Some things simply couldn't be avoided.
No matter how many excuses I came up with.
Ever since Uncle Shikaku had casually finalized the invitation during our barbecue dinner, my weekend visit to the Nara Clan had become an unavoidable appointment.
On the calendar hanging on my wall, that date sat inside a thick red circle.
Every morning it seemed to creep a little closer.
Quietly.
Patiently.
As though it knew there was nowhere left for me to run.
"..."
Fine.
If I couldn't avoid it...
Then I wouldn't avoid it.
If I couldn't escape...
Then I simply wouldn't escape.
I repeated a string of motivational nonsense to myself until I almost believed it.
After all...
I had survived three consecutive all-nighters racing against impossible manuscript deadlines.
Surely...
A home-cooked meal couldn't possibly be more terrifying than receiving another letter from my editor demanding chapters.
...Right?
With that thought in mind, I walked to my closet.
After digging through an impressive mountain of old clothes, I finally found the outfit I had purchased the previous year.
I shook it open.
Thankfully...
No mold.
No moth holes.
Victory.
Then I changed into it.
Five seconds later...
I stood silently before the mirror.
The sleeves had become noticeably shorter.
My wrists were completely exposed.
When I raised my arms...
A small section of my waist appeared as well.
The entire outfit felt just a little too tight.
"..."
I stared at my reflection for several long moments.
Without saying a word...
I changed back into my regular clothes.
Apparently...
Living in oversized T-shirts while typing every day had prevented me from realizing something rather obvious.
I was still growing.
Well...
I supposed that counted as one unexpected side effect of becoming a full-time author.
Since my own clothes no longer fit...
It suddenly occurred to me that Naruto's situation probably wasn't much better.
The last time we'd gone out together, I had already noticed it.
Most of his shirts had faded after countless washes.
The collars had stretched.
Several cuffs were beginning to fray.
Rather than worrying about finding new clothes just for myself...
Why not take Naruto shopping too?
That solved two problems at once.
I walked toward the bedroom door.
"Naruto."
"We're going out today."
Crunch.
The unmistakable sound of potato chips echoed from the living room.
A second later...
Rapid footsteps approached.
Naruto poked half his head around the sofa.
Chip crumbs still clung stubbornly to the corner of his mouth.
"Where?"
"Where are we going?"
His eyes sparkled with excitement.
"We're buying clothes."
"We're visiting the Nara household this weekend."
"We should both look presentable."
Naruto blinked.
Then his eyes widened.
"I get new clothes too?!"
His excitement only lasted a moment before his expression suddenly became conflicted.
He hugged the bag of chips closer.
"But..."
"...Big Sister..."
"You already bought me a hat..."
He was talking about the tiger-head hat.
I had seen it displayed in a shop window not long ago.
The instant I imagined Naruto wearing it...
Golden hair.
Blue eyes.
Little tiger ears.
It had been unbearably adorable.
So naturally...
I bought it.
"A hat is a hat."
"Clothes are clothes."
I smiled.
"You can't visit someone wearing only a hat."
Naruto's expression became increasingly complicated.
On one side...
He clearly wanted the new clothes.
On the other...
He felt guilty about spending my money.
The struggle played plainly across his face.
Unable to watch him continue suffering, I simply grabbed him by the shoulders and gently pushed him toward the bathroom.
"Three minutes."
"Wash your face."
"Brush the chip crumbs off."
"Meet me at the front door."
"Yes, ma'am!"
He gave me an exaggerated salute.
Then immediately tripped over the doorway while rushing toward the bathroom.
"..."
Some things truly never changed.
Autumn had made Konoha's shopping district even livelier than during summer.
Perhaps the cooler weather encouraged everyone to prepare for winter early.
Every clothing store displayed banners advertising new seasonal arrivals.
Roasted sweet potato stalls released clouds of fragrant white steam.
The scent of roasted chestnuts drifted pleasantly through the streets.
Naruto walked several steps ahead.
Every few moments...
He would stop.
Turn around.
And make sure I was still following.
When we passed a ninja tool shop...
He practically glued his face to the display window.
Rows of polished shuriken gleamed beneath the sunlight.
He stared longingly until I finally grabbed the back of his collar and gently dragged him onward.
"We're shopping for clothes."
"Not weapons."
"...Aww."
The first clothing store we entered wasn't particularly large.
Several children's outfits were displayed neatly in the front window.
One plaid jacket immediately caught my attention.
It looked well-made.
I pushed open the door.
A small bell chimed overhead.
Behind the counter sat a thin middle-aged shopkeeper.
He was busy tapping numbers into a calculator.
Hearing the bell...
He looked up.
His eyes landed on me first.
Completely expressionless.
Then...
They shifted toward Naruto.
His fingers stopped moving.
Only briefly.
About one second.
But...
That was enough.
...
I knew that look.
Far too well.
I'd seen it countless times over the past five years.
The slight tightening around the eyes.
The subtle downturn of the mouth.
That expression which silently declared...
"Why is he here?"
It reminded me of so many things.
The convenience store cashier carefully avoiding Naruto's fingertips while returning his change.
Pedestrians subtly changing direction to avoid walking too close.
Fruit vendors mysteriously deciding to pack up their stalls the moment Naruto approached.
Nobody hit him.
Nobody openly chased him away.
Instead...
They looked at him as though he simply didn't belong.
That quiet rejection...
Somehow felt even crueler than open hatred.
What disgusted me most wasn't even their attitude.
It was the confidence behind it.
The certainty that they had every right to treat him this way.
...
What disgusted me even more...
Was myself.
During those first few years...
I had done almost nothing.
When the convenience store cashier cheated Naruto...
I quietly put my own groceries back on the shelf and left.
When children surrounded him in the park...
I pretended my shopping bag had broken.
