Konoha fifty-three years, early spring.

The snow in the last winter has not long melted, and the early spring still has a hint of coldness. A few branches and leaves that are not afraid of the spring cold quietly poked out of the mountain wall, and the tender green color was scattered on the bare hillside. Unlike the cold on the hillside, Konoha Shinobi Village has always maintained its own vigor. Whether it's cold winter or early spring, the village is always bustling and busy.

It was cold, but there was a man who was out of place wearing short-sleeved shorts for summer, lifted the curtain of the next store, or pushed open the door, and asked with great interest, "Do you need to hire a part-time worker?"

She looked about fourteen or fifteen years old, short in stature, childish in appearance, and a child who had just stepped out of school. Her long red hair makes her stand out and stand out in the crowd, like a big flaming red tomato walking. For her age, those who sat in the shop pù refused her request.

"Let's go back and study hard, we don't need to work."

"Minors are not allowed in!"

"Oh! Is the little girl looking for a job? We have no shortage of people. ”

Pù, a shop selling adult books, a ramen shop that had just opened, and a fruit and vegetable shop all turned her down, but she was still interested, asking questions along the road, and turning her head from side to side, as if there was something new on the street. In fact, it was just an ordinary day in Konoha Ninja Village, with neither visiting envoys from other villages, nor festivals and gatherings.

The red-haired young girl stood under the eaves of the izakaya for a long time, rubbing her toes against the ground, presumably relaxing her heels, which had been worn down by her slippers. The wooden door of the izakaya behind her was closed, and the signboard and lantern were all dimmed, and the door would not open until night.

The pedestrians in front of her were sparsely populated, each with its own goal. Several ninjas who were eager to report on their mission jumped across the rooftops, leaving a dark green afterimage. After standing for a moment, the wooden door of the izakaya behind her creaked open, revealing the long face of a middle-aged woman. The woman looked a little sluggish with slender eyebrows, drooping eyes, and a piece of loose flesh on her chin.

"Do you want money?" The woman's face was a little bad: "Or is it a debt collector?" ”

"No, it's not belch!" The red-haired young girl turned around and said to her, "I want to find a job, so I ......"

――I just happened to be tired of walking, so I stood under the eaves of your house for a while......

"Do you know how to wash dishes?" The middle-aged woman looked at her thin arms and legs and said, "Do you want to move the plate?" Can you mop the floor? ”

"Can ......," she nodded wryly, "anything." ”

"Don't eat, wrap up. Can allow you to sleep in a cubicle. ”

"No need to eat, no need to sleep."

“…… What the? ”

“…… It's nothing. ”

A middle-aged woman named A-Xing has been running this night-opening izakaya for three or four years. Because the shop is small, there are fewer customers and fewer people are hired. Only one or two people who come and go on a part-time job are responsible for serving wine, washing dishes and doing chores. Ah Xing is not a particularly benevolent person, on the contrary, she is very harsh in calculating her wages to the last decimal point and pushing the cost to the limit.

However, this little girl who works seems to care about such things as wages at all. She didn't care about the wages or treatment, but patiently looked at the furnishings in the izakaya. However, Ah Xing was disgusted with the simple clothes on her body, and couldn't help asking, "Don't you have better clothes?" ”

"Oh, there's only this one." She tugged at her baggy white short-sleeved T-shirt.

It's not yet time for the izakaya to open, and the inside of the house is dark. A few rays of light leaked through the cracks in the window and spread onto the floor. The empty bar and seats still have dishes from last night, and there is a smell of alcohol coming from nowhere.

"You can sleep here." Ah Xing patted a bench against the wall and said, "The weather is going to get warmer, and it's not cold." By the way, what's your name? Would you like to give you a beautiful stage name? It is used to entertain guests. ”

"My name is Asami. The last name is ...... Gwangjin. ”

Asami said as she tiptoed over where she slept at night. The narrow wooden bench is probably not allowed to turn over alone, and only a thin little girl who is fourteen or fifteen years old and has not yet fully grown can curl up and lie on it, Asami can almost think of the scene of curling up on the wooden chair at night and counting the cobwebs on the ceiling.

"Asami?" Ah Xing touched her double chin with her hand and said, "What a nameless name." I'm going to give you a stage name that will make you popular all over Konoha Village - it's tradition! ”

- Wait! Isn't this an izakaya? Why does the little girl who is in charge of washing dishes have a stage name and is ready to become popular all over the village!

――In the future, when you become famous, you will make your debut to sing, right? Is the proprietress peddling glow sticks outside the stage!

"How about being called 'Mahami'? Or is it 'reflection of glass yarn'? Esoteric and nice......"

