Kumo looked at the stone faces of the five Hokages outside his apartment window. He and Nenshō had been given apartments on opposite sides of the city away from each other.
"Do you like it?" asked Hinata setting one of his bags on the bed.
Kumo silently nodded, "It's been a long time since I had a room of my own, almost ten years in fact."
Hinata smiled warmly opening his pack and stuffing his clothes into the drawers. "I know this is all very new to you… but I'm sure you'll be able to start a new life here. Naruto, Tenten and I can show you around town later. Is there anything you will need for your apartment?"
Kumo opened the sliding door and stepped out onto the balcony feeling the warm breeze blow it. "I think I'll start a garden out here… I often need to grow my own ingredients."
Hinata nodded, "I know a flower shop that will be able to help you get started, it's mostly focused around floristry but they sell gardening equipment and seeds. One of my friend's mothers owns it so they'll be more than happy to help you out." Kumo nodded stepping back inside and sat on the bed.
"Do you need anything else?" Kumo shook his head, "I'd like to be alone for now come and get me when you, Naruto and Tenten are ready."
Hinata nodded, "Ok, I left some money for you on the table; feel free to use it to get whatever you need. If you need help finding anything don't hesitate to give one of us a call I've left a few phone numbers for you to use."
Kumo nodded and Hinata shuffled out the door, leaving him to the quiet of his apartment. The veins around his eyes protruded as he activated his Byakugan looking through the walls and simple furniture. He sighed as he saw the small electronic bugs placed all over his apartment to listen in on him. it seemed it was going to be awhile before he could gain anyone's complete trust.
Nenshō dropped the bags as he entered the door and collapsed on his new bed stretching out on it and staring at the white ceiling above him. He pulled his pack of smokes from his pocket and heated his finger to light the end.
"Aren't you going to unpack?" asked Tenten stepping up to the bed and looking down at him.
"Why bother?" he said taking a draw off his cigarette. "It's not like I'm going anywhere any time soon so I might as well relax and take things slow."
Nenshō felt the wind get knocked from him as Tenten threw his pack on him the heavy bag weighed down by his armor. "Smoke breaks over Red start unpacking." Said Tenten opening the drawers. Nenshō recovered himself and sighed opening the bag to begin unpacking.
"So what am I supposed to do here for a week?" he asked.
"Hinata, Naruto and I will show you around later, I'm sure we can help you find something to occupy your time until Lady Tusnade has some missions to go on." She explained folding a shirt and putting it into the drawer.
"What about training?" he asked putting his armor in the closet. "I believe you owe me a few sparring sessions."
Tenten smiled, "I'll show you the training grounds soon enough, for now we're just going to try and get you situated. I'll have to make room in my schedule to train with you."
"I appreciate it" he said closing the closet door and sitting back on his bed to finish his smoke, "Doesn't seem much use staying in Konoha if I can't train with the locals."
Tenten smirked closing the drawer and sitting down next to him, "I think my sensei might like your spirit." She said looking around the empty room.
"Can I meet him?" he asked leaning back against the wall cigarette hanging off on the corner of his mouth.
She giggled, "sure but I warn you he's a bit eccentric."
Nenshō smirked, "Kumo's always been a quiet guy after four years I could use a little eccentric company."
Tenten smiled and stood up, "Ok but don't say I didn't warn you Guy sensei is probably more than you bargained for."
He got up and followed her to the door holding it open for her. She turned back to him and handed him a wallet. "Here we have some money for you to spend until you start earing some on missions." He took the wallet and tucked it away.
"I wouldn't even begin to know what to spend it on; I already have everything I need here."
Tenten raised herself on the tips of her toes and pecked his cheek, "We'll just have to remedy that won't we?"
She waved him goodbye and left, Nenshō close the door and smirked happy he had come to Konoha.
Ino Yamanaka slumped over the counter and scanned the empty flower shop. She had spent the last week looking after the flower shop since apparently she wasn't needed on any current missions. The last mission she had been sent on had been a simple C rank escort mission with nothing to show for it except a long walk with some traveling merchants.
The bell rang announcing a customer's arrival, Ino perked up. "Welcome to the Yamanaka flower shop how may I help you? Oh hey Hinata!"
Hinata walked in a tan skinned man at her side, a leather skull-cap with brass goggles and leaf head plates covered his head and face a grey hooded jacket on his hands tucked into its pockets.
"Hey Ino." Greeted Hinata waving at her stepping up to the counter as the guy started to look around quietly browsing the collection of flower seeds.
"Who's the guy with the mask?" she asked watching as he picked up a few seed packets and moved over to the empty pots stacked against the wall.
"A friend" she explained leaning against the counter, "He's looking to start a garden in his apartment."
Ino raised her eyebrows watching him move through the shop collecting various tools and seed packets in his stack of flower pots.
"He doesn't really look like the gardening type." She said.
