Reborn in Naruto : Saki Haruno

Chapter 78

Saki stretched her arm as she sat up in bed. She was all better now and was to be discharged from the hospital tommorow.

It was noon already and the sun was steadily going up. She climbed out of bed wanting to go and take a look around the hospital. Staying hauled up all day long inside a hospital room was exhausting in it's own way.

The Anbu were not guarding her anymore. The Hokage had been really alert thinking that Orochimaru would sneak in to harm her but he and his minions had already disappeared for the time being.

She walked around the hospital greeting the doctors and nurses. She was familiar with most of them.

While walking she suddenly thought of the other participants admitted here. Most of all she thought of the boy with the bowl cut. Lee. She wondered if she should visit him. His condition must be really bad at the moment if he really did go up against Gaara.

Saki asked for directions and proceeded to go and visit him in his room. As she turned a corner she was greeted with a red haired boy standing in front of the destined door as he clutched his head in pain.

"Gaara-san?. . ."

Saki called out softly. Was he here to attack Lee?

Gaara's eyes widened a fraction as he turned his head towards her. His face then went to it's normal state of aloofness. But somehow he looked a little bit more relaxed than usual.

"Are you here to visit Lee too?"

Saki questioned smiling. She knew that was most definitely not true but she didn't want to trigger him.

". . . Not really."

He said after a while as he then turned to leave.

"Please wait a moment!"

Saki called out. She really wanted to talk to him and thank him for his help during the first exam. He had helped her even though she was a complete stranger to him.

"Would you mind giving me some of your time? If you aren't busy right now, of course."

She asked expectantly.

Gaara stared at her for a moment then averted his cool aquamarine eyes swiftly away from her staring at the ground.

". . . Okay."

He agreed.

*****

Saki walked alongside Gaara towards the open sitting area outside the hospital.

"Thank you a lot for your help during the first exam. I wanted to thank you for a long time but couldn't find the right moment till now."

Saki said with a friendly smile.

"It was nothing. . . I just felt like it."

Arriving at their destination Saki found a bench to sit on gesturing for Gaara to sit down too. Gaara didn't seemed to be wary of her at all as he sat down beside her without any hesitation.

Saki was a little surprised since he seemed very comfortable around her.

"What is it?"

Gaara asked monotonously. He didn't seem annoyed or irritated by her presence at all.

"It's just that when I first met you on the streets I thought that you would be more aloof with me. Honestly at first I thought maybe you wouldn't even accept to chat with me."

Saki answered truthfully.

"I like you. . . Your presence is calming. . ."

Gaara said rather bluntly.

Saki didn't really know what to say to that. She was quite flattered.

"I am glad you are comfortable around me. . . If possible I would like to be friends with you."

"Friends?. .With me?"

Gaara said looking at her with a confused expression.

"Yes. I want to be friends with you."

Saki said feeling happy and excited.

There was silence for a while,  Gaara looking conflicted but then eventually he spoke up again.

"Will you treat me like you do with you treat your teammates?"

"Umm. . . how do you mean?"

Saki asked confused.

"You are really happy around your teammates. . .and you treat them with. . . care."

He said looking down at his hands which were on his lap.

Saki was startled for a moment but then quickly gave her reply.

"Of course! Friends are meant to care for each other. Even now I am really happy talking to you."

Saki said nodding her head in assurance.

"Then. . . I think I'll be friends with you."

Saki was really very happy at the moment.

After that Saki spent some time chatting about some random topics with Gaara. Their interests and their villages. At lunch time Gaara left saying that he had to go back to his teammates. Even though he looked unwilling.

Saki bid him farewell feeing giddy inside. She wondered if he will still attack the village.

As she entered the hospital she was greeted by a worried looking Shikamaru.

"Saki what were you doing with that sand redhead?"

He asked approaching her.

"Oh. . . we were just talking."

"I think you should probably stay away from him. I mean you weren't there when he fought with Lee."

Saki watched as he warned her with a frown on his face. She knew where he was coming from as she knew of what had happened.

"It's alright Shikamaru."

She assured gently patting his shoulder to ease his tension.

"I just. . .you just don't meet with him alone. He's dangerous-"

"Saki-nee!!!"

Shikamaru was cut off by a familiar energetic voice.

Naruto came running in their direction ignoring the glares of the doctors and nurses.

"Naruto don't shout, it's a hospital."

Saki scolded gently.

"Oops! Sorry!"

Naruto didn't look sorry at all.

"What are you doing here?"

He asked turning to look at Shikamaru.

"Nothing. . ."

Shikamaru answered shoving his hands in his pocket.

"I will be going then. Later!"

He walked away with that.

"What a weirdo. . ."

Naruto mumbled frowning.

"Anyway! Let's eat lunch together  Saki-nee!It's been long since I got to see you and something really cool happened to me these days!"

Naruto said excitedly as he grabbed Saki's hand and began dragging her back to her room.

"Okay okay. . ."

Saki said smiling as she let him drag her along.