New Year

Spring, 60th Year of the Leaf Village.

On the first day of the New Year, a light dusting of snow drifted from the sky, lending a dreamlike quality to the celebration.

The streets were no less crowded for the cold; if anything, they were even more boisterous.

There were more people out visiting friends and relatives than on a typical day, and children in new clothes chased each other through the snow, laughing and playing.

Ning Xue did not slacken his pace just because it was New Year's Day. As always, he rose long before dawn.

He began his morning training in the courtyard, a routine as immovable as thunder.

His breath turned into white mist in the frigid winter air, and his footsteps left a trail through the wind and snow.

When his training ended, he returned inside and began preparing breakfast with gentle, practiced movements.

His mother's room remained quiet. When he pushed the door open, he saw she was already awake, staring blankly out the window.

"Happy New Year, Mother." Ning Xue's voice was calm as he set the breakfast down beside her.

Hyuga Yuki turned her head slowly, forcing a faint, weak smile onto her pale face.

"Happy New Year, Ning Xue." Her gaze rested on her son, filled with an ache and guilt she could not hide.

Because of the New Year, school was out, and he had neither gone to class nor to Ichiraku Ramen.

Instead, he stayed home to keep his mother company.

He spent the morning carefully preparing the chashu and pork bone meat given to him by Teuchi, simmering a rich, warming broth.

In the afternoon, sunlight filtered through the clouds, casting a faint, glowing halo over the snow. Ning Xue helped his mother sit up, settling her into the recliner by the window and tucking a thick blanket around her.

They enjoyed the afternoon sun in silence.

As night fell, the Leaf Village gradually lit up, with warm light spilling from every home.

From time to time, fireworks bloomed in the distance.

"Ning Xue..."

Hyuga Yuki spoke softly, her eyes still fixed on the window.

"I remember that every year... there are fireworks tonight."

"Yes," Ning Xue replied.

He remembered that when his father was still alive, they would watch the fireworks together.

He pondered for a moment, then went to the kitchen to brew a pot of tea to warm himself and his mother.

Afterward, he sat down beside her.

As the night deepened, the fireworks in the sky grew denser and more brilliant. Massive bursts of light erupted against the pitch-black backdrop, colorful and shimmering, instantly illuminating the entire sky and casting their glow through the window onto the faces of the two.

Hyuga Yuki looked up, watching the display. Her hollow eyes reflected the splendor of the sky, and for a moment, they seemed to regain a flicker of life. She recalled the days when the three of them watched the fireworks together, and a smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.

Watching the fireworks, Ning Xue felt a ripple in his own heart.

The fireworks of his past life had been magnificent, but these simple, rustic ones were enough to stir the warmest memories hidden deep within him.

When the final firework ascended and bloomed, it signaled the end of the dreamlike performance.

His heart was a complex mix of emotions; this fleeting warmth was not enough to dispel the chill of their home, nor could it heal his mother's physical and mental wounds.

But at least, it provided a sliver of comfort.

Hyuga Yuki sighed softly and closed her eyes, appearing exhausted.

Ning Xue silently helped her lie down and carefully tucked in the corners of her blanket.

"I'm heading out."

He spoke in a low voice, picking up his familiar apron. Ichiraku Ramen would still need hands tonight; the New Year's festivities would last until late.

When he arrived at Ichiraku Ramen, the place was still bustling with noise.

Teuchi looked surprised to see him.

"Ning Xue? I thought I told you to take the night off?"

"It's fine."

Ning Xue answered simply, tying on his apron and once again blending into the frantic rhythm of the shop. He washed dishes and wiped down tables.

Like a wound-up doll, he knew no fatigue until the very last moment.

However, as he carried a mountain of empty bowls toward the back kitchen, his gaze inadvertently swept over a table by the window, and his movements faltered, if only for a fraction of a second.

A family of three sat there. A young father was laughing as he placed a large slice of chashu into his son's bowl with words of encouragement, while the gentle mother carefully wiped sauce from the child's mouth with a napkin, her eyes brimming with doting affection.

The little boy, surrounded by them, wore a look of satisfied, radiant joy—a happiness without a single shadow.

The scene reminded him of the past, of that day at the barbecue restaurant; it seemed he had once been like that, too.

"Ning Xue! Hurry up, we're running out of bowls over here!" Teuchi's urging voice rang out from the kitchen.

Teuchi could be described as suffering while happy; his shop had originally only been able to seat seven or eight people.

Now, he had installed tables along both walls and even set up a canopy outside, allowing him to accommodate nearly twenty people at once.

This kept him incredibly busy, so he couldn't help but feel a little irritable.

Ning Xue snapped back to reality, lowering his eyelids to hide the fleeting trace of reminiscence in his eyes.

He called out a loud response.

"Coming."

He hurriedly cleared the bowls and chopsticks from the tables and returned to the kitchen to continue washing up.

"Ning Xue, clean up table three!" a shout came again from the front hall.

"Coming." He shook the water droplets off his hands, wiped them on his apron, and walked back into the noisy front hall with an expressionless face.

His gaze deliberately avoided the table by the window, focusing entirely on the task at hand.

Wiping down the tabletop, clearing away the leftovers, and setting out fresh chopsticks.

His movements remained efficient, even faster than before, as if he wanted to use this high-intensity busyness to completely banish those untimely, fragile emotions.

The liveliness in the shop lasted for a long time: the laughter of children, the slurping of noodles by the customers, the sound of running water in the kitchen, and the rhythmic preparation of ramen by Uncle Teuchi.

Fortunately, these people still had relatives to visit tomorrow.

The customers gradually dispersed. When the last table left, Ning Xue began the closing cleanup as usual.

He mopped the floor, wiped the tables, and returned the chairs to their places, his movements meticulous.

After counting the day's earnings, Uncle Teuchi looked at Ning Xue, who was silently wiping down the stove, and understood everything.

He had long since noticed Ning Xue's momentary lapse earlier and had guessed the reason.

(He had even asked Naruto about it; after all, there was nothing wrong with a boss caring about his employee, right?)

Sigh... this child has suffered too much.

"Here, Ning Xue." Uncle Teuchi handed over a bulging money pouch and a packed meal, which, in addition to the usual char siu, contained a few pieces of New Year's rice cake meant to bring good fortune.

"You worked hard today. Happy New Year."

Ning Xue took them and said in a low voice, as always:

"Thank you, Uncle Teuchi."

This time, his voice seemed to carry a hint of imperceptible exhaustion alongside the gratitude.

"Hurry home. It's New Year's Eve, after all; spend some time with your mother."

Uncle Teuchi patted his shoulder gently.

Ning Xue nodded, took off his apron, carefully tucked away his wages and the food, and pushed open the curtain that separated the warmth from the cold.