Chapter 125: An unexpected encounter? (part 2)

On the last day of the festival, a young boy ran past several people while carrying a seemingly huge red bag behind his bag.

He ran so fast and avoided all pedestrians on his way with almost pinpoint accuracy, till he managed to arrive at a stand, held by a man with shaggy brown hair and a lit smoke in his mouth.

The man proceeded to stare down at the boy who suddenly stopped in front of his stand in a hurry trying to catch his breath.

Shinji: You're late.

Homura: *Heavy breathing* Huff…Whatever, I am here ain't I? And it's a known fact that the main event is always kept for last.

Homura said trying to sound confident in himself, the challenge he had issued to Shinji turned out to be more complicated than he had ever imagined.

Homura thought that sewing clothes would be pretty much the same as sewing plushies and to some degree he was right but it involved far more than he had anticipated.

He spent yesterday just looking for the right materials and buying them, but since Homura was quite cheap he spent more time trying to find the best possible deals, not realizing he had wasted too much time.

And when he tried to make a plushie himself, it came out very different from what he had originally imagined and he had to ask for help from the last person he ever wanted to.

Luckily enough, she was able to help him in time but it took convincing and a lot of battering.

So, as the two of them tried their best to meet the deadline, they ultimately barely made it, but Homura had to rush with the products they had just finished in order to not lose the challenge and be further indebted.

Shinji: So show me the product so that I can put it on display I only have a couple more hours before I have to close up shop.

Homura: Really? Doesn't seem you sold that much…One would think you would stay until the end to try your luck.

Homura said as he undid his bag.

Shinji's stand seemed to be rather full.

Almost as if nothing had been sold off.

Shinji: Hmph! That shows how little you know about buying and selling, who would go to a stand that is practically empty?

Is what Shinji said to Homura, but the truth was he had sold very little these last few days.

It was going more or less according to his expectations, but it still hurts how little he managed to sell; though he couldn't admit it to a brat like Homura whom he saw as being too cheeky for their own good.

Homura: Really?

Homura had a hard time believing Shinji but he was busy setting the plushies in his bag inside the stall; to think too deeply about it.

Shinji: Yes, really. Now give me one of these to see if you're right about these things of yours.

Homura: sure.

Homura then proceeded to hand over a finished product from his batch to Shinji who took it and started inspecting it.

He wanted to see what was all the fuss that Homura was making about his so-called better plushies.

He inspected each and every one of the items Homura brought, and when he was done he started hanging them on the left corner of the wall as he removed some of the items he had previously placed over there since Homura was too short to reach the top.

Shinji: The last 2 I just hang are leagues beyond the first 3s, did you have some kind of older sibling help you out or something?

Homura: Pfft! No.

Homura replied immediately pretending to be pissed by Shinji's statement but looked away to not make direct eye contact to not break his facade.

Shinji: You're a really bad liar. And here I thought they'd teach you better at the academy.

Homura: Kuh!

Such a blatant lie that came from Homura's mouth was easy for Shinji to spot, but he had never said that Homura couldn't get any help.

The match was more about seeing whose designs were better, and at the end of the day, he did make most of the merchandise himself.

Shinji was not one to care too much about the specifics, so he did not really care either way.

Shinji: Well, it doesn't really matter. At the end of the day the public always has the last words.

He said as he exhale a cloud of smoke from his mouth.

Homura: For once we agree, get ready to lose old man!

Shinji: It's Shinji, and I am only 32.

Homura: Hmph! Whatever.

Shinji was a bit surprised about Homura's confidence, he wouldn't lose much even if he were to lose, but Homura is a child and an orphan.

Betting his money so easily for something that might not even pay off for him, because he wanted to learn, was ridiculous.

Not only that but he was training to become a shinobi at the academy, Shinji was not a ninja and just a regular individual more or less, so he could not exactly imagine how many hours Homura was forced to train but if it was somewhere close as a normal apprenticeship; he had to be quite busy.

Unless you have a knack for it or on some specific field, being a ninja isn't exactly easy work.

Shinji: grumbles So, you truly think you can beat me at my own game, huh? You sure about this bet, kid?

