Chapter Eleven: A New Commission

"How about we go back to the place we played on the swings yesterday?" Naruto suggested after thinking for a moment.

"No," Yu Higashino replied immediately. "We already played on the swings yesterday... Unless you want to commission me again."

"Then no swings."

Naruto's attitude made Yu Higashino feel a sense of foreboding in his heart. Was his plan to endlessly practice skills about to fall through?

Before Yu Higashino could continue pondering, Naruto spoke again. "Then let's go fishing."

"Fishing?" Yu Higashino was a bit puzzled. "Why would a kid like you enjoy fishing?"

"What's so strange about it? We can grill the fish we catch and eat them! Brother Yu, don't tell me you don't even know fish can be eaten?" Naruto deliberately put on a look as if he was watching an idiot.

Seeing Naruto's annoying expression, Yu Higashino decided to indulge him—a fist landed on Naruto's head.

For a moment, Yu Higashino seemed to see a puff of white smoke rise from Naruto's head where he was struck.

How bizarre...

"Alright, let's go fishing then," Yu Higashino agreed.

Truth be told, he rather liked fishing himself, though he always came back empty-handed.

"Great! Let's go fishing!" Naruto was full of spirit. "Brother Yu, should we see who can catch more fish?"

"No, not interested."

Naruto looked disappointed for a moment, then quickly regained his enthusiasm. "Fine, we won't compete, but you'll see my fishing skills in action!"

"Do you have fishing gear?" Yu Higashino ignored Naruto's foolish antics and asked.

"Fishing gear? What's that?"

"A fishing rod!"

"Just tie a hook to a branch, that's good enough."

"Do you have a hook?"

"Just make one out of a piece of wire."

"..."

"Brother Yu."

"Yes?"

"You don't even know how to fish. How silly!"

Yu Higashino glanced at Naruto.

Bang! Another puff of white smoke rose from Naruto's head.

"You'll take care of the fishing rod," Yu Higashino said.

"Alright, but what will you do, Brother Yu?"

"I'll wait for you to finish the fishing rod, then we'll start fishing."

"I knew it! Brother Yu, you're always slacking off..."

Seeing Yu Higashino's indifferent gaze cast his way, Naruto immediately jumped off the chair in front of the counter.

"I have a few hooks made at home. I'll go get them first!"

Yu Higashino didn't respond, quietly watching Naruto dart away.

"Sigh, spending all day playing with kids, and I actually find it enjoyable. I'm really regressing," Yu Higashino couldn't help but sigh.

Not long after Naruto left, while Yu Higashino sat at the counter reading manga, he suddenly heard movement at the door. He looked up.

"Brother Yu." The familiar address came, but the person entering was not Naruto—it was Ayano Natsukawa.

"Back again? Is there a problem with the documents from before?"

"No, no," Ayano Natsukawa hurriedly waved her hands. "I have something I want to commission you for, Brother Yu."

"A commission?" Yu Higashino perked up slightly. "What kind of commission?"

"Still about the shop. I'm planning to continue running the snack store, but I want to redo the interior and was hoping you'd help, Brother Yu."

"Sure," Yu Higashino thought this commission sounded easy, his interest rising.

"Come, sit and let's talk."

Faced with a rare customer, Yu Higashino became unusually attentive. He got up, dragged a chair over to the counter, and sat opposite Ayano Natsukawa.

"What do you need me to do specifically?" Yu Higashino brought over the paper and pen that had been set aside.

"I already have a renovation plan and a shopping list. All you need to do, Brother Yu, is buy the items and help a little with the renovation."

"Oh, errands and manual labor, is it?" Yu Higashino realized the paper and pen were unnecessary.

"Um... you could say that."

"Here's our shop's price list, take a look," Yu Higashino said, sliding a price list across the table to Ayano Natsukawa.

Ayano Natsukawa picked up the list. It contained prices for various types of commissions.

Errands
Commissions finished within half a day: 500 ryo
Commissions finished within a day: 1000 ryo
Commissions finished within three days: 5000 ryo
...

Manual Labor
1000 ryo per day

Ayano Natsukawa read through the two items she was interested in, but didn't stop, her curiosity prompting her to read further.

Finding Things
Five percent of the item's value; no charge if not found

Child, pet, or plant care
Compensation depends on the situation

...

Yu Higashino saw Ayano Natsukawa engrossed in reading and didn't interrupt, waiting quietly out of boredom.

Because he was bored, Yu Higashino unconsciously focused on the pen he was holding.

He remembered how he used to love spinning pens, though he was never very good at it. He even studied tutorials online, but only managed to learn them in his head, not with his hands.

Now, with a new body and skill enhancements, perhaps...

Yu Higashino tried it out. At first he was awkward, but gradually, his movements became more fluid.

With his swordsmanship skills reinforcing his dexterity, his fingers were now nimble. Moves he once knew only in theory now came easily.

The pen danced agilely between his fingers, flipping and spinning—an impressive sight.

"Brother Yu, buying everything should only take half a..." Ayano Natsukawa started to say, then suddenly paused, noticing the pen spinning in Yu Higashino's hand.

There were classmates at the ninja academy who could spin pens well. Ayano Natsukawa remembered how she once envied them and practiced herself, but eventually gave up.

Even among those classmates, none spun as skillfully as Yu Higashino did now.

"Brother Yu, you're amazing," Ayano Natsukawa blurted out.

Then she recalled, when she was little, following Yu Higashino around, she was always saying things like that.

Back then, Yu Higashino had been the brightest among their group of children, but later, they all entered the ninja academy, except Yu Higashino, who lacked ninja talent.

Since then, Yu Higashino had gradually grown distant from them.

It wasn't that they distanced themselves from him, but he began to withdraw from them.

That was also when Yu Higashino seemed to lose his shine. Ayano Natsukawa had seen him many times walking alone with his head down, his face no longer bearing the glow of childhood.

After his parents died, it only got worse.

But today, Ayano Natsukawa noticed Yu Higashino seemed different. That radiance wasn't fully restored, but he seemed to be brightening again.

"I used to practice too, but I could never spin as well as you, Brother Yu." At first, calling him 'Brother Yu' had felt awkward, but now it came naturally.