Chapter 109: How Can a Man and a Woman Share a Room?

Zzzzz~ zzzz~~

Gin expertly flipped the meat on the grill with his chopsticks, the fat sizzling and crackling as flames licked at the juicy cuts.

Everyone seated around the table stared at the glistening golden meat, their mouths watering uncontrollably.

"Big bro! Is it ready yet?"

An impatient Izuna wiped the drool from the corner of his mouth, staring at Gin, who held command over the sacred grill.

Everyone else wore eager expressions too—after all, Gin's cooking skills were famously good. Even simple grilled meat became a gourmet experience in his hands.

"All right, all right… Hikari, you first."

Sensing the perfect moment, Gin picked up a piece of perfectly marbled meat and placed it in Hikari's bowl."You haven't eaten properly in years. Go on, eat while it's hot."

After all, she'd been sealed for over a decade and only had some emergency rations on the road back. She deserved the first taste of real food.

"Thank you, Gin~"

Her eyes glistened with gratitude as she daintily picked up the meat, casting a triumphant glance at Itama across the table before taking a delicate bite."Mmm~ Gin's cooking… really is amazing!"

"Disgusting! So fake, old hag…"

Itama muttered under her breath, glaring at Gin's hand, waiting desperately for her share.

"Here, Jiri, yours."

The next piece, however, went straight into Jiri's bowl.

Crack!

Itama's chopsticks snapped in her hand.

"Ah? What's with your attitude, brat?"

Noticing Itama's sour mood, Gin pressed his palm against her head with a grin."You should be thanking Jiri for looking after you while I was gone!"

Though she sulked and turned away, the faint upward curve of her lips betrayed her.

Tch!

Crack!

Hikari's chopsticks snapped too.

"Ahaha… seems like the chopsticks here aren't very good," she said with a strained smile, tossing the pieces away and standing up to fetch a new pair.

"No need! Seems Dairou's procurement is slipping."

Gin clapped his hands, a green glow emanating from his palms as delicate sprouts emerged, quickly growing into uniform wooden chopsticks. He handed them out with a proud smile."Here, use these!"

But when he looked up, the whole room had gone silent. Everyone—except Hikari—stared at him like they'd seen a ghost.

"…What?"

He elbowed Izuna, who only gawked at him in disbelief.

"…That's… Hashirama's technique?"

Madara finally spoke, narrowing his eyes as he examined the wooden chopsticks. His voice was low and heavy."How do you know this jutsu?"

To Madara, his cousin had always seemed like a slacker who never took anything too seriously. But this… this wasn't something to joke about.

Gin just blinked innocently."Is it hard? Just clap your hands and it comes out."

Everyone thought the same thing.

Does he think we're stupid?

"You damn curly-haired monkey, you think we're stupid?"

Perfectly delivered by none other than Itama.

"Believe what you want! Now shut up and eat."

He stuffed a chunk of meat right into Itama's mouth, silencing her as she gagged and flailed. Jiri patted her back, and the piece finally went down.

"I'll bite you for this!"

Itama leapt at him with a headbutt, catching him off guard and sending them both tumbling.

As Gin stared at her sprawled on his chest, he let out a helpless laugh."Didn't expect your head to be this hard. I, Gin, admit defeat. You're the Iron-Head Champion."

To Hikari, watching from the side, the sight of his warm, doting smile stabbed at her heart like a knife. Black mist curled at her brow as her inner darkness stirred again.

'Steel Heart' chest progress: 10. Three more battles required to unlock reward. (Current total: 10)

Looks like another round of suffering was on the way.

With a wry grin, he hoisted the dazed Itama up by the scruff of her neck."All right, enough. Let's eat."

Itama was soon distracted by the fragrant grilled fish, digging in with abandon while everyone else started helping themselves.

Later, as he settled the bill, Dairou tried refusing payment, but Gin slapped a gold brick on the counter with a smirk."Take it, or I'll shove it in your face."

"…Fine. Just this once," Dairou muttered, pocketing it with a defeated expression.

On the way out, Gin clapped Madara on the shoulder."I'll visit uncle tomorrow. We'll talk then."

Madara just nodded, watching him leave with the girls.

After dropping Jiri off at her home—where she warmly invited him to visit her and her mother—Gin politely declined, sensing the icy killing intent at his back.

Returning to his wooden mansion, he admired the flawless, self-repairing house he'd built years ago. But now it felt… a little small.

There were only a couple of bedrooms, plus a study. Now, with Hikari here too, the place suddenly felt cramped.

"You! Tonight you sleep at the old house."

He pointed at Itama, not wanting her and Hikari to butt heads all night.

"…What?"

Traitor! Tossing me aside for a new flame?

Itama clenched her fists.

Meanwhile, Hikari's face flushed bright red as all sorts of indecent scenarios filled her head.

"Tch!"

Itama turned on her heel, seething, but when Gin added—

"Hey, don't pout. I'm coming to sleep there too. Can't have a man and woman alone in the same house."

—Itama froze.

For a second she thought about refusing out of habit, but a strange fluttering feeling stopped her.

She turned back, barely hiding her crooked smile.

Boom!

Hikari, on the other hand, felt like lightning had struck her heart.

Her fragile hopes crumbled as she watched Itama's smug little smile.

"I'm going to rest," she muttered coldly, black mist curling around her as she stormed upstairs.

Gin, clueless, watched her go."She must be tired… better let her rest."

Turning back to the sulking Itama, he waved."Come on, let's go. I'm sleeping inside too!"

"…???"

(End of Chapter)

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