Mysterious Clothing Store

The three of them couldn't persuade Kamise Yushi, so they could only follow along dejectedly.

But when they had reached the middle of the town, Kamise Yushi suddenly thought of something. "Since unidentified ninja have entered the Land of Fire, we still need to report it to the village. So we'll be staying here tonight. You're free to do as you please for the rest of the day, but remember to come to the inn across from the restaurant where we just ate tonight. Understood?"

Namiashi Raidō, Genma, and Kurenai looked at one another. Seeing the solemn expression on Kamise Yushi's face, all three of them revealed delighted smiles.

"Understood!"

"Then, everyone, dismissed!"

At Kamise Yushi's command, the three of them vanished in an instant.

"Honestly, they're still just kids. If I'd known, I wouldn't have made things so complicated."

Watching the three run off faster than the wind, Kamise Yushi slapped his forehead, feeling that he had wasted far too many words earlier.

"Hey, Genma, you and Kurenai are going together, right~?"

The three had disappeared from before Kamise Yushi, only to gather together again now.

Not only had Namiashi Raidō bluntly pointed out Genma and Kurenai's plans, but there was also something meaningful in his gaze that Genma couldn't quite understand.

"That's true... What about you? Are you going off on your own?"

"Oh, love is something some people enjoy, while those without it get pretty hurt. So I won't tag along with you two. Have fun~"

Namiashi Raidō rarely spoke so honestly, and he promptly withdrew, leaving only Genma and Kurenai behind.

It had suddenly become a world for just the two of them. Though it was something they had both longed for, this could be considered their first date.

Genma's heart thumped wildly. After taking several deep breaths, he finally said, "Kurenai, I saw a Snack Street over there earlier. Want to go together?"

While Genma could still speak, Kurenai didn't even dare look at him. Yet she seemed even more petite and demure than usual.

Kurenai merely nodded obediently and followed Genma.

The two soon arrived at the Snack Street. In this relatively inland place, there was no chance of finding Kurenai's beloved seafood. Still, she wasn't a picky eater, and she also loved game from the mountains.

After just one trip around the street, their hands were already full of bags of food.

Everything they bought had to be finished that same day, but they weren't worried about not managing it all. After all, there were still Kamise Yushi and Namiashi Raidō, two grown men.

They soon found a tree and sat beneath it, wolfing down the food without any concern for the strange looks from passersby.

"Genma, do you think we should bring back some local specialties?"

It was the first time Kurenai had taken the initiative to make such a request, so Shiranui Genma carefully studied her as she licked her little paws.

She seemed to have reached her limit. Kurenai chewed the food in her mouth absentmindedly, her eyes somewhat unfocused, as though something weighed on her mind.

Thinking back to what Kurenai had said before, Genma understood the reason. He handed her a cup of Sweet Soup. "If it's food, my family probably doesn't need any. And we still have several days of travel ahead of us, so it might spoil quickly. But does your father have any hobbies?"

"My father... I think he likes drinking and eating meat..."

For some reason, an image suddenly appeared in Shiranui Genma's mind: Kurenai Yuhi bare-chested, drinking from a huge bowl and tearing into meat.

"Ahem. As for alcohol, my family actually brews our own—flower wines, grain wines, all kinds. They're much better than what's sold outside. When the time comes, take a few jars from my home and just say you bought them elsewhere."

Unexpectedly, Kurenai shook her head and stared blankly at the cup in her hands.

Seeing Kurenai suddenly become upset, countless question marks seemed to pop up over Genma's head. For a moment, he had no idea what to do.

"No need, Genma. I want to buy something for my father myself."

Kurenai gazed at the bustling crowd in the distance, as though searching for something.

At that moment, Shiranui Genma felt somewhat dejected. Come to think of it, whether in the past or now, it seemed he had never truly entered Kurenai's heart.

The only time might have been that confession he had been forced into that day.

"By the way, Kurenai, you mention your father often. What about your mother?"

Genma had found the topic by accident. Though he felt it might be inappropriate, he still asked.

After all, he hadn't yet entered Kurenai's heart. It was only right for him to learn more about her.

But unexpectedly, Kurenai didn't answer for a long time. Her expression was like his own after suffering heartbreak earlier—dejected, with a trace of sorrow.

Even though his emotional intelligence wasn't high, he could still read expressions and reason things out a little.

The only thing that could make Kurenai react like this was having a painful subject brought up.

It seemed her mother had already passed away.

No wonder she was so determined to be strong.

No wonder her father wanted her to marry a powerful man.

Scenes gradually surfaced in his mind: Kurenai throwing Shuriken alone, forming hand seals alone, honing her Taijutsu alone.

That small body had always, always been carrying sorrow and invisible restraints.

The sorrow came from her mother's death, while the restraints came from her father's strictness.

Perhaps she often dragged her exhausted little body home, only to run into her father in a bad mood after drinking and receive a few complaints as well.

At that thought, the gloom in Genma's heart completely vanished. Looking at the girl beside him, his eyes filled with even more tenderness.

