Shin-chan looked at the flames burning in Guy's eyes. "I'm really tired today. Can we compete tomorrow?"
"Youth cannot wait!" Flames seemed to rise behind Guy. "Today's passion must burn itself out today!"
"Then..." Shin-chan thought for a moment. "Let's compete to see who gets home first."
Guy froze. "Home?"
"Mm." Shin-chan nodded. "Starting from here, let's see who reaches home first."
"A contest of speed and endurance! Youth is endless running!"
Shin-chan raised his hand. "Ready."
Guy bent down, placed both hands on the ground, and assumed a starting posture.
"Start."
Guy shot forward. He was so fast that Shin-chan only saw a green shadow flash past his eyes, and in the blink of an eye, Guy had already reached the street corner.
"Shin-chan, I will win!" Guy's voice drifted over from far away.
"I think I forgot to say whose home." Shin-chan stood where he was and scratched his head. "Oh well. I didn't want to run anyway."
He turned around and slowly walked in the direction of his own home.
When he turned the street corner, Shin-chan saw someone standing under a streetlamp.
Long black hair, dressed in a dark kimono.
Shin-chan moved a little to the left, preparing to go around him.
That person also took a step to the left, just happening to block his path.
"What's wrong with you?" Shin-chan raised his head. "Can you not walk anymore?"
"Nohara Shinnosuke."
Shin-chan blinked. "You know me?"
"I have long heard of your name."
Shin-chan scratched his head. "Long heard of my name? Was the uncle from before called Long Heard?"
"Long heard is not a name," the man said. "It means I have heard of you."
"Heard of me?" Shin-chan pointed at himself. "Are you a ninja too?"
"Shimura Danzō."
"I'm Nohara Shinnosuke." Shin-chan also gave his own name, feeling that this made things fair.
"I know. It is the name being discussed the most in Konoha recently." Danzō's voice had no fluctuation. "You became a genin at five years old, were personally accepted as a disciple by the Third Hokage, were taught by Yūhi Shinku, taught by Maruboshi Kosuke, and now Orochimaru is teaching you."
Shin-chan counted on his fingers. "There's also Big Brother Minato, and Kakashi's dad, and the grand elder from Toru's family, and lots of others. Too many to count."
"You have learned quite a lot," Danzō said, looking at him.
"Sometimes I can't learn it. Sometimes I can."
"What do you do when you can't learn it?"
"Learn it a few more times."
"And if you still can't after learning it many times?"
"Then I rest for a bit, eat something, and learn again."
Danzō suddenly changed the subject. "What do you think of Konoha?"
"Konoha is Konoha." Shin-chan thought about it. "It's my home."
"That's all?"
"Mm." Shin-chan nodded. "There's Mom, Dad, Shiro, Teacher Ibuki, and the dango from the dango shop is really tasty. The big sister at the flower shop gives me little flowers. There are lots and lots of people."
He thought about it and added, "And chocolate sticks."
Danzō nodded and continued asking, "What do you think of the ninja world?"
"What's the ninja world?"
"The world of ninja."
"I only know Konoha." Shin-chan thought for a moment. "I haven't gone to see the others, so I don't know."
"You've never thought about what the outside world is like?"
"Why should I think about it?" Shin-chan's expression was completely honest. "I've never been there, so thinking about it would just be random guessing. Misae said if you randomly think too much, you'll wet the bed at night."
Danzō looked at this child, who had put "wetting the bed" and "the state of the ninja world" into the same answer. His expression did not change at all as he continued asking.
"Then what do you think of the Third Hokage?"
"Grandpa Third is very nice, but he arranged so many study tasks for me. It's so tiring."
"Tiring?"
"Mm." Shin-chan nodded. "I had classes all day today, and yesterday too, and the day before yesterday too."
After saying that, he sighed. "When will I finally get to rest?"
Danzō had stayed in Konoha for so many years and had heard countless evaluations of the Third Hokage, but never had anyone expressed dissatisfaction in front of him by saying, "He gave me too much homework."
"Do you have any other questions?" Shin-chan yawned. "I need to go home. Mom made dinner."
"No."
"Then I'm leaving." Shin-chan walked forward two steps, then turned back to glance at him. "Uncle, do you not have anything to do?"
Danzō's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.
"That's why you're standing by the road asking children questions." Shin-chan completed his own logic. "Next time you're bored, you can come play with me. I know which shop has the tastiest chocolate sticks."
...
When Shin-chan returned home, Hiroshi was sitting cross-legged on the floor, with a map of Konoha Village spread out in front of him.
"Shin-chan, you're back." Hiroshi pushed the map aside. "How was class today?"
"So tiring." Shin-chan collapsed onto the floor. "Teacher Orochimaru talked about so many things. I didn't understand any of them."
"You have to learn because you don't understand."
"You're saying that too." Shin-chan rolled over. "Where's Mom?"
"Your mom went to the hospital for a checkup today. She's still resting." Hiroshi lowered his voice, as if he were sharing an incredible secret. "Come here."
Shin-chan crawled up from the floor and sat down in front of Hiroshi.
"What do you think about having a little sister?"
Shin-chan blinked. "Little sister?"
"Yes."
"The one inside Mom's belly?"
"Yes."
Shin-chan lowered his head, folded his arms in front of his chest, and fell into deep thought.
"But didn't you say before that it might be a little brother?"
Hiroshi waved his hand. "The hospital checkup results came out today. It's a little sister!"
"Will she eat chocolate sticks with me?"
"When she grows a bit older, she can."
"Then..." Shin-chan tilted his head. "What is she doing inside Mom's belly right now?"
Hiroshi was stumped by this question.
"Probably... sleeping?"
"What's my little sister's name?"
Hiroshi lifted his head. "We haven't discussed that yet."
"Then let's call her Chocolate Sister?"
"Rejected."
"Then call her..."
"You cannot name your little sister after snacks." Hiroshi shook his head. "But there is something I need to tell you."
Shin-chan looked at Hiroshi.
"After your little sister is born, the house will become very busy." Hiroshi's tone became a little more serious. "At that time, Dad and Mom might not be able to look after you as much, so you have to learn to take care of yourself."
"I already can." Shin-chan puffed out his chest. "I'm a genin."
"After your little sister comes, you'll be an older brother. An older brother has to learn how to help Dad and Mom take care of his little sister."
Shin-chan thought about it. "What do I have to do to take care of a little sister?"
"For example, helping get her diapers, comforting her when she cries, teaching her to speak when she grows up, and when she's a little older, you can teach her the things you've learned."
"Can I teach her sealing techniques?"
"Too early."
"Then ninjutsu?"
"Also too early."
"Then..." Shin-chan tilted his head. "What can I teach her?"
Hiroshi reached out and pinched Shin-chan's cheeks. "Teach her how to be happy."
Shin-chan blinked.
"You're better at that than anyone."