Grand Opening
Hushed chatter and slow steps flowed through the tall, dark blue bookcases around the store. Each window sill accommodated a small group of four, and those who weren't lucky enough to enjoy a good read under the sunlight streaming through the large glass, simply made their way to whatever corner, or table, was available to them.
Hara enjoyed the scent of open books as she chatted with a few friendly faces. Throughout the morning she received some welcomed apologies for the terrible months she suffered under Yuna's shadow, but after gifting the village with such a welcomed distraction, they all agreed that she already left her unique mark on the citizens. Such words warmed her heart on that frosty winter day, and brought her joy she didn't think she wanted to feel.
Past midday, the rush of customers cooled off to a manageable steady stream. Mostly readers occupied the store, leaving Hara to finally enjoy some time at the front with her cashier.
Eito straightened, the smooth curtain of black hair covering his eyes finally revealing a pair of mesmerizing violet irises. He took a break from his own selection, setting the book down on the counter. "Pretty nice opening, eh?" The younger man felt confident that once the weather became tolerable, a lot more people would be coming. "
"It really is."
She hadn't really built up an expectation for how many people she wanted, and maybe that contributed to her overall excitement. It felt wonderful to see people take to the hard floors in corners when they ran out of comfortable reading spots. They just wanted to read, and truly that was the sole purpose of her opening the store.
Hara gave a hearty knock on the wooden counter making Eito laugh. "Don't go all superstitious now Hara-san."
She shook her head nervously. "I don't want the universe to think that just because I've acknowledged my good fortune, that now I need some hard times to center me. I know I'm blessed," she said to the ceiling, where she thought the Almighty Universe would hear her best. "So let's just forget about anymore terrible life lessons for a long, long time."
Eito laughed, and she stepped over as a customer approached with a seizable purchase. Hara looked on proudly as her cashier and customer discussed the novels with enviable enthusiasm. A proud moment for the Tea Country native.
Where her business failed in her native land, here it took off beautifully. Her dream of seeing avid readers congregating in her little shop made her heart swell. In front of her laid the culmination of all her hard work and determination. Sure her parent's little present dampened her ability to say she did this all her own, but Hara wouldn't let it get to her. There were many villages in need of bookstores, and she planned to open one in each welcoming city. There she would be getting contracts and settling business proposals using her own name, and experience.
They waved goodbye to the customer, and watched as she held the door open for two more.
Hara sighed, content with such a view. "Well," she smiled. "Lunch is on me. Spread the word."
{*9*}
Kakashi patched up his bicep with a new, clean bandage. The wound looked a lot worse than it felt, but he made that assessment multiple times over the years, only to be told by a professional that he made the wrong diagnosis. The jonin would probably have to visit a doctor once he got to Konoha, but for now, he would take every precaution he could to avoid that.
He put away his traveling medic kit, and removed a map from his side pocket. His current location was two days away from Konoha, but with the mounting snow, he would add an extra day just to be sure.
As he pulled out a pen to make a small budget note, he heard a soft knock on the door. The jonin felt the chakra of the old innkeeper and hurried to answer.
"Evening, Hatake-kun." Heavy bags, and wrinkles hid her eyes, but the motherly figure always looked up at her guests as if seeking eye contact with them.
Kakashi had been loyal to her inn long enough for her to drop the formality just a notch, but not enough for her to call him by his first name.
"Good evening, Merry-san."
She gave him a scroll, and cleared her throat before speaking. "A child came to drop this off a few minutes ago," she began her drawl speech. "Short, messy brown hair, green eyes, three missing teeth at the top, and black winter coat." Her time at the inn allowed her to become friendly with many shinobi, and she knew they liked description above all else.
"Thank you Merry-san."
Slowly she waved, and began her long stroll down the hallway.
Kakashi closed the door and examined the scroll as he sat on the bed. His heart pounded as he took in the familiar outer appearance. It looked like a normal scroll, but the jonin always felt weary of non formal deliveries. Specially ones made by children.
Carefully he opened the delivery, and the letterhead made his eyes widen. He read the neatly written message, "Yuna's Death Was a Lie."
For a moment his heart stopped, and he read it again to reassure his mind. The rest of the scroll offered no indication of what his next step should be.
He examined every corner for any clues, but came up empty.
Kakashi sighed, recalling Merry's description of the boy.
He chanted the words as he jumped through the window and down onto the busy street.
