Three days passed quietly.
Kamui settled into a routine faster than he expected.
Wake up before sunrise.
Help unload timber.
Carry beams until his shoulders ached.
Sweep the workshop.
Eat.
Sleep.
Repeat.
It wasn’t exciting.
It wasn’t glamorous.
But for the first time in a long while, every evening ended with the satisfying exhaustion that came from honest work.
That alone made him smile.
…
“You’re smiling again.”
Kamui looked up from the plank he was sanding.
The old carpenter stood nearby with his arms folded.
“Is that a problem?”
“It usually means you’re about to say something stupid.”
Kamui considered it.
“…That’s fair.”
The old man snorted.
“I’ve lived long enough to recognize trouble when it smiles.”
Daichi burst into laughter from across the workshop.
Kamui pointed at him.
“You laugh now, but one day I’ll become the most reliable worker here.”
Daichi didn’t even hesitate.
“When that day comes, pigs will ask birds for flying lessons.”
“You wound me.”
“I’ve only known you three days.”
“And?”
“I’m already confident.”
Kamui placed a hand over his chest.
“I expected betrayal.”
The workshop filled with quiet laughter.
It wasn’t loud.
It wasn’t forced.
Just the kind of laughter that came naturally after spending several days together.
Kamui noticed something.
Three days ago, they had called him “that traveler.”
Yesterday, it had become “Kamui.”
Today…
He wasn’t sure when it happened…
…but he had stopped feeling like a guest.
Near noon, the old carpenter clapped his hands together.
“That’s enough.”
Daichi looked up.
“We’re stopping early?”
“The order’s finished.”
He glanced toward Kamui.
“And someone owes himself a decent lunch before he collapses.”
“I wasn’t going to collapse.”
“You nearly fell asleep standing yesterday.”
“I was resting my eyes.”
“You were snoring.”
“…That is unfortunate.”
The old man reached into his pocket and tossed Kamui a few extra coins.
“For the overtime.”
Kamui caught them instinctively.
“I didn’t work overtime.”
“You carried Daichi’s load twice this week.”
“He would’ve done the same.”
“Maybe.”
The old carpenter turned away.
“Go eat.”
Kamui looked at the coins for a moment before slipping them carefully into his pocket.
“…Thank you.”
The old man waved him off without looking back.
The streets were crowded.
Schoolchildren hurried home carrying bags nearly as large as themselves.
Shinobi crossed rooftops overhead.
The smell of grilled fish drifted from one corner while fresh bread came from another.
Kamui wandered without much purpose.
His stomach had one destination.
His eyes had another.
He couldn’t help looking around.
This was Konoha before the storms.
Before Pain.
Before war.
Children argued over marbles.
An elderly couple watered flowers outside their home.
A little girl proudly showed her mother a drawing she’d made.
Ordinary moments.
The kind that never appeared in history books.
“The world always remembers battles…”
Kamui murmured to himself.
“…but this is what people are actually fighting for.”
His stomach interrupted his thoughts with a loud growl.
“…Right.”
“Food first.”
He followed the smell until he found a modest ramen stand tucked beside the road.
Steam rose from a large pot.
Behind the counter, a broad-shouldered man wiped bowls with practiced movements.
“Welcome.”
Kamui smiled.
“One bowl, please.”
The man nodded.
“Take a seat.”
Kamui settled onto one of the stools.
The stand wasn’t busy.
Only one other customer sat several seats away, quietly finishing his meal before paying and leaving.
The owner placed a steaming bowl in front of Kamui.
“There you go.”
The aroma alone nearly made him sigh.
He picked up the chopsticks.
“…Itadakimasu.”
The first mouthful was enough to close his eyes.
“…That’s dangerous.”
The owner raised an eyebrow.
“My ramen?”
“If it’s this good, I might spend all my wages here.”
The owner laughed.
“I’ve heard worse compliments.”
“I’m serious.”
“I know.”
They shared a smile.
It was a simple conversation.
The kind strangers had every day.
Nothing more.
Nothing less.
The curtain at the entrance suddenly flew open.
“I’m starving!”
The voice arrived before the person did.
Kamui glanced sideways.
A familiar blond whirlwind rushed inside.
Naruto.
He jumped onto a stool without noticing Kamui.
“Old man!
One miso ramen!”
The owner smiled apologetically.
“Naruto…”
Naruto immediately groaned.
“…I’m out of money.”
“You still owe me for two bowls.”
“I know!”
Naruto dropped his forehead onto the counter dramatically.
“I’ll pay you back after I become Hokage.”
The owner laughed.
“I’ll hold you to that.”
Kamui quietly looked back at his own bowl.
He remembered.
This wasn’t unusual.
Teuchi had always looked after Naruto whenever he could.
Not out of charity.
Simply because he cared.
Naruto sighed.
“I guess water fills the stomach too…”
Before he could ask for a cup…
A bowl slid across the counter.
It stopped directly in front of him.
Naruto blinked.
He looked at the bowl.
Then at Kamui.
“…Again?”
Kamui was already paying.
“I ordered the wrong size.”
Naruto stared.
“…No, you didn’t.”
Kamui scratched his cheek.
“…I’m terrible at this excuse.”
“You really are.”
For a moment neither of them spoke.
Then the owner chuckled.
“You two know each other?”
Naruto answered immediately.
“No.”
Kamui answered at the same time.
“A little.”
They looked at each other.
Naruto pointed.
“See?”
Kamui shrugged.
“I was being optimistic.”
Naruto tried very hard not to laugh.
He failed.
“…You’re seriously weird.”
“I’ve accepted that.”
Naruto picked up the chopsticks.
“…I’m still paying you back.”
Kamui smiled.
“I believe you.”
Naruto froze for the briefest moment.
Nobody ever said that so casually.
Not “I hope.”
Not “Maybe.”
Just…
“I believe you.”
He looked away quickly and started eating.
“…Tch.”
Kamui pretended not to notice the faint redness on the boy’s ears.
Instead, he finished his own ramen.
When both bowls were empty, Kamui stood.
“Thanks for the meal.”
The owner nodded warmly.
“Come again.”
“I definitely will.”
As Kamui stepped outside, Naruto hurried after him.
“Hey!”
Kamui turned.
“What?”
Naruto shoved both hands into his pockets.
“…Why do you keep helping me?”
It wasn’t an angry question.
It wasn’t suspicious.
It was genuine.
Kamui thought about it.
Long enough that Naruto wondered if he wasn’t going to answer.
Finally, Kamui smiled.
“When I was younger…”
“…someone helped me when they didn’t have to.”
Naruto waited.
“That’s all?”
Kamui nodded.
“That’s all.”
He started walking.
Naruto frowned.
“That doesn’t explain anything!”
Kamui laughed without turning around.
“Maybe not.”
“…But it’s enough for me.”
Naruto stood in the middle of the street, watching the strange young man disappear into the afternoon crowd.
“…What a weird guy…”
A breeze swept through the village.
Naruto looked down at the empty ramen bowl still warming his hands.
For the second time in a week…
Someone had done something kind for him…
…without asking for anything in return.
He wasn’t sure what to make of that.
So he did what he always did when he couldn’t understand something.
He scratched the back of his head.
“…I’ll pay him back.”
Then, with the confidence only Naruto Uzumaki could have, he grinned.
“Yeah.”
“I definitely will.”
Farther down the street, Kamui smiled to himself.
He hadn’t gained a little brother today.
He hadn’t changed Naruto.
He had simply shared a bowl of ramen.
Sometimes…
That was enough.