The weekend was cold when Hikaru got ready to visit Ryōta's grandparents. He put on his best Academy uniform and looked at himself in the mirror, adjusting his collar for the third time. His hands felt sweaty despite the cold weather, and he wiped his palms on his pants.
Ayako had prepared a gift the night before—a package of her yakitori seasonings with recipe cards written in neat handwriting.
"Remember to bow properly when you meet them," Ayako said as she fixed his collar again. "And don't forget to say thank you for inviting you. Old people care about good manners."
"I know, Onee-chan," Hikaru replied, shifting his weight from foot to foot. "Ryōta-kun already told me what to expect."
Hikaru was more nervous than he let on, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. This visit was important for Ryōta's family. They wanted to meet the friend helping their grandson with ninja training.
"I should tell the study group I can't come this week," Hikaru said, scratching his temple. "Yuki-san worries when people don't show up."
"That's good thinking," Ayako said. "Now go, or you'll be late."
The walk took Hikaru through parts of the village he didn't usually visit. Small farms and gardens grew vegetables to sell at the market. The air smelled like wood smoke from people heating their homes.
Children played in the streets despite the cold. Their laughter echoed between buildings, reminding Hikaru that Konoha was a place where families took care of each other.
The Kajiwara house sat on the village edge, where walls met farmland and forest. The modest wooden house was surrounded by carefully tended gardens that showed the family worked hard to take care of what they had.
Ryōta was waiting by the gate, bouncing slightly on his feet with excitement but trying to stay calm. He wore his best clothes—simple but clean.
"They've been getting ready since this morning," Ryōta said as he led Hikaru up the path, gesturing with his hands. "Grandmother has been cooking all day, and Grandfather cleaned the whole house twice."
That made Hikaru feel better, and he relaxed his shoulders slightly.
Before they reached the door, it opened. An elderly couple came out—they had been watching for Hikaru to arrive. Kajiwara Minoru stood straight despite his age, while his wife Hana had the kind of warm smile that made visitors feel welcome.
"Hikaru-kun, welcome to our home," Minoru said with a formal bow. "Ryōta has told us so much about you. Thank you for being such a good friend to our grandson."
"Thank you for inviting me, Kajiwara-san," Hikaru replied with his own bow, his hands trembling slightly as he held out the gift package with both hands. "My sister made these seasonings for you, with some recipes she thought you might like."
Hana took the gift with obvious happiness, her eyes lighting up. "How thoughtful! Please thank your sister for us. We can't wait to try her recipes—Ryōta has been telling us how good her cooking is."
"She'll be happy to hear that," Hikaru said, feeling his shoulders relax.
They went inside to a home that showed decades of careful living. The furniture was simple but well-kept, with personal touches everywhere. Photos of Ryōta's parents had places of honor.
"Please sit anywhere you like," Hana said, pointing to cushions around a low table set with their best dishes. "I hope you're hungry—I think I cooked too much."
The meal was amazing. Even without much money, the elderly couple had made a feast better than anything Hikaru had eaten except at special occasions. Every dish was perfectly prepared.
"This is really good," Hikaru said as he tried the different foods, his eyes widening with each bite. "Everything tastes perfect. Ryōta-kun said you were a great cook, Kajiwara-san, but this is even better than he described."
"You're too kind," Hana said, clearly pleased and clasping her hands together happily. "It's been so long since we had a guest to cook for."
"I told you she was amazing," Ryōta said proudly, sitting up straighter. "Grandmother taught me everything I know about cooking, but I'm not nearly as good as her yet."
"He's being modest," Hana said with a fond smile, reaching over to pat Ryōta's arm gently. "He's gotten quite good at making simple meals, especially since he started paying attention to eating right for his training."
As they ate, the conversation showed how much thought the elderly couple put into everything they did. Minoru talked about planning his garden, while Hana shared stories about keeping family traditions.
"Tell us about your training together," Hana said after they finished the main meal, leaning forward with interest. "Ryōta talks about it all the time, but we'd love to hear what you think about his progress."
"He works really hard," Hikaru said honestly, scratching his cheek modestly. "When we first started training together, I could see he wanted to improve but maybe wasn't confident enough. Working together has helped both of us try harder."
"Hikaru-kun is being modest," Ryōta said, his face flushing slightly as he waved his hands. "He's taught me so much about chakra control and how to train properly. Before we started working together, I was just doing basic exercises without understanding why they were important."
"That's exactly what we hoped would happen," Minoru said with satisfaction, nodding approvingly. "Ryōta needed a friend his age who cared about getting better."
"It's not just me helping him," Hikaru said, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. "Ryōta-kun makes me explain things better, which helps me understand them more. And his questions make me think about techniques in new ways."
"Really?" Ryōta's eyes lit up with surprise, and he straightened in his seat. "I didn't know I was helping you too. I always feel like I'm the one learning from you."
"The leaf exercise used to make me so frustrated," Ryōta continued, getting more confident and gesturing with his hands. "I could barely keep it on my forehead for a few minutes. But Hikaru-kun showed me how to think about chakra differently, and now I can keep it there for almost an hour!"
