Chapter 4: The Power of Food
The two walked along the forest path one behind the other. Naruto led the way, occasionally glancing back to make sure Tsuki was keeping up. Despite being only three years old physically, with his previous life's memories plus these three years, he had the mentality of someone in their teens—caring for a child came instinctively.
Breaking through the last cluster of bushes, their view opened dramatically.
A tranquil lake stretched before them, its surface reflecting the gradient twilight sky. Reeds along the shoreline swayed gently in the breeze with soft rustling sounds. In the distance, Konoha Village had begun lighting up with scattered points of light, like fallen fireflies.
The pair sat side by side on a wooden dock extending into the lake. Naruto retrieved a light brown bento box from his backpack.
Eating instant ramen every day wasn't healthy. Even though Teuchi-ojisan from Ichiraku never discriminated against him, even the most delicious ramen would get boring after months of repetition. As for other restaurants... their owners would sell to him now under the Third Hokage's orders, but their expressions still made Naruto feel like he was sitting on pins and needles.
Ever since little Naruto had started cooking for himself, he'd specifically asked the Third Hokage to occasionally provide fresh ingredients.
The moment the bento opened, an enticing aroma wafted out. Tsuki unconsciously straightened her posture, obsidian eyes sneaking glances in that direction.
"Don't let appearances fool you," Naruto noticed her subtle movements, "I'm pretty confident in my cooking skills."
The bento box held several simple dishes arranged neatly: golden tempura shrimp, bright green blanched vegetables, and rice balls shaped like frogs and foxes.
But most eye-catching was the dish occupying half the container—red and yellow tomato scrambled eggs.
Bright red tomato chunks wrapped in golden egg flowers, the sauce displaying an appetizing orange-red color with green onion flakes scattered throughout, glistening under the sunset's afterglow.
Tsuki's pupils dilated instantly.
Tomatoes...!
As the Uchiha clan head's daughter, she'd grown up eating carefully prepared traditional Japanese cuisine by her mother. Though nutritionally balanced and beautifully presented, she'd never seen such a simple, bold combination of tomatoes and eggs before. Most importantly, tomatoes were her absolute favorite food.
It looks so delicious! I want to try it so badly!
Her small hands unconsciously clenched her clothing hem, throat swallowing quietly. But Uchiha pride immediately sounded alarms in her mind.
No way! How could I casually eat someone else's cooking! That's too rude!
But... it really smells amazing...
This internal struggle made Tsuki's cheeks flush slightly as she stared fixedly at the dish, even her breathing unconsciously growing lighter.
Even for a tsundere, a child's desires remained direct. Tsuki pretended to look away casually, yet her gaze kept drifting back uncontrollably while her pink lips pursed unconsciously. These small movements naturally didn't escape Naruto's notice.
"This kind of dish isn't common in Konoha, is it?" Naruto gently poked the red and yellow mixture with his chopsticks. "Stir-frying tomatoes and eggs together—simple ingredients, but the flavor is extraordinary."
Tsuki swallowed hard, leaning forward slightly but forcing herself not to get too close.
Watching her reaction, Naruto's mind flashed to those food videos he'd scrolled through in his previous life. He cleared his throat and continued in a narrator's tone.
"First, you need to pick completely ripe, red tomatoes like these. Score the tops with shallow cuts, then blanch in hot water before peeling."
"Why remove the skin?"
The question slipped out before she could stop it—curiosity and appetite had defeated her tsundere act. Tsuki had temporarily forgotten about maintaining Uchiha pride.
"It's a little trick~" Naruto grinned. "Peeled tomatoes release their juices better when stir-fried, and the texture becomes more delicate too."
Evening breezes swept across the lake surface while reed beds rustled softly. Naruto gestured with his chopsticks over the bento as he spoke.
"Once you've prepared the tomatoes and chopped green onions, you can beat the eggs. Add a pinch of salt to the egg mixture... and just a tiny bit of white vinegar to eliminate any fishy smell and make the eggs more tender and fragrant when cooked."
Tsuki's eyes grew wider and wider. She'd never imagined cooking involved so many details—her mother's meals always appeared so perfectly prepared that she'd assumed cooking was naturally effortless. Hearing Naruto's enthusiastic explanation made those ordinary ingredients suddenly come alive.
So this is how dishes are created...
"Scramble the eggs first, removing them when they're golden and fluffy. Then stir-fry the tomatoes separately until the flesh releases its juices..."
"Season with just simple soy sauce and salt, plus a touch of sugar to balance the tomatoes' acidity. Finally, add the eggs back in and let the flavors completely blend together—"
Grumble~
A soft sound emerged from Tsuki's direction. She frantically covered her stomach, but too late—that was clearly her digestive system protesting. Her pale face turned bright red, even her ear tips taking on sunset hues.
Oh no, this is so embarrassing...
As an Uchiha family young lady, even as a child she'd been taught to maintain elegance and strength at all times, upholding Uchiha pride. Yet here she was, not only staring constantly at someone else's lunch but making such mortifying sounds!
This wasn't merely hunger-induced physiological response. When humans see or hear ingredients gradually transform through careful cooking into delicious meals, the brain unconsciously begins imagining flavors. Especially when the dish features one's favorite ingredient, that anticipation feels like seeing a beloved toy within reach but not yet in hand—utterly tantalizing.
Naruto suppressed his amusement, pushing the bento slightly in her direction. "Would you like to try some?"
"Ah! This is..."
Tsuki's fingers twisted her clothing hem again. This wasn't her usual affected haughtiness but genuine embarrassment.
Logic told her she shouldn't accept—she'd claimed to be keeping him company, yet now she'd be sharing his carefully prepared meal. Wasn't that awfully thick-skinned?
But when that mixture of egg fragrance and sweet-tart tomato scent entered her nostrils, all reservations began crumbling. She secretly glanced up at Naruto, finding no mockery in those blue eyes, only sincere expectation.
"Have a taste—I made plenty, so it's fine."
Wuu... since he's insisting...
Her internal scales began tipping. Since he was actively inviting her, then, then eating a little should be okay, right? Well then, if he's really forcing me to eat... I'll treat him to a meal next time.
"I don't need any... it's too much trouble for you..."
The words lacked any conviction. Tsuki's gaze remained glued to the bento, obviously craving it desperately while trying to maintain composure. This adorable display made Naruto's heart melt.
I hope I have such a cute daughter someday...
He resisted the urge to ruffle that black hair, abandoning any thoughts of teasing her further. He understood Uchiha pride all too well—if he actually accepted her refusal, this stubborn little girl would probably go home hungry.
"Please, have some," Naruto softened his voice. "I don't usually have anyone to eat with. If someone could appreciate my cooking... it would make me really happy."
Those words gently unlocked the final barrier in Tsuki's heart.
"...In that case!" Her eyes lit up immediately, even forgetting her signature tsundere responses. "Then, then I'll have just a little!"
Almost eagerly, Tsuki accepted the chopsticks Naruto offered. The moment that first bite of tomato scrambled eggs entered her mouth, sweet-tart juices exploded across her tongue, making her unconsciously close her eyes as her small legs swung gently from the dock's edge.
So delicious!
In that moment, Uchiha pride and proper young lady restraint were temporarily cast to the wind. The power of good food truly was magnificent.
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