-=21=-=Kokoro no Kizu=-=Gaara Story=-

I wished for so many things in my life. Some of which I didn't even need. But I made a wish tonight, that I needed more than life and air itself. I got my wish...but I was soon broken afterwards. The aftereffects made the healed wounds open, allowing me to bleed and taint your heart with my blood. The sight of my blood made you bleed too. Your wounds only cutting deeper into your soul. Our blood mixed, and may never stop flowing...

"C'mon Gaara-kun," I said, as I took Gaara's hand and leading him to the village square.
Gaara groaned, but nonetheless allowed me to pull him. It often confused me why he would just let me take him wherever, but I wasn't complaining. I actually liked it better this way.
"HEY GUYS!" I yelled to my circle of friends.
"Hey Mika," Sakura, Lee, Kiyoku and Naruto said, waving zealously.
I stopped and panted. "So, where do we go?"
"Well, we need to make our wishes first," Kiyoku said, pointing toward the stands that had the tanzaku (small pieces of paper) and ink out. "C'mon."
I smiled widely as I walked over there with my friends, Gaara following right behind me. I turned toward him, showing my smile to him, like numerous times before.
Quickly, everyone grabbed a tanzaku and started writing their wishes. I thought about my wish before writing it. Then I looked at Gaara, and saw that he hadn't written his wish at all.
"Why aren't you writing your wish Gaara-kun?" I asked.
Gaara placed his brush and tanzaku down, sighing. "This is ridiculous."
"No it's not. This is really fun. See, listen to the children singing!"
Off in the distance, I heard the sound of the children of Konoha and many other villages singing as they walked down the streets with their tanzaku tied to a bamboo stick. They were heading towards the river.
"Sasa ho ha sara sara! Nokiba no yureru Ohoshi-sama kira kira! Kin gin sunago!" they sang in unison.
I smiled, then looked at Gaara and saw that he was rubbing his temples again.
"Are you ok Gaara-kun? You seem...tired. If you don't want to celebrate Tanabata, you don't have to," I said sadly. I really wanted to celebrate Tanabata with Gaara, but I didn't want to endanger his health.
"'I'm fine," he grumbled in anger as he took his tanzaku and brush. He began to write down his wish as I began to write down mine.

All I want is for Gaara to be happy. No matter what...

I smiled as I took my tanzaku and tied it to the bamboo stick. I smirked as I followed Gaara to the river.
"So...the festival is going to be fun, don't you think Gaara-kun?" I asked.
Gaara groaned as we reached the river. Quickly, he threw his bamboo with his tanzaku in the river, walking off. Quietly, I placed my bamboo on the river next to his, and smiled as I followed him back to the village square, where the real festival would begin.

Meanwhile...

"What did you wish for Hinata?" Naruto asked with that goofy smile on his face. His eyes were closed, so he didn't know that Hinata was blushing.
"I-it's a s-secret," Hinata stuttered out, smiling to herself.
"Oh. So, do you wanna know mine?" Naruto asked keenly.
"S-sure."
It was obvious what Naruto's wish was. He had told it to everyone so many times, making everyone smirk in amusement or ignore him completely. Yet, he didn't mind. He still thought that one day, he would become Hokage, and everyone would finally look up to him.
However, what Naruto said made everything change.
"I wished that my dream would come true, and so would yours Hinata," Naruto said, smiling proudly at himself.
Time stopped, making everything go slowly. (MATRIX! Sorry for the outburst.) Hinata stopped walking, standing there with her mouth hanging slightly.
"W-why?" Hinata asked.
Naruto stopped walking, looking back at Hinata with a confused face. "Why what?" he asked.
"Why would you wish for my dreams to come true?" Hinata asked quietly.
Naruto shrugged. "I guess it's because you deserve it. I mean, you're always giving me support for my dream, so I'm returning the favor."
Hinata was caught between shocked and confused. She couldn't understand at all now. Well, she understood what Naruto meant. But the question was: Why? It didn't seem to make any sense now.
"W-why?" Hinata asked again.
Naruto stared at her like she had three heads. "Why shouldn't I?"
Hinata looked down as she tried to hold back tears. But she couldn't. She began to sob lightly.
Naruto, thinking he did something wrong, went to comfort her.
"I'm sorry Hinata. Was it something I said?" Naruto asked.
Hinata shook her head. "It's just that *sob* no one would ever pay attention *sob* to me. *sob* You're the first one *sob* Naruto."
Naruto smiled widely at her comment. "Well, I can't just let my friend down. Now c'mon Hinata. Let's go!"
Naruto took Hinata's hand, helped her up, and dragged her to the village square. However, instead of dragging Hinata this time, Hinata was following willingly, smiling as she implanted the sweet moment in her head.

