At the Hokage's residence
Hiruzen and Asuma were playing shogi, both father and son quietly puffing on their cigarettes.
Hiruzen watched Asuma contemplating a move, looking somewhat bored.
"I've been thinking about assigning you a position, but it doesn't seem to interest you," Hiruzen remarked, nudging a piece forward on the board.
Asuma blinked. "A position? What kind of position?"
"The Konoha Police Force is accepting new recruits. You should join them," Hiruzen replied.
Asuma looked surprised. "The Police Force? But aren't all its members from the Uchiha clan?"
"That policy has changed," Hiruzen said. "The Police Force is opening up to a broader range of talents."
"Why put me in the Police Force? I'm already a jōnin," Asuma asked, puzzled.
"I know you're a jōnin. But imagine taking over the Police Force in the future—it wouldn't be possible if you were only a chūnin."
Taking over the Police Force?
Asuma froze. His father was really considering having him take over the Police Force. Unsure, he asked, "But… would the Uchiha even agree to something like that?"
"Leave the details to me," Hiruzen replied, motioning to the shogi board to remind him it was his move.
"…"
Asuma didn't answer, so Hiruzen glanced up at him.
"You don't want to?"
"No, it's not that." Asuma collected himself. "It's just… Dad, why choose me for this?"
"These things need someone to get them done. It's best if that someone is you," Hiruzen said. "After all, you're my son. Besides, it's a good opportunity for you to gain more experience."
But to Asuma, the Police Force's duties seemed mostly limited to patrolling and maintaining peace. For someone at his level, it felt a bit routine.
…
As for the Uchiha district, Hiruzen himself eventually sat down with Fugaku to negotiate, finally reaching an agreement.
Fugaku then worked to convince his clan members, ultimately achieving a compromise where some Uchiha members would move out of the district and into other areas of the village.
This approach had a straightforward benefit: the Uchihas could finally integrate with the other villagers, much like the Senju clan had once done.
However, spreading out the clan risked diluting their bloodline over time.
Still, things proceeded smoothly, more or less in line with expectations, though there were some minor setbacks along the way.
After a month or two, Konoha's reconstruction was complete.
Thanks to support from the daimyo, the village quickly regained its vitality. Although almost half of the village's buildings had been damaged, the actual impact was far less severe than the chaos of the Nine-Tails' attack.
Everyone had returned to their homes, and many villagers were now settling in with new neighbors.
…
Evening.
Ren strolled down the street with Tenten, who had a bag of snacks in one hand and a skewer of dango in the other, nibbling happily as they walked.
"Ren, buy me this!"
She darted towards a display window, pressing her hands and face eagerly against the glass as she pointed to a beautifully decorated cake inside a shop.
"Eating this at night? You're really not worried about gaining weight, are you?" Ren followed behind her at a leisurely pace.
"That one!" Tenten pointed to a specific cake and spoke to the shopkeeper.
Ren pulled out some coins, but he noticed that the shopkeeper, looking rather sour, seemed reluctant to serve him, his expression suggesting he recognized Ren.
"Excuse me?" Tenten noticed he hadn't moved and called out to him.
The shopkeeper took one last look at Tenten, then finally handed her the cake and accepted the payment.
Ren observed this quietly, picking up on the recognition in the man's eyes.
Yes, with his infamous reputation, stepping back into the public eye wouldn't be easy.
Tenten finished her dango in two bites, grabbed her cake, and took a big, eager spoonful, sighing happily with satisfaction.
"Ren, you want a taste?" she offered.
"No, thanks."
"Why don't you like sweets? You're missing out on so much good stuff!" Tenten questioned, frustrated.
"… Just don't like them. No reason." Ren finished with a gentle tap to her head and turned to leave.
"Ren!" Tenten made a playful face at his back, then jogged to catch up, protecting her cake while giving him a little kick.
"Careful, or I'll toss that cake," Ren warned.
Tenten clutched her treat protectively. "You're such a meanie, Ren!"
As they walked a little further, they heard commotion ahead, where a group of villagers had gathered around, shouting.
"What's happening over there?" Tenten's curiosity piqued as she weaved her way into the crowd.
Ren followed her and saw a blond boy on the ground, coins scattered around him, while a shopkeeper nearby berated him harshly, his words filled with ugly insults.
The onlookers were muttering to themselves.
"Oh, it's that kid."
"The Nine-Tails brat."
"Demon!"
"Shouldn't have sold to him in the first place!"
"…"
"Ren, let's go." Tenten tugged at his sleeve, her expression sympathetic.
Ren looked at her and saw her concerned face.
"Alright."
Once they were away from the scene, Tenten walked silently for a bit before speaking up. "That boy seems so lonely."
"But… my mom told me not to go near him."
"Ren, do you know why everyone hates him?" she asked.
Ren paused, then reached out to tousle her hair.
"You'll understand someday," he said. "But he's not a bad kid, that much I can tell you."
"Okay." She nodded quietly.
They stopped by a convenience store, where Tenten started browsing the snack aisle with enthusiasm.
Ren, needing a few things himself, went to the grocery section to pick up some vegetables and meat.
"Hey…"
While he was scanning the shelves, a familiar voice sounded behind him.
Turning, he found himself facing Kurenai.
"Oh… hey. Small world," she greeted him with a slightly awkward smile.
Ren glanced down at the bag she was holding; it had a few bottles of sake in it.
"You really like to drink, huh?"
"Uh… yeah." Kurenai awkwardly held onto her arm, replying softly.
"You picking up some things too?"
"Ren, I'm ready!" Tenten suddenly appeared around the corner, stopping in her tracks as she noticed Kurenai.
"Go wait by the register," Ren instructed Tenten.
"…Okay," she replied, glancing at Kurenai before shuffling away.
"Is she…"
"A neighbor," Ren answered briefly.
A silence settled between them, slightly awkward, as they exchanged glances. Kurenai's eyes darted around the room.
"Oh, right," Kurenai said suddenly, breaking the silence. "This bottle is pretty good. You should try it."
She pulled one of the bottles from her bag, offering it to him.
Ren looked at it, then replied calmly, "The shopkeeper probably won't sell it to me."
"Oh? Right!"
Kurenai's eyes widened, suddenly remembering Ren was underage. Of course, he's still young…
"Let's go to your place," Ren suggested.
Kurenai froze, taken aback. "What?"
"For the drink."
She continued staring, stunned.
"What? Not okay?" Ren asked.
"…"
"Is someone else at your place?"
"No!" she answered quickly, realizing she sounded too eager. Embarrassed, she looked down.
"...Alright."
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