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If he had seen such a story in his previous life, he might have sighed at most. Then, he would have continued to the next one without a ripple of emotion in his heart.
However, experiencing it personally felt different. It was clearer and more touching.
At the same time, he knew that stories like this one between the two sisters happened almost every day in Konoha.
This was only the tip of the iceberg. One could vaguely see the weight of the entire iceberg. Beneath that towering mass of ice were pairs of longing eyes and many ordinary stories.
The students from the outdoor class soon returned.
A young girl who was dressed simply and looked somewhat haggard seemed out of place among the others.
She sat back in her seat and saw the gift box on the desk. She froze when she read the card attached to it. It said: "Kana, a late happy birthday. I am sorry."
Tears immediately erupted. Her lips trembled as she bit them, and her hands shook while she gripped the gift box tightly.
She was silent, yet sadness filled the entire classroom.
A few close classmates went forward to ask what was wrong. They tried to comfort and soothe her.
Maruyama Kifu just stood silently outside the classroom. He leaned against the wall and watched the scene.
He reached into his pocket and remembered that he did not have any cigarettes.
He did not intend to go inside.
The girl should have expected this outcome long ago. She had only been waiting for a result. Now, she needed to vent her emotions. Then, she would keep her sister in her heart and study hard. She had to ensure she did not meet the same end as her sister.
Comfort was for ordinary people.
Ninjas did not need it.
It seemed cruel, but it was no exaggeration to say that more than half of the students in Konoha had similar experiences.
Even the brilliant genius Kakashi had witnessed the death of his heroic father when he was only five years old.
The entire ninja world was a deformed world pieced together by sad stories.
"Eh? Kifu-senpai?"
A sudden, surprised voice reached his ears.
He looked up and saw a teenager wearing goggles. The boy looked a bit like he had chuunibyou.
Kifu paused for a moment. "Obito, is this your classroom?"
Uchiha Obito. He was the mastermind who would later shake the entire ninja world and start the Fourth Shinobi World War by himself.
Right now, he was just an ordinary dead-last.
Seeing him made Kifu remember something. 'Did Uchiha Obito not turn to darkness because of the death of his companion, Nohara Rin?'
Tragedies happened every day.
For some people, their tragedy was destined from the very beginning.
"Yeah! What happened to Kana?" Obito asked curiously. He was very friendly and put his arm around Kifu's shoulder.
Kifu just shook his head and did not speak.
The students continued to return. Some recognized him and greeted him politely. Others who did not know him just nodded. Everyone was generally respectful.
"Kifu-senpai," someone else greeted him.
Kifu finally moved when he saw who it was.
He grabbed the person and gave him a fright.
"Asuma, cigarettes and a light," Kifu said directly.
Asuma's expression stiffened. He glanced at a cute girl with red eyes out of the corner of his eye. He gave a dry laugh.
"Uh... cough, cough. Kifu-senpai, stop joking. I do not smoke, so how would I have a light?"
'Do I not know you?'
The one who learned to smoke in the woods behind the school and choked while mimicking the old man Sarutobi Hiruzen was exactly you, Sarutobi Asuma.
After that, he had become a regular in those woods. The cigarette butts everywhere made things difficult for Old Man Tabu, the gatekeeper.
As expected, Kifu found a box of cigarettes and matches in the boy's pocket.
He skillfully flicked one out and struck a match with a hiss.
The tip of the cigarette glowed red. He took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. He exhaled the heaviness in his heart along with the smoke.
He felt better.
However, Asuma's expression remained frozen.
The familiar gaze behind him felt like thorns in his back.
Uchiha Obito started making a scene next to them. "Oh! Asuma, you are so young but you carry cigarettes!"
If Obito knew, it meant the entire class would know. No, the entire school would know.
Asuma thought of his serious old man and his body trembled.
"Kifu?"
The teacher arrived.
Kifu threw the cigarette on the ground. He extinguished it with his foot without leaving a trace. "Teacher Fukuda," he called out.
Fukuda Gen was his former teacher. He was also the teacher for Obito, Asuma, and the others. Although they were not very close, they knew each other.
Fukuda Gen glanced at the cigarette butt on the ground. He then glared at the dejected Asuma and smiled. "It is good that you are here. Why don't you tell them about your experiences after becoming a ninja? Let these little guys know the cruelty of being a shinobi."
Kifu looked at Kana, who was resting her head on the desk with her shoulders shaking. He pursed his lips and shook his head.
"I think... they already know."
Following his gaze, Fukuda Gen also saw Kana. Given his experience, he quickly understood the situation.
He silently patted Kifu's shoulder. "Smoke less."
Once someone became a ninja, they had to be responsible for themselves. Although Kifu was not very old, Fukuda Gen did not scold him.
"Mm," Kifu replied with a hum.