I Have a Plan!

"It's a bit boring lately, isn't it?"

"It really is a bit boring."

"Everyone has left the village for missions, and our teachers haven't returned in a long time either. I feel a bit lost regarding the direction of my training..."

"I wonder how that guy is doing now. To think he just ditched us and ran off to the battlefield all by himself—how cunning!"

"Ahaha... ha..."

Watching the four of them sprawled out on the bench in various poses, Namikaze Minato didn't know what to say, so he could only offer an awkward yet polite smile.

"Didn't the Third Hokage say yesterday that the outcome of the major battlefields has basically been decided? All that's left are the details of the various treaties. Some ninja are already on their way back to the village to rest. I think... Qi Luna and the teachers should be on their way back now, right?"

At the mention of Qi Luna, the four of them instantly perked up and began chattering away.

"I heard Qi Luna made quite a contribution this time. Do you think he'll skip the Chunin Exams and be promoted directly?"

Shirokumo Hayama thought about the various battle reports posted on the bulletin board after the Third Hokage's hour-long speech yesterday, feeling happy for his teammate, with whom he had only ever completed one squad mission.

Though he was grinning from ear to ear, he still feigned a troubled expression.

"If that happens, can he still join us for the Chunin Exams? Though, even if it were just Yakushi Nonou and me, we'd still pass without any trouble."

Yakushi Nonou just smiled, making no move to expose his true feelings.

Instead, the slightly chubby Akimichi Yoshimaru, who was snacking on the side, suddenly poured cold water on the idea.

"Our jonin instructors aren't even here, and no one is going to register us. Even if you could pass, you wouldn't have the chance, would you?"

"Yoshimaru! Why did you have to say that? Doesn't that make it even less interesting? Still eating? Confiscated!"

Hearing Akimichi Yoshimaru's words, Kushina felt a surge of irritation. She snatched the snacks right out of his hands, shoved them into her mouth, chewed twice, and swallowed.

"Ah! My snacks! Kushina, how could you?! Good thing I brought extras, or I might have starved to death~"

As he spoke, Akimichi Yoshimaru pulled four or five more bags of snacks from out of nowhere, even offering them to the other four as if asking:

"Want some?"

The three of them shook their heads in refusal, but Yakushi Nonou, who had been quiet the whole time, shyly accepted one, though she didn't seem to have any intention of eating it herself.

"Nonou, are you taking those to the kids at the orphanage again? You should taste some yourself once in a while. I heard you donate more than half your salary to the orphanage—you're truly amazing!"

With just a glance, Kushina saw through the meaning behind Nonou's actions. Recalling the occasional slip of the tongue from Shirokumo Hayama, Kushina felt nothing but heartfelt admiration for the girl with the thick glasses.

"What do you mean half? Ever since the village was sealed off, we've only been able to take D-rank missions like cleaning the village or clearing out riverbeds. There's no combat, which means no consumption of ninja tools, so Nonou just donates eighty percent of her salary to the orphanage!"

"That's also why she often goes to the stream behind the mountain to catch and grill fish..."

At this, even the little chubby Akimichi Yoshimaru couldn't remain indifferent. He looked at the snacks in his hands with a conflicted expression, then finally closed his eyes and pushed them toward Yakushi Nonou with a heavy heart!

"Take these too! Put them away quickly, don't let me see them again, or I'm afraid I won't be able to help myself..."

"Pfft~"

Seeing Yoshimaru's earnest yet "painful" expression, Yakushi Nonou couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"Then I won't stand on ceremony."

Hearing this, Akimichi Yoshimaru's heart went cold.

"However, as a reward for Yoshimaru-kun's kindness, I'll leave this bag of your favorite salt-and-pepper chips for you!"

With that, Yakushi Nonou returned his favorite bag of snacks.

"Nonou, you're an angel!"

Looking at the salt-and-pepper chips he had regained, Akimichi Yoshimaru burst into tears, squinting at Yakushi Nonou as if she were radiating a brilliant, holy light.

As if suddenly remembering something, Yakushi Nonou reached up to adjust her glasses.

"Since everyone has nothing to do, would you like to come with me to see everyone at the orphanage?"

"Eh? Is that okay? Would we be disturbing the children?"

Kushina was a bit surprised; she hadn't expected such a suggestion from Nonou.

"Well~ it would be nice to go see them. It's been a while since I visited, too."

Shirokumo Hayama was the first to agree, though his eyes darted around and he scratched his head, as if trying hard to act reluctant.

"I'm in, I'm in!" Akimichi Yoshimaru raised his hand, clutching the bag of salt-and-pepper chips tightly.

Namikaze Minato nodded with a smile: "I'll go too. It'll be good to see the kids."

And so, the five of them headed toward the orphanage together.

Along the way, everyone chatted and laughed, the atmosphere remarkably relaxed.

When they arrived at the orphanage, the children saw Yakushi Nonou and came running over, shouting excitedly:

"Big Sister Nonou! It's Big Sister Nonou here to see us!"

Surrounded by the children like stars around the moon, Nonou gently patted their heads and introduced them to everyone:

"These are my friends, and they've come to visit you all too~"

The children's eyes lit up as they curiously sized up the newcomers.

Shirokumo Hayama was surrounded by a group of children asking him all sorts of questions; he tried to maintain a cool, aloof facade at first, but eventually, he couldn't help but break into a smile.

Akimichi Yoshimaru generously shared his snacks with the children, happily munching away right along with them.

Kushina was busy telling a few of the younger ones about her recent experiences while out on missions as a ninja, though she spent more time complaining about how boring the tasks were.

Namikaze Minato chatted with some of the older children, regaling them with curious anecdotes about the village and general knowledge of the Ninja World, even teaching them a few combat techniques and shuriken throwing skills.

Watching everyone getting along so harmoniously and enjoying themselves, Nonou couldn't help but let the corners of her mouth lift slightly.

It wasn't until the sun was about to set that everyone reluctantly took their leave of the orphanage.

Everyone felt that the day had been incredibly fulfilling, and their faces were wreathed in warm, satisfied smiles.

The only thing that had been emptied, perhaps, was their wallets, which they had voluntarily cleared out after finding the director before they left.

Perhaps it was a stroke of serendipity.

As the five of them left the orphanage and passed by the village gates, they happened to see Qi Luna and her companions returning to Konoha to rest alongside a large group of other ninjas.