A/N's: I'm back! Thanks for tuning in as always. Please be sure to read/review/follow/fav. Now onto the chapter! :D

Chapter 5: The Visit

"Don't forget about your promise, Shino-Sensei!"

The Aburame paused in his writing. A brief glance at the clock alerted him that there was indeed around 35 minutes of class time left. He placed the chalk down and faced his students.

"Oh don't worry, I haven't," he replied, smiling at his students. "Five minutes doesn't give me too much time for our next lesson, so I'll simply end class as promised. You should already have your weekend homework; come and see me if you don't, and remember—we have an assessment on Monday. Have a good weekend everyone."

As Shino wiped down the board, the collective chatter of excited school children died out behind him. From what he had heard, many of his students—primarily the boys, but a few girls in the mix— wanted to watch the new Kagemasa film that recently came out in theaters.

When he turned around, the Academy Instructor was surprised to find one student still in the process of packing up. He looked at the young boy with concern.

He had been quiet all day.

"Sora," he called out. "Would you come down here for a moment? It won't take long, I promise."

"H-hai, Shino-Sensei. I'm coming," the young boy replied before moving towards the front of the empty classroom.

Shino looked at him patiently. "I apologize for taking away your extra 30 minutes, Sora-kun, but I wanted to see how you were doing. Are you able to discuss a few things with me?"

"Um… actually, that's why I stayed after class today, Shino-Sensei. I just… were you going to talk to me about my homework? I'm gonna do the one you assigned for this weekend, I promise-"

The Aburame raised a hand, pausing the boy. "I'll get to your assignments eventually, but they are the least of my concern at the moment, Sora-kun. I actually wanted to see how you were doing. Are things alright for you outside of school?"

The boy looked down at his hands, as if unsure of what to do with them. "I'm… I'm kind of going through a lot at home right now, Shino-sensei. And I haven't been able to focus as much on my homework because of it."

"Would you like to talk about it, Sora?" Shino replied in understanding. "You don't have to share if the matter is too personal, but I promise that nothing you say will leave this room."

The young boy nodded, hands clenched. "My dad got admitted to the hospital a few weeks ago," he said quietly. "And he's about to have a big surgery on Monday. With my mom working nights, I've been the only one in my family who really has time to visit him. And I've been visiting him a lot, but sometimes I'll be there so much I forget to do my assignments…"

Sora looked down sadly. "I'm really sorry, Sensei."

Shino looked at the child empathetically. If something of that nature would have happened to his own father, the Aburame wouldn't have been able to focus on his schoolwork either.

"Don't you be sorry about a thing," he said immediately. "I should be the one apologizing for not asking you how you were doing sooner. You're going through a great deal at the moment, Sora. Your mental health should come first before school work, never after."

"... Thank you, sensei."

Shino nodded. "Of course. Honestly speaking, I've graded your last assignments, and… the scores aren't exactly spectacular."

"Y-yeah… believe me, I know," Sora replied sadly, shuffling his feet.

"However, what I can do is give you an extension. Would you be able to complete these worksheets and hand them in to me by next Friday for full marks? However, if you feel your father's surgery takes up most of your energy and time, we can always discuss another date."

The boy's eyes widened at the more-than-generous extension. "No, sensei. Next Friday works perfectly. Thank you so much."

"Of course. You're a bright and responsible student, Sora. I don't want to see your progress hindered because of a few incomplete assignments," the man nodded. "I trust I'll see you on Tuesday?"

Sora's face scrunched in confusion. "Shino-sensei, are you not going to school on Monday? There's the assessment."

"Would you be able to focus if you went to school on Monday, Sora?" the Aburame asked seriously.

He gave a slight shrug. "I mean… my dad's surgery would stress me out, but I could try? I can't not take the test, Shino-sensei."

"That's true," Shino admitted. "But it doesn't mean you have to take it on Monday. I can postpone the assessment for you, so you can be there to see your father after his surgery."

"Would… I mean, would you really be willing to do that, Shino-sensei?"

"Of course. I only ask that you make up the assessment by the end of the week, Sora. Either before class or after class, whatever works best for you," Shino smiled.

