The Dust Devil [English Version]

Chapter ∞ - 19th january

 This passage was specially written to celebrate Gaara's birthday on January 19, 2024. It is intended to be incorporated into the fanfiction in the future.

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               Bathed in a gentle light, the children's park seemed abandoned at this late hour. The few lampposts present cast dancing shadows on the sand.

The blonde girl, still holding her bag, walked towards the solitary merry-go-round. She climbed onto it, a smile on her lips, setting it in motion with a flick of her foot. Her hair floated around her, catching the faint rays of light. A few steps away, the Kazekage silently observed her. Hatsu's body swayed with the ride, and with each of her pushes, the night's gentle breeze swept through the folds of her teal-green hakama, making it flutter lightly and animating the golden kanji on the back of her kimono.

"Have you been here often?" she asked, her voice breaking the stillness of the night. The question was casual, almost innocent. 

"No," Gaara simply replied.

He turned his gaze away from the merry-go-round and the young girl, lost in his thoughts. His eyes lingered for a moment on scattered toys: buckets and a few small shovels. The laughter of children still echoed within him.

In truth, he disliked this place which reminded him of the loneliness and rejection he had experienced. Everything seemed to resurface at that moment, as if this place awakened echoes of his past. So why, among all the places he could have considered and suggested for this nocturnal stroll, did this one come to mind?

Then, as if she had sensed the young man's distance and the wave of melancholy that had seized him, she reopened her eyes. She got off the merry-go-round, walked towards him, and sat down beside him, folding her legs underneath her.

"Memories never really fade away. They may soften, sometimes transform... But we can create new ones, can't we?"

She gave him a smile and reached into her plastic bag, pulling out a dorayaki. In a simple gesture, she offered him the pastry.

Gaara was struck by the young woman's words and the sincerity emanating from her. There was in her attitude a desire to understand and soothe wounds, even the invisible ones.

With a slight hesitation, he took the dorayaki, examining it for a moment before tasting it. When he bit into it, the sweet anko paste burst in his mouth,... far too sweet! However, and unexpectedly, he found himself surprised to notice that, although the taste remained unchanged, the flavor seemed less unpleasant to him.

Hatsu looked up at the sky, her thoughts gently drifting towards certain memories:

"We didn't go to town very often with my sister when we were younger, so every time, it was a real adventure!" she said, her smile widening. "We were completely captivated by the sounds, the smells of food, and the faces of strangers surrounding us. And then, it was also a chance to play with other children. Usually, our playground was the forest surrounding our minka. We climbed trees, inventing stories." She glanced at Gaara before losing herself again among the stars. "You know, imagination seems even more flourishing in nature. And there were the fields of flowers... so vast..." Her voice and smile softened, revealing a hint of nostalgia. "We spent our time running there and weaving crowns."

The Kazekage's eyes also drifted into the nighttime sky, thoughtful. Flower crowns? He could easily imagine the young girl wearing one. Wildflowers, surely!

"Anyway,... Those crowns were always there to remind me of one of the greatest dramas of my childhood."

Gaara turned slightly towards her, a discreet surprise in his gaze. Their eyes met, a grimace forming on Hatsu's lips as she began to nervously play with one of her strands of hair.