Chapter Summaries

On the third day, Sai received a mission to eliminate Shuo before sunset, but he remained unable to decide whether to obey. As the deadline arrived, Sai refused to attack Shuo, and Shuo’s glowing thread lit up as six ninja confronted them.

• Shuo woke to find the silver-gray thread on his wrist drained of color, then shared breakfast with Sai by the river.
• Sai told Shuo that Shin had delivered a mission to eliminate Uchiha Saku before sunset, and Sai admitted he did not know what he would do.
• Shuo and Sai worked a persimmon-harvesting mission while Sai continued to think over the order.
• At the village entrance, Shin arrived with fifteen minutes left before sunset, and Sai stepped in front of Shuo and refused to carry out the mission.
• Shin moved to act, but five other ninja appeared to surround Shuo and Sai; Shuo identified details about the group and accused Shin of lying to Sai.
• After sunset, Shuo’s thread lit up and bathed the village entrance in golden light, freezing the surrounding ninja in place.

Shuo defeated the ninjas at the village entrance and revealed that Shin had staged the confrontation to make Sai choose between Root and his brother. Shin left after explaining his promise to Sai, and Shuo and Sai stood together in the moonlight.

• Shuo used his light-based abilities and Lightspeed Thinking to defeat the first attacker and break through the four ninjas' earthen walls.
• Shuo evaded the remaining ninjas' kunai, disarmed one, and scared the others into fleeing.
• Shuo told Shin that he knew Shin had come to make Sai choose between Root and his brother.
• Shin said he had promised not to leave Sai alone after his death three years earlier, then disappeared into the darkness.
• Sai offered Shuo two candies, and the two stood together as Shuo complained about Shin's elaborate performance.
• Shuo gained 0.7% Imitation Points, bringing his total to 51.0%, and his Light-Speed Thinking proficiency increased.

After Sai said he had chosen Shuo’s side and could not return to Root, Shuo offered him a place to stay. The next morning, Shuo invited Sai along for the day, and they met Obito before their afternoon roof-repair mission.

• Sai told Shuo that his brother had warned him not to return and that he had chosen Shuo’s side.
• Shuo said Sai could stay with him, and Sai slept on the floor in Shuo’s room.
• The next morning, Sai read a book while Shuo woke and invited him to come along.
• Shuo told Sai he had a D-rank mission that afternoon to help repair a roof.
• Obito joined Shuo and Sai at breakfast and said he, Kakashi, and Rin would take part in the mission.

Shuo and Sai spent the day together, from breakfast by the river to a roof-repair mission with Minato’s team. The chapter ended with Shuo leaving his curtains slightly open while Sai watched from below.

• Shuo noticed Sai in the hallway by the change in light, and Sai asked how Shuo had sensed him.
• Shuo and Sai joined Minato, Obito, Rin, and Kakashi for a mission repairing the Yamada family’s storehouse roof.
• Obito slipped while climbing the roof, and Shuo caught him with a strand of light before repairing the roof himself.
• Uncle Yamada paid the team and gave them persimmons, which Shuo shared with Sai.
• Sai gave Shuo candy and asked about seeing him again; Shuo told him to bring a different flavor of rice ball the next morning.
• Shuo saw Sai watching from below and left a gap in the curtains instead of closing them completely.

Shuo brought Sai to the Logistics Unit to apply for a dorm room, then offered to let him stay in his single room while the application waited. Sai cautiously shared Shuo’s bed that night, and Shuo quietly tucked the quilt around him.

• Shuo asked Sai where he had been sleeping and took him to the Logistics Unit to apply for a dorm room.
• Sai wrote “none” as his current address, and Shuo arranged for him to stay in his room while they waited for a double room.
• Shuo and Sai returned to Shuo’s room, where Sai laid out separate quilts and waited for Shuo to fall asleep.
• Shuo urged Sai to share the bed, and Sai thanked him after they settled in for the night.
• Shuo tucked the quilt around Sai as their breathing gradually synchronized.

Shuo and Sai spent a quiet morning together before joining Team Minato on a C-rank mission escorting medicinal supplies to Tanzaku Town. After the team completed the delivery and settled in for the night, Shuo agreed Sai could keep sleeping at his place when they returned.

• Shuo woke with Sai's arm around his waist, carefully moved it, and shared an awkward but peaceful breakfast with him.
• Shuo and Sai joined Team Minato to escort four carts of medicinal supplies to Tanzaku Town, and Sai asked Shuo about his constantly active ability.
• The team rested at a roadside tea stall, then reached Tanzaku Town by evening and delivered the supplies without trouble.
• Shuo and Sai shared a room at the inn and later sat together outside, watching the sunset and sharing candy.
• Shuo teased Sai about staying at his place after their return, and Sai softly agreed.

Shuo and Sai returned to Konoha with Minato’s team after their journey, sharing persimmons and settling back into their dormitory room. Sai thanked Shuo for the sweet persimmon before they went to sleep, while Shuo quietly made sure he stayed warm.

