dmims Chapter 443 Invitation
Chapter 443 Invitation
"Gaara, I've brought lunch. Sorry I was a little delayed on the way, so I'm a bit late..."
The door was pushed open, and Kankuro walked in carrying a food box, but his words stopped abruptly the moment he saw his younger brother's condition.
Gaara wasn't handling official business; he was just sitting there, his eyes unfocused, his brows unconsciously furrowed slightly.
That look of his was less like he was thinking and more like he was... sad about something, but had nowhere to confide in.
Kankuro strode forward, placed the food box on a corner of the desk, and spoke with concern and confusion.
"What's wrong, Gaara? What happened?"
Upon hearing his brother's voice, Gaara shuddered slightly, his unfocused gaze quickly sharpening as he forcefully separated the lingering echoes of those inappropriate dreams from reality.
"...Hmm? Sorry, Kankuro, I was spacing out..." He tried to make his voice sound calm as usual. "It's nothing, just... a little tired."
However, even though he tried to hide it, the sense of loss brought out from the dream, like being briefly embraced by a warm world and then suddenly pushed back into an icy wilderness, stubbornly lingered on his face and in his eyes.
Deep within those eyes, a small flame had just been ignited, only to be extinguished by the cold reality, leaving behind a wisp of damp, empty embers, like those abandoned by something beautiful.
Kankuro looked at his younger brother like this, feeling both puzzled and heartbroken. He really couldn't understand why his brother, who clearly had everything now, still kept exuding this...melancholy aura.
The environment in Sunagakure is now many times better than when Gaara first took office.
Because Gaara and Naruto Uzumaki of Konoha are close friends, the alliance between the two great ninja villages is rock solid, and they have countless cooperative projects.
More importantly, the seeds and technologies for new types of food crops that suddenly appeared, which were particularly suitable for planting in barren sandy land and had an astonishingly high yield, had already been widely promoted in the Sand Village.
Today, the entire Sunagakure village is no longer short of supplies, and the days of hunger and deprivation are long gone. The villagers' faces no longer show sorrow, but rather real abundance and hope.
Naturally, the villagers attributed most of the credit for this dramatic transformation to their young and capable Fifth Kazekage, who led the village to prosperity. Gaara was revered and admired throughout the village, enjoying unprecedented prestige.
Yet, Kankuro felt that there was always a part of Gaara's heart that was empty, a part that wasn't truly happy.
Just like now, even though everything is going smoothly, it feels like he has just experienced a silent farewell that only Gaara knows about.
Kanku wanted to say something witty or share some interesting things happening in the village, trying to dispel the gloom on his younger brother's face.
Just as he was organizing his thoughts—
"Bang."
A very faint sound suddenly appeared in the center of Fengying's office.
Kankuro's hand instantly reached for the puppet behind him.
However, when he saw the object that had appeared out of nowhere, his tense nerves immediately relaxed.
"What... Oh, it's a ninja cat." Kankuro withdrew his hand, his tone tinged with helplessness. "Another urgent package that requires the Kazekage's personal signature?"
Appearing on the office floor was a ninja cat with glossy fur and a small parcel hanging around its neck.
The ninja cat spoke in a human voice, with a tone unique to felines.
"Here is an urgent letter package addressed to Gaara, the Fifth Kazekage of Sunagakure. The sender is Naruto Uzumaki of Konoha. Please sign for it, the sender has already paid the delivery fee."
"Naruto?!"
Gaara's previously low spirits instantly rippled with emotion. He leaned forward slightly, "Please give it to me, thank you."
The ninja cat, of course, recognized the village's Kage. With deft movements, it removed the small parcel from its neck—which was actually a rather exquisitely packaged, thick envelope—and gently pushed it onto Gaara's desk with its paw.
After completing its mission, it nodded to Gaara, and with a soft "pop," it turned into a small wisp of white smoke and departed through spirit communication.
"Naruto's letter?"
Kankuro also came over, somewhat curious, "That's really rare. Why can't you just use Thunder God Technique to come and say something? Why make it so formal..."
Gaara did not answer his brother's question immediately; his attention was completely drawn to the envelope.
Although he was a little puzzled as to why Naruto was contacting him in this way, his hands moved quickly.
Just because it was associated with the name "Naruto," Kankuro felt that the lingering gloom and depression on his younger brother's body quickly dissipated.
His eyes regained their light, and a hint of anticipation unconsciously appeared on his lips.
However, the brightness and anticipation that had just appeared on Gaara's face, brought on by the letter from his friend, vanished the moment he opened the envelope and saw its contents—
They were frozen in place, completely still.
His body trembled violently, and the fingers gripping the letter tightened so much that his knuckles turned white.
Then, to Kankuro's astonishment, Gaara stiffly unfolded the exquisite letter.
Immediately afterwards, Kankuro clearly saw that Gaara's expression had completely changed.
If just moments ago he had merely broken free from despair and carried a glimmer of hope, now all expression had vanished from his face, leaving only a blank, stunned look, as if he had suffered a major blow.
It was a mixture of shock, disbelief, and a sense of bewilderment as deep-seated expectations were brutally shattered by reality.
He stared intently at the words on the invitation, then rubbed his eyes roughly before looking at it again.
However, the handwriting on the invitation was clear, the wording was formal, the content was explicit, and there was no ambiguity.
In that expression, besides the immense shock, there seemed to be a hint of... "This day has finally come," a bitter sense of resignation.
Although Gaara's entire posture and eyes clearly showed that he was resisting accepting this information.
"What's wrong?! Gaara?!"
Kankuro was startled by his younger brother's sudden change in expression. It had been a long time since he had seen Gaara's emotions fluctuate so drastically and his complexion so pale.
He quickly stepped forward and asked anxiously, "What did the letter say?! Has something happened to Naruto? Or to Konoha...?"
However, Gaara seemed not to hear him at all. He just stood there, looking lost and bewildered, clutching the invitation tightly in his hand.
Kankuro was anxious and, not getting a reply, simply stepped forward and looked past Gaara's shoulder at the exquisitely crafted invitation that Gaara was clutching tightly in his hand. It was clear that a lot of thought had been put into it.
The invitation was printed on thick, white cardstock with elegant dark gold embossed along the edges. At the very center, it was written in flowing yet dignified lettering.
谨启
On this occasion, I wish you all good health and all the best.
We, Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha, have now tied the knot and become husband and wife.
To pray for eternal love and friendship, we hereby announce that our wedding ceremony will be held at the following time and place.
Although I know you are all very busy, I still sincerely invite you to attend.
Remember
Date: [Year] [Month] [Day] (Auspicious Day) 11:00 AM (Konoha Calendar)
Location: Central Shrine of Konohagakure, Land of Fire
Groom: Naruto Uzumaki
Bride: Uchiha Satsuki
Please bring this invitation with you upon entry.
Best regards
Konoha Calendar Year X Month X Day
Naruto Uzumaki & Sasuke Uchiha
---
Below the invitation was a line of handwritten, sincere words.
To my most important friends:
Kankuro, Temari, Gaara
You absolutely have to come! We'll reserve the best seats for you!
——Naruto & Sasuki Yuu"