[Graded]Day off

[Legacy]

The Konoholic to those in the Hidden Leaf village could be described as many things ; a drinkers paradise, a night spot for adults, etc etc. But to Gene who had been sitting comfortably in the old style wooden booths provided, it was a place to clear his mind. The see-through glass window opted for a nice view of the passerby villagers while granting the young Genin something other than the space in front of him to stare at which was a good thing. Being only twelve years old, Gene couldn't drink but reasoned that even if he were old enough - he wouldn't simply because of the fact that he'd seen what alcohol did to people and by no means was it a pleasant sight. To Gene, the Konoholic was a dispense all stop that he could visit whenever there was nothing on his agenda - like today for instance.

A mission had not come his way this evening and he didn't feel like being cooped up in the house listening to his parents rant about something or other & his body was much too sore for any form of training. So, here he was, waiting on the many hosts and hostesses inside of the Konoholic to notice his presence and opt to take his order. Word had reached him that the place was now moving in a different direction as one of Konoha's highlight spots and opted to serve all different kinds of needs after a much needed revamp of the building agenda. Fortunately, the Konoholic was one of the few places that hadn't been touched during the Invasion but the owner who was now long retired from the ninja business decided that making a few twerks to the facility was needed anyway.

Inside, the place looked like your every day bar. Fitted with a bar tending counter top in the rear most section of the place while having table booths and single sections for those who wanted to do their drinking in private or, in Gene's case, everything else. In addition to being a serving stop for liquor the Konoholic had now taken to non alcoholic beverages like tea, water, juice - that sort of thing. They'd even gone so far as to add a food selection of Teriyaki with which Gene was personally interested in on top of a moderately toned background symphony for good vibes. Needless to say, the place was really starting to look alive. Gene tried his hardest not to eavesdrop on the several drunken conversations going on around him, however.

He hadn't quite been sure how long he'd been sitting there with his elbows propped up on the table and fingers interlocked but eventually one of the hosts noticed his presence and took it upon themselves to walk right over. Excuse me, how can I help you? They asked, causing Gene to look over from whatever it was that he'd been staring at (he didn't really know himself) and direct his focus on the host. The man had been wearing a tea green Kimono that opened two inches below the collar bone in a wide "V" along with brown sandals which Gene probably shouldn't have noticed but - in being drilled in the ways of observation he couldn't help it. What's more, the host appeared tired as if they'd been working for quite a while but Gene didn't remark on it and instead, answered what was asked. Could I have one large plate of Teriyaki please? The man nodded and smiled, Sure thing I'll have that ready for you soon, thank you for stopping here at the Konoholic.

Alone again. Gene yawned and returned his attention to the window where many things could be seen. On one hand, you had up start ninja purchasing their first round ninja tools from the items shop eagerly. On the other, the elderly strolled about enjoying the sights of what was once a completely different Konoha - wondering how much the times had changed since their era. Sometimes Gene had caught himself asking the same question - wondering what the village was like back then. But the thought soon faded as hunger boiled over and the aroma of the many different foods danced underneath his nostrils. Was the Teriyaki done yet? If there was one thing he hated about food it was the process of waiting for it to be done.

What's more, while he'd been waiting there was nothing from keeping Gene's mind from wandering off into places that it shouldn't have; without any provoking cause at all, he found himself thinking about power. He wondered what it would be like to possess a strength so potent that accomplishing whatever he'd set his mind to would be child's play - then, he wondered about what he needed to do in order to obtain that power. Was his current training enough? Gene wondered... At times he'd felt like he hadn't been progressing at all and others he felt as if he were on top of things but with so little chances to put it to the test himself Gene began questioning his own abilities. Am I... He couldn't silence the echo on his own but the sound of a plate sliding across a wooden surface pulled him from his trance. One large plate of Teriyaki! Anything else I can do for you? The host had returned and he seemed more energized than before. No, thank you. Gene replied, sighing soon after so as to allow his nerves the chance to quell from what could have been a mental breakthrough.

For now, there was no point in stressing himself out. It was his day off after all. Gene removed his elbows from the table and clasped both his hands together in a brief prayer before grabbing his chopsticks and pulling them apart, prepping them in his left hand & lifting up one thick piece of Teriyaki chicken to his mouth reminiscent of a murderer (in that he scarfed the piece down so fast). Oh man, that's good.

