Three days later, on a morning in Konoha, the ruins of the Chunin Exams venue had already been cleared. The collapsed ground was leveled, broken beams and pillars removed, and shattered walls repaired, erasing the traces of battle bit by bit.
Shops lining the streets opened as usual. Civilians walked the avenues—some carrying vegetable baskets, some leading children by the hand, and others hurrying to work at their workshops. Their pace was unhurried, their expressions calm. It was as if the attack that had shaken the entire village a week ago was nothing more than a brief nightmare.
Mori Chie carried a woven bamboo basket as she walked along the streets of the South District. She wore a light gray casual kimono, her hair loosely tied back. In her early thirties, even with fine lines at the corners of her eyes, she remained radiant.
"Madam Chie!" The fish stall owner called out, straightening up and wiping his hands on his apron as he spotted her from a distance. "We have fresh fish, they have just arrived! I saved the two best ones for you!"
Mori Chie walked over to his stall. The owner had already wrapped two fish in oiled paper; their scales shimmered with silver light, and their eyes were clear.
"How much is it?" she asked.
"No," the owner waved his hands dismissively, a wide smile on his face. "How could I take your money? If it weren't for Lord Shinichi, my stall would have been smashed by those Sunagakure bastards long ago! Please accept them as my thanks!"
Mori Chie parted her lips to protest. She wanted to tell him that she couldn't take his goods for free, but the owner was already stuffing the wrapped package into her basket.
"Please, don't be so polite!" The owner lowered his voice, his eyes gleaming. "My son was on duty at the perimeter of the venue that day and saw with his own eyes how Lord Shinichi summon such a massive Kan'on statue... When he came back and told us, our whole family couldn't sleep all night!"
"Business is business," Mori Chie said with a warm smile, counting out some coins from her purse and placing them on the stall.
She picked up her basket and continued on her way. This exact scene repeated itself five times before she reached home. A woman at a vegetable stall stuffed an extra handful of greens into her basket. An old man at a fruit shop insisted on giving her two oranges. The lady at the sweets shop wrapped a box of sugar, insisting it was a snack for Lord Shinichi. Even the patrolling Chunin squads she passed would stop, stand tall, and bow their heads in respect.
"Madam Chie."
"Good morning."
Mori Chie responded to each one, the smile never leaving her face. However, as the bamboo basket gradually filled up, the weight became uncomfortable for her arm.
By the time she reached her front door, the sun had fully risen. She pushed open the courtyard gate, crossed the small garden, and slid the entrance door open.
"I'm home."
There was no response from inside.
'They must not be up yet.'
Mori Chie placed the basket on the kitchen counter and began organizing her groceries. As she sorted the fish, she hummed a little tune. It was light and brisk—not quite a full melody, just a casual rhythm. The corners of her mouth remained curved upward.
Tejima Kazuto walked out of the bedroom. Entering the kitchen, he saw his wife slicing radishes. Her shoulders swayed gently with the rhythm of her humming. He leaned against the doorframe and watched her for a few seconds.
"Oh? What are you so happy about?"
The kitchen knife in Mori Chie's hand paused. She turned her head, her smile dazzlingly bright. "Kazuto, you're awake?"
"Yeah." Kazuto entered the kitchen and poured a glass of water from the kettle. "I could hear your humming from the entrance."
"It's just like I said before," she explained, her voice filled with irrepressible joy as she resumed chopping. "So many people were greeting me on the way. Boss Tanaka at the fish stall insisted on giving me fishes, and the lady from the sweets shop..."
Kazuto took a sip of water and set his glass on the counter. "Because of Shinichi?"
"Of course!" Mori Chie put down the knife, turned around, and wiped her hands on her apron. "Who in the whole village doesn't know now? My Shinichi captured Orochimaru alive! He protected the village!" Her eyes sparkled. "Those patrolling ninja bow when they see me! They respectfully call me 'Madam Chie'! When would they have ever done that before?"
Kazuto looked at her, the corners of his mouth turning up as well. "It's the same for me at the hospital."
Mori Chie blinked.
"Yesterday afternoon, the director came to my department personally," Kazuto said. "He said if I want to change shifts or need time off in the future, I can just tell him directly. No need to go through the usual process."
Mori Chie burst out laughing. "...I guessed as much!"
The two looked at each other and laughed together.
"See," Mori Chie said, "it's all because of Shinichi."
"Yeah, but... he's growing too fast."
"Fast is good. The faster he grows, the more stable his position will be."
Hearing this, Kazuto's smile faded slightly. After a moment of silence, he turned his gaze out the window. A vague premonition settled over him—a lingering sense that Shinichi would one day leave them. It wouldn't be death that takes him, but a journey to somewhere incredibly far away.
Footsteps from upstairs interrupted his thoughts. Tejima Shinichi walked down the stairs, wearing dark casual clothes. His hair was a bit messy, but his eyes were clear.
"Morning."
"Shinichi, you're awake?" Mori Chie turned around, her smile immediately brightening. "Wait a moment, breakfast will be ready soon."
"Thank you for your hard work, Mom," Shinichi replied with a nod. He then turned his gaze to his father, noticing a slight tension between the man's brows. "What's wrong?" he asked. "You don't look too good."
"What are you talking about?" Kazuto waved a hand with a laugh. "How could I not look good? Right now, I can walk around the hospital like I own the place. What could possibly worry me!"
Shinichi raised an eyebrow, but seeing that his father's expression had returned to normal, he didn't press further.
As Mori Chie tossed the vegetables in the pan, she asked, "What time did you get back last night? I didn't hear a thing."
"Around three in the morning. I couldn't help it... Headquarters had some follow-up matters to deal with."
"So busy," Mori Chie sighed. Then, remembering something, she turned to him. "Oh right, you're always out these days. But... your friend Sasuke has been coming by every day to look for you. He's been here three times, asking if you're in each time. It looks like he has something urgent."
Upon hearing this, Shinichi's eyes flickered. 'Sasuke, huh...'
'Calculating the time based on the original timeline, it's almost time...'
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