Because I Met You

Chapter 5: If I Hadn't Met You

"Hey, Gaara, what's the Academy?"

It's been a few weeks that I've been staying at Gaara's place, and I've been hearing Temari and Kankuro talking about the "Academy" all the time. They seem to be going to that place every day. It seems like a really important thing.

"The Academy? The one Temari and Kankuro go to?"

"Yeah... Is it an important place or something?"

"The Academy is a place where they train people to become ninjas. You learn how to fight and control your chakra to make simple jutsu."

"So... Temari and Kankuro are training to become ninjas?"

"Exactly."

"Are you going to go to the Academy too?"

"I would but..."

Gaara looks down.

"They won't let you...?"

"Yeah..."

There should be a way to attend the Academy...

"What if we both apply? I mean, it would be good for both of us to control our abilities right?"

"There wouldn't be any problem if you apply, but they won't let me apply."

"But... I want both of us to go..."

We have to both get in. It might also help me know more about where I come from. It will also help Gaara control his sand better. He'll be so strong if he does. Maybe...

"Temari can help us!"

"Temari? She won't help..."

Why is he so against getting along with his siblings? Well... I understand not wanting to get along with Kankuro, but Temari really cares. She's just a little afraid to show it. Probably because of their dad...

"She will. I know she'll at least try."

"Kiu..."

"Too late!"

I get up, run out of Gaara's room, and head for Temari's. I knock on her door and she opens it after a few knocks.

"Ah, Kiu? What's wrong? You need something?"

"Well... I have a favour... to ask you..."

"A favour...?"

"Yeah... You see, I know that you and Kankuro go to the Academy... and... well..."

"You want to go too?"

"Not just me... Can both Gaara and me go?"

"Gaara...?"

She avoids making eye contact with me.

"I think it'll be good for him to control his sand... I mean... He would be less feared if he doesn't lose control... when he's all emotional and stuff..."

Temari sighs and finally stops avoiding my pleading gaze.

"I guess you're right on that point... But, why do you want to become a ninja? Is it just to be with Gaara?"

"Well, that's one reason, but... I also want to know a little more about my weird power absorb jutsu from dead people... Maybe I'll be able to know more about who I really am..."

"You did say that you lost all of your memories... But, wait... How do you remember your name?"

"Oh... that... Well, Mari told me that when they found me, I was in a state of shock and I was mumbling 'Kiu, you have to get away. I have to get away.' I was probably repeating something that someone told me, well at least that's what Mari's parents assumed."

"Well, whatever you went through before must've been traumatizing enough to make your brain erase it all. You sure you want to know what happened to you before you lost your memory?"

"...I would like to know... So... can you help us out?"

Temari sighs again. She's sighing a lot more than usual.

"I'll go talk to father and try to convince him that it'll help Gaara be in better control. If that doesn't work, I'll go talk directly to the Academy. And if that doesn't work either, I really don't know what else to do."

I give her one of my biggest, happiest smiles.

"Thank you so much, Temari!"

I hug her tightly.

"Okay, okay, calm down there, Kiu!"

I let go of her and rush back to Gaara's room. I find him standing at the door.

"Were you eavesdropping?"

Gaara's face changes to a deep red and he looks flustered.

"N... No I wasn't!"

"You were, weren't you?"

I giggle as his cheeks turn a darker shade of red. They're so cute, I just want to kiss them! Or pinch them, one or the other. How about both? I pinch his cheeks, which makes them even redder.

"Ow, ow! Kiu, cut it out!"

I let go of them and kiss his right cheek.

"Wh-What was that for?"

"I don't know! I just couldn't help it, because I'm so happy and your cheeks were just so adorable."

He gives me a little smile as he rubs his sore cheeks.

"So... do you think we'll be able to get into the Academy?"

"Temari will do everything she can for us to go there, so I'm pretty sure we will."

"How come you're so optimistic about everything?"

"Because... Every time something bad happens, something much better comes out of it. I mean, if I wasn't kicked out of Mari's house, I wouldn't be here, with you, all the time. And now, we're going to both attend the same Academy to become strong ninjas and we'll be best friends forever! How to not be optimistic when thinking of all this?"

Gaara smiles a much bigger smile and nods.

"You're right, I don't know what I would've ended up being if I hadn't met you..."