Why Do I Feel This Way?

Chapter Six

~One Week Later~

Hana POV:

It's been a week and Gaara hasn't come back. My mark swelled a little and I've just been feeling down ever since. I've been stuck in the kitchen all day, not wanting to face people. I just did what was needed and barely spoke. The group was worried about me but I don't care. I just want my Gaara back....

"Hey Hana? Why don't you head home early? We'll close up shop." Said Akihiro as he grabbed my backpack for me. I just nodded and walked home. I opened the door and just walked up the stairs to my room. I dropped my bag and slumped into my red panda form. I crawled into my hammock and sat there until dinnertime. Soon after my mom knocked on the door and came in.

"Hana, dinner is ready. Are you hungry?" She asked softly. My back was turned away from her and I didn't respond. She walked to my hammock and saw me.

"Are you sad because of Gaara?"
And then I couldn't hold it in anymore and started crying. I missed him so much and our bond has only grown stronger, making it harder for me to cope.

My mom gasped before cradling me in her arms. "Oh Hana don't cry. He'll be back soon. He can't be happy knowing you're sad sweetie."

I just kept crying and whimpering for a while. Eventually my mom stopped rocking me when I calmed down. She set me back on the hammock and walked out. She came back a few minutes later with a plate of bamboo shoot and mulberries. She left them by the hammock and left. I just held on tightly to my tail and started crying again. Love is making me crazy. I'm sobbing into my tail and I'm a mess. I miss Gaara so much...

Gaara POV:
The meeting lasted three days to figure out how to aid Amegakure. They needed help in defending them against a small group of bandits that have been stealing during the day. Eventually I created a strategy in catching the bandits and gave it to them to use. In less than a day they captured them and begged me to stay to celebrate. I couldn't say no, it would insult them. And countless times I felt the itch in my back grow. I should really get that checked out.

I also brought back a gift for Hana. It's a necklace I saw, with a yellow sun as the centerpiece; because she's my sunlight. Hana is making me do strange things. But I love it. She makes me so happy, her smile making me melt; her jokes making me laugh, her innocence makes me smile, and her laugh makes my heart flutter. And then I realized:

I'm in love.

Today I returned to Sunagakure and can't wait to see her. I unprofessionally ditched the other jounin when we reached the gates and ran off to the bakery. I ran in the bakery to see Chiharu flirting with another employee. I cleared my throat to catch their attention.

"Oh, Kazekage-sama! What brings you here today?"

"Is Hana here?" Her smile dropped as did the other employee.

"She....hasn't been here for the past three days. She's been staying home." My eyes widened in shock.

"Is she sick?"

"...No, it's something that goes on within her clan that's been affecting her." My worry is only growing with this.

"What is she going through?"

"I think it's best if you see for yourself Kazekage. I'll write her address down for you.." Said the male as he started pulling out pen and paper. When he was finished he handed it to me and simply said "good luck." I nodded and headed to her house as fast as I could.

When I reached the house I knocked on the door and tried to regain my posture as the door opened.

"W-what a surprise Kazekage-sama." Said an older woman.