Sora looked up at his teacher, eyes glossy and almost to the point of tears. "Thank you so much, Shino-sensei. You don't know how much this means to me, being able to be with my dad. I'll make up the assessment as soon as I can. And I'm gonna try my best to get my homework in on time from now on."

"I'm glad to hear it, Sora. Don't ever hesitate to let me know if you have an issue and want to discuss it with me. I'll see you on Tuesday. Enjoy your weekend."

"Thank you so much, Sensei," Sora replied, giving one of the brightest smiles Shino had seen on the young boy all week.

The Academy Instructor had a pleased smile on his face as he left the classroom. He had no definitive plan for what he would do with the rest of his Friday evening, only sure that he wanted to take a break from grading.

As he walked aimlessly outside of the Academy's borders, he was greeted by the sight of an elderly woman watering the plants on her front porch. The first thought that crossed his mind was that he should go and apologize to Mitsumi for his prompt leaving the other day.

He felt silly for leaving the woman like that over some dream, but something didn't feel right about the way that his kikai tingled underneath his skin…

Thankfully, he had no strange dreams last night about being inside of large honey combs or having strange conversations with mystery women behind curtains. No reminders of the way the voice in his dreams sounded oddly like the voice of the woman he had come to grow rather fond of in the past few days.

Shino gripped his shoulder, remembering how warm her hand felt on his. He shook his head. He really needed to do something to get this off of his mind…

"Hey, give that back!" a childlike voice called out, interrupting his thoughts.

An older voice snapped back, "You're such a brat, you know that? Just let me play with the ball for a few seconds, or can you not wait like a normal kid?"

"No! Riku-nii, I'm gonna tell mom you hit me if you don't give me my ball back! We have tons of other toys to play with, but you just want this one because I'm playing with it!"

Shino's walking slowed as he observed the exchange from the corner of his eye. A familiar warmth flooded his chest as he watched the two siblings bicker with one another.

The two's bickering eventually escalated into a yelling contest as the younger sibling began to cry loudly in frustration. Almost immediately, their mother came outside to scold the two, telling them both to go inside for dinner.

The Aburame released an airy chuckle through his nose. It seemed so like two young children to argue over something as trivial as a rubber ball, especially siblings.

The small interaction reminded Shino of something he had been meaning to do for quite some time. He shook his head, snapping out of his reverie, and made his way home.

There was something he needed to do today. There was someone he needed to visit.

"It's good to see you, Shino-sama. I didn't expect to see you in the cemetery today."

"Hello, Sachihiro-san. It's nice to see you as well." Shino bowed to the clan elder. "I'm simply here to pay some respects. How are you, in any case?"

The older man shrugged as he slowly pulled down his hood. "Oh I'm fine," he said. "Simply an old man enjoying a walk with his grandchild while he has the time."

Shino quirked a brow in slight disbelief. "Is Shunji with you?"

"That boy?" The elder gave a small chortle. "I'm not sure where he's run off. His energy makes it hard to believe he's only a few years younger than you, Shino-sama. No, I'm with little Fuka today. Well, not so little anymore. 15 years old, can you believe that?"

Sachihiro's eyebrows lowered as a light smile formed, nostalgia ever-apparent on his wrinkled features. "The little lady wanted to visit her father's gravestone before dinner."

Shino's eyes lowered beneath his visor. "Is that so? I'll make sure to pay my respects, Sachihiro-san."

The older man thanked the clan heir, continuing their pleasant chat in the Aburame cemetery. Sachihiro was generally one of the more even-tempered and kind Aburame elders, but the sadness in his voice was very much apparent regarding the topic of his deceased son.

War was hard for everyone.

"Fuka went ahead of me, but I bet she would enjoy seeing one of her favorite older cousins," Sachihiro said simply.

"Is that so? I suppose I should make time to come and visit later."

The elder nodded. "Please do. Shunji's been out and about so often that our home gets a bit too quiet, even by Aburame standards. But enough about me! Are you here to visit anyone in particular, Shino-sama?"

The clan heir peered at the rows of gravestones in the distance, unable to see the one he had been hoping to visit today.

