"It's already nine o'clock. I'll wake her up in a little while. She'll need some time to get ready, and by then it'll be nearly noon. After lunch, we'll set off. If we keep moving non‑stop this afternoon, we should cover quite a distance. And tonight, we absolutely must find a proper spot to sleep," Hiroshi murmured softly, glancing back at Harumiko sleeping soundly.
He walked slowly into the bathroom, turned on the tap, and splashed water on his face — it had felt so dry out on the streets earlier.
"I was still feeling sleepy when I first got up, but washing my face woke me right up. I feel so much fresher and sharper now," he said with a smile as he dried his face on a towel.
He stepped out and went over to the bedside, ready to wake her.
"Harumiko… wake up. It's getting late. Get ready, we'll eat, and then we're going home," he whispered, gently shaking her shoulder.
Gradually, her consciousness returned. She opened her eyes and saw Hiroshi standing beside her.
"I'm awake… I'll wash up and get dressed right away. Then we can go, right?" she said softly, blinking up at him.
Hiroshi nodded. "That's right. Once you're ready, we'll have lunch and leave in the afternoon. I'm sure we can travel a long way today."
"And we're having a good meal today — plenty of meat, so we won't get hungry this afternoon. I went out earlier and bought enough supplies for both of us for the whole journey," he added with a warm smile.
Harumiko nodded happily, pushed back the covers, and got out of bed. She adjusted her bathrobe, which had come loose while she slept — thankfully, nothing was showing.
"Alright, I'll get ready now, then we can eat," she said softly, before heading into the bathroom to wash and tidy her hair.
"Everything's set now. Just wait for her to finish, then lunch. A short rest after that, and we're on our way," Hiroshi thought as he sat slowly on the bed.
He had woken very early and walked a long way carrying heavy loads, and exhaustion finally caught up with him. He lay back and felt his whole body relax completely.
"No matter where you are, nothing beats a proper bed. When you're travelling, you just have to make do with whatever shelter you can find. It's uncomfortable if you don't, but honestly, finding any place to rest is enough — you can't be too fussy," he whispered, staring at the ceiling.
After travelling together for so long, they knew exactly where to find the best rest spots in the forest — under large trees with thick, sturdy branches. Lying there, surrounded by foliage that blocked the wind, was as comfortable as you could hope for outdoors.
"We must find a good spot tonight. Rest well now so we have plenty of energy to travel tomorrow," he said softly.
In truth, as shinobi who often went on missions, they were already used to this way of life. They had learned how to sleep soundly even without a bed.
When on duty, they never chose obvious places to rest; the goal was always to stay hidden and avoid being seen — it was all part of protecting themselves.
Having spent so much time away from home, Hiroshi and Harumiko had mastered these survival skills. Knowing how to find safe, comfortable resting places in the wild was yet another sign of how much they had grown.
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