Chapter 37: The Shinobi Who Moves In The Shadows

In the late afternoon, Sakura's eyes fluttered open to find herself alone in bed. The familiarity of her surroundings brought a surge of relief, prompting her to spring out of bed with renewed energy. Racing through the hallways, she arrived at the dining room to find Temari seated at the table, savoring a cup of tea. Meeting Sakura's gaze, Temari greeted her with concern, "You're up. How was your rest?"

Ignoring the question, Sakura inquired urgently, "Where are the boys?"

"They're at the office, but you're not ready to go anywhere," Temari replied firmly.

Determined, Sakura moved towards the door, her hand hovering over the doorknob as she insisted, "I need to talk to them."

Temari's voice cut through the air to halt her, carrying a weighty revelation, "Gaara's in love with you."

Sakura's fingers relaxed their grip on the doorknob as she absorbed Temari's words, her response barely above a whisper, "I know, but I'm afraid of him. He's so controlling, and he tried to kill me again."

With a calm demeanor, Temari drew closer to Sakura, her tone gentle yet firm, "I understand your anxiety. I may not have realized it, but you heard our argument during the chaos with Shukaku. I won't influence your decision. I only urge you to choose someone who aligns with your heart."

"I love Kankuro, and now I have to be with him," Sakura affirmed.

"Understood," Temari acknowledged. "Stay safe."

Sakura rushed to the Kazekage Office, her heart pounding as she searched for Kankuro. She scoured the second floor but found no sign of him. On the third floor, she finally spotted him in a conference room, gazing out the window at the bustling civilians below, lost in thought.

Quietly, she approached and whispered, "I'm okay now."

Kankuro turned, his brows furrowed in concern and immediately pulled her into a tight embrace. "Are you okay? Why are you out of bed?" he asked, his voice trembling.

"I'm fine, but I was worried about you," Sakura replied, gently kissing him.

Kankuro blushed and looked away, muttering, "No, I am not okay. I almost lost you to my jealous brother. Did you know?"

Sakura lowered her head, avoiding his gaze. "Yes, I knew. I didn't have the heart to tell you. I'm sorry. I would never act on his feelings. He lost his chance a long time ago when he almost killed me."

Kankuro clenched his teeth, his voice tight with frustration. "You should have told me sooner. I could have prevented his reaction."

"No," Sakura whimpered. "No one could have prevented that. I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner, but I wanted to protect your feelings."

"I don't need you to protect my feelings. I can handle myself," Kankuro retorted. He walked out of the room, leaving her behind to sulk.

Sakura stood by her decision not to speak to him about the previous events. She no longer had feelings for Gaara; somehow, he would need to get over it. She gazed out the window, watching Kankuro leave the building with his Bingo book and walk up the main road to the village gates. She hoped he would come back to her.

Gaara entered the room silently, approaching Sakura from behind. His emotionless face gave nothing away as he finally spoke.

"Are you alright?" Gaara asked.

"I'm fine," Sakura replied, unable to meet his gaze. Her heart urged her to yell at him for attempting to kill her, but her mind wanted to interrogate him for his actions. She was torn between anger and the need for answers.

"Shukaku is a dangerous beast. You can't control him on your own. I can teach you everything I know, and we can manage him together," Gaara said.

Sakura nodded and replied, "I'll accept you as my sensei, but our relationship will go no further. Do you understand?"

"Killing you wasn't a personal choice; it was for the good of the village. If you had chosen me, we wouldn't be having this conversation," Gaara said, crossing his arms over his chest. He left the room, leaving her to her thoughts.

In a split-second decision, Sakura chased after Gaara down the hallway. What he had said to her didn't make sense; she knew he still had feelings for her, but one day, Gaara would have to move past them.

"Shukaku chose me because he knew I'd be able to protect you," Sakura yelled. "He knew you'd rather die than lose to him or anyone. I know you better than anyone in the village."

Gaara's eyes widened as he turned to face her. She stood there, gasping for breath, waiting for him to speak. Just as he opened his mouth, a group of Jonin burst in, shouting, "Kazekage, sir! We've got trouble at the underground prison!"

"What is it?" Gaara asked urgently.

Out of breath, Jonin Shinobi reported, "Kenjiro, the prisoner we recently brought in, has died."

Sakura gasped, "What? How is that possible?"

"That's the problem; we're not exactly sure," the Jonin replied.

"Lead the way," Gaara instructed.

The Jonin bowed to the Kazekage and his advisor before guiding them out of the Kazekage's office. Outside, everything seemed normal at a glance. There was no apparent damage, and the general public continued about their business. However, a group of gathered Jonin and Chunin stood near the underground prison gates, curious about the unfolding events.

Sakura sighed and commanded, "Clear a path. The Kazekage is coming through."

Quickly, everyone shuffled aside to allow passage for the Kazekage. The steel gates of the prison opened with a loud screech. Gaara and Sakura entered together, passing rows of prisoners who jeered and mocked them. One particularly vile prisoner in the darkest corner of his cell whistled, licked his lips, and made a crude remark.