Homura: Damn right, old man! I'll show you that my plushies can outsell your creepy creations any day! Prepare to be amazed! (Prepare to be amazed? What am I saying?)

Shinji: raises an eyebrow Amazed? More like baffled. Your designs are so simple, it's like you're cutting corners left and right. Who'd want those amateurish things? You better keep training in order to not die out there in the future.

Homura: I'll be fine! And appearances matter, you know? People like simple and easy on the eyes, not scary. You've been doing this for years, but it's time for some fresh blood to shake things up!

Shinji: *snorts* Fresh blood, huh? We'll see about that. Let's put your plushies on one side of the stall and mine on the other. It'll be the ultimate test.

Homura: Fine by me, but prepare to eat your words, old-timer. Once people see my product, they won't be able to resist buying them.

Shinji: Yours? You barely made half of them and you clearly had help reaching the finish line.

Homura: I thought of them, and that should be enough, right?

Homura lying through his teeth, clearly copying a character from a popular franchise from his old world about monsters being tamed into fighting each other.

Not that anyone would know, since he made sure to check a similar franchise did not exist within this world.

Shinji: Well a promise is a promise.

Shinji, a middle-aged man with a shabby appearance, usually sold junk apparel near the junkyard in Konohagakure. However, for the festival, he had brought his own handmade plushies, masks, and various crafted items. Shinji's creations were incredibly talented, but they possessed a hyper-realistic quality that made them appear creepy and scary. On the other hand, Homura's plushies were simple and cute in design, showcasing his own style and charm.

As their competition officially began, the stall remained relatively unnoticed, with passersby paying little attention to their display. Homura couldn't help but feel a little disheartened, fearing that his bet with Shinji had been a mistake.

[Time passes as the festivalgoers walk past the stall, showing little interest.]

Homura: grumbles …sh*t.(This isn't going as planned. This may be harder than I thought… Just when I managed to make some extra cash…and there's the stuff I just bought for this…and Naruto is definitely going to make go along with one his stupid pranks if I don't give him the 10 cup ramens I promised him this week.)

Homura clenched his right fist tighter as he realizes that things were not going according to plan, he thought maybe should try to appeal to the crowd or do something.

He had made a mistake arriving so late, if it had been in the early morning or noon more children would be at the festival right now.

Soon they would be having the fireworks display and it would all be over.

Such an outcome could not be allowed to pass.

Shinji:…

Shinji who was standing next to Homura in a traditional dark navy blue kimono, was able to see the subtle changes in Homura's face as he began to feel the pressure of failure might be looming.

Shinji: Calm down, kid. This is quite normal for anyone who sells stuff to have periods of time without any customers.

Homura:… Maybe people just have terrible taste.

Shinji: I told you, kid. Making a product is not so easy, your designs lack the finesse that comes with experience. They're too...obvious.

Homura: You just don't know what you are talking about.

Shinji: *SIGH*

Homura: (My stuff has been tested by one of the biggest/cut-throat companies in that terrible world…it should be like perfect. Maybe these hicks don't know a good thing when it is right in front of them. )

But just as doubt started to creep in, a young girl passing by caught sight of one of Homura's plushies and let out an excited squeal. Intrigued, she approached the stall.

The young girl stops in front of Homura's side of the stall, eyes lighting up at one of the plushies on display.

Girl: Aww, this one is so cute! Mommy, can I have it?

Homura: *beaming smile* You sure can, little lady! That one's a special creation just for you!

Girl: Really?

Homura: Of course! Have as many as you want! (I beg you!)

Said Homura while handing over the plushy to the little girl to her mother's stiff expression as she kept a smile on her face.

Luckily for the woman, she managed to convince her daughter that she would buy another one next time as they departed.

Homura: Hehehe!

Homura smiled towards Shinji showing him the coins in his hands with a huge cocky smile.

Shinji: Lucky brat. Don't expect it will be the same next time.

However, Shinji would soon be proven wrong as word easily spreads out.

As the girl soon meets with more of her friends on her way to her group of friends, and soon more people start flocking to Homura's side, captivated by the adorable simplicity of the plushies.

So many troubled parents with their excited daughters flock toward their stall.

Shinji: stunned What the hell just happened? How did your crappy plushies become a hit?