• Shuo woke, ate breakfast with Sai and the others, and set out from Tanzaku Town with the group.
• Shuo bought persimmons and gave one to Sai, then shared another with Obito after Obito asked to try it.
• The group rested in the woods and continued their uneventful journey until Konoha came into view near evening.
• Minato, Obito, Rin, and Kakashi parted ways with Shuo and Sai after they entered the village.
• Shuo and Sai returned to room 405, arranged their separate quilts, and went to sleep.
• Sai told Shuo the persimmon had been sweet, and Shuo quietly tucked light particles into Sai’s quilt to keep him warm.

Shuo and Sai spent their day off shopping in the crowded district, then relaxing together by the river. Back at their dorm, Shuo revealed that the new jacket he had bought was for Sai.

• Shuo woke to find Sai reading and sharing breakfast with him on their day off.
• Shuo decided they needed candy, tea, and a jacket, and Sai joined him on a shopping trip.
• Shuo bought five bags of candy, sencha, and a dark gray jacket, then shared dango with Sai.
• Shuo and Sai passed Obito training at the grounds without stopping, then returned to their dormitory with their purchases.
• Shuo suggested they walk to the river, where they sat together until sunset and shared candy.
• Back in their room, Shuo told Sai the new jacket was for him, and Sai smiled as they drank tea.

Shuo and Sai wore in Sai’s new coat while their team completed a warehouse inventory mission. Afterward, they watched the sunset by the river and returned to their dormitory, where Sai thanked Shuo for the coat.

• Shuo woke to find Sai had bought breakfast, then saw Sai wearing his new dark gray coat.
• Shuo, Sai, Obito, Rin, Kakashi, and Minato inventoried a warehouse for the Logistics Unit, with Shuo recording the counts and Sai taking over for him.
• The team finished the inventory by sunset, and Shuo and Sai went to the river to sit together quietly.
• Shuo and Sai returned to their dormitory, where Sai carefully hung up the coat and thanked Shuo for it before bed.

Shuo spent his day off with Sai, taking an easy mission to find Grandma Sato’s missing cat. After returning the cat, they sat quietly by the river and ended the day back in their room, with Sai offering to join Shuo on another mission.

• Shuo woke to find Sai had bought rice balls, and the two ate together before heading downstairs.
• Bored on his day off, Shuo chose a D-rank mission to find Grandma Sato’s missing orange cat, and Sai went with him.
• Shuo followed the cat’s trail to the river, found it sunning itself in the grass, and returned it to Grandma Sato for the mission payment.
• Shuo and Sai sat by the river until dusk, then returned to their room and settled in for the night.
• Sai said he would go with Shuo on another mission, and Shuo agreed to decide based on whether the job was easy.

With no missions available, Shuo and Sai took a job airing and cleaning the Confectionery Shop while its proprietress was away. They agreed to return each morning, and Shuo ended the day hoping the shop would reopen when she came back.

• Shuo and Sai found the Confectionery Shop closed and dusty, then accepted a job from Miura to open and clean it each morning.
• Shuo swept the shop while Sai wiped the tables and chairs, and they left the closure notice up until the proprietress returned.
• The general store proprietress told Shuo that the shop had been open for over thirty years.
• At the riverside, Shuo said he liked the shop’s cake, and Sai offered to mind it with him the next morning.
• Back at the dormitory, Sai said the shop would reopen when the proprietress returned, and Shuo agreed that it might.

Shuo and Sai spent the second day watching and cleaning the Confectionery Shop, then learned why its former owner had left Konoha and remembered her chestnut cake together. They returned to the dormitory planning to keep watching the shop every day, while their quiet companionship grew more comfortable.

• Shuo woke early, ate breakfast with Sai, and went with him to open and clean the Confectionery Shop.
• Sai asked whether they would return the next day, and Shuo said they had to continue the mission.
• The general store owner told Shuo that the shop's elderly owner had moved to Sunagakure to join her son and had worried that her regulars would miss her chestnut cake.
• Shuo told Sai he had eaten the cake three times, and Sai offered him a chestnut candy and promised they could buy the cake in Sunagakure someday.
• Shuo and Sai sat by the river together before returning to their dormitory, where Shuo agreed they would watch the shop every day.

Shuo and Sai continued caring for the empty Confectionery Shop while waiting for its owner to return, and Shuo gradually found small ways to make the shop feel welcoming again. By the end, Shuo was looking forward to filling the plates with candy and continuing their daily routine.

• Shuo bought three white plates and placed them in the empty display case at the Confectionery Shop.
• Shuo wondered whether the owner would return, while Sai said he did not know.
• Shuo gave the general store owner a candy to repay her earlier kindness.
• Shuo counted the days aloud by the river and denied that he was keeping track.
• Shuo agreed to buy candy for the plates, then changed his offer from three pieces to six.

On the tenth day of caring for the closed confectionery shop, Shuo and Sai wondered whether its owner would return. That night, Shin visited their room, said he had resolved the threat from Root, and left Sai unsure what to make of their reunion.