Meanwhile...

"Why are you here Sasuke?" Kiyoku asked with an arched brow as she saw Sasuke at the river, throwing his tanzaku into the river.
Sasuke turned around and shrugged. "Why can't I?"
Kiyoku didn't know why Sasuke was suddenly involved in the community. Well, that time when they helped the cooks prepare for Tanabata was a mission, but the Festival was optional. Being Sasuke, Kiyoku thought that he would rather be training than at a festival.
"It's just that I thought you would be training instead," Kiyoku replied, dropping her tanzaku into the water in a graceful fashion. "I never thought you would celebrate Tanabata."
"Is there was problem with it?" Sasuke asked coldly.
Kiyoku shook her head. "No. But...never mind."
In truth, Kiyoku didn't even know why she asked him these questions. Why is he here? was always the question. Kiyoku often found herself surprised when she found Sasuke at a place that she didn't expect to see him. Often times, later on, she would wonder why he was there. Asking yourself questions never gave you any answers, but yet, Kiyoku asked herself questions about Sasuke all the time.
"Are you just going to stare at the water or what?" Sasuke asked.
It took a moment for Kiyoku to realize that she had been so deep in thought, that she was going to fall into the water.
"C'mon. You don't want to be late do you?" Sasuke asked with a smirk.
Kiyoku smiled as well. It took Kiyoku a while to get used to Sasuke smirking, almost smiling at her. The smile was awkward, but Kiyoku liked it.
"You never cease to amaze me Sasuke Uchiha," Kiyoku said on their way to the village square.
Sasuke's smirk widened.
To tell the truth, Sasuke didn't know why he was going to Tanabata. He never bothered in the past. Heck, he didn't even go to the Sakura Festival. But that was before the tournament. Before he met Kiyoku. Everything changed when he met Kiyoku.
But this was only one of the first changes that Sasuke would undergo...

Meanwhile...

"This is so troublesome."
"Then why did you agree then?" Temari asked the tired and angered Shikamaru.
"I don't know. Maybe it's because someone THREATENED ME!" Shikamaru screamed, making the wind mess up Temari's hair.
"I wasn't really going to kill you or blackmail you. You know that. So why did you come anyway?" Temari asked.
Shikamaru groaned. "Why does it matter why I came? I'm here, there's no use going back anyway."
Temari sighed too. "I swear you men just give me headaches."
Temari went on ahead to some random stand while Shikamaru kept his pace constant. Then he felt someone tap his shoulder.
"Who's there?" Shikamaru asked with a long sigh.
"Kankuro," a low voice answered.
Shikamaru turned around with another groan. "What do you want Kankuro?"
Kankuro held in an ill-disguised laughter, almost like a little girl who knew a secret. In his hand was a photo.
"I just wanted to give you this," Kankuro said, giving the photo to Shikamaru.
"What's this?" Shikamaru asked, taking the picture and looking at it.
His eyes widened, and then he looked back at Kankuro, only to see that there was no Kankuro. Instead, there was dust. About 20 feet away, Kankuro was running, laughing his head off.
Shikamaru didn't know what to do. He looked around to see if anyone was looking at him, but no one was.
"Hey Shikamaru."
Shikamaru shivered at the voice. He quickly placed the photo in his pocket and turned around, only to see an angered Temari.
"What did my brother want?" Temari continued.
Shikamaru smiled nervously. "Nothing. Nothing at all."
Temari raised a brow. "Are you sure?"
"Yeah," Shikamaru said, still smiling awkwardly.
That smile make Temari nervous. She knew something was up, but decided not to question it. Whatever happened, she'll eventually get it out of Kankuro.
"Alright. Whatever," Temari said, walking away to a cotton candy stand.
Shikamaru sighed in relief, then he glared at the direction in which Kankuro ran off. He narrowed his eyes, then closed them. He sighed and turned around, walking toward where Temari was.

