The sun had started to dip behind the rooftops of Konoha, casting long amber streaks across the windows. The apartment — once cracked, cold, and falling apart — now held a different air.
The walls were clean. The shelves were repaired. There was a real table now, and a rug in the corner that didn't look like it came from the dump.
It still wasn't much.
But it was home.
And it was Ren who had made it that way.
Thanks to mission pay. Quiet jobs. Discipline.
He stood now by the window, sleeves rolled up, wiping down the table with a damp cloth. The scent of simple soap and warm floorboards lingered in the air.
Behind him, Naruto was hopping around, stuffing coins into his pouch.
"I'm heading out! Gonna buy some instant ramen — the spicy one this time!"
Ren looked over his shoulder.
"Don't run. You'll forget half your change again."
Naruto grinned. "No I won't!"
He was out the door before Ren could argue. The door slammed. Then reopened.
"Also, I definitely will, so don't get mad!"
Then it closed again.
Ren blinked, then shook his head, amused. He finished wiping the table and moved to sweep near the window.
The apartment was quiet now — the kind of silence that used to feel heavy. But not anymore.
Now it just felt… peaceful.
After finishing the last bit of cleaning, Ren walked to his desk and opened the drawer to file away a scroll. That's when he saw it.
A second chakra nature test paper, folded neatly beneath some mission notes.
"Right… I asked for an extra one."
He picked it up slowly.
Held it between two fingers.
Then looked toward the door.
Naruto was still out.
"He's loud. Reckless. But he's not weak."
Ren remembered the way Naruto trained, how hard he pushed himself every day just to keep up — never realizing how far behind people thought he was.
But Ren knew better.
He always had.
"He deserves to know, too."
He sat down at the table and placed the chakra paper in the center.
Then waited.
The window stayed open. The sun dipped lower. The scent of distant broth drifted in from somewhere near Ichiraku's.
And Ren sat still, watching the light stretch across the table.
Waiting for his brother to come home.