Gaara promptly faced her but the darkness of the night obscured his round face. "Is that so?"

Hinata blushed shame-facedly and turned around, suddenly embarassed of her confession. Was he really that unfeeling? Did her eyes really fool her? Was it just her own fantasy after all? Did she just dream everything up? The glances? The longing? The hidden embarassment? Yes, maybe she did. After all, what use had he for her - a useless and pathetic little girl with the weird, white eyes? She could feel the tears forming on the corners of her eyes and, with all her will, struggled not to weep in the presence of the Kazekage.

"I... I'm going now." She stated rather arrogantly. "I have had enough..."

Her voice trailed away as she headed for the door. This was too much. She had day dreamed most of the time and paid no care to reality - the reality that the Kazekage would never like her back. It was time to change. She would throw away her desires and concentrate on her past. She must return to her homeland healthy and sensible as before. She would go back to her old self and forget everything that ever happened at Suna. It was a bad dream. Yes, that was what it all was. A bad dream. A mere fantasy written by her mind in which her foolish heart believed in.

With one quick motion, Gaara was behind her, holding her arm tightly in a vice grip. Hinata could not shake off his hand, nor could she shake off his poisonous stare with those deep, green eyes of his.

What now? Her mind screamed. After your stupid reaction, what now?

"I..." He began, slowly loosening his hold until his hand was once more beside him. "I'm sorry for what I said. It was unintentional."

Hinata nodded.

"I hope you understand."

Nod.

"You're not mad?"

Nod.

"Really?"

Nod.

"I feel the same."

Hinata lifted her gaze and met his eyes. She could not believe what he had just said. He felt exactly the same way as she did. She was not dreaming, after all. The glances and the blushes were meaningful and not vain! Her heart thumped loudly as every second of the realization passed. The fantasy was slowly shaping into reality. There, in the light of the full, silver moon, her dreams were coming true. And she was horribly speechless. It felt as if her mouth had run completely dry and that her throat was burning for unexpainable reasons.

No! She thought to herself. I must not faint! Not now...

...For her knees had already begun to feel like jelly as she continued to look into his face. His countenance and presence felt so sacred to her, like he was a god in all his wondrous splendor. His gaze never wavered, not even when she blushed a deep, dark crimson. Not a feature of his face changed as he stared at her. Slowly, he lifted his right hand and gently stroked her pale cheek. She shivered a little at the motion but kept her ground. Then, ever more tenderly, he raised her chin up and softly brought his lips to hers. Hinata was, at first, surprised at the bold move. She had never been kissed, not once, and the flood of mixed emotions of delight and wonder overwhelmed her that her knees almost buckled. Thankfully, the cold wall was behind her and it provided her with support.

The kiss lasted but a moment and Gaara withdrew, turning round and blushing at his boldness. Hinata bit her lip and was shuddering in the summer air. No one said anything for a moment.

"You better go." He finally said. "Go and make preparations for your return to Konoha."

"You just..." She sighed as the tears ran down her face. "You just made it hard for me to go."

Gaara walked away and back to the rails. "I know..." He whispered to the night wind. "I know..."

- - - - -

Saeki tucked in the last of Hinata's belongings on the woolen bag. She wiped the sweat on her brow, for the day was extremely hot, and smiled contentedly at Hinata. "My, my, Hinata-kun! There isn't much to pack, is there? Well, we're done and it took us only ten minutes."

Hinata smiled back at the nurse. "Yes. Thank you, Nurse Saeki."

She inspected the young girl's clothes. "They fit you well, huh? I used to wear them when I was your age."

"It's really pretty." Hinata smoothed out the wrinkles of the silk-like cloth, obviously not to be worn on a country like Suna. It was far too fancy for sand and wind.

"You can keep it." Nurse Saeki watched as the girl's face grew animated with delight and wonder. The dress was becoming to her and would be better to wear in a nice grassy country. "I have to go now. I have rounds to make."

"Okay."

As soon as the nurse left, Hinata buried her face in her pillow and cried bitter tears. She was too attached to leave. She was sure that she could never be the same again. She would miss everyone: Nurse Saeki, Dr. Hideki, the patients, the visitors, the hot summer sun, and, most especially, the Kazekage. She never told anyone about it, not even kind Saeki, but she hoped. Really hard. After that night, she kept wondering if it would somehow happen again. Perhaps some magic would bring them together under the moonlit sky again. She went to the rooftop every night, hoping that he would show up and ease her little fears, but he didn't. His siblings said he was far away on business. He had absolutely no time for a petty discussion. But she knew in her heart that what he said that night was sincere and that it came from his heart.

Hinata was too busy wallowing in her own sorrow that she failed to hear the steps of someone coming in. Only until he slowly lifted her up from her sheets did she notice. It was the Kazekage. It was Gaara. In the heat of the moment, she flung up her arms and cried at his neck, making his shirt damp with tears. He did not struggle nor turn her away. He was aware of how she longed to do that for a long time, and how, also, he longed for that moment. They stayed in that position for a long time, until Hinata's eyes dried out and there was nothing to squeeze out. She withdrew and blushed at her impulsiveness.

"It's okay." He said in a slightly softer tone. "You don't have to be embarassed."

"Why... Why did you come here?"

"I just wanted to bid you farewell."

"You make it hard for me."

"I know. It's hard for me, too."

"So... It's goodbye then?"

"Yes, but, before you go..." He took out a small yellow flower from his vest pocket and tucked it on her bag. "It's the blossom of a cactus. They're quite rare and highly valuable. I saw one today and it reminded me of you so I wanted to give it to you, as a parting present."

Hinata looked at the flower and caressed its golden petals. "Why?"

"Because, this flower, among the wide desert, is the most beautiful thing." He blushed at the foolish romanticism in his words and stood up to leave. "That is all. Farewell. May luck be with you."

Hinata smiled delightedly as she touched the flower and pinned it on her dress.

- - - - -

As the journey continued and the sands of Suna disapearred behind the merchant's caravan, Hinata slept comfortably underneath the thick, wooly blanket. She was dreaming of Konoha and her family. They were happy to see her back, even her usually cruel father. They welcomed her with wide, open hands and embraced her one by one...

The wagon lurched a little as one of the wheels hit a small pebble. Hinata woke up with a start and noticed that Suna was well behind them now. She panicked a little at the sadness in her heart. There was a tearful goodbye and lots of hugs and wan smiles. Gaara was not there to see her off but that was alright. It pained her terribly to see him standing there, knowing that she would be far away from his unfeeling glances and cold hands.

Her hand slightly touched the little, yellow flower on her dress. She smiled and knew that, somehow, there was a tiny blaze of hope. Gaara was one who would never forget. Yes, her memory inside his little heart would always be kept. Forever and always...

- - - - -

Author's Note: An abrupt ending, I must say. I'll edit it someday, though. Thanks to everyone!