Chapter 0037: An Unexpected Encounter at the BBQ Restaurant
Sizzle.
The meat slices coated in sauce sizzled as they touched the hot grill, making a delightful sound. The high temperature turned them into a mouthwatering dark brown, filling the air with the rich aroma of grilled meat.
Huff huff.
I blew gently on the meat that was skewered on my chopsticks, then popped it into my mouth. The smooth texture was simply irresistible.
My sister, sitting next to me, was enjoying her food just as much, her eyes squinted in pleasure.
"Is it really that good?" Tsunade asked, sipping her drink with a hint of exasperation.
"Ah, it's been a long time since I had BBQ," I replied with a slight embarrassment. "My mother thinks this cooking method is very unhealthy, so most of our meals are steamed or boiled."
"Mm-hmm," Kurenai agreed, nodding. "But that kind of bland food just doesn't make you hungry!"
"If that's the case, don't you go out to eat sometimes?" Shizune asked sympathetically.
"We would like to…" I sighed.
"But we don't have money," Kurenai revealed the helplessness of our situation.
In the world of ninjas, strength is highly respected, but money is also indispensable.
My sister and I were not yet official ninjas, so we had no financial resources. Every year, our New Year's money was withheld by our mother, supposedly to be used for our marriage expenses. As a result, we never had spare money.
Eating out was something we could only do when our mother, Shizune, saved up some private funds and secretly took us out for a meal.
"You really live a tough life," Tsunade said with a slight shake of her head. "Speaking of which, your father seems to be similar; he rarely pays for meals himself. I didn't expect Hana to be such a strict housekeeper."
Hana was our mother's name. It was said that she was an outstanding ninja before marrying, but after marriage, she completely entered the role of a housewife.
"Not just a strict housekeeper… she's even arranged our future for us," Kurenai mumbled.
Their mother had been pushing for us to transition from siblings to a married couple, insisting on keeping the benefits within the family. Kurenai didn't quite understand this, finding it a bit strange and often not knowing how to face me.
While we were chatting, the door of the BBQ restaurant opened with a creak.
A loud and boastful voice immediately rang out, "Hey, Kakashi! Do you believe I can eat ten pounds of BBQ today?! Hmph, that's gotta be better than you!"
"Idiot," came the cool response.
Three men and one woman walked into the restaurant. I immediately recognized them as the members of the current seventh squad: Hatake Kakashi, Uchiha Obito, Nohara Rin, and their team leader, Minato Namikaze.
"Alright, Obito. You've already disturbed the other customers. Let's find a seat," Rin said gently.
"Got it," Obito scratched his head. Despite his dissatisfaction with Kakashi calling him an idiot, he still obediently listened to his crush.
"Oh? Tsunade-sama?" Minato, who was following his students, noticed our table and walked over with a smile. "It's been a while."
"Yes, it has been a while," Tsunade replied with a faint smile. "Would you like to join us for a drink?"
"Please, spare me. You know I don't like alcohol."
"Ah, you're afraid Kushina will give you trouble if she finds out."
"You're just joking, Tsunade-sama." Minato deftly changed the subject, turning his attention to us. "So, are these your students? I was quite surprised to hear that you're leading the team yourself."
"Are you saying I'm too old and not as good as you young folks?" Tsunade replied with a half-smile.
Despite Tsunade's sharp tone, Minato maintained his warm smile and said gently, "Not at all. Just a bit surprised. Is this Hiroto-kun?"
"Uh, you know me?" I blinked in confusion.
"I've heard my teacher mention you. He said you're one of the most talented young ninjas."
As soon as Minato said this, Kakashi, Obito, and Rin all turned their surprised, bewildered, and skeptical gazes toward me.
What the heck?!
I was completely baffled. I hadn't met Jiraiya, so how could he say such things? I glanced at Tsunade, wondering if there was some secret I wasn't aware of.
Tsunade, however, showed no intention of clarifying. She lightly tapped the table with her finger and said: "I can tell you seem to disagree with this statement?"
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