the day, watched as the blond suddenly stood up straight with the reply the woman on the other end had surely given her. Ino's blue eyes widened and her mouth suddenly hung open while she turned to look all around, as if making sure that no one elsebut the raven haired girl was listening to her.

"It would be a pleasure," she finally answered after a moment while her lips formed such a mischievous grin that Hinata felt a shiver of dread run down her spine. "Give me just a moment to settle down in my office."

"Could you transfer this call for me, dear?" she said sweetly as she turned towards Hinata. "Extremely important business, you see."

The raven haired girl simply looked at her suspiciously but didn't say anything. "Sure, just let me know when you're ready."

"Thanks," Ino replied before scurrying through the back door and into her office.

Hinata shook her head and wondered just what she was up to this time... whatever it was, she was sure it would involve an event of enormous proportions; that was usually the case with Ino… she never did anything small.

"I'm ready!" she heard her shout from the back.

Sighing, the raven haired girl silently prayed for all of them tobe able to survive this one before pressing the transfer button.

XXXXXXXXXX

He couldn't believe it was Wednesday already… and he still had somany things to do. Searching incessantly through the file cabinetstanding in a corner of his office, Gaara wished, and not for thefirst time, that there was someone out there in the world who wassmart enough and competent enough to take on the job of being hispersonal assistant.

Or course, as fate would have it, he had interviewed hundreds of people and not even a single one of them had made it through the first phase of selection. Temari complained that he was looking for perfection and he had countered that there was nothing wrong with that. He simply wouldn't be able to deal with any mess ups that an amateur was certain to make and he was definitely in no mood to baby sit anyone who was starting out.

Thus, he had decided to interview business graduates with more experience… and it had turned out to be a complete nightmare. Instead of taking his suggestions, they would try to impose theiropinion on him about how things should be done and they looked down at him as if he were 'just learning'. If there was somethingthe redhead couldn't take, it was a patronizing idiot.

He had thrown all the CV's into the garbage and had finally decided to tackle his job all alone.

And thus, here he was, taking on such a demeaning task like looking for a file that he had put away months earlier. If he hadbeen any other person, he would have fallen into depression ages ago. But he wasn't one to descend into such stupid behaviour… if there was something wrong with your life you went out and fixed it. It was as simply as that. And if the situation didn't have a solution, like his case with the lack of capable assistants in the world, you simply had to play the game with the cards you were dealt.

"Here it is," he mumbled finally, after finding the paper he was looking for. Reading over the report as he walked, he made his way back to his desk and settled into his armchair.

There was a knock on his door.

"Come in," he said without looking up from what he was reading.

He heard the person come in and sit down in the chair in front ofhim. It was only after a couple of minutes, when he had finished scanning the report, that he looked up and found Temari sitting back, contemplating him with a smug grin on her face.

Gaara simply looked at her with an annoyed expression and snappedat her. "I hope you're not here to waste my time."

"Of course I'm not," she told him arrogantly. "I just hope you don't waste mine."

His expression went from annoyed to angry. "Well, you're wasting both our times with this pointless chit-chat."

The dark blond chuckled. The fact that he had found a woman who would actually put up with him was truly a miracle.

"Fine then," she said after a moment. "It has come to my attention that you have decided to kick the Harpy out of your life…"

He went from angry to seething right about then. "I don't see howthat would fall into the jurisdiction of your concern," he bit back.

Temari was expecting that. Once you got to know his outbursts, they were actually really easy to predict.

"Well, to tell you the truth, it does. You see…" she said, without giving him a chance to interrupt, "…the annual Hyuuga party is coming up next week and I have already reserved two spaces for you, which have already been confirmed."

"Cancel them then," the redhead snapped.

"I would, but you know how stiff that family is with their arrangements. Once you say yes, you can't back down," she said with a smile. "Besides, I don't want to go to through the troubleof causing them any inconvenience."

Temari swore she saw steam coming out of Gaara's ears. Thankfully, she had exactly what she needed to put a complete stop to the tirade which would surely follow if she didn't intervene.

"Now," she kept saying, "since the Harpy won't be able to come with you, we really should do something."

"I still don't know how this concerns you," Gaara finally managedto say between clenched teeth.

"It does, since I have precisely what you need right here," she said, lifting her right hand to reveal a folded piece of paper held between her fingers.

The redhead's anger seemed to get even worse with her smugness. "And what would that be?"

"Oh nothing," Temari replied, opening the paper casually and going over what was written on it, "just the phone number of a certain Haruno Sakura…"

Silence descended over the office and the dark blond congratulated herself on her triumph of catching Gaara completelyoff-guard.

Before she knew it, the piece of paper had been snatched out of her hand.

"Where did you get this?" he asked in disbelief, going over the number as if committing it to memory.

"I have my sources," Temari said smugly. She happily noticed how his demeanour had changed completely and how his anger had dissipated in a matter of seconds. That in itself told her more about his feelings for the flower assistant than anything else she might have been able to pry out of him.

"Now," she kept saying while Gaara kept staring at the paper withwide jade eyes, "I know that she's working the mornings this week, so she'll be home late this afternoon or tonight. You mightwant to give her a call then."

The redhead turned to look at her then, narrowing his eyes in suspicion. He opened his mouth to say something but before he could ask his sister anything, Temari's cell phone rang.

The dark blond stood up from her chair then, a huge grin on her face. "Sorry, I really need to take this call. Don't forget, you should call her as soon as possible." And with that, she walked out of his office while talking on her phone.

Gaara sat there for a long while, holding the piece of paper in his hands.

He wondered just how the hell he was going to do this.

XXXXXXXXXX

Sitting on the couch of his living room later on that night, he stared at his cell phone on the coffee table right in front of him with his arms crossed over his chest.

He really shouldn't be worrying so much about this whole issue… it should really be below him. He had called lots of women beforein his life, just so that they would end up in his bed most of the time, and thus, he really didn't know why this should be any different.

But that voice deep within kept nagging at him and he closed his eyes to muster up his courage for the 500th time in over an hour.

'It's not like I haven't spoken to her before,' the redhead thought, extremely angry at himself. He had never been insecure around women before… on the contrary, he had always gone out and gotten what he wanted. Sure, they had been disposable encounters which he could dismiss the very next day and they had never really meant anything to him. But still, the experience had to count for something.

He was behaving like a self-conscious teenager and he hated himself for it. The worst part was that it seemed that there was nothing he could do to prevent his reaction. Standing up, he started to pace around the room for a while, trying to calm down his nerves.

The Vice-president of Suna Electronics was nervous about calling a girl? It was completely unheard of…

…but sadly, it was completely true as well.

Sighing deeply, he wondered just what was wrong with him. What was he so afraid of?

'That she will say no', he answered inside his head immediately.

And then it all came tumbling down upon him.

Rejection.

That annoying and infuriating word.

Gaara was afraid that Sakura would turn down his invitation and that he would have to deal with the devastating consequences of

her refusal. He had heard the word 'no' so many times during the early stages of his life that he had unconsciously created a complete and flawless self-defence mechanism whenever the possibility of being rejected by someone came up.

He never placed his ass on the line for anyone… it was something he simply didn't do. He always managed to avoid any situation that would leave him vulnerable, that would leave him out in the open for anyone to shoot him down. It was something he evaded at all costs, especially in his personal life.

And thus, if he called Sakura, it would be like walking out in front of a line of shooters with a bulls-eye hanging from his neck.

There were so many reasons why she could reject his invitation… maybe she had plans for that weekend already… maybe she had a date with another man. At that thought, his hands clenched into fists and his vision turned red for an instant. If she happened to turn him down for that particular reason, he swore he would track down the bastard and kill him.

He was torturing himself and he knew it.

He also knew that if he didn't call her, he would miss the chanceto take her with him to the Hyuuga party and spend some time withher. She would make that boring social event something he could actually look forward to.

Why did things have to be so complicated?

Breathing deeply, he walked over to the coffee table and picked up his cell phone.

He refused to be labelled as a coward. It was better to get it over with sooner than later.

He dialled the number Temari had given him and waited, unaware that he had stopped breathing.

Someone picked up on the other end after three tones.

"Hello?" a sweet female voice asked.

Gaara opened his mouth to say something but no words came out.

"Hello?" she repeated when no answer came.

"Sa…Sakura?" he finally managed say.

There was a shocked silence on the other end but it seemed she managed to recuperate from it quickly.

"Gaara? Is it you?"

Relief swept over him when he realized she had recognized him. "Yes, it's me."

"Well this is a surprise!" she said happily. Her voice betrayed only a small amount of nervousness.

He was suddenly envious of the way she managed to interact with others with such ease.

He gulped before speaking. Temari had always told him to be polite. "How are you?"

"I'm doing alright, thanks. Work's been alright this week since we really haven't had any big orders, so it's been relaxed. How about you?"

"I've been ok," he replied without adding anything else.

"Well, that's good," Sakura said amiably.

He could picture her smiling into the phone perfectly.

"Listen," he said abruptly. He should really get this over with. "I called to you ask you something."

He could hear her doing something in the background… he swore he heard water running. If he didn't know better he could swear thatshe was washing her dishes while she talked to him.

How would she be so casual about this whole thing?

"Sure, what is it?" she asked.

The moment of truth had come.

He worked around the knot in this throat. "I was wondering," he said after hesitating a moment, "if you would like come to a party with me."

There was silence on the other end for a few seconds. "A party?" she asked finally. "What kind of party?"

"It's the annual celebration of one of Suna's partners," he said,not knowing why she was asking such a question at a time like this.

"I see," she said cheerily. "And when is it?"

"One week from Friday," he answered, at the very limit of his patience.

"Ahh, next week then…" she replied, not offering him any type of answer.

"Well, do you want to go or not?" he finally snapped.

To his aggravation, the pink haired girl chuckled on the other end of the line. "Yes, I would love to go with you."

He blinked several times.

She had just said yes.

The world suddenly seemed a brighter place.

"Good," he said after realizing she was waiting for him to speak."I'll call once I get more details about our transportation."

"Our transportation?" she asked, her voice confused.

"Yes. The party is being held at a hotel in the countryside this year and it takes a while to get there by car so we'll probably be flying there."

"Flying?" Sakura said loudly, unable to hide her shock.

"Yes, flying," he said, not knowing what she was so surprised about it. "I'll give you a call as soon as I know something."

"S-sure," she replied, eliciting a nervous laugh.

"Talk to you then," he said, but decided to add something else. "Have a good night."

"You too," she answered, a smile in her voice.

With that, he hung up his cell phone and plopped down on the couch, completely exhausted from his efforts.

He couldn't believe how well that had gone.

Grinning to himself, he sighed in relief as the tension he had been accumulating in his muscles left him.

It seemed he now had something to look forward to… a sensation hehadn't felt in a very long time.

Chapter 9 – Dress Dynamics

The rest of the work week had gone by in a blur. Sakura had triedto keep her feet firmly planted on the ground but try as she might, she always managed to drift away into a world of her own whenever she had a minute or two to herself.

Gaara had called and he had asked her out on a date.

Things simply couldn't get any better.

It had all happened so suddenly and so quickly that she hadn't even had time to ask him where he had gotten her number. But the overpowering feelings of giddiness that had taken over her being

once she had hung up had increased in the days that followed and she realized that worrying over little details like that was pointless. There were a million ways in which he could've found her number and the truth of the matter was that she was extremelyhappy that he actually had.

She'd been floating in a cloud of contentment for the past coupleof days and she found that whenever she thought about the event she was going to attend with Gaara, the urge for time to pass by more quickly was completely overwhelming. She wanted to see him… and she wanted to see him right now! But she knew that he was a busy man and that his work probably had his hands tied completely. Being the Vice President of one of the country's largest firms didn't leave you much time for chitchat.

Sakura didn't want to impose on his time but still, it took all of her willpower to prevent herself from calling him back. She'd saved his number on her house phone thanks to her caller ID and she'd actually stared at it for a while when she had done so. Shesimply hadn't been able to believe that she actually had his cellphone number and no matter how long she gawked at the digits on the small screen, the information simply refused to register in her brain.

But it had all really happen and this whole scenario wasn't a figment of her over-imaginative brain. Gaara had called, asked her out and had said he would ring back. Thus, she had to trust that he would keep his word. It wouldn't do to appear like an over-eager dimwit that couldn't go without a day of not hearing from him. He would call her so there was no need to worry.

Even so, overexcitement was simply all-consuming and she found herself smiling like an idiot without any reason at all. Her co-workers definitely noticed, but they didn't seem to mind. She hadobviously told them that Gaara had asked her out and Ino had insisted that she would buy all of them takeout for lunch in celebration. Sakura swore that she saw one of those knowing grinson her blond friend's lips when she had arrived at the flower shop and told all of them the news, but she blamed it all on her bubbling gaiety.

All in all, her friends had been extremely happy for her and Sakura had spent the last two days of her work week making flowerarrangements like she had never done before. Hinata said they were some of the most beautiful she had ever come up with and thepink haired girl knew her friend was right. The contentment she was feeling truly reflected in her work.

Thus, she was extremely happy with herself when she arrived back home late on Friday night after going out for a movie with Ino and Hinata. The weekend had finally arrived, which meant that shecould expect a call from the handsome redhead that had been plaguing her thoughts anytime in the following days. Even though the fact that she didn't know exactly at what time he would call sort of had her on edge, she admitted that not knowing gave the whole scenario a tinge of anticipation.

Filling up Kiri's food bowl and placing it on the kitchen floor for her cat to eat, Sakura decided that she was in the mood for amidnight snack. Ice cream would've been nice but she had finishedthe last of it a couple of nights back. Rummaging through her cupboards, she found a bag of mini-chocolate chip cookies which would be a perfect replacement. She poured herself a big glass ofmilk and once Kiri was done eating, she made her way upstairs, her black and white cat following her eagerly.

She settled down in her TV room and turned on the telly. Kiri decided that her lap was the perfect place for a nap and Sakura crossed her legs underneath her to make more room for the small feline. Eating her cookies and milk, she surfed through the channels, not finding anything that caught her attention.

After a few minutes, she decided to leave on a 'celebrity news' show that concentrated on informing fans of the goings on of local idols, which included anything from pop singers, to rock stars to young multi-millionaire heirs. She was laughing at the absurdity of some of the news and enjoying her snack when a news flash suddenly came on screen.

The woman on the show had unexpectedly started speaking of the upcoming and very famous 'Annual Hyuuga Party' and Sakura found

her eyes going wide while she momentarily chocked on the cookie she was trying to swallow.

What the hell was this?

The news lady went on to explain that on the anniversary of theirclan's founding, the very famous and very wealthy Hyuuga family always threw a party of gigantic proportions and invited every single one of the country's most influential business leaders andeven some celebrities. It was the bash of the year and everyone seemed to look forward to it with great anticipation. This year, it was going to take place in exactly one week's time and everyone was bubbling over with excitement.

Wait a minute… was this the party Gaara had been talking about?

Her mind raced as she went over everything the redhead had told her on the phone. He had simply said that it was the annual celebration of one of Suna's partners and hadn't elaborated any further. But as she it thought over, Sakura remembered clearly how Hinata's uncle and cousin had been present at the conference a few weeks back… it wasn't difficult to make the connection.

It was obvious that Suna Corporation's lead managers would be invited to their anniversary celebration.

Sakura stared with her mouth wide open as the program went on to show some pictures of the party during previous years and she simply couldn't believe the dresses and suits the guests wore as they walked up to the entrance. She brought her hand up to cover her mouth and an overwhelming wave of nervousness rose up throughout her whole being.

Gaara hadn't mentioned any of this… he hadn't mentioned that the people attending the party would wear outfits that cost more thanthe contents of Sakura's entire savings account!

The pink haired girl thought she was going to be sick.

She needed assistance and she needed it now.

Jumping up from her couch while Kiri protested her sudden movement, she took up her cordless phone and dialled Ino's numberin a flash. Her cell phone was turned off and when she tried her house, no one answered. The blond must've been sleeping already and she knew very well that when Ino fell asleep, nothing woke herup.

It was time to turn to option B.

"Hello?" Hinata answered sleepily on the other end of the line.

"Hinata, I'm sorry if you were sleeping but this is kind of urgent…" Sakura said anxiously.

"What is it?" the raven haired girl asked, sounding completely awake all of a sudden.

"I know this is going to sound strange but… Why the hell didn't you tell me that the snobbish branch of your family hosts a HUGE party every year?"

Surprised silence greeted her for a few seconds. "Well," Hinata started to say, "the party is actually really famous, Sakura. It's always all over the news."

"Really?" the pink haired girl asked in shock. She really should start paying more attention to the headlines.

Hinata giggled slightly at her friend's tone. "I know you always skip the 'entertainment' section of the newspaper so I guess it isn't much of a surprise that you don't know anything about it. Inever talk about it because my branch of the family isn't invited," there was a slight sad ring to her voice for a moment, but it was gone quickly. "Why do you ask, anyway?"

Sakura swallowed. "Gaara's taking me there… that's where we're going for our date," she finally said.

"What?" Hinata asked, in the loudest tone the pink haired girl had ever heard her speak. "Why didn't you say so earlier?"

"I didn't know," Sakura confessed sheepishly. "He just told me itwas the anniversary of one of his business partners."

"Well," her dark haired friend said thoughtfully, "Gaara is Suna Electronics' Vice President, so it does make sense that he's invited."

"Yeah, but still," she replied in anguish. "What am I going to do?"

"You're going to go with him, silly," Hinata said with a small laugh.

"No, that's not the problem…" Sakura said, the anxiety in her voice escalating with every second. "Hinata, what am I going to wear?"

"Oh dear…" the raven haired girl said with a gasp as her silver eyes widened in realization.

She simply had no answer to that.

XXXXXXXXXX

"You shouldn't worry so much about it," Ino said the next morning. "I'm sure we'll come up with something."

The three of them were sitting at a local café after Sakura had called an emergency breakfast meeting. The pink haired girl was staring downcast into her mug of coffee, her emerald eyes anxiousas she wrung her hands on the table. From the way she was biting her lower lip, Hinata could tell that her thoughts were racing inside her mind; it was obvious that she hadn't gotten much sleeplast night.

If Sakura had been more alert and more aware of her surroundings,she most definitely would've noticed the suspiciously calm mannerwith which Ino was handling the situation.

Hinata merely narrowed her eyes but remained silent.

"My mum has a pretty gown that she uses for her client's parties," Ino was saying as she waved casually to the waiter and ordered another muffin. "Since she's the same size as I am I'm sure the dress will fit you perfectly. We're pretty evenly matched, you and I."

Sakura merely nodded and sighed dejectedly. She guessed there really wasn't anything she could do about it.

