The three children, unaware that they were about to be severely beaten, continued to hurl insults.
Gaara bit his lip, looking down at the ground, clutching the ball tightly to his chest.
He hadn't done anything; he had only helped them retrieve their ball from a high place, so why were they calling him a monster?
The discomfort in his chest became unbearable, tears welled up in his eyes and silently fell to the ground, only to be mercilessly evaporated by the sun. This made him feel even more wronged, so he simply squatted down and buried his face, sobbing.
“Ouch! Who are you? Why did you hit me?”
“Ouch!”
“Help me!!!”
Gaara heard the shouts and looked up through tear-filled eyes. He saw a figure about his size, her face obscured by a long robe, furiously chasing and beating the three boys who had just thrown stones at him.
“I am the desert demon! I am your shadow, here to beat up naughty children like you! Take that!”
Chizhao lowered her voice, brandishing her claws and teeth to intimidate the little brats. A punch landed on the face of the leading boy, instantly giving him a black eye, and he cried out in pain.
Looking at the miserably crying brat, Chizhao had another mischievous idea: if she punched his other eye, they would be symmetrical. Hahahaha, the thought alone made her laugh.
Just as she was about to do it, a force grabbed her ankle, and she fell face-first, kissing the ground hard.
“You guys run! I’ll stop him!”
The few boys who had been badly beaten looked at each other, their faces bruised and swollen, gazing at Gaara, a little at a loss.
“What are you standing around for? This desert demon is dangerous!”
Hearing Gaara’s warning, the three boys finally scrambled away, running off in a flash.
“Bad deed progress +6”
Chizhao rolled over, pulled down the cloth covering her face, and clutched her small face, groaning in pain.
Gaara was stunned. How could a demon cry in pain, and by the sound of it, it was a girl?
He cautiously moved his steps, and gently asked:
“Are… are you alright…?”
Hearing Gaara’s soft, gentle voice, Chizhao instantly stopped feeling pain. She sat up from the ground and looked at the boy in front of her, her eyes sparkling brightly.
“Gaara! Let’s be friends!”
“Huh?”
The sudden friendliness flustered Gaara. He wasn't sure if he had misheard, but remembering the scene just now, he said pitifully:
“…But you are the desert demon, and you hurt the other children…”
Chizhao suppressed the urge to pinch his cheeks. She stood up, spun around in front of him, and bounced twice.
“Do I still look like the desert demon to you?”
“Not anymore…”
“I never was in the first place.”
“Then why did you hit them?”
“Because they called you a monster…”
Chizhao paused, seeing Gaara frozen in place, his small mouth opening and closing, but not a single word came out.
Then Chizhao pointed to her own head and smiled at him:
“Because I’m a little different from others, and I think you, who are called a monster, are quite normal. And didn’t you protect them just now? So, compared to what they did, you are the most normal child.”
The most normal child.
Gaara silently repeated it in his heart. His mind felt like it was caught in a sandstorm, chaotic and blurry.
Was she talking about him?
Was he a normal child in her eyes?
Looking at Gaara, who was frozen in place, Chizhao’s lips curved slightly, and she extended her right hand in a friendly gesture:
“My name is Shiratori Chichao, just call me Chizhao. I just arrived in the Village today. I hope we can be friends!”
Gaara looked at the girl in front of him, feeling as if he had fallen into her bright eyes.
The sandstorm in his mind was suddenly blown away, and for the first time, he clearly felt the warmth of the sun.
For the first time, he felt that the sand beneath his feet could be so soft.
For the first time, he felt how wonderful it was to be accepted and to be a normal child.
He pursed his lips, and cautiously extended his right hand. A grain of sand brushed his fingertip, making him carefully retract it again.
But the fair hand in front of him still waited quietly there.
It was like an exit at the center of a terrible storm; if he steadily moved forward, he could pass through the endless darkness and reach another world he longed for.
So he stepped forward, grabbing the key to that world. A warm sensation came from his palm, and the surroundings were so quiet he could hear the sound of sand rubbing against itself.
Gaara shyly looked up at her, and with a surge of courage, he spoke:
“Hello… My name is… Sabaku Gaara…”
Jiraiya, coming out of the Kazekage’s office, saw the two children making friends from afar. He smiled, cupped his hands into a frame around them, and chuckled:
“What a moment worth capturing.”
“Hey ~ Chizhao ~ ~!”
Hearing the familiar voice from not far away, Chizhao turned her head and saw Jiraiya waving at her.
A look of worry appeared on Gaara’s face again, because it was the adults in the Village who told children not to go near him. He was afraid it would be the same this time, that Chizhao would also be mercilessly taken away by an adult and never see him again.
He didn't want that; he had already held her hand.
