Since last week, Nohara Rin had noticed that the glass in the Shimizu household had changed.
When she passed by the Shimizu residence from the outside, she could see that these windows were completely opaque, offering no glimpse of the interior whatsoever. But now, observing the outside from within, everything was crystal clear—albeit a bit low to the ground. Still, it allowed her to take in quite a bit of scenery.
This kind of two-way glass was something Nohara Rin, born to a commoner family, could never afford. She had seen similar glass before but had no idea how much it cost. Just thinking about it, though, she knew it had to be exorbitantly expensive.
None of the neighbors near Rin's home had glass like this. Even in Konohagakure, the Hidden Leaf Village, the gap between rich and poor remained stark.
The most obvious example was the hospital. Don't be fooled by the bustling crowds and endless stream of patients every day—many of them couldn't even afford proper treatment.
Members of the Nara clan were primarily responsible for maintaining the smooth operation of Konoha's entire medical system. They also controlled a vast deer forest, where the antlers of the sacred deer were a rare and precious medicinal resource. This meant that Konoha Hospital had to procure its supplies from the Nara clan.
Working at the hospital, Shimizu witnessed the staggering transactions between the Nara clan and the hospital every day. Every so often, someone would haul over a shipment of medicinal materials. The hospital's director, Sarutobi Biwako, would even occasionally host lavish dinners for the Nara clan members.
The Nara clan operated as a family enterprise, driven by their own interests, and the prices for their materials were steep. As the hospital's costs rose, so too did the fees for treatment—naturally, like water flowing downhill. In the original story, there were plenty of examples of patients who couldn't afford care. And that was just the tip of the iceberg.
Every ninja clan controlled its own slice of the pie—businesses carved out from the very beginning, when the deck was first shuffled. The Uchiha had extra channels for ninja tools, able to procure them wholesale. In other words, the Uchiha were arms dealers, one of many ventures they ran. The Inuzuka clan monopolized the trade of ninja beasts—dogs being the most commonly used summoned creatures. Every other ninja clan was the same: aristocratic families with their own exclusive trade routes, untouchable by commoners, separated by a chasm of quality and status.
"It's pricey, sure, but worth every penny," Shimizu said, his tone carrying a subtle implication.
Unfortunately, Nohara Rin didn't catch the hidden meaning in his words. Shimizu didn't mind her oblivious look. Soon enough… Rin would understand the purpose of these windows.
Shimizu's gaze shifted to Rin's new outfit. It was still the standard black ninja attire, but the fabric looked noticeably softer than before, lacking the cheap feel of her old clothes. She must have saved up for it herself after becoming a full-fledged ninja. The black combat gear clung to her form, perfectly outlining her curves.
Rin's figure wasn't as exaggerated—or even distorted—as Suzumebachi's after her curse-seal transformation. Instead, Rin's proportions were strikingly balanced. Her waist curved naturally from her chest down to her hips, forming a graceful arc.
Feeling Shimizu's appraising stare, Rin suddenly felt like an item on a shop shelf, up for customers to pick over and compare. Her eyelashes fluttered, and her eyes grew a little misty. If it weren't for the nightmare that had started that day, if Shimizu had dared to look at her like this before, she would've turned on her heel and left without a second thought.
But now…
"Put this on."
Thankfully, Shimizu didn't prolong her discomfort. From somewhere, he produced a long black strip of fabric.
Rin stared blankly at the black band, unsure of its purpose. Where was she supposed to tie it? She couldn't think of any part of her body where this would fit. It didn't look like a belt, nor a headband.
"I… don't know how," she said softly, her cheeks tinged with a faint blush.
No matter what Shimizu was referring to, she was clueless—like she was out of touch with the times. Was she just too old-fashioned?
"Oh, I can teach you," Shimizu said kindly.
He brought the black strip to her eyes and gently tied it, covering her vision entirely. Rin felt a sudden pang of unease. So this was a blindfold.
With her sight completely blocked, she couldn't fathom what Shimizu was up to. What was the point of putting it on? She knew some ninja trained their hearing by blindfolding themselves, but she doubted Shimizu had such benevolent intentions.
Suddenly, she felt a hot breath against her neck. Strands of hair falling by her ear were lightly lifted, and a magnetic voice sounded beside her.
"Walk forward."
A shiver ran through her, goosebumps prickling her skin. Memories of everything Shimizu had done to her flooded back, and that suffocating feeling enveloped her once more. Her head drooped as if all her strength had been sapped away. Like a zombie, she stiffly shuffled forward.
Groping through the darkness, she relied on Shimizu's occasional corrections to stay on course, never veering off by even an inch. After about a dozen steps, Shimizu told her to stop.
Rin had no idea where she was now, but the way her breath bounced back against her face told her there was a "wall" in front of her.
"Rin, don't breathe so fast," Shimizu said suddenly.
His words made her want to crawl into a hole from embarrassment.
"Fire Style: Fire Hand."
As Shimizu spoke, Rin felt a wave of warmth.
"Obito, you need to rest sometimes."
Uchiha Tekka, who had brought Uchiha Shisui back home, ran into Obito. Seeing Obito's dedication at the Third Training Ground had moved him, and he stepped forward to pat Obito on the back.
"Don't worry, I'll recover soon enough and surpass you," Obito said with a grin, brushing it off.
Tekka didn't know what to say to that smile. He glanced around, searching for a new topic.
"Hey, why does the Shimizu house have black walls?"
As Tekka and Obito walked through the Uchiha compound, he suddenly noticed how different the Shimizu residence looked from before.
"I don't know," Obito said, shaking his head.
He hadn't paid much attention to it. Why would he stare at Shimizu's house for no reason? Was he that bored?
"Also, those are windows, Tekka. What's wrong with your eyes?" Obito teased.
"No way, that's a wall," Tekka retorted, shaking his head. Was Obito's grief giving him presbyopia?
"It's a wall!"
The two began to bicker.
"You don't believe me? Let's go closer and check," Tekka said stubbornly, dragging Obito along.
"Fine, let's go," Obito replied with bravado.
A faint warmth flowed through him. He knew Tekka was just trying to distract him from his sadness.
Arguing playfully, they headed toward the Shimizu house.
Meanwhile, on the second floor, Shimizu's eyes shifted into the three-tomoe Sharingan. He raised an eyebrow—Obito was coming over on his own.
Originally, he had planned for Rin to witness a different scene. But this worked out just as well.
With a slight smile, he quickened the rhythm of his Fire Style: Fire Hand.
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