This was her first date with Gaara and to be honest, she had wanted to look her best for him. She had wanted to go all out forhim, to give the best of herself… but suddenly, all the illusionsshe had harboured of looking stunningly dashing for him had all but gone done the drain. Now, she would be attending the city's most prominent party in a dress that belonged to Ino's mother.

It wasn't that she wasn't grateful, truly she was. She appreciated any help she could get to make it through this crisis. And she was sure that the dress would be beautiful… for awoman past her 50s. She suddenly imagined herself arriving at theHyuuga anniversary wearing a gown that looked more like a nun's attire than a dress, any cleavage she might have wanted to flaunthidden completely underneath a turtle neck.

She suddenly wanted to weep.

"When did you say the party was?" Hinata asked quietly, trying tochange the subject somewhat when she noticed the look of desperation on Sakura's face.

"Friday night", the pink haired girl replied. "We're actually flying there."

"Flying?" her silver eyed friend asked with surprise.

"Yes. Gaara said that the party's being held at a hotel in the countryside and that it takes too long to drive there."

"Wow," Hinata said simply.

"What kind of guy asks a girl out and picks her up in a helicopter?" Sakura asked a bit desperately, burying her face in her hands.

"A multi-millionaire heir," Ino replied with a flashy grin. "You should be dying from the excitement!"

"I was, up until last night," she answered, emerald eyes frantic."I don't know if I even want to go anymore… maybe I should've turned him down. He's completely out of my league."

"NO!" Hinata and Ino said at the same time. They both looked at each other, sharing a moment of worry over their friend's predicament.

As usual, it was Ino who spoke first. "Honey, don't worry about it… it'll be alright. I'm sure Gaara will think you look beautiful no matter what you wear. If he called you, it's becausehe wants you and no one else to go with him."

"She's right," Hinata added with a smile.

Sakura closed her eyes and tried to believe in what her friends were telling her. They were right about the part of Gaara wantingher to go with him but she wasn't sure about the rest. She was sure he would care about what she wore, it was inevitable. After seeing the kind of woman he was used to going out with, she already knew her looks simply couldn't possibly compete with the standards he probably set.

She thought of Maemi then and of how gorgeous she had looked the day of the conference.

Her hands fisted angrily as she lowered them to her lap and her nails bit into her palms viciously.

Ino's cell phone rang then but Sakura wasn't paying much attention.

"I have to go," the blond said after a moment, emptying her cup of expresso quickly. "A friend needs help with some last minute details of a little project she has."

Hinata saw the twinkle of mischief in her friend's blue eyes as she glanced at Sakura and her eyebrows creased in puzzlement.

"I'll give you call soon, alright dear?" Ino said, taking her pink haired friend's hand.

"Sure," she replied half-heartedly. "Thanks for your help."

"You are very welcome," the blond replied with a sly grin but before either of them could say anything else, she had picked up her purse and had left the table.

"I wonder what she's up to?" Hinata mused out loud, holding her cup of tea in her hand.

"Up to?" Sakura asked, clearly not understanding what her friend was referring to.

"Oh, it's nothing," the raven haired girl replied, a slight blushcovering her cheeks. "Would you like me to come with you while you do your grocery shopping?"

'I'd forgotten it was Saturday,' Sakura thought miserably. All she wanted was to go back to her house and stay in bed all day. But she welcomed her friend's suggestion. It never did any good to wallow in self-pity too much… she'd have enough time to do that tonight.

"You don't mind?" she asked.

"Of course not," Hinata replied with a smile.

"Alright then, let's get going then," Sakura said, throwing down the rest of her coffee in one gulp.

She truly hoped that the caffeine buzz would manage to get her through the day.

XXXXXXXXXX

After having gone through an extensive Saturday workout and the prolonged hot shower that followed it, Gaara found that he was ina surprisingly good mood. It caught him unexpectedly as he openedhis refrigerator door while searching for a late afternoon snack and as he sat down to eat a chewy bar at his kitchen counter, he found he simply couldn't recall when the last time he had felt such at ease with life had been.

Knowing himself too well, the answer was probably never. But he refused to let his ever-present cynicism ruin the strange, albeitpleasant, feeling that had been growing inside his chest since Wednesday. As much as he had tried to deny it in the beginning, he was now fully aware of the effect that Sakura had on him and shocking as it was, he found that he didn't mind as much as he should.

There had always been something different about the emerald eyed girl, he had known it since the day he met her. The way she had acted at the graveyard on his birthday had made her stand out from among the throng of insipid women that were common in his life and try as he might, he simply couldn't avoid the tow of herinadvertent magnetism.

Being the stubborn man he was, he had fought against the pull with the sheer strength of his anger and he had succeeded to keepher bay as much as he could. But life seemed to throw her directly in his path and every time he interacted with her, she seemed to chip away the layers of his self-imposed armour more and more… until he was powerless to do anything but admit the clear influence she had on him.

Whenever Gaara found himself in Sakura's presence, he realized that she softened the keen edge of his temper. Sure, he still threw tantrums and snapped as often as he always did, but he didn't do so with his usual cruelty. The violent urges that governed his every reaction seemed to fade in the background and he found that when it came to her, he could forgive blunders he never would've accepted from anyone else. Like her 'stranded in

the rain' incident… if she'd been a different person, he would'vehave left her where he found her without a second thought.

But that was precisely the issue: she wasn't any other person. Shewas the pink haired flower assistant that surprised him more often than not with her randomness and that managed to lessen hisanger with her kindness. She was the one who distracted him during his office hours and the one who provoked incredibly asinine thoughts inside his head when he was supposed to be concentrating on his work. As much as all this had annoyed him initially, he was aware that as time passed, his irritation had surprisingly diminished and the tolerance he had never thought possible when it came to others, suddenly made an appearance witheverything that had to do with her.

If he had been any other person, he would've said that she brought out his 'positive traits'. But he was Gaara, Suna Corporation's ruthless Vice President… his personality didn't haveany positive characteristics. So he settled for deciding that shemade his negative traits just a little less bad and, considering the extremely difficult person he was, this was an amazing achievement in and of itself.

Thus, he had no qualms in genuinely looking forward to the Hyuugaparty the following week and if he was completely honest with himself, he would admit that he wished for the days to go by justa little bit faster. All in all, the anticipation of the event had actually provoked the uncharacteristic good mood he was in and even though he wouldn't go so far as calling it 'happiness', he knew it was something entirely different to the usually bad-tempered disposition with which he walked through life.

Gaara's musings were cut short however, when he heard a rhythmic knock on his door followed by the evident sound of his lock opening. Only one person in this world would have the audacity ofabusing the power of having a spare set of keys to his apartment in such a way.

Standing up abruptly, he made his way to the living room, knowingvery well that this incident would most likely bring an abrupt end to the good mood he had been experiencing.

"What do you want?" he asked acidly as he came face to face with a beaming Temari.

She was carrying some packages in her arms and she was walking around his couch so she could set them down on his coffee table. "I have something for you," she said giddily, ignoring the underlying threat in his voice. "Well, it isn't exactly for you, but still."

Jade eyes narrowed and Gaara tried to suppress the sudden urge tograb her by the arm and throw her out of his apartment. He was stepping forward to do exactly that when his sister opened one ofthe boxes she had been holding with a dramatic gesture.

"TAA-DAA!" she exclaimed.

He lowered his gaze towards the contents of the package and his eyes fell on top of a silky crimson material neatly folded insidethe box. He was overcome with puzzlement and despite himself, he neared the table to get a better look at it. If he didn't know better, it resembled the front of a woman's dress.

"Temari," he said guardedly. "What is this?"

"Your date's dress, of course!" she exclaimed as she picked up the deep scarlet garb and lifted it off the table.

The gown fell in a shiny river of dark crimson as it unfolded andjade eyes widened at the beautiful spectacle it made. It was extremely simple but amazingly glamorous. Gaara had no idea whereTemari had gotten it from but he didn't doubt that the material was expensive. The dark blond was holding it up from a pair of long ruby-studded strings that went tied around the neck and thatwould sparkle down the back of the one wearing the dress. The redhead was sure that the design of the gown exposed a reasonablyamount of cleavage but he was definitely taken aback when his

sister turned it around and let him see its back… or lack thereof. Whoever wore the dress would find her back completely exposed down to the base of her spine, the dark crimson jewelled strings falling upon uncovered skin.

He imagined Sakura wearing the dress for one moment and almost lost the already precarious grip he had on his sanity.

He let out a long deep breath.

Temari only looked at him with triumphant eyes and a devious grinon her face. It seemed she had managed to shock her baby brother into stunned silence twice this week… it was definitely a new world record and something worth celebrating.

But her victory was short lived when he noticed her smug expression and his notorious temper kicked in once more.

"And you think this gives you the right to just barge in?" he snapped at her.

"Of course it does," she told him as she folded the dress back into the box. "I know you're absolutely clueless when it comes totreating a lady right…"

Gaara snorted angrily at that.

"… so I had to make sure that Sakura would be taken care of. Beside, do you really think the girl can afford to buy a new dress for the occasion?"

The redhead's ire dissipated for a moment as he contemplated whatTemari had just said. As much as he hated to admit it, he knew she was right and he was suddenly angry at himself for not thinking about it before. He was sure that the dress in the box in front of him cost more than 3 months worth of a flower assistant's salary.

"She might own some dresses," he retorted but it sounded lame even to his ears.

"She doesn't," Temari mumbled under her breath as she moved to the other package she had brought.

"How do you know that?" Gaara asked, his keen ears picking up hissister's mumblings. "Come to think of it, how do you know that dress will fit her?"

"Because it was made specifically with her measurements," Temari answered with a bright smile.

"How did you…"

"Tsk-tsk Gaara, you're going to have to trust me on this one," the dark blond said, still grinning as she opened the second box.

"Trust?" the redhead asked in irritated bewilderment. "For all I know you've been stalking her!" he retorted angrily, not at all happy with that prospect.

Temari rolled her eyes. "Of course I haven't been stalking her, you dummy. Let's just say that I have insiders working for me."

Jade eyes narrowed again and he was about to elicit a nasty comeback when she opened the second box.

"Now, this is the shawl that goes over the dress," Temari said, picking up the garment. It was made from the same material as thegown and had an intricate pattern along its whole length. The design was etched in dark rubies that sparkled as she moved the cloth up to show it to Gaara.

As much as he hated to admit it, the redhead knew that his sisterhad outdone herself with this outfit.

"And last but not least, the earrings," she said, picking up a small box he hadn't noticed she had placed on the table. As was to be expected, the long earrings were adorned with the same blood rubies as the dress and shawl.

Try as he might to hang on to his anger, Gaara found that he simply couldn't be irritated at his sister anymore. He opened hismouth to say something a couple of times but no words came out.

Temari smiled warmly and walked up to him. "You're welcome," she said simply, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek.

He grumbled slightly but accepted the display of affection without further complaints.

"So," the dark blond said, putting everything away and arranging the packages into a neat pile on the table, "would you like me toget these delivered?"

Gaara was about to give her an affirmative answer when he actually thought better about it. As he thought it over, he realized he really didn't want to waste the opportunity of seeingSakura's face when she saw the dress for the first time. He knew she would simply love the gown, almost as much as he would love seeing her in it, and truthfully, he wanted her to know in no uncertain terms that the gifts were from him and no one else.

"No, I'll give them to her myself," he said, a small grin formingon his lips.

"Suit yourself," Temari said, recognizing the glint of mischief in his eyes.

She was so glad that her suggestion of getting Sakura a dress hadbeen so easily put into action with the help of Ino. Now, all they had to do was sit back and enjoy the show.

And both scheming women knew that it would be a show worth watching.

XXXXXXXXXX

Sakura's slumber was disturbed by a sound she could only describeas annoying. Turning round in bed and getting even more tangled up in her covers, she decided to ignore it and luckily, the bothersome noise suddenly stopped. She fell back asleep once

again but sometime later, it penetrated her sleepy mind again andshe cursed under her breath.

Kiri growled from the vicinity of her feet at being disturbed tooand it was her cat's irritation that prompted her to reach out and pick up the ringing phone on her bedside table without even opening her eyes.

"Hello?" she said, her voice hoarse and sleepy.

"Sakura?" a startled male voice spoke on the other end of the line.

Sitting up like a bolt of lighting, the pink haired girl ignored the mewled complaint of her feline companion at the sudden movement. She attempted to clear her throat before answering but it did nothing to improve the sound of her voice.

"Gaara?"

"Yes," he replied, his tone slightly amused. "Did I wake you?"

"No, no, I was already up," She couldn't believe she was lying inhis face but as she looked at her bedside alarm clock and realized it was past midday, she knew she had no other choice.

"You sound a bit sleepy," he said, clearly unconvinced.

"To tell you the truth, I was actually loitering around in bed," she said, trying to sound as casual as possible. Her heart was still beating frantically inside her chest with the shock of being woken by the sound of his voice.

He made a non-committal sound in the back of his throat before proceeding to speak to her. "Are you going to be home today?"

'Of course I'm going to be if you're the one that's asking!' she thought eagerly.

"Yes, I'm going to be here all day," she replied out loud.

"Do you think I can come over later on? I have something for you."

"For me?" she asked in shock.

"Yes," he replied simply and Sakura thought she would die with the dark chuckle he elicited on the other end of the line. She could feel the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end with the sound.

"Alright." It was the only word that her suddenly muddled brain could come up with. Unable to prevent the sudden blush that covered her cheeks, she was glad that he wasn't here to see it.

"I'll come over in around an hour," he said.

"Sure, I'll be here," Sakura replied.

"See you then," the redhead said in farewell.

"See you," she answered before hanging up.

The pink haired girl fell back against her pillows in relief, trying to pull herself back together and attempting to steady herbreathing. Talk about an unexpected wake up call!

"He's coming over," she whispered into the silence of her room, her emerald eyes widening at the statement as she said the words.

"HE'S COMING OVER!" she exclaimed as the realization suddenly hither full in the face and she jumped abruptly out of her bed, intent on getting ready.

XXXXXXXXXX

Gaara was actually surprised at how it easy it was to call her a second time. It seemed that all the nervousness he had experienced with his previous phone call had completely dissipated and he realized that now, he would be able to call herwhenever he liked without any unexpected setbacks.

He didn't know why, but that idea made the budding feeling he hadbeen experiencing inside his chest grow just a little bit more.

Holding the package Temari had left the day before at his apartment under his arm and making sure that small earring box was safe inside his jeans' pocket, he closed his car door and approached the entrance to Sakura's house. He'd been here twice before but he had never gone inside her home… he remembered how he been disgusted with the 'girly' atmosphere that the house emanated the first time he had given her a ride and to be honest,he really wasn't at all comfortable with it still. However, he seemed to have developed a certain tolerance towards it and therewas no hesitation in his steps as he approached the door, ringingthe doorbell.

She answered it almost immediately, a wide smile on her face as she greeted him.

"Hi," she said, her eyes beaming.

"Hi," he replied simply, unable to keep himself from grinning deviously at her. Now that he looked at her pretty face, he became aware of how much he had actually wanted to see her.

Her emerald eyes widened as they settled upon the boxes he was carrying and he couldn't help but widen his grin in anticipation of her reaction.

"Come in, come in," she told him happily.

Gaara took quick note of the modest yet comfortable surroundings of her house before turning her way.

"These," he said as he lifted the boxes in her direction, "are for you."

"What are they?" Sakura asked in astonishment.

"You'll have to open them to see," he told her with a feline smirk.

Licking suddenly dry lips, the pink haired girl reached out to take the boxes. They didn't weigh much and she really didn't havea clue as to what they might contain. Settling them down on top of her couch, she surveyed them nervously before reaching out to open them with a shaky hand.

"Open the big one first," Gaara told her, as he came to stand next to her.

Doing as he said, Sakura lifted the smaller box on top so she could grab the bigger one underneath. She closed her eyes for a moment and pulled off the lid, just to open them again a few seconds later.

And her mouth fell open at the sight before her.

She stared with shocked emerald orbs at the dress inside the box and for a moment, she thought she was dreaming.

The redhead studied her every reaction, her joyous surprise filling him with an unnamed emotion he had never experienced before.

"Ga-Gaara?" Sakura asked, as if doubting what her eyes were seeing.

"Take it out of the box," he prompted, amazed at how beautiful she looked in that moment.

Wobbly hands reached out to pick up the dress and Sakura thought she would die with the feel of the crimson silk against the bare skin of her arms. She lifted it from its strings and let it unfold in front of her, completely speechless. It was the most breathtaking dress she had ever seen, made all the more elegant with its simplicity. The jewels sparkled merrily in front of her eyes and the pink haired girl realized that she couldn't wait to put it on.

Of course, it was then that a thought struck her and stopped her dead in her tracks.

"Gaara?" she asked again, cautiously.

"Yes?" he answered, eyes narrowing at the sudden change in her demeanour.

"How much did this cost?"

Thankfully, he had been expecting that.

"Does it matter?" he countered, deadly serious.

Sakura turned to regard him then and her breath caught in her throat at the sincere expression in his jade eyes. He had come over, offering a genuine gift to her and here she was, worrying over the price.

For the first time in her life, Sakura decided that she wouldn't worry about money issues… at least not today.

She shook her head in answer as she held the dress closely to herchest. "It's amazing," she said at last, trying to keep her voicecalm from the intense emotion that was suddenly overwhelming her.

"I'm glad you like it…" he replied softly. "Open the other one."

Folding the dress back into the box with religiously devoted motions, Sakura promptly opened the second box only to have her breath stolen yet again by the magnificent shawl she found inside. It was the exact same blood-red material as the dress andthe numerous tiny rubies on the cloth glittered at her as she lifted it up and placed it around her shoulders.

"Gaara, this is breathtaking!" she exclaimed with a gleeful laugh.

He simply grinned up at her but before he spoke, he seemed to remember something. "Oh, and these as well," he said, reaching inside his pocket and pulling out a small wooden box.

Sakura narrowed her eyes as she took the proffered item from his hands and her loud gasp echoed across the living room when she opened it to find the earrings inside.

"I…I…" she started to say but wasn't able to put any coherent words together.

"I take it that you like your gifts, then?" Gaara told her, a smug expression on his face. He simply couldn't help but feel utterly satisfied with the knowledge that it had been his gifts that had made her speechless. He really did need to appreciate what his sister did for him more often.

He was about to make another remark when all of a sudden, he saw Sakura drop the things she was holding upon the couch and lunge herself forward. Before he realized what was happening, she had wrapped her arms around his neck and was embracing him tightly, burying her face against his chest.

The redhead stood completely still as the shock of what was happening washed through him and he found himself unable to reactas he registered the soft curves of her body pressed against his own. Her alluring vanilla scent engulfed him and he found that hesuddenly couldn't think straight.