[ChihayaKohai]

It was crowded, and it was noisy, both things that Tooru strongly disliked, but anywhere was better than her house right now, where her mother was currently engaged in a passive-aggressive boasting competition about whose kids were better. Of course, she had left Tooru out as usual, and she had taken the chance to escape from the terribly disguised knowing looks the other mothers gave each other. 'Oh, but Sakugu-san has that other daughter, right? The one who's always daydreaming?'

Hence, Tooru found herself here, at the Konoholic. Every table was bursting to the seams, save a few booths that were only partially filled with one or two people. She couldn't go up the bar and sit; she was only 13 after all. Sighing, she turned around to flee from the oppressive atmosphere and was instantly jostled around by a haggard-looking woman, who barely caught the tray she was holding and snapped, "Watch it, you bumbling fool!" in an irritated tone, hardly glancing to see who it was she had collided with. The young girl merely stepped aside, inclining her head slightly in apology, and promptly fell into a booth as a group of young children, who couldn't have been more than seven or eight, dashed past into the space that the hostess had just vacated. Her head hit the wooden seat of the booth's seat. Propping herself up on her elbows, she attempted to figure out what exactly had happened- and whose meal she had interrupted.

She found herself staring at a boy around her age, with spiky white hair and reddish-brown eyes. She blinked at him rather blankly before sitting up all the way.

"...Sorry," she muttered, before getting up to leave and- wait. Was that... Yes. It was teriyaki. Tooru stared at it for a little bit before looking away rather guiltily. She should leave and stop bothering someone who was just trying to enjoy their meal in peace. God knows she would prefer it that way as well. She stood up.

[Legacy]

The flavor was on point! Zesty, sweet and just a tad bit spicy, the combination of flavors sent Gene's taste buds through a ripping roller coaster of blissful deliciousness! Or at least, it did until some person decided to literally fall into his paradise. At first, he didn't think much of it and had started to exercise his sharp tongue to the fullest of its capabilities but - with a split second analysis into the situation as a whole, Gene opted not to do so. It's that girl from before.. Gene thought to himself, briefly flashing back to a moment in time where he'd officially first met the girl. Yes, she had fallen out of a tree back then and now it seemed as though she had fallen into his lunch break. This girl really had a thing for falling - didn't she?

He imagined that she may have been having a tough day as it is and figured that laying into her about his issues could wait. Really. Uh, it's no problem at all. Are you alright? You looked like you fell pretty hard. Gene replied, trying his best not to sound like some overly concerned parent - which he wasn't. Would you like some? Gene had gotten a fairly large plate and while he could have eaten it all on his own he figured that sharing with her wouldn't have been a problem considering the fact that he hadn't exactly come with anyone else.

[ChihayaKohai]

Tooru watched as his face shifted from annoyed to awkward. "I'm fine, thanks," she replied. Only now did she realize that she had seen him before, back on that night with the Awai and that other chuunin.

"...You don't... mind?" she asked, hand already twitching towards a pair of wrapped chopsticks. She sunk back down into the wooden booth. With a practiced movement, she snapped the two wooden sticks apart and picked up a piece of meat. Just as she lifted it higher, she dropped it (and the chopsticks) back onto the plate, hiding her face with her hands. What was she doing, readily taking food from someone she hardly even knew? Even if the meat looked... completely heavenly.... what was she thinking...?

Oh. Great. Now everything was twice as awkward, twice as embarrasing. Tooru hopped up and shifted awkwardly, ready to leave again. On the outside, she hardly gave off an image of panicked anxiety, but on the inside she was having a nervous breakdown. Great. Just great.

[Legacy]

No, there's plenty for the both of us. Gene replied, taking up another piece of Teriyaki and scarfing it down only, because he'd been in the presence of a person Gene tried to make the scene look less like a cannibal attacking meat and more civil...barely. The noise in the place hadn't actually bothered Gene until now - he could hardly hear what the girl in front of him was saying or maybe she'd been whispering? Regardless of the case; he'd began growing irate in less noticeable, more comedic sense of the term. That reminds me, what was your name?

Before the question had any time to linger the two were approached by the same host that had brought Gene his Teriyaki. Are you enjoying the Teriyaki? I could bring more out if you'd like. Gene shrugged and looked at the girl across from him. It's your call.

[ChihayaKohai]

Of course he wouldn't have remembered. Tooru couldn't blame him, considering the circumstances of that night and how awfully mediocre she was. "Tooru...Sa-" She barely had time to reply before another host swept towards them, clearly in a better mood than the other hostess.

