Behind the Konoha Police Force's side door, there was a very particular sound of paper.
It was not the sound of practice sheets being rubbed fuzzy by children at the Ninja Academy, nor was it the soft rustle of pages turning in Mine's cloth-bound booklet. The paper there was thicker, its corners harder. When flipped, it made a crisp sound, like thin wooden chips knocking together.
Che was standing outside the side door when he heard it.
Today was not a regular training day. Takuya had brought them to the side entrance of the Konoha Police Force, saying only that it was "an observation of registration procedures." It was not a tour, much less permission for them to go inside and ask questions at random. Each of them could only observe designated areas, listen to designated explanations, and write up a retelling of the procedure afterward.
After hearing that, Kiyo quietly said, "Sounds like visiting boring relatives."
Morita Yu said, "You have a lot of complaints about relatives."
"Because they ask about grades too."
Zhen Shu was quieter than usual today. He stood near the front, his shoulders tense. Keisuke stood beside him. He had not brought his wooden sword, but his hand still hung habitually at his side. Che stood slightly behind them, looking first at the gap beneath the door, then at the ground. Nao had said to check for lights before knocking. There was light behind this door now, and people too—a lot of people.
The middle-aged man from yesterday came out through the side door. His surname was Uchiha, and his given name was Shuhei. His name was ordinary, and so was his face, but when he looked at someone, it made them feel like a page already flipped to its corner.
"Only observe the procedures,"