• Shuo and Sai cleaned the confectionery shop and arranged six candies in its display window for the absent owner.
• Shuo gave the general store owner a candy and later asked Sai whether the confectionery shop owner would ever return.
• Shuo and Sai returned to room 405 and found Shin inside after he had entered through an unlocked window.
• Shin said he had come to see Sai and had taken care of things with Root so no one would trouble them again.
• Shuo told Sai that Shin appeared to be telling the truth, based on his breathing and heartbeat.

Shuo and Sai spent day eleven following their quiet routine, while Sai waited to see whether his brother had truly dealt with Root. They returned to their room to find Shin had left a note promising he kept his word and a packet of chestnut candy.

• Shuo and Sai shared breakfast, then Shuo gave the general store proprietress a candy on their way to the Confectionery Shop.
• Shuo and Sai cleaned the shop and added more chestnut candies to its display before spending the afternoon by the river.
• Sai said he believed his brother's promise that no one would bother them again, but doubted he had resolved matters with Root; Shuo agreed to wait and said he would handle anyone who caused trouble.
• Shuo and Sai found their room empty but discovered a packet of chestnut candy and a note from Shin reading, "I keep my word."
• Shuo and Sai ate the candy together as the imitation points rose to 54.1%.

On the twelfth day, Shuo and Sai continued their daily routine of tending the Confectionery Shop and adding candies to its plates. They decided to buy three more matching plates and more candy the next day, while Shin left another packet of chestnut candies for them.

• Shuo gave the general store proprietress candy, and she remembered that he had brought her some every day.
• Shuo and Sai cleaned the Confectionery Shop and filled Shuo’s plate to twelve candies, then ate two candies to make room for more.
• Shuo and Sai estimated that each plate could hold twenty candies and agreed they would buy more plates when the first three filled up.
• Shuo found a packet of chestnut candies and a note from Shin in their room, then shared the candy with Sai.
• Shuo and Sai chose matching white plates with blue rims and planned to buy three more plates and two packets of candy together the next day.

On day thirteen, Shuo and Sai bought three more plates and filled all six plates with candy, making a plan to fill them over the next twenty days. They found that Shin had left them another bag of candy and a note, then agreed to buy six pieces every day.

• Shuo and Sai ate breakfast and went to the Shopping District to buy plates.
• The general store owner sold Shuo the last three plates, which matched the three already in their shop.
• Shuo and Sai arranged six plates in the display window and put two pieces of candy in each.
• By the river, Sai calculated that they could fill the six plates in twenty days, and suggested buying three more afterward.
• Back in room 405, Shuo found a bag of candy and a note from Shin saying he had heard about the new plates.
• Shuo and Sai ate Shin's candy and agreed to buy six pieces every day.

On the twentieth day, Shuo and Sai brought their six candy plates to one piece short of full and decided they would buy more plates so they could keep adding candy. After finding Shin’s note asking whether the plates would be full tomorrow, Shuo agreed to invite him to see them.

• Shuo and Sai cleaned the Confectionery Shop and added one Chestnut candy to each of their six plates, leaving every plate with nineteen pieces.
• Shuo gave the general store owner a candy, and she remembered that it was the twentieth day because he had given her one every day.
• By the river, Sai proposed buying more plates after the six were full, and Shuo agreed.
• Shuo and Sai found a packet of Chestnut candy and a note from Shin asking if the plates would be full tomorrow.
• Sai suggested Shin might be counting the days and candy because he wanted to see the filled plates, so Shuo decided to invite him to the shop the next day.

On the twenty-first day, Shuo placed the final candy on the display, filling all six plates, and Shin joined him and Sai to see them. After treating them to barbecue, Shin left a bag of candy and a note in their dorm, while Shuo and Sai remained committed to visiting the shop.

• Shuo placed the last candy on the plate, bringing all six plates to twenty candies each.
• Shin came to the shop, revealed he had counted the days for eleven days, and invited Shuo and Sai to dinner.
• The general store owner gave Shuo and Sai a bag of candy in return for the candies they had shared with her each day.
• Shuo and Sai went to the river, where Shuo said Shin might be thanking Sai for being alive and for staying with him to watch the plates.
• Shin treated Shuo and Sai to barbecue, then said the six plates were nice and left.
• Shuo and Sai found a bag of candy and a note from Shin in their dorm, then shared candy by the window as Shuo's Imitation Points rose to 55.5%.

Shuo and Sai bought three more plates for the confectionery shop, leaving them for Shin to fill with candy. Shin joined them that night and said he would put out candy with them the next day, leaving the three of them poised to share the shop routine.

• Shuo and Sai bought the last three matching plates from the general store and arranged them beside the six plates in the confectionery shop.
• Sai suggested the new plates on the right were for Shin, and Shuo left them mostly empty so Shin could fill them himself.
• Shin visited Shuo and Sai in room 405, accepted three candies, and asked to place them on the new plates that night.
• Shin arranged one candy on each of the three right-hand plates and told Shuo and Sai he would put out candy with them tomorrow.
• Shuo and Sai returned to their room and discussed the nine plates and the new days ahead.