Chapter Twenty: Truly a Great Help

Originally, Yu Higashino had planned to catch a bit more sleep, but with his improved physical condition, he found that even with little rest, he could still maintain his energy. So, when Naruto woke him, he wasn't the least bit drowsy. Instead of going back to bed, he decided to head straight to the kitchen to prepare breakfast.

Yesterday morning had been noodles, and so was dinner, so today Yu Higashino wanted to make something different. Fortunately, he’d bought flour the day before—why not make dumplings?

Mixing the dough, letting it rest, rolling out the wrappers, chopping the filling, folding the dumplings, boiling them—by the time he’d finished all these steps, more than an hour had passed.

Carrying two large plates of dumplings downstairs, Yu Higashino was immediately greeted by Naruto, who bounded over eagerly.

“Yu, what’s this?” Naruto asked.

“Dumplings,” Yu replied. There were dumpling shops in Konoha Village, but Naruto probably hadn’t encountered them before.

“Are they good?” Naruto wondered.

“They should be,” Yu said.

Placing the plates on the counter, Yu thought for a moment, then went back upstairs to prepare two servings of dipping sauce.

When he returned, there was another person in the room—Ayano Natsukawa.

“Good morning, Yu!” Ayano greeted him. Just as she had the day before, she was cheerful, polite, and gentle—so much so that it was almost impossible to connect her with the person from last night.

“Morning,” Yu nodded in response. “We haven’t had breakfast yet. After we eat, we’ll come help you with the renovation, all right?”

“That’s fine,” she replied.

After a brief hesitation, Yu asked, “Have you eaten?”

“Well… not yet.”

“Then join us.”

Without waiting for her answer, Yu went upstairs and made another portion of dipping sauce, bringing down an extra pair of chopsticks as well.

The three of them sat together at the counter, called out a cheerful “Let’s dig in!” and began to eat.

Yu tried the first dumpling, Naruto followed his example, and Ayano picked up her chopsticks last.

“Yu, these are delicious!” Naruto said enthusiastically.

“They really are,” Ayano agreed. “Even better than the ones I had at the shop last time.”

“Yu, you can make so many tasty dishes—if you opened a restaurant, you’d make a fortune. Unlike now, when there’s hardly any business,” Naruto remarked.

“But we do have business,” Yu replied. “The neighbors around here all support the shop in their own ways.”

Indeed, as Yu said, the Odd Jobs Shop’s business mainly depended on the support of their neighbors.

Ayano Natsukawa was a prime example. She could have done the renovation herself, though it would have taken more time. Yet, wanting to open her shop quickly and to support Yu’s business, she ultimately chose to commission his Odd Jobs Shop.

“But it’s been so long, and you’ve only had one commission,” Naruto grumbled, clearly liking the restaurant idea.

“It’s all right. I get enough from renting out my property to live comfortably. Besides, this shop has been passed down through the family—I don’t want to give it up.”

There was something Yu didn’t say: keeping the shop open gave him a way to receive commissions, and by completing them, he had a chance to acquire new skills.

“Okay,” Naruto conceded, and went back to his dumplings.

Yu turned his attention to Ayano. “Ayano, how do you plan to decorate your snack shop?”

“The previous shop mainly targeted adults. After I took over, I wanted it to appeal more to children, so I just need to make a few simple changes to the style.”

“Oh, I see.” Yu nodded thoughtfully, then asked, “Do you like children, Ayano?”

“Not exactly. It’s just that relationships between adults are too complicated. Children aren’t always kind, but at least they’re simple.” Ayano seemed to recall something as she spoke, her words a little enigmatic.

“All right,” Yu said, and like Naruto, started eating in silence.

Three people, two plates of dumplings—it took only about ten minutes to finish everything. Yu sent Naruto off to wash the dishes. Ayano insisted on helping, and Yu didn’t object.

Once the dishes were done, the three of them carried the renovation materials they’d bought the day before next door to the snack shop.

That’s right—the snack shop was right next door, though separated by a small alley.

Upon entering, Yu’s first impression was how dull the place was. Everything looked old-fashioned, with no sense of liveliness.

“Yu, here are the renovation plans,” Ayano handed him a sketchbook, seven or eight pages thick, each page marked with detailed notes and clearly drawn by her own hand.

“No problem,” Yu glanced through and found the work would be manageable.

They got to work, first covering the snacks and displays with protective film, then painting the walls.

Thanks to a special dye, the paint dried quickly. Once it was ready, it was time to add murals—this part had to be done by Ayano herself, since Yu and Naruto’s artistic abilities left much to be desired.

By the time the walls were done, it was nearly noon. They grabbed a quick lunch, then went back to work.

The lights were replaced, the containers for the snacks were swapped out, and the cabinets received a fresh coat of paint.

When all was finished, the snack shop was transformed—not exactly luxurious, but lively and fresh, with a style that children would surely love.

They almost forgot—they had a child right there.

“Naruto, what do you think of the place?” Ayano asked expectantly.

“It’s great!” Naruto said. He wasn’t much for words, but his expression left no doubt that he liked it.

“And you, Yu?”

“Not bad,” Yu replied simply, but he was satisfied as well.

“I like it too. Let’s leave it as it is for now,” Ayano said, shifting her attention to Yu. “Yu, I’ll pay your commission now.”

“Sure…” Yu did a quick calculation. “There’s still a bit left from yesterday’s renovation budget—just pay me five hundred ryo.”

“All right.”

“Do you want to see the receipts? I can go home and get them.”

“No need. I trust you, Yu.”

Ayano handed over the five hundred ryo without hesitation.

“Thank you for your patronage,” Yu said.

“No, I should be the one thanking you, Yu! You were a huge help!” Ayano replied.

Just then, Yu seemed to hear a “ding.” He knew—a new skill had just been unlocked.

“You’re welcome,” Yu said as he opened his skill panel.