"Could I have a smallish plate? Around this big would be nice." Tooru gestured with her hands. She didn't want too much, because how on Earth would she pay for it, but she reaaaaaally wanted some of that delicious looking teriyaki, dammit! "Oh, and, um, could I get some iced green tea? Thanks."

The host nodded and swept off again, presumably to get her food. Tooru turned back to the boy again. "And you?" she asked, inquiring about his name as well. She might not be noticeable but why couldn't she remember his?

[Legacy]

One small plate coming right up, replied the host before scurrying off to prepare the order. Meanwhile, Gene glanced out of the window toward a passing cloud that had looked like a fish. It was rare to catch a cloud that looked like something but when he could - the young Genin made note of it - one of his few past times. And you? His auburn hued eyes returned to her, She must've just graduated from the Academy, he thought to himself.

I'm Mitsurugi, Gene. He replied, resting his cheek in his left palm as he placed his elbow on the table in comfort. I haven't seen you around the village - are you one of the new graduates?

[ChihayaKohai]

Tooru flinched slightly before closing her eyes for a second and reopening them, her calm demeanor returning. Her voice, however, betrayed her true feelings as she spoke. "No, I've been out for about half a year already and have yet to be placed on a team. I don't blame you if you've never so much as seen me before; it is a big village with lots of genin after all."

She tried not to be bitter about it; after all, being placed on a team meant that the village knew exactly what they wanted you to do, to become, and if that meant limiting her already limited choices, she was fine with being alone. But the small voice inside her head countered that yes, she had freedom, but a team was something that you couldn't just find in a day. A team was something forged through trial by fire, in fights where a single misstep could mean the difference between life and death. And, that voice continued, your siblings have teams as well.

Tooru cut off that thread of thought before it could get her anywhere too nasty. She didn't need that today. "Surprisingly, I don't think I've seen you around before either, other than that previous time." Good, change the subject to him.

The host returned once more with a plate of teriyaki, steaming hot and looking divine. Picking up her dropped chopsticks, Tooru promptly stuffed a piece in her mouth, almost squealing about how good it tasted.

[Legacy]

"Mm," Gene remarked, it was not uncommon for ninja to slip through the cracks and lead a life relatively free of village issues. In a way, Gene had actually envied Tooru for being given that opportunity whereas he had be thrown into the fire from the start. There was one thing that the two shared in common however, Gene, while officially listed as a member of 'Team 2', had not underwent a single mission with his team since his second day after graduating from the Academy. "Really? Aren't you a lucky one. I've been placed on a team but so far, none of the members are doing anything with their ninja careers and as troublesome as it may sound - I've been carrying most of the work load. He looked up from the plate of Teriyaki and fixed his eyes to Tooru's, I honestly didn't even want to be a ninja it just sort of happened. Gene may have bent the truth a little in his sentiment; the honest reality was, his parents pushed him into Ninja school and since then he'd started on finding his own path. It wasn't that he didn't want to be a Shinobi but rather, he hated the work load that came with it.

I try to stay out of the way of things if that makes any sense. I love the village and all but sometimes, the folks here can really be troublesome. Gene smiled and shrugged. Well...they've certainly been a lot livelier since the village repairs finished. Oh, that reminds me Tooru - what were you doing before you came here?

[ChihayaKohai]

Tooru was surprised to hear about a team not actually bothering to work with the other members. Teams were meant to help shinobi grow and find their "niche" in the many different fields of the shinobi line of work. Even if the genin members didn't want to learn, their jonin sensei should be helping to push them along the right path, right?

"I...wouldn't say I'm as lucky as you think I am." Tooru smiled wryly. "Well, there has to be a reason why you chose to stay a shinobi, otherwise you wouldn't be here, would you?"

She nodded along as Gene expressed his wish to stay out of the way of trouble, something she could certainly relate to.

Aaaaand there her attempt to shift the subject away from herself ended. "Oh, just, you know, running," she replied, despite the fact that there was no physical evidence at all to prove that. 'Away from an old hag,' her mind added on. Still, she chose not to mention this fact and shrugged, maintaining an air of nonchalance. Tooru ate another piece of teriyaki. It really was good.

[Legacy]

Running, huh? Gene spoke apprehensively as if to not believe her which - he didn't. However it was beyond him to pursue the subject further so he switched gears. "How's the Teriyaki? He asked because he'd almost been finished with his meal where she hadn't touched her food aside from the first few bites.

