On the journey back to Konoha...
I barely walked at all.
Somewhere during the return trip, Shiranui Genma and Raidō Namiashi reached an unspoken agreement.
Whenever my legs finally gave up, one of them would silently crouch in front of me.
The other would automatically take every piece of luggage.
No discussion.
No complaints.
As if the arrangement had existed from the very beginning.
Both were elite jonin.
Even carrying dozens of kilograms of luggage—or an exhausted civilian—they still crossed forests and deserts with effortless speed.
At first, I felt embarrassed.
By the second day...
I had completely accepted reality.
After all, worrying about my dignity did not magically restore my stamina.
Watching the two of them travel so effortlessly constantly reminded me of something.
They looked young.
Barely nineteen or twenty.
In my previous life, people that age were still university students worrying about exams and assignments.
But in this world...
They were jonin.
Veteran shinobi who could probably defeat ten ordinary people like me without breaking a sweat.
The trip to Sunagakure had thoroughly taught me one lesson.
Know your limits.
So I obediently stayed on whichever back happened to be available that day while the two jonin traveled at their normal pace.
By the time we finally returned...
Night had already fallen.
The familiar gates of Konoha stood beneath the moonlight.
I was currently asleep.
More specifically...
Fast asleep on Genma's back.
My face was buried between his shoulder blades, completely unaware we had already arrived.
Later...
Genma told me the expressions worn by the gate guards had been absolutely priceless.
Kamizuki Izumo.
Hagane Kotetsu.
Apparently...
The sight before them had been unforgettable.
One jonin carrying what looked like a human-shaped rice dumpling wrapped tightly in a travel cloak.
Another jonin completely buried beneath mountains of luggage and souvenir bags.
All three covered head to toe in dust from the road.
According to Genma...
Kotetsu had actually blinked twice before deciding not to ask questions.
Genma gently rubbed the back of his head against mine.
"Writer Miss."
His voice carried quiet amusement.
"We're home."
"...Mm..."
I slowly opened my eyes.
The wooden gates of Konoha gradually came into focus.
Three seconds.
That was how long it took for my brain to realize I was still riding piggyback.
Another few seconds...
To remember who I was.
Where I had come from.
And where I needed to go.
Then another thought suddenly surfaced.
"You don't have to walk me home."
I slowly slid off Genma's back.
The moment my feet touched the ground...
My knees almost buckled.
"My house..."
I pointed vaguely toward the village.
"...is just over there."
"I can make it myself."
"Thank you for everything."
"I'll treat both of you to dinner another day."
I blinked several times.
Then stubbornly added,
"Really."
"You don't have to escort me."
"Konoha's security is excellent..."
I honestly wasn't sure whether my words formed complete sentences anymore.
Sleep deprivation had thoroughly defeated my brain.
Genma looked down at me.
The corners of his mouth curved upward.
"Konoha's security is excellent."
He agreed immediately.
"But..."
He glanced at the way I was swaying in place.
"...are you certain you can actually walk home?"
"No problem!"
I raised both hands enthusiastically.
Making two perfect circles with my fingers.
"Absolutely."
The world tilted slightly.
Before gravity could finish its work...
Raidō calmly reached out and steadied my shoulder.
Only after confirming I could stand did he quietly withdraw his hand.
"What about your luggage?"
His gaze shifted toward the enormous pile of travel bags.
The meaning was obvious.
Even if I could somehow walk...
There was no chance I could carry all of that.
I looked at the mountain of bags.
Then at my arms.
"...Can I collect them tomorrow?"
Genma walked over without another word.
He picked up the largest backpack.
Carried it to the storage area beside the registration desk.
Then looked toward Izumo.
"Izumo."
"Watch this overnight."
Izumo poked his head up from behind the registration ledger.
He looked at me.
Then at the giant backpack.
Then silently wrote a note inside the logbook.
One large backpack belonging to an unidentified female resident of Konoha. Stored overnight.
I almost laughed.
"Thank you."
I bowed quickly.
"Good night, everyone."
Wrapping my coat tighter around myself...
I slowly disappeared into the quiet streets.
Even after turning the corner...
I could still feel two pairs of eyes watching to make sure I didn't collapse before reaching home.
I unlocked my front door.
Kicked off my shoes.
Walked straight into my bedroom.
Collapsed face-first onto the bed.
And instantly disappeared into unconsciousness.
The alarm clock bounced violently across the bedside table.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Only then did I finally wake up.
Still wearing yesterday's clothes...
I sneaked toward the village gate like someone attempting to recover stolen property.
Fortunately...
My luggage remained exactly where Genma had left it.
Mission accomplished.
After dragging everything home, I finally enjoyed the greatest luxury imaginable.
A bath.
