It was raining.
When Shuo woke up, everything outside his window was gray. Raindrops pattered against the glass, annoyingly loud.
He lay there with his eyes open for a while, listening to the rain, then closed them again-he couldn't get back to sleep. Tch, what a drag.
He dawdled through getting up, washing, and changing, then stood by the window and looked outside.
There were few people on the street. Occasionally, a ninja ran past in a heavy armored raincoat. The dull gray sky reflected in the puddles, where raindrops broke it into rings of ripples.
After watching for half a minute, he turned and went out, hands in his pockets, dragging his feet.
The cafeteria was quiet and nearly empty. He got breakfast-miso soup, brown rice, and a small plate of pickled radish-and found a seat by the window.
A layer of mist clouded the glass. He gathered a little light at his fingertip and idly traced a line through it, then decided that was boring too, withdrew his hand, and dug into his rice.
Halfway through his meal, his perception suddenly stirred-not a fluctuation in chakra, but light patterns pressed into a dull heaviness.
Someone had come in, footsteps light as a cat's, chakra suppressed extremely low. But that chilly quality told Shuo without even turning around that this was someone troublesome.
He didn't turn, just kept chewing his pickled radish. It was salty enough to taste bitter.
The person scanned the cafeteria with a tray in hand, then came straight over and sat opposite him.
Only then did Shuo look up.
Silver-gray hair, a right eye completely covered by a forehead protector, and a dark gray left eye. His face was expressionless, like a chunk of ice.
It was the boy who had been lying across the river that day. Up close, he seemed even colder. Even his breathing was so faint it barely disturbed the surrounding light patterns.
The boy set down his tray, picked up his chopsticks, and ate quietly without a word.
Shuo ignored him too and kept drinking his soup.
Only the rain, the clink of chopsticks against bowls, and an older man's slurping from farther away broke the cafeteria's silence.
After a minute of silence, the boy spoke first, his voice flat and unchanging. "Namikaze Shuo."
"Mm." Shuo picked up a piece of pickled radish.
The boy didn't introduce himself. Only after taking another two mouthfuls of rice did he say unhurriedly, "At the sweet shop last week, you used your ability to interfere with a rendezvous."
It wasn't a question, but a statement.
"I was passing by."
Shuo's words came out muffled as he chewed his radish.
"Those two were disciplined by Root. One was transferred out of Konoha." The boy put down his chopsticks and looked at him.
Shuo didn't answer. He drained the soup in his bowl.
"Lord Danzo wanted to see you. You wouldn't go."
"Mm." Shuo wiped his mouth. "My clothes would've gotten wet. Too much trouble."
The boy went silent for two seconds, apparently not expecting that reason. A barely perceptible trace of confusion crossed his eyes-he was probably wondering what on earth getting his clothes wet had to do with refusing the head of the ANBU.
"You don't want to see him," the boy said again, his tone still flat.
"Obviously."
Shuo rolled his eyes. "If I meet him, I'll have to talk. If I talk, I'll have to explain my ability. Once I explain it, they'll register it, and then I'll have to file reports whenever I use it. What a hassle."
The boy asked no further questions and continued eating.
Outside, the rain suddenly grew heavier, rattling against the roof like beans being poured out.
The cafeteria lights reflected in the misted glass, spreading a warm yellow glow that softened the boy's cold face a little.
The boy finished his last mouthful of rice, set down his chopsticks, and picked up his tray. As he passed Shuo, he suddenly stopped.
His voice drifted into Shuo's ear, soft as fine rain. "Don't go to that sweet shop again."
With that, he turned and left. His footsteps soon vanished through the cafeteria entrance without a single unnecessary sound.
Shuo looked in the direction he'd disappeared and pursed his lips. "Fine, I won't. Going somewhere else is less trouble anyway."
He cleared his tray and walked to the cafeteria entrance. The rain had grown heavier again, and the wind blew fine droplets toward him, a little chilly.
He hadn't brought an umbrella.
He stood beneath the eaves and watched for a while. The rain showed no sign of stopping. Tch, what a pain.
He tugged his jacket up, planning to make a dash for it-a little rain was better than wasting time standing here.
"Shuo! Wait!"
Rin's voice came from behind him. She jogged over, holding a small floral umbrella. "Why didn't you bring an umbrella again? You'll catch a cold!"
"Forgot." Shuo said it as though it were only natural.
Rin opened the umbrella and held it over his head. "I'll walk you back to the dorm. I'm heading that way anyway."
"No need, you..."
"It's fine, really!"
Rin smiled and tilted the umbrella toward him. "Come on. The rain's getting heavier."