"How about this, Kurenai? Let's go buy some clothes. You know your father's build pretty well, right?"

Having composed himself, Genma wore a sunny smile, like a ray of sunlight piercing through a sky thick with storm clouds.

Though Kurenai did not know what had happened to Genma, seeing him seem like a different person, radiating a warm aura that made people feel at ease, lifted her spirits considerably as well.

"Mm, I've been organizing Father's clothes since a long time ago. Sometimes, when I helped mend torn hems, I measured them out of curiosity."

"Then let's look for a clothing store. This place is practically at the border between two countries, so maybe they'll have some novel styles~"

What Genma did not say was that he also intended to buy Kurenai a set of clothes.

Although she did not care much for dressing up and usually wore clothes better suited for training, she had an exceptionally good figure for clothes.

As the two wandered around, they came upon a clothing store.

There were actually plenty of clothing stores, but this one looked very clean. Its black-and-white decor gave it a distinctly artistic air.

Genma had no idea what kind of clothes they should buy. He simply felt that since the outside looked good, the inside should not be bad either. Moreover, the words "Kasumi Boutique Clothing Store" made the two step through the door without much thought.

"Welcome. Is there anything the two young customers need?"

A sweet-looking young woman approached them and gave a slight bow.

Generally speaking, Genma seemed to have far more initiative than Kurenai when it came to everyday matters.

So when the young woman asked them, Kurenai immediately looked to him.

Feeling a little awkward, Genma said to the Waitress, "We need several sets of clothes for an adult man. Could you show us around?"

"Clothes for an adult man..." The Waitress looked at the two of them. They were both underage children, but her professional ethics kept her from voicing the questions in her heart. She quickly agreed. "Certainly, young customers. This way, please."

Following the Waitress, the two browsed the clothes in the store as they walked.

It had to be said that although the clothing store looked simple on the outside, it did not lack artistic flair, and the clothes inside did not disappoint.

Men's and women's clothing were sold in the same store, yet the sections were clearly separated, making the selection feel all the more comprehensive.

And it was not merely divided by gender—even the age groups were separated, making Genma feel as though he had walked into a highly modernized shopping mall.

However, unlike the commercially saturated clothing stores he had seen before, the clothes here were not piled together in rows. Instead, each piece was displayed separately, every one in its own exclusive compartment.

Though there appeared to be fewer styles, it gave people the feeling of entering a high-end store filled entirely with premium goods.

He had thought that commerce in the Shinobi World was still only barely functional, yet this seemingly upscale store had thoroughly proved him wrong.

They had already begun selling service. In this crucible where most stores competed solely by comparing merchandise, this shop truly stood apart.

Whoever had the nerve to do something like this probably was not short of money, either.

The staff had clearly received excellent training, and they were all attractive. The store's decor was especially thoughtful: children's sections had children's themes, young adults' sections had young adults' themes—it had considered nearly everything. Calling the designer a true Artisan would not have been an exaggeration.

"All right, young customers. This is the adult men's clothing section. But let me make this clear beforehand: the prices of all clothing here are quite high, starting at ten thousand ryo. Are you certain you wish to purchase clothes here?"

The Waitress still wore a friendly expression. Though there was an implication in her words, there was nothing to criticize about her attitude. It was as though she truly had their best interests at heart.

Taking everything he had seen and heard into account, Shiranui Genma felt an inexplicable sense of shock.

In a world that appeared so backward, the person capable of creating such an exquisite clothing store had to be either a genius with obsessive-compulsive tendencies or a true business prodigy.

Still, it seemed that such a prodigy might not be able to put much of that talent to use.

After all, most people had average spending power. At most, only nobles could afford to shop here regularly.

Yet rather than looking down on them for being young, the Waitress had shown them around the store before only now informing them of the prices. Genma could not quite understand it.

He did not understand this approach, much less the owner behind this store.

But buying clothes was more important at the moment, so Genma stopped thinking about it and took out a scroll, summoning a stack of money.

"Ten thousand ryo. I may have brought out quite a bit more than that."

"So you two really are young shinobi. No wonder you look different from everyone else~"

Contrary to what Genma had expected, the Waitress was not surprised that children could produce so much money. Instead, she identified them.

The moment she heard the Waitress say that, Kurenai became alert, her small hand slipping into her ninja tool pouch.

They had both removed their forehead protectors long ago precisely because they did not want to expose their identities as shinobi. Yet this Waitress had seen through them at a glance—her powers of observation were exceptionally sharp.

However, Genma knew something about the store's background, so he remained composed. "Is that one of the rules your boss taught you? If we were just ordinary children, would you have refused to let us in?"

The Waitress's smile stiffened, but after considering the identities of the children before her, she relaxed. "The boss said that everyone should be regarded as a potential customer, and even children must not be underestimated. However, the boss taught us how to distinguish ordinary people from shinobi. We also show ordinary adults around the store; if they cannot afford anything, they will leave on their own. Ordinary children usually are not very interested in clothing stores, so we give them some candy and send them on their way. Of course, if they are interested, we will patiently accompany them as well."