Liumu braced himself against the wall, panting. The strenuous exercise had brought a barely perceptible flush to his fair face.
He looked at Kakashi and Might Guy following close behind.
Liumu plopped down on the ground and tilted his head back to look at the sun, which offered little warmth.
"Yo!"
Guy came charging over and vaulted over Liumu's head in a single stride.
Once he landed, he raised a thumb and called to Kakashi behind him, "Kakashi, you lost again! Counting our previous matches, that makes 46 wins and 45 losses for me."
Kakashi followed at a leisurely stroll, holding a little comic book.
"All right, I know."
As he spoke, Kakashi tucked the comic into his pocket.
Following Liumu's example, the two sat down together.
"It's been ages since I exercised like this. It's pretty tiring."
Kakashi lay back.
He let the snow cover his body.
Guy looked at Liumu, who noticed immediately.
"Don't look at me like that!"
As he spoke, Liumu hastily shifted to the side.
With a wicked grin, he said, "I've already thought up an advanced version of Thousand Years of Death. Want to try it?"
Guy hurriedly shook his head.
"No thanks. Last time, I had to lie facedown in bed for a week before I dared roll over to sleep."
Meanwhile, Han was mingling with Kushina and a bunch of other "old wives."
Their gossip about this household and that really wasn't suitable for a man like Liumu to listen to.
He had finally returned to the village, only for Kakashi and Guy to invite him out straightaway.
Their old classmates now held all sorts of posts throughout Konoha.
But as for those he was closest to...
It was still these few.
Liumu glanced at Kakashi.
Raising an eyebrow, he asked,