By My Side

𝕯𝖔𝖓'𝖙 𝖀𝖘𝖊 𝕾𝖚𝖈𝖍 𝕸𝖆𝖑𝖎𝖈𝖎𝖔𝖚𝖘 𝖂𝖔𝖗𝖉𝖘

Chapter 08 :
Don't Use Such Malicious Words

THERE'S a long eerie silence lingered inside the Kazekage's office, Naruto sure don't know how to respond at the sudden confession of the red-haired teen beside him, Gaara was looking at him with his usual serious expression while he wait for his response.

“I like you Naruto. Ah, no I love you...”

Naruto stare at his fellow Jinchūriki friend with wide eyes, not wanting to believe what he just heard. He wanted Gaara to repeat whatever he said because Naruto thought he was hearing things, he was also kinda hoping Gaara would say sike and he's only joking, but he knows Gaara never joke around.

"Ah - "

Suddenly there's a glass-shattering sound echoed through the spacious room, both Jinchūriki face each other first before rushing where the sound came from, there they saw a large hole on the small wide window. The hole was large enough for a person to pass through.

Without a minute later, Temari and Kankuro came running towards the two Jinchūrikis. Temari immediately scan the both of them, finding some injuries but she luckily found none.

"Are you guys okay? We heard some noises. What happened?-." Kankuro continues to interrogate the two.

"We're okay. You can stop questioning us now." Gaara unintentionally hissed, not used on being ask by many questions.

Kankuro immediately stopped talking, a small embarrassed blush creep on his cheeks, "R-right ..." Kankuro whispered, looking down.

"I'm glad you both are okay, but ... What exactly happened?." Temari ask as he inspect the window,

"Me and Gaara was eating ramen, when we heard some shattering noises. When we arrive this is what we saw." Naruto explained.

"Wait!." Naruto exclaimed making everyone inside the room face him, "The envelope I gave you ... Where is it?." Naruto asked.

"I put it on the drawer, why?." Gaara confusedly asked, "Baa-chan said that contains S-rank secrets ... she also said that many rouges want that envelope." Naruto explained.

Gaara then hurriedly went to his desk and opened the small desk below, he sigh in relief when he saw the envelope Naruto was talking about.

Gaara sigh in relief, "It's still here."

Temari then stand up, "Me and Kankuro is kinda busy so we better leave you to alone ... and Naruto, enjoy your stay." Temari said and signal Kankuro to follow her.

Naruto and Gaara just stand there watching Kankuro and Temari leave, Gaara ask for his Sand Nins to clean up the mess. Naruto volunteer to help them, but Gaara didn't let him saying he should go and take some rest.

The blond declined as he still needs to ask Gaara about earlier, with the help of Gaara's sands the Sand Nins finished their cleaning faster. The Nins then excused themselves, when they can no longer see them, Naruto decided to ask about Gaara's confession earlier.

"So ... about ... earlier?" Naruto awkwardly asked, Gaara faced him while he stare at him confusedly, the Jinchūriki of Shukaku was waiting for his blond friend to continue.

"What do you mean?." Gaara asked.

"Are you really going to make me say it?." Naruto protestingly whined.

"How would I know what you mean if you won't tell me." Gaara retorted.

Naruto whined louder, "Yousaidyouloveme!." Naruto exclaimed, he sure knows he was blushing.

"Talk slowly Naruto. I didn't understand what you said." Gaara scolded and walked closer to the distress Uzumaki.

"You ... said ... you ... love ... me ..." Naruto said with tight voice, "And? Is that a problem?." Gaara innocently asked.

"Of course it is! - I mean no! - argh! - I don't know!." Naruto exclaimed as he glare at his Kazekage friend, “He just confess that he love me, and now he's acting like it's not a big deal!.” Naruto thought feeling irritated.

"Look Gaara - "

"I love you because you are my friend. Do you not love your friends?." Gaara curiously asked.

Naruto blink. Once. Twice. Thrice. He unconsciously licked his lips as he thinks about what Gaara just told him, Naruto opened his mouth only to close it again, gaping like a fish.

"As a friend? ... You mean ... you ... " When he finally understand what the new Kazekage is trying to say, Naruto scoff loudly.

“Why would I even think that Gaara will like someone like me? Sasuke is right, I really am an idiot.”

Gaara seem to realize why Naruto was behaving like this, he immediately tried to clear any misunderstanding. "I'm sorry, I don't love you romantically. I only love you as a friend." Naruto sighed in relief as he wiped the imaginary sweat on his forehead.

"Don't scare me like that!" Naruto scolded while he accusingly point his forefinger at him.

"Huh? Oh ... I'm sorry if you felt uncomfortable. I just thought to say thank you to you ... I just realized I haven't thank you for all the things you had done for me ... " Gaara said with silvery voice.

Naruto gently smiled and hugged him, he could literally feel the red hair tense.

"What are you doing, Naruto?" Gaara asked, while he hesitatingly hugged the blond back.

"Hugging you." Naruto simply said.

"So, this is what hug feels like." Gaara muttered, "It feels good." He added.

"If you ever want a hug, you can always hug me, anytime you want." Naruto exclaimed while they broke the comforting hug.

"It's seems like you failed your mission, hm?." Master said while sitting on his so-called throne.

"I'm sorry Master, I'll make sure next time. I will succeed." A figure said, while he hung his head down. Bowing respectfully at his Master.

"How did Hatake survived?." The man sitting on the so-called throne asked.

"Sai, brought him to the hospital." He hissed with venom present on his voice.

"You really hate him, huh?." Master asked, it was impossible to miss the mockery seeping from Master's words.

"When the Team Seven receive another mission, I want you to kill Hatake and Haruno ... give me Uzumaki. I don't care how will you do it ... just make sure you won't fail ... If you ever fail again, you're going to be punished. Am I understood?." He ordered.

"Yes, Master." The figure said and bowed deeply at his Master.

"You're dismissed." The figure again nodded and take his leave, heavy footsteps echoes through the very dark corridors.

The only source light of the dark building was a small torch, on every wall. The teen can still manage see clearly, when he was sure he was away enough.

He punch the wall, it left a small crack on the tough hard wall. He's eyes burning with fierce with his immense anger.

“Stupid old Man, treating me as if I'm just a mere puppet ... after I kill Hatake and Haruno ... I'm going to kill you next. Mark my words, Danzo.”