"This handsome young man, are you sure you don't want a skewer of tri-colored dango?"
In the marketplace, the dango shop owner lifted a fresh skewer and smiled warmly.
"Give it a try—it's our newest variety."
Renya stared blankly at the freshly-cooked tri-colored dango in the shop owner's hand.
Deep brown, creamy white, and vibrant red dumplings were skewered on bamboo sticks, with a caramel-colored glaze slowly dripping down the smooth, rounded surface.
That sight overlapped with a memory from a certain night.
At the time, Senju Hashirama had bought him several skewers of tri-colored dango.
Originally, Renya hadn't wanted to eat them. He thought only children liked sweet things.
But he couldn't resist the pleading look in Hashirama's eyes and eventually gave in, reluctantly trying one.
To his surprise, it had tasted really good.
He wondered how Hashirama-san was doing now.
Finding Uchiha Madara in the vast shinobi world was no easy task—especially when Madara was actively hiding.
It was like looking for a needle in a haystack...
Renya was worried that Senju Hashirama might never find Madara, even until his dying breath.
And if that happened, would Hashirama think Renya had lied to him...?
...
"Handsome, want one?"
The owner's voice pulled Renya back to reality.
He reached out and took a skewer, then after a brief pause added, "Boss, give me five more."
"Got it!" The shopkeeper quickly packed them up.
Renya paid and left the shopping street with his bag of dango.
On the way, he popped the original skewer into his mouth.
The soft rice dumplings melted on his tongue, releasing a sweet bean flavor mixed with the rich taste of honey.
"Tastes pretty good," Renya murmured with satisfaction, squinting his eyes contentedly.
Just then, a voice called from behind him.
"Renya, you like sweets too?"
Hearing that, Renya froze and inwardly cursed.
He slowly turned his head to see Uchiha Kagami watching him with curiosity.
"Kagami, didn't you have a mission to complete?" Renya casually tossed the bamboo skewer aside and smoothly tried to change the subject.
Uchiha Kagami glanced instinctively at the discarded skewer and explained with a smile:
"We just got back from the front lines—we're on break for a few days."
"I see..." Renya nodded thoughtfully. But before he could come up with something else to say, Kagami circled back to the earlier question.
"Renya, do you like sweets too?"
Renya's eye twitched. Was this guy not going to let it go?
Couldn't he see Renya was trying to change the topic?
Why bring it back again?!
He was just about to snap, but then he looked at Kagami's smiling face and held back.
As the saying goes, you don't hit someone who's smiling at you.
Kagami looked so friendly that Renya couldn't bring himself to lash out.
The guy was just asking a normal question. He hadn't done anything wrong...
Under Kagami's expectant gaze, Renya replied with a blank expression,
"Of course not. These are a gift for Tsunade."
Worried Kagami might not believe him, he added,
"I don't like sweets. I was just tasting them on Tsunade's behalf, to check the flavor."
Kagami's eyes dimmed slightly at that.
"I see... I thought you were like me, someone who liked sweets."
Seeing Kagami didn't argue back, Renya let out a subtle sigh of relief.
Putting on a look of disdain, he said proudly, "Only little kids like sweets."
"But… they really do taste good…" Kagami muttered under his breath, then looked at Renya and said, "Renya-kun, just try some! You'll love them!"
With that, he walked to the dango stand and bought a few more skewers of tri-colored dango.
"Renya, come on, just try them! I know you'll fall in love with sweets!" Kagami handed him a skewer.
Renya looked at the dango and subconsciously swallowed, turning his face away.
"N-No thanks…"
"Only little kids like sweets..."
Seeing Renya firmly refuse, Kagami sighed and didn't press him further. He just started eating by himself.
Looked like Renya really didn't like sweets.
If that was the case, then he'd have to eat all the dango himself!
"Eh?" Renya glanced at Kagami in confusion.
Damn it, couldn't this guy push a little harder?
He had already prepared himself! If Kagami had asked just one more time, he was going to pretend to be reluctant and take the skewer.
But Kagami just gave up halfway...
Munching on the dango, Kagami asked with a full mouth,
"Renya, did you just get back from a mission too?"
"Yeah." Renya gave a faint response. He didn't feel like talking to this greedy guy who wouldn't share.
Kagami was momentarily stunned by the cold reply and felt a bit puzzled.
"Why did Renya suddenly go cold on me?"
Then it hit him.
Maybe it was because he'd tried to make Renya eat something he didn't like, and it annoyed him.
With that thought, Kagami immediately apologized.
"Sorry, Renya! I won't ever make you eat sweets again!"
Afraid Renya would be upset just seeing the dango in his hand, Kagami quickly finished the last skewer.
Then, imitating Renya's earlier move, he casually tossed the bamboo stick to the ground.
Renya: "???"
Wait a second, now this is just too much!
Why the heck was he banning him from eating sweets?!
"Sorry, Renya. I've got something to take care of—let's talk later." Seeing that Renya hadn't said anything for a while, Kagami wisely turned and left.
Looks like he really did make Renya mad.
He swore to himself: Never again would he push someone to do something they didn't like...
Renya watched Kagami's hasty retreat and felt a little dazed.
"What's up with that guy all of a sudden?"
He'd been about to ask Kagami about the front lines.
After all, Sarutobi Hiruzen's squad wasn't stationed at the rear like theirs—they were operating on the front...
But before he could ask, Kagami had already left.
"Whatever, I'll ask later." Renya shook his head helplessly and walked off with his bag of tri-colored dango.
...
Senju Hashirama's residence.
Tsunade was lying across the stone table in the courtyard, staring at a few dice on the tabletop, deep in thought.
Tanihana was lazily sprawled across the table sleeping. Suddenly, her ears twitched and she opened her eyes to look toward the gate.
"Tsunade, long time no see!" Renya had just entered the courtyard when he spotted Tsunade lying at the table.
"Renya-san! What are you doing here?!" Tsunade's face lit up and she ran over to him.
"Meow~" Tanihana trotted around their feet, circling nonstop.
Renya looked down at the chubby Tanihana and commented,
"It hasn't been that long, but this ugly cat's gotten even fatter."
"Meow meow meow!" Tanihana meowed in protest.
Ignoring the grumpy feline, Renya lifted the bag in his hand and smiled.
"Tsunade, look what I brought you."
"Wow! Tri-colored dango!"
(T/N: In this fanfic we have a lot of text about food)
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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