Comfort
"You are… Miyue?"
"What? Is Shirō-kun's memory that bad? We just saw each other at noon, didn't we?"
"Uh, sorry. I didn't recognize you for a moment in those clothes. Also, just call me Shirō. No need to be so polite."
Actually, Shirō wasn't wrong. During the day, Miyue usually wore her ninja outfit, which gave her a sharp, capable look. But now, dressed in a light kimono, she looked much cuter, almost childish compared to earlier.
"Is the difference really that big?"
"Yes, very big. But you look good in anything, so let's not dwell on that. Aren't you taking your exam in a couple of days? Shouldn't you be preparing at home?"
"Hmph. What's there to prepare? They're all simple things."
"That confident? Don't embarrass yourself by failing the first stage."
"Hmph, impossible!" Miyue puffed out her cheeks and denied it immediately.
"Well then, if you pass the exam, I'll give you something."
"What do you mean by that?" Miyue instinctively stepped back, narrowing her eyes with suspicion.
Something about her reaction made Shirō want to tease her even more. Without thinking, he blurted out, "I want to."
The words left his mouth before his brain caught up. A wave of regret hit him instantly. Damn this cheap mouth. I've been getting too cocky lately.
"What did you say? What do you want?" Miyue tilted her head.
Ah, thank the gods she didn't catch it properly. At least my Japanese brain filter saved me this time.
"Ahem, nothing. Didn't I tell you? My teammate is also from the Uchiha Clan, so I don't have much prejudice. Besides, I'm your senior. Isn't it normal for me to look after a junior?"
"What?! Senior?! We're from the same Academy class!"
"Heh heh, sophistry won't save you. I'm already a Chūnin, while you… you're not even a Genin yet."
"Arghhh! I'll definitely surpass you one day!" Miyue snapped, her voice rising.
"Let's go. Your senior will treat you to dinner. You can try eating me out of house and home, junior."
"Bastard! You're not my senior! I'll surpass you!"
"So… you don't want free food?"
"W-who said that? Of course I'll eat! And I will eat you out of house and home!"
"Good, then lead the way."
"Hmph!"
Shirō watched her stomp ahead, a faint smile tugging at his lips. He wasn't childish enough to seriously argue with a little girl. Still, he noticed her expression seemed… off, almost like she was carrying something heavy on her mind.
But they had only just started talking today, and trust wasn't built overnight. All he could do was distract her and help lighten the mood.
Basically just coaxing a kid… though a more mature one.
In his past life, Shirō had plenty of practice. Every Chinese New Year, his relatives dumped their mischievous children on him while they played mahjong. Somehow, he always managed to calm them down when even their parents failed.
Yep. Babysitting is my specialty.
"Hey! Aren't you keeping up? Don't tell me you're scared?" Miyue called from ahead.
"Ha! Me, scared? Impossible! I, Shirō, have never feared anything!"
—
An hour later, Shirō sat frozen, staring at the mountain of empty plates stacked on the table.
"…I'm scared now. Terrified, in fact."
Why had he bragged so recklessly? He could have comforted her with something simple… but no. He chose the most expensive option possible.
Women in this world are terrifying. Silent tears welled in his eyes.
"Um… how about I pay?" Miyue glanced at the plates, looking a little guilty. Ninja food was specialized for chakra recovery, and the price was steep.
Shirō forced a laugh. "No way. I said I'd treat, so I'll treat. Besides, what kind of man lets a girl pay? This is my responsibility… and my wallet's funeral."
"Really? Then… Boss! Another table!"
"…"
This mouth of mine is going to kill me one day.
What choice did he have? A promise was a promise. Even if it ruined him, he had to see it through.
Soon, a fresh table of dishes was served.
"Boss, your serving speed is… frightening," Shirō muttered.
"Hahaha! We want our customers to have the best experience!" the shopkeeper said proudly.
"Alright, Shirō, eat quickly. The last two tables were mostly mine. You barely ate. This one's for you."
"…For me?"
"Of course. Now hurry up!"
"…Thanks, Miyue."
Wait. Why am I thanking her? I'm the one paying.
But the food looked too good, and he really hadn't eaten much earlier. Watching someone else eat with such gusto only sharpened his appetite. Under the pressure of hunger, Shirō devoured the food without hesitation.
In the end, the bill drained nearly a tenth of his savings—about 300,000 ryō. Considering that a typical C-rank mission only paid around 30,000 to 50,000 ryō after deductions, the cost was outrageous.
Still… Shirō admitted he felt a lot better afterward. Even his lingering injuries seemed lighter. Expensive, yes. But effective.
This was why shinobi expenses were always so high.
—
After dinner, the two headed back. There weren't any festivals or diversions at this hour, so Shirō insisted on walking Miyue home.
Only a beast would leave a girl to walk alone at night.
They walked mostly in silence. After all, they weren't close; before today, they'd barely exchanged words despite being classmates. Shirō had always been off training with Kushina or busy with missions.
At last, they reached the entrance to the Uchiha compound.
"Alright, I can't go past here. You'll have to walk the rest of the way yourself."
"Mmm. Thank you."
"So polite? It's only natural to escort a girl home."
"I mean… thank you for your guidance today. Truly." Miyue bowed deeply.
"Heh. You noticed, huh? Don't mention it. Just relax. If you run into trouble, you can come to me. Well… small trouble."
Shirō hesitated, correcting himself before his mouth got him into more debt.
Past mistakes were still fresh in his mind.