The next morning, Naruto, Kimimaro, and Tayuya set out for Sunagakure.
Holding the map the hotel hostess in Yugakure had given him, Kimimaro led the way. They had left the Land of Waterfalls and entered the Land of Grass, where rolling meadows stretched as far as the eye could see, dotted with pink and white wildflowers swaying in the breeze.
They walked the entire day with little rest. The flowery meadows gradually gave way to vast fields of tall grass. Now and then, grasshoppers sprang from their path, launching into the air before vanishing into the sea of green. Small yellow butterflies fluttered about, twirling in playful spirals as they chased one another.
"Man, you should've seen me back at the resort hotel! That bastard was dragging the lady really hard, but nobody helped her, so I punched him—bam!—right in the gut! And… and then before I could finish him off, Kimimaro pretended to be that tall, strong guy's son, and it scared the bastard away! Hahaha!"
"Oh, yeah, sure. I bet he ran off crying, swearing never to mess with another shrimp again."
"Hey, it actually happened! And Kimimaro was quick on his feet! If he hadn't done that, I might've had to beat the guy up for real. Right, Kimimaro?"
Kimimaro, still focused on the map, barely glanced up. "Uh-huh."
Tayuya smirked. "Pale-face doesn't look like he agrees."
Naruto scowled. "You're just mad because you weren't there to see my greatness," he huffed. "Besides, I run fast. I wouldn't get caught even if I did get into trouble."
"Yeah, yeah, as long as it's just a pissed-off grandma with a cane chasing you."
"You think I'm slow?" Naruto looked genuinely offended. "Exercising is my hobby, you know? That and watering plants. Bet I could outrun either of you."
"Oh yeah?" Tayuya jutted her chin out. Her eyes glinted. "Prove it."
Naruto grinned and pointed at a lone tree ahead. "First one to that tree wins!"
"Sure."
"Ready? One, two— three !" He burst into a run.
Tayuya pretended to push off like she was about to sprint—then just casually kept walking, smirking to herself.
Naruto skidded to a stop, eyes wide with betrayal. "You were supposed to run!"
"You were supposed to have a brain, but I guess life had other plans."
Kimimaro sighed and looked up from his map. "Come back, Naruto. Speed won't help much if you don't know where you're going."
Naruto pouted but jogged back.
"Also," Kimimaro added, "I wouldn't count exercising as a hobby if you're aiming to be a ninja. That's just part of training."
"But I enjoy training," Naruto muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. "What's your hobby then, Kimimaro?"
Kimimaro thought for a moment. "Oshibana."
"Oshi-what?"
"Pressed flower art."
"…Huh. Cool." Naruto just nodded, accepting it without further comment. "How about you, Tayuya? What's your hobby?"
"Why the fuck would I tell you?"
"Kimimaro and I already told you what we like!"
"Yeah, thanks for sharing your impressive interests in exercising and flower pressing."
"Flower pressing is a very fun hobby," Kimimaro said flatly.
Tayuya gave him a long side-eye. He couldn't possibly mean it.
As the sun slowly descended below the horizon, the afternoon sky deepened into a rich cornflower blue, streaked with soft hues of pale coral. Cirrus clouds stretched like wispy brushstrokes across the vast canvas, their feathery strands resembling the tails of comets.
"And anyway, Kimimaro's got crazy good survival skills! He knew exactly what we could eat and where to find clean water."
"Yeah, he can tell the difference between a rock and actual food. What a genius."
Naruto crossed his arms. "Like you wouldn't be worried about accidentally eating poisonous mushrooms."
"Like I'd ever be dumb enough to rely on that crap for food."
"Aha! So you admit you can't tell which ones are safe!"
"Shut up, moron!"
Kimimaro sighed, rubbing his temple. "Can you two be quiet for a moment? I'm trying to find the right path."
A begrudging silence followed.
Then Naruto snickered.
Then another round of bickering erupted.
Kimimaro pinched the bridge of his nose, already starting to regret his life choices.
They walked for another hour. The sun had vanished completely, leaving behind a scarlet afterglow that slowly deepened into sienna. Overhead, the first stars emerged, flickering like lanterns against the lilac sky. A gentle breeze swept through the tall grass, setting it undulating like waves on a quiet lake.