It was pure instinct that allowed him to wrap his strong arms around her and return the embrace, pulling her even closer to him. It was pure instinct that made him bury his face in her roseate locks, taking in the intoxicating smell of her. She was so small and felt so fragile in his arms, but he knew that it wasall a deceptive illusion for underneath that exterior of frailty lay a backbone of steel that could easily match his own. That didn't diminish the protective impulses that started to surge inside him though and he wished he could always have her in his arms to keep her safe.

Time ceased its flow as they stood there and Gaara wasn't sure how long they held each other until he felt her shift slightly. He loosened his hold on her enough to allow her to look up at himand his jade orbs widened in shock when he noticed the remnants

of a few tears in the corners of her eyes. But she was smiling widely at him and it took him just a moment to realize that they were tears of happiness, not of sorrow.

"Thank you," she whispered, looking up into his eyes.

He looked down at her intensely, finding that he simply couldn't pry his orbs away from the sparkling emeralds that held him captivated. Unconsciously, he lifted a hand to brush away a few strands of cherry hair away from her face and before he knew it, he had lowered his mouth down to hers for a kiss.

It was soft at the beginning, just a mere brush of lips against lips. But when she opened her mouth slightly and he felt the tip of her tongue, Gaara was undone. He took control without hesitation as he kneaded his fingers in her hair and tilted her head back, adjusting their angle of contact. His tongue slid through her lips, tasting her overwhelming sweetness and staking his claim with an aggressiveness that matched his personality. Smiling against her mouth when Sakura moaned slightly with the effects he was having on her, he crushed her against his body, increasing the tempo of their kiss until she had all but gone limp within the circle of his arms.

The way her body moulded against his could only be described as perfection and he could feel her every curve pressed up against him. It wasn't long before her own hands reached up and tangled in his crimson locks; he growled low in his throat in approval asshe caressed his scalp with her nails, pulling him down even closer to her. A long slender finger slid down the back of his neck after a moment, sending a thrill down his spine with its soft stroke. It travelled forward with a feather-light touch, across his neck and beneath his earlobe until her hand came up totrace a line across his jawbone in a sensuous caress.

His ardour increased tenfold with the simple gesture and he would've been happy to let their kiss take them further but therewas a sudden rustle behind Sakura, followed by an excited 'meow'.

Pulling away from him reluctantly, the pink haired girl whipped around only to find Kiri perched upon the couch, her claws extended as she played with the paper wrapping of her dress, coming precariously near to the silky material of the gown.

"Kiri, NO!" she shouted in fear as she disentangled herself from Gaara's embrace quickly and rushed towards her cat.

The redhead, who was about to voice a very annoyed protest at theabrupt way she had ended their extremely pleasant exchange, suddenly realized what was happening as his eyes fell on the black and white cat on the couch.

"Bad girl!" Sakura exclaimed as she shooed her away, taking the dress up and holding it up to her as if trying to keep it safe from any more feline threats.

Kiri growled as she jumped down from the couch and fled towards the kitchen.

Breathing rapidly, both from the shock and the activities she hadbeen previously engaged in, Sakura lifted the crimson gown and assessed it with frantic eyes for any damage. Luckily there was none and she felt her heart fall back into place after having it caught in her throat.

"I didn't know there was a feline menace walking loose around thehouse," Gaara said darkly, coming up to stand beside her. "Did she do anything?"

"No, the dress is fine thankfully," Sakura replied, folding the dress once again and placing the lid over the box firmly, keepingthe paper wrappings out of sight. "I don't know what got into her. She's usually really well behaved."

"Maybe the excitement in the room was contagious," he replied sinfully, bringing up his hand to caress her lightly across the arm.

Sakura turned to look at him, a devious smile on her own lips. "Maybe it was."

But before either of them could make a move towards one another, a sad 'meow' sounded from the kitchen doorway. They both turned to find Kiri gazing at Sakura with a resentful expression in her feline eyes.

"I'm sorry, sweety," Sakura said, walking up to her and picking her up in her arms. "But you almost scared me to death."

The cat simply purred as her owner caressed her and rubbed her face against Sakura's shoulder.

"She's a spoiled little thing, isn't she?" Gaara said derisively as he walked up to them. He had always been sceptical about keeping pets, especially cats.

"No she's not!" Sakura exclaimed indignantly as she continued to caress Kiri's black and white fur. "She is a complete sweetheart and she keeps me company."

The redhead made a sound deep in his throat that let her know that he was completely unconvinced with Sakura's opinion about her pet.

"If you don't believe me, here!" she exclaimed, thrusting Kiri forward and depositing her in Gaara's arms as he reflexively lifted them up to the catch the cat.

"Wait, I don't…" he started to say but his words stopped when he realized that the feline had gone still in his hold and was gazing up at him with amazingly deep blue eyes. It was as if she were passing judgement on him to see if he was worthy.

So it was going to be a staring contest, was it? Gaara narrowed his jade eyes and glared back at the cat with earnest. He'd be damned if he'd be intimidated by a feline this size!

Sakura giggled next to him, covering her mouth with her hand. "Bythe way, have you eaten lunch yet?"

"No, I haven't," he replied without taking his eyes off Kiri, keeping his whole concentration on their unwittingly test of wills.

"Would you like to join me? I was just thinking about making something."

He grunted his assent but didn't look up at her.

He started grinding his teeth then and it was all he could do to keep his focus on the cat in front of him while Sakura's gleeful laughter echoed around the house as she stepped into the kitchen.

Chapter 10 – Executive Bash

"Sakura, if you stay in there any longer, you're going to go to the party looking like a prune," Ino said annoyingly as she flipped yet another page of the magazine she was browsing through.

"I know, I know… I'm coming out already," came a reply from inside the bathroom. The slight anxiety in Sakura's voice was easy to discern even through the door and Ino found herself smiling wickedly as she remembered the flustered afternoon they'djust gone through.

She'd come to an agreement with Temari: if she was going to take care of the dress, then Ino would take care of the shoes. She knew how much her best friend loved to go shoe shopping and the blond simply wouldn't pass on the opportunity to go out with Sakura on an extensive afternoon at the local mall looking for a pair of high-heels to match her gorgeous dress. After knowing herfor years, Ino knew that her friend was a helpless romantic deep down inside even if she didn't show it. She'd caught her more than once eyeing the magnificent dresses at some of the most poshstores. The look in her eyes as she glanced at the gowns simply couldn't be denied and Ino knew that the pink haired girl was actually living one of her long held dreams right now.

Sakura was going to a party wearing a dress even more beautiful than any of the ones they'd ever seen in the company of one of the cities most sought-after bachelors.

'Even if he isn't exactly a ray of sunshine,' Ino thought dryly.

It was clear that after Gaara had given Sakura her dress, they'd become much closer. They'd shared a kiss on that day, certainly, but her friend hadn't wanted to go into details and Ino hadn't pressed her. The redhead had actually showed up at the flower shop a couple of times and the blond was absolutely confident that he'd given Sakura a ride home after work almost every day. His disposition wasn't exactly the friendliest; in fact, he'd almost made Hinata jump out of her skin when he came in the firsttime and snapped at her when he didn't see Sakura behind the counter. But that was something they were willing to overlook especially with the way their emerald eyed friend would smile giddily whenever she saw him.

Sakura hadn't been this in love in a very long time. Being her closest friend, Ino knew this very well. Thus, she was content with letting Gaara's iciness slide, counting on Temari when she said that her little brother might be a social retard but that deep down inside, he was a good guy.

Despite the fact that she wanted to know everything going on between them, Ino held her curiosity in check. Being aware of howSakura sometimes craved her privacy in personal things, she realized she had to be patient. She knew she'd be getting an inside scoop whenever she was ready, there was no doubt about that. This was the first relationship her friend was getting intoin years and despite her usually harassing manner, Ino knew when to give Sakura her space. Therefore, she was being supportive in other ways, like scheming behind her back with Temari and taking her shoe shopping. The day Sakura found out that this whole thinghad been perfectly planned would definitely bring quite an earful; the blond was sure about that. She just hoped when the time came for the pink haired girl to blow some steam, she would have the lovely experiences of the party to remember and would belenient with her helpful friend.

This was for her own good, truly. Hopefully she'd realize that too.

Ino glanced at the alarm clock on the bedside table and sighed softly. They actually didn't have much time. Sakura needed to getready soon or else Gaara would arrive to pick her up to find still in her bathrobe. She'd insisted on bathing before dressing,wanting to have the delicious smell of her bath gel all over her skin. The blond had rolled her eyes and kept the insinuating comments that came to mind about why she wanted her skin to smellnice to herself. A shower would've been much more efficient but that was alright. This was Sakura's night after all and she deserved to pamper herself.

Still, there was a limit on how much time she could spend in there.

"Ok, I'm going in there to get you out or else! I need to get started on your makeup and we still need to curl your hair," she shouted.

"I'm out, I'm out," the pink haired girl replied, opening the bathroom door. As expected, she was wearing her comfy bathrobe and had her towel wrapped around her head.

With her victim out in the open, Ino threw the magazine she'd been perusing on the bed and proceeded to make her way over to Sakura. As she did so, she picked up the small stool the her friend kept in her room for just this kind of occasion and placedit in front of the bathroom mirror.

"Alright, you know the rules: your back to the mirror," the blondsaid, while rumbling through Sakura's small makeup bag and placing her own next to it. "You can't see yourself until I'm done."

"Fine," she replied, sitting down. She really was extremely glad that Ino was here to help her. Her friend had been applying her makeup for special occasions for as long as she could remember. Having lived with two sisters all her life, Ino was very adept

when it came to these kinds of things and had lots of experienceswith makeup and hair. If you actually thought about it, the blondwould've definitely become a stylist if she hadn't agreed to helpher mother with the flower shops. Thus, Sakura had complete confidence in her and knew she would come out looking as dazzlingas if she'd gone to a professional salon.

"Alright, we'll do your hair first then," the blond said as she plugged in the hair curler to allow it to heat.

Since Sakura's hair was short, they'd decided that it would definitely be better for her to wear it down. Her tresses possessed such a uniquely bright colour that it would be a shame for her to cover it up by tying it in some kind of bun. But a change was definitely in order since she simply couldn't go to the party looking the same as she usually did. Consequently, they'd come to the decision to curl it, giving it a bouncy and energetic appeal that went with her personality. Curled, Sakura'shair would reach just above her chin, allowing her neck to be sensually exposed when she put on her appealing dress.

'That redhead won't know what hit him,' Ino thought maliciously, smirking a little before she proceeded with the task at hand.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Sakura remained mostly silent and passive while Ino did her work.She had so much to think about that she welcomed the chance for her friend to concentrate on other things instead of trying to talk. Holding her hands clasped together on her lap, the pink haired girl tried to get them to stop their slight trembling.

She'd been able to put things aside for most of the day, especially with the enjoyable afternoon of shoe shopping she'd shared with Ino. Having successfully kept herself busy, it was easy to maintain the imminent events of the evening at bay. But now here she was, getting ready for her date. Gaara would be coming over to pick her up soon to take her to the party she'd been looking forward to all week. Sometimes during work, she'd felt as if though she were making things up; as if this whole

circumstance had been a product of her imagination. On many occasions, she'd felt as if her whole meetings with Gaara had been something surreal… almost dreamlike. It would've been easy to convince herself that she'd imagined everything.

But then he would call or he would come over and Sakura would re-realize that it really was true, that he really was real. After the first kiss they'd shared, things between them had changed… ina good way. Even though the redhead hadn't been exactly subtle when it came to expressing his attraction towards her, he hadn't been blatantly obvious either. However, after their lips had met in that passionate encounter when he'd brought her dress, it seemed as if he'd taken that as the cue to make his advances muchmore evident.

Not that she was complaining.

Gaara had driven her home after work this past week more often than not, specifically when she had the afternoon shift and wouldhave to walk home after dark. This would usually mean that she'd invite him in for dinner or they would pass by a restaurant on their way to her house. If she found herself doing the morning shift, he would also insist to drive her home but she would vehemently refuse. Sakura knew he was busy and she didn't want him to go out of his way for her this much. He'd grumbled and complained that it wasn't a hassle for him in the least; he was the vice-president after all and could take all the breaks he wanted. Nonetheless, the pink haired girl wouldn't budge, much tohis aggravation, and after a couple of tantrums which she'd handled amazingly well, they both agreed that they would meet forlunch.

Sakura loved spending time with him and therefore, if he insistedon seeing her, she wasn't about to complain. As long as it was moderate and he wouldn't take too much time off for her. It was exhilarating to suddenly see him almost everyday for a few hours after she'd only bumped into him at random intervals on the street. During this week, she'd gotten to know him a whole lot better than before and even though he wasn't the best conversationalist ever, he would answer her questions as best as

he could and would listen intently whenever she spoke. It was mesmerizing to realize that she had the complete attention of such a handsome and important man whenever she found herself talking vividly and more often than not, she found she simply couldn't stifle a blush when she caught his intent jade eyed stare.

He seemed to love the effect his gaze had on her for whenever he found her cheeks colouring slightly roseate, Gaara would smirk shamelessly before leaning in for a quick kiss.

Which led to another matter altogether: she was addicted to his kisses.

Sakura had kissed a number of boys before but none of them could even compare to the way the smouldering redhead used his lips andtongue. Whenever she found him leaning towards her, which was often, her heart would leap inside her chest in anticipation before she found herself melting underneath the fervour of his kiss. It was utterly intoxicating and the pink haired girl had already realized that she was completely at his mercy whenever she felt his tongue brush against her lips.

The redhead wasn't shy about revealing his affection for her to the world either. He'd surprised her the first time they'd gone out to dinner by taking her hand when they got out of his car andwalked up to the Italian restaurant they'd picked. It was a habithe seemingly liked since he repeated it every time he found himself walking beside her. While waiting at the table, he would lift his hand and caress her absentmindedly on the arm while she talked. It was as if he craved to have physical contact with her as much as possible, as if he were stating his claim.

She had the impression that he was letting the world know that she was his and being extremely clear about it. Initially, Sakurahad been surprised by such gestures since she hadn't thought he would be prone to motions that might make him appear as a caring man. She knew he cared, deep inside, but his personality wasn't the kind to show affection in such ways. This meant there had to be another reason behind it. Consequently, it seemed she'd

guessed correctly when she had concluded that he did it to not only make their relationship extremely clear to others but also to remind her of it as well.

'As if I need reminding,' she thought in exasperation.

For the time being, Sakura would let such possessive impulses slide but knew that in the future, she would most likely have to set her foot down or else there would be trouble. She was completely certain that Gaara was the extremely jealous type and she would have to make things clear before he got out of hand.

Nonetheless, she was enjoying his attentions right now and there was nothing better than to be in his presence. Still, just because she'd become completely comfortable around him didn't mean that she wouldn't be nervous about tonight. She would be attending the party of the year arm in arm with one of the countries most eligible bachelors… a bachelor who'd been given her his rapt attention all week and had actually ended up having a staring contest with her cat.

Giggling softly, Sakura tried to stay as still as possible while Ino kept curling her hair. The blond pinned her with an inquisitive look but decided to keep concentrating on her task instead of questioning her.

It was simply too much for her not to laugh. After that day, Kiriseemed to have taken a liking to Gaara, much to his irritation. Sakura had learned that he'd never had a pet in his life and thathaving an animal around in such close proximity sometimes made him edgy. Thus, he would jump slightly in startlement whenever her feline companion leaped into his lap or brushed affectionately against his leg. Jade eyes would narrow whenever she did that and he would glower openly. Naturally, Kiri wasn't the least bit intimidated by his antics and kept on annoying him.Sakura was almost sure that her black and white cat did it on purpose just to irk him but she wasn't about to voice that out loud. They would have to learn to get along with each other and the sooner Gaara accepted Kiri's presence the better.

It was now that she thought about it that Sakura realized that they actually had something in common: both of them had a tendency to growl.

She let out another laugh.

"Could you stay still, missy?" Ino reprimanded.

"Sorry."

"What are you laughing at?" the blond asked as she finally finished with Sakura's hair and put the curler down.

"Nothing… I guess I just realized that I'm compatible with felinepersonalities."

"Feline personalities?" Ino murmured, raising an eyebrow and shaking her head.

If this had something to do with Gaara, she definitely didn't wantto know.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

"Ino?" Sakura asked, her voice trembling with emotion and startlement. "Is that really me?"

Her friend laughed and simply nodded her head.

They were standing in the pink haired girl's room, staring at thefull length mirror she had behind her door. The sparkling red rubies of her dress glittered as Sakura moved slightly to try andadmire herself from every possible angle. Her makeup was flawlessas was her hair. The cherry curls framed her face gracefully and she loved to move her head from side to side just to see them bounce happily. Turning around, emerald eyes widened as she took a look at her exposed back.

She had to admit, the dress really did accentuated her figure flawlessly. Never in her life had she thought she'd be able to look this beautiful.

"You'll be turning heads all over the place tonight," Ino said asshe brought up the equally sparkly shawl and put it over Sakura'sshoulders. "Those rich snobs will want to get their hands all over you."

"I don't know about that," she answered with a laugh, "there's just one particular snob that I'm interested in."

"Trust me, that moody redhead won't be able to keep his hands to himself," the blond replied with a wicked tone.

Sakura swatted her playfully but didn't deny the claim. She was really looking forward to seeing the look on Gaara's face when hesaw her wearing the dress he'd given her.

"Now I'm off!" Ino exclaimed suddenly, picking up her purse. "He'll be here any minute."

Taking her own small bag, the pink haired girl followed her friend down the stairs. It was a purse they'd purchased this afternoon as well and that Ino had found with uncanny ease. She'dmentioned something about a specific store and funnily enough, they'd found a petite purse that matched the exact same crimson of her dress. Sakura was going to say something about the price but before she knew it, the store assistant had already placed itin a bag and Ino had paid for everything. Much to her chagrin, the blond wouldn't even hear Sakura's remarks about paying her back. She decided she'd slip the money in her wallet the next opportunity she had while she wasn't watching.

Sakura saw Ino to her door, barely able to contain her bubbling excitement. They embraced quickly and the blond surveyed her one last time before heading out.

"You have a blast, do you hear me?" she said with a wide smile.

"I promise I will."

"Good!" Ino replied. "And I want a full recount tomorrow!" With that, she stepped out the door and headed over to her car, laughing happily.

"Bye!" Sakura said before she closed the door and was alone in her living room.

She stood there for a couple of seconds, trying to get heart to calm down. But it was simply impossible… there was too much excitement running through her veins. The urge to jump around or race up and down the stairs in an attempt to vent some of her energy suddenly overcame her but she held it in check. It wouldn't to spoil Ino's perfect preparation of her appearance.

