Sakura, the Beginning of a Kunoichi

Promises and a smile

The stay in Suna turned out to be longer than Itachi had anticipated, extending to four days instead of the two he had originally planned. During that time, he used his Sharingan to manipulate the memory of the Kazekage and his guards, completely erasing any recollection of his presence with Sakura at the moment he attempted to attack his own son. He made them believe that it was Gaara's own power that prevented the attack, and even ordered that no one approached the boy during those days. This way, he protected both Gaara and Sakura, allowing them to play and train together without the risk of being discovered, as Sakura's distinctive hair color had not been seen elsewhere, and he could easily change his facial appearance without the need for genjutsu, since his face was registered in the bingo book of all countries.

Itachi didn't leave them for a second, especially to study the child who was the Jinchuriki of Shukaku. On the first day and night he spent with them, Gaara seemed to be a wary child, while Sakura, unlike her shyness with Itachi, acted like a mother hen protecting her chick, perhaps due to her own past experiences. He quickly noticed that Sakura was the one who talked the most, while Gaara was a good listener. He learned that Sakura told Gaara that she could see spirits, something that caught his attention, as few people possessed that ability, and most of those who did believed it to be an invention. However, Gaara seemed to believe everything Sakura said, to the point that Itachi thought if Sakura told him that the sky was green, Gaara would fervently believe it.

During those three days, the two became very close, to the point that they even slept together, with Gaara hugging Sakura as if she were his favorite stuffed animal. Itachi noticed that the Bijuu's sand did not react to Sakura from the moment she accepted him as he was, and that Gaara placed his trust in her from the second day, after Sakura revealed to him that he was her brother Itachi and that he should be kind to him, as he had saved her in Konoha.

On the fourth day, Itachi made sure to use his genjutsu on the Kazekage once again, but this time he manipulated him to designate someone to take care of Gaara, as a favor to Sakura, who seemed concerned about her new friend. In the end, he chose Yashamaru, Gaara's mother's brother, as the most suitable protector, as he showed a great interest in taking care of his nephew.

On the day of farewell, they met at the village gate, with Yashamaru at a prudent distance and Gaara ready to say goodbye to Sakura. Yashamaru watched Itachi with some interest, unaware that beneath the disguise he wore was a dangerous criminal. However, his interest was primarily in the pink-haired girl, whom his nephew had grown fond of due to her sincerity.

Gaara stood a few steps behind the village gate, as he was not allowed to leave. His face showed seriousness, and he seemed indifferent to Sakura's departure, if not for the slight blush on his cheeks as he received her final goodbye hug.

"We'll meet again, I promise. You'll always be my friend, I'll never forget you," said Sakura. Although she felt bad for leaving Gaara alone with his unpleasant father, she knew she had to go to start her new life with Itachi. She didn't want Gaara to think their friendship was fleeting, so she looked for something to seal that bond. After a moment of reflection, she untied the red ribbon that Ino had given her as a symbol of their friendship. Carefully, she tied the ribbon around Gaara's arm.

"This ribbon means a lot to me. It was a gift from my first friend. Now I want you to keep it, so you'll remember that even though we're far apart, we'll always be friends," explained Sakura.

Gaara looked at the red ribbon on his arm and touched it with his other hand. He appreciated the gesture in silence.

The time they shared was so brief that neither of them wanted to part. Especially Gaara, who knew that no one in Suna cared for him. However, now he had hope that he wasn't the monster he thought he was, thanks to Sakura. Although a small part of him felt relieved by her departure, the looks of surprise, disbelief, and even hatred they received from the villagers as they walked through the streets and the market were evident. Sakura noticed this and hugged Gaara to give him strength, telling him to ignore those who looked at them badly, as she and Itachi were his friends. Although he trusted her, Gaara couldn't help but feel afraid that the villagers would try to drive Sakura away or hurt her for being with him.