"How much longer is this gonna take?" Tayuya grumbled.
"About two days to reach the Land of Wind, then another three to get to Suna," Kimimaro replied.
"What?!" Tayuya stopped walking. "You're telling me I'm putting up with this loudmoth for five more days? I'm fucking out you hear me out!"
"Hey, I'm not a loudmouth!"
"Oh shut up, you—"
"You can help me find the way instead," Kimimaro interrupted. "If you'd kindly take your focus off Naruto and lend me a hand."
"Ha! Who's paying him attention?" Tayuya scoffed, turning her head away.
"Think of all the countries we'll get to see!" Naruto said brightly. "We already passed through the Land of Waterfalls, and it was amazing! We even met you there!"
"Hmph!"
Tayuya kept her eyes on the distance, but a strange warmth stirred in her chest. Even? Did he actually think meeting her was a good thing?
The trail led them into a forest where massive brown mushrooms—each larger than a man—sprouted from trees with scaly bark, looming over the path like heavy parasols. Among them, slender bamboo stalks stood rigid, their emerald-green leaves sharp as blades. Katydids chirped in a rhythmic chorus, blending with the crunch of fallen leaves beneath the children's footsteps.
"Let's call it a day," Kimimaro said, folding up his map.
"You know what? I'm traveling as fast as possible so I won't have to—"
"Sounds great, I'm tired!" Naruto cut Tayuya off.
"You dare cut me off?!" She shot him a death glare.
Naruto and Kimimaro exchanged a look.
"WHAT? "
Naruto giggled as Kimimaro pointed out, "You're grumpy."
Tayuya's nostrils flared, but she couldn't argue with that.
"Say that again and I'll—ugh, forget it." She stomped off to a tree several meters away, squatting down with her back against the trunk, facing away from them.
She heard the boys murmur something, followed by the plop of backpacks hitting the ground. A few minutes later came the sound of rustling wood. She tilted her head back, trying to ignore them, and gazed up at the starry night sky peeking through the dark canopy.
She had been grumpy ever since "that" incident.
And she hated it.
But she couldn't help it.
The boys' movements pulled her back to the present. She couldn't tune them out anymore. With a sigh, she glanced over at the pile of gathered materials.
"What the hell are you two doing?"
"Building a fire to cook dinner. Come help!" Naruto waved her over.
Tayuya's eyes narrowed. "Do you morons even know what you're doing? Where are the holes?"
"Holes?"
She rolled her eyes. "If I don't teach you idiots how to build a fire, you're gonna get us killed with all that light and smoke."
Groaning, she pushed herself to her feet and stomped back.
"Do as I say," she ordered.
Naruto and Kimimaro shrugged and dropped the firewood.
"First, dig a hole." She tapped the ground with her foot. "We're building the fire here."
The boys crouched down and got to work. Naruto clawed at the dirt like a mole, flinging clumps aside in hasty scoops, while Kimimaro dug steadily, paring off layers of dry soil as if performing surgery.
When they finished, Tayuya nodded. "Now a smaller hole next to it. For airflow."
They obeyed. Once both holes were dug, she added, "Now connect them with a tunnel."
"A tunnel?" Naruto frowned. "Won't the dirt on top just collapse?"
"Just do it," Tayuya snapped, crossing her arms. "The soil's dry enough. Quit whining."
Naruto muttered something under his breath but grabbed a twig. Kimimaro worked carefully from the smaller hole, carving a path toward the larger one, while Naruto, still skeptical, poked hesitantly from the opposite side.
A moment later, their twigs broke through to each other, forming a narrow passage.
Tayuya peered in, satisfied. "Not bad. Now go do whatever you were gonna do."
The two boys arranged kindling and tinder in the first hole, struck a match, and soon, a smokeless fire burned brightly within the pit. Tayuya set up her pan to boil water while the boys sliced potatoes and tossed them in.
"This fire is so hot the potatoes already look ready to eat," Naruto marveled, licking his lips.
