With how much time she had enjoyed roaming around the outdoors, taking in all the sights, sounds, and smells that come with being immersed in nature, Kazumi had honestly neglected spending time within the village and mingling with the people who shared her home. She had spent so much time outside of the village walls, chasing animals through the underbrush with Tomomi, or jumping from tree to tree feeling the breeze in her hair on the way to explore some old ruins they had heard about while passing by strangers that, aside from her parents and her best friend and ninken Tomomi, she really didn't know anyone in the village all that well. Sure she had a couple of friends from the time in the academy, she even knew some of the Jōnin who were her her teachers too, but she really hadn't talked to any of them for an extended period of time since they all became genin. They would pass each other in the streets and exchange greetings, but it was only ever for a fleeting moment, as Kazumi was always rushing through town trying to get done what she needed to for that day to free up the rest of her time for exploring.

This was the day that was going to change. Kazumi resolved that today she was going to spend her time within the city, walking through the market, eating at the restaurants, hoping against hope that maybe she'd make some friends along the way. "I'm going to be put in a squad soon and I don't know a single other ninja in this town!" she thought to herself, "I need to make some friends quick." This was her goal for today, make friends with at least one Leaf shinobi.

So off she went. It was a beautiful day outside, the kind that makes it seem like the world just took a break from anything evil. The sun was high in the sky with nary a cloud to block it, but yet, it's heat was not beating down on the people below. It was accompanied by a cool breeze out of the north, which caused the day to be a perfect balance of warm and cool. The village was a bustle with all manner of people and activities. On days such as this it was no surprise everyone wanted to be outside as much as they could to enjoy it. Everywhere you looked there were adults buying groceries from the market stands, children playing all manner of sports through the streets and alleys, even the academy was holding classes outside today. You could hear the instructors critiquing the students out in the training yard.

Tomomi yelped in excitement as she spied her favorite dish to share with Kazumi. She ran out in front of her partner and turned to give her a look that said "I'm hungry! Come on!" Kazumi just had to laugh and follow her. There wasn't much you could do when Tomomi spotted food. They ran a little ways together up to a little stand that was selling sweet rice cakes. Kazumi bought for small ones, two for each of them and together the walked over to a small table with a pink umbrella on it to provide some nice, if a little un-needed, shade. Kazumi sat down in one of the two chairs and placed the cakes on the table. Tomomi quickly claimed the other seat and placed her front paws on the table, ready to be served. Kazumi giggled again at the cute little pup as she slid her portion of the meal over to her. They both sat there for a while, eating their food and watching all the different people walk by, observing all the different activities happening in such a small area. She'd make friends with one of these people, she was sure of it.

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The last few hours had been hardwork for Atsuya, though it was hard work he enjoyed. As usual the young Hyuga could be found training… not so much as tempering his already sharp skills but instead forging a new one. Baking. Outside of his life as a shinobi the young Hyuga didn’t really have much going. Atsuya didn’t have an abundant amount of hobbies, if he wasn’t reading a book he was training, and if he wasn’t doing that he was cooking something up. While it wasn’t exactly that much different, baking was a skill he always wished to pick up. The day he told his aunt she seemed more than ecstatic… if there was any word for that. It only seemed like a few hours later and his aunt managed to find someone that was willing to teach him. How she had so many connections was something he had no idea, but he never got around to asking her.

A few days later and he was here working on a small stand that sold snacks more than pastries… it wasn’t what he had in mind, but at least he gained knowledge on making sweet rice cakes.

“I’m sorry again Atsuya-kun, but my bakery burned down just three days ago." The owner of the stand, and the man who was ‘teaching’ him, was someone around his aunt’s age which was somewhere around middle twenties. He was a rather apologetic man; it seemed as if he was apologizing every time he detected boredom within Atsuya. "There is nothing to apologize for; I am learning a fair amount from just being in your presence.” His words, while somewhat honest, did little to encourage or shred guilt in the man's eyes. “S-so, did Hanako talk about me?” As the day grew on it became fairly apparent as to why this ‘favor’ was done for him. The store owner seemed to have a fancy for his aunt. “Yes, now that you mentioned it I do recall her saying your business was ‘toast’.” A rather dark pun which Atsuya didn’t get at that time, now it only made him want to groan. The shop keeper seemed to be chuckling at this, something he had never seen anyone do when it came to her aunt’s lame puns. “That sounds just like her.” It was nice to hear someone outside of family caring for his aunt. While he hid it from her Atsuya and his sister had always been somewhat concerned by the small fact that she didn’t seem to have any friends. Of course the three of them were the same in this regard, but out of the three she was the only one who actually wanted friends.

As the sun grew higher lunch time neared. Naturally Atsuya prepared himself for the customers to come by a dozen, yet it seemed as if the number of customers just decreased. With lesser things to do the Hyuga slowly grew bored. “Go take a break Atsuya-kun. I think I can handle things for now” The owner seemed to have understood his boredom and let him off the leash for awhile. He felt a tinge guilt leaving the man by lonesome, but he was not one to refuse a break. Removing his apron and hanging leaving it inside one of the booth drawers he exited the booth. “Oh, before you go can you hand this to that girl by the pink umbrella? She forgot her change.” After agreeing with a nod Atsuya took in the small amount of ryo in his hands and approached the lady under the pink umbrella. It only took a small glance to make him realize the girl was an Inuzaka; the marks on her face were as much of a dead giveaway as his gray eyes. Based from the size of her dog she was a genin much like him. Now standing beside her table Atsuya stretched right his arm out to her and opened his palm, revealing an amount of ryo. “Pardon, but I believe you left this by the stand.”

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OOC:

After handing over her change Atsuya left the area in search for a quiet place to spend his break.

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