Early morning.
Tsunade entered the house using a spare key.
The shoes in the entryway were lined up neatly, the stove in the kitchen was off, and the living room was empty. She changed her shoes, her footsteps so light that she found it almost funny—it wasn't as if she were breaking and entering.
The bedroom door was slightly ajar.
Tsunade gave it a gentle push.
Kitahara Kaede was sitting at the desk, holding several docunts in his hand. Hearing the noise, he turned his head and locked eyes with her, his movents pausing for a heartbeat.
Tsunade walked over and glanced down. Several files were scattered across the desk; the top one had red lines marking the edges of the page, but the content was obscured by Kaede's hand, leaving her unable to see it.
"What are you reading?"
Kaede gathered the files together and pushed them to the side, blocking them with his body.
"Nothing much, just so routine reports sent over by the ANBU."
Assuming they were just ordinary docunts, Tsunade didn't press further.
"Co on, let's go grocery shopping."
Kitahara Kaede stood up and casually slid the files into a drawer. Tsunade had already turned and headed for the door.
***
The streets were crowded.
The morning market had just opened, and the calls of the vendors rose and fell in a rhythmic cacophony. Tsunade walked to his left. After a dozen steps, her arm brushed against his.
Then she did it again.
Kaede tilted his head to look at her. Tsunade kept her eyes fixed forward, her expression overly calm, though the tips of her ears were flushed pink.
He smiled, reached out, and slid his hand around her wrist, interlocking their fingers.
Tsunade's pace faltered for a fraction of a second, but she imdiately tightened her grip on his arm. Having finally made the move, she actually seed relieved, and her steps beca lighter.
The two of them strolled slowly through the morning market. They popped into a weapon shop for a look; Tsunade felt the weight of so newly arrived Shuriken, complained they were too expensive, and walked out empty-handed.
Tsunade stopped as they passed a dango shop.
"Wait a second."
She bought two skewers of tri-color dango, took a bite of one herself, and then held it up to Kaede's lips.
"Open wide."
Kaede leaned down and took a bite. Tsunade pulled her hand back, her eyes curving into a smile.
Across the street at the entrance of a teahouse, two Chunin who had just returned from a mission stood with tea bowls in their hands, their gazes fixed squarely on the couple. One nudged the other in the ribs.
"See that? They're holding arms."
"My god, finally! The whole village has been anxious on their behalf for years—"
"Shh! You're dead if Lady Tsunade hears you."
The two of them shrank back, pretending to drink their tea.
Tsunade, of course, had heard them. Her ears turned even redder, but she only clung to his arm more tightly.
***
They were unaware that twenty ters behind them, half a head was peeking out from behind a fruit stand.
Nawaki.
He had seen his sister's state with his own eyes last night after she returned ho. She had sat on the sofa, clutching that blue necklace, smiling foolishly at the air. She had smiled like that for half the night.
This morning had been even more absurd. She had brushed her hair three tis in front of the mirror and changed her clothes twice. She had even been humming a little tune as she left the house.
Nawaki knew sothing was up the mont he heard it. Since when did his sister hum tunes?
So, he had followed them in secret. From the mont Tsunade used the key to enter his Sensei's house, he had understood everything. And now—he was seeing his own sister clinging to his Sensei's arm and feeding him dango in the middle of the street.
Nawaki crouched behind the fruit stand, hands covering his mouth, his entire face bead with a smile. His eyes actually felt a bit hot.
Since he was a child, he had watched these two play a ga of cat and mouse, neither willing to speak first. He had grown impatient; he had dropped hints, and he had even asked them directly. Every ti, the answer was either a violent suppression from Tsunade or a silent smile from his Sensei.
It had been agonizing.
But now, finally—
He suddenly stood up and hopped twice in place before quickly crouching back down. He had almost exposed himself.
Nawaki whispered to himself, "Sensei, well played."
***
At the entrance of a bookstore, Jiraiya walked out carrying a stack of thick books, a grilled at skewer stick dangling from his mouth. He was looking down at the back cover of the top book when sothing caught his peripheral vision across the street.
The stick fell from his mouth.
Tsunade was clinging to Kitahara Kaede's arm as they walked side-by-side past a vegetable stall.
Tsunade was smiling. A smile of happiness and complete contentnt.
Jiraiya stood there and watched for a long ti. The books in his arms slid down slightly.
In truth, he had known for a long ti—ever since they were teenagers. The way Tsunade looked at Kaede was never the sa as the way she looked at him. Even knowing that, he had still wanted to try and fight for her...
