And The Pain Ends

The next morning Chouji woke to the sun hitting his face. When he saw the cover on top of him he knew that Taku had gotten home last night after all. He got up to make her breakfast as a thank you for everything she had done for him lately. He really wanted to show her he appreciated it so he even made homemade cappuccinos by making coffee and putting one scoop of vanilla ice cream in each cup. He had also made scrambled eggs, sausage, biscuits and a fruit salad.

Upstairs Taku was slowly being pulled from her slumber from the good smells coming from downstairs. She got up and dressed yourself in the normal clothes she would be singing in. (After the performance she would change into your kimono.) She then slipped downstairs to see the sweetest gesture a guy could ever make. He made her favorite breakfast. “Oh, Chouji this is so sweet! Thank you so much!” ‘With as much food as he made, he better have gave up on that stupid diet idea.’ She then sat down, he had already made a plate for her.

“Well Taku, it was the least I could do after everything you have done for me since you came here, including getting Ino to talk me out of the diet.” Taku smiled at him knowing that it was Ino’s fault to begin with but not saying anything that she thought would upset Chouji. After helping Chouji with the dishes she told him she had to rush out, then took the walk to Ino’s house alone. When Taku got there Ino and Sakura got on each side of her and started doing part of her hair. They talked about the people who would be in her back up band. They were all Chunin who had stayed in that position for years like Iruka. They also spoke about how to make one of Taku’s songs extra special. The three of them planned a surprise for the middle of tenth song just before the break. After the planning for this was finished, (no I won’t tell you the surprise) her hair was done also. Three hours later as she walked onto the stage she look magnificent. She wore a spaghetti strap dress that one side only went down to her hip on left side then on the other made a v to her knee, it also had a diamond of lace with see through abilities that touched her belly button and middle of her back the bottom of her bra and the top of her hip. She wore black pants underneath the dress. Her hair was up in two buns on the sides and had two strings hanging down below her breasts in a spiral. Her hair color matched the dress a very light blue shade.

Taku stood up and picked up the microphone. “Oh right my first song will be dedicated to all those out there who have loved someone unreachable. It is called castles in the sky.” With that the band started to play and Taku’s voice filled the festival turning heads and bodies in her direction. Everyone except her could tell this was something special and all of Sasuke’s ex fan girls were crowded around the stage hugging each other while she sang. Through the next five songs she saw roses being given in the crowd. Shikamaru to Temari, Naruto to Hinata, and Kiba to Ino. Those of course were the only ones that got white roses in return. You even got a few roses from Kiba, Nenji, and Shino. She handed them all yellow roses from the stage waiting for one special person to give her a rose hopefully he would. The seventh song was very special she you had to do an introduction for it. “I hope you have enjoyed the show so far but the next song is for all those who have lost someone special, someone they can only meet up with when they join them in death.” She then began singing My only love:

Deep in my soul,
a love so strong,
it takes control.
Now we both know.
The secrets bared,
The feelings shown.
Driven far apart,
I make a wish on a shooting star.

There will come a day,
Somewhere far away,
In your arms I'll stay,
My only love.
Even though you're gone,
Love will still live on,
The feeling is so strong,
My only love, my only love.
There will come a day,
Somewhere far away,
In your arms I'll stay,
My only love.
Even though you're gone,
Love will still live on,
The feeling is so strong,
My only love, my only love.

There will come a day,
Somewhere far away,
In your arms I'll stay,
My only love.
You've reached the deepest part
of the secret in my heart,
I've known it from the start,
My only love,
my only love.


Kakashi and everyone else who had lost someone they cared about during missions or I either the war with Kyuubi or Orochimaru began to cry during this song. She then began with the normal love songs again until her tenth song came up. She saw Sakura and Ino make their way closer to the stage and stopped once again for her introduction. “Now when most of us think of love marriage comes to mind, the love between a man and a woman. There are other forms of love though, the kind between friends, and I want to remind you all of that. That is why my next song is the power of love.” Every one was confused as she sat down the microphone and began belting with her own voice using no amplification:

There comes a time,
When you face the toughest of fights,
Searching for a sign,
Lost in the darkest of nights,
The wind blows so cold,
You're standing alone,
Before the battle's begun,
But deep in your soul,
The future unfolds,
As bright as the rays of the sun.

You've got to believe,
In the Power of Love,
You've got to believe,
In the Power of Love,
The Power of Love.

Blazing Emotion,
There's a light that glows from your heart,
It's a chain reaction,
And nothing will keep us apart,
Stand by my side,
There's nothing to hide,
Together we'll fight till the end,
Take hold of my hand,

At this point she took the hands of Sakura and Ino and pulled them to the stage with her, while singing the next two lines, before she picked up the microphone again. All three of them finished the song, singing their hearts out about the power the love found in friendship has.

