Lady Yamanaka Sora

A dozen or so minutes later, Tsunade stopped outside a flower shop.

Since she was going to "pay her respects" to Hashirama,

showing up without flowers would hardly do.

She stepped forward and pushed open the door.

The wind chime above it jingled.

"Hello. What can I get for you?"

A gentle woman's voice came from behind the flower racks.

Tsunade looked up.

A woman with long, silky blond hair emerged from among the flowers.

She looked to be twenty-seven or twenty-eight.

She had a gentle face and wore a short purple top.

A little pollen and a few water stains marked her sleeves.

Lady Yamanaka.

The woman visibly froze when she saw Tsunade.

Then her face lit up with delight.

"Oh! Lady Tsunade? What brings you here?"

This was the wife of the current head of the Yamanaka clan.

Yamanaka Sora.

Tsunade had met her a few times, according to the original Tsunade's memories.

But they weren't particularly close.

They had mostly exchanged nods at clan gatherings.

Her warmth took Tsunade a little by surprise.

Yamanaka Sora hurried over without even taking off her apron.

As she looked at Tsunade, unmistakable respect shone in her light brown eyes.

There was even a hint of... admiration?

"Lady Tsunade, it really is you!"

Excitement colored Yamanaka Sora's voice.

"We heard what happened with the Hyuga clan... Lady Hoshina and her child are safe thanks to you!"

She paused, clasped her hands together, and said earnestly, "You're incredible."

So that was it.

Tsunade grinned.

She had spent all this time at the Hyuga compound without going out.

It looked like old man Hiruzen Sarutobi had been busy.

The titles "Konoha's Strongest Female Fist" and "Guardian Goddess of Women"

had probably spread among the women of the major clans by now.

"It was nothing."

Tsunade waved a hand, trying to look a little modest.

"We're both women. If I didn't help her, who would?"

"Besides, life in the shinobi world is hard enough for women. We should support each other."

Yamanaka Sora's eyes brightened, and she nodded repeatedly.

Her face was full of gratitude and admiration.

"You're right, Lady Tsunade!"

Tsunade said a few more things, and Yamanaka Sora grew more excited with every word.

Sensing it was time, Tsunade quickly changed the subject.

If she kept going, even she would get embarrassed.

She pointed to the bouquets on display.

"Um... Lady Sora, I'd like to buy some flowers."

"Of course! What kind would you like?"

Yamanaka Sora slipped straight into shopkeeper mode, her smile gentle.

"Chrysanthemums," Tsunade said.

Yamanaka Sora's smile faltered slightly.

As a flower shop owner, she knew all too well what chrysanthemums signified.

In Konoha, they were usually used to mourn the dead.

"Lady Tsunade... is this..."

Her voice softened, becoming cautious.

Tsunade waved a hand. "It's nothing. I just miss my grandfather. I'm planning to pay my respects tomorrow morning."

Only then did Yamanaka Sora relax, her expression easing again.

"I see... The First Hokage certainly deserves to be remembered by everyone. Please wait a moment. I'll pick out the freshest ones for you."

She turned to the flower racks and began choosing blooms with practiced hands.

Tsunade didn't stand around waiting. She wandered farther into the shop.

It wasn't large, but it was tastefully arranged.

Flowers of every color were sorted and displayed by type.

They looked fresh and vibrant, clearly well cared for.

"Lady Sora, you've grown some beautiful flowers."

Tsunade offered the compliment casually.

"Especially those roses. The petals are full and the colors vivid. You must prune them on a schedule and control how much light they get, right?"

Yamanaka Sora was tying up the chrysanthemums. She looked up in surprise.

"You know about flowers too, Lady Tsunade?"

"A thing or two." Tsunade grinned.

In her previous life, she had spent plenty of time around women, so naturally she had picked up all sorts of skills they appreciated.

Flowers, tea, conversation...

All essential subjects.

