His father, Toshi, was at the doorframe with a slight smile and eyes gleaning with satisfaction at the sight of Ren and his sister.
The dark pink sideburns of his with shades of tobacco, a flak jacket on him. He was increased in rank, chunin? Probably, "What a day, what a day. First a promotion and now I am coming back to my family spending time, I love you," touching his jacket, "And I will make you proud that I am your dad."
An increase in payment. That's true, though how could his father forget that chunin for all the promises of being on secondary roles, be it cook, logistics or repairs. They all end up being called in times of emergency.
"Dad, I was meaning to ask you something, as I am of age and that soon the academy will put the announcement for enrollment in academy," his blue eyes looking at the frozen smile.
At the pause in breath and movement of body, at those hands burying in the wooden frame, "What? Ren, my son, can you repeat that again?"
Ren steeled himself, mother was logical. A person who loved in the past small luxuries and the comfortable life of middle class in Konoha. A merchant who sold for a living, and lived to negotiate.
His father was a creature of the illogical, "Dad. I want to be a shinobi, like you, I want to also protect my family, please," as he touched Sakura, "I want to be a role-model, one that Sakura can be proud when she will be old. Please, there's nothing else I want to do, but to be a shinobi."
His fingers reached for his upper pouch, stopping and turning back to the exit, "Come, son, it's time for us to have a talk between men. Me, already with a foot in the ground, and you barely out of the fresh dirt."
Ren followed him outside the house. The fence broken from the attack, twigs hanging on hemp rope, the garden was mushed all together, yet the fence in front of the house was standing.
Or got repaired, since it was his dad's favourite place to sit after work before entering home, since the attack the time outside increased more and more.
Toshi took out a cigarette of an unknown brand. Lighting it with a small fire jutsu and taking a long drag, "Let's say I agree for you to become a shinobi, though I need to speak with your mother first. Then what? Become a genin for years like me? Look, I am chunin now, son, I can protect you all."
Cigarette ash falling on the withered grass, on the crevices in the ground. Toshi let a deep sigh, "Look. Shinobi life is not glamorous, is not about only going on high missions, it's also to go and help a lady with a cat, it's about repairing post war, it's about going on missions with a known end, and never returning back."
Ren knew of course all of this. Nothing in this village appeared as it was. People who were taught to hide and of subterfuge would never show their real face and thoughts to others.
Information and being known hurt, "And? If I am not willing dad, who would be? You are strong, you protect us, but two is better than one. Mother can barely keep herself together. The war, kyuubi too, took too much from us," letting his head down, "I saw people, dad, people under rubble, red splashes and the colour from world going mute."
Toshi crumpled the cigarette butt in his hand and thrown it on the ground, his face morphed into an ugly frown, "And that will be your end if you continue to be a shinobi!" Getting up and taking another one, "Dead. Dead, and I will not be able to protect you, I am shinobi for no one in my family to be one, understand that?"
To protect him? Where was his father when rubble was falling and people were dying? In a bunker, broken off from him and alone in the streets. He knew such feelings were irrational since in practical terms he wasn't his son exactly.
A Theseus ship? No, not now.
"Dad. Please, understand me. Could you really blame me to want to learn how to protect myself and our family? To feel secure after what I saw? Can you really put that blame and weight on me?" Ren was looking straight into his father's eyes. He couldn't back down, not now.
Maybe never from this point on. Just marching on and on against the waves of life.
"Of course it's my fault. I wasn't there when you where lost. I thought, I thought that we will not see you anymore…" his eyes taking a wet layer, and looking away from Ren, then, continuing, "I am against it. Ren, nothing would budge me on this topic, yet."
His green eyes blasting in intensity. Burning with a strong desire to find a correct decision, "A man must learn how to protect his family, I give in, with the condition that you will train with me, and you agree to also go with your mother to the stands."
Taking his last cigarette and throwing the pack in a trash pile in the streets, "We need help. We don't have anymore sellers, during weekend and when you are free from academy."
Had he convinced them? His mother gave in, his father put conditions. Though that was expected. They both loved him and his sister too much to go against their wishes. Even if they could have devastating consequences.
"I understand. I promise I would help in weekend and when I have time after academy," looking at the kunai pouch on his father's leg, "Could you show me how to throw them? How to use chakra? How to make that fire jutsu you did to light that cigarette?"
Speaking faster and faster as Ren lost control over his diction and all came in together and meshed up.
"Ho, boy, wait, let's first check what Sakura and your mother are doing first, then we will talk about training," popping his finger bones and turning to enter the house.
"Mom sleeps, Sakura too. So I see no problem in teaching me how to throw a kunai, or to teach some jutsu," smiling from ear to ear.
His father would give in. He couldn't resist the cuteness, the feeling of being useful and to have a father-son moment. Even if it's under the spectre of going to academy.
Toshi rolled his eyes, "Haggling it seems didn't far too far from the trees. But fine, just the basic and then, hmm" rubbing his sideburns, "I will teach you the little fire jutsu to light up the cigarette," a flame appeared on his finger.
"To being with basic chakra. Imagine of a fire. How it feels, how it behaves, how it passes through your nodes and veins and enters your hand," raising his hand in the air and looking at the formed flame burning dainty.
A process of visualization to modify the nature of chakra from pure to an affinity? And that change of affinity was through a sensation close to fire.
Ren raised his finger too, thought of fire, of burning. Of Kyuubi's power and rage. The chakra was flooding his body and sweat gathered on his forehead.
Tendrils of smoke went in the air. No flame though, no flame. Probably he didn't have fire as his main affinity, or he did something wrong.
Furrowed his brows and again tried. Only smoke.
Visualization, then comprehension, then the feeling of fire. Those were the steps. So why it doesn't work?
The area of use. That was it, he was trying to use a little amount of chakra to go through just a pore.
He didn't have the control, nor the dexterity and nor the affinity so, that would explain the problems.
Opening his hand and pouring for a flame to appear. A little cinder was in the palm's center.
A huge smile appeared on his face as his father patted his shoulder, saying, "Look at my little smart kid. You got it first try!"
Laughing happily though his face had a wistful almost melancholic nuance.
"Let's begin with kunai too," taking a kunai from his pouch and giving it gently to Ren.
Guiding his hand on how to hold it, carefully to not touch the edges and to not grip too hard, "Be careful they are very sharp," throwing one right on the bench.
Motioning with his hand on how to throw it, and helping Ren to get the best position.