And you'll understand,
What it truly means to be friends.

You've got to believe,
(You've got to believe)
In the Power of Love
You've got to believe,
(You've got to believe)
In the Power of Love,
It gives meaning to each moment,
It's what our hearts are all made of,
You've got to believe,
(You've got to believe)
In the Power of Love,
The Power of Love.

Taku put your arms over each of their shoulders and they do the same to her dancing and singing to the very last part.

You've got to believe,
(You've got to believe)
In the Power of Love,
You've got to believe,
(You've got to believe)
In the Power of Love,
It gives meaning to each moment,
It's what our hearts are all made of,
(Just look inside)
You've got to believe,
(You've got to believe)
In the Power of Love,
The Power of Love.

After this she stepped of the stage to get a glass of water for her ten minute break. She was approached by Gaara, (he was chaperoning his sister from the sand village.) “Do you actually believe that love makes you stronger, that it is not a weakness?” she just smiled at him and pointed to Naruto.

“Gaara, I am sure you have seen Naruto around. He used to be the class clown never making good grades, goofing off all the time, but now he is a great ninja and well on his way to making his dream of becoming a Hokage a reality. His love for Hinata and his teammates has given him strength because he has someone special to him to protect. It would be the same for you also, for anyone actually. Love makes us stronger because it gives us something truly important to fight for even if the one we love seems weak, they are stronger for their love just as you are.” A few moments of silence ensued before Taku realized the time. “Sorry Gaara but I have to get back up there, just trust me one day you will find someone worthy enough for you to protect.” He nodded and walked away as she ran back up to the stage. She went through the next eight songs without incident or introduction. She also saw more roses being given out and white ones returned from Sasuke and Sakura, Nenji and Ten Ten, Lee and some chunin Taku didn’t know, Lee to another chunin you didn’t know you, and finally Gai to Asuma. This only made Taku smile. During the song When I fall in love Chouji approached the stage nervously and handed Taku a red rose. This is what she had been dreaming of so she handed him a white one in return. He jumped for joy and she smiled as she finished the song knowing one other way she could show Chouji her love.

“Alright, this last song I would like to dedicate to the sweetest and most special ninja here in Konaha. Chouji, I love you. This song is called The Rose.” Taku smiled as he jumped for joy yet again, and began to sing her final song of the day:

Some say love, it is a river
that drowns the tender reed.
Some say love, it is a razor
that leaves your soul to bleed.
Some say love, it is a hunger,
an endless aching need.
I say love, it is a flower,
and you its only seed.

It's the heart afraid of breaking
that never learns to dance.
It's the dream afraid of waking
that never takes the chance.
It's the one who won't be taken,
who cannot seem to give,
and the soul afraid of dyin'
that never learns to live.

When the night has been too lonely
and the road has been to long,
and you think that love is only
for the lucky and the strong,
just remember in the winter
far beneath the bitter snows
lies the seed that with the sun's love
in the spring becomes the rose.

After that song Taku walked down and hugged Chouji and gave him a small peck on the lips. Taku left to change into your kimono.

She ran back to find Chouji and spend the rest of the day with him. He won her a prize and let her chose what she wanted. She could have picked a tiger plushy, a dragon statue or a big fluffy teddy bear. She picked the tiger. Her reasoning for this was. ‘Well, the statue is breakable and I already have a wonderful teddy bear.’ After that the two of them got ice cream and sat down in the grassy meadow where the fireworks would be shot off in ten minutes. She saw a little melted ice cream drip on Chouji’s lip so she leaned over and licked it off. This turned into a long kiss. Just as she pulled away she heard the whistle of the first rocket making its ascent in the air. Taku sat between Chouji’s legs and leaned back on his chest to watch them explode one by one lighting up the sky in the same way that Chouji’s kisses lit up her heart. The only thing was those fireworks seemed so dim compared to the feelings that were making her heart expand. The last exploded in a huge star burst using every color in the rainbow, and even it seemed muted in comparison.

After the last of the fireworks she and Chouji stood up to walk hand in hand back to his house. It was one of the happiest moments in her life and all of those memories included Chouji. After they reached home they put both roses in a vase and set them on the kitchen table. Afterwards Chouji suggested the two of them watch a movie so she leaned on him through out it. Halfway through the movie Chouji looked down at her to find her fast asleep on his shoulder. He wiggled around a bit to get them both in a more comfortable position, (his arm was going numb) and then pulled the cover over the both of them and fell asleep with her laying on him whispering his name in her sleep.