Meanwhile...

"Sakura! LOOK!" Lee said, pointing to all the decorations. "I've never seen such things."
Sakura was confused. What did Lee mean? Hadn't he been to Tanabata before?
"They're just decorations Lee. Haven't you seen them before?"
Lee shook his head. And then laughed. "During those times I'd train. I even missed a few of the Sakura Festivals to train. I know it's wrong, but I rarely went to a holiday held in Konoha. Not even my birthday!" Lee smiled to Sakura that wide flashy smile of his. "But I'm glad I came to this one."
Sakura was caught off guard for a second, but quickly regained her composure and smiled back. She pointed to the paper kimono.
"Each decoration has a special wish for everyone. Like that one is for..."
As Sakura explained what each decorations stood for and what they were supposed to bring to the people who attended Tanabata, Lee looked at her, happy that he was just there with her. Finally, something was happening to their relationship as friends. Lee couldn't help but smile at see Sakura, explaining everything to him, showing him how smart she really was.
Perhaps one day, Sakura would smile at Lee and listen to him, look at him train and show her his passion for Taijutsu. When that day comes, Lee would show her all that he had. Even though he wasn't allowed to use the Lotus anymore, there were plenty of other Taijutsu that he could do.
Perhaps one day, when that happens, everything will be right in the world...

Later...

"Do you want some Gaara-kun?" Mika asked, holding out some cotton candy.
Gaara groaned, but nonetheless took the cotton candy. He held it, not eating it at all. Although he had loved the taste when he was younger, he had grown to dislike it over the years.
"Why aren't you eating it? I bought it for you to eat," Mika said, looking a little worried.
Gaara glanced over at her. He sighed deeply as he took some cotton candy in his hand, and began to eat it slowly.
It melted in his mouth, allowing him to taste its sweetness. He remembered why he loved it so much now. It was sweet, tasty, and very good. He had forgotten about that. In fact, he had forgotten about any of the things he loved when he was younger.
"Now we gotta go to the meadow," Mika said, taking Gaara's hand. "C'mon Gaara-kun. The fireworks will start soon."
Gaara rolled his head, but allowing Mika to pull him.
Quickly, they got to the meadow, where a pile of bamboo and tanzaku laid, in the center. Everyone was gathered around the pile, looking at it. Then the Kage of the different villages appeared in a puff of smoke.
"Hello everyone. I hope you had a good Tanabata so far," the Hokage greeted with a smile. "Now, as you know, the Festival is coming to an end."
Groans.
"But that's usually the best part. We get to lit the wishes, and the fireworks will start soon enough."
Screams and whistles.
"Without any further ado, let's light the bamboo and tanzaku. May all your wishes come true this year," the Hokage said with a wide smile.
Everyone cheered as the Kages lit the wishes with a Fireball Jutsu. They quickly caught fire, and soon, the fire burned out, leaving nothing but ashes.
"Now, go find a good spot to watch the fireworks. They'll start shortly."
Everyone left the meadow in search of a good spot.
Mika smiled, took Gaara's hand again, and lead him toward the river.
"Why are we going back here?" Gaara asked, annoyed.
"There's a bridge, and from there you could get a clear view of the fireworks," Mika explained. "There it is!"
Gaara looked at where Mika was pointing. Sure enough, there was a bridge. Quickly, Mika ran toward it, stopping in the middle.
Suddenly, the sound of fireworks filled the air. The lights make the sky even more colorful than it already was.
Gaara heard Mika sigh contently, and he himself smiled.
"I wonder if Orihime feels this way right now," Mika wondered. "Content, blissful, serene, like everything is like a dream."
'Dreams...' Gaara thought to himself. Then he remembered what he had wrote on his tanzaku.