Unfortunately...
Jiraiya pushed the books back up, stepped off the curb, and crossed the street toward them.
Tsunade saw him first. She didn't let go of the arm, but her body tensed slightly.
Jiraiya walked up to them, his gaze sweeping over Tsunade's face before landing on Kitahara Kaede. Silence fell for three seconds.
He raised his hand and patted Kaede on the shoulder.
"Take care of her."
Having said that, he withdrew his hand and turned away. His strides were long, his back straight. The stack of books in his arms was so high it blocked half of his face.
Tsunade looked back at his retreating figure. Her lips parted as if to speak, but in the end, she said nothing.
Jiraiya turned into an alley and vanished around the corner.
Tsunade withdrew her gaze and walked in silence for a few steps. Kaede's free hand ca up to cover the back of the hand she was using to hold his arm, giving it a gentle squeeze.
Tsunade looked down at that hand and took a deep breath.
"Let's go ho and cook."
***
Flas licked the bottom of the pot on the stove.
Tsunade, wearing an apron, slid pieces of sliced Pacific saury into the pan. As oil splattered, she leaned her body to the side. Kitahara Kaede stood beside her, chopping green onions.
"Salt."
He handed it to her.
"Water."
He handed it to her.
As Tsunade flipped the fish, she stepped back half a pace, her back bumping into his arm.
"Move."
"You just need to step forward half a pace."
"I can't reach the seasonings."
Kaede shifted slightly forward. One arm wrapped around her waist while his other hand reached over her shoulder to grab the soy sauce bottle, his chin resting on her shoulder.
Tsunade froze for a mont. She turned her face slightly; at this distance, his profile was so close she could count his eyelashes.
Tsunade abruptly snapped her head back to stare at the pan.
"...Pour it already. Why are you just standing there?"
Kaede poured the soy sauce into the pan, but the arm around her waist didn't loosen.
"That's enough, that's enough! You poured too much!" Tsunade's hand holding the spatula trembled slightly, and her voice jumped half an octave. "Go back. Stop seducing the chef."
Kaede let out a soft laugh, released her, and stepped back.
The sound of shoes being removed ca from the doorway. Nawaki sat down at the dining table, his legs swinging back and forth.
"Slls great!"
Looking at the two of them working side-by-side in the kitchen, the smile on his face was impossible to suppress.
Tsunade brought the plate out and shot him a glance.
"What are you smiling about?"
"Nothing... it's nothing."
Nawaki quickly looked down and took a large gulp from his teacup.
Kitahara Kaede erged from behind her carrying the miso soup, just in ti to see Nawaki winking at him and giving him a thumbs-up.
He smiled faintly and placed the soup on the table.
The three of them sat down to eat. Tsunade placed the largest piece of fish into Nawaki's bowl, then placed a boneless piece into Kaede's bowl.
Nawaki shoveled a few mouthfuls of rice before suddenly looking up.
"Sis."
"Hmm?"
"The food you made today tastes better than ever."
Tsunade raised an eyebrow. "It's the sa dish as always."
"When the mood is different, the taste is different!"
Tsunade tapped him on the forehead with her chopsticks.
"Stop being a brat."
Nawaki rubbed his forehead and chuckled.
The scent of cooking oil and smoke had not yet dissipated. Sunlight stread through the window, falling upon the three of them. The clinking of bowls and chopsticks, the bickering, and the laughter all blended together.
As she finished the last few bites of her al, Tsunade suddenly rembered sothing.
"Oh, about those files you were reviewing this morning—" She paused for a mont. "Are you planning to take another mission?"
Kitahara Kaede set his chopsticks down. "No, I was just organizing so paperwork."
Tsunade held his gaze for a couple of seconds. "Really?"
"Really."
Tsunade didn't press him further. She stood up and began clearing the table.
Nawaki leaned in and whispered into Kitahara Kaede's ear, "Sensei, I've been trailing you two all morning."
Kitahara Kaede gave him a sidelong glance. "I know."
Nawaki's eyes widened. "You noticed?"
"I noticed the mont you reached my front door."
Nawaki's face fell. Kitahara Kaede gave him a light smack on the head.
"You've still got a long way to go."
Rubbing his head, Nawaki watched his Sensei walk into the kitchen and stand side-by-side with Tsunade at the sink to wash the dishes.
Resting his chin in his hand, he murmured softly to himself, "That's nice..."
User Comments
0 comments from readers