The hot water washed away every remaining grain of desert sand hidden in my hair.
When I looked into the mirror afterward...
I finally relaxed.
Not because I feared getting tanned.
Mostly because I'd spent the entire signing wearing a mask.
If I attended Naruto's entrance ceremony with the upper half of my face sunburned and the lower half completely pale...
The result would have been unforgettable.
Today was special.
I couldn't dress carelessly.
After searching through my wardrobe, I found the white mohair knit dress I'd fallen in love with while shopping with Naruto weeks earlier.
The fabric was soft.
Light.
Comfortable.
A simple braided cord rested loosely around the waist.
No unnecessary decorations.
No elaborate embroidery.
The hem reached just below my knees, and the fluffy mohair shimmered gently beneath the morning sunlight.
After drying my long black hair until it remained only slightly damp...
I combed it carefully.
The strands naturally fell all the way to my waist.
Then I looked at my reflection.
Dark circles.
Pale skin.
Thin cheeks.
I looked less like someone returning from a successful business trip...
And more like a patient recovering from a serious illness.
After digging through a forgotten drawer...
I eventually found two cosmetic items.
Blush.
Tinted lip balm.
I had bought them ages ago.
Since then...
They had quietly gathered dust.
Today...
I decided to finally honor them with their first proper use.
A little blush.
A little lip balm.
The woman in the mirror immediately looked healthier.
Much better.
The Ninja Academy entrance was already crowded.
Rather than stepping into the crowd...
I quietly stood beneath the shade of a nearby tree.
My eyes searched among the families.
Finding Naruto proved incredibly easy.
That bright blond hair practically glowed.
He wore his new backpack proudly.
Talking so loudly that half the street could probably hear him.
Standing beside him...
Was the Nara family.
Shikamaru stood with both hands buried inside his pockets.
His expression clearly read:
What a drag.
Every now and then, he lazily answered Naruto.
Choji stood nearby eating chips.
Beside him...
Ino chatted happily with her parents.
The new generation of the Ino-Shika-Cho trio had unknowingly gathered together.
Watching them...
Something inside me suddenly softened.
The scene pulled my thoughts somewhere far away.
Another summer.
Another school entrance ceremony.
For one brief moment...
It felt as though I were standing there again.
Wearing a slightly oversized school uniform.
A bright red scarf tied around my neck.
Sweat sticking uncomfortably to my skin.
A woman's warm hand holding mine tightly while guiding me through a noisy crowd.
I looked up.
Opened my mouth.
"Mom..."
"...and then Big Sis said—"
Naruto's voice suddenly shattered the memory.
He was practically shouting into Shikamaru's ear.
"Her expression was super funny!"
"Shikamaru!"
"Are you even listening?"
"Heard you."
Shikamaru answered lazily.
His eyes drifted across the street.
Then...
Stopped.
He saw her.
Standing quietly beneath the large tree.
Al.
Her beautiful eyes were looking toward them...
Yet somehow...
Not focused on anyone.
There was sadness hidden deep inside those dark brown pupils.
A loneliness he couldn't understand.
Shikamaru frowned ever so slightly.
He didn't like that expression.
He preferred the one she wore while teasing him.
Smug.
Playful.
Annoying.
That suited her much better.
He interrupted Naruto.
"Hey."
"Hm?"
Shikamaru tilted his chin toward the opposite side of the street.
Naruto followed his gaze.
Everything froze.
His mouth slowly formed a tiny "O."
His blue eyes became impossibly wide.
The silence lasted exactly one heartbeat.
Then—
"BIG SIS!!"
The shout echoed across almost the entire street.
Parents turned.
Children turned.
Even nearby teachers glanced over.
The sound instantly pulled me back from old memories into the present.
Naruto exploded toward me.
His backpack bounced wildly behind him.
He ran so fast he couldn't stop.
The collision nearly knocked both of us backward.
His arms wrapped tightly around my waist.
"Big Sis!"
"You're back!"
"I knew you'd come back!"
"I knew it!"
His voice trembled with excitement.
I gently ruffled his messy blond hair.
Then smoothed it back into place.
Looking down...
His blue eyes were shining.
He hadn't lost weight.
If anything...
He looked slightly taller than before.
A month's time really did make children grow quickly.
I smiled.
"Well..."
I brushed one stubborn lock of hair away from his forehead.
"A lot happened during the trip..."
I looked toward the academy gate.
Then back at Naruto.
"But..."
"I made it back just in time."
Naruto hugged me even tighter.
As though afraid that if he let go...
I'd disappear again.
And watching that small, trembling smile slowly spread across his face...
I suddenly realized that no matter how exhausting the journey to Sunagakure had been, returning in time for this single moment had made every step worthwhile.