“Gaara, wait for me here for a moment, I’ll be right back!”
The strength in his hand held her tightly, preventing her from moving an inch. Chizhao looked at Gaara’s worried expression, his pale green eyes covered with a misty layer, and his voice trembled slightly as he pleaded:
“Don’t go… please…”
Seeing such a vulnerable Gaara, a pang of sorrow went through Chizhao’s heart. She took a step forward and hugged him tightly.
Gaara’s eyes widened, their tightly clasped right hands pressed against each other’s chests, and they could even feel each other’s heartbeats.
“I promise you, I will definitely come back!”
The girl’s voice in his ear was the most moving sound Gaara had ever heard, deeply touching his heart. Tears unexpectedly welled up in the corners of his eyes, rolling down his cheeks and dripping onto her shoulder.
After a moment of hesitation, Gaara reluctantly let go of her hand, raised the back of his hand to wipe away the tears on his face, and smiled softly at her:
“Okay! I’ll wait for you.”
After comforting Gaara, Chizhao then jogged towards Jiraiya, a wide smile on her face, and said:
“Master Jiraiya, are you done with your business?”
Jiraiya squatted down and ruffled Chizhao’s small head, glancing at Gaara who was watching them warily, and said gently:
“Of course I’m done. I just happened to see you on my way back. The sun is setting, let’s go back together.”
Hearing that it was time to go back, Chizhao turned to look at Gaara, who was standing still, waiting obediently for her, and ran towards him:
“Master, wait for me a moment, I’m going to say goodbye.”
When Gaara saw Chizhao running towards him, his hanging heart finally settled. He excitedly broke into a smile and ran forward to meet her.
“Chizhao… Chizhao! You’re back… Chizhao!”
Gaara shouted with joy, as if he had regained a treasure, and Chizhao suddenly felt a little reluctant to say goodbye to him.
But she still apologetically took his small hand and whispered softly:
“I’m sorry, Gaara, it’s getting late, I should go back.”
As soon as he heard the girl was leaving, Gaara nervously tightened his grip on her hand:
“Will we still be able to meet?”
“Of course, let’s meet under that big tree after lunch tomorrow!”
Gaara sighed in relief and nodded happily.
He stood in the sunset, watching the girl’s departing figure disappear from sight. He then spread his hands and silently stared at them for a while. Genuine joy appeared on his face, and facing the brilliant afterglow, Gaara finally embarked on his journey home.
“Not bad, Chizhao. You made friends with the Kazekage’s son as soon as you arrived.”
On the way back, Jiraiya teased her, his eyes narrowed knowingly.
“What’s wrong with being the Kazekage’s son? Can’t the Kazekage’s son have friends?”
Chizhao’s adult-like tone amused Jiraiya. This child’s mind seemed mismatched with her current age; she always said things that surprised him.
“What if I told you that there really is a monster inside him?”
Chizhao rolled her eyes, feeling that this old man, Jiraiya, was frantically probing her attitude.
She also frankly stated: “But he is just an ordinary child who cries a lot and wants to play with people. And even if there is one, I’m not afraid…”
Jiraiya stroked his chin, seemingly quite satisfied with the answer.
“Very good, very good. You must maintain this attitude, Chizhao. I’m leaving, but you must get along well with Gaara, okay?”
“Will you come back?”
Looking at the tall Jiraiya walking beside her, in the few days they had spent together, Chizhao seemed to have developed a certain dependence on him. Perhaps it was the instinct of her child’s body, or perhaps Jiraiya’s companionship had brought her a sense of security as a newcomer.
“Of course, I still need to supervise your taijutsu training. We’ll start when I get back, so don’t cause trouble everywhere.”
“I won’t cause trouble!” She felt a little guilty saying that herself.
It’s not me who causes trouble, it’s the desert demon.
The two leisurely returned to Keiko’s house. As soon as they stepped through the threshold, an intoxicating aroma of food wafted over them. Both master and disciple’s eyes lit up, and their mouths watered.
They rushed to the dining table and began to devour the food like a storm.
Keiko smiled happily, watching the large and small figures sweep across the dining table like beasts.
It had been a long time since the house had been so lively. Watching the two people in the room chatting and laughing, Keiko couldn’t help but feel a hint of relief.
The scene before her seemed to revert to a night many years ago.
A girl, whose features bore a slight resemblance to Chizhao, sat at the dining table, angrily flipping all the food onto the floor. She pounded her fists on the table, tears in her eyes.
“I don’t want to eat this street food! I only want to eat Mom’s homemade cooking!”
Her gaze returned to Chizhao’s happily eating face, her expression becoming somewhat lost, but she quickly hid it behind a kind smile.