Chapter 225: Another Night
The clamor of the New Year festival finally died down after the midnight fireworks faded.
The ninja from the various villages dispersed in twos and threes, trudging through ankle-deep fresh snow back to their lodgings in their respective districts.
Kakashi supported a thoroughly drunken Guy, who was still mumbling about "the joint performance of youth and fireworks."
Shikaku walked behind all the other Konoha ninja, carrying the last lantern still burning. Its warm light stretched a long orange ribbon across the snow.
On the Hidden Cloud side, Samui supported Darui, whose steps had grown unsteady after Killer B plied him with three cups of strong distilled liquor.
Occasionally, she glanced back at the festival grounds as the lights gradually went out. Moonlight reflected off the snow shone in her blue-green eyes, and the curve of her lips was faint but soft.
She had not sought Sōji out to say goodbye. Everything she needed to say had already been said on the Island Turtle.
The three temporary residences in the Hidden Mist district stood east of the newly constructed building, a row of recently completed two-story wooden townhouses.
Their roofs were covered in deep-blue tiles shipped from the Land of Water, and the sea breeze sent snow tumbling from the grooves between them.
Karin and Hotaru stayed in the leftmost house, Mangetsu and Utakata in the middle, and Muku and Suigetsu on the right.
The lights in several windows went out one after another, leaving only a solitary chakra lamp burning on the second floor of the rightmost house.
Sōji pushed open the townhouse's wooden door and was about to take off his Divine Robe when a set of unceremonious footsteps sounded behind him.
Tsunade strode across the threshold, with Shizune following behind, Tonton in her arms