"Friends"

Hui Youling brought Gaara back to her place. Everyone else was already asleep, so she and Gaara sneaked inside. She turned on the light and brought out the things she had collected over the years, eager to share them with him. Picking them up one by one, she started telling Gaara about them.

Gaara had never seen anything like them before and didn't really understand these rather strange-looking objects. He picked up a handheld game console and studied it for a while, his face full of curiosity.

Seeing him like this, Hui smiled gently. Her heart felt both sad and happy. He still trusted the world, believed someone loved him, and explored unfamiliar things just like any other child.

"What's this one?" Gaara turned to look at Hui, asking softly, his curiosity piqued.

Hui smiled too. "It's a handheld game console. I don't know much about it either, but I can teach you a little!"

Hui's wide eyes were fixed on Gaara's, seeming to shimmer with starlight. She had set aside all her burdens for the moment and become a child under six again. With her chubby cheeks, her bright smile made her face look like a little bun.

Aside from Yashamaru, Gaara had never seen anyone smile at him with such affection. She looked truly happy, and her joy even rubbed off on him.

Gaara's lips curved into a gentle smile. "All right!"

Hui tilted her head and leaned slowly toward Gaara, the corners of her mouth lifting slightly. She took the handheld console from him and pressed the start button. It turned on in a moment. There were only one or two games on the black-and-white console, but that was already pretty good.

Gaara saw something appear on the black screen and curiously leaned closer. Hui's body stiffened slightly, and an inexplicable blush crept across her face, but she spoke as casually as ever. "This game is pretty simple. How about we see who can get the higher score?"

Gaara nodded and looked up at Hui with delight. "Sure. Can you teach me how to play first?"

Hui smiled and nodded. Her hands moved quickly as she worked the controls and explained how to play.

Gaara had never played before and didn't really understand the rules. Hui won the first few rounds, but he learned quickly. After that, they traded wins.

They played for a long time. Hui kept pulling all sorts of clever tricks to tease Gaara. He watched her helplessly without saying a word, while her laughter grew more and more unrestrained. One of the guests got annoyed and came over to complain, knocking on the door. Hui quickly turned off the light and playfully winked at Gaara. The person knocked a few times, but when no one answered, they finally left.

In the moonlight, Hui's eyes shone brightly. She was beautiful, and her smile was gentle. Everything about her made him feel different—comfortable, even warm and happy. So this is what having a friend feels like?

Spending time with Gaara had been so much fun that Hui forgot all her worries. Her whole body relaxed, and she couldn't fight off her drowsiness. Before long, she drifted off to sleep.

By the time Hui woke up, it was already broad daylight. Her heart raced, then sank little by little. Gaara was gone...

"Click." The door opened. Hui turned to look, and the corners of her downcast mouth lifted into a smile again. "Where did you go?"

Gaara smiled faintly. "I went home to get something."

Hui climbed up from the floor. "Gaara, want to go out for a walk?"

The smile vanished from Gaara's lips, and his eyes filled with loneliness. Hui could guess what he was thinking.

"Gaara, can you use the Transformation Technique?" Hui stepped forward and took his hand, then closed the door.

"Transformation Technique? Yes, but I don't know what it's useful for," he answered calmly.

"Then use it to turn into someone who looks like this." As she spoke, Hui used the Transformation Technique herself, changing into the form of an unfamiliar boy.

Gaara looked at her without saying anything. At last, under Hui's hopeful, expectant gaze, he gave in. Sand began swirling around him. Hui watched, stunned. He hadn't made any Hand Seals, yet as the sand covered him, he transformed into the boy's appearance.

"That's amazing! You don't even need Hand Seals?" Hui exclaimed, her heart full of excitement and delight. Just as you'd expect from Gaara.

With a poof, Hui changed back to her original appearance. She smiled at Gaara, her eyes glimmering, then suddenly grabbed his hand and ran outside.

Gaara was dragged along, his face full of surprise. He opened his mouth to say something, but his gaze fell on their joined hands. He let out a silent sigh. Hui Youling's hand was warm, too...

The two of them walked down the noisy street. Merchants from all over had come to Sunagakure to sell their wares, and the colorful goods drew a steady stream of people. Everyone was happily choosing the things they liked.

At first, Gaara was very uneasy and didn't want to go near the crowds. Hui kept holding his hand, and whenever he froze up, she quietly tightened her grip. Her smile remained faint, but she didn't turn to look at him.

Gaara resisted being here, but he didn't want to reject Hui Youling's kindness. Besides, this time everyone seemed not to notice him at all. They weren't treating him with the disgust and hatred he was used to, and his appearance didn't send them into a panic. Maybe he wasn't so unpleasant after all. This was the first time he had entered a crowd like an ordinary person.

Hui could clearly feel the hand she was holding growing less tense. She smiled and turned to Gaara. "Is there anything you'd like to eat?"

Gaara paused. He lowered his eyes but didn't answer Hui Youling. Hui tilted her head and thought for a moment, then said as if it had just occurred to her, "It's your first time here in Sunagakure. How about trying some grilled beef tongue?"

Gaara looked up at Hui. A feeling she didn't understand passed through his eyes. In the end, he nodded. "All right."

Hui smiled and led Gaara to a stall selling grilled beef tongue.

Gaara still seemed reluctant to interact with the people there, and Hui didn't push him. She handled all the talking herself. She didn't intend to change anything, because once she left, she had no idea how these people might treat Gaara.

"Here, the grilled beef tongue you like!" Hui handed it to Gaara, but this time he didn't take it. He looked at her in confusion. "How did you know I like this?"

"Because we're teammates. I know you really well." Hui smiled at Gaara, though in her heart she was thinking, Because I like you...

After thinking for a while, he accepted it. A strange warmth welled up in her heart.

After that, they bought plenty of other food too. Hui piled a whole bunch of things into Gaara's arms. He had no idea where she got the money, but she never seemed to care about the prices.

They hadn't gone far when Hui stopped for a long time at a stall selling cacti, her eyes sparkling with excitement. Gaara watched her from the side and smiled helplessly.

"Pick out a cactus you like!" Hui pulled Gaara over too, telling him to find one he liked.

The stall owner started recommending the cacti. "Mine are the best-looking cacti around, and they grow especially well in Sunagakure. If you like one, I can give you a discount. Take a look and see which..."

Gaara looked at the stall owner speaking to him and suddenly didn't know what to do.

"Go ahead and pick one." Hui cut off the stall owner, smiling at Gaara.

Gaara paused, his gaze falling on the cacti. He pointed to one. "This one."

"All right." Hui said no more. She paid the stall owner, then handed the cactus to Gaara and reminded him, "Take good care of it. Don't water it too much. Just give it a little water now and then."

"...Mm...mm," Gaara replied, a little flustered.

"Let's go." Hui stood up, ready to leave.

Gaara was about to leave too, but several Sunagakure shinobi had surrounded them. His eyes filled at once with wariness and sorrow. He quietly stepped forward to shield Hui, and she could feel sand shifting around them.