Chapter 21 - My Treat and a Cute Cat
I naturally clicked on [More Information].
Name: Miyu Sato
Age: 28
Level: 10
Her Past: Miyu is the daughter of an old Rain Village shinobi. Her mother died when she was born, and her father passed away after their village was attacked. She and her husband fled to the Land of Fire, but her husband fell into debt and alcohol addiction, which worsened their situation. After escaping with her daughter, she learned that her husband was killed by debt collectors.
This brief summary doesn't capture the depth of her pain, but I could sense it in her demeanor.
As I observed her eating, I noticed her hands trembling slightly and her deep breaths.
"Aunty, you seem tired. Are you working overtime?" I asked, concern evident in my voice.
"Yes, Ruki-kun. The rent has increased," she replied, glancing at me with a tired expression.
[Favorability increased to 43]
"Then why don't you buy a house?" I inquired.
"The houses are expensive, Ruki-kun. An average house costs about 2 million ryo," she said with a sigh.
"Oh, I see. Aunty, just let me know if there's anything I can do to help," I offered.
She remained silent for a moment, but her favorability increased.
[Favorability increased to 52]
My attention shifted to Kakashi and Obito, who were being served their food. Kakashi ate quickly, his face hidden from view.
I smiled at the familiar scene.
"Kakashi, Obito, where are Rin and Minato-sensei?" I asked.
"Rin should be coming soon. Minato-sensei is probably being scolded by Sensei's wife," Obito replied with a grin.
As if on cue, Rin walked in. She waved at Kakashi and Obito before approaching us.
She looked at me curiously and then said, "Ruki, is that really you? Long time no see!"
I replied with a smile, "Rin! How are you? How's your medical training going?"
"Pretty good," she said, her smile widening. "You've changed a lot. What's your secret?"
"It's a long story," I said with a chuckle. "I'll fill you in later."
"Were you on a mission? I haven't seen you in ages," Rin asked, her curiosity piqued.
We had shared many interactions before, especially during a memorable D-rank mission where we competed to catch a cat. I had caught it but ended up giving it to her, and we spent a good ten minutes tossing it back and forth before I finally took it home.
"Yeah, I was on a small mission with my team. But enough about me. Why don't you have some ramen? It's my treat," I offered, making a sweeping gesture.
Rin's face lit up with a smile. "Really? That sounds great! I'm starving."
As Rin ordered her ramen, I continued chatting with Aunty. "You should really take it easy, Aunty. Working so hard isn't good for you."
She nodded, though her eyes showed the weight of her struggles. "I know, Ruki-kun. It's just that every bit helps right now."
The conversation was interrupted by a familiar "Meow" behind us. We turned to see a black cat with light purple ears, a white spot on its chest, and cute twitching ears.
Rin and I exchanged smiles. It was the same cat from our previous mission.
Rin quickly picked up the cat and brought it to us. "Look who's here! It's the same little kitty we met before."
The cat meowed and nuzzled Rin's hand. "It's been so long since we last saw you," Rin said, rubbing its head affectionately.
Ayame, our waitress, approached with a curious expression. "Oh, that cat belonged to Grandma Xu. Since she passed away, the cat has been coming here every day for food."
"That's so sad," I said, feeling a pang of sympathy. "I actually have some cat food for her." I pulled out the food I had bought from my shop and offered it to the cat.
Rin's eyes brightened as she watched the cat eat. "Thank you, Ruki. You're always so kind."
[Rin's favorability increased to 33]
"I'll take her home with me," Rin said with a smile. "She's always welcome at my place."
As Rin carried the cat away, I felt a warm sense of satisfaction. It was nice to help, and seeing Rin's happiness made the evening even better.