He was determined to have a hearty meal and then head home to sleep.
When it comes to food, the Akimichi clan knew their stuff!
Their unique barbeque could easily rake in tons of cash, a lucrative business that many families envied.
Unfortunately, other clans simply didn't have the Akimichi's knack for it.
All they could do was watch with envy.
"Not bad,"
Picking up a slice of barbequed meat, dipping it lightly in sauce, and popping it into his mouth, Takashi gave an approving nod.
Fresh ingredients, top-notch sauces, and refreshing side dishes.
With a setup like this, it was hard for the Akimichi not to make money.
Konoha had no shortage of barbeque restaurants, but only the Akimichi-owned ones remained packed year-round, and theirs were also the priciest.
As Takashi was about to enjoy another slice of grilled meat, a small figure suddenly darted toward him.
How bold!
Trying to snatch food mid-bite?
He instinctively raised his hand to stop them, but then he caught sight of a head of fiery red hair.
Kushina?
Takashi dropped his hand and wrapped the little figure in his arms.
"Sniff... Takashi, Grandma Mito is gone."
Kushina nestled into his embrace, her sobs muffled as she started to cry.
"What are you…"
Before Takashi could finish his sentence, the piece of grilled meat was snatched away by Tsunade, who ate it in one bite and raised an eyebrow at him. "Tastes good.""Hehe, long time no see."
Nawaki grinned, pulling up a small stool to sit nearby.
"There, there, no more crying."
Holding Kushina close, Takashi helplessly began comforting her.
You better comfort her properly—she's been going on about you for a whole year.Giving Takashi a look that seemed to say "good luck," Tsunade sat beside Nawaki, picked up a pair of chopsticks, and placed more meat on the grill.After not seeing Takashi for an entire year, Kushina's tightly-held emotions finally burst out.
The little girl sobbed miserably, and the front of Takashi's freshly changed clothes was soon soaked.
All he could do was continue comforting her, hoping she'd calm down soon.
"Kushina, how did you know I was back?"
Since comforting wasn't quite working, Takashi decided to try changing the subject.
"Tsu… Tsunade-nee told me you'd arrive today,"
Kushina replied between sobs, her words broken up by her sorrow.
Taking a bite of barbequed meat, Tsunade commented, "Came back but didn't even think to look for us—straight off to soak in the hot springs and head for barbeque."
"Don't even start."
Takashi looked up at the ceiling in exasperation. "Camp life is unbearable—just taking a bath is a hassle, let alone food."
"Old man Hokage is the worst! He's the one who sent you off to that border camp,"
Kushina's mood gradually stabilized as she redirected her focus, her little sniffs accompanied by complaints about the Third Hokage.
Thankfully, the barbeque place was bustling, and their tables were spaced out enough that Kushina's words weren't overheard. Otherwise, someone might have jumped up to scold them.
Or even gone to report them to the police force.
At this time, the Third Hokage was regarded as a revered leader in the village, enjoying a high level of respect.
"Look at you, you've lost weight. You haven't been eating properly, have you? Look how delicious this barbecue is! Hey! Nawaki, don't eat so fast, you're going to finish it all!"Takashi quickly brought Nawaki into the conversation to divert attention and focus Kushina's frustration elsewhere."Nawaki-nii!"
As expected, Kushina, who had been sobbing just a moment ago, immediately got angry when she heard this. "How could you try to eat all the meat by yourself?"
Tsunade, who was still feasting, immediately put down her chopsticks, while Nawaki, holding a piece of meat, looked bewildered.
"I only just started my second piece! The rest was eaten by my sister, not me!"
Kushina had always had a fiery personality, and it had only gotten more intense as she got older, much like Tsunade. This made Nawaki a little afraid of her.
"It wasn't me! I didn't do it—I..."
Nawaki hurried to explain, raising his hand as if to point at Tsunade, but when he saw her warning glare, he felt like he wanted to disappear.
"You all are just terrible, always bullying me."
"Alright, Nawaki was just hungry. Let's order some more meat. I'm hungry too, let's all eat to our heart's content."
After calming Kushina down, Takashi winked at Nawaki, then called the waiter over to order a lot more dishes.
With Takashi around, plus Tsunade's interruptions and Nawaki drawing the ire, Kushina quickly calmed down.
Takashi even started sharing some of the funny stories from the camp.
"By the way, Nawaki, you're about to graduate, right?"
As they chatted, the conversation shifted to that topic.
"Yeah, once I pass the graduation exam, I won't be a student anymore. I'll be a real ninja!"
Nawaki put on a smug expression, almost getting up to strike a victory pose.
"Even after graduation, you'll still be a rookie!"
Tsunade mercilessly cut him down. "Your sister graduated from the Ninja Academy when she was six."
"How can I compare with you?"
Nawaki shouted, "Takashi graduated when he was ten! Why don't you call him a rookie too?"
In truth, Nawaki wasn't a rookie—he was only one compared to Tsunade.
Among the students about to graduate, Nawaki was one of the top performers in every subject except the academic ones.
Takashi chuckled as he watched the siblings bicker.
A smile also appeared on Kushina's face, though it held a hint of schadenfreude.
"Takashi."
While Tsunade was lecturing Nawaki, Kushina leaned close to Takashi and whispered, "Can I invite some friends to your place tomorrow? I want to treat them to barbecue."
"Of course. I promise our little princess won't be disappointed."
"Hehe, Takashi, you're the best."
"By the way, who are you inviting?"
"Hmm..."
Kushina counted on her fingers. "Mikoto-nee, the little blond guy, oh, and Miho..."
"Pfft..."
Takashi, who had been sipping tea, spat it out.
That little blond guy... is it who I think it is?
"Is the little blond guy Minato Namikaze?"
"Yeah."
Kushina smiled, her eyes curving with joy. "He's the only one in class who wants to be friends with me. Oh, and Miho too, but Miho is a little too quiet. You once said the little blond guy always catches the girls' attention, so I think calling him that suits him."
When he was younger, Minato Namikaze was a cheerful boy with a sunny smile and good looks, plus he excelled in all subjects. Because of this, he attracted a lot of attention from the girls in class.
Oh boy.
I just meant it as a description, not for you to call him that.
But since the term "little blond guy" doesn't have the same teasing undertone in the world of shinobi, and Minato already had blond hair, he eventually just resigned himself to the nickname after Kushina had called him that long enough.
"Takashi, when Miho comes over, please don't be mad at her, okay? She's really shy."
Kushina looked up at Takashi, her eyes wide with hope.