Fresh Finds

The morning mist had yet to lift from Konoha's streets. Most of the shops lining the road were still closed, and only a few breakfast stalls were sending out tempting aromas.

Hinata Hyuga walked alongside him with a light step, but said nothing. Every so often, she glanced at the person beside her, her eyes holding an emotion he couldn't quite understand.

Kiyonari could feel her gaze clearly, but whenever he deliberately met her eyes, Hinata would immediately look away, pretending nothing had happened.

Just as Kiyonari was wondering how to break the delicate silence, a bright, ringing voice suddenly called from ahead.

"Hey, isn't that Kiyonari?"

Kiyonari and Hinata turned toward the voice at the same time. Two girls were walking their way.

In the lead was Ino Yamanaka, her blond hair tied in a high ponytail that glittered in the sunlight. She looked full of energy. At an age when cuteness was everything, she already had a youthful charm usually seen only in older girls.

Sakura Haruno followed close behind, as she always did. Her pink hair was neatly tied back with a red ribbon, and a hint of helplessness showed in her green eyes, as if she felt a little embarrassed by her companion's antics.

The moment Ino spotted them, her eyes lit up. She took Sakura by the hand and hurried over.

"Ino, wait..." Sakura tried to stop her, but it was too late.

"Good morning!" Ino greeted them with a radiant smile, her ponytail swaying gently as she waved.

"Good morning, you two."

Kiyonari nodded in reply, then turned slightly to introduce them.

"This is my friend, Hinata Hyuga. These two are friends I met not long ago, Ino Yamanaka and Sakura Haruno."

"Good morning. It's nice to meet you."

Hinata wasn't shy at all. She bowed slightly, her voice gentle and soft. The strict training and refined upbringing she'd received as a young lady were on full display.

She's changed so much...

Kiyonari couldn't help thinking to himself.

"Where are you two headed?" Ino's eyes shifted as if she'd just had an idea. "Sakura and I were going to look around the shops. Want to come with us?"

"Huh?" Sakura froze, then quickly leaned close to Ino's ear and whispered, "Ino, weren't we going to..."

"That can wait. We can buy it anytime." Ino waved a hand dismissively, then turned to Hinata, anticipation in her eyes. "It's not every day we meet new friends. Wouldn't it be fun to chat and browse together? Hinata, can we join you?"

Hinata glanced at Kiyonari out of the corner of her eye, then nodded. "Sure. I'd be happy to spend time with you, too."

Kiyonari was a little surprised. Was this really the Hinata he knew?

Having confidence could change someone so much in such a short time... Thinking back to the night he'd awakened the system, he'd been much the same. Pot, meet kettle.

"Great!" Ino clapped her hands happily. "Let's go. And Kiyonari, don't fall behind!"

"Sure." Kiyonari came back to himself and quickened his pace to catch up.

The four of them strolled slowly down the street. Ino's voice rang out brighter than the other girls', drawing plenty of attention along the way. But she wasn't the least bit self-conscious. She was simply confident and proud by nature.

"I just love dressing up and looking pretty. What do you think of my outfit today?"

As she spoke, Ino gave a light, graceful twirl, her smile bright and self-assured.

Sunlight spilled over them. Her high blond ponytail swept through the air in a dazzling arc. Her orange top and beige trousers were simple and fresh, set off by her distinctive side-swept bangs and high ponytail...

Her outfit was simple, but the colors and cut went together well. It made her look a little more mature, yet suited her perfectly.

Thinking about the Ino from the original story, she'd always seemed to set Konoha's fashion trends.

"Ino's really good with colors and putting outfits together. She's amazing," Sakura added.

"Of course," Ino said, puffing out her chest proudly. "Some of my ideas come from flower arranging, and others I picked up from fashion magazines."

"Fashion magazines?" Hinata asked curiously.

"You haven't heard?" Ino's eyes lit up at once. She'd clearly hit on her favorite subject. "A bunch of fashion magazines suddenly appeared in Konoha just two days ago! They're supposed to be all the rage in the capital of the Land of Fire. Even the nobles love them, and they sold out as soon as they hit Konoha."

"They explain all sorts of ways to put outfits together. Every color has a meaning, and every cut has its own purpose. For example, purple represents nobility and mystery, red represents passion and strength, and blue represents calm and wisdom..."

"The shopkeeper said the next shipment would arrive in Konoha today. That's why I came out so early."

Hinata listened attentively, nodding from time to time, genuine curiosity in her eyes. These were things she'd never been exposed to before, things she'd never even had time to think about.

"Why am I the only one talking? I'm getting thirsty." Ino suddenly turned to Sakura. "Sakura, say something, too."

"I don't know much about fashion," Sakura said, embarrassed, fidgeting with the hem of her clothes. "But when it comes to flower arranging... I've actually tried learning about it."

"Ino, you talked about flower arranging so often that I thought I'd give it a try, too. I even borrowed a few books on it and read about different kinds of flowers and how to put them together..."

As she spoke, a rueful smile appeared on her face. "But I just... couldn't get into it."

"Why not?" Hinata asked, leaning forward a little with curiosity.

"How should I put it..." Sakura thought for a moment, her green eyes gazing into the distance. "When I look at those flowers, all I can think is, 'Is it really okay to cut down flowers that are growing so well?' 'Does this arrangement really work?' 'Maybe we should just plant them again'..."

"I just can't appreciate that kind of 'beauty' or 'artistry.' To me, a flower is just a flower, and a plant is just a plant. I can't see the 'poetry' behind them the way Ino does."

Ino sighed, a little disappointed. "Sakura, you take things too seriously! Art is about feeling. You always analyze things rationally, so of course you can't appreciate the beauty!"

"Maybe you're right." Sakura smiled ruefully.

"Then what are you really interested in?" Hinata asked gently.

"Well..." Sakura's eyes brightened. "I like reading!"

"I like all kinds of books! Historical stories and legends from the Shinobi World, customs from different places, and science books, especially ones about the theory behind ninjutsu..."

Ino rolled her eyes. "All right, all right, bookworm Sakura. Your academic presentation is over."

"It's not an academic presentation!" Sakura protested, puffing out her cheeks.

Hinata gave a soft laugh. "Sakura's passion for knowledge really is admirable."

Reading books—not the training notes left by elders in the clan, but books that weren't useful and that she simply enjoyed.

What would that feel like? How would Father react if he knew I was doing that?

I'm so curious...

Sakura was a little embarrassed by the praise. The tips of her ears reddened, and she mumbled, "It's not that impressive... I'm just interested in those things."

"Oh, right!" Ino suddenly clapped her hands, as if she'd remembered something important. Her lively eyes turned straight to Hinata.

"Your turn, Hinata! Tell us, what do you like?"