The sun sank in the west.
The carriages bearing the Uchiha Gunbai clan crest entered the village, escorted by a host of Uchiha Ninja.
The news had already spread through the village as though it had wings.
Now, countless eyes, some openly watching and others hidden, gathered near the gates-curious, awed, frightened, admiring...
All fixed on the convoy.
No one dared discuss it aloud. There were only whispers.
The members of the Konoha Military Police Force had already been notified. The moment they saw the convoy, they stepped forward.
Genya jumped down from the first carriage and brushed nonexistent dust off his clothes.
He took a plainly wrapped gift box from the carriage and handed it to a kind-faced Uchiha Chunin beside him.
"Kazuya, sorry for the trouble, but could you take this to Naruto Uzumaki's home? You know the address. Tell him it's... a gift I brought him from the Capital."
The Chunin, Uchiha Kazuya, accepted the box with both hands. It was quite heavy, yet it brought a faint warmth to his heart.
Giving that Jinchūriki child a present...
Such a thing would have been unthinkable among the Uchiha before.
But he asked no questions and nodded solemnly.
"Yes, young master. I'll go right away."
With that, he vanished in a flash.
The convoy continued onward, but instead of returning straight to the Uchiha Clan Compound, it turned onto the street where the Yamanaka Flower Shop stood.
The elegant little building belonging to Ino's family came into view.
Genya signaled for the convoy to stop. Wearing a smile that all but said, "I'm ready for a scolding," he walked to the flower shop's door and unceremoniously knocked. Bang, bang, bang!
"Ino! Ino! Ino Yamanaka! Come out! Look who's back!"
His clear voice rang with the energy unique to