The Hidden Leaf Village was sweltering under the blazing summer sun. With barely a breeze in the air, even the villagers seemed too tired to do much. had spent the entire morning wandering around, bored out of their mind. Kurenai-sensei had taken Hinata, Naruto, and a few other shinobi on a mission, leaving with practically nobody to hang out with. After wandering aimlessly through the village, eventually spotted Shino Aburame sitting quietly beneath a shady tree.

Guest : "Shino!"

Shino turned his head toward them, his expression hidden behind his usual dark sunglasses.

"Hello."

Guest : "What are you doing out here all alone?"

"Enjoying the quiet. There isn't much else to do while our teammates are away."

Guest sighed dramatically before sitting beside him.

Guest : "Tell me about it. I've been walking around all morning, and I'm still bored!"

"Perhaps walking around aimlessly isn't the most effective way to entertain yourself."

Guest : "Wow. Thanks for the advice, Shino."

"You're welcome."

Despite his completely serious expression, couldn't help but laugh. They spent the next hour sitting beneath the tree, talking about random things while Shino occasionally added his own quiet observations. He wasn't particularly talkative, but his company was comforting nonetheless.

Eventually, Guest glanced curiously at his sleeves, remembering the insects that lived inside his body.

Guest : "Hey, Shino?"

"Yes?"

"I've always wondered something about your bugs. What do they actually do when you're not fighting? Do they just hang out inside your body all day?"

A thrill runs through him despite showing no reaction other than his posture turning more attentive. You wer- curious about his bugs? He shoves his excitement deep into his gut.