At the booth across from them, two drunken civilians were having a heated discussion that Gene couldn't help but over hear. AND THEN I SAID - *Hiccup* I DONT GIVE A DAMN WHAT VILLAGE YOU'RE FROM IT'S 400 RYO! A loud thud echoed through the place when the guy who had been talking slammed his drink on the wooden table. BHWAHAHAHA I WISH I COULD HAVE SEEN THE LOOK ON HIS FACE! S-SCUMBAGS NEED TO LEARN THEIR PLACE. Seriously, what was it with people and being weird? Gene chuckled but tried to make sure that the two across from him hadn't noticed - mission failed.

HEY! WISE GUY! YOU LAUGHING AT SOMETHING? Why did Gene feel like this was about to go badly? A glance to Tooru had been swiftly carried out to see if she had been paying attention, Gene's eyes motioned down to the steaming hot Teriyaki in front of her. It was a dirty tactic but - Gene would have bought her another bowl if things did go all the way south. Why do I have a bad feeling about this? He thought to himself.

[ChihayaKohai]

"It's gr-" Once again their conversation was broken into by outside forces. Gene snickered at the shouting civilians while Tooru was simply puzzled. Why was a civilian drinking so heavily and in the middle of the day no less, when plenty of people were around? To make matters worse, why was no one moving to stop them as they pushed their chairs back, toppling them, lumbered towards her and Gene's table and- oh.

Now she knew. The two men easily breached six feet, towering over the two young genin. She could certainly understand such tall people (and muscly too, were they construction workers?) scaring off any potential rescuers. But she and Gene were shinobi, not frightened too easily...she hoped. She couldn't really speak for the other yet.

Catching Gene's glance at her bowl of teriyaki, Tooru groaned internally. Such a waste but... She found Gene's foot under the table and tapped it once before subtly nudging it towards him with her chopsticks. The universal symbol for Yes. Do it if you want. Whatever. (Ever heard of blink once for yes, twice for no?)

At least this way if Gene decided to dump teriyaki all over the men (could he even reach that high up?) she could extort another out of him.

"Um...Can we help you?" Tooru tried for a smile to but probably failed and was sporting some weird look on her face. Might as well try to talk with the drunken men reasonably at first. The Konoholic had grown quiet enough that her words were clearly hearable without her having to shout, the patrons of the bar having stopped to watch what was going on. Seriously, was no one here going to stop them?

[Legacy]

All was well, the people within such a fine establishment could be found drinking and enjoying themselves - up until two idiots decided to rain on everyone's parade that is. Frankly, Gene didn't care much for the surroundings but there was just one 'small' pet peeve of his and the two drunks had been stomping on his hot button like a frantic driver with bad breaks approaching a yellow light. Besides, it wasn't classy to show such barbarism in front of a girl - at least that's what his mother had told him anyway. Troublesome, troublesome, troublesome! Gene screamed in his mind, the two drunks were far beyond his expectations physique wise but given the circumstance he couldn't just let things lie where they did.

And sure enough, Tooru's registry of what he was intending to do was more or less, all the confirmation he needed. *Hiccup* HELP ME?! What's da' matter with you woman?! Ion' need no --*Hiccup* Dear god, the guy was so drunk he couldn't even talk right let alone stand up straight. The man standing closest to Tooru sported simple grey pants and a sleeveless t-shirt that defined his form. His eyes were a deep silver but one glance and anyone could tell that he was inebriated. As for the other guy, his friend, Gene noticed something peculiar - embedded in his left shoulder was a Leaf insignia. Was this guy a ninja? What rank? How skilled were they really? Gene sighed mentally, How did I wind up in this mess? Gene thought to himself though his own comments internally had not been enough to drown out the drunken dialogue coming from a few feet away.

L-listen man, I-I think we're drunk. The other male chimed in.Huh? What? No way! I can still drink some more! The man standing closest to Tooru bellowed. By then, Gene had decided that they'd waited around long enough. While the two were busy discussing amongst each other he'd captured Tooru's plate in his left hand and flung it upwards toward the taller males face. Sad thing was, the guy turned around right on cue and man...it wasn't a pretty sight. ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!! MY FACE! He bellowed, probably too drunk to realize that the red on his face wasn't blood but rather the zesty sauce used for Teriyaki flavor in Gene & Tooru's meal. Talk about annoying... Gene remarked, knowing that from here on in things were about to get troublesome. And to think, today was supposed to be his day off. >_>

[ChihayaKohai]

Unfortunately, being on the opposite side as Gene, Tooru did not see the Leaf insignia on the man's shoulder, and as such, assumed he was a civilian. A really built civilian who was now sporting the fabulous (at least Tooru thought) look of teriyaki sauce dripping from his hair. 'My teriyaki,' Tooru felt a flash of regret but that was soon erased by the murderous look emanating from the man in front of her.