"He said he uses the plants and herbs for various things, he's very skilled with various poisons and antidotes."
"I see" she said as he approached the counter setting the contents down in front of her.
"Hello" she greeted flashing one of her friendliest smiles, "I'm Ino Yamanaka nice to meet you."
The man nodded to her, the tinted glass of his goggles made it impossible to tell if he had made eye contact with her.
"Kumo Sabaku" he said introducing himself to her. "Dose your shop take orders?"
"Not usually" she admitted looking away from the dark glass that stood in front of his eyes, "But I'm sure we could work something out, do you know what you want to order?"
He nodded and handed her a small handwritten list of various herbs and flowers some of which she had never heard of, others hardly grew in the Land of Fire. Of the ones she did recognize all of them were either poisonous or used in making medicine.
"You know my mother's placing an order tommarow I can add these to her list and have them sent in for you. You'll have to wait a week though it can take a while for the plants and seeds to come in. Sound like a plan?"
He nodded and laid the appropriate money on the counter to pay for the items. "So what are you two up too?" she asked as she opened the register.
"Just hanging around town" she said, "Tenten and Naruto are outside waiting for us, we're about to head over to Ichiraku raman Kumo and his friend have never been there before. Would you like to join us?"
Ino looked at the clock on the wall and removed her apron. "Sure why not we can afford to close twenty minutes early, since we have a new customer and all."
She hung her apron on a hook behind the counter and proceeded to close up the shop making her way to the door locking it behind her as she stepped outside to a waiting Naruto and Tenten. A redheaded man leaned on the wall beside the shop talking with Tenten.
"Hey Ino" greeted Tenten, "You joining us for Ichiraku?"
She nodded and looked at the redhead, "Yeah, who's this?"
"Nenshō Kinzoku" he greeted dropping the cigarette and stomping it out.
"I haven't seen you around town either" she said as they started heading to everyone's favorite raman stand.
Nenshō rubbed the back of his head and smirked, "I'm getting that a lot I've been out of town for a few years so has Kumo."
"I see where were you for so long? It's unlike Leaf shinobi to be out of the village for so long."
"That's classified." Nenshō explained looking to the silent Kumo who nodded at this.
"I see" she said deciding this wasn't the right moment to pry.
Kumo looked at the steaming bowl of miso raman set in front of him. He took a pair of chop sticks and politely waited for everyone to be served before eating. Kumo looked over to Nenshō who sat on his side and whispered.
"Did you find the listening devices in your apartment?" he asked keeping his tone low.
"I managed to find a few." He admitted glancing over to Naruto who was too enamored in his second bowl of raman.
"It's not as easy without your special eyes you know. How many did you find in your place?"
"Twelve" answered Kumo eating some of the noodles.
"Should we remove them?" Nenshō asked tipping his bowl to drink the broth.
Kumo shook his head, "For now let them listen, removing them would only bring further mistrust… besides it's not like we have anything to hide."
Nenshō smirked and looked over to Tenten who looked up from her bowl flashing him a smile. "Enjoying your raman?"
Nenshō nodded and turned back to Kumo. "Speak for yourself; I don't like the idea of the ANBU black-ops listening to me if I have a particular kunoichi at my place."
Kumo sighed, "If you're uncomfortable with it I suggest you conduct such activities elsewhere."
Nenshō emptied his bowl, "yeah, yeah some home I can't even bring a girl to my place without a Special Forces team knowing about it."
Kumo and Nenshō ordered another bowl and ate in comfortable silence. Nenshō smirked as his acute ears picked up the blonde's voice speak to Hinata in a hushed tone.
"Why's Kumo hiding his face?" she asked stirring her noodles around with her chopsticks.
"I… uh… I don't really know" lied Hinata, "I haven't seen his face myself I just met him and Nenshō on my last mission."
"You're not a very good liar Hinata" said Ino leaning in closer and lowering her voice, Nenshō perked his ears up to catch every word.
"I bet you've seen it so what is it? Why's he hiding his face? Burns?" she asked sipping her tea.
Hinata shook her head, "No… it's nothing like that his face is normal… he just needs to keep it hidden that's all."
Ino sighed, "Sounds like he's taking a page from Kakashi's book."
Hinata giggled and sipped her half empty bowl, "he's been away from the village for a long time Ino he and Nenshō both didn't have any families they feel like strangers here."
Ino smiled, "Well it's always nice to have a new customer in the village, I'm sure they'll learn to fit right in."
Nenshō smirked and turned back to Kumo who had finished his bowl and was silently drinking his tea. "Don't look now but the blonds asking about your face, looks like you attracted the curious type."
Kumo sighed and finished his tea. "That could make things difficult."
Nenshō clapped his friend on the shoulder. "Come on Kumo things may not be ideal here but relax we're home now after all. I though this is what you wanted."
Kumo said nothing and poured himself more tea.