The Historian

Ayumi cleaned off the blackboard with an eraser and began dusting them out, standing back so as not to dirty her dress. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Shikadai standing in the door, staring out into the pouring rain. His father must not be here, she thought, then gasped when the boy went to step out into the rain.

“Shikadai, wait!” she called, and with a surprised look the boy glanced over his shoulder. “You can’t go out in the rain like that. Hold on just a second, and I’ll take you to your father.” She finished up her duties and grabbed her umbrella, walking over to the door with a smile. Shikadai glanced away, looking embarrassed.

“Miss Ayumi, it’s okay. I can walk there,” he mumbled.

“Nonsense. You’ll catch a cold if you walk in this weather without an umbrella! As my student, I can’t let you. Besides, I’ve been meaning to meet your father for some time now! The only parents that I haven’t met are yours,” she remarked and reached down to take the boy’s hand before leading his out of the school and onto the wet roads of the Village Hidden in the Leaves. Due to the pouring rain, many people weren’t out and about; it was only the pair of them, splashing down the street towards the large structure in the back of the city. “So, Shikadai- do you want to tell me why you weren’t paying attention in class today?” Ayumi asked with a mischievous sparkle in her eyes.

“Ah, well…” Shikadai frowned, embarrassed that he had been caught red-handed. “I just don’t like history. It’s a drag.”

“What don’t you like about it?” Ayumi inquired.

“I don’t see the point in the past. It’s the past, you know?” he explained, and Ayumi nodded in understanding.

“I suppose that’s a reasonable answer. You see, Shikadai, we learn things from the past,” she explained as she turned a corner. “For example, we can learn from our mistakes- that’s why we study the ninja wars. Also, it’s important to know where you come from, so you can know where you’re going, and that’s why we study the founding of the village. Most importantly, though, we preserve the past so that our memory lives on. Who’s to say that one hundred years from now that the village won’t be here? However, it will be there in history, so that future peoples can study and learn from us, and be better than we ever were.” Shikadai listened patiently to her explanation, absorbing it.

“Wow… I never thought of it that way before,” he admitted. By the time she had finished they had arrived to the large structure that was the home of the Hokage and the center of ninja operations. Ayumi brought Shikadai inside, following up slights of stairs. The boy had obviously spent much time here, as he knew the place quite well. Finally, he brought her to a large room filled with books. “Dad! I’m back from school!” Shikadai called into the depths. Ayumi heard footsteps echo through the shelves, and a tall man with pierced ears, a ponytail like Shikadai’s, and dark, intelligent eyes emerged from the back of the room. He had a book in his hands, and seemed to be in the process of decoding some document.

“Oh, Shikadai. I lost track of time,” he sighed, setting the book down on a table as his son walked over and plopped down in a chair.

“It’s fine. Miss Ayumi brought me home,” Shikadai yawned, putting his hands behind his head and propping his feet on the table. Ayumi stiffened as the man turned his gaze on her, and she hastily bowed to him.

“Hello! I’m Ayumi Tachibana. I’m Shikadai’s history teacher,” she introduced herself politely, rising when she was finished.

“I’m Shikamaru Nara, his father. Thank you for bringing him here,” the man remarked and went back to his business. Ayumi became drawn to the countless books lining the shelves, and her eyes began to shine with excitement.

“Wow… I imagine that there are tons of history books here,” she murmured, taking a few steps forward to ponder over one of the bookshelves. She then became aware of Shikamaru’s intense gaze boring into the back of her head, and she blushed darkly in embarrassment. “N-not that I would want to read any! I-I mean, I would, b-but I can’t, s-so… Um, it was nice to meet you, I must be going now! See you in class tomorrow, Shikadai!” she spluttered and hurriedly made her exit. The father and son watched the flustered woman leave, and silence descended.

“… She’s pretty, isn’t she, Dad?” Shikadai remarked suddenly, and his father glanced at him with raised eyebrows. He didn’t answer for a moment, as he was carefully calculating his answer.

“… I mean, I guess. I wasn’t really paying attention,” he mumbled before returning to his work. Shikadai smirked to himself and closed his eyes. It was rare that his father ever lied, but this time Shikadai had caught him red-handed, as the man had been staring at Ayumi the entire time she was there.