Homura: laughs triumphantly Looks like people appreciate the cuteness, eh? You underestimated me, old man.(And the team of lawyers and designers at N*ntendo!)

Shinji: Kuh!…Darn it.

Although all these children flocked towards their stall, they were only aiming to get one of Homura's products to Shinji's shame.

He even tried to sell his puppet doll only for one of the children to start to cry at the sight of his work, which he clearly put more effort and hours into than Homura.

Shinji watched in disbelief as Homura's simplistic designs garnered such popularity. It baffled him how an amateur like Homura, who seemed to have cut corners, could win over the crowd with ease. Suppressing his surprise, Shinji observed as Homura sold his last plushy, a chubby pink fairy-like creature with wings, to a little girl. But just as the transaction concluded, the plushy accidentally burst open, spilling its filling onto the ground.

However, Shinji swiftly takes the plushy away from Homura's hand and sews the plushy in no time. He managed to fix it, and with a gentle smile, he handed it to the little girl, who beamed with joy.

Shinji: Good as new.

Girl: Thank you, uncle.

Shinji:…Sure.- Is what he said as he waved goodbye to the child.

Being called an uncle had a made a severe impact on Shinji's mental image of himself, Homura, calling him an old man had little effect because he was simply an unruly brat.

But being called an uncle by the little girl next to him was certainly not any easier.

With this last purchase, the crowd soon dissipates.

They received some orders for Homura's designed plushies for after the festival, it was the first time that had happened to Shinji at this festival in his long years attending.

His pride was certainly hurt beyond belief, what he thought he knew turned out to be not exactly true.

But he was still somewhat happy to receive orders from customers.

And as the festival wound down and the crowd dispersed, Shinji took the opportunity to address Homura's subpar craftsmanship.

Shinji: clears his throat Alright, kid. You proved your point. Your work might be subpar, but it has potential.

Homura: grinning triumphantly "Told you, didn't I? My designs are nice and simple. People can't resist them. The perfect combo"

Shinji: raises an eyebrow "The perfect combo? You sure took the easy way out, didn't you? Cutting corners and focusing only on appearance."

Homura: shrugs "Hey, it worked, didn't it? And besides, who needs hyper-realistic when you can have adorably cuddly… or whatever?"(I really don't care for this stuff.)

Shinji: shakes his head, a hint of a smile playing on his lips "You really have no clue, do you? Your work may be amateurish, but it's got something that appeals to people…I see that now, did you really come up with those designs on your own?"

Homura: rolls his eyes "Oh, please. Spare me your inquisition, old man. You're just bitter because I won the bet."

Shinji: pauses, his eyes softening "Yeah, yeah, you got lucky this time. But I'll admit defeat, okay? I'll teach you how to make good puppets."

Homura: grinning mischievously "So you're finally going to share your secrets with me, huh? The great old man, opening up to the likes of me?"

Shinji: grumbles "Don't get too cocky, kid. I may be a craftsman, but I'm still a merchant and an adult. Pride won't let me back down completely."

He couldn't deny that the bet was lost on his part, yet he still admitted defeat in his own gruff way.

Shinji:"You may have won this round, kid, but your work still has much room for improvement," Shinji said, his voice laced with a mixture of scolding and reluctant admiration. "I'll teach you how to make good puppets. You have some talent buried under all that amateurish mediocre work of yours."

Homura: Ah, so the old man is a big softy deep down. Who could have known, under all that shagginess?

Homura couldn't help but tease Shinji about his defeat, fully expecting the proud craftsman to resist the proposition. To his surprise, Shinji responded with unexpected openness.

Shinji: S-shut up! God, you're one annoying brat.

Homura: Whatever, I won.

Shinji:…This may have been a mistake.

Were the last words Shinji said before the fireworks show started.

It was a spectacle to watch.

All those fireworks being fired on the clear dark sky above were nothing to scoff at.

And so, their partnership was born amidst banter and camaraderie, as Shinji and Homura set out on a new venture together. Their combined talents and contrasting personalities promised a future filled with unique and sought-after creations.

Or so some might say.

In reality, one was simply annoying the other, and they were united under one common goal, money.

Chapter end.