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Konoha 53 years, early spring.

Not long after the snowfall in late winter melted at the beginning of early spring, there was still a hint of chill in early spring.A few branches and leaves that are not afraid of the cold spring quietly protruded from the mountain wall, and the green color was scattered on the bare hillside.Unlike the coldness on the hillside, Konoha Ninja Village has always maintained its own vitality.Whether it is cold winter or early spring, the village is always bustling and busy.

It was very cold, but there was a person wearing summer short-sleeved shorts inappropriately, opened the curtains or opened the door of each store, and asked enthusiastically, "Do you need to hire part-time workers?"

She looks about fourteen or fifteen years old, short in stature, and childish in appearance, just like a child who has just stepped out of school.Her long red hair made her very eye-catching, especially conspicuous in the crowd, like a walking red tomato.Given her age, those who sat in the shop refused her request.

"Go back and study hard, we don't need part-time jobs."

"Minors are not allowed in!"

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

The shops that sell adult books, the ramen shop that just opened, and the fruit and vegetable shop all rejected her, but she was still interested. While asking along the road, she turned her head from side to side and looked around, as if there was something new on the street .In fact, this is just an ordinary day in Konoha Ninja Village, there are neither visiting envoys from other villages, nor festival sites and gatherings.

The red-haired young girl stood under the eaves of the izakaya for a long time, rubbing her toes against the ground, probably relaxing the sore heels worn by the slippers.The wooden door of the izakaya behind her was closed tightly, the signboard and lanterns were all dark, and the door would not be opened until night.

The pedestrians in front of her were sparse, each with their own goals.A few ninjas who were eager to report on their mission jumped across the roof, leaving dark green afterimages.After she stood for a while, the wooden door of the izakaya creaked open behind her, revealing the long face of a middle-aged woman.The woman had slender eyebrows, drooping eyes, and a piece of loose flesh under her chin. She looked a little depressed.

"Are you here to ask for money?" The woman's complexion was a little bad: "Is it a debt collector?"

"Nope!" said the red-haired young girl, turning to her, "I'm looking for a job, so..."

——Just when I was tired from walking, I stood under the eaves of your house for a while...

"Can you wash dishes?" The middle-aged woman looked at her thin arms and legs, and said, "Can you move the dishes? Can you wipe the floor?"

"Yes..." She nodded slightly, "I can do anything."

"It doesn't include food, but housing. You can sleep in a cubicle."

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

"……what?"

"……nothing."

The middle-aged woman's name is A Xing, and she has been running this izakaya that is open at night for three or four years.Because the shop is small, there are fewer customers and fewer people are hired.There are only one or two part-time workers who come and go, serving wine, washing dishes and doing chores.A Xing is not a particularly kind person. On the contrary, she calculated the wages to the last decimal point very harshly, pushing the cost to the limit.

However, this little working girl doesn't seem to care about such things as wages at all.She didn't care about wages and benefits, but patiently looked at the furnishings in the izakaya.On the other hand, Ah Xing felt disgusted by her crude clothes, and couldn't help asking: "Don't you have better clothes?"

"Hey, only this one." She tugged at her loose white short-sleeved T-shirt.

It's not yet the time for the izakaya to open, and the inside of the house is dark.A few rays of light leaked from the window and spread on the floor.On the empty bar and seats, there were still unfinished dishes from last night, and there was a smell of alcohol in the air from nowhere.

"You can sleep here." A Xing patted a bench against the wall, and said, "The weather is getting warmer, and it's not cold. By the way, what's your name? Shall I give you a nicer one?" stage name? It’s used to entertain guests.”

"My name is Asami. My last name is...Hirotsu."

Asami said, she tiptoed to look at the place where she slept at night.The narrow wooden bench may not allow a person to turn over alone, and only a thin girl of fourteen or five years old who has not fully grown can lie on it curled up. Mami can almost think of curling up on the wooden chair at night and counting the ceiling. Spider web scene.

"Mami?" A Xing touched her double chin with her hands, and said, "It's such an unremarkable name. I want to give you a stage name that will make you popular in Konoha Village—this is tradition!"

--etc!Isn't this an izakaya?Why does the little girl in charge of washing dishes take a stage name and prepare to become popular in the whole village!

