Chapter 31: The Shadow In The Garden

In the compact locker room, Sakura gracefully discarded her crop top and fishnets, unveiling the distinctive sealed mark nestled between her breasts. Gazing at her reflection in the mirror, she pondered the imminent revelation of the secret she had concealed for so long. A mix of relief and apprehension coursed through her; the burden of hiding her truth would soon be lifted, yet uncertainty lingered about their reaction.

As Sakura traced her fingers over the mark, she whispered, "I can't keep lying to them."

Swiftly, she shed her skirt and fishnets, slipping out of her slippers. Behind her, a door beckoned toward the private Onsen. Sakura fixed her gaze on the door, inhaling deeply. With a determined motion, her hands glided to the door's slit, opening the passage to the serene space.

Her enchanting eyes sparkled as she beheld the pristine wooden Onsen, set against a breathtaking backdrop of the desert and the verdant garden below. The billowing steam permeated the air, clearing her sinuses. Sakura immersed herself in the steaming water, contemplating how to embark on the forthcoming revelation.

Thirty minutes later, the door creaked open and closed, signaling the arrival of someone. Sakura discerned the approaching footsteps, and as Gaara entered the Onsen, she sensed the formidable aura of his chakra.

Gaara remarked, silently settling into the water across from her, "It's refreshing to glimpse a different aspect of the desert. The view from my office is hardly pleasant, considering how many Shinobi and civilians have shaped the landscape."

Sakura submerged herself until only her head emerged, turning to face Gaara on the opposite side of the Onsen. "Must be isolating to gaze out at the same scene constantly," she commented. "I apologize if choosing Kankuro offended you."

Gaara responded graciously, "It's not your choice that bothers me; it's Kankuro's persistent needling, treating you as if you're his prized taxidermy."

Sakura expressed her fears: "I was always afraid of you and what might happen if I angered you. I didn't want to live like that, but the fear still lingers."

Closing his eyes, Gaara sighed and reassured her, "I'm not that person anymore. My demeanor may seem angry, but I promise I'm not."

Tears welled in Sakura's eyes as she whimpered, "So you won't be angry if I tell you something now? I need you to know, not just as a friend but as the Kazekage."

With a stern expression, Gaara inquired, "You kept this from me out of fear, I assume?"

Sakura nodded, confessing, "Yes, but given the circumstances, you should be aware."

"What is it?" Gaara asked.

Standing in the water, Sakura bared her sealed mark on her chest, avoiding eye contact, and the room fell into a heavy silence. Slowly glancing at Gaara, she observed his unsettling reaction. His face drained of color, mouth agape, widened eyes, and a deep frown portrayed his utter speechlessness at the unexpected revelation.

"How is that possible?" Gaara finally managed to ask.

In a moment of apparent bliss, Kankuro entered the room in a vibrant mood, holding a blue vase containing a large cherry blossom branch. However, upon noticing the mark on Sakura's chest, his jaw dropped, and the vase slipped from his grasp, shattering into pieces.

Whispering with remorse, Sakura confessed, "Yeah, I meant to say something earlier."

Kankuro, overwhelmed, stared at the shattered fragments of his gift, envisioning everything he feared could go wrong. Frowning, he demanded, "What did you do?"

Gaara raised his arm to silence his brother, calmly stating, "She didn't tell because she was afraid we'd yell at her, so please calm down."

Anxious, Kankuro argued, "What do you mean calm down? Our village will still be in danger when the Akatsuki discovers they don't have Shukaku. Fuck!"

"Let her explain," Gaara insisted.

From the beginning, Sakura elucidated, "Before we left to rescue Gaara, Granny Chiyo said someone gave her Shukaku from the future. To keep his existence a secret, Ebizo sealed him inside of me."

Expressing regret, Gaara added, "If we knew beforehand, I would have sealed him back inside of me rather than you."

In despair, Kankuro lamented, rubbing his hands on his head, "I can't believe this is fucking happening right now. She could die from this."

Gaara sighed and replied, "This information stays between us. We cannot tell Temari. She would inform Konoha, and it would only spread further."

Kankuro immersed himself in the scorching hot pool, joining Sakura, who still stood, revealing the Shukaku seal on her chest.

"Sit down," Kankuro whined. "I don't want to think about it anymore."

Sitting beside Kankuro, Sakura leaned her head on his shoulder, apologizing, "I'm sorry, Kankuro. I didn't mean to hurt you, but I wanted to become the village Jinchuriki."

Gently pushing her away, tears welled in Kankuro's eyes as he yelled, "What? Nobody wants to be a Jinchuriki. Who says that? I can't believe this is happening right now. Gaara, there's got to be something you can do to fix this."