Deciding that it would be better to stay calm, she headed over toher living room couch and sat down. She knew Gaara would be here any moment; he was incredibly punctual and if he said he would bethere at a certain time, he meant it. Therefore, her nervous waiting only lasted around 5 minutes before she heard her doorbell ring.

Sakura stood up and breathed in deeply. The time had come.

She walked up to the door and opened it, a smile already on her lips.

After all the thinking she'd done about his reaction when he saw her wearing her dress she hadn't actually thought about the effect his dressed up presence would have on her.

For the first time in her whole life, Sakura explicitly gaped at a man.

There he was standing, wearing a sleek black tuxedo and a perfectly folded bowtie. His crimson hair was combed back neatly,in complete contrast to its usually tousled appearance. The colour of his locks contrasted perfectly with the dark suit he was wearing, making his eyes stand out even more than they usually did. He looked just like one of those gorgeous men that you came across in designer adds while flipping through a

magazine. The width of his shoulders was appealingly accentuated by the cut of his suit and when the alluring scent of his colognereached her, there was nothing she could do to prevent from feeling weak in the knees.

It was belatedly that she realized that he was staring intently at her as well. Both of them stood there, in the threshold of thedoor, awestruck and silent while staring at each other in transparent admiration.

Miraculously, it was Sakura who recovered first.

"You look incredibly handsome," she said, blushing slightly as she smiled.

He blinked but remained silent.

Sakura didn't register when he actually moved.

Before she knew it, she was caught in his tight embrace and felt him pull her against his hard body. His lips were on hers before she could even realize what was happening and once more, his dexterous tongue started to relieve her of her senses. She moanedloudly as she felt his hands roam down the exposed skin of her back, all thoughts of the party they were supposed to attend leaving her mind.

His fingertips left a hot trail of sensation wherever they touched and Sakura couldn't help but cling to his neck as he continued to ravish her mouth. The smell of his masculine scent was all she was inhaling and mixed with the feel of his muscled frame running all the length of her own body, it was simply inevitable for her to melt in his arms.

Their kiss continued for an indefinite length of time, for both of them were suddenly blissfully unaware of their surroundings. Nonetheless, it was Gaara who managed to return to the present first, pulling away ever so slowly and running his tongue over her lower lip for good measure just before he lifted his face to look at her.

"That's how utterly stunning you look," he said, his trademark cocky grin coming to his lips. His jade eyes stared at her fixedly and Sakura found a not so subtle glint of lust coming from their depths.

She could only lower her eyes and smile at the statement. To think that it was her appearance that had made him react like that when he knocked on her door was truly exhilarating. Who knewwhat other tempting interactions were waiting for her this night.

Looking back up at him a moment later, she confessed that she truly couldn't wait to find out.

"If it were up to me," the redhead said, running his hand down her bare back once more, "you wouldn't leave the house wearing that dress, much less keep it on. But unfortunately, we've got previously arranged appointments tonight."

Sakura felt her cheeks flush at his directness and at the impliedmeaning behind his words. But she wasn't one to feel intimidated by such and she rose to the occasion.

"Yes, it is a pity," she replied, lifting her hand to fidget idlywith his bowtie, "if a tuxedo like that looks so good on a man, he's usually hiding something even more appealing underneath."

His feral grin intensified to such a degree that Sakura thought she would turn into a puddle of goo right there and then.

"Mark my words, you'll get to see it," he said, completely sure of himself. He took her hand and brought it up to his lips beforecontinuing. "The night is young and you must keep in mind that the party is being held at a luxurious hotel… just in case we get bored quickly and find the need to retire early."

"And what do you think are the chances of that happening?" she asked boldly, her eyes glistening with mischief.

"Extremely high," the redhead replied, releasing her hand so she could step back and take her keys from the small table next to her.

"What if I like the dancing?" Sakura said as he stepped out onto the small path outside while she locked her door.

"I can assure you that the dancing will only make you want to retire even earlier," Gaara said as he offered her his arm, "especially since you'll be dancing with me."

Giggling as she wrapped her shawl securely around her shoulders, she stepped up to him and took his arm happily. "So I take it that you're a good dancer then."

"I wouldn't go as far as to say that," he replied, walking her upto his car. "But you'd be amazed at the liberty that being lost among a throng of dancing people can give you."

Sakura let out loud chuckle at the lascivious tone in his voice. They'd reached the car by then and the redhead opened the passenger door for her. Stepping inside, Sakura arranged her dress around her legs neatly as Gaara closed the door and walked over to the driver's side.

When the redhead had started to drive away, the pink haired girl lowered the visor turning on the small mirror light as she did so. She took a quick look at her face and giggled slightly.

"What's so funny?" Gaara asked, looking at her from the corner ofhis eye.

"Oh not much… I'm just amazed at the quality of this makeup Ino lent me. It seems that my lipstick survived a close encounter with you quite successfully."

He was about to reply with a quick remark about what other kinds of close encounters she'd be having with him before something occurred to him.

"Sakura, did some of your lipstick get on my lips?"

She exploded with laughter at the anxious tone of his voice. "I don't know, I can't see very well," she teased.

"Sakura," Gaara growled menacingly but this only made his pink haired companion laugh all the louder.

"I think the lipstick matches your hair perfectly," Sakura replied, amidst a giggling fit. She was happy to find that all the anxiety she'd been experiencing previously had successfully dissipated now that she was in his presence.

Lifting his hand up, the redhead turned the rear view mirror downso he could take a look at himself. Luckily, there were no signs of lipstick anywhere. Imagine the embarrassment if he went up to greet one of those stiff necked Hyuugas with bright red lipstick on his mouth. He'd never hear the end of it.

The redhead narrowed his eyes and glared slightly at her but thisdid nothing to deter her merriment.

Despite his sour expression, lost among the delightful sound of her laughter, Gaara was extremely grateful that he'd gotten the opportunity to have her with him.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

"Is this your first time riding a helicopter?" Temari yelled overthe din of the spinning blades. They were standing on the roof ofSuna Corporation's building, dressed in formal regalia. The helicopter had landed just a couple of minutes before and it was time for them to board it and be on their way.

Sakura simply nodded at the dark blond's question, her heart racing as Gaara took her arm once again and led her towards theirmeans of transportation. She truly wasn't afraid of flying, not at all, but it wasn't everyday that you went out on a date that required you to fly to get to the main event of the night.

Temari chuckled at the evident delight in Sakura's face and led the way. She was wearing a gorgeous strapless gown of dark teal;

the fabric hugged her figure nicely and matched her eyes perfectly. Her dark blond hair was tied up in a bun and a delicate necklace of diamonds decorated her elegant throat. She wore matching stud earrings, giving her an appearance of simple but graceful beauty that would certainly catch the eye of many men this night.

All in all, the older woman truly looked the part of Suna's Corporation president.

Once more, Sakura found herself momentarily overwhelmed by the realization in whose presence she would be attending the annual Hyuuga party. It wasn't enough that she was going to one of the most important social gatherings of the business world, she was also going to attend in the company of some of the most successful young entrepreneurs in the country.

Her incredulity must've shown on her face for Gaara squeezed her hand slightly and looked at her with a questioning look as one ofthe helicopter's pilots opened the doors for them.

The pink haired girl smiled reassuringly in answer, dissipating his worry.

"Are you sure we'll be alright?" an anxious female voice shrilledbehind them.

Sakura turned round to take a look at Kankurou and his date, Suzu, a young brown haired girl with eyes the colour of dark honey. It was evident that she was having second thoughts about riding the helicopter.

"There's no need to worry, we've ridden this thing everywhere. Our pilots are the very best. Nothing's going to happen!" the tattooed man assured her.

Gaara simply shook his head impatiently at the girl's antics. Holding out his hand, he helped Sakura into the helicopter and climbed in after her. There were six seats in the small chopper, not leaving much space to move around. The pink haired girl

headed towards the back and sat down. Taking the seat next to her, the redhead helped her get her seatbelt on without ruffling her dress too much.

Kankurou and Suzu took the seats in front of them; finally, Temari climbed up by herself and sat right behind the pilots, looking completely in her element. When Sakura had noticed that she was alone, she'd asked her if she wasn't bringing someone. The dark blond had smiled mysteriously and said that she'd be meeting her date at the party.

"We'll take around 25 minutes to get there," Temari informed themwith a wide smile. "Is the wind in our favour?" she asked, speaking to the pilots.

"Yes ma'am," one of them answered her. "The wind's blowing southeast, which is exactly the direction we're heading. But the forecast said that it's due to a brewing storm."

"A storm?" Suzu shrieked.

Temari creased her eyebrows. "When will it be hitting?"

"We've got plenty of time," the pilot on the right answered her. "We'll be landing in approximately 27 minutes, which is more thanenough to avoid the storm. You'll be on the ground and dancing before the rain hits."

"Alright then, let's go," Temari said.

With that, the propellers of the helicopter started spinning faster and a few seconds later, they were airborne.

As they rose into the air, Sakura felt a pit in the bottom of herstomach for a moment but the feeling was gone quickly. Gaara placed his hand on her knee and she threaded her fingers through his.

Bright emerald eyes looked out the window and at the tiny lights of the city beneath them as they flew. It was a wonderful experience and the pink haired girl was basically bubbling over

with excitement as she watched the thousands of glimmering car lights underneath them.

Gaara looked at her and at the radiant happiness on her face. He couldn't help but grin at her and at the almost palpable giddiness emanating from her. In truth, he was extremely pleased with having been the one who could show her this kind of experience. Riding a helicopter came as second nature to him thanks to his profession and it was something he took for grantedmost of the time. To find that Sakura was having such a good timedoing so only increased that tight feeling in his chest that emerged whenever he found himself in her presence.

In complete contrast to the pink haired girl's enthusiasm, Suzu wasn't handling the ride so well. Sakura noticed her pale face and decided that she needed some distraction. Thus, she pointed to things out the window, indicating all kinds of different land marks in the city. Happy to help distract his date, Kankurou joined in happily and pointed out different buildings himself.

The redhead sat back and listened to them talk, amazed once againat his girl's kindness. If it had been up to him, he would've left Suzu back on the roof. He simply didn't have patience for such meaningless antics.

Naturally, he ignored the little voice inside his head that told him that if Sakura had been this nervous, he wouldn't have gottenher into the helicopter until she was comfortable.

The flight passed by uneventfully and when Sakura saw the city disappear in the distance, she realized that they were getting close to their destination. As if reading her mind, the helicopter started to descend in wide circles and she could hear the pilots talking to someone through their headset.

"We've been cleared for landing", one of them said, as the chopper veered even nearer to the ground.

They finally landed on a hill located in one of the back gardens of the luxurious Equinox Hotel, one of the most lavish

establishments in the country. It was the preferred getaway destination for celebrities and elite businessmen worldwide and it offered all kinds of comforts to its guests.

Sakura couldn't even begin to think how much renting a room in this place for a night would cost.

They climbed out from the helicopter only to find an elegant red carpet covering the stairs and walkway leading into the back entrance of the hotel. Temari said something to the pilots that the pink haired girl couldn't hear; their chopper waited for themto walk down a little bit before lifting back up into the air.

Taking Gaara's arm once again, Sakura began to walk next to him behind Kankurou and Suzu. Temari, as expected, was leading the way and as they reached the doors, the pink haired girl belatedlyrealized that there was a throng of photographers and journalistsstanding on either side.

She gulped visibly but Gaara's steady presence next to her calmedher. Luckily, it was Temari who answered all the questions and did all the talking. It became evident that she possessed an innate knack for flourishing in these kinds of situations and being the president of one of the most successful electronic firms, it was only natural for her to do so.

Sakura was momentarily blinded by the flash of many cameras as they finally managed to walk by and enter the hotel. She was happy that they wouldn't have to deal with such antics all night and that it was over. It was truly a relief to see that the Hyuuga family's security wasn't allowing any of them into the building.

"Temari-san, Kankurou-san, Gaara-san," a steady voice greeted as they entered a luminous vestibule. "It is an honour to have you here tonight."

"The honour is all ours," Temari answered formally as she bowed towards a tall raven haired man with silver eyes. "It is always

comforting to know that the Hyuuga Clan holds us in high esteem, Hizashi-san."

Her brothers, each one standing to one side of her bowed low in respect. Following their lead, Sakura bowed to one of the heads of the Hyuuga clan, unable to stop thinking about her friend Hinata as she did so.

'She should be here with me,' she thought bitterly. 'This is her family too.'

But she remained silent and bore the appraisal of Hizashi-san's cold eyes stoically. Temari exchanged a few more words with him but he eventually moved on to greet another group of incoming guests.

"I hate that tight-assed bastard," Gaara murmured to her as they walked away, heading for the main hall of the party.

Sakura couldn't help but smile at his comment. "I know what you mean," she said in agreement. "One of my best friends is part of the family."

"Really?" he asked, startled. "Will she be here?"

"Oh no! She's not invited. Her branch of the family broke relations years ago."

"I'd heard about something like that," Gaara commented speculatively. "A problem with the distribution of shares betweenthe Clan heads. They kept it real private, though. Being the kindof people they are, it really wasn't a surprise that they didn't let any of their internal conflicts leak too much."

"I don't know the details," Sakura said, taking note of what he'dmentioned. Hinata had never gone into details about what had happened with her relatives. "I just know that it was really tough for my friend and her immediate family."

Jade eyes narrowed for a moment. "Now I remember. Your co-worker at the flower shop. She's the one you're talking about… the mute girl."

"She's not mute!" Sakura exclaimed indignantly, swatting him on the arm.

"Well, she didn't seem capable of forming a coherent word when I asked her where you were."

"That's because you snapped at her. She's really shy," she replied, standing up for her friend. "I mean, who wouldn't be scared voiceless if a cold stranger walked into your shop glowering at you and snappishly asked for your friend."

"I didn't glower," the redhead said defensively. "I was just annoyed that you weren't out front when I got there."

"And that gives you the right to openly lash out at people?" the pink haired girl asked but there was a playful undertone in her voice now.

"Sakura, trust me," Temari said then, intervening in their conversation. "He thinks he was born with the right to do just that. It's like second nature for him."

Sakura burst into laughter, joined a bit more discreetly by Kankurou a few moments later after he tried to hold in his mirth and failed.

Deciding to ignore his brother's outburst Gaara simply glared at his sister openly, his jade eyes cold.

"See what I mean?" the dark blond murmured as if she meant for only Sakura to hear. Naturally, she kept the volume of her voice loud enough for it to reach the redhead.

He was about to reply sharply but Temari chose that particular moment to raise up a hand and wave at a few acquaintance some distance away. She effusively went over to greet them and Gaara was sure that she was doing so in retreat.

He turned to Sakura then. "Don't listen to her," he said sullenly.

The pink haired girl chuckled as she raised a hand to caress his cheek fleetingly. "I think your sister is great."

"That's precisely the problem," he replied, narrowing his eyes once again.

They were standing a few paces from the doors of the main hall where the Hyuuga celebration was being held. There were a number of people coming and going all around, dressed in expensive gownsand designer suits. It truly was like the footage Sakura had seenon TV. She'd been afraid for a moment that she would feel completely out of place at a gathering like this but luckily, Gaara and his siblings had more than made her feel welcome. Despite her surroundings, she felt completely at ease and she wasconfident that she'd be able to survive the night without any hassles.

As they waited for Temari to rejoin them, Kankurou and Gaara greeted a few of the passer-by's politely. It seemed that they were acquainted with all kinds of businessmen, young and old. A couple walking by who the redhead turned to greet solemnly caughtSakura's attention. Both of them were dressed elegantly, as the occasion merited, but the woman's blue hair drew her eyes immediately. She was wearing an ornamental flower in her azure tresses and as she stopped in front of them, the pink haired girlrealized that the blossom seemed to be made from an exotically patterned paper that matched the design of her dress.

For her to be wearing a flower in her hair was enough for Sakura to like her instantly.

"Pein-san, Konan-san," Gaara greeted formally.

As the man turned to talk to the redhead concerning some businessventure, Sakura was drawn to his strange eyes. There were strangeripples in his pupils and as he talked to her companion, she feltas if his mind was scheming something even as he formed words

with his lips. On the contrary, the blue haired woman gave off anaura of tranquillity, as if she always managed to stay serene despite any circumstance. Somehow, Sakura knew that she was the calm that served as a base for her husband's, from what the ringson both their hands were saying, apparently aggressive nature.

The emerald eyed girl suddenly found that the woman was looking at her and smiling softly towards her.

Sakura returned the gesture with a smile of her own and a quick nod of her head.

"I'll talk to you later then, in private," Pein told Gaara, a tone of finality in his voice as if he'd just decided something important. It seemed that despite the fact that this was a celebration, business was always the main priority.

The redhead simply nodded in agreement before the rippled eyed man took Konan's arm once more to start making their way into theparty hall. In that instant, he seemed to take notice of Sakura standing there and looked her over for a moment.

She'd never felt so nervous under a stranger's gaze. It was as ifhe were sizing her up to see where she fit in the schemes of his mind. She just wanted to shrink and become as inconspicuous as possible in that single moment.

'Come on girl, show some backbone!' she thought.

Lifting her green eyes to him, she smiled softly while lifting her hand to Gaara's arm, as if unconsciously seeking his solid presence.

Pein noticed this immediately and a sudden comprehension dawned in his eyes. With that, he simply grinned slightly at her and nodded her way before walking away with his wife. Sakura didn't know why but she felt as if she'd just passed a test.

"You did well," Gaara said to her, covering her hand with his ownreassuringly. "It isn't anyone who can come out of a first

encounter with that man unscathed. You should've seen when I met him… it was a disaster."

"Who is he?" she asked, eyeing the receding backs of the couple as they passed through the large double doors of the hall and beyond.

Since it seemed that Temari wasn't coming along anytime soon, Gaara started leading her the way the two of them had just disappeared.

"That was the co-owner of Akatsuki Corporation," Kankurou answered, stepping up to them with Suzu in tow. "He's the public representative for the group since the other co-owner actually prefers to stay in the shadows; no one really knows who he is, actually. His wife, Konan, is also a mayor shareholder and memberof the board."

"I see," Sakura said. She knew she'd heard that name before somewhere.

An usher came up to them as they crossed the large doors and led them quickly to their table after the redhead provided their names. The immense hall was decorated extravagantly and there were tables situated around a large dance floor were people were already enjoying the music. Everyone present was dressed for the part but it was difficult to distinguish any particular person from among the crowd. The pink haired girl noticed the flower arrangements immediately but she was distracted as they walked by, trying to remember where she'd heard the name of Akatsuki before.

Gaara seemed to notice her confusion as they made their way to the table and knew very well that she was still pondering about what his brother had said. "Akatsuki is the main arms dealing company in the world," he supplied. "They sell weapons to many ofthe world's armies and their investigation department is the mostadvanced warfare laboratory is existence."

