Morning arrived with the smell of fresh rain.
The storm during the night had washed the streets clean, leaving puddles that reflected the morning sky.
Kamui was sweeping water away from the workshop entrance when Genzo walked past carrying a sack of nails.
“No training today?”
Kamui looked up.
“I’ve been promoted.”
Genzo raised an eyebrow.
“To what?”
“Chief sweeper.”
Genzo nodded seriously.
“Heavy responsibility.”
“I barely slept from the pressure.”
The old carpenter walked past both of them.
“You missed a spot.”
Kamui looked down.
“…I hate this place.”
Daichi nearly dropped the crate he was carrying as laughter escaped him.
The Academy finished early because several instructors had been called away for a meeting.
Children flooded the streets much earlier than usual.
Naruto arrived first.
He placed his birdhouse proudly on the workbench.
“It passed.”
Kamui looked up from a cabinet door.
“Oh?”
“I got seven out of ten.”
He folded his arms proudly.
“I would’ve gotten eight if one side wasn’t crooked.”
Kamui walked around the little birdhouse.
“I disagree.”
Naruto blinked.
“You do?”
“I think the crooked side gives it personality.”
Naruto stared at him.
“…You’re making fun of me.”
“I absolutely am.”
Naruto grabbed the birdhouse before Kamui could inspect it any longer.
A few minutes later another visitor stopped outside the workshop.
Unlike Naruto…
He didn’t come in immediately.
Shino Aburame stood quietly beneath the eaves, his hands inside his jacket pockets.
He wasn’t staring at the furniture.
He was watching the tiny wooden box near the window.
The injured bird chirped softly.
Kamui noticed him.
“Come in.”
Shino stepped inside without a word.
His eyes remained on the box.
“The wing is healing.”
Kamui looked mildly surprised.
“You can tell?”
Shino nodded once.
“It is standing differently than yesterday.”
Kamui looked again.
He still couldn’t tell.
“…I’ll take your word for it.”
Naruto wandered over.
“You know birds?”
“I know insects.”
“…That’s completely different.”
“They notice everything.”
Naruto frowned.
“…Your bugs watch birds?”
“They watch everything.”
Naruto took one cautious step backward.
“…That’s creepy.”
Shino thought about it.
“…A little.”
Kamui opened the box carefully.
The little white bird hopped onto the edge.
It stretched one wing.
Then the other.
It gave an experimental flap.
Daichi smiled.
“I think it’s ready.”
The old carpenter nodded once from across the room.
“Outside.”
All four stepped into the street.
Kamui knelt and opened both hands.
For a few seconds…
The bird simply stood there.
Naruto leaned forward.
“Come on…”
Without warning…
The little bird took flight.
A little clumsy.
A little uneven.
But flying.
It circled above the workshop once.
Then twice.
Before disappearing over the rooftops.
Naruto watched until he couldn’t see it anymore.
“…Do you think it’ll remember us?”
Kamui rested his hands on his hips.
“I don’t know.”
Shino quietly answered instead.
“Birds remember places where they felt safe.”
Everyone looked at him.
He adjusted his glasses.
“It may return.”
Naruto smiled.
“…That’d be nice.”
As the boys started walking back inside, a familiar voice called from the road.
“I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”
Iruka.
He held a bundle of Academy papers under one arm.
His gaze landed on Naruto.
“So this is where you’ve been.”
Naruto rubbed the back of his neck.
“…Maybe.”
Iruka sighed.
“I figured.”
He looked toward Kamui.
“I hope he hasn’t been causing trouble.”
Kamui thought for a moment.
“He drove a nail through my workbench.”
Naruto protested immediately.
“It was one time!”
Kamui nodded.
“It was a memorable one.”
Even Iruka couldn’t stop himself from smiling.
“I’ll consider that an improvement.”
Naruto looked betrayed.
“Whose side are you on?”
“The workbench’s.”
Iruka glanced around the workshop.
Fresh cabinets stood against one wall.
Several repaired chairs waited for collection.
Bundles of timber rested neatly beneath the rafters.
Everything smelled of cedar and pine.
“It feels different every time I come here.”
Kamui looked around.
“I suppose that’s the point.”
Iruka nodded thoughtfully.
“A village changes one board at a time.”
The old carpenter looked up from his chisel.
“And one child at a time.”
Silence followed.
Iruka smiled respectfully.
“I’ll remember that.”
He placed a hand on Naruto’s shoulder.
“Come on.”
“Homework?”
“Homework.”
Naruto groaned loudly enough for half the street to hear.
He waved dramatically toward the workshop.
“I’ll be back tomorrow!”
Daichi laughed.
“You probably will.”
The afternoon became quiet once more.
Kamui picked up the broom again.
As he swept the last of the sawdust toward the door, he noticed something resting on the windowsill.
A single white feather.
He picked it up.
Turned it over once between his fingers.
Then tucked it into a small jar on the shelf beside the workbench.
Daichi looked over.
“A souvenir?”
Kamui smiled.
“…Maybe.”
The old carpenter glanced at the feather only once before returning to his work.
He didn’t ask why.
Some things didn’t need explaining.