"That's wonderful progress," Hana said with obvious pride, her face beaming. "But it's not just your techniques that have improved. You act more confident now and seem to believe you can succeed."
"Having a real friend to train with makes everything different," Ryōta said, looking at Hikaru gratefully. "I used to think I was the only one having trouble, but now I know everyone has to work hard to get better."
"May I ask about your family?" Minoru asked politely, his expression growing gentle. "Ryōta mentioned you lost your parents in the Nine-Tails attack. We know what that's like and wanted to say we're sorry for your loss."
Hikaru looked down at his hands, fidgeting with his tea cup as the weight of the topic settled over him. These were people who understood what it felt like to lose family suddenly.
"Thank you," Hikaru said quietly. "My sister and I take care of each other. She's been amazing—handling our family business while taking care of me. I'm really lucky to have her."
"Family becomes even more important after loss," Hana said wisely, reaching across to gently pat Hikaru's hand. "The fact that you and your sister have gotten closer shows you both have good character."
They continued talking over tea and sweets, covering everything from Academy life to keeping traditions alive. Hikaru was impressed by how much the elderly couple knew.
"Would you like to see the garden?" Minoru asked as the afternoon got later, slowly rising from his seat. "I'm really proud of this year's winter vegetables."
The garden tour showed how dedicated the couple was to taking care of themselves. Every bit of space was used well, with plant rotation that kept the soil healthy.
"This is really good organization," Hikaru said as they walked between the perfectly maintained rows, his eyes wide with appreciation. "Planning different plant types together must take a lot of work."
"Fifty years of trying and making mistakes," Minoru said with satisfaction, gesturing proudly at his neat rows. "Every season teaches us something new. The garden shows everything we've learned about being patient and working steadily."
"It's like training," Hikaru said, understanding dawning on his face. "Small, steady efforts building up to something bigger over time."
"That's what Hikaru-kun always tells me during practice," Ryōta said with a smile, nodding enthusiastically. "When I get frustrated because I can't learn a technique right away, he reminds me that getting better takes time."
"Exactly," Minoru said approvingly, placing a gentle hand on both boys' shoulders. "Most things worth doing can't be rushed."
As they went back to the house, the comfortable feeling that had grown throughout the afternoon continued. The elderly couple clearly liked both boys, while Hikaru felt honored to be welcomed into their family.
"Thank you for making Hikaru-kun feel so welcome," Ryōta said to his grandparents gratefully, bowing his head respectfully.
"Not at all," Hana said, sitting beside her grandson and patting his arm affectionately. "We can see the good influence clearly. You've grown more confident since you started training together."
"I feel like I've learned as much from this friendship as from any class," Ryōta said with new confidence, sitting up straighter. "Not just about ninja techniques, but about what it means to help someone and be helped back."
"The question now," Minoru said with a smile, "is whether Hikaru-kun would be willing to join us for dinner regularly. Maybe once a week? We enjoy having young people around."
Hikaru's eyes widened in surprise, and he blinked several times before he could respond. The invitation meant they accepted him into their small family.
"I would love to accept," Hikaru said with a deep bow. "And I'm sure Ayako-nee would love to meet you both too. Maybe she could come sometime?"
"Oh, please invite her!" Ryōta said eagerly, bouncing slightly in his excitement. "I've been wanting my grandparents to meet her. They'd love to meet the person who makes such great food."
"We would be honored to meet her," Hana said immediately, her face lighting up. "Any young woman who can raise such a thoughtful brother while running her own business must be quite special."
As the visit ended, Hikaru clutched the small package of sweets that Hana had insisted he take home to Ayako.
"Thank you for today," Ryōta said as they walked partway back toward the village center together, their pace slower than usual. "I can tell they really like you. Grandfather hasn't talked that much in months."
"They're wonderful people," Hikaru said honestly, adjusting his grip on the package. "I can see where you get your determination. Having that kind of support is really valuable."
"It makes me want to succeed even more," Ryōta admitted, clenching his fist with determination. "Not just for myself, but to prove their sacrifices and faith aren't wasted."
As they said goodbye with deep bows and Hikaru continued home, he carried the warmth of real acceptance. The day had been better than he expected, giving him not just social connection but insights into the values that shaped this world's communities.
When he got home, Ayako was eager to hear about everything.
"How did it go?" Ayako asked immediately, her eyes bright with curiosity. "Were they as nice as Ryōta-kun said?"
"Even better," Hikaru replied, sitting at their table while Ayako made tea and carefully setting down the package from Hana. "They invited me for dinner every week. And they want to meet you too."
"Really?" Ayako's face lit up with pleasure, her hands clasping together. "That's wonderful! I've been curious about the people who raised such a thoughtful boy."
As he told her about the afternoon, sharing the sweets and describing the visit, Hikaru felt deep satisfaction. The foundation he was building wasn't just about technique and strength—it was about the people who would support him and the community he was learning to protect.