"Oh," the pink haired girl said as understanding dawned, realizing until now who she had been dealing with a few moments before.

"Pein-san was one of my teachers while I was in business school,"the redhead continued. "Ruthless in the classroom as he is in thebusiness world. He'd taken up a job as professor to see if he could hire some of the best graduates from the university and he did. He left when he'd already had enough to fill his board. Naturally, he doesn't do anything that doesn't bring benefit to him or his company."

"He was your teacher?" Sakura asked, slightly shocked. "He doesn't look that old."

"He isn't," he replied. "The man's a genius so he graduated from school quite early. He became an honorary professor in record timing."

Kankurou chuckled as they reached their seats and helped Suzu into a chair. "Well, he certainly thought the same of you."

Gaara furrowed his brow at this comment but remained silent, doing the same with Sakura.

"What do you mean?" Sakura inquired as the redhead sat next to her and signalled for a waiter. Luckily, their table was located sufficiently away from the dance floor for it not to be necessaryfor them to scream across the table to be heard.

"When he attended university, Gaara made quite an impression on Pein-san," Kankurou explained, eyeing his brother out of the corner of his eye. "Their personalities clashed almost immediately and their discussions in the classroom were infamous for being quite… heated."

"In other words, both of them were equally stubborn," Sakura supplied.

Kankurou chuckled at the girl's perceptiveness. The redhead was about to protest angrily but the tattooed man beat him to it. "Indeed they were and still are. But despite their apparent dislike when they debated, Pein-san approached Gaara just before he graduated and offered him a high post in his company."

"Really?" the pink haired girl asked in surprise, turning to the jade eyed man for confirmation. He simply nodded in response.

The waiter arrived then and they ordered their drinks quickly: two whiskeys, a cranberry vodka and a piña colada. Kankurou resumed speaking when he was gone.

"Of course, Gaara here refused since he was going to business school only to assume the reins of our father's company beside our sister. Also, the philosophy of being lucrative by selling artefacts made for the sole purpose of killing people didn't sit too well with him either. He made all of that clear. This, to putit nicely, didn't make Pein-san very happy."

"Which means he basically used every kind of persuasive measure to get me to join his board," the redhead said, shaking his head and scowling. "And some of those measures weren't exactly what you could call non-violent or legal."

"Indeed," Kankurou chuckled darkly as the waiter came back to hand them their drinks. "It seemed that he believed that if he couldn't have Gaara's business skills, no one could... literally.Trust me, coming from an arms dealer, his threats were anything but idle."

"He threatened you?" Sakura exclaimed in shock, her emerald eyes wide as saucers.

Gaara nodded, feeling somewhat flattered at the worry in her voice. "Yes but I put a decisive end to it. I simply walked straight into his office and told him to fuck off."

The pink haired girl blinked. "You did what?"

Kankurou laughed at her expression. "Ironically, it was exactly that attitude that saved his rear. Pein-san seemed to realize that he wouldn't be able to have Gaara no matter what he did so he changed tactic. He offered him large amounts of money if he would help him out with certain key business deals from time to time… kind of like functioning as a consultant for Akatsuki."

"And did you accept?" Sakura asked, turning to Gaara then.

"I did. It actually worked out perfectly. Pein-san is satisfied and he finally got off my case. Or well, at least most of the time. As a matter of fact, he wants to meet me later to talk about the next deal he wants me to go over with him."

The pink haired girl was about to say something when a tall silver haired man wearing a strange beaded bracelet wrapped roundhis right wrist approached Gaara and slapped him on the back.

"Well it was about fucking time you guys got here," he said, seemingly oblivious to the murderous gaze the redhead suddenly turned his way.

"Hidan," Kankurou greeted as he lifted his whiskey glass his way."How long ago did you get here?"

"Not long," the man said, turning for a moment to look around theroom as if searching for someone. "But being in the sole company of Kakuzu at our company table was getting on my nerves. I see his face fucking face in close proximity every god dammed day! Ofcourse I'm going to get restless! I made my escape as soon as Pein-san and Konan-san showed up. Where's your sister, by the way?"

"She's coming along," Gaara said, making an evident effort to keep his voice at a civil tone. "Temari was greeting some of the senior members of the Trade Council out by the doors."

"Those old farts? She shouldn't waste her time," Hidan replied, waving his hand dismissively, the beads of his bracelet making a sound. "She'd be much better off spending time with me instead."

The redhead simply glared at him. It was evident that he didn't agree that particular statement.

It was then that the pink haired realized that this was Temari's supposed date. And from what she had just heard, he was also partof the Akatsuki Corporation.

"And aren't you going to introduce me to these lovely ladies?" hesaid, turning a flashing smile Sakura's way. He walked up to stand in between her and Suzu, who were sitting next to each other on the round table.

Kankurou chuckled at his antics while Gaara simply eyed the hand Hidan had placed on the back of Sakura's chair as if he would like nothing better than to chop it off.

"Girls," the tattooed man said, "This is Hidan. Hidan, this is Suzu and Sakura."

"Nice to meet you," Sakura replied. Despite him being a bit too bad mouthed for her tastes, she found that she liked his outgoingand expressive manner.

"A pleasure to meet you too," he said with a smile. It was then that the pink haired girl caught a better look at his bracelet and realized it was actually some kind of rosary wrapped around his wrist. "If either of you need a break from these two fuckers,just let me know. I'd be more than glad to have a dance or two with you beautiful ladies."

Sakura was about to make a joke with him while Suzu blushed but luckily, she noticed the seething expression on Gaara's face and decided against it. It was evident that the redhead was just barely containing all kinds of violent impulses. She settled for taking a sip of her vodka instead and lifting a hand to softly caress his leg reassuringly.

That seemed to help somewhat and the redhead managed to let out adeep breath, releasing some of the tension. Hidan hadn't noticed anything and was now chatting amiably with Kankurou. It was then

that Temari finally made an appearance, coming up to them with a smile on her face. The silver haired man greeted her with a quickpeck on the cheek and Sakura grinned behind her glass.

Strangely enough, they made a good couple.

Both of them excused themselves for a moment and Hidan led Temarito another table where they greeted some mutual acquaintances.

"About time he left," Gaara said moodily, taking a long sip of his whiskey.

"He was nice enough," Sakura said as he turned narrowed eyes at her. "He makes a great match with your sister," she added quickly, making sure he didn't come to any wrong conclusion.

The redhead seemed to think this over and turned to look at whereTemari was standing with Hidan some distance away, laughing happily. "I guess you're right but still. Him being a religious fanatic doesn't sit very well with me."

"Gaara's only sour about Hidan because he has to see him when he goes over to Akatsuki's main offices," Kankurou said. "I'm sure he'll shout at you down the hall one of these days yelling 'yo, fucking future brother-in-law!'

He laughed out loud with that, so did Suzu and Sakura; it wasn't hard to imagine the silver haired man doing exactly that.

"That's precisely the problem," Gaara said, not in the least bit amused. "I'm sure he's been about to do so but thankfully, I haven't given him the chance… and I don't plan to."

They went silent for a moment before Suzu turned to Kankurou to ask him a question about some of the businessmen he'd been talking to at the entrance. Sakura took the opportunity to look around the large hall and survey all the people attending the celebration.

She admired their outfits while also making a note of the beautiful flower arrangements. Making a comment or two to Gaara,

she explained about the technique that had been used to create a table piece with the form of a swan using a large array of all kinds of white flowers.

The redhead listened to her intently, happily noticing the latentexcitement in her voice when she spoke about the things that interested her. He asked a few questions about certain flowers and she answered with great detail, making it clear that she truly loved her job. They talked for a while, ordering more drinks when the ones they currently had were finished.

An interruption finally came when another acquaintance of Gaara and Kankurou approached the table to greet them and both of them stood up to talk to him.

Sakura turned in her chair to take a look at the dance floor then, noticing all the different tones of dresses the women were wearing. She was happily tapping her crimson high-heels in time to the music when she felt a thrill run up her spine, making her extremely uncomfortable. She felt as if she were being watched.

She lifted her face to take a look around but didn't see anything. She was about to dismiss the feeling to a momentary lapse into paranoia when she turned her face towards her right slightly and noticed a familiar figure wearing a golden dress standing on the edge of the dance floor, arm in arm with a man who had a face like a snake.

It was Maemi.

The pink haired felt a wave of apprehension run all over her. Shecouldn't believe her luck.

The dress she was wearing was terribly classy and accentuated hersupermodel figure perfectly. The woman was whispering in the ear of the serpent-like man with the dark hair and smiling seductively. Laughing at whatever she was saying, the man wrappedan arm around her waist, pulling her to him as he signalled to a nearby waiter.

Sakura thought she hadn't been noticed and was about to turn her eyes away when Maemi turned her face towards her. Amber locked with emerald and the hate the pink haired girl saw reflected in the banshee's eyes simply made her skin crawl. But she wasn't oneto be intimidated so easily.

She kept her head high, not turning her eyes away. Maemi was the one to break contact first but only to turn towards Gaara, who was standing next to Sakura with his back to the black haired harpy. She ran her feline eyes over his handsome frame, a look ofbarely contained lust on her face.

Sakura felt her blood boil before she could help it and she fisted her hands on her lap in anger.

To her aggravation, Maemi proceeded to lick her lips slightly while still looking at him before turning a condescending smirk at the pink haired girl. With that, she turned back to the snake-man, flipping her long ebony hair over her shoulder.

'So that's the game you're going to play, you little scamp,' Sakura thought furiously. 'I'd like to see you try.'

For the life of her, she didn't know why she was so enraged. She knew for certain that Gaara didn't harbour any feelings for the good for nothing hag and he had actually thrown her out of his house while Sakura had been present. Still, having her ogling at the redhead in front of her inevitably provoked an instinctual response from deep within her. She was more than ready to fight tooth and nail for Gaara without caring about who got in her way.

Luckily, she realized that the redhead hadn't noticed the encounter she'd just had as he sat back down again. Sakura managed to keep her anger under control as he looked at her suspiciously for a moment. Blaming her flushing complexion on thevodka, he simply chuckled at her before leaning in for a quick kiss.

She preferred for him not to know. Any business that she might have with Maemi was strictly between the harpy and her… and she meant for it to stay that way.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

The party passed by in a flash, turning into one of the most pleasant evenings Sakura had ever had.

Dinner was a lovely affair and the dishes the Hyuuga family offered were simply exquisite. Sakura swore she hadn't eaten suchdelicious food in her entire life. It was followed by a long and somewhat tedious speech by Hyuuga Hizashi himself but afterwards,the guests were allowed to mingle without any further interruptions. As the night wore one and the levels of alcohol inpeople's blood increased, it became quite an amusing affair.

Gaara danced with Sakura all through the night, only surrenderingher to Kankurou for a song or two just because he was his brother. Temari and Hidan had been dancing nearby as well but theredhead didn't even give the silver haired man a chance to even ask the pink haired girl for a dance.

All in all, Sakura found that her handsome date was a good dancer; after the comment he'd made back at her house, she hadn'tknown what to expect. But to her pleasure, he turned out to be more than proficient and they had a blast dancing all over the place with each other. She wondered where he'd learned to dance like that and after she asked him, he simply grinned wickedly andtold her it came as part of the job description of attending suchevents with regularity. Sakura wasn't sure if she believed him but let it slide.

Fortunately, she didn't come face to face with Maemi all through the night. She spotted the banshee a couple of times but didn't have another staring contest. The woman was busy seemingly seducing the man she'd come to the party with. If Gaara noticed her, he didn't mention it. Thus, Sakura decided that it was best for her to keep quite as well. It wouldn't do to spoil the happy

atmosphere of the party by bringing her up. She simply wasn't worth their time.

At one point, one of the other family members of the Hyuuga Clan made an announcement and Sakura saw Suzu turn pale a few paces away as he did so. It seemed that a serious thunderstorm was hitting the city at the moment and that, for the time being, the guests who had arrived in helicopter wouldn't be able to fly back. Naturally, for those in such a predicament, the Clan had made arrangements for them to be able to stay at some of the hotel's best rooms if the storm didn't clear out for the night. They would be keeping them posted.

"We've got to stay," she heard Suzu murmur to Kankurou in a pleading voice.

"Looks like we'll be able to use the hotel's premises after all,"Gaara distracted her by whispering in her ear.

She giggled and faked a yawn just to tease. "It's a good thing too. I really am looking forward to getting some good sleep."

"Sleeping is the last thing you'll be doing," he murmured, leaning even closer to her. His breath tickled her and brought a chill of anticipation all over her skin. She turned round to kisshim full on the lips, the alcohol in both their veins kindling their desire even more quickly than usual.

They danced for another couple of songs before returning to the table with Kankurou and Suzu. The poor girl was distraught with the news of the storm and Sakura attempted to calm her down somewhat. As the night wore on, they chatted happily at their table, alternating with trips to the dance floor. The pink hairedgirl was tempted to take off her shoes at one point but decided against it. She really did need to maintain a certain degree of glamour at this gathering. Of course, if she'd been anywhere else, her high heels would've flown out the window ages ago.

At one point, Temari and Hidan joined them. The silver haired manordered for a whole bottle of whiskey to be brought to the table

along with glasses for everyone. Sakura took a couple of sips of the golden liquid but simply couldn't stomach it. Hidan laughed at her but ordered some vodka for her instead. Gaara was more than happy to finish her discarded glass for her.

They conversed good-naturedly for some time as the hours passed and as long as Hidan kept his attention solely on Temari, the redhead was tolerant enough towards him. It was after a while that an usher approached their table with three envelops.

"Temari-san," he said formally, "the keys you requested."

"Keys?" Sakura asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Yeah, since I saw that Suzu was so stressed about the flight back I thought it'd be best for us to leave in the morning when the weather's all cleared. So I asked for rooms for all of us."

"Temari-san, you didn't have to!" the hazel eyed girl said, blushing.

"There's nothing to it, dear," she replied, handing an envelope to each of her brothers, "they had already been reserved by our hosts. And how many times do I have to tell you? Just Temari willdo."

"Thank you," Suzu replied with a shy smile.

As the usher left, Sakura leaned towards Gaara with a sly grin onher lips. "Who says I want to share a room with you?" she whispered teasingly.

"There's isn't much of a choice is there," he replied, matching her crafty smile as he twirled one of her pink curls round a finger. "It's either that or you sleep out in the hall."

The pink haired girl gapped before laughing at his impertinent answer. She was about to reply tartly when a blond man with long hair approached the table.

"I'm sorry to be the one to interrupt the merriment, hn" he said,his deep voice carrying a slight undertone of humour. "Hidan, Gaara-san, I'm afraid that Pein-san wants to meet with all of us now."

"Fuck it," Hidan cursed loudly. "Can't a guy have a fucking breakfrom work once in a while?"

"Stop your complaining already, it's all you do," Deidara said, rolling his eyes impatiently.

Gaara was already lifting his glass to finish the last of his whiskey. He opened the envelop Temari had given him and took out one of the key cards inside. Giving the other one to Sakura, he leaned in for a quick kiss before standing up.

"I don't know how long I'll be," he told her. "But go up to our room when you get tired. If you want any room service, feel free to order whatever you want. But don't get too comfortable in thatbed by yourself."

She smiled at him as she chuckled, her eyes bright. "I'll try my best. Good luck with the meeting."

He nodded and turned towards Deidara. They started walking away side by side passing between tables, neither of them waiting for Hidan.

"For the love of Jashin! Can't they let a man finish his fucking whiskey in peace?" the silver haired man exclaimed before standing up in a hurry and attempting to straighten out his dishevelled clothing as he went.

Temari laughed at his receding form before turning back towards the table. "Sakura, how about we hit that dance floor?"

"You're on!" the pink haired girl said as she placed the card keyGaara had given her in her purse.

They danced for a while accompanied by Kankurou and Suzu. The number of people at the party was lessening by the minute, either

leaving by car or going up to the rooms reserved for them by the Hyuuga Clan. It wasn't long before all of them started to get tired, their feet complaining over the non-stop abuse they'd received all night long.

Temari decided to call it a night after a while and Sakura realized that it was probably a good idea to do the same. After Kankurou decided to get one last drink at the table with Suzu, both women picked their things from the table and headed out the door.

The pink haired girl wrapped her shawl round her shoulders as they headed towards the elevator, looking forward to finally be able to take her shoes off.

As they both stepped into the lift, Temari simply couldn't take it any longer herself.

"My feet will meet a premature end if I don't take these damned shoes off," she exclaimed, leaning against one wall as Sakura pressed the button for the floor of their rooms. The dark blond lifted her foot and then the other, ridding her feet of the painful constriction of her high heels.

"I agree with you there!" Sakura replied, doing exactly the same.She flexed her abused toes, feeling as if the blood was reaching them again after an eternity.

"I usually wear high-heels to work but these dress shoes are ridiculous," Temari said. She looked at the digital number of thefloors they were going past. "Trust the Hyuuga Clan to reserve all the best suites for their family. We didn't get the best rooms in the place but hey, at least they're something."

The pink haired girl smiled politely, murmuring that she truly didn't mind. How could she? The room she was going to be staying at was probably three times the size of her own bedroom back home.

They finally reached their floor and they made their way down thedecorated corridor with doors on either side of them, relishing in the feel of the soft carpet underneath their bare feet. When she reached her room, Sakura opened her purse and looked for the key. Temari continued to walk by.

"I'm just down the hall, Sakura," she said, "Good night!"

"Good night Temari and thanks for everything!"

"No need to mention it," the dark blond replied offhandedly as she stopped a couple of doors down on the other side of the hall and looked for her own key.

The pink haired girl placed her card in her door handle and heardthe soft click of the door opening. Happily, she went inside, throwing the shoes she was carrying in her hand on the floor witha thud. She closed the door behind her and she went a few steps inside, passing the threshold of the room while trying to find the light switch on the right wall as she went. Finding it quickly, she turned on the lights and lifted her face to survey the room.

It was then that she heard an eerie female voice from somewhere nearby.

"You're too easy, amateur girl. Only an idiot like you would comeinto the room without him."

Maemi.

Sakura froze completely before some kind of cloth landed on her face and she couldn't see anymore.

Chapter 11 – Impending Conclusions

As soon as she felt her face being covered, Sakura raised her hands to pull away whatever it was that was blocking her vision. From the feel of it, it seemed like a towel but in the chaos, shecouldn't be too sure. She'd taken a step back from the shock and was about to lose her balance when she felt a vice-like grip

taking her by the arm, long nails sinking painfully into her skin.

She let out a surprised yelp and tried to tug away. But the hand grabbing her was too secure in its hold.

