"Chirp... chirp..."
The birdsong outside the window heralded another peaceful, tranquil day. In the cool autumn breeze, sunlight streamed through the window, scattering its crisp yet warming autumn glow over the boy sleeping propped against the headboard, with only half the blanket pulled over him.
The scrolls lay quietly on the table. A few more seemed to have appeared beside them, while the ink he had ground and poured out appeared to have gone down considerably.
Soft snores slowly echoed through the room.
"What time is it?"
Suddenly, the sleeping boy snapped his eyes open and bolted upright from the headboard, nearly crying out.
"Morning already?"
After that cry, the boy's gaze fell upon the sunlight pouring in through the window.
Damn it! I stayed up too late yesterday without realizing it and fell asleep. I have no idea whether I overslept.
Hoping he had not delayed anything, the boy slowly rose at the sight of the sunlight. After looking around, he frowned slightly.
He did not even know what time he had gone to sleep yesterday. It felt as though he had only taken a brief nap, yet it was already daytime.
Then, while frowning, the boy yawned. A trace of drowsiness still lingered in his mind.
Still, he had slept yesterday afternoon too. All told, he should have gotten seven hours.
He wondered whether Kushina and Yukina were awake yet.
That was what the boy thought as he yawned.
This boy was none other than Chiba, and this room was his room in the Japanese-style wooden house. He had originally planned to sleep early last night, but he had become absorbed in his research and lost track of time. Only when he was too tired to continue had he gone to bed. He had fallen asleep the moment