"No, it's called Asami, thank you." Asami said, "The dishwasher doesn't need to have that long name. Although the name is simple, the character and destiny of a person are not determined by the name. The fate of human beings has been decided by the gods on the day of birth, and a simple name can only place wishes, but cannot affect the trajectory of life. Once upon a time there was a monarch whose nurse followed the folk tradition that 'a lowly name would keep peace,' so she named him ......"

"Why are you talking so much nonsense?" Ah Xing sat on the bar chair, interrupted her impatiently, then shook her head and said, "You lack a lofty ideal. Who doesn't want to be a man in the land of fire? ”

――What kind of lofty ideals does the little sister of the Izakaya want to mop the floor......

"I didn't expect that I would also take in a poor little girl who was homeless one day." Ah Xing squeezed her slender eyebrows and said, "I hope your parents won't show up at the door of my shop tomorrow and tell the little girl who ran away from home to go back to school to learn ninjutsu." ”

"I don't have parents." The corners of Asami's mouth twitched.

"What about the guardians?" Ah Xing said: "Our Konoha Ninja Village is very thoughtful in arranging war orphans. ”

“…… Nor did it. Asami said, "I just want to experience the hardships of life......"

"Then wash the dishes first." Ah Xing said: "I just got up not long ago, and I don't want to move. ”

Asami glanced at the dishes and bottles stacked on the bar, and kept her mouth shut very quietly.

"I'm here to tell you where the sink is, where the dishes and bottles are. For the past two days you have stood aside and watched carefully, lest you stuff the empty bowl into my bed. A Xing said: "Also, change into a dress that will not disappoint the guests." I don't want guests to come here and feel like they're back in a ninja school. ”

Asami tugged at her T-shirt for the anniversary of the ninja school and repeated, "I only have one piece of clothing ......"

"Huh?" Ah Xing, who was opening the wine cabinet, said: "No clothes, no guardians, no parents, won't you even have a home?" How the hell did you get into Konoha Ninja Village? ”

"You'll just think I fell from the sky." Asami nodded.

Ah Xing looked at the little girl in front of her again with suspicion - well, she should only be fourteen years old, short and thin, and she didn't even look able to hold a pipa pick. Just looking at the long red hair, she may have some blood relationship with the Vortex clan who have died in the country.

Thinking of the demise of the Vortex Country many years ago, Ah Xing suddenly felt sympathy for this little girl, and her expression changed from mean to pity. She lowered her head and said, "What a pitiful ......"

Asami's shoulders shook.

- Boss A-Xing, your painting style has become too fast, and she can't bear it!

When Ah Xing looked down, she found that this little girl had a beautiful face. Although it hasn't grown yet, the eyebrows are clear and beautiful, the facial features are exquisite, and there is a tear mole next to the corner of the eye, which looks a little more gentle. Ah Xing patted Asami's shoulder with emotion and said, "If you really grow up, you can inherit my mantle." You know, when I was young, the reputation of plucking the pipa was very loud. ”

Ah Xing turned out a few old clothes and replaced Asami's T-shirt and shorts. Although they are all dull colors and old styles, they are much better than T-shirts, with left and right plackets, slightly drooping cuffs, and a temporary belt. Such feminine clothes made Asami a little flattered.

You know, every time she wears clothes, she is very androgynous - such as a voluminous T-shirt, such as a unisex ninja vest, and before that, supermarket overalls and aprons......

It's getting dark, and it's almost time for the izakaya to open. Ah Xing lit the lamp at the door, and the two red lanterns hanging under the eaves crackled. Asami was a little surprised and said, "I thought I was going to climb up and use the fire to belch!" ”

"Is there no electricity in your Vortex Village?" Ah Xing said: "It's so pitiful! ”

Asami: ......

- She just forgot that electricity and firepower coexist in this world......

Little by little, the lights of the streets came on, and the light of dim red or dim light shook over the streets covered with night. Even at night, Konoha Ninja Village is lively. The ninjas who were on missions during the day finally had time to rest and relax, so they came together to have fun or hang out.

Ah Xing pushed the wooden door open, waiting to greet the guests who came to drink and relax. When Asami stood barefoot by the door, she suddenly remembered that she had been to this izakaya.

When she was living as "Asami Futagawa", her teammates from the old war invited her to come here for a party. She sat in the first seat next to the bar, with Miss Junko next to her, and on the other side of Junko were Sota and Takahashiji. Junko drank a glass of cold beer and ordered two bowls of sake.

For Asami, these things were just a few months ago.

But for Junko, they ......

Well? When is Konoha this year? How many years have passed since she last left Konoha Ninja Village?