Snowflakes

Time continued to march forward, and soon it was the winter of the 59th year of the Leaf Village.

With the New Year approaching, snowflakes drifted down from the sky, draping the entire Leaf Village in a thick, white cloak.

The air was filled with a festive atmosphere, yet this warmth and bustle did not extend to every household.

At the Hyuga estate.

Hyuga Yuki lay on her futon, covered by a thick quilt, yet she still could not feel much warmth.

She stared blankly at the falling snow outside, which, just like today, reminded her of the day Ning Xue was born—a day blanketed in white.

Every year when the snow fell, the family would stay together in one room to celebrate Ning Xue's birthday.

Whenever she saw Ning Xue pretending to be mature while acting bashful, she truly wanted to take a photo to commemorate it.

Yet, it seemed that ever since his father passed away, that child had never celebrated a birthday again.

"Mother, it's time to eat."

A voice shattered Yuki's memories.

Ning Xue brought the meal to the small table beside his mother's bed, his voice as calm as ever.

However, his eyes drifted to his mother from time to time. Watching her body, which was even frailer than it had been a year ago, and seeing the sickly pallor of her face and eyes, he couldn't help but feel a pang of pain in his heart.

Moreover, she spent most of her time in a deep sleep, and even when she was awake, she would only sit there in silence.

How could this sight not break Ning Xue's heart?

Hyuga Yuki had once tried to drag her ailing body out to find work, but unfortunately, no one had any use for someone in her condition.

Yuki also knew that her child was working odd jobs to earn money to maintain their home and take care of her.

She sometimes felt a deep sense of guilt, for as a mother, she should have been the one taking care of her child, yet she was the one being cared for—even becoming a burden.

Furthermore, the pension provided by the Leaf Village was simply not enough, and it could not possibly cover their expenses for more than a few years.

They could only scrape by on Ning Xue's wages, not even daring to imagine what would happen if one of them fell seriously ill.

Ning Xue silently helped his mother sit up, carefully tucking the pillows behind her, and then fed her the warm porridge one spoonful at a time. The entire process was silent and oppressive, punctuated only by the soft clinking of the spoon against the bowl.

After his mother finished eating, he tidied up the dishes and went to the kitchen to wash them. All of this was done without a word.

The annihilation of the Uchiha clan had made him see the cold-blooded nature of the Leaf Village's top brass, and it made him crave power even more desperately. He needed power to protect his mother, and he needed power for revenge.

But for now, he had to face reality. He needed to strive to live before he could even speak of revenge.

His current wages were only enough to maintain their livelihood, and he still had to balance school, work, and training.

Only when he became a ninja and could accept missions would he have more money to earn and more time to cultivate.

Thinking of this, he dried his hands.

He would skip training today; with the New Year approaching, business at Ichiraku Ramen would surely be booming. If he went early, perhaps Uncle Teuchi would give him a little extra pay.

When Ning Xue arrived at Ichiraku Ramen, it was just as he had expected—business was indeed better than usual.

With that in mind, he stepped inside.

When Uncle Teuchi saw Ning Xue, he greeted him immediately.

"Ning Xue, you're just in time! Quick, help me restock the bowls and chopsticks over there!" Upon seeing Ning Xue, a look of relief washed over Uncle Teuchi's face, his tone hurried yet still warm.

Over the past year, it was clear that having him work here had significantly increased his efficiency, and the customers had grown accustomed to the young waiter, holding a generally positive impression of him.

"Understood." Ning Xue replied in a low voice. Without further ado, he quickly tied on his Ichiraku apron and immediately threw himself into the bustle.

He moved swiftly and silently, dissolving into the chaos of clearing messy tables.

He carried the mountain of dishes into the back kitchen, scrubbing them repeatedly under the cold, running water.

His movements were nimble, like a tireless machine.

He had grown accustomed to this life; he had grown accustomed to the noise.

"Hey! One more order of chashu over here!"

"Young man, could you please wipe this table?"

"Ning Xue! The miso ramen for table three is ready, bring it out!"

Because of a suggestion Ning Xue had made, which resulted in the shop being slightly larger than in the original story, some tables were set up outside, covered by tents in case of rain or snow.

Orders came one after another. Ning Xue wove through the narrow aisles and crowded tables, his figure agile, remaining silent throughout.

The regular customers who often ate there, seeing this child still working even as the New Year approached, couldn't help but cast looks of pity his way.

"Ning Xue! Over here!" Uzumaki Naruto's signature loud voice rang out. He was squeezed at a table with a few friends, several empty bowls piled in front of him, clearly having been at it for a long time. Seeing Ning Xue, he waved vigorously, "It's so busy today! Keep it up!"

Ning Xue didn't stop his pace, merely carrying new bowls toward another empty table and giving a barely perceptible nod in Naruto's direction as a response.

Naruto didn't mind, continuing to argue happily with Shikamaru and Choji.

Closing time was much later than usual.

When the last drunken customer stumbled away with his arm around a friend, the ramen shop finally returned to silence, with only the soup pot on the stove still emitting a faint wisp of steam.

Ning Xue silently performed the final cleanup, returning the tables and chairs to their places and mopping the floor. Uncle Teuchi carefully tallied the day's earnings, then pulled out a small money bag that was noticeably fuller than usual, and specifically packed several portions of leftover chashu and a large piece of carefully simmered pork bone meat.

"Here, Ning Xue, you've worked hard today." Teuchi handed over the money pouch and food, a gentle smile on his face. "The New Year is almost here; take these and have a good meal with your mother. I've added a bit extra to your wages as a year-end bonus."

Ning Xue looked at the payment and food, which clearly exceeded what had been agreed upon, and his outstretched hand paused. He looked up into Uncle Teuchi's kind eyes, his lips moving as if to say something, but in the end, it only softened into a low murmur. "...Thank you, Uncle Teuchi."

He did not refuse, for he truly needed it. This kindness was like a faint breeze in the dead of winter; it could not dispel the bitter cold in his heart, yet it allowed him to feel a subtle, rare comfort amidst the icy reality.

"Watch your step on the way; the roads are slippery in this snow," Uncle Teuchi urged kindly.

Ning Xue nodded, carefully tucking the money pouch into his coat, picked up the heavy parcel of food, pushed aside the noren curtain, and stepped back out into the wind and snow.