✦ One Month Later ✦
The shop was busy all the time now. The shelves were full—over 200 bars of soap. There was yarrow, cedar, lemon-charcoal, and a new rose-petal kind for traders heading to richer towns.
Wraps hung in neat rows. Some were fireproof. Others were light and perfect for carrying scrolls.
The War card decks, now with Leaf and Wave symbols, sold out as fast as Tetsu could make them.
Ryouhei had bought a second stove. The back room was always running, people working nonstop.
His ledger showed 3,800 Ryo earned in just one month. That was a lot for a shop that had once been falling apart.
Half of it went into buying more supplies—wax, herbs, cloth—but the rest was real profit.
He paid everyone well. Tetsu, Aya, Mika, Suki, and Ren all got fair wages. He even gave rice and fish for their families.
People in the village noticed.
Mothers thanked him at the market. Shinobi nodded as they passed him on the street.
Even Goro, the grumpy scarred ninja, said, "Not bad, outsider," when Ryouhei handed him a stack of wraps for his team.
Amegakure was still rough—gray skies, constant rain, and fear in the air—but things were a little better now.
Medic tents had what they needed. Ninja had dry gear again. Kids played with cards instead of fighting in the streets.
Tetsu's sister, who had been sick for weeks, even came by the shop. Her cough was not so bad now.
✦ That Night ✦
Ryouhei sat alone in the shop. The only light came from a small lantern. Outside, the rain hit the roof hard. His ledger was open, but he wasn't writing. He was holding Konan's metal pin, turning it in his hand.
The door opened with a creak. Ryouhei tensed and moved his hand toward the knife under the counter. But it was just Konan.
She walked in. Her cloak was wet, water sliding off like it wasn't even cloth. She looked around—at the shelves, the wraps, the new stove—then looked at him.
"You've done better than I expected," she said calmly.
Ryouhei stood and set the pin down. "Just trying to help, Lady Angel."
She tilted her head a little. "Kaede says you want to go out again. Back to the Grass Village?"
"Yeah," he said. "And maybe even farther. Maybe the Land of Fire."
She didn't react much, but her eyes got sharper. "That's bold. And dangerous."
"I know," he said. "But if I can bring back more supplies—food, cloth, tools—it'll help more than just soap and herbs."
Konan nodded once, slow and thoughtful.
Ryouhei glanced toward the back of the shop. "I made some tea," he said. "Would you like a cup?"
She raised an eyebrow. "No. I didn't come here for that."
He smiled a little. "It's already made. If you don't help me drink it, I'll be stuck finishing the whole pot myself."
A pause. She studied him. Then gave a small nod. "Fine. Just a cup."
They moved to the table near the back. Ryouhei poured the tea into two clay cups. The steam curled up between them.
She took a sip—just one. Her eyes narrowed slightly.
She didn't say anything, but her hand didn't put the cup down right away.
Ryouhei caught the reaction. "It's from an old recipe," he said. "Something from... far away. Makes the rain feel a little less cold."
She said nothing, but drank again.
He leaned forward a bit, voice low but steady. "Because of my soaps... and the wraps... other merchants are starting to trade here more often."
Konan looked up, listening.
"Before, they avoided the rain. Said it ruined their goods, made the trip not worth it," he said. "Now they come in asking for things. Even ask how they can sell some of my stuff too. They're willing to stay longer. Trade more."
She didn't speak, but her face softened just a little.
Ryouhei set his cup down. "It's small, but it's working. Bit by bit, this shop is making Amegakure easier to live in."
The rain kept falling outside. But inside, it was quiet. Warm.
Konan sat back, her cup half-empty, watching the steam. She didn't smile. But she didn't leave, either.
Konan sat in silence for a moment longer, then finally spoke—soft.
"You've changed the flow of things," she said, setting her cup down. "Not many can do that without spilling blood."
Ryouhei gave a quiet chuckle. "I spill a lot of wax. Close enough."
Her eyes flicked to him, just a flicker of something like amusement in them. Then she looked back at the shelves.
Ryouhei cleared his throat, trying to catch the fragile moment before it slipped away.
"Listen," he said gently, "you should come here more often. Just to take a break. Drink some tea. Get some free time."
Konan's eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly, the hint of a frown tugging at her lips.
"I don't have free time," she replied quietly. "Not like you think."
He nodded, understanding that all too well. "I figured. But even so… maybe just once a day? After your patrols, before the village wakes up. A quiet spot."
She shook her head slowly. "No."
He smiled, undeterred. "Okay. Maybe once a week?"
Konan's lips twitched—closer to a smile than before, but she still refused. "No."
Ryouhei's grin softened. "Alright, once a month, then."
Her gaze met his squarely. A moment passed. Then, finally, a small nod. "Once a month."
That was all he needed for now.
Her eyes scanned the shop again, stopping on the crates of medical kits near the back.
She stood up. "When do you leave?"
"In two mornings," Ryouhei said, standing as well. "We'll go through the eastern marsh, then cross into Grass."
Konan gave a short nod. That was enough.
At the door, she paused.
"Report when you return," she said.
Then she stepped into the rain walking away.
Ryouhei let out a slow breath.