"... I haven't visited Torune in a while, Sachihiro-san," Shino answered quietly after a few moments. "It's been long overdue."

Sachihiro hummed in understanding. "I see. Well, you let him know I send my regards. That Torune was always one to get into trouble, if I remember correctly. I suppose I should be on my way then. Wouldn't want Fuka to get restless and run off. You have a good evening, Shino-sama."

The older man gave Shino a small wave as he began his journey back to the Aburame homes. The young heir watched in silence as the man's figure eventually disappeared behind the leafy brush.

After a few moments, he began to walk through the grassy path towards the cemetery. The entrance gate was marked only with the proud image of a single beetle enclosed in a circle: the Aburame clan symbol.

After a few minutes of slowly perusing through, Shino finally came across the gravestone he was looking for.

Torune's body had never been found during the Great War, but the clan made sure he had a proper place within the cemetery to honor his memory. The Aburame bowed down reverently and offered a silent prayer.

"Hello, Toru-nii," he said softly. "I apologize that it's been so long..."

Shino briefly glanced over the grassy hill, noting the position of the sun.

It mildly surprised the Aburame that time could so easily escape him when speaking to someone that couldn't physically reply back.

He sighed quietly. "Time seems to fly so fast, doesn't it Torune?"

"Before I go," he continued, "I wanted to tell you that dad is doing alright. Though I think he wishes I would visit more often. I was hoping to have dinner with him later this evening and let him know then, but I wanted you to be the first to know that I'm showing a nice young woman around Konoha on Sunday. It's not technically a date, but I suppose Kiba would argue otherwise..."

The Aburame felt a warm breeze pick up and exhaled. "I should let you rest, in any case. Because I'm sure you've heard enough of my rambling, right? I hope that you're doing well, Torune. I promise I'll try to visit sooner next time."

After a few moments of delicate silence, Shino rose from the ground and brushed himself off. He closed his eyes, simply content to feel the breeze and hear the chirping of birds around him, letting the melancholic atmosphere dissipate with the wind.

Not wanting to leave just yet, Shino slowly made his way around the cemetery to pay his respects to a few other relatives. He made sure to visit his Uncle Fukashi just as he promised he would.

He didn't miss the small assortment of recently-placed fresh wildflowers resting upon the gravestone.

Most of the Aburame buried in this area passed away from natural causes and old age, but a large portion of the newer graves belonged to members that lost their lives during the most recent Shinobi War. Organized in rows upon rows across the grassy knoll, the graves faced their clan heir in an almost unnerving manner.

Slowly moving to another path, Shino arrived at an older section of the cemetery he forgot even existed. Despite being the most significant sector to Aburame history, he would have missed it had he not noticed its entrance.

He gazed at the symbols carved into the tall cypress trees surrounding the gravestones, casting a dark canopy over them.

Although time had whittled away at the carefully engraved insignia, the image of a group of beetles encircling a single dead bee was clear to Shino.

During the times of Shino's grandfather, the Aburame's fight with the Kamizuru ultimately earned his clan nobility and notoriety within Konoha. However, securing that privilege was achieved through years of conflict and loss.

In an attempt to seek revenge and earn recognition once more within Iwagakure, the bee handlers launched a series of attacks and raids on the Aburame just a few months after their initial battle. Because the Kamizuru were still relatively high in numbers at the time, the series of attacks eventually escalated into a long-lasting mini war between the two clans, randomly interspersed throughout history.

This portion of the cemetery was created out of the events of those battles, which brought on terrible memories for Shino's clan. Even now, older members of the Aburame spoke ill of the Kamizuru, regarding their long-extinct rivals with disdain and inferiority.

In a way, Shino supposed the hatred wasn't unwarranted. One underhanded attack became the indirect cause of the death of Shinta Aburame, Shino's grandfather. Shibi became the clan head at a rather young age due to his father's passing, and eventually led their clan's capable fighters to their very last fight with the Kamizuru.

The conflict between their two clans ended only a few years before Shino was born, from what he had been told. The events of that final battle earned his father respect as the newest clan head despite being so young.

