After the hustle and bustle, everything seemed to shed its outer layer, revealing its original reality.
The endless stream of people during the day, the ceaseless noise, all faded away with the dim light reflecting off the walls. Shadows stretched and shifted, vendors packed up and left, and layer by layer, the streets peeled back into solitude.
The night settled in, stretching across the sky like a vast, tranquil blanket.
This was exactly how Mai felt as she walked along the road home. Her steps were light on the dim stone pavement. The once-bustling crossroads were now empty, the shops had shut their doors one by one, and the walls that stood tall beside her extended and twisted out of sight, forming invisible circles enclosing countless households beyond them.
The quiet streets of the village had an inexplicable calming effect. It was a stark contrast to the daytime. At the same time, compared to how tense she had been all day, walking through this familiar and unadorned part of the village helped her relax. The mask of nonchalance she had worn all day gradually melted away.
Up ahead was her home… the familiar neighborhood, the tree where children often played. Mai stopped for a moment.
There was no one around. She leaned lightly against a wall, feeling the exhaustion creeping over her after a long day of mental strain. She exhaled deeply.
The night remained silent. Mai patted her face lightly and stepped into a narrow alley where the streetlights didn't fully reach. Passing through, she looked up and saw the warm glow of light shining from her apartment window.
"Still not asleep?" Mai muttered, then sighed, realizing her words lacked any real complaint. She simply walked forward.
Hearing the footsteps, Hase Kazuya, who had been leaning against the railing, turned around. Seeing his sister bathed in the moonlight as she approached, he finally let out a breath of relief.
Even though he had already received word that she was safe, it wasn't until now, seeing her in person, that he truly felt at ease. Kazuya waved.
Mai waved back from below.
Once inside, Kazuya, who now held an official position in one of Konoha's departments, removed his formal attire and tidied up the living room.
Their home was almost the same as it had been three years ago… still small and often felt a bit cramped, with all sorts of things taking up space.
"Hey, be careful."
"You never put your books back where they belong."
They nimbly dodged clutter, picking up items along the way. A minor dispute over organization seemed inevitable, but this time, Kazuya let it slide. They settled onto the tatami.
Over the years, the siblings' identities in Konoha had shifted. They had had several opportunities to move into a bigger, more comfortable place, but for one reason or another, they had put it off.
Their current home suited them fine, and moving would just be a hassle. And perhaps, to these siblings who had built a life through sheer effort, this small apartment held a special significance.
"Are you okay?" Kazuya studied his sister carefully. She looked the same as usual, but he still had to ask.
From the corner of the room, the kettle started to whistle as it boiled.
Mai stretched beneath the low table, "Don't worry, I didn't get hurt at all."
"Have you eaten yet?"
"I have."
Kazuya looked at her and gave a small nod. He opened his mouth as if to say something, as there should have been plenty of concern to express, but after a moment's thought, he instead rolled up his sleeves and started tidying up the scattered books.
As they grew older, the way the siblings communicated had changed… just like how parents and children inevitably speak less as time passes. It had become even more apparent since Mai decided to become a Ninja, studying Medical Ninjutsu, going on missions, and standing out due to her talent.
People change over time. They couldn't stay kids forever. Kazuya had once been confused about it, but he had come to understand. He, too, had grown up, adapting to a new life, dealing with responsibilities. Both of them had matured into adults.
But what would never change, though unseen and unspoken, was the deep bond of family that wove itself into the quiet moments of daily life.
The kettle whistled louder. Kazuya poured two cups of tea and then rummaged through a pile of neatly stacked boxes in the corner, "These are the care packages your teammates sent you."
"Oh, that's a lot." Mai put down her teacup in surprise.
"They came by while you weren't home. I told them Hokage-sama had called you in for questioning, so they left first." Kazuya said as he flipped through the packages, "They said that your scar-faced sensei should be back tomorrow. They'll probably come by together then. "
"Mm…" Mai felt touched by her teammates' kindness, though a bit embarrassed as well.
"Brother, I'll probably be heading out tomorrow."
"Go ahead. That's to be expected." Kazuya said understandingly.
In the small living room, the warm light flickered gently. The siblings continued chatting for a while, mostly Kazuya asking questions and Mai responding. Their conversation touched on how she had explained things to the Hokage and others.
His sister's team had encountered a formidable enemy and gone missing for an entire day. Though Kazuya had only received the news later, his worry had been no less than anyone else's.
The relief of knowing she had returned safely was something only he understood, the emotional turmoil in between needed no explanation.
'Ninja is really a terrible profession.' Kazuya sighed inwardly. In the end, he didn't repeat the warnings and discouragements he had voiced countless times before. The outcome had always been clear. At this point, all he could do was watch as his sister continued walking this path with complicated emotions in his heart.
Mai, on the other hand, also kept certain things to herself. She didn't tell her brother that she had encountered 'Hattori from the old fishing village' this time.
"Since you're fine, don't dwell on it. Just get some rest." Kazuya said, assuming that the experience of having her entire squad defeated by a single enemy was an unpleasant one. After all, they had trained so hard.
Mai responded with a bright smile, showing no signs of lingering trauma. She acknowledged him with a cheerful hum before heading off to wash up.
After changing clothes and showering, Mai finally lay down on the small bed in her room. The lights in the little apartment went out, signaling the end of another exhausting day.
The world drifted into peaceful slumber.
However, through a small window, a pair of eyes still shone in the dark.
Mai curled up, hugging her legs. Dressed in nothing but thin sleepwear, she stared out into the night for a long, long time.
…
Naruto withdrew his gaze from the window and rubbed his face.
His frog-themed pajamas were surprisingly down-to-earth, and kind of cute. Suddenly, he smacked his bed frame and said, "Damn it, I can't sleep!"
It was definitely because of the news he had received today. Naruto sprawled out in a starfish position, rolling from left to right, flipping onto his stomach, then back again.
His single-room apartment was even smaller than the Hase siblings' place. But since he lived alone, it wasn't much of a problem.
Besides, Naruto wasn't the kind of guy who cared about life's finer details. The word 'refined' was absolutely foreign to him. His room was a mess, with junk piled in the corners, a trash bin overflowing with empty containers of instant ramen and milk.
But there were neat spots too.
Lying on his back, Naruto suddenly yanked the blanket off his face and stared blankly at the ceiling for a long while. Then, he turned over and reached for the bedside table.
He pulled out a framed photo from the drawer.
For a while, he just looked at it in silence.
The photo captured five people standing on a rooftop, each with a different expression.
Naruto, of course, had the biggest, brightest grin. The others… well, their faces were another story.
He propped the frame up on the table, sat up, and without much thought, began his nightly routine… slowly and steadily refining his Chakra, repeating the same monotonous training he had done countless times before.