Chapter 27: The Mysterious Clothing Shop
Unable to convince Kamase Yūji, the three of them could only follow along, looking rather disheartened.
They'd only walked halfway through town when Kamase Yūji suddenly thought of something. "Since there might be unknown shinobi entering the Land of Fire, we still need to inform the village. So, let's stay here tonight. You three are free to move about now, but remember to meet up this evening at the inn across from that restaurant we ate at before. Understood?"
Hitoshi Rittō, Genma, and Kurenai exchanged glances. Seeing Yūji's resolute expression, they all broke into broad smiles.
"Got it!"
"In that case, everyone… scatter!"
With Yūji's order, the three of them vanished in the blink of an eye.
"Seriously, they're all just a bunch of kids," Kamase Yūji muttered, rubbing his forehead in exasperation. "I sure talked a lot earlier for nothing…"
---
"Hey, Genma, you and Kurenai are going together, right?"
After the three of them left Yūji, they regrouped somewhere else. Rittō bluntly pointed out that Genma and Kurenai planned to spend time alone, giving them a rather meaningful look.
"Yeah," Genma admitted. "What about you? Going solo?"
"Well," Rittō said, "love is great if you have it, but if you don't, it can hurt. So, I'll just let you two enjoy yourselves. Have fun!"
It was rare to hear Rittō speak so sincerely, and he parted ways decisively. Suddenly, Genma and Kurenai were left alone.
Being just the two of them felt thrilling—ordinarily they'd welcome the chance—but now it dawned on them that this was effectively their first "date."
Genma's heart pounded. He took a few deep breaths and spoke up, "Kurenai, I saw a snack street over that way—shall we go check it out?"
Kurenai, more shy than Genma, wouldn't even look him in the eye. She gave a soft nod, quietly following him.
They soon arrived at a lively street lined with food stalls. Given it was inland, there was no seafood for Kurenai—her favorite—but she wasn't fussy and happily tried the local mountain fare.
In no time, they'd each loaded up with armfuls of food, carrying bag after bag. Everything had to be eaten that same day, but they weren't worried about leftovers—after all, there was Kamase Yūji and Hitoshi Rittō to help finish off anything.
Spotting a tree, they sat down under it to enjoy their feast, ignoring the curious stares of passersby.
"Genma," Kurenai said between bites, "should we maybe bring back some gifts?"
It was the first time she'd suggested something like that. Genma paused, glancing at her. She was licking her fingers clean, but her eyes seemed distant, as though something was weighing on her mind.
Recalling her earlier comment, Genma guessed the reason. He handed her a cup of sweet soup. "If you're talking about food, my folks don't really need anything. And we've still got several days on the road—anything perishable might spoil. Does your father have any hobbies?"
"Dad… he likes drinking and eating meat, I guess," Kurenai murmured.
Out of nowhere, Genma found himself picturing Yūhi Shinkurō (夕日真红) guzzling booze bare-chested, gnawing on large slabs of meat.
"Cough, well, as for liquor, my family brews various flower-based wines and grain-based spirits. They're better than anything you'd find on the market. I could give you a few jugs and you could pretend you bought them here," Genma offered.
Unexpectedly, Kurenai shook her head, staring blankly down at the cup in her hands.
Her abrupt change of mood baffled Genma; he didn't know what to do.
"No," she said softly. "I want to buy him something on my own."
Kurenai gazed at the bustling crowd, as though searching for something amid the throng.
Genma felt a pang of disappointment. It struck him that he'd never truly reached Kurenai's innermost feelings—other than that forced confession months before, he'd never touched her heart in a deeper sense.
"So… about your mother, Kurenai?" Genma ventured, seizing on a conversation thread. Yet the moment he asked, he sensed it might be too delicate a question.
Sure enough, Kurenai's expression darkened with sadness, and she remained silent. Seeing her reaction, Genma realized that her mother was probably no longer living.
That would explain her drive and independence, and also why her father wanted her to marry someone strong. Scenes flickered in Genma's head: a tiny Kurenai practicing shuriken and ninjutsu alone, or trudging home after a tough day to face a father who might be drunk or short-tempered.
Imagining this, Genma's own sulky mood vanished. He looked at the girl beside him with tender compassion.
"All right then," Genma said gently. "Let's buy some clothes for your dad, okay? You should know his measurements, right?"
Brightening a bit at his suggestion, Kurenai nodded. "I've helped tidy my father's clothes since I was little. Sometimes, when I patched up torn hems, I was curious, so I measured them."
"Then let's see if there's a clothing store in town. This place being near the border, maybe we'll find some unusual styles."
Genma himself wanted to buy Kurenai something, too. Though she rarely dressed up, she was the perfect "hanger" for any outfit.
They strolled around the little town, eventually spotting a shop that looked invitingly neat. Its decor was in black and white, giving it a simple yet artistic vibe. A sign reading "Xia Guang Premium Clothing" piqued their interest, so they walked in.
"Welcome! May I help you two youngsters with anything?"
A sweetly smiling teenage girl greeted them, bowing slightly.
Typically, Genma took the lead in these everyday matters—Kurenai's gaze turned to him.
Catching her silent cue, Genma spoke. "We're looking for some adult men's clothes—could you show us?"
"Men's clothes for an adult?" The clerk eyed the two minors curiously but remained perfectly polite. "This way, please."
Following her, they took in the shop's interior as they walked.
Despite the storefront's unassuming appearance, the clothes inside were neither too few nor jumbled together. Rather, everything had its own tidy display section. The lines of men's and women's apparel were distinctly separated, making the store seem fully stocked yet orderly.
It was reminiscent of a highly organized, high-end boutique—very different from most ninja-world shops, which were chaotic. Whoever owns this place, Genma thought, must be either unbelievably meticulous or extremely wealthy.
"This," the clerk said, stopping, "is our section for adult men's attire. I should mention that our prices are quite high, starting at a minimum of ten thousand ryō. Are you certain you'd like to make a purchase?"
She was polite, yet made it clear these were premium goods. Genma listened, scanning the store. He couldn't help being stunned by how fancy it was. Merchants in the ninja world were typically stuck at a basic "sell as you go" stage, yet here was a shop with all the hallmarks of a specialized, high-end strategy.
While it might be innovative, Genma couldn't see how it thrived in an economy where only wealthy nobility might shop there.
At least the clerk didn't belittle them for being kids. In fact, she'd given them a tour of the premises for quite a while before disclosing the high prices. It was puzzling, but Genma had more pressing concerns.
"Ten thousand ryō… I've probably got more than enough."
With that, he unsealed some money from a scroll, handing the bills over.
"You really are young shinobi," the clerk commented calmly, unperturbed by the large sum. "No wonder you seem different from other kids."
She saw they had removed their forehead protectors earlier, so presumably recognized them by some subtle sign. Upon hearing her remark, Kurenai instinctively tensed, hand dipping into her ninja pouch.
They'd hoped to avoid revealing themselves as ninja, yet the clerk had deduced it anyway.
Still, Genma, recalling what he knew of the store's background, kept his composure. "So that's how your boss trains you? If we were just ordinary children, would you not let us in?"
The clerk's smile faltered a fraction, but she quickly regained her composure. "Our boss always says: 'Anyone could be a potential customer. Don't underestimate children.' We have ways to distinguish normal kids from young ninja. As for typical adults, we show them around the store. If they can't afford it, they'll leave on their own. For ordinary kids—well, most wouldn't be that interested in adult clothing. We might just give them some candy if they wander in. If they genuinely want to look around, we'll gladly accompany them."
End of Chapter 27