Shoma stepped onto the quiet, tree-lined street, leaving the relative isolation of the boarding house that had been his home for the past week, and would likely continue to be for the next few years at least. His arrival in Konohagakure had been one of little fanfare, it seemed that nobody noticed nor cared to notice the arrival of a new academy student. He supposed that made sense, considering how many people there were in the village. It seemed he never saw the same person twice, even in the boarding house where it seemed people were constantly in the processes of coming or going.
Not for the first time, Shoma wondered to himself whether he'd made the right choice coming to the village. His existence in his father's tea shop, monotonous as it might be, had at least been predictable, with a clear end and a relatively clear path to getting there. Here, in the village proper, Shoma was never quite sure where he was, much less where he was going.
He began his journey heading North. He'd been South several times already on his way to the Academy, but he wasn't sure what lay to the North of his modest dwelling. His eyes wandered left and right, taking in the sights of Konoha's residential district. It was a day of rest for most of the village, so most people would be either inside with their families or adding to the hustle and bustle of the Oak district. He smiled as he passed an older woman sweeping the front porch of what looked like an old family estate. She smiled back, the brief human contact instantly lifting Shoma's spirits. A jaunty tune found its way to his lips, pronouncing his approach as he continued his stroll.
Shoma continued on like that for several minutes, making a few attempts at enticing a stray dog who was lazily soaking up the sun in an empty lot to follow him, but the old boy wasn't having it. He was quite content where he was.
Kuma would like it here, he thought to himself, remembering fondly his many walks through the forest with the family dog by his side. His whistling took on a slightly more melancholy tone as he wondered how Kuma was doing, if he wondered where Shoma had gone. Yes, the move to Konoha had brought with it no small number of changes, not all of them happy. He hoped that his classes in the Academy and the life they would eventually give him would prove worth the sacrifices. More immediately though, he hoped he might find a friend, furry or otherwise.
Not for the first time, Shoma wondered to himself whether he'd made the right choice coming to the village. His existence in his father's tea shop, monotonous as it might be, had at least been predictable, with a clear end and a relatively clear path to getting there. Here, in the village proper, Shoma was never quite sure where he was, much less where he was going.
He began his journey heading North. He'd been South several times already on his way to the Academy, but he wasn't sure what lay to the North of his modest dwelling. His eyes wandered left and right, taking in the sights of Konoha's residential district. It was a day of rest for most of the village, so most people would be either inside with their families or adding to the hustle and bustle of the Oak district. He smiled as he passed an older woman sweeping the front porch of what looked like an old family estate. She smiled back, the brief human contact instantly lifting Shoma's spirits. A jaunty tune found its way to his lips, pronouncing his approach as he continued his stroll.
Shoma continued on like that for several minutes, making a few attempts at enticing a stray dog who was lazily soaking up the sun in an empty lot to follow him, but the old boy wasn't having it. He was quite content where he was.
Kuma would like it here, he thought to himself, remembering fondly his many walks through the forest with the family dog by his side. His whistling took on a slightly more melancholy tone as he wondered how Kuma was doing, if he wondered where Shoma had gone. Yes, the move to Konoha had brought with it no small number of changes, not all of them happy. He hoped that his classes in the Academy and the life they would eventually give him would prove worth the sacrifices. More immediately though, he hoped he might find a friend, furry or otherwise.