It had always been a mystery to Shino. One would assume that Shibi would take pride in his leadership of a victorious battle that ended the Kamizuru's attacks on their clan. It was that very battle that earned his father the title of "the Pride of the Aburame," no less. However, Shibi seldom spoke of that day.

Not even to his own son.

He looked around him with a tinge of regret. The official downfall of their rivals used to be a widely celebrated event, with the Aburame delighting themselves on the fact that the Kamizuru were no more than a few insignificant numbers. Nowadays, the celebration simply entailed a gathering of the clan elders as they feasted around the table.

Even now, negative emotions and ideologies from that era persisted, passing themselves onto the younger generations through word of mouth and biased story-telling.

Despite everything he learned growing up, the Aburame clan heir felt discouraged at the fact that the bee users were no more. Reunion between their clans and burying the hatred of the past was only a pipe dream at this point.

He stared long and hard at the dead bee in the center of the symbol.

Its wings were clipped off, making any hopes of flight impossible as the surrounding beetles moved closer. The insignia was meant to bring remembrance to the hard-fought battles that secured the Aburame prestige, but Shino couldn't help but feel like its design was created out of a smug sense of pride.

Shino entered his home with a quiet sigh of relief.

Deciding it was still rather early for dinner, he chose to get some work done with his free time.

A few hours later, and the man had completed his grading, even managing to create a few lesson plans for next week. While he didn't like being called one, Shino couldn't deny that he did indeed have some workaholic tendencies.

Kiba would snort at that understatement, but it wasn't as if Shino didn't know how to relax. He simply preferred getting everything of importance done before indulging in indolence. In fact, he was even treating himself to a warm cup of tea now.

He blew at the hot liquid, looking outside of the kitchen window as he enjoyed his lazy Friday evening. He stared down into his cup, and his mind drifted back to his strange dreams from the night before.

His morning was rather uneventful, but the man preferred that to waking early in a cold sweat. No vivid dreams about women in honeycombs, and Shino rather it stayed that way. He exhaled, hopeful that those events were a one-time ordeal.

Thinking to himself quietly, Shino remembered his visit with Torune. Eventually, he rose from his indolent position on the sofa. He figured he would make an effort to visit his father for the remainder of his Friday evening. Under normal circumstances, this time.

The current era of peace led to an increasing amount of free time on Shibi's hands, so the younger Aburame was quite confident his father wouldn't be too busy for dinner.

While he had set himself on visiting, Shino couldn't help but sigh as he made his way out the door.

There was a reason he didn't visit as often as he should.

While Shibi was supportive of his career as an Academy Instructor, he had begun to passively hint at Shino taking his role as the clan head. And while the younger Aburame had no qualms with taking that position, he had been preparing for it most of his life after all, it also meant he would need a child to pass on the title to.

It went against both his father's and Kiba's wishes, but Shino never really imagined himself ever having children. He felt his parental instincts were already utilized being a teacher. He certainly wouldn't object to having one, but Shino didn't want to have a child only for the sake of passing on a title.

Children weren't meant to be objects created for the sake of upholding tradition. They were meant to grow and develop their own lives outside of the expectations of their parents, build their own minds and individuality.

And above all else, If Shino were to have a child, it would need to be with someone he truly cared about.

Someone he could say that he wholeheartedly loved.

Another sigh escaped him as he leisurely made his way throughout the Aburame complex. The compound itself was rather large, and the homes were more well-to-do considering they were of nobility.

Despite their title, members of his clan were modest, and that reflected in the quietly simple designs of their homes. A distinct aspect of the Aburame complex compared to other clans was its deep location in the forest. Many citizens of Konoha had absolutely no idea where the compound was located because of the tree barriers surrounding it.

Outsiders that have visited the Aburame complex, mail carriers for the most part, have commented that it was dark, at times 'spooky,' because of the shady canopy that the trees provided. Shino (with a hint of bias) would argue that it was simply in-tune with nature.

The area may look and seem intimidating at first, but his home was peaceful and safe.

The compound's quiet location, and the quiet nature of its clan members were reasons why no one knew much about them in general. Shino found it bothersome and downright heartbreaking that he had a tendency to be forgotten compared to his peers, but he truly loved his home and his clan.

