Day 39


There was something soothing about handling plant matter and dirt, the smell of earth and grass.

Hinata supposed it was a bit late in the year for managing the flower beds. The previous owner, or caretaker, of the home had given little thought to both what they chose to plant, as well as where to place them. The dying annuals' leaves crumbled at her touch. The perennials would best be transplanted in the spring.

Gardening, when winter was over, would help claim the now-free time that used to be occupied by missions. Training every day was something she already did. It might not be exciting, but she was going to keep it up. And there was visiting with Neji, Hanabi, and her genin team. She did not want to turn into a typical clan matron. They were always bored into obsessing over housekeeping alongside fixating on politics.

Perhaps that was why Itachi had yet to decide on what his occupation would be after ANBU. He did not seem like someone with the demeanor, temperament, or-she bit a laugh back-tact most clan heads seemed to have. So, instead, he enmeshed himself in training.

"Good morning."

Hinata jumped. She looked up. Mikoto must have been walking down the path on the way to the market in the city, judging from the cloth bags hanging along her forearm.

She plastered on a smile. "G-good morning, Mikoto-san."

"Do you like gardening?" Mikoto bent over to look, but did not kneel beside her.

"Oh, um. Yes." Her hands started fidgeting in her lap.

"I suppose you already have ideas for what you'll plant in the spring, yes?"

"I guess..."

"I've never had the patience to garden myself." Mikoto laughed with a hand covering her mouth. "Though I suppose having a family would replace gardening, at least for me."

Hinata tried not to frown. "What do you mean?"

"Let's say it starts the same way. Planting a seed. It putting down roots." There was a sharpness in her tone, even as she lowered her voice.

Hinata's stomach felt like it was trying to crawl under her rib cage and hide.

"And, of course, once it sprouts, you water it. You cover the soil with...wood chips, I believe. Or compost. Eventually, it blooms. Do you follow?"

"Yes." She nodded. "I...think I do."

Mikoto smiled. "Good."


AN: If you haven't check my profile for what I've been doing online & real life updates. Sorry for the wait :(

Thanks for reading!

-Val