In winter, a thick layer of soft snow covered the ground, and the bright sunlight fell on it, making it glitter. Then a clear shout broke the peaceful morning.
"Hahahaha! You guys, hurry up and catch up!"
"To our secret hideout~"
In the woods outside Konoha, a few little kids were darting between the trees. Leading them was a blond boy, who ran while calling back to his two friends.
They had sneaked out through a dog hole in the village wall to play. This wasn't the first time these kids had snuck out of the village.
"Naruto, keep your voice down a little! What if someone finds out?"
Four children followed behind Naruto. One little boy was bundled in a thick padded coat, round and chubby. As he reminded Naruto, who was running ahead, to keep it down, he cautiously glanced around, afraid someone might discover them playing outside the village.
Besides him, there was a child with a pineapple-shaped hairstyle, who chased after Naruto while muttering, "What a drag." The three of them raced through the snowy woods. It was hard to believe they were toddlers no older than four.
"How could anyone find out? Nobody's spotted us!" Naruto shouted over his shoulder as he ran. He didn't notice the person slowly walking not far ahead of him.
"Thump!"
"Ow!"
"Ow, ow, ow!!!"
With a dull thud, Naruto felt as though he'd run into a wall. He let out a cry, landed on his bottom, and clutched his head as he complained. Choji and Shikamaru quickly caught up, hurrying to Naruto's side to help him up while studying the man who had suddenly appeared in front of him.
"A wild man?! A beggar? A vagrant?"
It was the first time Shikamaru Nara had seen anyone so strange. Long