Echoes in the Rain ~Completed Story~

Chapter 8: Confessions

Neji half-dragged Hinata away from the training grounds. She followed him slowly, but diligently. Something was bothering him. She wanted to ask, but decided silence would be the best route. He would tell her soon. She could sense it.

As soon as they were inside the main gates, Neji lead her under a tall sakura tree. It sheltered them slightly from the rain. The pink-red blossoms surrounded them, shining almost in the light rain.

"Lady Hinata-"

"Nii-san, there is no reason to be so formal," Hinata said, almost nervous. He only called her 'Lady Hinata' when he was angry at her or someone else.

"Hinata-sama," Neji corrected himself coolly. "I need to know the truth."

"The truth of what?" Hinata was utterly confused and lost.

"Why, Hinata-sama? Why him?" Neji said despairingly, ignoring her question, but answering it nonetheless. "What is wrong with Naruto? Or Kiba? Or Shino?"

"Because I don't feel anything for them," Hinata tried to explain.

"You're seventeen! What do you know about love?"

"He taught me true love." Hinata wasn't looking at Neji, but at the sakura blossoms.

"He taught you? He's a demon, Hinata-sama!"

"He's not a demon. He's a man," Hinata said. After a second's pause, she added, "a man whom I have loved since I saw him in the rain."

"Hinata-sama!"

"That is final, nii-san. I value your opinion and thoughts on the matter, but," Hinata had found her courage and was staring Neji dead-on. "I will not give up on him. I love Gaara-sama!"

With those words, Hinata walked out from the shelter of the sakura tree and walked inside. Neji stood outside, thinking.

As Hinata brushed her hair up in her room, her eyes fell upon the clothes that Temari had lent her a few days earlier. They had been cleaned and were neatly folded at the foot of her bed.Might as well take them back, Hinata thought as she set the brush down.

Grabbing her backpack, Hinata placed the clothes in. The rain was getting heavier and she didn't want them to get wet. Grabbing a piece of paper and a pen, she wrote neatly: I went over to Temari-chan's. I'll be back soon. Hinata. Putting the pen down, Hinata placed the note on her bed, in plain view. Closing the door quietly, she walked back into the rain and made her way to the apartment.

0o0oo0ooo0oo0o0

Gaara had walked back to the apartment, where Temari had scolded him about going out by himself. Kankuro had defended him, as expected. Gaara let them argue. If they were going to fight, they were going to fight. He had quietly slipped off to his room.

Temari and Kankuro were yelling so loud that they did not hear the knocking at the door. Gaara had been just been walking by the door, so he heard it. After waiting a few seconds, Gaara decided that Temari and Kankuro were so wrapped up in their fight that they wouldn't hear the knocking. Gaara opened the door.

Hinata started to speak, but blushed when she saw Gaara. Shaking her head slightly, she said, "Hello, Gaara-sama."

Gaara smirked as he said, "Hello, my Hinata. What brings you here?"

"I have to return Temari-chan's clothes."

"I think Temari's busy fighting with Kankuro, but come in," Gaara opened the door wider and allowed her inside. Gaara felt warmth against his arm where she had brushed against when entering since there wasn't a ton of space by the door. He mentally shook it off and lead her into the kitchen.

"What I do with Shikamaru is none of your business!" Temari screamed at Kankuro.

Kankuro shouted back, "It is my business! If you get pregnant, it'll be a huge scandal-"

Temari flushed red and shrieked, "We're not that far yet! I'm waiting until I marry!"

"That's what they all say!"

"What would you even know?! You've never had a girlfriend!"

"That you've known of!"

"Who then?" Temari asked viciously.

"I dated Tenten a year ago!" Kankuro yelled. "And Ino and I are thinking about it!"

Temari stared in disbelief. Finally, she said, "Tenten? She started dating Neji last year..."

"Yeah," Kankuro said tiredly. "That's why we ended it. I knew she was still in love with Neji, but I hoped otherwise."

"I'm sorry, Kankuro," Temari said sincerely. "Truly, I am. I just didn't realize, all those times."

"It's all right. How could you know? I never told you. Unless you read my journal."

"The last time I did it was when I was ten!"

Kankuro gave her a disbelieving look, and she sighed and said, "Fine. Two months ago."

Gaara cleared his throat and Kankuro and Temari turned to look at him. Hinata's blushing had finally stopped, even though she had heard some interesting information. Kankuro and Temari on the other hand blushed scarlet. They had thought that their fight was private.