She had mainly learned them to pick up women, but they might work wonders now.

She walked over to a pot of purple flowers and bent to smell them.

"Violets. They symbolize 'eternal beauty and love.'"

Tsunade straightened and pointed to a bunch of white flowers beside them.

"Lilies symbolize purity and nobility. They're perfect for newlyweds or to celebrate a newborn."

As she walked, she talked about the meanings of roses and carnations.

Then she moved on to pairing baby's breath with other flowers and the feelings conveyed by different colors of tulips.

She knew her stuff.

Yamanaka Sora had long since stopped working.

She stared at Tsunade, her eyes growing brighter by the second.

"Lady Tsunade... you... you know this much about flowers?!"

Disbelief filled her voice.

"Even professional florists don't know a lot of this!"

"Just a hobby." Tsunade shrugged, secretly delighted.

Those skill points hadn't gone to waste.

She had originally planned to buy a bouquet and leave.

But Yamanaka Sora was so enthusiastic that she was practically starry-eyed.

Tsunade decided there was no need to rush off.

She had intended to build good relations with the shinobi clans anyway.

The Yamanaka clan was one of Konoha's major clans.

Together with the Nara and Akimichi, they formed the formidable Ino–Shika–Cho trio.

They carried considerable weight in Konoha's politics.

How could she pass up an opportunity like this?

"Lady Sora, is that flower tea I see?"

Tsunade pointed to several glass jars behind the counter.

"Oh! Yes!"

Yamanaka Sora immediately perked up, as though she had been given a chance to show off a treasure.

"I blended them myself! Would you like to try some?"

"Sure."

"Just a moment! I'll brew it right away!"

Yamanaka Sora practically ran into the back room.

Before long, she returned with an elegant tea set and several small porcelain jars.

They sat down at a little tea table in the corner of the shop.

With graceful movements, Yamanaka Sora warmed the cups, measured out the tea, and began brewing it.

The moment she poured in the hot water, a delicate scent of flowers and tea spread through the air.

"This is my own blend, Dewdrop Rose Black Tea."

Yamanaka Sora slid a cup of pale red tea toward Tsunade, anticipation in her eyes.

"Please, try it."

Tsunade picked up the cup and first examined its color:

The tea was clear, with a faint golden rim.

Then she took in its aroma:

The sweetness of rose and the richness of black tea blended beautifully.

She took a sip.

The tea felt smooth and warm on her tongue, where the rose fragrance unfurled.

Then came the slight astringency and lingering sweetness distinctive to black tea.

"Not bad."

Tsunade set down her cup and gave her verdict.

"You used rosebuds picked in the early morning, before they fully opened. That preserves their fragrance best."

"And the black tea base is moderately fermented Lapsang Souchong with a honeyed aroma... right?"

Yamanaka Sora nearly dropped the teapot.

Her mouth opened, but it took her a long moment to speak. "...Exactly right."

"The ratio of tea to flowers is about one to three."

Tsunade continued.

"But next time, try adding a little dried bergamot peel. It'll give the aroma more depth."

Yamanaka Sora stared at her blankly. A few seconds later, she sprang to her feet.

"Wait here!"

She ran into the back room again and came out with several plates.

Each held an assortment of delicate little sweets.

"These are flower cakes I made with edible petals! Please try them!"

Tsunade didn't stand on ceremony. She tasted each one in turn.

"This cherry blossom cake has just the right sweetness, but you could make the glutinous rice flour a little finer..."

"The osmanthus cake has a lovely, authentic fragrance, but switching to acacia honey would give it a more delicate flavor..."

"Oh, these lavender cookies are interesting. There's a little too much lavender, though, so they're slightly bitter. Try using a third less next time..."

Every time she tasted something, she offered a few offhand comments.

Every one of them hit the mark.

Yamanaka Sora went from surprised to thrilled, and by the end...

She planted both hands on the tea table and leaned forward.

