The last slice of chestnut cake

Shuo woke up quite early, not naturally, but because he hadn't slept soundly.

His dreams had been a jumble: the sweet shop's warm lights one moment, Sai's cold, lonely back the next, then the files scattered all over the archive room. In the end, only one vague question remained, going round and round: "Can your ability be copied?"

He forgot most of it after waking up, but that one question seemed stuck in his head. It was annoying.

He lay in bed, staring at the ceiling for a good while, but still couldn't fall asleep. Tch. What a pain.

After lying there for ten minutes, he dragged himself up, washed, and changed, moving as slowly as a snail.

When he went out, there were hardly any people on the streets, just a few delivering newspapers or opening breakfast shops, and two ninja out for a morning run, panting so hard that watching them was tiring.

With both hands in his pockets, Shuo ambled toward the Shopping District-he hadn't deliberately decided to go anywhere. His feet had simply carried him that way.

By the time he reached the sweet shop, the sky had only just lightened, a hazy gray.

The shop door was closed, not locked up for good; it simply wasn't opening time yet. A wooden "Closed" sign hung from the handle.

He stood before the display window and glanced inside-the "Limited edition" chestnut cake sign still stood there, all alone, with the trays beside it empty.

After standing there for five seconds, he couldn't be bothered to move. He turned, leaned against the wall beside the door, and waited.

He found it funny himself. In all his life, he'd never waited outside a cake shop for it to open.

But his legs wouldn't listen, and his brain couldn't be bothered to puzzle over it. Might as well stay here. Better than going back and lying around brooding over that dream.

Half an hour passed, and the street gradually grew lively.

Vegetable carts rattled past, white steam drifted from breakfast shops, and elderly men and women carried shopping baskets toward the market, chattering away.

At seven forty, he heard a key slide into a lock behind him, followed by a very soft click.

Shuo shifted aside without speaking and watched the shopkeeper push the door open and come out.

"Oh my, young man, you're here so early!" She paused when she saw him, then smiled, the wrinkles on her face bunching together warmly.

"...Buying cake." Shuo spared his words, too lazy to say even one more.

"I haven't put anything out yet. I've only just warmed up the oven in the kitchen." The shopkeeper stepped aside for him. "Come wait inside. It's chilly out."

Shuo didn't refuse and ambled inside.

The shop was still dark. The shopkeeper switched on the lights, and warm yellow light spread at once, brightening the bare counter considerably.

He stood before the counter, staring at the empty trays in the display. Yesterday, they had been packed with pastries; today, only a few wagashi remained, huddled alone in a corner.

"Here, I've packed them for you."

Before long, the shopkeeper emerged from the kitchen carrying a paper box. "The last two slices of chestnut cake left from yesterday. They're both yours. Any later, and the little girl next door would've bought them."

Shuo took the paper box and paid, his movements unhurried.

The shopkeeper accepted the money and looked at him, hesitating. Her lips moved, but in the end, all she said was, "Young man, cake should be eaten fresh. Once it gets cold, it loses its flavor."

"Mm." Shuo answered and pushed the door open to leave.

The sunlight was fully bright now, golden and warm as it spilled over the ground.

He stood outside the shop and paused. Through the display window, he saw the shopkeeper slowly tidying the empty trays, wiping them spotless, even removing the traces of cream from the corners.

When she reached the "Limited edition" sign, she picked it up and looked at it, sighed softly, and put it in the drawer beneath the counter. She never took it out again.

Shuo looked away and ambled toward the river with the paper box-the same rock as always. He was used to sitting there and couldn't be bothered to find somewhere else.

He sat down and opened the box. The two slices of cake were wrapped in greaseproof paper and still a little warm.

He took one out and bit off a big mouthful. Sweetness spread through his mouth at once. It tasted just as it had last time, a little too sweet, but today, he didn't really mind it.

After finishing the first slice, he leaned against the tree trunk and watched the river. Sunlight scattered across the water, its rippling glitter dazzling his eyes.

But today's light seemed a little different-not that the light itself had changed. His perception had felt strange ever since he'd gotten up, as though veiled in mist. It hadn't deteriorated; it was just... too full.

The ANBU's surveillance, Root's probing, the leak in the archive room, Sai's warning, and this sweet shop that was about to close.

What did it matter to him whether an ordinary pastry shop closed or not?

Yet he'd stood outside its door for fifty minutes, all for two slices of cake.

Shuo chewed the cake crumbs in his mouth and thought it over, but couldn't figure it out.

