***
Tsunade's shamelessness had shaken Touye, but her words hadn't been entirely dismissive. So, while Touye had originally planned to train on her own, she ultimately let Shizune drag her out to the market.
It seemed to be a lively day. The streets were thronged with people, a bustling river of carriages and pedestrians, and a long line of stalls sold all manner of food and trinkets.
The girl, who hadn't been around a crowd for a long time, felt a pang of anxiety and stuck close behind Shizune.
Though her mask hid her expression, Shizune was sensitive enough to notice her tension. She turned, smiled at the girl, and squeezed her hand a little tighter.
The warmth and pressure from Shizune's hand calmed her heart.
Shizune was a gentle and considerate person. Her father had passed away long ago, entrusting her to Tsunade's care on his deathbed. Tsunade had then taken Shizune on as her apprentice, teaching her ninjutsu and medical arts.
After her uncle, Dan, was killed in action, Shizune was left with no other family and came to depend on Tsunade completely.
Though Shizune was nominally Tsunade's apprentice, she often seemed more like an assistant or a personal attendant, meticulously managing every aspect of Tsunade's life. She was a companion in fights, a drinking buddy, and a partner in gambling—and losing. Shizune was, in short, an incredibly capable housekeeper.
She was fated to a life of toil. Tsunade was, without a doubt, the most difficult kunoichi in Konoha to serve. Scoldings and lectures were a daily occurrence, and Shizune had to endure the vicious cycle of Tsunade losing money and borrowing more, constantly on the run from creditors. Through it all, she had developed an impressive ability to face a thousand pointing fingers with a cool and defiant brow.
Touye found it strange. By the start of the original story, Shizune was already thirty-one years old. She was attractive, had a wonderful personality, and was proficient in every domestic skill imaginable. Why was she still single?
She didn't even have a boyfriend.
Was it because she had devoted her life to serving Tsunade?
Or had Tsunade interfered, preventing her from finding love freely?
Or perhaps, because she shared Tsunade's debts, no man dared to get involved with a woman who could bankrupt any tycoon?
Whatever the reason, Touye was certain it was directly or indirectly related to Tsunade. In her past life, the story of Naruto hadn't concluded before she died, so Shizune's ultimate fate remained unknown. Still, the girl hoped she would find a good person to rely on.
As a ninja, she was an anomaly among anomalies.
Though normally reserved and quiet, never resisting Tsunade's malicious bullying and oppression, she had bravely stood up to her master when Tsunade resolved to help Orochimaru. She knew her own strength was worlds apart from Tsunade's, yet she showed no fear, her eyes filled with unwavering determination.
She was also deeply empathetic. Not wanting Naruto to misunderstand Tsunade, she had patiently explained Tsunade's past to him. She was willing to follow Tsunade across the world as a mere attendant—no easy feat for a woman in her thirties. She had sacrificed her own future and happiness. For what?
*For stronger medical techniques.*
And why?
*To heal more of the wounded.*
She was gentler than Temari, more mature than Sakura, more cheerful than Hinata, and closer to the ideal of a traditional Japanese woman than Kurenai or Anko. She should have been the most popular among the male ninja, because she was more like a normal girl, allowing them to forget their own grim destinies for a moment.
But in reality, she carried more misfortune than any of the other kunoichi.
Her parents died when she was young. At five, she lost her last living relative. Every day was spent in the company of a haughty princess, shouldering all the household responsibilities and constantly dodging debt collectors.
In some ways, her experiences were so similar to Haku's. Loneliness, pain, and trials had forged this strong female ninja.
That was why Touye felt such a deep kinship with Shizune.
"What are you thinking about?"
Noticing the girl's distraction, Shizune turned her head, her eyes filled with obvious concern.
"It's... nothing."
The girl shook her head. "I was just wondering why there are so many people out today."
"Eh? You don't know?" Shizune looked surprised. "Today is the annual Obon Festival!"
"The Obon Festival..."
It dawned on Touye. No wonder there were so many people.
Obon was the time of year to welcome and comfort the spirits of one's ancestors. It was said that on this day, the spirits of the dead returned to their homes.
Traditionally, Obon was observed on the seventeenth day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar. Now, some people celebrated from July 13th to the 15th, while others observed it from August 13th to the 15th.
On the thirteenth, people would light welcoming fires for the ancestral spirits. On the sixteenth, they would light farewell fires to send the spirits back.
Many shops closed during Obon, as people working in other towns would return home to be with their families.
*So much time has passed...*
She had met Tsunade and Shizune back in April. In the blink of an eye, three months had gone by.
The girl fell silent, wondering how Haku and Xiao Chun were doing.
She lifted her head to the sky, wondering if those two little figures were looking at the same sky...
The perceptive Shizune saw the gloom descend upon the girl but didn't say anything. Instead, she just pulled her along more enthusiastically through the market.
Shizune brought her to a goldfish-scooping stall. The owner was a portly, kind-faced old man who saw them approach and eagerly began explaining the tricks of the game.
Excited, Shizune paid for several paper nets. She placed Tonton, the small pig she carried, on the ground, then handed one of the nets to Touye. "Don't just stand there, Xiao Ye. Come on, give it a try! It's fun."
"Eh?" Touye stared dumbly at the net in her hand before nodding helplessly. "Okay... I'll try one..."
*Snap.* With a faint sound, the last of Shizune's nets was torn by a struggling goldfish.
The fish plopped back into the water, flicked its tail, and swam away. Shizune's face fell. "D-dammit..."
The portly owner laughed and said that even if she didn't catch a single one, he'd give her a fish anyway. But Shizune pouted. "No! I refuse to believe I can't catch one tiny goldfish! Xiao Ye..."
She turned her head and froze.
The girl was squatting nearby, staring at her paper net. On it, a goldfish was flopping about, yet it couldn't break through the thin paper. Touye looked blankly at the fish for a moment, then looked up. "This? Does this mean I win?"
"Oh! O-oh! Xiao Ye, you're amazing! How did you do that? I tried so many times and couldn't get one, but you succeeded on your first try!"
Shizune's eyes sparkled like stars as she scurried over.
The girl scratched her hair. "I don't know. I just scooped, and it came up..."
The owner chuckled as he walked over. "The little fella is right. This goldfish is yours now. Let me get you a plastic bag with some water so you can take it with you."
Shizune happily took the bag and put the goldfish inside. Then she picked up Tonton, who was squealing at her feet. "Hehe, thanks, old man."
The owner waved his hand. "It's nothing, it's nothing... Come play again sometime..."
Shizune smiled and pulled the still-dazed Touye away toward another part of the market.
After that, they tried everything: beanbag toss, air rifles, takoyaki, and grilled meat. Shizune led the girl from one game to the next. By the time she had played to her heart's content, the sun was beginning to set.
"Hey! Today was so much fun!" Shizune shouted happily at the sky. Tonton grunted in agreement from Touye's arms.
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