Since his father's house was located more towards the center of the compound (where there was slightly more activity), he ended up passing by many family members. Ever courteous, he gave each a polite nod and "hello _". Most members had taken to addressing him as "Shino-sama" but he never really liked the way it sounded. Kiba often called him that in an effort to rile the man up.

He stepped towards his dad's house, noting how it had never really changed over the centuries. The last time Shino visited, he didn't have much opportunity to revel in nostalgia.

He lightly rubbed at the entrance gate, feeling the insignia of a beetle marked deeply in the wood. The mark of the head Aburame.

Shibi said that his son was always welcome to stay at the old house or visit him when he wanted. There was a hint of sadness in his father's voice the day Shino moved out, but the younger Aburame reminded him that he was only moving a few blocks. He felt a bit guilty moving away, but he grew to appreciate the independence and solitude of his smaller home.

He knocked on the door and patiently waited. After a few minutes, he heard the sound of light footsteps walking towards him before he was greeted with the image of his father.

"Shino," he greeted. "Back so soon?"

The young Aburame shifted. "Hello, dad. I was wondering if you were available to have dinner? I felt… rather guilty about visiting the last time under such strange circumstances."

"It's not an issue, son. I'll always be here when you need to talk. Come in," he said, gesturing inside the house, "I was actually in the process of cooking. Perhaps you'd care to help?"

"Itadakimasu."

"So," Shibi said before blowing on his rice, "How has work been for you, son?"

"Not too bad. My students have an upcoming assessment Monday, so most of my time has been going towards preparations for that. Has anything of interest been happening during clan meetings that I should be aware of?"

The older Aburame sighed. "The clan elders have felt no need to host one as of late, considering how peaceful things have been. I'm still trying to convince a few to allow you to take part in the more important meetings, but some simply won't budge on the matter. Not until you are officially head of the clan, at least."

"I had a feeling," Shino said in slight irritation. Tradition was something seen as very sacred within the Aburame clan, and as it happened, the rule that major clan meetings were restricted to only the clan head and elders was tradition.

"As orthodox as it may seem, I have an inclination that the clan elders will deem you ready to take part in more meetings when they are assured that you will have a child."

Shino remained silent, knowing this topic would arise one way or another. He just wasn't expecting it to come so soon.

"I will convince them Shino—"

"—I wouldn't be so sure, dad. That's because tradition comes before all else," Shino said with uncharacteristic rue, "If the clan elders deem me unfit to be the clan heir, then that lies with them. As I've said before, I won't be forced into an unhappy marriage to please them."

Shibi looked at his son. "I would never allow that to happen to you, Shino. Rest assured. In any case, let's move away from this topic. I see you so rarely nowadays; I don't want our time together to be spent in unnecessary silence. I heard an interesting tidbit of information from your aunt Mio."

"Mio-san?" Shino echoed at the mention of his next-door neighbor.

"That's correct. She said she heard Kiba barge into your home the other day rather early in the morning. Even after all this time, Tsume's boy still has a decibel level loud enough to wake a bear."

"Oh."

"I would imagine he coerced you to go on some sort of blind date, correct? How did it go?"

"Not… well," Shino replied with a hint of embarrassment. He looked down at his meal. "She unfortunately couldn't make it, and didn't notify me."

His father replied with a simple 'Ah'. It registered more as a "So she stood you up" to Shino, though. He placed a comforting arm on his shoulder. "It happens to the best of us, son. I had similar dating experiences before I met your mother. We may not like it, but such is the way for insect handlers like you and I."

Shino shrugged indifferently. "What's past is past. My evening didn't turn out as horribly as I'd anticipated in the end."

His father stared at him for a few moments, quietly observing Shino with a careful eye. "... Don't feel like you have to bottle up your emotions all the time, son. Even I can say without a hint of hesitance that being stood up hurts like hell."

"It hurts to think about at times," Shino finally admitted. "Not just with that encounter, but with the encounters I've had before. The only reason my last blind date didn't turn out terribly was…"

Shibi raised an eyebrow, silently beckoning for his son to continue.

