The workshop doors stood open to let the summer air inside.
It didn’t help much.
Fresh-cut cedar carried a pleasant smell, but it couldn’t chase away the heat.
Daichi had given up complaining hours ago.
The old carpenter hadn’t complained at all.
Kamui suspected that meant the heat had won.
The day’s order was simple.
One long bench for a small park near the Academy.
No carvings.
No decoration.
Just something sturdy enough for children to sit on.
Kamui ran his hand across the board one last time.
Smooth.
Not perfect.
But close.
The old carpenter inspected it with the seriousness of a man judging priceless treasure.
He found one tiny rough edge.
Without saying anything, he handed the sandpaper back.
Kamui sighed dramatically.
“…I knew it.”
When the work was finally finished, Daichi loaded the bench onto a handcart.
“Come on.”
“We’ll deliver it before dinner.”
The streets were busy.
Children chased each other between shops.
Merchants called to passing customers.
Someone nearby argued loudly over the price of tomatoes.
It felt…
Alive.
Kamui liked that.
The park wasn’t far.
Only one old bench stood beneath a large tree.
Its boards had cracked with age.
The new one looked plain beside it.
But solid.
As Daichi tightened the final bolt, the old carpenter stepped back.
“It’ll last.”
Kamui nodded.
“Longer than me.”
The old carpenter looked at him.
“If it doesn’t…”
“…I’ll blame your work.”
“I expected nothing less.”
They were packing their tools when footsteps approached.
Three boys.
Naruto.
Choji.
Shikamaru.
Naruto was talking loudly.
Choji was eating.
Shikamaru looked like he’d rather be lying beneath the clouds.
Naruto spotted Kamui first.
“Hey!”
Kamui raised a hand.
“Afternoon.”
Naruto jogged over.
“What’re you doing?”
“Replacing a bench.”
Naruto looked at it.
“…Looks like a bench.”
Daichi couldn’t help smiling.
“That was the goal.”
Choji wandered closer.
He gently pressed a hand against the smooth wood.
“…Nice.”
He sat.
The bench didn’t creak.
Didn’t wobble.
It simply held him.
Choji nodded in approval.
“I like it.”
Kamui leaned toward Daichi.
“I’ve received the highest praise possible.”
Daichi whispered back,
“I think you have.”
Shikamaru hadn’t moved.
He remained beneath the nearby tree, watching clouds drift overhead.
After a while he finally spoke.
“You made this?”
Kamui nodded.
“With some help.”
Shikamaru looked at the old broken bench waiting to be hauled away.
“…Seems like a waste.”
Naruto frowned.
“What does?”
“The old one.”
“It was broken.”
“It still worked.”
Kamui rested one hand on the weathered wood.
“It did.”
Shikamaru looked at him.
“So why replace it?”
For a moment, Kamui didn’t answer.
He ran his fingers over one of the deep cracks.
“It did its job.”
He smiled faintly.
“Now this one gets its turn.”
The answer wasn’t clever.
It wasn’t meant to be.
Shikamaru quietly accepted it.
“…Troublesome.”
Naruto immediately climbed onto the new bench.
Then stood on it.
Daichi pointed.
“Don’t.”
Naruto climbed back down.
“…Right.”
Choji reached into his snack bag.
He hesitated.
Then held it toward Kamui.
“Want one?”
Kamui looked genuinely surprised.
“…You’re sharing?”
Choji nodded.
“They’re good.”
Kamui accepted one rice cracker with exaggerated care.
“I feel honored.”
“You should.”
Naruto folded his arms.
“He never shares with me.”
Choji looked at him.
“You eat too fast.”
“I do not!”
“You swallowed three dumplings yesterday.”
Naruto opened his mouth to argue.
Then stopped.
“…Maybe.”
A comfortable silence settled over the park.
The children stayed.
The adults finished packing.
Nobody seemed in a hurry.
The breeze stirred the leaves overhead.
Somewhere in the distance, the Academy bell rang.
Shikamaru finally stood.
“We should head home.”
Choji nodded.
“My mom’s cooking tonight.”
Naruto scratched his cheek.
“I’ll…
walk around a bit.”
Nobody questioned it.
As the boys started leaving, Shikamaru glanced back once.
Not at Naruto.
Not at Kamui.
At the bench.
Then he looked at Kamui.
“…Good work.”
It was quiet.
Almost lost beneath the wind.
But Kamui heard it.
He smiled.
“Thanks.”
Shikamaru gave a small nod and caught up with Choji.
Naruto lingered another moment.
He looked as if he wanted to say something.
Instead, he shoved his hands into his pockets.
“See you tomorrow.”
Kamui blinked.
Then smiled.
“…See you tomorrow.”
Naruto froze for half a second.
As though he hadn’t expected those words.
Then he grinned.
“Yeah.”
And ran after the others.
That evening, the park stood empty.
The new bench rested beneath the old tree.
A few leaves drifted onto its surface.
Tomorrow…
Children would sit there.
Parents would rest there.
Friends would argue there.
Someone would probably carve their initials into one corner.
Life would continue.
The bench didn’t know any of that.
It simply waited.