Shuo didn't refuse again-arguing with a girl over an umbrella was even more trouble.
They walked side by side through the rain. The umbrella wasn't big, and Rin tilted almost all of it over him, leaving half her shoulder exposed. It was soon soaked.
Shuo shifted to the side. "A little rain won't hurt me. Keep yourself dry."
"No, you only finished training yesterday, Shuo. Getting rained on will tire you out." Rin stubbornly moved the umbrella back.
Shuo stayed still, muttering inwardly, What a hassle.
Half a street later, Rin suddenly asked in a small voice, "Shuo, that person in the cafeteria... do you know him? He looked so cold."
"No."
Shuo said, "He came over for a few words. Told me not to go to that sweet shop."
"Huh? Why?"
Rin sounded a little nervous. "Is there danger near that shop?"
"Who knows."
Shuo shrugged. "Probably some trouble around there. Saves me going over and stumbling into something troublesome again. Works for me."
Rin nodded without quite understanding and didn't press him, only tilting the umbrella a little farther toward him.
When they reached the dorm building, Shuo was completely dry, without a drop of rain on him. Rin's shoulder, however, was soaked, and water dripped from the ends of her hair.
"...Thanks." Shuo's tone softened a little.
"You're welcome!"
Rin's eyes curved into crescents as she smiled. "I'll get going, then. I still have to help the medical team this afternoon!"
She jogged away beneath her umbrella and disappeared into the rain, her figure soon obscured by its gray curtain.
Shuo stood at the entrance and watched her retreating figure for a while before turning to go upstairs.
Back in his room, he took off his jacket and flopped onto the bed, too lazy to move.
Rain still beat against the window, blurring the street outside.
He thought of what Sai had said-don't go to the sweet shop.
It hadn't sounded like a warning, more like a reminder. And that "transferred out of Konoha"-since when had Root been so gentle? Weren't they supposed to silence people permanently?
Tch, he couldn't figure it out, and couldn't be bothered to try.
He closed his eyes, and Light Perception slowly spread outward, passing through the walls and the rain, sweeping across the whole village.
The old doorman downstairs was dozing, his radio playing hopelessly old songs; the convenience store owner across the street was wiping shelves, the newspaper in his hand damp; on the mission hall's windowsill, Dango lay watching the rain, flicking a tail back and forth and sweeping the light patterns askew.
There were fewer chakra fluctuations on rainy days than usual, but they were more jumbled.
He sensed several patches of chilly light patterns-Root's hidden sentries-as well as a few monitoring points belonging to the Barrier Team.
At the farthest edge, that silver-gray light pattern was moving rapidly toward the outskirts of the village. It wasn't the pace of someone heading out on a mission. It was more like... fleeing.
Let him go. It had nothing to do with him.
Shuo withdrew his perception, rolled over, and stared blankly at the ceiling.
By evening, the rain stopped.
Shuo went downstairs and bought a pack of red bean daifuku at the convenience store, then tucked it into his pocket and strolled back.
Passing the sweet shop, he stopped for two seconds-the lights were on, the proprietress was wiping the counter, and the few customers inside were quiet.
He didn't go in, just turned and left-another shop was all the same anyway. Better to avoid trouble.
Back in his room, he opened the package and took a bite of daifuku. Sweet, soft, and chewy, it instantly quelled that little bit of irritation inside him.
The system interface popped up:
[Character encountered: Sai] [Identity: Ninja affiliated with Root] [Imitation points + 0.1%] [Current imitation points: 45.8%] [System note: The other party volunteered information; there may be divergent attitudes within the faction]
0.1%? Shuo pursed his lips. What is this, spare change for a beggar?
Whatever. Can't be bothered to quibble. Didn't take any effort anyway.
He finished the daifuku, cleared away the wrapper, and lay back down.
Outside the window, the sky turned from dark blue to deep black. The streetlights came on, casting circles of orange-yellow light across the wet street like scattered gold.
It felt as though he'd done nothing today-just eaten two meals and listened to a few troublesome words-yet somehow he was a little tired.
He closed his eyes, and sleepiness soon washed over him.
Half-asleep, he recalled Sai's cold face and suddenly felt that the boy was pretty troublesome too-he barely said anything, yet always left people unable to help mulling over his words.
Tch, enough thinking.
Whether it rains tomorrow or not, I'll still have to eat and sleep. Avoid trouble when I can, and when I can't, just deal with it somehow.
He rolled over and sank completely into sleep.
Outside, the rain quietly began again. Fine, dense droplets passed through the streetlight, glimmering silver-gray in the night, quiet and still, no longer disturbing the boy who hated trouble.
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