"... Well, I met a rather nice woman the other night after my failed date."

His father quietly gasped, looking aptly at his son through his dark sunglasses.

"She's rather new to the area, and I'm planning to accompany her on Sunday around Konoha to help her buy materials for her shop."

"Oh? What does she sell?"

"She's a honey vendor from Iwagakure."

"That's good, no… that's wonderful to hear, Shino," his father replied with a surprising hint of excitement. "What's her name?"

"Please don't jump to hasty conclusions, dad. That's because I've only just met this woman."

Shibi waved a hand in the air, brushing off his son's words. "But of course. Regardless, it is exciting news to hear. Let your old man be excited that his son has a proper date, would you? Now her name, Shino."

"Her name is Mitsumi," Shino finally answered with a bit of indignation.

"Mitsumi…" Shibi echoed. "And surname? Is she a part of a clan?"

Shino placed his chopsticks neatly on top of his empty bowl. "I'm not sure. I only know her first name."

Not to his shock, Shibi paused. "Does… is she aware of yours, son?"

When the younger man responded with silence, his father's shoulders noticeably sunk. "Oh, Shino… Are you ashamed to tell her?"

The way his father sounded when saying those words were clear to Shino. "Are you ashamed of your own clan?" they conveyed.

"No, I'm not ashamed, dad," Shino shook his head. He continued with a light sigh. "In matters of love affairs and my own family, I will always choose family. I simply… I want to experience what it's like to have a proper date. One that doesn't end because my partner feared my abilities. I understand well enough that I'm Shino Aburame. I've known and accepted that my whole life. I will never forget nor be ashamed of that fact."

Shino raised his eyes at his father. "Even if it's only for a day, though… For once, I just want to be Shino. Please don't be too upset, I will tell her eventually. That's part of the reason I don't want you to get your hopes up."

Shibi mirrored his son's actions and placed his chopsticks on top of his bowl. "How could I be upset? I understand your situation all too well, son," he said, his tone faraway. "You are an Aburame, but you're also Shino. You have your own individual desires and wants outside of the clan. You're an adult, you have been for quite some time now. I trust whatever you think is best."

Shino smiled, grateful for his father's words of support, but said nothing else for the time being. They sat around the table in a not-quite-awkward, but not-quite-comfortable silence before the younger Aburame finally spoke up.

"She likes insects, you know?"

Shibi smirked discreetly as he rose to clear the table. "With my expectations for this girl, she had better," he replied, picking up his dishes to wash. This was the first time Shino engaged in a date-like setting without the aid of his Inuzuka friend, and he had rather high hopes despite his son's wishes.

"Now, I won't pester you on the issue son, but please wear something nice on Sunday. Even if it's just for a stroll around Konoha."

"You sound like Kiba…" Shino commented as he rose as well, following his father into the kitchen.

"Oh, I realize that. In fact, I want him to help you pick out nice clothing for Sunday. No green sweaters, wear something new and presentable. I'll call Tsume if I have to."

"I thought you said you weren't pestering…"

"Oh, Shino. I'm your father," Shibi smiled lightly as he turned on the sink. "It's my job."

"Excuse me, miss? Miss?" The older woman looked about the raggedy store, ringing the bell on the counter. Was this really it?

"Oh! I-I'm so sorry, ma'am," a voice called out from inside the building. "I'll be with you in just a moment." A young woman emerged, quickly making her way towards the counter. She took a few deep breaths and organized some of the notes around her before replying.

"I'm terribly sorry about that," she huffed out, flashing a bright grin to the old woman. "What can I help you with?"

The woman raised an eyebrow. "Are you still open?"

Mitsumi nodded energetically. "Yes, we're open!"

Truth be told, the honey vendor didn't have specific opening and closing times. She usually opened around nine in the morning, and closed when she felt like no other customers would come in.

"Is there something I can help you with?" Mitsumi asked.

"An old acquaintance of mine Takahashi—around my age, likes to talk—told me this store sells honey? I wanted to purchase some for my baking," the older woman replied curtly.