Her eyes locked on Tsunade, her breathing quickening.

"Lady Tsunade!"

Her voice trembled with excitement.

Tsunade's knowledge went far beyond "a thing or two"!

Unless someone loved flowers deeply and had studied them with absolute devotion,

there was no way they could have noticed details like these!

She grabbed Tsunade's hand and held it tight.

"I've run this flower shop for years, blending flower teas and making flower cakes. I've always had to figure everything out on my own. There's no one around me I can talk to about any of it."

"Everyone just thinks I'm... a housewife who likes playing with flowers."

Her eyes reddened a little.

"But you're different! You understand me!"

"I understood every word you said!"

"All those subtle differences, those clever combinations... My goodness, I've never met anyone like you!"

The sudden outpouring of sincerity left Tsunade a little embarrassed.

"Ahem... Mrs. Sora, you're exaggerating..."

"No! Not at all!"

Yamanaka Sora shook her head firmly, let go of Tsunade, and turned to bring out a heap of other things.

More tins of flower tea, unopened flower cakes, and even several notebooks of flower-arranging notes she had written herself.

"These! These are all for you! Take them home and try them!"

"And these notebooks contain what I've learned over the years about blending flower teas and making sweets. Please have a look."

"If you find anything wrong, you must tell me!"

Tsunade looked at the mountain of "gifts" before her, and her mouth twitched.

"That's far too much. I can't carry it all."

"It's fine! I'll pack it for you!"

Yamanaka Sora gave her no chance to refuse.

She swiftly found several large paper bags and began stuffing things inside.

Rose black tea, jasmine green tea, chrysanthemum and goji berry tea... cherry blossom

cakes, osmanthus cakes, rose pastries...

There were even two pots of a new orchid variety she had just cultivated, one supposedly very difficult to keep alive.

"These orchids..." Tsunade tried to decline.

"Please, you must accept them!"

Yamanaka Sora tucked the flowerpots into the bags too, her eyes pleading.

"Only someone who truly understands flowers like you deserves to care for them!"

Tsunade: "..."

She looked at the bulging paper bags, nearly bursting at the seams.

Then she looked at Yamanaka Sora's expression, which said, If you don't take them, I'll cry.

At last, she sighed.

She knew Yamanaka Sora was simply overwhelmed with excitement.

After tending her flower shop alone for years, she had finally found someone who understood her.

"All right... Then I'll gladly take them."

"That's wonderful!" Yamanaka Sora was so happy she nearly jumped.

By the time Tsunade staggered to the shop entrance, laden with bags,

the sun was nearly setting.

Yamanaka Sora walked her all the way outside, reluctantly holding on to her sleeve.

"Lady Tsunade, you must come again!"

"I've been working on pastries made with lotus petals. As soon as I succeed, I'll invite you over to taste them!"

"And I have so many treasured flower seeds and tea recipes at home. You must come see them!"

"Oh, and the women of a few of our families are having a tea gathering next Wednesday. Are you free?"

"I'll introduce you to Mrs. Akimichi. She loves making sweets too."

Dizzy from the barrage of enthusiasm, Tsunade nodded repeatedly.

"Yes, yes. I'll come if I'm free."

"It's a promise!"

Yamanaka Sora's eyes sparkled as though she had been given a momentous pledge.

Even after Tsunade had walked a long way, she could still see Sora waving vigorously outside the shop when she looked back.

Tsunade hefted her weighty "spoils" and grinned.

"Mrs. Yamanaka, won over!"

In high spirits, she hummed a tune on her way home.

Of the three families—Akimichi, Nara, and Yamanaka—she had made a good start with the Yamanakas.

Should she approach the Naras or the Akimichis next?

Or should she strengthen her relationship with Uchiha Mikoto first?

"But the most important thing right now is..."

She glanced at the carefully wrapped bouquet of chrysanthemums in her hand.

"Visiting Grandpa first thing tomorrow morning."