Escape from Konoha.

Their personalities are completely different from those of traditional Hyuga clan ninjas.

When Shiraishi refused, Ayane simply smiled and said nothing.

Next, Shiraishi followed in Ayane's footsteps and strolled around Konoha Village.

For Shiraishi, this was simply a relaxing stroll outside, though he didn't understand why women suddenly became so enthusiastic about activities like shopping...

However, there are significant differences between men and women in terms of physiology and psychology, so let's consider this a meaningful behavior.

The weather at the end of August is always so hot and humid. Even though the hottest part of the day has passed, the afternoon sun is still very glaring.

The Land of Fire is a country with four distinct seasons, and Konoha Village, where people live in this country, is no exception.

Because it was during wartime, there were very few active ninjas to be seen on the streets of Konoha.

Aside from ninjas like Shiraishi who are temporarily staying in the village for special reasons, there are others who genuinely need to remain in the village to protect its safety.

From Shiraishi's perspective, Konoha Village's prosperity was actually quite low, but compared to the overall environment of the ninja world, its internal peace was already a stroke of luck.

Ayane didn't want to buy many things; they were mostly decorative items that Shiraishi wasn't particularly interested in.

Watching Ayane pick and choose in the shops, she was a very cute girl even from the side.

Her skin was as white as snow, and her long, straight black hair, which covered her back, shimmered with a jet-black luster when exposed to the sunlight.

Shiraishi looked around and immediately saw a gray and white cat lazily lying on the opposite wall. Its languid posture made it seem as if it had just woken up from a sweet dream, and it raised one of its front paws to lick itself.

It looks perfectly normal.

Shiraishi scratched his head, and just as he was about to take a step forward, Ayane's voice came from behind him: "What's wrong?"

"Ah, I'm looking at cats."

Shiraishi turned his head and answered.

"Kitty?"

Ayane followed Shiraishi's gaze and saw that the opposite wall was completely empty; she couldn't see any cats at all.

"They've already left."

This is terrible.

"Honestly, what's so interesting about cats?"

Ayane's tone was somewhat dissatisfied.

"What, do you hate cats?"

"I wouldn't say I hate them, but I don't like them either. If I had to choose a pet, a dog would be better."

Shiraishi nodded. Indeed, in all likelihood, he also preferred keeping dogs.

The Inuzuka clan runs a ninja dog shop in the village. Because the dogs are much more expensive than ordinary pet dogs and their food is very luxurious, very few ninjas buy or adopt them.

I can go take a look another day.

Ninja dogs...that sounds really cool.

Most importantly, dogs have a keen sense of smell, which can be quite effective when necessary.

"Because dog meat tastes very good, but cat meat tastes very bad."

Ayane added another sentence, as if she had done a lot of research on this.

Upon hearing this, Shiraishi immediately abandoned his plan to raise a ninja dog.

I feel like it will end up in Ayane's stomach the day I buy it.

"Where else are we going next?"

Bai Shi asked.

"I want to buy some new clothes. I feel like I really need to change into new clothes every month now, they're too tight. I felt the same way during the last mission, my chest felt very tight."

Ayane gave a wry smile and patted her chest, which already showed promising potential.

"..."

Shiraishi didn't know how to respond.

I had no choice but to comply with Ayane's wishes and go shopping for new clothes with her.

As Baishi walked, he realized something was wrong. This road... seemed like he had been here with Liuli yesterday.

Sure enough, the clothing store that Liuli and I visited yesterday was right in front of us.

However, the person who greeted him at the clothing store was not Mr. Fujimura, but a young woman he didn't recognize.

She has a petite figure, shoulder-length brown short hair, and a great figure and face.

Shiraishi remembered that Fujimura had said yesterday that this was the shop of his current girlfriend, and that this woman was Fujimura's girlfriend.

Shiraishi glanced at her but didn't pay much attention.

"Welcome, please take your time looking around."

The female shop owner smiled kindly.

"OK, thanks."

Ayane nodded to the female shop owner and began selecting clothes inside the shop.

"By the way, Shiraishi-kun, what color underwear do you think would suit me best?"

"Why are you asking me this? Just buy whatever color you like."

Bai Shi turned his head away.

"So, is white better, or black?"

Ayane stood there, looking thoughtful.

"I already said, if you like it, just buy it. There's no need to take my opinion into consideration."

"So, Shiraishi-kun prefers other colors? Pinkish-white? Or a more vibrant purple?"

"Where do you get the idea that I'm expressing an opinion?"

Shiraishi stared at Ayane speechlessly.

Ayane looked troubled and said, "But we girls don't necessarily choose clothes for ourselves."

Then, her smile became meaningful.

"Then white will do."

Shiraishi readily offered his opinion.

"I see. Hmm, white will do then."

Ayane asked the shop owner to take down the lingerie she had her eye on and pack it in an elegant bag.

Shiraishi continued to look outside, but this time he didn't see a cat.

Immediately afterwards, she noticed someone patting her shoulder; it was Ayane.

"Shiraishi-kun, are you spacing out again?"

"I'm watching cats."

"How about my suggestion from earlier?"

Ayane looked over with her pure, innocent gaze.

"A proposal? What proposal?"

Perhaps he missed something while focusing on the cat; Shiraishi looked puzzled.

"The clothes I wore last year for Chinese New Year are a bit too small. I'd like you to help me find some new styles."

New Year's? Is it another kimono?

White Stone started to feel pain.

Like the Uchiha, the Hyuga clan is a ninja clan that highly values ​​tradition.

Every New Year, women wear elaborate kimonos to symbolize bidding farewell to the old year and welcoming the new, and to participate in the clan's annual festival.

"Just pick one of these."

“That’s an important annual festival, how can we just pick one? But I did have my eye on one, that one.”

Looking in the direction Ayane pointed, there was a white dress with pink cherry blossom patterns. At first glance, Shiraishi felt that it would fit Ayane perfectly.

Shiraishi nodded and said, "It's pretty good, let's take this one."

He would never, under any circumstances, say that he bought these clothes as a gift for a girl.

"Does Shiraishi-kun also think this one is nice? Then let's take this one."

Ayane was happy to ask the shopkeeper to take the kimono down, but she suddenly clutched her stomach, looking uncomfortable.

"what happened?"

"I ate too much at lunch and my stomach hurts a bit now. Sorry, could you wait here for a while, Shiraishi-kun? I'll be right back."

Shiraishi nodded without giving it much thought.

However, half an hour after Ayane left, she still hadn't returned, and Shiraishi frowned.

The female shop owner had already packed up the kimono that Ayane had chosen and placed it with her underwear, waiting for her to come back and pay.

But... why is the female shop owner's expression getting stranger and stranger?

Is it because you're afraid they won't pay?

Just as Shiraishi was wondering why Ayane hadn't returned yet, a passerby walked in, handed Shiraishi a note, and said, "A little girl asked me to give this to you."

The passerby left after saying that.

"..."

Shiraishi suddenly had a bad feeling.

Open the note and you'll see a message written on it—

I'm sorry, Shiraishi-kun, someone from the clan suddenly came looking for me, so I have to go back now. Could you please pay for the clothes for me first? I'll pay you back later. If possible, it would be even better if you could hand them over to me in person during the New Year. I'll wear them for you then.