"YOU BRATS ARE GENIN, RIGHT? I'M GONNA BEAT THAT INSOLENCE OUTTA YA-" His companion, having a bit more sense still in him, tugged at his arm with a nervous look on his face, but he shook him off and continued shouting. "FIELD THREE IN HALF AN HOUR, AND GET READY FOR A BEATING YOU RUNTS!"

This day was just turning out to be awesome. Yup, even if a- wait. This man would have to know where a training ground was, and to challenge them to a fight- oh. Shit. Tooru blanched a bit and looked wide-eyed at Gene. What on Earth were they going to do now?

OOCShow

I'm sorry I just wanted to fight; if you don't wanna I'll just edit

[Legacy]

Could this get any worse? Gene was supposed to come here to clear his mind, enjoy the food & prepare his body for tomorrows rigorous training. How on earth did he end up tied into some dribble that frankly could have been avoided if he'd been a tad bit more observant. Gene didn't sigh but his irritation was evident due to the fact that his eyebrows were furrowed and had been for quite some time now. He remained silent after the demand to meet at the training grounds had been made - as far as Gene was concerned the guy was delusional but one glance over at Tooru and he felt the spot light hit . I guess there isn't a way out of this, he thought to himself. Why wait thirty minutes when I can just mop the floor with you both right now? Gene stood up from where he had been sitting and looked up at the two adults.

This was about the time that the host decided to step in and intervene. Uh, excuse me. You folks are causing quite a commotion and it's starting to worry the other guests. I'm afraid you're all going to have to leave.

[ChihayaKohai]

Tooru frantically tried to gesture to Gene with just her eyes- something that he either didn't get or maybe she just wasn't accomplished enough to actually get the message across.

What was he doing!?!? Why was he challenging two ginormous men who could probably, well, maybe not so easily, seeing as they were piss-drunk, but still. They were going to get in so much trouble, something Tooru did not need to deal with right now. They were going to get thrown out- and oh, there it was. The nervous host kicking them out.

The drunk men didn't seem particularly bothered by this announcement, merely grabbing the two genin by the shoulders and pushing them out the door. Tooru squeaked, not prepared for this development.

Mentally scrolling through her list of weapons (she had removed most of the obvious ones; after all, who visited a dining establishment brandishing sharp objects all over their body), Tooru willingly followed the men out the door, not wanting to cause more of a scene than she already had. Tooru opened her mouth to say something placating, but backed up when she saw a very green face looking down at her.

"Don't...feel so...good..."

The man retched, stumbled to the side of the road after a good push from Tooru, and threw up. Tooru almost wanted to throw up herself, but sternly rebuked her stomach. 'A good shinobi does not throw up.'

Looking over at Gene, she noted that the other man had let go of him as well and was rushing to help his partner. With a flick of her head, she gave the suggestion to leave while they still could. Right now she didn't particularly want to get into a fight, and maybe they could find a superior or two to give the two drunks a talking to. Shinobi shouldn't act so... irresponsible!

[Legacy]

Life sure had a funny way of working things out, it looked as though the two wouldn't need to exert themselves after all. With the two antagonists practically fumbling over themselves in a drunken haze Gene didn't have any trouble walking away from the situation without being noticed - by all except Tooru of course. He'd made a sharp turn around a corner before speed walking up the road using the gathering crowd of people as a nifty cover in case they'd tried to pursue though the chances of that were unlikely given the circumstance.

They were kicked out of the Konoholic for the day and probably would have faced some serious questioning if they remained together any longer. With that premise in mind Gene figured it'd be best if the two split ways for the afternoon - though he wanted to meet with her again soon, somewhere less inhabited by drunken idiots. I'm sorry Tooru but I think it'd be best if we split for the day, said Gene, glancing back every so often to check if they were being followed. It seemed as though people were starting to talk back at the Konoholic; Gene could hear their voices although it hadn't been in vivid clarity, only the crucial details. Yeah I saw the whole thing! A white haired boy with Auburn eyes and a young girl wearing a black vest and torn pants - quite the oddly dressed one if I do say so myself.

