In the days before the exams, Xue Ge went to the cliff above Hokage Rock every night. Karura always arrived before him, though of course, she also left earlier.
After all, an outsider could not wander around the village in the middle of the night like Xue Ge.
Still, that was not necessarily always the case.
Today, for example, Xue Ge arrived a little earlier. By the time Karura finally showed up, he had already been sparring with his Shadow Clone for about half an hour.
"Sorry." Karura looked rather embarrassed as soon as she arrived. "I'm a little late today-"
Xue Ge and his Shadow Clone pushed off each other and stepped back, catching their breath.
We never even agreed on a time. There was no need for her to apologize to me-
"It's fine." Xue Ge shook his head. "Were you busy with something today?"
"Mm-yes and no, I suppose." As she spoke, Karura took a green bracelet with a wood-grain pattern from her waist pouch and offered it to Xue Ge with both hands.
"Here, this is for you!" Karura said with a smile. "Most of the Land of Wind is desert, and oases are the source of life. Green and trees both have good meanings where we come from. This is a blessing of life."
Xue Ge felt that something was off. Hmm-that smooth little speech did not sound like something Karura could have come up with.
He asked, "Were you late because you went to pick out a gift?"
"Uh, no-" Karura involuntarily averted her eyes and said awkwardly, "Actually, I was looking around Konoha with someone-"
"Oh?" Xue Ge raised an eyebrow.
She made a friend in Konoha that quickly?
Karura explained, "Well-I wanted to buy you a gift, but I didn't know what