The jonin walked up the narrow road, looking for said boy. Every childish laugh stole his attention, and his eyes burned into small playgroups by the piled up snow. He entered candy stores, and spoke to toy merchants. Kakashi knew such a general description wouldn't get him very far, but it didn't hurt to ask.
He did his best to control his eager pace, but his chakra spiked with every civilian carrying above normal chakra flow. The messenger could be hiding in plain sight, and he hated being the mouse in this chasing game.
The plaza offered him little as far as children were concerned. The water from the mermaid fountain froze into a lovely pattern, and mostly couples enjoyed the view.
He trudged down the cobblestone slopes, eyes sharp on any small corner where a child could hide. The end of the street came into view, and he finally saw a child perched up on a rocky wall, that made him stop in his track.
The boy fit the description pretty well, but the foreign coin in his possession really caught the jonin's eye.
He didn't seem frightened, or even moved by Kakashi's approach.
"That's a nice coin you got there, kid." He sucked at talking to children.
The boy examined the gold piece. "Big Sister gave it to me."
"Ah." He scratched the back of his head and did his best to smile. Kids responded well to smiles according to research. "Is Big Sister the same person who told you to take the scroll to the inn?"
The boy nodded, tucking away his precious gift inside another foreign looking pouch. "Yeah!" He flashed his missing teeth in an energetic smile.
Kakashi felt relieved. He found the right one. "Do you remember what Big Sister looks like, or her name?"
For a second the boy thought about it. He looked at the floor, and Kakashi could see his face contort as he came up with the he right answer. The jonin felt his heart palpitate with excitement.
"She had black hair," he finally said. " Lots of it, really long."
That must have been striking to a boy like him who lived his whole life seeing the lighter shades of this area.
"Do you remember anything else?" He pushed as gently as his nerves allowed. "Her eye color, maybe?"
He made circles with his fingers over his large green eyes. "She wore sunglasses."
"What about her skin color? Anything unique about her face?"
He looked down at his arm this time.
"Was she lighter or darker than you?"
"Darker!" He replied proudly.
Kakashi felt a bit of hope die along with that answer. Really, the kid was two shades paler than a ghost. "How dark?'
The boy looked around, but failed to find anyone to suit his need.
Kakashi lowered his mask, exposing a his entire face. "Darker than me?"
The boy nodded. "A little."
He'd keep that in mind.
He prodded the boy for anymore information, could he describe her face? She had a mouth and a nose, and purple lipstick.
That didn't help him any.
What about her clothes?
All black, he replied.
Any sigils, country marking?
He shook his head.
Kakashi sighed. All black with purple lipstick, sunglasses, and lots of black hair. Nothing unique to really pull this person out of a crowd.
The boy extended his hands as the interview came to a close. "I'll take my payment now."
Kakashi's brow rose. "How much do I owe?"
"I can't count," he admitted. "So whatever you have."
The jonin smiled, much more at ease this time. The information provided hadn't been much help, and quite honestly he didn't feel he could even trust most of it as the boy seemed to have been expecting him, which Kakashi took as a sign that this Big Sister person may have guided his answers as well. But it was the answers between the lines that drove Kakashi's interest, and the reason he generously tipped the boy for his services.
Whoever was behind this had the patience to work very meticulously. Kakashi didn't know where to go from there, but he'd definitely keep his senses on high alert.
"Thanks a lot, kid."
The boy replied with an absent wave as his new acquisition required all his attention.
He walked back up the steep hill of the street, hands in pocket, mind busy with thoughts of this woman. Who was she?
{*9*}
Usagi helped Hara lower the gate over the storefront. It was the first time closing with her, and Hara would make sure it never happened again. Really, getting the two weakest individuals in her team (no matter how easy Usagi could reach the gates) to do this arduous job had not been such a bright idea.
The streets were just settling into their nighttime pattern as the duo headed their way. Pop up stands pitched up their tents and fired up their frying oil, while neon signs erupted all around them.
"The store is doing really good."
Hara sighed proudly looking up at her younger companion. She would never get tired of hearing that.
"Really, having comfortable reading spaces, and allowing the customers to freely sample the merchandise before buying has been a huge hit with everyone." She pulled her long, blonde hair out of the knit scarf tightly wrapped around her neck. "Even at university I'm hearing people making plans to come."
"The experience the customer feels should always be the priority for a business to succeed," Hara smiled. "It's what keeps people coming back, and I'm glad to know I managed to find that sweet spot."