There was a forceful shove and she was propelled forward into theroom. She fell on her knees and felt them burn as they scraped against the rug. The cloth that had been covering her face fell as she did so and following a deep instinct, the pink haired girlrolled forward as she hit the ground.

A loud crash was heard nearby and she whipped around just in timeto see the pieces of a vase flying across the floor exactly in the place where she had fallen.

It seemed this deranged hussy meant business.

Her heart was pounding inside her chest as she lifted her eyes from her kneeling position to see her assailant. Maemi was standing nearby; she'd stepped forward when the pink haired girl had fallen, blocking her way to the door effectively. Her golden dress glittered in the light's reflection and a sardonic grin adorned her face. It distorted her usually beautiful features, giving her an eerie look that made Sakura's skin crawl.

"Shit, I can't believe I missed," she said, talking more to herself than to anyone else. As she did so, she moved forward andthe pink haired girl noticed she was unsteady on her feet.

Not only was the banshee insane but she was drunk too.

Things really didn't look good. Sakura tried to put the fear aside and to think logically. It wouldn't do to lose her cool at a moment like this but it was extremely difficult. Her hands werestarting to shake from shock and the fact that the only way out of the room was blocked didn't help matters at all. She had to think of something, try to distract her and find a way around her.

"How the hell did you get in here?" she asked, forcing her voice to keep calm.

Emerald eyes shifted across the room quickly, noticing that a large king sized bed was to her left, the wooden doors of a wardrobe on the far side of it. On her right, there was a small sitting area with a couple of couches settled around a large TV. There was another door some paces away from the television which presumably led to the bathroom but Maemi was standing close to it, blocking the main door beyond. Realizing that the windows were actually to her back, Sakura knew she needed to get away from where she was quickly, just in case the crazy woman decided she wanted to push her through the glass and send her flying.

"Getting an usher to open the door for me wasn't at all difficultafter taking his pants off in a dark corner," Maemi was saying with a lewd smirk. "It's sometimes amazing how stupid boys can be. Pleasure their body and they'll do anything… including that redhead you came here with tonight."

Sakura felt her blood boil instantly and knew her cheeks would beflushing red with anger. Managing to swallow it down, she surmised that the best bet she had was to head towards the bed. If she jumped unto it, Maemi might not be able to get to her in time and when the drunk woman moved to catch her, as she would surely do, she could slip past to reach the door. The pink hairedgirl was glad that she'd taking off her shoes already and they wouldn't be hampering her movement.

She stood up straight then, very slowly, never taking her eyes off her attacker. It was truly unbelievable to think that something like this was actually happening.

"Of course, I'm not sure if you'd know anything about that," the ebony haired girl kept talking as she leaned down for a moment just in front of the shattered remains of the vase. "You look so terribly inexperienced in these matters that you're probably completely ignorant."

Green eyes narrowed but she refused to fall for the taunt. She was smarter than that. Still, the flame of rage that had been litinside the pit of her stomach gave a little flutter before it grew bigger. Damn it, this stupid harpy truly was infuriating.

When Maemi reached out for a particularly large and sharp piece of clay sitting on the rug, Sakura knew it was time to move. But as she was about to shift to her left as quick as she could towards the bed, the harlot opened her mouth again.

"It takes a real woman to know these things… take Gaara for example. He simply loves it when I lick the inside of his thigh. He shudders in this particular way when I do it and becomes puttyin my hands…"

All rational thought left Sakura's mind in that instant and all she saw was red. She didn't know if it was the alcohol in her veins that provoked such a deep gut reaction in her with the visual that Maemi's words brought but in truth, she simply couldn't take it.

Gaara in bed with this woman… it was simply too much for her current sensitivities to take.

She felt as if completely separate entity was taking over her mind; another Sakura that slept somewhere in the recesses of her being and that was summoned by the intense fiery wrath thrumming through her entire body. The peace-loving and calm Sakura was being left behind, the one that smiled at her customers and was always kind to those around her. She was rapidly disappearing andbeing replaced by another girl… a girl who fought for those she cared for and who wouldn't take crap from anyone. Rising quickly to the surface along with the rage, she spoke:

Are you going to let her get away with that?

'Hell no,' she replied inside her mind, all thoughts about going around Maemi to get to the door flying out the window. She wasn'tgoing to avoid her, she was going to go straight through her. It

was time to face this floozy straight on and show her who she wasmessing with.

She let out a long angry scream and lunged forward.

Maemi's look of utter shock was all Sakura was able to see beforeher right fist connected directly with the yellow eyed woman's left temple.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

At first, Temari thought she was hearing things. When she closed the door of her room, she swore she'd heard a shocked yap of somekind followed by the sound of something heavy falling.

Shaking her head, she'd quickly dismissed it as some drunk guest bumping into something in the next room. She threw her shoes downon one side of the bed as she walked in and proceeded to stretch languidly. After having had to exchange pleasantries all through the night with so many business associates, she truly was exhausted.

She didn't know how long Hidan would take or if the drunken sod would actually remember the number of her room. It didn't matter anyway for if he didn't, he would probably just follow Gaara up to their floor. Imagining her little brother in the company of her date brought a smile to her lips. She knew that the redhead tolerated Hidan only for her sake, even if he didn't show it openly. In any other situation, he wouldn't have had qualms in delivering a few particularly harsh verbal lashings to the silverhaired man and getting rid of him for good, especially with Hidan's personality. But Gaara had been more lenient with him than he usually would have; Temari knew this, even if nobody elseactually noticed.

It was always funny to remember his reaction when she initially told him she was going out to dinner with Hidan.

"With that religiously fanatical lunatic?" the redhead had all but shouted.

The dark blond had made a retreat out the door of his office in that very instant. It did no good to give him an opening to lecture her, especially when he could easily come up with the most biting comments to throw at her.

It wasn't as if they were officially dating anyway… they'd simplybeen going on and off, seeing each other when the chance presented itself. Still, she was thoroughly looking forward to spending a night with the silver haired man. She'd found that he was almost as devoted to his skills underneath the sheets as he was to his religion.

Smiling at this, Temari was about to enter the bathroom to changeinto a comfy bathrobe when she heard the scream.

Her movements came to a complete stop as her teal eyes widened insurprise.

The voice that had just yelled furiously had been none other thanSakura's.

She forgot all about the bathrobe and headed out the door before she could even blink. Not knowing just what the hell was going on, the dark blond ran for the door of the room where she had seen Sakura go into just a few minutes before. She went for the handle immediately but found it locked.

It was then that she heard some sort of scuffle on the other sideof the door. There was the sound of something or someone hitting the wall followed by some grunts and a screech.

"You stupid little slut!" a shrill voice yelled.

Temari recognized it immediately.

Maemi

"You fucking whore! Leave her alone!" she screamed at the top of her lungs as she rattled the door handle in yet another failed attempt to open it. Kicking it avidly in frustration, Temari

looked around the corridor to see if there was anything she coulduse to ram the door with.

In that instant, the elevator doors opened. Out walked a laughingKankurou hand in hand with Suzu, stepping into the hallway only to stop dead in their tracks at the sight of his sister pounding on the door of a room in the middle of the corridor.

"Get hotel security! Now!" Temari yelled.

"What the hell is going on?" the tattooed man asked, utterly startled.

"That bitch Maemi is attacking Sakura inside her room! Hurry up and get security! I don't know what she's doing to her! They're struggling in there!"

Kankurou didn't need to be told twice.

Luckily, the elevator was still on their floor and its doors opened as soon as he frantically pressed the button. Suzu followed him quickly afterwards and they disappeared once again, Kankurou cursing for the lift to move faster.

Temari looked around once again and found a waist high table witha flower arrangement sitting on top some paces away. Moving up toit, she knocked the decoration away and lifted the table tentatively to see it if was heavy enough for her to use. It seemed it might do the trick nicely since the wood it was made ofwith was quite thick.

Listening to the muffled sounds behind door for another moment, she surmised that neither of the occupants inside where anywhere near the entrance. She grabbed the table by its sides and moved it to the door; it wasn't too wide thankfully since it was only meant to be used for decoration and was easy to hold on to. Its height, she realized, was perfect for it reached just below the handle.

Lifting her improvised battering ram a little off the ground, Temari stepped back as far as she could go in the width of the corridor. She braced herself for a moment and took a deep breath before she plunged ahead with all the strength she could muster and slammed the edge of the table against door knob.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Sakura heard something ram against the door but she couldn't afford to get distracted. Temari's shout had echoed through the room a few moments before, letting her feel some kind of relief in the knowledge that there was someone outside that would be getting some help.

Much to her surprise, Maemi had recovered quickly after her firstpunch but the shock of that first attack had served its purpose and the harpy had dropped the sharp piece of vase to the floor again. The pleasure she had felt when her fist had connected withher face was something she honestly couldn't deny. It had simply felt good.

But there was no time to ponder about it for Maemi's yellow cat eyes had turned towards her while her face contorted with rage. She threw herself upon Sakura with all her might in an attempt topin her down.

The pink haired girl had been able to dodge slightly and didn't receive the pull force of the blow. Both of them were knocked to the floor however, but she managed to push the ebony haired womanoff and roll out from beneath her. Maemi had aimed for her face then; she realized in a fraction of a second that she wasn't punching, she was trying to scratch. Having felt the sting of herlong nails sinking into her arm, Sakura knew that those claws of hers could definitely deal some damage. She pulled up her arms tofend her off, kicking out with her right leg as she did so.

The harpy wasn't expecting that and she fell against the wall with a painful grunt. Sakura stood up in a flash then, trying to get to the door. But as she walked past, Maemi grabbed on to her dress with a screech and she tumbled to the ground once again.

The pink haired girl was about to scream in reply towards Temari when she felt something scrape her just below her nape. Turning around, she saw Maemi standing wobbly up on top of her, extended fingers with viciously long nails and trying to make another sweep.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

"Hurry up!" Kankurou yelled to the three security guards as they made their way hurriedly across the lobby.

The few people that were heading towards their rooms after the party stopped to stare with wide eyes as they passed by, murmuring in speculation.

"We don't know if she's got a weapon in there," the tattooed man was saying worriedly. "She could be doing anything!"

Just before they rounded the bend that led to the elevators, he grabbed Suzu by the arm. "You take them up to our rooms. I'm going to get Gaara."

The honey eyed girl nodded before turning to follow the guards tothe lift.

Kankurou had no idea of where his brother was meeting with the board members of Akatsuki but he spotted an usher some distance away and cornered him. He was able to discern their location after a few sharp questions and he headed down the corridor like if the hounds of hell were at his heels.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

"So you do not believe that this venture is profitable?"

Pein's voice echoed across the private sitting room. The members of his board sat scattered around the comfortable couches, listening intently. Each of them had given their respective opinion about the most recent investment plans their leader was considering; each of their statements had been taken in and

analyzed, in order to come to a satisfactory conclusion that would benefit them all.

Or at least, that's how it appeared on the surface. All of them were well aware that in the end, Pein would be the one making thedecisions regardless of what the others thought.

Considering the volatile tempers and undercurrent of tension thatwas sometimes expressed between the members of Akatsuki, one would think that the way things were run would only lead to chaos. Funnily enough, Pein knew his board members well, had chosen them all himself, which was why he knew exactly what made them tick. As long as he kept their individual goals and motivations fed, they were more than willing to cooperate.

It was in precisely this way that they had climbed up the business ladder and were now one of the most prominent firms in their industry. Little went on in the finance world without them knowing about it or without them approving it.

Aware of all this, Gaara lifted his jade eyes to the man addressing him and shook his head.

"It would only provoke losses from your part. Even though it might seem to increase your revenue at the beginning, you will not be able to keep production going at a profitable rate. The outsourcing you have suggested will only work if you have skilledand trained labour that you can hire. Which, from the reports youhave showed me, isn't the case," he answered, his voice firm.

Pein nodded but kept silent. He always respected the redhead's opinion not only because of his expertise in the world of business but because he always provided an outsider's point of view to the whole situation. He was able to point out flaws or benefits that weren't evident to insiders most of the time.

"I agree with Gaara-san." Sasori spoke from the corner where he was sitting. "We will only waste money training these people for them not to yield the same quality of production. Puppets are useless if you can't garner a good performance out of them."

A few mumbled agreements were murmured round the room. Nonetheless, Itachi spoke up from the armchair he was occupying. "But if we don't make this move, won't we be losing an opportunity to control that particular region?"

Gaara was about to remind him that there were better ways to financially assume the reigns of power over a country when there was a sudden commotion just outside the door.

"An interruption?" Pein asked, a dangerous low tone in his voice.

All of them inside the room turned towards the door, clearly irritated and unimpressed.

There were a couple of shouts from the security guards standing watch and Gaara recognized his brother's voice.

Before he could even begin to wonder just what the hell he thought he was doing and how little he valued life to actually dare interrupt an Akatsuki meeting, the double doors burst open and Kankurou rushed in, looking like a madman and forgetting all about protocol.

"What the fu- " the redhead started to exclaim but was cut short.

"Gaara! Maemi locked herself up with Sakura in your room! We don't know what the hell she's doing or if she's got a gun or a knife! There were sounds of struggling inside… Temarí's tying to open the door!"

It was as if a bucket of ice cold water had been suddenly droppedon his head: freezing tendrils of shock and incredulity running down his spine. Time seemed to decelerate and he could see Kankurou speaking to him as if he were watching a movie in slow motion.

Two realizations came to him in that very instant. The first being that the crazed hussy was truly capable of doing anything… and second, that he simply couldn't even begin to assimilate the

idea of Sakura being hurt in any kind of way, much less having her life placed in danger.

The icy grip of shock evaporated abruptly under the flaming heat of uncontrolled rage that suddenly rose from the pit of his stomach and made its way hurriedly all through his body. It blinded his vision, immersing the world in shades of deep crimsonwhere there was only room for the all-consuming fury running through his veins.

No one placed his girl in danger… no one.

With that thought, time sped up again, assuming its natural course once more.

It was only a split second before he was standing, completely forgetting where he was and the people he was meeting with. Therewas nothing else on his mind in that very moment other than Sakura.

"THAT BITCH IS DEAD!" he roared at the top of his lungs.

He was moving already, rushing across the sitting room without looking back and not noticing the stunned looks all the members of Akatsuki were throwing his way. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Hidan spring from his couch to follow him as he went out the door but Gaara wasn't about to wait for him. He heard him shout out profanities to the four winds as he tried to catch up.

It took him just a few seconds to reach the lifts. Slamming his hand on the elevator button, the redhead cursed under his breath when he noticed that both available lifts were a few floors away."Did you call hotel security?" he asked Kankurou through gritted teeth.

"Yes we did," he replied, breathing heavily. "I sent them up withSuzu while I went to get you."

"I should've known better," Gaara said heatedly, shaking his head. "When I saw her at the party, I should've known she would

pull some shit like this. I'm an idiot for letting Sakura out of my sight."

"You couldn't have known," his brother replied but the comfort hewas trying to provide was lost in the strain of his voice.

"Hurry the hell up!" the redhead shouted in impatience, kicking the elevator doors out of sheer frustration.

"Is this fucking Maemi the girl you used to date?" Hidan asked ashe came up to them at a run. "The one with the yellow eyes?"

Gaara simply nodded in response, tension thrumming all through his body.

"I always thought she was a fucking nutcase, so did your sister. Fucking chicks and their screwed up issues," the silver haired man replied.

Jade eyes narrowed dangerously as he pinned Hidan with a lethal glare. He was about to lash out at him when the elevator doors opened before them and they stepped inside hurriedly.

The ride in the lift was immersed in a heavy silence which only helped to feed Gaara's wrath even further. His hands were fisted at his sides so intently, that his arms were beginning to shake with the strain. All kinds of images of the state in which he might find Sakura were flashing through his mind and the seconds seemed to pass by with excruciating slowness.

The anger inside him swelled to unimaginable levels, threatening to consume his sanity and leave nothing behind.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Sakura effectively elbowed Maemi in the knee when she tried to reach out and scratch her again. As the banshee tumbled forwards,she crawled backwards into the room, panting heavily. Without noticing, she stepped unto the sharp piece of vase that Maemi hadpreviously dropped as she stood up straight once again. She hissed in pain as it cut her left foot and she reached down to

throw the abominable shard away from her. She didn't have time toinspect the damage though, for the harlot was already up on her feet, if somewhat unsteadily.

The door rattled for a second time but it was not budging.

"I don't know how you think you can get away with this," Sakura said as Maemi took a step closer towards her.

"I still can't believe he would trade me for someone like you," the ebony haired woman replied, ignoring her completely. "You're so unglamorous, so tasteless… so terribly insipid."

"He certainly doesn't seem to think so," Sakura replied venomously, "and that's definitely what counts. Not your completely useless and totally irrelevant opinion. He only kept you around because he didn't have anything better…and since now better has definitely arrived, there's no room for your mediocre self in his life."

"I'll ruin your stuck up face, you little prick teaser!" Maemi yelled.

"Bring it on," the pink haired girl replied, bracing her feet on the carpet.

The door shook again and Sakura could hear the hinges rattle against the force of the blow.

Maemi took this as her cue and she lunged herself forward towardsthe pink haired girl. She was ready for her though and as she drew closer, she kicked out with her uninjured foot. As the harpytried to dodge, she inevitably lost her balance and tumbled into Sakura. But the emerald eyed woman was quicker and as Maemi fell forward, she seized her wrists, holding her up and immobilizing her hands.

They struggled like this for a few moments until a loud cracking noise sounded from the vicinity of the entrance. Splinters fell near the door as it flew open, revealing a really pissed off

Temami. She dropped the table she had been using as a ram and jumped into the room.

"I told you to leave her the hell alone, you skank!" she yelled as she reached the two struggling women.

She reached forward and grabbed Maemi by the waist. Noticing thatTemari was with her now, Sakura breathed out in respite and let go of her assailant. Stepping back slightly, she saw the dark blond woman toss her against one of the coaches on the other sideof the room. She landed in a heap against the back of the armchair but she was still defiant enough to glare up at the two of them and let out a growl.

"Sakura, are you alright?" Temari asked in concern, noticing the blood on the carpet.

"I'm fine, I just cut my foot with a shard from the vase she tried to hit me with," she panted in response.

The President of Suna Electronics shook her head. "You are so going to pay for this," she said through gritted teeth as she turned to Maemi once more. "Consider yourself destroyed."

The ebony haired woman rose then, quicker than either of them hadthought possible, and threw herself upon Temari in an attempt to push her out of the way of the door. But the dark blond would have nothing of the sort, grabbing on to her golden dress and throwing her back on the floor.

"Stay down," she hissed.

"This way! This way!" they heard a familiar female voice shout down the corridor, followed by the heavy steps of several people.

