Open A night to celebrate!

[Yamashiro Ryuni]

The warmth of the afternoon seemed to soothe within the air of the hustle and bustle of the district as many were either going off duty or getting ready for the night life. There were a slew of travelers, solicitors, and all walks in between amongst the droves of those getting ready for the ending of their day and those in preparations for the twilight hours that would pull them into that life style. Children seemed to be running about. Getting themselves into trouble with vendors, and parents scampering to keep them from making an over abundance of mayhem. Amongst them, the young Yamashiro boy names Ryuni paced himself amongst the crowd. He seemed to blend in well outside of his newly earned headband over his forehead. He'd just passed his test not even a week prior and his body was still bandaged up a bit from the whole ordeal, but he was in good spirits.

Ryuni, a young boy brimmed with passion and ferocity, seemed to have a small bounce about him, something oddly prideful. Even the breeze that swirled about seemed to have life about it and there would be something to say about the warmth within Ryuni's heart, as this would be his day to celebrate. . . and he would think about getting a bite to eat and as he moved through the crowd he picked up a morsel of pan to buy. Sticking the food in his mouth he'd reach into his pocket. Patting away, Ryuni reached for his satchel, "One of these? Annnnnd two of the melons ya have there? How much?", He asked the vendor before passing him the money he had before turning to the main walkway in the street. . . What would today bring? Who knew. . .

"OI! BOY! You are short. . . You didnt give me enough! I need more coin!"

This outburst caused Ryuni to turn around with the bread in his mouth before patting his wallet once more and seeing that he'd handed the man the last of his coin. . .

'Crap' He thought. Oh boy. . . What was he gonna do?

 

[Chikamatsu Shin]

The afternoon sun cast long shadows through the bustling market district as Chikamatsu Shin navigated the crowded walkways with practiced ease. His dark brown vest and slacks were a far cry from the ornate robes of office he'd once worn, practical attire that let him blend into the everyday flow of village life. The tanned button-down beneath was already collecting a fine layer of dust from the day's errands, and the leather of his mid-calf boots had long since broken in to comfortable silence.

A small collection of parcels occupied the crook of his left arm, decorative items for the Tower's reception area, things meant to make the space feel more welcoming. His free hand absently adjusted the loose belt at his waist, fingers brushing past the pouch of coin and the few vials that clinked softly with each step. Tea blends. He still needed to find those tea blends Michino had mentioned wanting to try.

The golden-haired man was examining a display of ceramic cups when the vendor's voice cut through the ambient noise.

"OI! BOY! You are short... You didn't give me enough! I need more coin!"

Shin's aqua eyes flicked toward the commotion. A young boy—couldn't be more than a week past his genin exam based on the fresh bandages peeking from beneath his sleeves and the proud way he wore his new headband—stood frozen with bread still in his mouth, patting frantically at an empty wallet.

Yamashiro Ryuni. Shin recognized him immediately from the graduation paperwork that had crossed his desk just days ago. The name had stuck with him, perhaps because he remembered processing those documents with a strange mixture of nostalgia and melancholy, thinking about all the students he'd taught over the years, all the bright futures he'd helped launch before everything had fallen apart.

The sight tugged at something in Shin's chest. How many times had he seen that exact expression on academy students? That mixture of pride and panic, accomplishment and inexperience?

Without conscious thought, Shin shifted his parcels and approached, his expression settling into something warm and gently reproachful.

"Oh, I'm sorry," he said smoothly, already reaching for his coin pouch as he stepped up beside the boy. His voice carried just enough volume for the vendor to hear, tinged with the mild exasperation of a teacher discovering a student's oversight. "I thought I gave my pupils more yen than that."

The coins clinked as Shin counted out the difference, placing them in the vendor's waiting hand with a practiced smile. The transaction complete, he turned his attention to the young genin, reaching out to tousle the boy's hair with easy familiarity.

"Why didn't you tell me you needed more, Ryuni-kun?" The playful chiding in his tone suggested this was hardly the first time he'd needed to bail out a forgetful student.

Shin gently guided them away from the stall, his hand briefly on the boy's shoulder as they merged back into the flow of foot traffic. Once they were out of direct line of sight from the vendor, Shin's demeanor shifted. The teacher's mask dropped, replaced by something more genuine, a conspiratorial lean as his voice lowered.

"Dang, you short-changed Tanaka-sama?" There was real concern beneath the casual tone now, mixed with a hint of dark amusement. "I'm surprised he didn't attempt to chop off one of your fingers."

Shin shook his head, a rueful smile playing at his lips as memory flickered across his features. "I remember when I didn't have enough money... I was short by like two yen! He found my parents and made me work in his shop cleaning for a month to pay the difference and teach me not to steal."

His aqua eyes studied the boy with an expression that managed to be both stern and understanding. "Consider yourself lucky I happened to be passing by. Next time, count your coin twice before you order, yeah?"