The morning began with a delivery of cedar logs.
A cart stopped outside the workshop just after sunrise.
The driver climbed down, stretched his back, and grinned.
“Got your order.”
Daichi looked at the pile and whistled.
“…That’s a lot.”
“It’ll keep us busy.”
The old carpenter walked outside, resting one hand on the nearest log.
He knocked against it twice.
Listened.
Then nodded.
“This one’s good.”
Kamui watched with curiosity.
“…You can tell?”
The old man glanced at him.
“You can’t?”
“I usually just think…”
He knocked on another log.
“…Yep.”
“That’s definitely wood.”
Daichi laughed.
“I appreciate your expertise.”
The three of them spent the morning moving timber into the storage shed.
By the end of it, Kamui’s shirt clung to his back with sweat.
He dropped onto a stump outside.
“I’ve discovered muscles I didn’t know existed.”
Daichi handed him a cup of water.
“Wait until tomorrow.”
“Why?”
“They’ll introduce themselves properly.”
After lunch, the old carpenter disappeared into the workshop.
When he returned, he carried a wrapped bundle.
He held it out to Kamui.
“Here.”
Kamui accepted it.
Inside was a chisel.
Not new.
The wooden handle was dark from years of use.
The steel had been sharpened so many times that the blade was slightly narrower than normal.
Kamui looked up.
“…This isn’t mine.”
“It is now.”
Daichi stopped sweeping.
He looked almost as surprised as Kamui.
“Father…”
The old carpenter ignored him.
“It isn’t my first chisel.”
“It isn’t my best.”
“But it’s still useful.”
Kamui ran his thumb gently across the worn handle.
Every mark told a story.
Tiny dents.
Faded scratches.
Places where someone’s hand had rested thousands of times.
“…Are you sure?”
“If I wasn’t…”
“…I wouldn’t have handed it to you.”
For once, Kamui didn’t joke.
He bowed his head slightly.
“…I’ll take care of it.”
“I know.”
The afternoon passed quietly.
The old carpenter stood beside Kamui at the workbench.
“No.”
He gently moved Kamui’s wrist.
“Like this.”
Kamui adjusted his grip.
The blade slid through the wood.
A long, thin shaving curled away.
Cleaner.
Smoother.
“Again.”
Kamui tried.
This time the cut wandered.
The old carpenter shook his head.
“Don’t fight the grain.”
“I wasn’t trying to.”
“You were.”
He placed another piece of cedar on the bench.
“The wood already knows where it wants to split.”
He tapped the surface lightly.
“Listen first.”
Then cut.
The chisel glided forward almost effortlessly.
Kamui tried again.
Too much force.
The blade dug too deeply.
A chunk snapped away.
He frowned.
“I ruined it.”
The old carpenter picked up the block.
He turned it over.
Then placed it back in front of Kamui.
“No.”
He pointed at the damaged corner.
“Now make something that doesn’t need that piece.”
Kamui blinked.
“…That’s cheating.”
“That’s craftsmanship.”
Near sunset…
Naruto appeared again.
This time he didn’t stop at the doorway.
He walked straight inside.
Daichi looked over.
“You’re getting comfortable.”
Naruto shrugged.
“I guess.”
Kamui held up the block of cedar.
“Perfect timing.”
Naruto looked at the missing corner.
“What happened?”
“I got overconfident.”
Naruto nodded knowingly.
“…Yeah.”
“I do that too.”
Kamui handed him the block.
“What do you see?”
Naruto turned it over in his hands.
“A broken piece of wood.”
“Anything else?”
Naruto squinted.
“…Maybe…”
He rotated it again.
“…A turtle?”
Kamui looked at it.
Then burst out laughing.
“A turtle?”
Naruto pointed excitedly.
“Look!”
“The missing corner can be the tail!”
Daichi walked over.
He looked.
“…Huh.”
“I kind of see it.”
The old carpenter took the block from Naruto.
He studied it.
Without a word, he made three careful cuts.
Then handed it back.
Now…
It really did resemble the beginning of a turtle.
Naruto’s eyes widened.
“I was right!”
The old carpenter grunted.
“You noticed something we didn’t.”
Naruto blinked.
“…Really?”
“You looked at what it could become.”
He turned back toward his workbench as though he hadn’t said anything important.
Naruto stood there holding the unfinished turtle.
A slow smile spread across his face.
Not because someone had praised him.
Because…
For once…
An adult had treated his idea seriously.
The sun had almost disappeared when Naruto finally left.
He carried the little turtle in both hands.
He was careful not to drop it.
Kamui watched him go.
Then looked toward the old carpenter.
“You planned that.”
The old man continued organizing his tools.
“No.”
“You really made it into a turtle.”
“…It wanted to be one.”
Kamui laughed.
“I think you’re getting softer.”
The old carpenter snorted.
“I think you’re talking too much.”
Outside…
The evening breeze drifted through the streets of Konoha.
Naruto walked home a little slower than usual.
Every few steps…
He looked down at the unfinished turtle.
Then smiled to himself before continuing on.