Pretended I had simply happened to pass by.
Pretended I wasn't involved.
I had invented countless excuses.
I had no chakra.
I wasn't strong.
I shouldn't interfere with important characters.
It might affect the story.
One excuse after another.
In the end...
There had only been one truth.
I had been afraid.
Too weak.
Too cowardly.
I hadn't possessed the courage to stand opposite everyone else...
For the sake of one lonely child.
Perhaps because of that...
Every time I saw that familiar expression now...
My stomach twisted painfully.
"Welcome."
The shopkeeper spoke.
His tone sounded anything but welcoming.
I smiled politely.
Without releasing Naruto's hand.
Together...
We slowly walked between the clothing racks.
My fingers brushed lightly across rows of neatly arranged hangers.
Metal clicked softly against metal.
Outwardly...
Everything appeared normal.
But from the corner of my eye...
I never stopped watching the shopkeeper.
Naruto walked quietly beside me.
Far quieter than usual.
Children who experienced rejection often became frighteningly observant.
Perhaps he had noticed that one-second pause as well.
His footsteps became lighter.
His fingers quietly tightened around my sleeve.
I stopped before a row of hoodies.
Pulling out an orange one, I held it against him.
"This one looks nice."
"The color suits you."
"Want to try it on?"
Naruto nodded.
He didn't ask if it really looked good.
Didn't smile.
Didn't show excitement.
Instead...
His eyes instinctively glanced toward the counter.
I gently led him toward the fitting room.
Before we reached it...
The shopkeeper spoke.
"The fitting room's under maintenance."
He never even looked up.
His calculator resumed clicking.
I stopped.
Slowly turned toward the fitting room.
The door stood open.
The lights were on.
Nothing blocked the entrance.
There wasn't a single maintenance sign.
No damaged lock.
No broken hinges.
Nothing.
Then...
I looked at Naruto.
He lowered his head slightly.
"...Big Sister."
"It's okay."
"We can just go somewhere else."
...
I slowly took a deep breath.
The anger rising inside me began in the pit of my stomach.
Climbed steadily upward.
By the time it reached my throat...
It had become strangely calm.
I folded the hoodie neatly.
Placed it back exactly where it belonged.
Then smiled pleasantly.
"I see."
"What an interesting shop."
"The 'Welcome' sign outside is perfectly straight."
"But the moment customers walk inside..."
"The fitting room suddenly breaks."
I tilted my head slightly.
"Tell me..."
"Does your business actually make money selling clothes?"
The clicking of the calculator stopped.
The shopkeeper finally looked up completely.
"What do you mean?"
"Oh, nothing."
I smiled even more warmly.
"I was simply wondering whether your shop has poor Feng Shui."
"You seem so unhappy."
"I'm worried your expression might affect your customers' luck."
"...You!"
His face immediately darkened.
His mouth opened.
Closed.
Opened again.
His fingers gripped the calculator tightly enough for the knuckles to turn white.
For several seconds...
He couldn't think of a single response.
I never raised my voice.
Never argued.
Simply nodded politely.
"Well."
"We won't disturb your excellent business any longer."
I reached down.
Took Naruto's hand.
"Let's go."
Without another glance backward...
We walked straight out.
The bell above the door had barely finished ringing...
Before we were already standing outside beneath the autumn sunshine.
We walked another dozen steps.
Then...
Naruto suddenly stopped.
I looked down.
Honestly...
I had expected him to become quiet.
Disappointed.
Just like before.
Instead...
He looked up at me.
His blue eyes sparkled.
The corners of his mouth twitched.
Then—
"Pfft!"
He burst into laughter.
"Big Sister!"
"'Bad Feng Shui!'"
"Did you see his face?!"
"It turned completely purple!"
Naruto immediately began imitating the shopkeeper.
He lowered his voice dramatically.
"'You!'"
"He only managed to say one word!"
"He must've been trying so hard to think of something to insult you..."
"...and couldn't come up with anything!"
He doubled over laughing.
The little tiger ears on his hat bounced with every movement.
I blinked.
"...You're not sad?"
Naruto looked puzzled.
"Sad?"
"What for?"
He wiped the tears from laughing too hard.
Then answered as naturally as though discussing the weather.
"You stood up for me."
"Before..."
"It was always just me."
His smile remained bright.
"And..."
He suddenly raised one finger.
His face became unexpectedly serious.
Clearly copying some dependable adult he admired.
"When you said his sour face affected everyone's luck..."
"...the lady in the shop next door started giggling."
"I saw her."
I couldn't help smiling.
"...Your observation skills are pretty impressive."
Naruto puffed out his chest proudly.
"Of course!"
"I'm going to become Hokage someday!"
The confidence in his voice carried not the slightest trace of doubt.
Then...
He happily resumed skipping down the street.
After several steps...
He turned around.
The tiger-head hat bounced with every movement.
Golden hair framed his smiling face.
Bright blue eyes shone beneath the afternoon sun.
"Big Sister!"
He spread his arms dramatically.
"So..."
"Which shop are we visiting next?"
His grin grew even wider.
"Let's find one with really good Feng Shui!"
I couldn't stop myself from laughing.
The unpleasant encounter from moments earlier seemed to melt away beneath Naruto's carefree smile.
I caught up to him.
Gently ruffled his hair.
"Alright."
"Then today..."
"We'll only shop at places with the best Feng Shui in all of Konoha."
Naruto laughed happily.
The two of us continued walking together through the bustling shopping district.
Neither of us noticed...
That someone had quietly witnessed everything from across the street.
A pair of thoughtful eyes followed Naruto's retreating figure.
Then shifted toward me.
The mysterious observer remained silent.
But the faint look of surprise on that hidden face suggested...
Our little confrontation inside the clothing shop had attracted far more attention than either of us realized.