"Not only that, but because it doesn't produce smoke and the flames are confined below ground level, it's hard to spot from a distance," Kimimaro added. "So we can remain undetected by enemies. You're a genius, Tayuya."
Tayuya snorted. "It's a miracle you idiots survived this long."
She only ever called someone a "genius" sarcastically—mocking rather than praising them. But pale-face, the one she had called a "genius", had just called her one. And meant it.
Tayuya shook her pan over the fire, trying not to think too hard about it.
The potatoes turned out to be not enough for three people.
Naruto reached into his backpack and pulled out a cup of instant ramen.
"This is the last one I've got, but I think you should try it. It's really delicious!" he said, handing the cup of instant ramen to Tayuya, who raised an eyebrow at him. "We're sorry for making fun of you earlier," he added with an apologetic smile.
Tayuya shook her head dismissively and tore off the aluminum foil lid. "Your favorite food? No wonder you're a shrimp." She ripped open the seasoning packets and dumped them in, then grabbed her pan and poured in some of the boiled water. As she waited for the noodles to soften, she caught Naruto watching her eagerly, practically bouncing on the balls of his feet.
"What're you staring at?"
"Nothing," Naruto said quickly, but a grin was already spreading across his face.
Tayuya grunted and took a bite.
"It's good, right?" Naruto asked, his eyes lighting up at the subtle shift in her expression.
"…I've had worse."
It was actually okay. Better than okay.
The noodles were perfectly soft, soaking up the umami-rich broth. The savory taste of dried shrimps mingled with hints of garlic and soy. It was salty, a little greasy, and weirdly comforting—way better than she'd expected.
After finishing their meal, they covered up the holes to put out the fire, concealing any evidence of their presence. The wind picked up, carrying the scent of damp earth, fresh foliage, and a whiff of a nearby river.
"We should all share this," Naruto declared, holding up an old bed sheet.
Tayuya wrinkled her nose. "You kiddin' me? That thing looks like it's been used as a doormat."
"It's clean enough," Kimimaro said simply. "I asked the inn not to throw it away."
Tayuya was about to fire back, but a sudden gust of wind made her shiver, and she sneezed. Scowling, she snatched a corner of the sheet. "Fine. But if either of you kicks me in your sleep, I'll knock your teeth out."
Naruto blanched at the threat. "W-Wait, Kimimaro, you sleep in the middle!" He let go of the bed sheet and hid behind Kimimaro, pushing him toward Tayuya.
Kimimaro glanced back, raising an eyebrow. "How do you know I'm more pain-tolerant?" he asked in a tone that sounded half-joking and half-serious.
Tayuya rolled her eyes and flopped down onto the ground, wrapping herself in the bed sheet. "If you two idiots keep this nonsense up, I'm just gonna claim the damn bed sheet myself."
Naruto and Kimimaro exchanged a quick glance before lying down beside her, Kimimaro in the middle. The three children huddled together under the makeshift blanket, warmth seeping between them as they drifted into sleep.
Early the next morning, Tayuya stretched and sat up, feeling refreshed, but something felt… off. She frowned, trying to pinpoint what it was.
She glanced over at the two boys beside her. Pale-face was curled up in a ball, and shrimp was sprawled out on his back, drooling and grinning like an idiot in his sleep.
Her lips twitched. Then it hit her.
She had been smiling too.
Tayuya froze. She couldn't remember the last time she had smiled. Had she forgotten how?
Her mind reeled, but instead of dwelling on it, she shot to her feet and yelled, "Alright, slugabeds! Let's get goin'!"
Kimimaro jolted awake, sitting up quickly and blinking blearily.
Naruto covered his eyes with an arm and groaned, "It's morning already?"
"No, I just felt like screamin' for fun. Yes, it's morning, dumbass!"
Kimimaro stood and dusted himself off, but Naruto covered his head with the bed sheet.
"Five more minutes…"
Tayuya grabbed the bed sheet and yanked it off the blond boy, who yelped at the sudden cold and scrambled upright.
"Geez, you could've just said 'good morning' like a normal person."
Tayuya scoffed. "Yeah, well, I ain't normal. Now get your dumb ass up, shrimp."