——In the future, when you become famous, you still want to debut and sing!Is the proprietress selling light sticks outside the stage?

"How about calling it 'Ma Yumi'? Or 'Ying Risha'? Profound and nice..."

"No, it's called Mami, thank you." Mami said: "Washers don't need such a long name. Although the name is simple, the character and fate of a person are not determined by the name. The day has been determined by the gods. A simple name can only place wishes, but cannot control the trajectory of life. There was a monarch in the past, and his wet nurse followed the folk tradition and believed that 'a humble name can guarantee peace', so Name him..."

"Why are you talking so much nonsense?" A 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 the one who is popular in the country of fire?" man."

——What kind of lofty ideals does the floor mopping girl in the izakaya want...

"I didn't expect that I would have a day to take in a poor homeless little girl." A Xing twitched her slender eyebrows and said, "I hope your parents won't show up at the door of my shop tomorrow and tell you to leave home." The little girl who ran away went back to school to learn ninjutsu."

"I don't have parents." Mami's mouth twitched.

"What about the guardian?" A Xing said, "Our Konoha Ninja Village has made very considerate arrangements for war orphans."

"...No." Mami said, "I just want to experience the hardships of life..."

"Then wash the dishes first." A Xing said, "I just woke up and don't want to move."

Mami glanced at the dishes and wine bottles piled up on the bar, and then quietly controlled her mouth.

"Let me tell you where the sink is, where the dishes and wine bottles are placed. In the past two days, you should stand aside and watch carefully, so as not to stuff the empty bowls into my bed." A Xing said: "Still Yes, change into something that won't disappoint the guests. I don't want the guests to feel like they're back in ninja school when they come here."

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

"Ah?" A Xing who was opening the wine cabinet said, "No clothes, no guardian, no parents, you don't even have a home, right? How did you get into Konoha Ninja Village?"

"You just think I fell from the sky." Mami nodded.

A Xing looked at the little girl in front of her again suspiciously—well, she should be only 14 years old, she is short and thin, and she can't seem to hold a pipa.Just looking at the long red hair, she may have some blood relationship with the Uzumaki family who has already perished.

Thinking of the demise of Vortex Country many years ago, Ah Xing suddenly felt sympathy for this little girl, and his expression changed from meanness to pity.She lowered her head and said, "It's so pitiful..."

Mami shrugged her shoulders.

——Miss A Xing, your style of painting has changed too fast, God, she can't bear it!

When Ah Xing lowered her head, she found that the little girl had a beautiful face.Although it hasn't bloomed yet, it has delicate features and delicate features. It is rare that there is a tear mole next to the corner of the eye, which makes it look a little softer.A Xing patted Mami's shoulder with emotion, and said: "If you really grow up, you can inherit my mantle. You must know that when I was young, I was very famous for playing the pipa."

A Xing dug out some old clothes and replaced Mami's T-shirt and shorts.Although they were all dull-colored and old-fashioned clothes, they looked much better than T-shirts. They were divided into left and right sides, with slightly drooping cuffs, and a temporary belt.Mami was flattered by such feminine clothes.

You must know that the clothes she wears every time are very neutral-such as large T-shirts, such as unisex ninja vests, and before that, they were work clothes and aprons from the supermarket...

The sky was getting dark, and it was almost time for the izakaya to open.Ah Xing lit the lamp at the door, and the two red lanterns hanging under the eaves lit up with a crackling sound.Mami was a little surprised and said: "I thought I was going to climb up and light it with a fire!"

"Is there no electricity in your Uzumaki Village?" A Xing said, "It's so pitiful!"

Asami: ...

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

The lights on the street light up little by little, or dim red or dim light, swaying on the street covered by night.Even at night, Konoha Ninja Village is still very lively.Those ninjas who performed tasks during the day finally had time to rest and relax, so they came to drink and have fun together, or have a small gathering to play.

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

When she existed as "Asami Futagawa", her teammates from the old wartime invited her to come here for a party.She was sitting at the first seat by the bar, beside Miss Junko, and on the other side of Junko were Kanata and Takahashi Temple.Junko drank a glass of cold beer and ordered two bowls of sake.

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

But for Junko and the others...

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