At the sound of Suzu evidently in company of the hotel's security, Sakura slumped up against the room's wall, letting relief wash over her completely.

"Ladies, we'll take it from here," a large man said as he walked into the room, followed by two other men almost as big as he was.Suzu hovered out in the hallway and peeked from the doorway.

"About time!" Temari shouted as she turned around. "This whole thing is such an overwhelming breech in security that you're never going to hear the end-"

Her little speech was cut short when Maemi lounged herself towards the dark blond woman from behind and threw an arm around her neck, pointing a sharp shard of the vase directly at her neck.

"Let me through or else I'll kill her!" she shouted out in maniacal glee, her yellow eyes hazy with madness.

Sakura could only stare in shock, her eyes wide.

The three security men stood still for a moment, taking in the situation and deciding on the best way to intervene. But Temari made the decision for them.

"YOU.ARE.THREATENING.ME?" she asked in such a dangerous tone thatmade Sakura's skin crawl. She truly was Gaara's sibling.

Without waiting for the other woman to answer, Temari elbowed herin the ribs with all her strength.

Maemi's breath left her body excruciatingly and her intoxicated senses simply couldn't deal with the sudden pain. She toppled back only to receive the fist of Suna Corporation's President directly in the face.

"You should leave the room now," the large man who had initially spoken told them as he signalled for his companions to come between the women and the fallen assailant.

Temari was panting with barely controlled rage and glaring down at Maemi. Sakura grabbed her arm and pulled her out of the room in a hurry, meeting Suzu out in the hall.

"Are you alright? What happened? Are both of you ok?" the brown haired girl asked in a frenzy.

"We're fine," Sakura said, letting go of Temari and leaning against the wall again. Her foot was starting to sting terribly and was still bleeding. She balanced herself on one leg and bent her knee so she could press down on her cut sole with her hand inan attempt to stop the blood flow.

"Oh dear!" Suzu exclaimed at she saw the blood. "I'll get some tissue!"

She was about to run off when the elevator door opened with a chime.

Sakura sucked in her breath at the sight that greeted her.

The redheaded man coming their way in a hurry looked like a demonset on the loose. His face was contorted by a dark grimace and the glare in his eyes promised a swift annihilation to anything that dared to stumble across his path. Gaara made his way down the hall emanating an aura of fury so intense, that the two men behind him were following two steps after and keeping a safe distance from him.

He scanned the hallway as he walked and when his furious eyes finally crossed Sakura's gaze, his features visibly changed. Falling into a dead run, relief and a measure of something else crossed his eyes as he made his way towards her.

"Are you injured? What happened?" he asked when he was only a fewfeet away. He didn't give her time to answer though, for he swepther into a tight embrace. Burying his face in her hair, Gaara breathed in her scent; it was balm to the chaotic emotions that had been running rampant through his being for the last few minutes. Finding her safe and unharmed was truly the only thing he had desired.

As if his presence at long last gave her permission to finally let herself go, she went limp in his arms, hanging on to him and

trusting on him to keep her upright. The redhead pulled her towards him impossibly closer and Sakura tightened the hold of her arms around his neck.

While the couple clung to each other, Kankurou approached Suzu and offered similar comfort, whispering something in her ear.

With a wide smile, Hidan walked up to Temari. "Count on you to have the whole fucking situation under control," he said, lookingat the destroyed door and the table toppled on the floor.

"How about we follow their example?" he finished at length, offering her a sly smirk as he threw a glance at both her brothers and moved to embrace her.

"Get the hell away from me!" the teal eyed woman declared with a growl. Her face was still tinged slightly red from the angry outburst she'd pulled on Maemi recently and her nerves were stillon edge. "The last thing I need right now is for you to smother me."

"Fuck it, woman! I'm just trying to be supportive here," the silver haired man complained loudly.

"Then don't!" Temari replied angrily, pinning him with a glare and massaging her neck slightly. Even though the banshee hadn't managed to actually injure her, she knew she would be carrying a bruise for a few days.

Hidan huffed indignantly but moved to stand beside her, making note of the place where she was rubbing her neck out for the corner of his eye. "How did you get her out?" he asked after a moment.

"I managed to bring the door down using the table," Temari replied. "Who knows what might have happened if I hadn't done so.Thankfully it didn't have a tragic ending."

She lifted her teal eyes to look up at the embracing couple closeby and smiled softly.

Finally releasing Sakura, Gaara pulled away just enough so he could look at her. He cradled her cheeks in his hands and scannedher face with his eyes, as if trying to convince himself that shewas truly alright. The pink haired girl leaned into his touch andbrought her own hand up to caress his cheek.

It was then that the redhead realized that there was blood on herfingers.

"You said you were alright!" he shouted, suddenly furious.

"I am, I am," she said quickly, trying to placate him. "I cut my foot a little but it's nothing serious."

Jade eyes moved down her body and located her bleeding foot. Before she could protest, he lifted her leg from behind her knee to take a look. His movements were interrupted however, when an angry shrill sounded from inside the torn down doorway across thehall.

The wrath that had momentarily subsided when he had finally laid eyes on Sakura rose to the surface with a vengeance.

"Let me go!" the banshee wailed as she was led out of the room bythe three security guards, her hands cuffed in front of her.

Gaara felt his insides being consumed by lava and his eyes narrowed to murderous slits. He felt Sakura's hand on his arm buthe ignored it… he wanted nothing more than to rip Maemi's neck toshreds in that moment.

The urge was only made worse when the woman lifted her face and looked at him.

"Gaara, honey," she said, her words suddenly covered with honey. The ease with which her attitude shifted was astounding. "You know this is all a terrible misunderstanding… just tell them to let me go and I promise I'll make it all better."

The lascivious tone with which she finished her statement made the redhead nauseous and only fuelled his already uncontrolled

rage. Without saying anything, he released Sakura carefully and took a step towards her, his vision blurring crimson as he fistedhis hand to his side.

He didn't get far, however. A firm hand grabbed him by the shoulder and pulled him back, preventing him from getting any closer to the woman.

The redhead tried to get free but he wasn't allowed. Turning murderous jade eyes over his shoulder, he was intent on taking whoever was holding back down if they didn't release him in that very instant.

He was surprised to find that it was Hidan who was keeping him inplace.

"She's not worth it," the silver haired man said, his face utterly serious. "Soiling your hands over the likes of her would just bring you down to her level."

Jade eyes blinked for a moment. Somehow, Hidan's words had managed to filter through the clouds of anger that were obscuringhis rationality and he realized that the older man was right.

Gaara took a step back, suddenly aware of the implications of theactions he had almost taken a few seconds ago.

"But darling," Maemi whined, "you and I are…"

Her words were lost behind the ring of the elevator. The doors ofboth lifts opened simultaneously to reveal the most unexpected sight.

The redhead's eyes widened as he heard Temari suck in her breath in utter astonishment.

"Well, fuck me," Hidan said, as he chuckled darkly, resuming his usual demeanour.

All the remaining board members of Akatsuki stepped out of the elevators and into the hallway. They made their way silently down

the hall towards them, walking in perfect formation behind Pein and Kanon.

Gaara saw Suzu step behind Kankurou, as if seeking shelter from the incoming group. Indeed, they looked terribly intimidating, approaching in complete silence in their impeccable black suits. He truly had no idea of what they were doing here but he suddenlyremembered the way he had made an exit from their meeting and knew he should apologize.

"Pein-san," he started to say, taking a step forward.

But Akatsuki's leader raised a hand to stop him from speaking anyfurther. He glanced over at Konan for a second and only continuedwhen the azure haired woman nodded her head slightly.

"Is this the woman who was causing trouble?" he asked, pointing to Maemi. The calm way he spoke was at complete odds with the underlying fury in his voice.

"It is".

"Good. We shall take care of her. I truly do not appreciate it when someone interrupts one of our meetings, especially for something so tasteless as an ambushed assault. Cowardice has never held a high rank in my view of life."

Gaara shook his head for a moment in confusion. Akatsuki was intervening on his behalf?

"Tobi!" Pein barked abruptly. From behind the group, a masked manwas allowed to pass through.

"Yes, Pein-sama?" he said, bowing deeply in respect before his leader.

"Tell the Hyuuga that Gaara-san will be needing a new room. Also,send for a first aid kit. It seems that Sakura-san will need somemedical attention to stop the bleeding on her foot. Temari-san will most likely need assistance too if those marks on her neck

mean anything. We can't have the President of Suna Electronics sobadly attended."

All of them blinked in silence for a couple of seconds. How he had managed to discern all that in the little time he had been standing there was simply a mystery.

Following his orders, Tobi disappeared down the hallway in a flash.

Temari opened her mouth to protest and say that she was alright but Pein didn't give her the chance.

"I know the situation merited taking drastic measures, Temari-san. But next time, you must keep in mind that such an important person as you should not place herself in the line of unnecessarydanger. Your company would suffer greatly without your leadership. Hidan, I'm counting on you to keep a watch over things until we vacate the hotel tomorrow."

"Yes sir," the silver haired man said with respectful bow.

Temari gaped in disbelief and seemed to be on the verge of an angry outburst but Hidan silenced her with a triumphant grin.

"Pein-san," Gaara said, finally managing to speak up. "I appreciate your concern but there's truly no…"

"On the contrary, Gaara-san," the ripple eyed man replied, his tone firm. "I value the support you have given my organization throughout the years more than you know. You always go out of your way to watch our backs, so to speak, thus it is only fit forus to watch yours."

The redhead stared at him for a long moment, taking in what he had just said carefully before nodding his head.

"Zetsu, if you will," Pein said, signalling towards Maemi.

A man with a strangely coloured face stepped forward and moved totowards the cuffed woman.

"What are you doing? What the hell is going on? You can't take meaway!" she shouted, the fear in her voice evident. "I'm supposed to be taken to the police!"

"You will not get away with this as easily as that," Pein repliedicily. "We'll find a better way to deal with you."

As Zetsu grabbed her arm, the security guards holding her hesitated for a moment. It only took a brief glimpse of his mismatched coloured eyes to remind them who they were dealing with. He pulled a whimpering Maemi back towards the group.

"Do not worry about the Hyuuga. I will speak to them on your behalf and make sure they are properly informed and chastised forsuch a slip up in security during their celebration." Pein said finally before gracing them with a formal bow. "Now, if you'll excuse us. All of you surely need some rest."

But before he moved away, he looked up at Sakura, who was staringat him with wide emerald eyes.

"Sakura-san," he said as the men behind him started to walk back towards the elevator. "Judging from Gaara-san's reaction, you truly are an important person for him. I am glad to see that you are unharmed."

And with that, he bowed gracefully towards her and allowed Konan to take his arm before they turned round to walk away. Before they left, the blue haired woman looked over her shoulder and graced Sakura with another of her enigmatic smiles.

I know what it is to love an impulsive and powerful man, she seemed to be saying. The best of luck to you.

The pink haired girl nodded her way and returned the smile as best as she could, a strange feeling in her chest.

It was only when the group had disappeared behind the elevator doors once again that the tension in the air dissipated and they managed to find their breath again.

"That was the scariest thing I've ever lived through in my entirelife," Kankurou said, sighing out in relief.

"Fuck that! This was nothing!" Hidan exclaimed. "You should see him when he's really pissed off."

"Still, he had no right to treat me like a useless child," Temarisaid. "I'll be sure to send him an email."

The silver haired man rolled his eyes and bickered with her for afew moments.

Sakura watched them with a slight smile. She truly didn't know exactly what had happened but she instantly knew it wasn't something that occurred every day. The magnitude of having Akatsuki come up to their floor and check in on their situation personally spoke volumes even to her… and the way Gaara kept staring at the elevator doors with a lost look while standing in the middle of the hallway simply gave too much away.

"Gaara," she said softly, calling him to her.

He seemed to come out of his daze and looked at her, as if suddenly remembering what had happened. His face returned to the slightly annoyed expression he usually wore as he stepped towardsher.

"We need to do something about that foot of yours," he stated firmly.

"I think it stopped bleeding already," she replied. "It's really nothing. I've had worse cuts than this!"

"Gaara-san, Gaara-san!" a cheery voice shouted from down the corridor and they turned to see Tobi basically skipping their way. "I have a key for your new room. It's on this same floor. And the Hyuuga are sending one of their clan doctors over to check on Sakura-san and Temari-san."

"Thank you, Tobi," the redhead said, taking the key from him.

"Do you need anything else?" the masked man asked helpfully.

"No, we're fine!" Hidan shouted impatiently. "Get the fuck out ofhere, you dope."

"Alright, alright!" Tobi replied in a hurt tone. "No need to be so mean. Good night to all of you."

And with that, he rushed down the hall towards the elevators.

"I still don't understand why all of you treat him like that," Temari complained. "He's really very helpful."

"He's a fucking retard and that's that," Hidan replied.

His sister countered with a comment about the silver haired man'sown lack of intelligence but Gaara didn't listen. He stepped up to Sakura and before she had time to react, he scooped her up in his arms.

"Gaara!" she complained, "I can walk!"

"You shouldn't be using that foot until it's properly bandaged," he replied as he started walking towards their new room. "Now I want you to sit down and tell me exactly what happened… that includes you too, Temari!"

"What's with people ordering me around tonight?" the teal eyed woman exclaimed in frustration.

Kankurou snorted loudly as he grabbed Suzu's hand and started to follow Gaara.

Hidan looked at her for a moment, another devious grin forming onhis lips.

"Want me to carry you?"

Temari's answer came in the form of a forceful and painful whack across the back of his head.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Sakura really didn't know what time it was when she and Gaara were finally left alone in their room. She had changed into a comfy hotel bathrobe before the Hyuuga doctor had come up to check on her foot. There really hadn't been any need to make sucha fuss… she hadn't even needed stitches!

Still, her redheaded lover had been adamant in getting her foot bandaged. Thus, she had complied without complaining too much, especially since she realized it was his way of expressing the gut-wrenching worry he had experienced on her behalf. The vision of Gaara in a full rage wasn't something she wasn't easily going to forget and she made a mental note to try and steer clear of things that might ignite that inner demon he carried inside.

Of course, something deep inside of her was certain that he wouldnever direct that kind of anger toward her. She was sure of it. Her redhead would never even think about laying a hand on her andthat was just as well.

Now, as she listened to him wash his teeth in the bathroom while she rested on the bed, all she wanted to do was to have him cradle her in his arms. After the adrenaline had gone, Sakura finally managed to analyze the experiences she had gone through this night and it didn't cease to appal her. To think that Maemi was capable of doing such things was simply astonishing and she was glad that she was going to get her due.

Nonetheless, she simply could help but fear sorry for her when she thought about what Akatsuki would do to her.

The redhead walked into the room then, turning off the lights andleaving only the lamp on the bedside table on. He took off his shirt, having discarded his suit and bowtie a long time ago, and sat down on one of the nearby couches to take off his shoes.

Emerald eyes scanned his torso appreciatively but she forced herself to focus on what she wanted to say.

"Gaara, what will Pein-san do to Maemi?" Sakura asked, knowing her question was awkward.

Predictably, jade eyes lifted up to her face in consternation. "You're actually worried about her?" he asked in disbelief.

"Not exactly," she confessed. "But I'm not sure if she deserves to die or anything as drastic as that for what she did."

Gaara shook his head. "No, they definitely won't kill her. Akatsuki would consider that an easy way out. They will most probably make her work for them and give her jobs that no one wants… after taking all her money, of course. And considering theway Maemi slept around to leech money from her lovers, well, you can be sure that Pein-san will exploit her assets to his benefit and to entertain his clients."

"I see," Sakura said, swallowing for a moment. She truly wouldn'twant to be in her shoes.

The redhead stripped down to a pair of black boxers and moved towards the bed.

"You really shouldn't be thinking about all that. You should be resting."

"I know," the pink haired girl replied as she trying to stifle a yawn. "But I didn't want to sleep without you."

Lifting up the covers, Gaara slipped between the sheets to join her and pulled her to him. He kissed the top of her head as he caressed her hair lovingly.

"I really worried over you tonight," he whispered, breathing in deeply.

"I could tell, from what Pein-san said," Sakura murmured sleepily.

But the words she spoke got him thinking back to what the leader of Akatsuki had said about his reaction. He guessed Pein had all

the right to be surprised at his sudden response to Sakura being in danger; in all the time they had been acquainted, never had Gaara shown any kind of concern for another human being.

He would've said the same for Pein, except for the fact that he had Konan. The redhead was sure that those two loved each other deeply despite the discretion towards one another that they exhibited in public. Somehow, he had the distinct impression thatPein saw a part of himself reflected in him… which actually helped to explain the way he had reacted towards the whole situation.

Having Akatsuki take action on his account was something completely noteworthy.

"I'm sorry for making you fret," she said at length.

"You know there's no need to apologize," the redhead replied withirritation. "If anyone should apologize, it's me. I was terribly careless tonight. With the way she assaulted you that time at my apartment, I should've known she would do something. I was an idiot for not saying anything when I saw her at the party."

"I did the same," the roseate haired girl confessed sheepishly. "I saw her but saw no need to mention her. I didn't want to ruin our night."

Gaara sighed as he held her for a few quiet moments. "What a couple of fools we are."

It was then that he realized that Sakura was already asleep, her breathing deep and relaxed. The strain she had gone through during the night had finally taken its toll. Sighing in deeply, Gaara allowed the feel of her in his arms to lull him to sleep and he followed her into the mists of slumber soon afterwards.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

As the light of the sun filtered through the curtains of their room, Gaara's eyes feasted upon the sight of the woman lying nextto him in bed.

She was sleeping on her side, facing him, her face completely peaceful as she drifted through the realm of dreams. It was if the hazardous events of the previous night had never happened, asif she were sleeping in the comfort of her own home without having faced down Maemi during an attack. Lifting his hand to caress her hair, the redhead marvelled at how soundly she was sleeping. After having gone through such an ordeal, he had almostexpected her to toss and turn in her rest; unconsciously, he had thought he would have to comfort her all through the night and the she would be plagued with agitated dreams.

Once again, Sakura proved to be quite a surprise. She had fallen asleep almost immediately after Gaara had cuddled her and had notwoken up even once. Smirking at the realization that she slept like a rock, he brought his fingertips to her cheek and relished in the feel of her soft skin. The way she slept attested to the strong personality that she hid behind her pretty face and cherrytresses. His girl was a fighter, that much was clear, and an assault from a deranged ex-lover wasn't going to rob her of her rest.

The way with which she had handled the situation, head held high at every moment and never playing the useless victim, spoke more than words. Any other woman would have cowered before such a violent attack and would have probably succumbed to Maemi's harassment. But not Sakura. She had risen to the challenge with confidence, completely sure of herself and refused to lower her gaze despite the intimidating circumstances. It was her behaviourthat set her apart from the rest and Gaara momentarily wondered what kinds of difficult situations she'd been forced to face during her lifetime for her to be able to brush off a direct assault with such ease.

