Fate Wheel | Naruto

𝟏𝟎𝟖| "Lurking around the corner"

CHAPTER 108 — LURKING AROUND THE CORNER
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It was another ordinary day at the bakery.

The morning started with a single, calla lily placed at Kazumi's bedside table for her to wake up to as the sun breached the sky's barriers. Ever since her Shinobi duties had discontinued, her days were already planned ahead. In a way, she liked this sense of normalcy and quietude. She never knew what to expect on a mission that required constant alert and ability to sense danger from miles way. It was a strange sort of different, but refreshing nonetheless.

After they had dropped Kazumi off to school, her mother had taken her to a local diner where they enjoyed breakfast together. Kei had told her about the week-long mission Kakashi was assigned to and expressed his condolences in not being able to tell her himself. She wasn't mad, she understood. Being a Shinobi was expeditious and often interrupted family life, but they made it work. They always did. Whether it was through apologetic dinners, movie nights or kept promises.

"Thank you for your purchase." She smiled at the customer. "I hope you come again!" Handing them their spare change, she watched as they walked off happily munching the muffin she'd helped prep hours ago.

"Dawn!"

Dawn craned her head over her shoulder. "Yeah, Tomi?"

"Can you help me unload the boxes at the back?!"

"Sure!"

"Stop shouting, Mimi! Your voice will disappear!"

"Sorry, Nana!" Hitomi screamed back.

Nana swapped with Dawn at the till, and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Give her a whack on the head for me, will you?"

Dawn smiled. "Of course, Nana."

Making her way into the storage room at the back, Hitomi sighed in relief at the sight of Dawn while simultaneously balancing four boxes in her arms. She chuckled at the sight and removed two of the boxes from her hold and placed them on the floor.

"Thanks, Dawn- ow! Hey! What was that for?" Hitomi rubbed the spot Dawn had whacked.

She shrugged unapologetically. "Nana told me to do it."

"You could've toned it down on your freakish Ninja strength." Hitomi scowled.

"You're a big girl." Dawn teased, before she began to unload the supplies from the boxes to the table in front of them. "Are you excited for tonight?"

"Excited?" She snickered, her eyes lighting up. "I'm ecstatic! It's the five year anniversary of the Fugishima bakery ever since I'd taken over with you, Sasuke and Jiro and with all the funds I've saved up, it's almost enough to open up a bakery in Ame."

Dawn smiled softly at the look of pure excitement on her best friend's face. "You're so close to fulfilling your dream, huh?"

"Don't be silly." Hitomi unpackaged the balloons and streamers. "My dream has already been accomplished. I have a family now and an annoying sister." She shot Dawn a teasing look. "And I have the Fugishima bakery, even if I don't introduce sale in Ame, this is more than enough for me. You're more than enough for me, Dawn."