May I have the strength to show Mika what I truly feel...

What did Gaara truly feel? Even that he didn't know. But he knew that when he was with Mika, his heart was at ease. Even if he was worried, felt like breaking down, being with her just made everything easier to bear. Even when they were apart, just a thought of her made him calm again.
What was this feeling classified as?
Gaara didn't know, and he hoped that he would know.
"I just love being here with you Gaara-kun," Mika said suddenly, catching Gaara off guard.
"Why?" Gaara asked, looking at her curiously.
"I don't know. It's just that...when I'm with you I'm at ease. It's like nothing matters anymore. Just you and me. And then, when I'm sad or worried, just thinking of you helps me calm down and be happy again.
"I read in a book that this is what is called...love. They say that when you're in love, you want to be with that person always. You want to share your life with them. You're just happy that they're there.
"Do you think it's love Gaara-kun?"
Honestly, Gaara didn't know. And at the moment, it didn't matter either.
Mika glanced at Gaara and saw him just staring at her.
"Gaara-kun?"
Gaara's hand touched her cheek unconsciously. He began to trace her lips with his thumb. His other hand touched her other cheek and brought her to face him.
"I don't know if it's love or not. Truthfully, I don't care what it's called." He leaned in, to the point where he could feel Mika's rapid breathing on his face. "But all I know is...I don't want this feeling to end. Ever."
Gaara leaned in quickly. Their lips finally touched, and they were sent to a whole new world. He closed his eyes, kissing Mika innocently.
Mika seemed surprise by this, but slowly, she kissed him back. Her arms made their way to his chest, clenching onto his shirt.
They stayed there like that forever it seemed. The fireworks illuminated the night sky, making the scene seem like a vivid dream. The stars gave them a soft glow that almost seemed angelic. There was no movement. But in each of their minds, they seemed to be flying.
Suddenly, Gaara pulled away, looking at Mika with that emotionless look.
"I'm sorry Miki-chan," Gaara said, taking his hands off of her cheeks.
Mika wouldn't let go of him. She held on tightly, clenching onto his shirt. She looked at him with a pleading look. A desperate look that just made Gaara melt.
"It's ok Gaara-kun. It's alright. I...I enjoyed it actually," Mika said, looking up at him and smiling widely.
Gaara looked away. He didn't want to look at Mika because he was ashamed. He was ashamed of himself for showing his weakness. A person like him didn't have weaknesses, but now, there was one.
Gaara sighed and gently pulled Mika's hands away from him.
"I'm going back to the Hotel," Gaara stated.
Mika nodded, her eyes swelling up.
If she could cry, she would've cried right there in front of Gaara, making it harder for him to leave. It was already as hard as it is now.
"Good-night Gaara-kun," Mika whispered, holding up her hand.
Gaara didn't look back at her. He just kept looking forward.
The pain they both felt was akin to being hit in the face, only worse. Words can't explain the pain that Mika and Gaara felt. Somehow, that kiss revealed more than just their passion and love for one another. It revealed Gaara's weakness, his strength, and something else...

-=RESULTS=-
The kiss came! AHHHHH! I know a lot of people have been waiting for the kiss, and I'm sorry for delaying it till now. Hehehe. It's way late in the series, but oh well, at least I made it.
Thanks for reading part 21 of Kokoro no Kizu. Thank you for all waiting so patiently. I really took a long time because I wanted my story to develop. Of course, I also had to focus on the love life of all the other characters too. Phew. At least I got it done. Thank you again for reading. Please tell me what you thought. Thank you again!

More Info on Tanabata
Tanabata can be celebrated on August 7 or July 7, but it's celebrated on the 7th day of the 7th month. (These two dares are according to the lunar calendar and the Gregorian calendar.) Everyone writes their wishes down on paper and either sets them on a river or burns them after the festival, usually at midnight or the day after. (This resembles the custom of floating paper ships and candles on rivers). The translation to the Tanabata song is: The bamboo leaves rustle, rustle. Shaking away in the eaves. The stars go twinkle, twinkle. Gold and silver grains of sand.