The protective impulses inside him made themselves known once more and he moved to embrace her. Pulling her close, his rage rose to the surface again at the thought of her getting hurt,

physically or emotionally, and for him not to have been able to be there to do something about it. He knew it was stupid to want to protect her during a time when neither of them was aware of the existence of the other but at the moment, he couldn't care less. Maemi's impudence had hit a nerve and for the time being, the redhead simply couldn't tolerate the idea of Sakura being hurt in any kind of way.

She stirred for a few seconds but continued sleeping after burying her nose in the crook of his neck. Gaara caressed her back through the material of her bathrobe while he relished in the smell of her hair. If he took a moment to think things through clearly, it truly was astounding to realize the effect this pink haired beauty had on him. Never before had he wanted toprotect someone as much as he did her and the emotions he was feeling were simple too strong to be held back. Sakura had openeda flood gate within him, had been able to partially destroy the emotional dam he had painstakingly built throughout his whole life. The redhead had never wanted to get closed to anyone, had never even thought about it, and had lived his existence always looking behind his shoulder, trying to prevent anyone from getting too close. Staying one step ahead of the other person, whoever they were, was the strategy with which he approached everything. Hit them before they hit you. It was a certain way toprevent yourself from being unnecessarily hurt and from exposing yourself to the pain that would surely follow if you allowed yourself to be vulnerable.

But his plan had a flaw: the dam he'd constructed hadn't come equipped against bright emerald eyes, cherry coloured hair or a quick smile that could disarm even the most steadfast of opponents. With a kind word, unpredictably random comments and melodious laughter, Sakura had approached unsuspected, not posingmuch of a threat, and had found her way in. By the time he realized what she was doing, it had been entirely too late.

Gaara knew all this but what was more surprising of all was the fact that, in the deepest recesses of his being, he truly didn't mind. Never in his life had he thought he would be able to tolerate such an intrusion into the brittle and overly protected

world of his emotions. Never had he even contemplated the possibility of finding another person with whom to share this very private and intense realm. As his best friend, Naruto was sometimes allowed a glimpse of Gaara's inner workings but he would only let him go so far. This pink haired girl, on the otherhand, had managed to overcome all barriers, making him experiencefeelings he had not even known existed and had made herself at home.

There really wasn't anything he could do, truly. All along he hadbelieved he would have decimated any person who dared to intrude upon his personal emotional space; in fact, he was sure he would have… but not Sakura. There was no other way to describe their interaction other than that it simply felt natural. It was only inherent for him to allow her into his life, like if she had always belonged there. The way she talked, the way she moved, theway she smiled… the way she made him feel. It all felt innate, asif it had always meant to be so.

Realizing it was useless to fight his inner desire to be with her, Gaara had relented. Instead of challenging the emotions she awoke within him, he had uncharacteristically decided to ride them through and, to his amazement, to thoroughly enjoy them. Nowthat he had found her, he was never going to let her go.

Therefore, for someone to arrive out of nowhere and to upset the equilibrium they had established with one another was completely unforgivable. What was even more inexcusable was for someone to threaten Sakura directly. If Maemi had been a man, there was absolutely no doubt that he would've beaten her beyond recognition with his own two fists. As a matter of fact, he had been intent on doing just that for a moment when he was completely blinded by rage. It was only thanks to Hidan that he had been able to focus again.

He had been right: such a lowlife wasn't worth his time and was definitely not worth lowering himself to her level, much less ruin his reputation.

Begrudgingly, he made a mental note to thank the foul mouthed man.

Sakura mumbled something in her sleep as she lifted her own arm just to throw it round his neck. The redhead grinned and lowered his face to her. But with her movement, she was suddenly pressed much more closer to him and the feel of her soft curves suddenly made him shift to a terribly different frame of mind concerning their intimate position.

He had been planning on making quick work of her dress and throw her on the bed as soon as he returned from his meeting with Akatsuki… but due to obvious reasons, his plans had been ruined. His body had been voicing its desire for her for a very long timeand it was truly a miracle that he hadn't succumbed to it before this. It was yet another piece of evidence of the strange yet powerful effect Sakura had on him. Instead of pursuing her in a strictly physical sense like he had done with women before she came along, their relationship had taken a completely different direction.

He truly didn't mind this at all but still… a man had his patience and Gaara's had always been known for being practically inexistent.

Thus, he decided then and there that he simply didn't want to wait anymore.

He pushed away from her just enough so that he could see her face. Bringing up his hand, he trailed his fingers down the seam of her robe, parting it slightly. A portion of alabaster skin wasdeliciously revealed and he had to fight back the need to bring his mouth down upon it to see if she tasted as good as she looked. Grinning wickedly, he loosened the tie of her robe enoughso that if she moved, it would come undone altogether and expose her fully for his viewing pleasure. This allowed him to part her robe some more and gave him a tantalizing view of the tops of herbreasts.

Slowly, he brought his fingertips from the skin of her shoulder down to her chest in a long caress. Repeating the motion, he watched her face and relished in the way she unconsciously shifted towards his touch. He dipped his hand a bit lower after this, caressing the curve of her breast with painstaking slownessbefore bringing it back up across her skin. Sakura moaned slightly, igniting his desire even more.

It was all encouragement he needed.

Bringing his face down, he repeated the exact same caress using his tongue instead of his hand, lingering slightly where her breasts met. She stirred then and he looked up at her, his tonguestill on her skin. Emerald eyes opened slowly, slightly disoriented, only to look down.

Pupils dilating with surprise, the haze of sleep reigning over her was suddenly overthrown by the incoming flames of desire.

Sakura had to admit that waking up to a gorgeous looking redhead licking the skin of your chest was a terribly erotic way of starting your morning.

She opened her mouth to say something but he didn't let her. His lips were upon hers before she could even blink, kissing her withall the vent up desire he had been harbouring without knowing since the day they had crossed paths. Passion eradicated rationality in that instant and Sakura lifted her hands to bury them in his crimson hair as she kissed him back with equal fervour.

Gaara pulled her towards him forcefully, making her terribly aware of his own want. She couldn't help but moan again and he smirked into their kiss, bringing his hand up to her jaw to tilt her head and deepen their contact. Her hands wandered from his hair down to the muscles of his back, trying to pull him impossibly closer. The feel of her breasts pressed up against hishard chest was utterly intoxicating and her mind was consumed by the raging need that was beginning to pool between her thighs.

The pink haired girl didn't know how long he kissed her and she couldn't care less. All she knew was that when they came apart for air, he had thrown the covers away from them and she felt thetouch of cold air upon the skin of her abdomen while she tried tocatch her breath.

Belatedly, she realized that the tie of her robe had some undone without her noticing during their exchange and now, her naked body was completely exposed to roaming jade eyes. The glint in his orbs was nothing less than predatory and Sakura felt a thrillof anticipation run all the way across her skin. It seemed he realized it too for the redhead lifted his eyes to her face once more and graced her with the most malicious grin he had ever given her yet.

With the view of her unblemished skin and gorgeous body plainly before his gaze, Gaara felt himself come undone. With a growl, hegot rid of her bathrobe entirely with a couple of swift movementsand pulled her to him once again.

Sakura was unable to do anything else but to lose herself in the agonizingly erotic sensations he was provoking. His hands and mouth were everywhere, getting to know every inch of her body as intimately as possible. He touched, licked and bit as he explored, no inhibition whatsoever in his ministrations. There wasn't a patch of skin that hadn't received his attention when hewas done, as if he had suddenly decided to devote himself religiously to the discovery of her body. It was only when she found herself divesting him of his boxers with great impatience that the pink haired girl realized that she was doing exactly thesame. She even found herself digging her nails into the skin of his shoulders when all of a sudden, he threw her legs around his neck and used his tongue to drive away the last remnants of rational thought she had left.

It was only after she had ridden the crest of vision-impairing pleasure twice that he finally moved on top of her. The intense jade eyes that had plagued her dreams for countless days looked down at her then for a moment. The affection she saw intermingledwith red hot desire in his gaze made her breath catch in her

throat. Lifting her arms, Sakura pulled her down to him for yet another scorching kiss and she brought her legs up to wrap them around his waist.

The feel of him moving on top of her in rhythm of the erratic pounding for both their heart beats could only have been described as holy. She called his name out without being aware she was doing so as his movements increased their tempo, driving both of them closer and closer to the edge. Gaara's deep moans near her ear were driving her insane and the way his tongue wouldflick out to lick her earlobe or her neck at certain intervals only made it worse. And if it wasn't that, it was those two jade orbs looking down at her with such ardour and unrestrained desirethat threatened to strip her of her sanity.

It was simply too much.

The redhead's coarse shout was lost inside the room as Sakura rode the breathtaking wave of mind numbing pleasure with him all the way. Some part of her brain registered the fact that he had collapsed on top of her, panting hard. Regardless, all she could do was bathe in the splendour of the lovemaking they had just shared, holding him to her tightly and burying her face in his hair. It that moment, the last thing she wanted to do was to end the double embrace she was holding him in. Never did she want to be parted from him even again.

It was only after long while that Gaara finally shifted, lifting his face up to look at her. Words truly weren't necessary betweenthem for their bodies had clearly expressed everything that needed to be said. Silently, he rolled and reversed their positions, allowing Sakura to rest her head against his chest while she lay partially on top of him.

They held each other like that for a long time: the redhead caressing her hair while she traced invisible circles along his skin. The light of the sun made itself more prominent through thecracks in the curtain and it was inevitable for the pink haired girl to doze off after a while.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

The silence of the room was abruptly broken by the sound of the telephone on the bedside table.

Sakura jumped slightly at the unexpected ring, coming awake instantly. She heard Gaara swear under his breath as he reached up to pick up the phone.

"Yes?" he barked into the receiver, clearly displeased by the noisy interruption.

Sitting up, the pink haired girl raised an eyebrow as she watchedhis eyes narrow in annoyance.

"Well, you tell her that she can stick her morning greetings where the sun doesn't shine," Gaara replied after a moment beforeslamming the phone down and effectively ending the conversation.

Sakura blinked. "What was that all about?"

"Temari's idea of a bad joke," the redhead growled. "The helicopter will be here to pick us up in an hour so we should getready."

Trying badly to stifle her response, she realized it was simply impossible to hide her giggles.

"Please be kind enough to share whatever it is that you're finding funny," he stated venomously.

But Sakura was undaunted and laughed all the more at his grumpy look. "I just think I'll take my cues from your sister and never call you in the mornings, Mr.Grouch."

Gaara grabbed her wrist and pulled her to him. "Well, for your information, you won't need to call me in the mornings since you'll be waking up everyday with me by your side."

"Is that so?" Sakura asked teasingly, trying to pull away from his grasp.

"Indeed," he replied, bringing his other arm around her and preventing her escape. "Besides, there's ways in which you can wake me up without igniting my temper."

"Like the way you woke me up today?" the pinked haired girl inquired a bit breathlessly as he nibbled on the skin where her neck met her shoulder.

"Precisely. You should do well to remember that," he said before bringing his mouth up to capture her lips.

Epilogue – of Rain and Blossoms

"And that's how it is, dad," Sakura said cheerfully. "Sometimes you really don't know when life's going to sneak up behind you with a surprise or two."

She was standing in front of his grave, her umbrella in hand. Thegrass all around was wet for it had been raining intensely all through the morning. At one point, she thought they might not be able to make the visit to the cemetery they had planned a couple of days ago. But some higher force seemed to have intervened and when they were making their way over to the flower shop to pick up their blooms, the sun had suddenly shone through the overcast.

Of course, bringing an umbrella had been essential. You simply couldn't be too careful with this unpredictable weather.

The bouquet at Sakura's feet contrasted greatly with its myriad colours against the bleak grey of the tombstone. It really was good to bring your loved ones flowers; it gave the cemetery a whole different atmosphere as you walked among the graves and passed the blossoms people left in homage. The roseate haired girl had always thought that they attested to the life that had ended, reminding those who were still walking on these grounds ofthe vibrancy that soul had possessed while it was alive. For her,it was a way to pay respect to the man her father had been… always lively and cheerful. She'd inherited her positive streak from him.

Thus, never in all the years that she had come visit him had she ever forgotten to bring him flowers.

Sakura reached towards the tombstone with her hand, caressing it lovingly. "I guess I never thought myself lucky enough to find what you and mum had together," she whispered. "But I guess I never gave myself a chance. I don't know where all this will takeme… even so, I'm willing to give it a shot."

With that, she lifted her face to look down the row of graves where she was standing. Gaara was squatting in front of his mother's resting place, a large bouquet of lilies in his hands. Smiling, Sakura watched him place the flowers upon the base of the stone and saw him move his lips slightly. She couldn't stiflea giggle at that. After having learned that her redhead had only 'talked' to his mother a couple of times during all the years he had come visit her, it was only proper for her to encourage him to do so again.

For Sakura, talking to her father at his grave generally helped her get her thoughts together when she was worrying over something or simply made her feel that she continued to have a special link with him even if he wasn't actually with her in a physical sense. It was a kind of continuation of the relationshipshe had with him while he had been alive. Nonetheless, she knew it wasn't the same for Gaara, who had never actually known his mother, but she told him that it wouldn't do any harm to speak toher in his own way and voice the feelings in his heart. The wordsdidn't have to be spoken out loud… they only needed to be felt.

From the looks of it, he had taken her advice to heart even if hehadn't shown much enthusiasm initially. Sakura truly hoped that it helped him to heal the scars that had been etched in his heartsince he was so young. It would take time but she had a strong belief that he would one day be able to overcome them.

She watched him for a few more moments before turning towards herfather's grave once again. "I'll see you soon, dad," she said, leaning down and placing a quick kiss on the top of the cold stone.

Swinging her umbrella in her hand, the pink haired girl made her way down the aisle of graves and watched Gaara straighten up. He bowed once more before the stone, lingering for a bit before he looked up to see Sakura coming his way.

Turning towards her, he graced his mother with a half-smile over his shoulder as he started walking. They met midway between theirparent's graves with a quick kiss.

"You are aware that this is the first time that I visit my motheron another date that isn't my birthday," he said, taking her handas they started walking towards his car.

"I know. You told me," Sakura replied, squeezing his fingers. "You could've visited her anytime you wanted all these years… including on your birthday."

"Yeah," he said thoughtfully. "I guess it had just never occurredto me to do so."

"You learn a new thing every day!" she exclaimed with a laugh.

Gaara chuckled, loving her randomness and haphazard outbursts allthe more.

They walked amongst the graves in silence for a few moments, as if giving their respects to all of those that were lying beneath them. Sakura thought it was truly strange for their relationship to have been initiated among the last resting place of so many. Any other person would've considered this a bad omen. Having one of your initial meetings with your future boyfriend in a graveyard? It was unheard of.

But the pink haired girl thought it carried a completely different connotation, especially with the loved ones both of them had buried there. Death carried many meanings, not all of them as cryptic as the approaching end of your life… if you looked at it from a certain point of view, you lived many deaths in the course of your lifetime, all of them leading to a new

beginning as you walked your path and left all manner of things behind.

So why shouldn't such an astonishing relationship like the one she had with Gaara not begin at a place that was marked by so much significance?

Other might see it as ill-fated… but Sakura chose to see it in anauspicious way.

In life, it all truly narrowed down to attitude.

"We'd better hurry," the redhead said as they walked into the parking lot. "Naruto will most likely be there already."

"I can't wait to meet him!" Sakura exclaimed as she got into the car, "From what you've told me, I have the suspicion we're going to get along wonderfully."

Gaara narrowed his eyes at her for a moment but remained silent. With the way she had naturally teamed up with Temari against him,the last thing he needed was for her to make allies with his bestfriend as well.

They drove in companionable silence through the city, the late afternoon sun lazily shining down from near the horizon. The redhead had agreed to meet Naruto at the 'Rouge Dog' and had promised that he would bring Sakura along this time so he could meet her.

The blond had been ecstatic with the news and sworn that he wouldbe there early.

After parking the car, Gaara led Sakura to the entrance of the relatively small pub and explained that it belonged to an acquaintance of theirs. As they walked in, a brown haired man with red marks on his cheeks greeted the redhead with a wave. Thepink haired girl assumed that this most be Kiba and she smiled athim as she was led to the booths of the establishment, where another man with golden hair was sitting with his back to them.

"We're here," Gaara announced gruffly, as if he had resigned himself with the inevitability of this particular meeting.

The blond man jumped from his seat, evidently startled. But as hedid so, he revealed another person that they hadn't been able to see initially sitting across from him in the booth.

"Dammit, don't sneak up on me like that!" Naruto exclaimed.

But Sakura wasn't paying much attention… she was gaping at the girl sitting in front of her.

"HINATA?" she exclaimed in shock.

The raven haired girl looked at her with equally wide eyes and stood up quickly.

"What are you doing here?" she asked in surprise.

"I was about to ask you the same thing! I'm here with Gaara."

Hinata brought her hand to her face in shock when she finally sawthe redhead and nodded slightly in greeting.

"You two know each other?" Naruto exclaimed in surprise, unable to stifle a bark of laughter. "Talk about surprises."

"Of course we do," Sakura replied, "we actually work together."

"You're the Sakura from the flower shop?" the blond exclaimed. "Ican't believe it!"

"Naruto, right?" the pink haired girl asked with a smile, extending her hand. "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"The pleasure is all mine! You have no idea how much I've been wanting to meet you. Right, Gaara?"

But the redhead, who had remained silent up until now, was standing next to them with a thoughtful look in his eyes.

"What is it?" Naruto asked.

"You're dating the mute?" he asked in disbelief, pointing at the raven haired girl standing a few paces away.

"GAARA!" Sakura exclaimed, slapping him on the arm forcefully.

Hinata blushed fiercely and looked like she wanted the ground to swallow her whole.

"Hey!" Naruto said indignantly, coming to her defence.

The redhead seemed to get himself back together after the initialshock. "I didn't mean any offence. It's just that a loud mouth like you would simply drive the girl insane in a matter of seconds."

The blond looked sheepish for a moment as he stepped up to wrap an arm around Hinata's shoulder. "Well, she more than makes up for my weak points. What can I tell you? Opposites attract."

Sakura laughed out happily and moved to embrace Gaara in a similar fashion.

"I agree with you there."

With that, she stood on her tiptoes and planted a quick kiss on his cheek.

The redhead grumbled but accepted the show of affection stoically.

Deep down inside, after all he had lived through recently and hadmanaged to discover thanks to the roseate haired beauty standing next to him, he agreed with that statement as well… but there really was no need for them to know that.