Gaara shook his head and solemnly stated, "The only way would be to extract the Shukaku, but that would kill her."

"Why is this happening?" Kankuro cried, lifting himself above the water and stroking his head with his fingers. "Why are you okay with this?"

"I'm not," Gaara responded, frowning at his older brother. "But you can't undo what's already been done. So there's no point in stressing about it."

"No point? Are you serious?" Kankuro yelled.

Sakura pushed his arms down, easing his body back into the water. Crawling over his legs, she sat on his lap, facing him, and brushed her fingers through his hair as they argued about her safety. 

On the other side, Gaara sought to conceal his tears. He wasn't one to openly display his true feelings. Gaara whispered, "Let me tell you this one time." 

The two stopped arguing, and Sakura asked, "What is it?" 

"You've placed me in a difficult position," Gaara said, frowning at her. "If the Akatsuki came for you, I'd have no choice but to let you die or kill you myself."

Kankuro yelled, "You can't be serious?"

Sakura accepted and understood him; she frowned, nodded, and said, "I will accept those terms if you allow me to keep working as a Shinobi." 

Interrupting them, Kankuro yelled, "Are you seriously agreeing with him right now?" 

"Fine," Gaara said. He sighed and leaned back in the Onsen to relax his weary bones. 

Kankuro crossed his arms and argued, "Why are you two ignoring me?"

"Hey, it's okay. Our job comes with risks, and you know that. I know you'll always do your best to keep me safe." 

Kankuro smiled and replied, "Yeah, you better believe it."

Sakura sought additional warmth by leaning against Kankuro in the water.

The three savored the remainder of their evening serenely within the Onsen. Birds perched atop the trees chirped and sang cheerfully. The soothing melodies gently lulled Sakura into slumber within the comforting embrace of Kankuro's arms.

As the Onsen dimmed, Sakura opened her eyes, realizing the passage of several hours. She sat up, left the soothing waters to dry off, and suggested, "We've stayed here long enough. Let's grab some dinner."

"Are we going to pretend the past few hours didn't happen?" Kankuro complained.

Crossing his arms, Gaara emerged from the water and affirmed, "That's precisely what we need to do to prevent the Akatsuki from finding out."

Sakura glared at Gaara and suggested, "You go ahead. Give us a moment."

Gaara closed the door behind him, allowing the young couple a private moment together. He wasn't pleased about it, but he made his choice. Sakura gracefully navigated through the water, slowly closing the distance to Kankuro. Tenderly, she cupped his face in her petite hands and pressed her lips against his. Their love transcended any curse or the influence of a sealed-tailed beast.

"I know I hurt you, and I'm sorry. Our village is filled with extraordinary people, but not all can protect themselves. Please don't hold any of it against me," Sakura earnestly conveyed to Kankuro.

Kankuro nonchalantly shrugged and remarked, "Fine, but you owe me one, Princess."

"What would I owe you?" Sakura inquired.

"I'd like to try again sometime," Kankuro softly proposed. "If that's alright with you? We never know how long we must live, so why not give it another shot."

Sakura locked eyes with Kankuro, absorbing the weight of his question. Despite her efforts to bury the pain of the past, she pondered if Kankuro might be onto something.

She gracefully emerged from the Onsen, feeling the brisk breeze caress her skin. As her hand met the wooden sliding door, Sakura responded, "I'll think about it, okay?"

Kankuro rubbed his head, replying, "Sure, yeah. It doesn't have to be right now."

Sakura entered the locker room, where a neatly folded Yukata awaited her for the evening. She secured it around her body and strolled down the hushed hallway back to their family room.

In the heart of the traditional Japanese family room, the family sat at the Kotatsu. The air carried the delightful scent of dinner, and Nakai-San, adorned in pink robes, sat on the ground and arranged an assortment of small, artfully crafted dishes on the low table. Ceramic cups held green tea, completing the setting.

Temari wasted no time, expressing her enthusiasm, "This looks fantastic," as she eagerly reached for her chopsticks and a bowl of steaming white rice.

When selecting vibrant vegetables for her rice bowl, Sakura asked, "I don't want to be a bother, but do you usually have guests who aren't royal families here? How many tourists come through here?"

Gracefully balancing a metal tray with a ceramic tea kettle, Nakai-San responded, "We have many Shinobi from across the nations who come here on missions. We normally don't have many royal families come through here."

Sakura, gazing into the distance, quietly pondered. Temari inquired, "Is there something wrong?"

Sakura replied, "No, it's probably nothing," her attention still seemingly elsewhere.