"Oh yes, I remember Takahashi-san!" the young woman responded in thought. "He stopped by earlier for shelter from the heat. Did you have a preference for size?"

"Your largest container if you would, young lady."

"Of course, I'll get that for you right away, ma'am! One moment please."

As Mitsumi dug around below the counter, she heard the older woman comment. "To be honest, I was surprised you were running this place."

"How do you mean?" The honey vendor replied back, pursing her lips as she retrieved the large honey jar.

"This place is just so old and decrepit! It's look doesn't fit such a young and pretty thing like you!" the older woman exclaimed. "Was this the remnants of that old tea shop that closed down ages ago?"

The brunette chuckled bashfully as she handed the other woman her jar. "It is. I bought this little shop relatively cheap from its previous owner. She was tired of selling tea and wanted to retire as quickly as possible to Kirigakure, if I remember correctly."

"Can't say I blame her," the older woman snorted as she handed Mitsumi the money. "I've heard Kirigakure's had quite the upgrade in the past few decades."

"I've never been," Mitsumi sighed longingly. "I'm sure it's absolutely lovely, but I'm afraid my hands are pretty tied up with my business. I'll definitely add that to my bucket list of things to do when I have time... and money!"

She pointed a finger at the younger honey vendor. "You really should go! You're far too young and beautiful to be brought down by tiring work. Take it from an old woman like me! You'll wish you had done more in your youth."

"Oh, but I like running my shop," the honey vendor replied honestly. "Owning a honey business has always been my dream, ever since I was a little girl."

"Chase after your dreams with fervor," the woman ordered with a wrinkly grin. "I expect to see great things from this store. Konoha has some excellent builders and contractors if you ever need help fixing this place up. A fresh, new dream like yours should only be accompanied by a fresh, renovated building."

"Thank you so very much, ma'am!" Mitsumi's eyes glistened. "Your support really means so much."

As the honey vendor bent down to take note of inventory, something—or rather someone—caught her eye. A rather inconspicuous group of men walked past the small shop. They all sported a type of optic and dressed rather heavily. Conversing quietly amongst each other, the group paid no heed to the young woman and her customer.

"They sure have a lot of layers on even with this summer heat," Mitsumi commented quietly. She knew it was rude to stare, but she found she couldn't look away from the mysterious group.

Not that it was a bad thing. In truth, the young honey vendor always found something attractive about the mysterious, quiet types. The way they dressed and carried themselves even reminded her of Shino...

She felt her cheeks warm.

"Who?" the elderly woman asked before turning around. She peered in the distance towards the group as a look of recognition crossed her face.

"Ah, that explains it. Well, the Aburame were always the type to cover up. A mysterious bunch, aren't they? They must use some type of jutsu, or you think they'd get heat stroke!"

Mitsumi paused in her cleaning as she looked down at her hands, lost in thought. "Is that what they look like?" she asked to herself. Her eyes widened as she observed the fading figures of the group. A small tingling beneath the skin of her back blossomed, gradually morphing into a seering burn with each passing second.

"Hey, are you alright?" her customer questioned in worry. "You look like you've seen a ghost, young lady."

She couldn't think clearly. Everything around her was too loud. With each passing moment, it seemed like the buzzing cicadas around them were growing louder and louder, drowning out the worried calls of the older woman.

"Vermin… scum…"

"Hello?"

"Don't trust them..."

"Young lady? Hello?"

After a few moments, the honey vendor seemed to remember where she was, and snapped out of her daze. She shook her head, refocusing on the other woman.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, ma'am!" she rushed out. "I was just a bit startled…"

"That's alright, dear. I was frightened for a moment; you looked so pale."

Mitsumi finished cleaning quickly, raising a shaky hand to wave goodbye to the older woman.

Once she was sure she was alone, the honey vendor took a few deep breaths, rubbing at her back from beneath her sweater.

Breath in… out… in… out.

"It's nothing," she told herself like a mantra. "I'm just being ridiculous. There's no need to worry, right? I'll be just fine."

"Everything will be fine."

AN's: Shibi's such an underrated dad, I love writing him. Please don't forget to comment/follow/fav again! Thanks for reading, and see y'all next time :)