Despite it being so chilly in Konoha, the day was bright and spring flowers were already beginning to bloom. Everyone that saw the little buds peeking out of the frozen earth was happy that spring was finally here.

The town was occupied by merry people. Children ran around making soap bubbles and catching falling cherry blossoms with joyful laughter, traditional dancers did their spring dance ritual to appreciate the season and those that weren't watching them with smiling faces were talking over a warm cup of coffee. It was so wonderful outside.

However, there was one person that could not bring herself to feel happy about the fair weather or about anything in general. Her name was Tenten. She had just lost her dojo and only source of income to a loan debt and now she had nothing to do or even where to go.

The debt had been left behind by her late father— not what she had in mind for an inheritance but it was what she got. All of her property had been used as collateral, even her clothes. She had nothing save for the clothes on her back, the change in her pocket and her wallet which was empty save for her credentials. She was in a slump.

The woman walked aimlessly through the town. She would have to look for a job to make ends meet but where would she sleep tonight? There was no family she could turn to and she didn't want to bother her friends with her problems. 

"Excuse me." A voice broke her out of her thoughts. Only then did she take a look around her. She was at a crossing. She didn't even realise when she had gotten there. "Excuse me." The voice came again. Tenten looked up at the direction it came from.

It was a man. He was about a foot taller than she was but he didn't look down at her. Instead he glanced above her head through his sunshades. He wore tacky clothes— a parka over sweat pants on a formal shirt and two different pairs of shoes. His long dark hair was the only thing moderately sightly about him, packed into a low ponytail.

Tenten was more attracted to the white cane in his hands than anything. It explained his fashion sense or lack of thereof. "Uhm, hello? How can I help you?" She asked in a friendly voice.

A smile curved the visually impaired man's pale lips at the sound of her voice. Somebody finally answered him. He stretched out a hand towards the person's general direction. "Could you..?" He didn't get to ask his request though, because the person beside him started fretting.

"Ah! I'm so sorry but I don't have any money on me." It was a woman, if he went by the sound of her voice. "I would surely give you if I did...I'm sorry..." The man tried in vain to stop her from rambling. "That's right! I should have some change in my in my pocket somewhere..."

"Ma'am it's really okay, I don't need money." That seemed to finally get his point across because the woman went quiet.

"You...don't?" She asked hesitantly.

He smiled. "I just need help getting to the bus station across the street."

"Oh." Tenten flushed in embarrassment. She had gone ahead and thought he was begging for alms without even listening to his request first. It was a good thing he couldn't see her embarrassed flush, he would have surely laughed at her. "O-okay. J-just grab my hand, okay?" She extended her hand.

The man's hand waved in the air in search for hers. Tenten face palmed. She had forgotten that he couldn't see where her hand was. She held his searching hands in hers and brought it to her side.

The man smiled. Her hand was warm...and firm. It was not what he expected from a person who sounded as adorable as the one beside him. He had assumed her hands would be soft like a princess's. That didn't mean he didn't like the feel of it though.

She squeezed his hand when it was safe to cross. "Let's go now." They both walked across the four way crossing of the main road. The man would have been able to handle crossing alone if it was a simple crossing. But with what many people trying to get across at the same time and impatient vehicles at the inter-junction red lights, it was definitely a bad idea to cross alone.

Tenten led the man to the bus stop and made him stand at the queue for disabled people. "Which bus are you getting on?" She asked.

"The bus to Kaguya Avenue." His reply surprised the woman. That street was in the wealthy section of Konohagakure. He must be well to do then. Lucky him. The bus arrived in a few minutes. Only then did Tenten realise that she was still holding his hand. She released it gently.

"The bus is here."

"Thank you so much for helping me out." The man bowed slightly. Tenten had started waving her hands in protest before she remembered that he couldn't see it.

"Oh it's no problem, really! I'm just very glad I got to help somebody today. Maybe I would also get help." That last sentence was muttered to herself but the blind man heard it.

"Everyone would be willing to help a woman as kind as you are." He mentioned with a smile that Tenten came to accept as very beautiful. The man bowed again. "I'll be taking my leave now. Thanks again for today."

"Don't mention it."

Tenten watched the bus go, a soft expression on her face. Well that was done about that. Now was the time to look for a job or at least where to sleep. She wandered around looking for places with vacancy. Unfortunately for her, all the vacant spots she used to see when she was still employed were all taken.

Argh! Why was it that when things were not needed, they were always in abundance and when they were actually needed they vanished? Tenten lamented so hard about her unfortunate situation as she walked. Her stomach gave a growl of protest for the nth time in that hour. She rubbed on it.

"Sorry stomach, you have to go hungry today." She whispered to it. The sky had already darkened with grey evening clouds. There were no beautiful evening colours in the sky because of the weather just as there was no hope of getting a simple job any time soon. Tenten stopped her trek with a sigh. Things were rapidly souring for her and she didn't like it.

"Ayame, could you take the sign inside please?!"

Tenten's head snapped to the direction the voice came from just in time to see a woman run out of a noodle shop. Her eyes followed the woman's movements to the signboard she was about to carry inside the shop. Written in blue chalk were the words she had been searching for the whole evening.

Vacancy! Delivery man needed. Must have a drivers license. Apply within.

Tenten didn't think she had run faster in her life than she did at that moment. "Waaaaiiit!" She yelled as she grabbed on to the woman's arm.

Startled, the woman jumped. "W-what on earth!?" She gasped loudly. Tenten grinned at her frightened face despite how heavy her breathing was.

"The- the job!" She panted. "I want to apply for the job!"

-

After a long impromptu interview— it took time because Tenten's stomach kept growling in the middle of her interrogation and the boss, Teuchi, had to feed her— Tenten got a job as a delivery girl.

They provided her with boarding, a small room on the floor above the restaurant, of which she was eternally grateful. She would have to pay minimal rental fees but that was a thought for the future. For now she had a job, albeit menial, and a roof over her head. It was everything she asked for this afternoon.

For some reason, before she slept, Tenten thought back to the man she met at the inter-junction crossing that afternoon. She suddenly found herself wondering if he got home safely and if he got any assistance on the way home.

She turned on the futon she was provided. What was she thinking? This was surely not the first time he was travelling home on his own. She didn't even know his name so what was it to her?

"Everyone would be willing to help a woman as kind as you are."

Tenten turned again. She would allow herself one thing though; his smile was very beautiful.

***

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** Blood Tainted Roses chapter 27 is coming soon. It's delayed but it's coming soon.

Thanks for reading, see you next time.

-Star.