Her real test would come when competitors gave her customers options as to where to get their books, but for now, Hara's sense of pride still brimmed with potency.
Usagi sighed. "When I graduate and have to go work in my field, I'll come back to buy from you."
Hara laughed, "See, my first long term customer!"
The aroma of fried octopus balls sailed through the streets in a quest to dare anyone to resist the mouth watering temptation. The Tea Country native felt her stomach weaken as the smell of buttered potatoes mingled along with her first craving. This village made it too hard to stick to budgets and healthy diets.
"All of us at work were planning to have a get together tomorrow."
Hara felt delighted to have the distraction of her coworker. She focused on Usagi's cheerful golden eyes.
"Just a small celebratory dinner before the weekend hits, and we know we'll be too busy, and tired with work to go out."
Hara nodded. "That sounds like a good idea."
"There's a nice restaurant from Tea Country that opened up a few weeks ago," she continued. "We were hoping to go there. You could guide us through the cuisine and we all agree that we would love to hear you speak your native language."
Hara felt her hungry stomach fill with butterflies. After a month and a half of grueling questions and stupid comments, she finally arrived at the finish line. A successful store, individual recognition, and friends. She had friends! And they happened to be her co workers whom she would spend her days with.
"Of course," she beamed.
"Great!"
Usagi's parted with the promise to get in touch with everyone else and make reservations for that Friday. Hara turned back and joined the flow going back down the street.
This night deserved a little celebratory food splurging. And she would do so with a giddy smile while thinking about what food choices her friends would like.
{*9*}
"How did it go?"
Ley hadn't closed the door properly before her traveling companion jumped from his chair to greet her. She removed her sunglasses and rubbed her eyes tiredly.
"I don't know," she shrugged. "The kid delivered the scroll, and I loosely followed Kakashi around until he spoke to the kid, but I doesn't know what he'll do now."
Satoru opened a container of takeout letting the steam rise, and the white rice cool as his partner removed some layers of winter wear.
Ley gave mumbled a thanks as she took a seat. "Do you think maybe I should have used something better than just a handwritten note?"
The teen took a seat on his bed, and the worn frame groaned with the addition of his light weight. "I told you to use a piece from one of the formal mission requests you carry," he reminded her as he hooked a finger through his braided hair. "Kakashi is a former Root member, and would understand the subtle messages between the lines. Those couldn't be duplicated, he would leave without a doubt about the authenticity of the piece."
Ley sucked her teeth and cleared her purple lipstick with a napkin before digging into the white rice. "I can't just show him such an important document, Satoru." A piece of rice fell from her mouth as she chewed through a mouthful. "We need to verify that he's interested first, that he'll be an ally."
She didn't come all this way to get killed by some patriotic, ignorant, asshole.
Satoru rolled his eyes, picking some loose, green strands from his fingers. "Who wouldn't be interested in helping their lover?"
A shinobi, that's who. If she could count on the lovers of the other women, she wouldn't need Kakashi so desperately. But no matter how much she explained that to her traveling companion, the boy refused to wrap his head around her words. Born a romantic, under a full moon, and while flowers bloomed around his mother, he'd never understand the harsh realities of relationships between killers, and people whose feelings were just a plastic representation of the real thing.
"I spent too long keeping my identity hidden, and I'm not about to risk my freedom so carelessly," she finally spoke. Once Kakashi showed himself worthy of her presence, she'd give him every detail he needed to understand her predicament.
Satoru ruffled his long hair. "And if he doesn't want to help? Then what?"
Ley struggled to put a second bite in her mouth. She couldn't really eat when she felt such overwhelming nerves. "We'll force him to help."
His brown eyes widened.
"I have three other girls to verify before actually needing him," she continued. "That's plenty of time to lure him with what we have, or find another way to make him understand that this isn't a choice for him."
The younger man stood up and smile at his master. "I'll be in Konoha soon. If I see his interest dwindle, then we can send a little more proof. That should perk the guy's interest."
It felt so real, and she was so close now that she finally made contact. Her shot at ridding herself of all this guilt, and finally enjoying the life of a free human, was just some days away.
Ley nodded picking the chopsticks from the tissue with a trembling hand. She needed to eat if they wanted to make it to Konoha on time.
Author's Note: Thank you for reading, reviewing, and adding this to your alerts/faves!