Forget it. If I can't figure it out, I won't think about it. Too much brainwork. What a pain.

He picked up the second slice of cake, but froze just after taking a bite.

Someone stood beneath the willow tree across the river.

Silver-gray hair. He was too far away for his figure to be clear, but Shuo didn't need a clear look. That chilly chakra and the way he stood, barely disturbing the patterns of light, were enough to tell him it was Sai.

Sai didn't move. He simply stood beneath the willow like a neglected, withered tree.

Shuo didn't move either, continuing to chew his cake at a leisurely pace, without the slightest tension-since the other man had no intention of attacking, there was no need to waste effort staying on guard.

After swallowing the last bite, he folded the greaseproof paper, tucked it into his pocket, stood up, and brushed the dust off his trousers.

Sai still didn't move.

Shuo raised a hand, neither waving nor forming hand seals. He simply held it up casually beneath the sun and spread his fingers.

The back of his hand faced Sai, his palm facing the sunlight. Light passed between his fingers, casting several long, slender shadows across his face, tickling him.

Then he turned his hand over, palm facing himself. The golden light spilling between his fingers fell upon the river and refracted along its ripples, tracing a thin arc across the entire river and spreading into a small patch of warm yellow light at Sai's feet.

Sai lowered his head and looked at the patch of light by his feet. He neither spoke nor moved, only stared.

Shuo took a look, lowered his hand, and turned to amble toward the village center, dragging his steps without looking back.

But within his Light Perception, that silver-gray chakra remained where it was for a very, very long time. Only after he had gone far away did it slowly move in the opposite direction, disappearing into the depths of the village.

The system interface quietly popped up:

[Daily behavior: Visiting a shop about to close for the last time]

[Hidden trait triggered: Accepting loss calmly, without agonizing or clinging]

[Imitation points + 0.4%]

[Current imitation points: 46.9%]

[System note: A lazy person's composure is never an act, but an easygoing nature that finds even goodbyes too much trouble]

Shuo glanced at it and curled his lip. "Tch, only 0.4%? Stingy." Without looking again, he casually closed the interface-it would reach 50% sooner or later anyway. What was the rush?

At the foot of the dormitory building, he ran straight into Obito, who came running toward him, his head covered in sweat and in a frantic hurry. "Shuo-senpai! I finally found you! Minato-sensei said there's a mission this afternoon, and we're supposed to meet at the training ground early!"

"Mm." Shuo answered without stopping.

"Oh, and another thing!"

Obito followed him, chattering, "Rin said she made lunch boxes this morning and asked if you'd like one. She said she put in those red bean dumplings you like-"

"I've eaten," Shuo interrupted, his tone flat.

"Oh..."

Obito scratched his head and caught up again. "What about lunch, then? Rin said she could save you a portion. The mission this afternoon will take a lot of stamina, so eating will give you strength-"

"Save it. I'll eat it this afternoon," Shuo said, too lazy to waste words with him.

"Got it!"

Obito ran off happily, probably to give Rin his answer.

Shuo watched him run into the distance and clicked his tongue-the kid had an annoyingly abundant supply of energy.

He slowly climbed the stairs and pushed open his dorm room door. It was the same as always: his blanket lay in a heap on the bed, and an unfinished book on ninjutsu theory lay open on the desk, its page corners already curled.

He hung his jacket, with the empty paper box inside it, on the coat rack and walked to the window.

On the opposite roof, Dango crouched among the tiles, basking in the sun. Its gray-and-white fur had fluffed up in the sunshine, and its tail slowly swept across the tiles. It didn't even glance at him, acting like a pampered lord.

Shuo leaned by the window, watched it, and yawned.

There's still a mission this afternoon. What a pain. Might as well get some sleep now.

He flopped onto the bed without folding the blanket, curled straight up, and closed his eyes.

Half asleep, he suddenly thought of the sweet shop's owner and her parting words: "Cake should be eaten fresh."

After closing her shop, she was going to Sunagakure to find her son.

Sunagakure had sunlight too, just harsher than Konoha's. He wondered whether she'd open another pastry shop once she got there, and whether her son liked chestnut cake.

He had barely followed the thought before it became a bother. He shook his head and cast it aside.

Forget it. Who cares.

He rolled over, his face toward the sunlight. It was pleasantly warm and very comfortable.

Sunlight squeezed through the gap in the curtains and fell across his back, warm and soft, like chestnut cake fresh from the oven, sweet without being cloying, languid and easygoing, exactly like him.