Chapter 19: Gifts, Flowers, and Hostility
Nohara Rin's sudden appearance had sent a cold sweat down Liumu's back. After scrambling to find a flimsy excuse, he finally let out a sigh of relief.
Looking at the bouquet in her hands, Liumu asked, "It's so early. What are you doing here?"
Nohara Rin smiled warmly. "Today is Obito's birthday. I'm going to the ninja shop to buy him a gift."
"His birthday?"
Liumu scratched his head, then stepped to Rin's side. "I'll come with you. We're friends, after all. I should get him something too."
"Okay!"
...
There weren't many ninja shops in Konoha, and ninja tools were the most common gifts among shinobi. For example, the tanto on Kakashi's back was a graduation gift from Konoha's White Fang. After Sakumo's suicide, Kakashi had replaced it with his father's famous White Light Chakra Saber.
Liumu followed Rin to a ninja shop in the western part of the village. The dazzling array of equipment on display momentarily overwhelmed him.
Rin stepped inside and presented her flowers to the shop owner, her petite face beaming. "Auntie, these are for you. I grew them myself."
The shop owner was an elderly woman. From their familiar exchange, Liumu could tell they were old acquaintances.
In the end, Rin picked out a shuriken and came over to Liumu, who was still frowning over his choices. "Liumu, haven't you decided yet?"
"Ah… not yet." Liumu offered an embarrassed smile.
In truth, it wasn't that he couldn't find a suitable gift; it was that these ninja tools were ridiculously expensive. A single shuriken cost nearly two months of his subsistence allowance, making him briefly resent Obito for having a birthday at all.
"It's alright. You can give him your best wishes," Rin said gently, perhaps sensing his predicament. As classmates, many were aware of Liumu's financial struggles.
Tactfully, after they left the shop, Rin purchased the ninja dart Liumu had been eyeing for a long time and quietly slipped it into his hand.
"You…" Liumu stared at her in surprise.
"This is for you," Rin said, her smiling eyes curving into crescent moons. "Congratulations on graduating from the Academy."
Liumu: "…"
Her simple, warm words froze Liumu in place for a moment. Watching her jogging figure, a sudden, unfamiliar warmth surged in his heart.
Six years in this world, and this is the first time I've felt this kind of warmth.
Liumu looked at the ninja dart in his hand, then up at Rin's retreating back. A flicker of determination passed through his eyes.
"Rin! Wait for me!"
He caught up to her, falling into step beside her. He waved the dart. "Thank you."
Hearing his quiet thanks, Rin simply smiled and said nothing.
As they approached the Uchiha clan compound, Liumu turned to her. "By the way, when is your birthday? I'll get you a gift too."
"Me?" Rin replied, "No, that's not necessary. My birthday is still a long way off."
"What do you mean 'not necessary'?" Liumu protested. "You have to get a gift on your birthday! Just tell me when it is." He paused, then added with a wry smile, "But… you know my situation. I can't afford ninja tools like this. I'll have to make it up to you in other ways."
"Other ways?" Rin was even more puzzled. "Like what?"
"Like what?" Liumu chuckled. "Like… meat."
"Who are you? What are you doing here?"
Suddenly, a grim-faced Uchiha shinobi appeared, blocking Liumu and Rin's path. He glared at them. "Get lost. Don't loiter here."
Tensions between the Uchiha clan and Konoha's leadership were high. Even children like Liumu and Rin were viewed with suspicion.
Hearing the man's tone, Liumu immediately felt displeased. But Rin stepped forward politely. "We're Obito's classmates. We're here for his birthday party today." She introduced them, "I'm Nohara Rin. This is Liumu."
"Liumu?!"
Hearing the name, the grim-faced ninja's expression changed instantly. His eyes blazed with anger, his face turning cold. He focused on Liumu. "You're the one who destroyed the Uchiha stone statue?"
'Damn it!' Liumu mentally cursed. He'd been so focused on walking with Rin, he'd completely forgotten about his… complicated relationship with the Uchiha. To waltz so openly into their territory, where he was undoubtedly viewed as an enemy… wasn't that just asking for a slap in the face?
"Don't listen to her," Liumu retorted without batting an eye. "My name isn't Liumu. I'm Shisui!"
After all, Shisui wasn't born yet. Borrowing his name shouldn't be a problem.
"Are you Liumu or Shisui?" the man demanded.
Rin: "Liumu!"
Liumu: "Shisui!"
Rin: "???"
"I don't care what your name is!" the grim-faced ninja snapped. He stepped forward and grabbed Liumu's arm. "You're coming with me to the Security Office. We'll sort out your identity there."
"I'm not going!" Liumu jerked his arm free, the force unintentionally causing the man's hand to swell instantly.
"Hiss…" The man stared at his rapidly puffing hand, then threatened, "I'm officially warning you. Last night, a member of our Uchiha clan was attacked and severely injured. I suspect you're involved. Now, come with me quietly for questioning. If you resist…" A sinister smirk touched his lips. "If you resist, I'll be forced to take you in by any means necessary."
As he spoke, his pitch-black pupils shifted. The sudden appearance of the three-tomoe Sharingan caused Rin, standing beside Liumu, to stumble back several steps in fear.
As a Konoha shinobi, she'd heard about the Sharingan from Obito. But this was her first time seeing those chilling eyes in person.
She'd vaguely heard rumors about Liumu's actions, but the idea of him ambushing someone… Rin could never believe that.
Wanting to defend Liumu, she tried to step forward. But under the oppressive aura of the Sharingan, her body felt paralyzed, unable to move.
Noticing Rin's distress, Liumu took a few steps to stand protectively in front of her. He smiled, though his eyes held no warmth. "You mean… Uchiha Izumi?"
"So it was you!"
The grim-faced ninja erupted in fury. His chakra fluctuated violently around him, like a roaring lion displaying its might. "You not only destroyed our sacred statue, you also beat my little brother into a coma! I won't let this go!"
As he finished, his hands began forming seals…
This time, however, Liumu gave him no chance to prepare. While the man's fingers were still weaving signs, Liumu's fist was already a blur, connecting squarely with the man's face from point-blank range.
THWUMP!
After a graceful 360-degree spin, the grim-faced ninja's eyes rolled back, and he collapsed unconscious on the spot.
"Damn it. Stirred up a hornet's nest. Just finished dealing with the little one, and now the big one shows up."
However, now that he knew Uchiha Izumi had an older brother, Liumu felt significantly less guilty about that punch from the previous night.
(End of Chapter)
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