"Liuxia-nii, it's me, Kushina." Her voice came from outside the door, tinged with anticipation and a hint of caution.
Liuxia, who had just finished visiting the beautiful daughter of Lord Zhou, heard Kushina knock and opened the door. He saw her standing there, her eyes shining with hope. "Liuxia-nii, you're finally back. I heard you've been really busy lately, preparing for the Chunin Ninja Exams. Yesterday, I heard Uncle Third Hokage say the next exams won't be for another month. Could you take me around Konoha? I'd really like to go out with you."
Liuxia looked at his little sister's smiling face, and a pang of guilt welled up inside him. He really had neglected Kushina because of the Chunin Ninja Exams, while Tsunade-nee had been going on missions frequently lately. At home, Kushina had only Grandma Mito for company. After hearing yesterday that the Third Hokage had said Liuxia had some free time, Kushina had still waited until morning to ask him. Her thoughtfulness and consideration tugged at his heart.
"Kushina, I'm sorry. I really have been neglecting you lately," Liuxia said gently. "Of course. I'll take you around Konoha today. You can go wherever you like."
When Kushina heard Liuxia agree, her smile grew even brighter. "Really? That's wonderful! I've wanted to see Konoha's commercial district for ages. I heard there are lots of fun new things there."
Liuxia smiled and nodded. "Then let's go to the commercial district. Quite a few new shops have opened lately. I'll take you to get something delicious and buy you whatever you like."
So, on a bright, sunny day, Liuxia and Kushina happily left home. Beneath the morning sun, they strode toward the commercial district. Along the way, Kushina chattered excitedly like a little bird, talking about all the things she couldn't wait to do, while Liuxia listened to her with a smile, never growing tired of her words. Every so often, he offered a helpful suggestion or a warm response.
Before long, they arrived at the first shop. It sold all kinds of ninja gear, and the dazzling array of goods was enough to make anyone's head spin. Kushina stared curiously at the neatly arranged scrolls and oddly shaped kunai, her eyes gleaming with eagerness. Liuxia understood what his little sister was thinking, so he quietly explained what each piece of equipment was used for and how important it was in battle. After hearing him out, Kushina understood, gaining a deeper appreciation for these mysterious weapons.
Next, they came to a beautifully decorated dessert shop. Before they even stepped inside, Kushina's gaze had already been drawn to the colorful, mouthwatering treats in the window. Knowing how much his little sister loved sweets, Liuxia immediately bought her a few delicious desserts. Kushina happily took the treats and began devouring them with relish. "Nii-chan, these dumplings are so delicious!" As she enjoyed her sweets, she made sure to pop a few dumplings into Liuxia's mouth, too.
Still eating dumplings, Liuxia and Kushina walked into a small, charming accessory shop. The wide selection of accessories sparkled alluringly under the lights, but Kushina's eyes were soon drawn to a particular necklace.
The necklace had a thin silver chain, with a tiny spiral-shaped pendant hanging from it. Its design was simple and elegant, as if it held boundless energy and vitality. Kushina gently touched the display case, her eyes revealing how much she liked it.
Liuxia noticed where his little sister was looking. He quietly stepped up beside Kushina and asked, "Do you like it? I'll buy it for you."
Kushina turned around, her eyes shining with delight. "Really, Liuxia-nii? It's so pretty."
Liuxia smiled and nodded. He went to the counter and quietly bought the necklace. When Kushina turned away to keep admiring the other accessories, Liuxia gently came up behind her and carefully fastened the necklace around her neck.
Kushina felt the cool touch against her neck and turned around in surprise, lightly brushing her fingers over the necklace. "Liuxia-nii, how did you... Thank you! I really love it!"
Liuxia saw the joy on his little sister's face, and warmth welled up inside him. "As long as you're happy, that's enough for me. This is what I most wanted to see today."
Kushina hugged Liuxia tightly and said gratefully, "Liuxia-nii, you're always the best to me."
After leaving the accessory shop, they came to a small performance area, where a street performer dressed in elaborate clothes was doing magic tricks. Kushina watched without blinking, clapping excitedly every time the performer completed a trick.
Just then, Pakura and Karura came into view. Pakura held a skewer of candied fruit and didn't seem particularly interested in the lively scene around her, while Karura smiled as she took it all in.
Liuxia greeted them. Pakura seemed aloof on the surface, but she didn't actually reject Liuxia's friendliness. As an opponent, Liuxia was undeniably strong and worthy of respect, and he hadn't made things difficult for them after defeating them. Kushina's frankness and enthusiasm also drew a faint smile from Pakura, and her attitude began to soften.
Karura suggested, "Since we're all here, why don't we try that new shaved ice shop? I hear their shaved ice is delicious."
The four of them went to the shaved ice shop and ordered several different flavors. Kushina chose strawberry, while Pakura picked matcha. They gathered around a small table, eating and chatting in a relaxed, cheerful atmosphere.
Kushina asked Pakura curiously, "Pakura-nee, what do you usually do in the village?"
Pakura paused, then replied, "Hmph. I train and go on missions, of course. But every now and then, I relax like this."
Karura added, "There's a beautiful stretch of sand near our village. Sometimes I go for a walk there and enjoy the peace and quiet."
As time passed, the four of them grew more comfortable with one another. They shared interesting stories about their villages and talked about their experiences as ninja.
While they were chatting happily, Liuxia suggested, "Since we're all here, why don't we have dinner together tonight? Let's invite Ai, Yagura, and Kitsuchi, too. It'll be a friendly get-together for our generation of ninja before the third match."
Kushina clapped excitedly. "Great idea! We can go to that famous barbecue restaurant."
Pakura maintained her haughty attitude, but anticipation showed in her eyes. "Hmph. Since you're all so insistent, I suppose I can make an exception and join you."
Karura smiled and nodded. "That sounds lovely. I'm looking forward to it. I'll let the Sand Village know."
That afternoon, Liuxia personally invited Ai and the others to the barbecue party that evening. Everyone was surprised, but they were all young, and there was no deep-seated enmity between them, so they agreed.
"Why are you letting that brat Liuxia run wild, Sarutobi? It's one thing for him to gather our enemies for a meal, but he's even bringing Kushina along! Don't you understand how important she is?" Danzo shouted furiously.
The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, drew deeply on his pipe and slowly exhaled a cloud of smoke, calmly regarding his longtime friend. He understood Danzo's concerns, but he had his own reasons. "Danzo, there's no need to get so worked up. When all is said and done, they're just children. If the Ninja World weren't constantly torn by conflict, why would they have to fight each other to the death in such brutal battles? As for Kushina..."
At the mention of Kushina, Hiruzen Sarutobi's gaze softened. "You know the state Grandma Mito is in. Even the Yin Seal can't stop her from growing old. Let Kushina go. This is all to help her forge a deeper bond with the village."
"You'll regret this, Hiruzen!" Danzo glared at Hiruzen Sarutobi, his eyes wide with anger.
But Hiruzen Sarutobi remained unmoved and replied firmly, "I'm the Hokage of this village, Danzo."
That very evening, young people from the various ninja villages gathered together to celebrate. The gathering became a precious memory for them in the years to come. When time had passed and they had grown old, they would still look back on that day and marvel: only someone with the bearing and open-mindedness to unite the entire Ninja World could hold such a unique gathering while the ninja villages were hostile and on edge.
Before you continue