Ignoring the taunts, Gaara and Sakura proceeded to the lower levels, where they found Kankuro at the scene with other Jonin, waiting for the Kazekage's arrival.

Sakura crossed her arms and glared, demanding, "What are you doing here?"

Kankuro frowned and replied, "I didn't do this if that's what you're asking. It might be related to a recent case we've been tracking."

"What makes you think my father had something to do with a terrorist?" Sakura pressed.

"When he left the village, he teamed up with a Shinobi we haven't located yet. I came here looking for answers, but I found him dead. We need a description of the Shinobi I'm searching for because he moves swiftly," Kankuro explained.

Gaara nodded in understanding. "The Shinobi who abducted those children in broad daylight without anyone noticing."

Sakura sighed, connecting the dots. "Okay, now I see the connection. Let's go see his body."

But as Sakura moved to walk past him, Kankuro blocked her path in the hallway. He refused when she tried to go around him, saying, "It's probably best if you don't see it."

"Are you serious?" Sakura challenged.

Kankuro gently took her wrist and whispered, "I don't want you to witness this. It's something you won't easily forget."

Gaara scoffed as he strode past them, heading down the hallway. He proceeded directly to the left prison cell, where her father's name was inscribed. Upon seeing the sight inside, his eyes widened in shock. It was far worse than he had anticipated.

"Don't bring her down here," Gaara instructed firmly.

"No, shit," Kankuro argued. 

 "Please, don't come over here," Gaara said calmly, "his face was smashed into the wall."

Sakura crossed her arms, fixed her glare on Kankuro, and asked pointedly, "Did you do that?"

"I'm flattered, but I doubt anyone would have the strength to inflict that much damage to a human skull," Kankuro replied.

With a slight smirk, Sakura quipped, "Do you think a puppet did it?"

"See, I like the way you think. Want to have lunch at the Soba place today?" Kankuro replied, his mood shifting now that they were on better terms.

Sakura chuckled and agreed, "Sure, but you're buying."

Gaara frowned and walked back down the hall, his expression filled with disgust. "That's inappropriate. Stop flirting at a crime scene," he scolded.

"Whatever, little bro," Kankuro retorted dismissively.

Gaara walked past them, his expression stern. He was displeased with their conversation and wished Sakura would cease her interaction with his older brother, but he restrained himself from saying more. Instead, he directed his attention to the matter at hand.

"We need to handle this with utmost discretion. No one outside this room should know what happened here," Gaara instructed firmly.

Kankuro's smile faded as he nodded in understanding, recognizing the gravity of the situation and the need for secrecy in their investigation into the brutal act that had occurred.

A Jonin approached them and inquired, "What should we do with the body?"

Kankuro sighed heavily and responded, "Take him discreetly to the morgue for identification. He might be trying to deceive us as a ploy to escape."

"I'll assign our most trusted Shinobi to handle it. You can count on us to handle his remains with care," the Jonin assured.

A makeshift stretcher was brought in, draped with neatly folded white sheets. Sakura observed silently as the Shinobi entered the cell with a fresh sheet. They carefully covered the body, ensuring all limbs remained hidden beneath the layers. The blood from his head was faintly visible through the sheets as it seeped onto the surface. Layer by layer, they shrouded him with additional sheets before gently maneuvering the stretcher past Sakura, who stood solemnly in the hallway.

Exiting through another route, the Jonin ensured the body's movement remained discreet, shielding it from public view. 

With a playful smirk, Kankuro wrapped an arm around his girlfriend's waist and said, "So, about that Soba place?"

The thought of him being sweet again filled her with joy, and she hoped to move past their argument in the Kazekage's office. Sakura chuckled gracefully, but Gaara grabbed Kankuro by his black turtleneck before she could reply and interjected, "No, stay here. We have a lot to discuss in private."

Kankuro pulled away from his brother's grasp, frowning at his forceful behavior. "Fine, you don't have to manhandle me."

"I'll see you outside, then," Sakura said, leaving the prison. As she walked away, the boys' argument echoed behind her, making it hard to understand their words. She felt disappointed by their constant disagreements.

As she reached the top of the prison caverns and the sun touched her face, a swarm of Chunin and Jonin crowded around her, bombarding her with questions. Distracted by her thoughts, she barely registered their words, her mind preoccupied with other concerns.

"What's going on down there, Sakura?" a Chunin asked.

"Did one of the prisoners die?" another inquired.

"I heard they brought your father down there. Is it true? Did they finally catch him?" a Jonin pressed.

Sakura pushed through the crowd, trying to catch her breath. "I'm sorry, but I can't discuss it. I hope you understand."

Fortunately, none of them followed her as she hurried away from the questioning. Her feet carried her to the side streets before she collapsed from exhaustion. With no one else around, she could finally take a moment to recover emotionally.

Sakura leaned against the wall and slid down the dirt path, closing her eyes to take a deep breath. When she opened them, she noticed a shadow creeping towards her from the corner of her eye. Quickly, she lifted herself off the ground and raised her sand shield for protection. 

"What the fuck is this?" Sakura cried out. 

The black shadow climbed the wall of sand, extending like octopus tentacles to trap her inside the darkness.