The Flower Shop Girl

The summer noon was always unbearable, and the sweltering heat after lunch was particularly unpleasant.

"Tsubaki, you really need to learn Ice Release. If you could just make some ice cubes, it would be so much cooler."

The tech tree in this world was truly skewed; while power systems remained at the level of steam boilers, movies were already abundant, and electricity was quite widespread. There were even small, crudely functional computers, though their performance didn't necessarily surpass the bulky vacuum-tube machines of his past life. Still, various supporting applications for surveillance, medicine, and the like were no longer anything shocking. Yet, with this level of technology, the fact that civilian air conditioning hadn't become widespread was simply incredible.

"Without a Kekkei Genkai, learning Ice Release is too difficult," Tsubaki said, looking at the impatient Mizuki.

Ice Release, in principle, was the product of nature transformation between Water and Wind, but in reality, the difficulty was staggering. Mizuki couldn't recall anyone who had successfully learned Ice Release through conventional methods. It was inherently arduous; if one's body didn't possess both Water and Wind chakra natures, the possibility of learning Ice Release was no higher than Mizuki succeeding as the Fifth Hokage. Tsubaki's chakra natures were far superior to Mizuki's own mediocre Fire. She had Wind, Water, and Lightning—if she weren't his fiancée, Mizuki would be green with envy.

"Water is one thing, but what's with the Wind and Lightning? I don't see any violent tendencies in Tsubaki."

Setting aside Mizuki's worries about his fiancée's potential for "darkening," Tsubaki used her folding fan to cool herself, then fanned Mizuki.

If one were to ask why the engaged couple didn't just huddle together to share the breeze, it could only be said that Mizuki, who had carried a "single-man aura" in his past life, was being far too presumptuous.

"No AC—if we huddle together, we'll die of heat!"

"The flower shop hasn't really been open for two or three days. I have time today; let's go check on it this afternoon."

"Eh? It's so hot, there won't be many customers," Mizuki said, not wanting to go. "Looking at me won't help; I'm staying home to escape the heat."

"If we don't go, the flowers will wilt. I'm going."

"Fine, fine, let's go take a look." Seeing Tsubaki staring at him with her watery eyes, Mizuki finally surrendered.

I don't know if it's just my imagination, but ever since she came back injured from the Land of Waves, Tsubaki has been much stricter with herself.

As Mizuki lamented that his fiancée was no longer as submissive as before, he heard Tsubaki add, "If you're free over the next few days, don't bother hiring any shop assistants. The two of us can handle it."

Hearing this, Mizuki knew he was destined to walk further and further down the path of a flower shop owner, but suddenly, a thought struck him.

"Tsubaki, we could find a temporary worker—one who doesn't need a salary."

"Free labor is too good to pass up," Mizuki couldn't help but feel smug about his own cleverness.

In the afternoon, although many villagers were unwilling to go out at this hour, the number of pedestrians on the road hadn't dwindled. During the Chunin Exams, the foreign population grew steadily. With the news that the third stage of the Chunin Exams would be held in a month, people interested in the event poured into Konoha, making the streets look even more prosperous—though it was a hardship for the patrolling ninjas.

"Staying among a bunch of fresh flowers, it doesn't actually feel that hot."

Contrary to Mizuki's expectations, business seemed exceptionally good. Watching Tsubaki bustle about, Mizuki occasionally stepped in to help. He watched her working, wiping away sweat from time to time, her face full of smiles.

Is this the life Tsubaki wants? Plain and simple. An ordinary flower shop, a family living in harmony, struggling for a living.

This was a world deeply scarred by frequent wars and social instability. Even in the relatively peaceful Konoha Village, the vast majority of people were filled with a longing for peace. It was easy to imagine why so many wounded souls tirelessly sought methods for peace, even if it meant settling for a false, dreamlike peace that was nothing more than flowers in a mirror or the moon in the water.

Honestly, ever since he transmigrated, aside from the physical lack of coordination, the most unbearable thing was a sense of alienation. Suddenly arriving in a strange environment and having to clean up the messes left by his predecessor, the dissatisfaction in his heart was hard to erase. However, once everything calmed down, Mizuki finally had the heart to carefully examine everything around him. Tsubaki, who had been with him the longest and had always taken care of him, was like the spiritual tether connecting him to this world, pulling him back from his detached, game-like state of mind into reality.

And Tsubaki isn't as weak as she appears on the surface; she's a strong and intelligent woman. Perhaps she noticed the problems with my mindset and is trying to help me in her own way.

Just like before, whenever he did something with Tsubaki, his heart felt particularly calm. Only at these times could he set aside all his worries and quietly enjoy the time without troubles.

Sometimes Mizuki wondered how those people with prophetic abilities managed to live their days in peace. If he didn't know the information about the future, he could have been satisfied with the status quo. His strength wasn't outstanding, but it was a modest achievement; living a peaceful life as an ordinary ninja would have been enough.

Troubles sometimes stem from knowing too much.

By evening, Mizuki finished his busy day and returned home. No one had come to question him about the morning's events, so Mizuki stopped worrying about it and could focus on his own affairs with peace of mind.

Early the next morning, Mizuki was awakened by a knock on the door. With a face full of morning grumpiness, he had to go open it.

"Didn't I tell Tsubaki not to come so early?" Mizuki muttered discontentedly. He opened the door, only to find Hatake Kakashi standing there with Sakura Haruno.

"Yo, good morning," Kakashi greeted. Beside him, Sakura bowed politely to apologize.

"Why are you here today?" Mizuki said, yawning. "I thought you'd take a couple more days to rest. Come in."

"No need. I'm just dropping her off and leaving; I have things to take care of." Kakashi looked like he was about to bolt, then pulled out a scroll and handed it to Mizuki. "This is what you wanted. Once you're done with it, just have Sakura bring it back to me."

"So straightforward? Then many thanks," Mizuki said, accepting it without ceremony.

"Then, Sakura, I leave her to you." With that, he used the Body Flicker Technique and vanished.

"In such a rush?" Mizuki looked at the item in his hand and said to Sakura, "Then you come in first. We'll have breakfast once Tsubaki gets here."

"Don't go to any trouble, Mizuki-sensei," Sakura said. "I brought some pastries as a gift. Please, have some if you don't mind."

"Just put them on the table. Find a seat anywhere for now; I'll be there in a moment."