Curiosity got the better of Kankuro, who dropped his chopsticks, demanding, "Okay, now I'm curious. What is going on with you?"

Gaara added, "You've been distracted since we stepped foot in the building. Was there something else bothering you?"

Sakura complained, "Give it a rest, you guys; I'm fine."

Kankuro, however, persisted and said, "She said something earlier about having an uncomfortable feeling like someone was watching her."

Gaara joined the discussion, crossing his arms and stating, "I vaguely remember that from earlier." The family's conversation continued, but Sakura, gazing into the distance, remained lost in her thoughts. The soft glow of lanterns cast a warm ambiance, creating an atmosphere of serenity. Sakura, enchanted by the authenticity of the setting, couldn't help but appreciate the beauty of the moment.

Suddenly, with widened eyes, Nakai-San gasped and dropped the tray. Shattering pottery echoed through the room, causing everyone to jolt in surprise.

"What happened?" Temari inquired, his gaze fixed on the Nakai-San.

The Nakai-San stammered, "I... I saw something in the garden outside. It startled me. I'm sorry I disturbed your dinner. It was probably nothing." 

A palpable tension filled the air as they exchanged glances. The Nakai-San kneeled to compile the pieces of ceramic on the tray. The atmosphere, once serene, now held an unsettling undercurrent. Sakura's curiosity mingled with a growing sense of unease. Kankuro leaned forward, his eyes scanning the surroundings.

Temari swiftly rose from her seat, extending a helping hand to gather the shattered fragments of pottery scattered on the ground. Concern etched on her face, she inquired, "Are you okay?"

Nakai-San hesitated, her gaze lingering on the garden. "I... I'm not sure. It was a fleeting glimpse, but it seemed unnatural. I thought I saw shadows moving. It could have been an animal that snuck inside the garden. Your conversation spooked me, so I overreacted."

A collective hush enveloped the group. Gaara, typically unemotional, revealed a slight flicker of concern. An unspoken tension lingered in the air beyond the sliding doors.

As the others cautiously stood from the Kotatsu, still visibly shaken, Nakai-San pointed towards the garden. The exchange of glances among Sakura and the others deepened the sense of uncertainty.

Kankuro touched Sakura's shoulder gently as he said, "Stay here, Gaara, and I will check it out."

Obeying, Sakura settled back at the Kotatsu, patiently awaiting any reassurance from the boys. With cautious steps, Kankuro and Gaara ventured into the garden, ensuring their safety at every turn. Despite their thorough search, there were no signs of another human presence. It wasn't until the last bush that Kankuro, after sifting through it, revealed widened eyes.

In a state of panic, Sakura queried, "What is it?"

Kankuro reached into the bush with a significant smile, retrieving a small tan bunny rabbit with a white cotton tail. Chuckling, they approached the girls to reveal their discovery.

"Oh, my? Where did that come from?" Nakai-San inquired.

"It appears you were right. This little one must have snuck in here for something to eat. I don't usually see these rabbits in these parts," Gaara explained.

Kankuro handed the rabbit to Sakura for a gentle pet. She felt comforted as she cradled the fragile creature.

"What a relief," The Nakai-San expressed, gracefully exiting the room. "I'll be back in a few hours; don't hesitate to call me. I need to return the kettle to the kitchen."

The family reconvened at the table, picking up the remaining meal. Sakura sat contentedly with her rabbit, its wide eyes reflecting a sense of horror.

"You must be so relieved it wasn't an assassin or someone worse from the Bingo book," Temari observed.

"Yeah, instead, I got to make a new friend," Sakura smiled.

"That worried me for a minute because we're hunting a peculiar rogue Shinobi called a Phantom. When she mentioned a shadow, it made me nervous," Temari explained, her concern lingering.

"Enough," Kankuro argued firmly. "I instructed you not to disclose anything about the phantom Shinobi."

"Kankuro, you can't keep hiding information from her. She's bound to find out when they eventually target the village," Temari defended.

"It does sound serious, Kankuro. Shouldn't we be concerned?" Sakura inquired.

"Let's hope it doesn't come to that," Gaara replied, his stoic expression revealing a hint of concern.

Kankuro pointed to the rabbit and remarked, "Hey, I think the rabbit died."

Sakura gasped, gently wiggling the lifeless creature, and exclaimed, "Oh, no. What happened?"

Kankuro chuckled and said, "You scared him to death."

"Shit, I guess I'll have to bury him in the sand," Sakura replied. 

"I'll be going to bed, you three," Temari said. "Don't stay up too late." 

"We'll be right behind you."