Great! Now they had a description on what to go off of. Things were bound to get more problematic over the next few days but such was the price of making a scene. At the very least, Gene would have to make it up to Tooru somehow; he hadn't known her for very long but, as far as first impressions went this wasn't exactly the light he would have liked to be viewed in. Doesn't look like you and I will be catching a break over the next few days. Still, if I hadn't bluffed back their then we probably would have wound up in far worse shape than what we are now. Egging them on was the only way to get us out of the place. Anyway, I guess we should split up for now. Catch ya' later.

*WOOSH* An air circle had suddenly become visible as Gene lept into the air and onto a building before looking down to where Tooru had been. He had a feeling that he'd run into her again at some point in the future. With another leap Gene made haste to put as much distance between himself and her as possible - the last thing he wanted to do was get hauled down to the Konoha police force for questioning. Meanwhile, a voice had called out that sounded not so far off from Tooru - they'd finally caught up. There she is! Hey! I've got some questions for you!

[ChihayaKohai]

Tooru shrugged. It wasn't like she really wanted to split up, but really there was no point in staying with someone she'd just met. A voice drifted over in the wind towards them, bearing descriptions of what she was wearing. Her ears burned. Sure, her pants were torn, but that wasn't really her fault. And then all of a sudden, Gene was gone with a whoosh of air, leaping away over a building. 'High Style?' she questioned with a smile. Hm, he did seem to be interesting after all.

That smile quickly fell off her face as she found herself being cornered by a stern-looking and an amused- more like smug- woman. It looked like the interrogation was about to begin. And there was no time to bolt without looking suspicious either! Tooru mentally cursed Gene for leaving her in this mess.

"Miss, I hear you were the one who started a fight? And in a public place no less! Would you care to explain yourself, genin?" the man glared at her.

"Oh, no, sir, I did not instigate the...conflict. If anything, I was merely trying to prevent the men from overdrinking and potentially hurting the other customers."

"Ha! Says the one who threw teriyaki all over my customers! And you say you didn't provoke them?! What insolence, child." sneered the woman.

Tooru stood up a little taller and looked her straight in the eyes. "I am sorry, ma'am, but I did no such thing. The culprit was my...friend. He was merely laughing at a joke I told, and the men-"

She was interrupted. Geez, what was it with people and interrupting what she was saying today? "A joke about the men, I assume?" Her haughty gaze did nothing to shake Tooru's calm.

A little white lie couldn't hurt, right? "No, ma'am, it was just a funny story about training the other day." As a matter of fact, they hadn't been talking about anything at all but... "As I was saying, the men seemed to assume that he was laughing at them and took immediate offence, possibly because of their... less-than-sober state. I do admit that allowing him to throw the teriyaki was a bit much, but at that point it was outside my ability to prevent him from doing so." Of course she didn't know that much about Gene, but if she ever saw him again, she would have to tell him about it, just in case they caught him and tried to interrogate him too.

The man sighed. "There are witnesses who say that you prodded your...friend... to do so. I must inform you that-" The woman interrupted again, much to the man's annoyance. "Those men are jonin of the Leaf Village! Your fights have driven away business at my restaurant-"

"That's enough." The man cut in sharply, placing a firm hand on the woman's shoulder. Her face turned red but she remained silent.

Tooru chose this moment to make her final blow- with words of course. "Sir, I apologize but I am inclined to believe that those witnesses' memories are faulty at most. Were they sitting at the bar at the time?" She turned to the woman, who was quickly turning maroon. "And ma'am, should jonin not set an example for lowly genin like me who follow in their footsteps? Drinking in the middle of the day is not what any good shinobi should be doing, especially in a respectable bar like your own."

The woman's jaw opened and closed like a fish flopping around on dry land. The man smirked a little bit and lit a cigarette. "All right, kiddo, I'll let you go for today. Sounds like someone's been giving a little too much alcohol out in the middle of the day hoping to earn a little more money. I thought there were rules in Konoha on alcohol limits before five in the evening..." With a little grin, he led the woman away.

Tooru breathed a sigh of relief. "Have a good day," she replied, before turning around and leaving in the other direction. She was so going to kill Gene when she saw him again for leaving her alone like that. How dare he!