A few days later.
The morning sun filtered through the curtains, splashing warmth across the room. Menma stirred from his slumber, rubbing his bleary eyes. Outside, the world was alive with the scent of spring; the cherry blossom tree in the courtyard was in full bloom, and a few stray pink petals drifted through the window, settling gently on his pillow.
Yawning, Menma rolled out of bed and stepped onto the balcony in his pajamas.
"Young Master Menma, breakfast is ready!"
Down in the courtyard, Kotona was sweeping fallen leaves. She looked up at the second-floor window and offered a kind, maternal greeting.
"Coming, Aunt Kotona," Menma called back, his voice still thick with the laziness of a morning lie-in.
After a quick wash, he swapped his pajamas for a set of casual clothes and headed downstairs. In the kitchen, Aunt Yuka had already set the table. The steam rising from the bowls carried a mouth-watering aroma.
Menma sat down and enjoyed his meal. As he finished, he turned to the two servants. "Don't worry about lunch for me today."
With that, he headed out for a stroll.
Menma's house sat on the same street as the Hyuga compound. As he stepped out, he immediately noticed two Branch House guards stationed at the main gate.
Since the "incident" a few days prior, the Hyuga had drastically tightened security. Historically, they had never felt the need to post guards at the front entrance of their own ancestral home.
Though several days had passed, the village of Konoha remained largely unaffected. The battle had been contained within the Hyuga walls, leaving the rest of the village in the dark. Only the Special Jounin and higher-ups who participated that night knew the grim details.
To the average civilian and low-ranking shinobi, it simply looked like the Hyuga clan was becoming more recluse and disciplined. Unlike the arrogant Uchiha, the Hyuga still maintained a relatively friendly reputation among the populace.
"Ohayou, Menma-kun!"
A familiar voice rang out from ahead. Menma, hands in his pockets, looked up to see little Hinata standing at the intersection. Her fingers were twisted together nervously, and a faint blush dusted her cheeks.
Seeing her shy demeanor, Menma knew this was the gentle, introverted Hinata, not the fiery "big sister" persona she sometimes manifested.
"Morning, Hinata." Menma walked over and affectionately ruffled her hair, gesturing to her height. "You've grown a little taller again, haven't you?"
"U-um!" Hinata's face turned a shade deeper red, steam practically rising from her head.
As they walked toward the park, Menma could sense two Hyuga shinobi trailing them from the shadows. They were significantly stronger than Hinata's previous guard, Tokuma; one of them was easily at the level of a Special Jounin.
It seemed that after the lesson of having four elders' eyes plucked out, the clan was taking no more chances with the Main House heiress. Those four elders were now effectively crippled; the clan's hope was now pinned entirely on the next generation.
At the park, Naruto sat alone on a swing, watching children play in a distant sandpit with a look of profound boredom. Due to the parents' lingering resentment and fear, the area around Naruto remained a "dead zone"—even if the other swings and slides were empty, no child dared approach him.
"Oi, brat. Space-out time is over."
Menma kept his hands in his pockets and gave Naruto's swing a sudden shove with his foot, sending him swaying.
"Menma-niichan! Hinata!" Naruto caught the ropes, stumbling slightly as he beamed with surprise.
Naruto wasn't yet of school age, so his days were spent wandering the village or playing in his secret base in the forest. Between Monday and Friday, Menma was usually "busy"—either practicing ninjutsu at home, managing affairs in the Land of Stars, or conducting research. It was only on weekends that his main body returned to play with his brother.
Hinata was in a similar boat, smothered by a heavy schedule of clan lessons. Free time was a rare luxury.
"Hey, hey! What are we doing today?" Naruto asked, eyes full of anticipation.
The group was an odd mix: Menma was an "old soul" in a child's body, Hinata was a reserved girl, and Naruto was a ball of chaotic energy. Their options for play were limited.
In spring, they usually went fishing or had picnics; summer was for catching cicadas; autumn for crayfish; and winter for snowmen. After a brief discussion, they decided to head to their secret base by the Naka River.
The three of them chatted and laughed as they made their way toward the village exit. Naruto did most of the talking, chirping away about various topics while Menma offered the occasional dry remark. Hinata followed quietly, her gaze constantly lingering on the back of Menma's head.
"Waaaah!"
Naruto was mid-gesticulation, describing a "cool, grumpy Uchiha kid" he'd seen by the river, when he slammed straight into someone. Both Naruto and the stranger recoiled, tumbling onto the ground in a heap of limbs.
Menma looked over. He saw a shock of red hair spilling out—a child who looked to be about their age had collided with Naruto.
A middle-aged man stepped forward quickly, helping both Naruto and the red-haired child to their feet.
"Are you alright, little one?" the man asked. His voice was warm, carrying the weight of experience.
Naruto rubbed his backside and looked up at the man, then at the child he'd knocked down. Recalling Menma's frequent lectures on manners, he blurted out, "S-sorry!"
"No harm done. Amaru wasn't watching the path either," the man said, resting a hand on the red-haired child's head. "Amaru, apologize to them."
"Yes, Sensei," the child—Amaru—replied. She tied a black cloth around her head like a bandana and gave Naruto a reluctant look. "Sorry. I wasn't paying attention."
Naruto grinned, patting Amaru on the shoulder with his usual lack of boundaries. "Eh? I haven't seen you guys in the village before. Are you traveling merchants, Mister?"
Menma walked over and promptly thwacked Naruto on the back of the head.
"Ow! What was that for, Menma-niichan?!"
"Idiot. Amaru is a girl," Menma sighed, looking at his foolish brother.
"A-a girl?!" Naruto's jaw dropped. He looked closer at Amaru. Though her skin was tanned and her clothes were gender-neutral, her long red hair and the delicate features of her face were unmistakably feminine.
"Hahaha! Truly a spirited child of Konoha," the man laughed heartily. He offered a polite bow. "Greetings. My name is Shennong. I am a wandering physician. I've come to Konoha to purchase some medical supplies and resources."
He then gestured to the pouting Amaru. "And this is my apprentice, Amaru."
Naruto straightened up, flustered. "H-hello! Mister! I'm Uzumaki Naruto!"
"I'm Menma. I'm this idiot's friend," Menma said, thumbing toward Naruto.
"I... I am Hyuga Hinata," little Hinata whispered from behind Menma, peeking out shyly.