Adults at least worried about appearances. Children did whatever they liked.
As the Senju clan's little princess, Tsunade acted on impulse. This was the Uchiha compound, but who would dare stop her? She planted her feet with an air of I am not leaving, what can you do about it.
"Eh?!"
She raised a tiny fist at Hiko's back, then froze in shock.
Hiko was cooking.
Strength ruled this world, but few men cooked, especially in big clans. Cooking and laundry were considered women's work. Call it old-fashioned pride.
Men who could cook were rare. Boys who cooked were rarer.
"Pfft."
When Hiko hugged a rice cooker bigger than her head, the sight was so funny that Tsunade burst out laughing.
"What are you laughing at? Never seen someone cook?" Hiko shot her a glare.
She huffed and glared right back.
He ignored her and kept moving. He was bone-tired and wanted to pass out, but he had to fill his stomach first, then send the Senju princess on her way.
Small or not, the scene looked odd. What shocked Tsunade was not the image but the smell. He really could cook. He was not faking it.
Soon a warm fragrance drifted from the kitchen. Her belly answered with a loud GURGLE!, cheeks flushing red. Good thing Hiko was in the kitchen and did not hear. The earlier noise in the street had been humiliating enough.
"Come eat."
He threw the rest in the icebox and brought out two large plates. He just wanted to feed her, get this over with, and rest.
Tsunade stared at the dishes, torn. She had already swallowed secretly, but pride and hunger fought in her head.
Hiko's mind was not five years old. Reading her hesitation, he set a plate on the table in the yard and went back inside the wooden house.
"Eat."
Left alone with the food, Tsunade could not bear the hunger anymore. She grabbed the plate and ate in big bites. "Mm, so good."
"PFFT! ... COUGH COUGH!"
The teacher's joke about her and Hiko had ruined her mood all day. She had barely eaten at noon, too busy chasing Hiko for an explanation. Now she wolfed it down and choked.
"Slow down. It is hot."
Hiko set a cool cup of water by her hand and turned away.
"..."
Spoon in hand, Tsunade watched him disappear into the house. Her cough eased as if by magic, though her throat still burned.
A strange warmth flickered in her chest, and she did not know why.
She sipped water, then ate at a steadier pace. No more coughing.
Soon the plate was empty. She set the spoon down, stood, and slipped out.
"Finally gone," Hiko murmured.
After Tsunade finished eating and left, Hiko let out a long breath. How had he gotten tangled with such a troublesome girl? If he had just sparred her earlier, even losing would be better than this mess.
He washed the plates, bathed, and sat to refine chakra.
Without either of them knowing, the story of the Senju princess following Hiko home spread fast. Few people on the street knew Hiko, but Tsunade's shout of "Uchiha Hiko" had done the damage.
Were the two of them... what?
For ordinary folks it was juicy gossip. For the clans, especially the Uchiha and the Senju, it was something else. People were stunned.
The Senju clan's little princess and an Uchiha boy, together? What was that supposed to mean?
As before, Hiko refined chakra until he fell asleep mid-practice. In the morning he woke feeling fully restored, every cell buzzing. It was addictive.
Sensing a clear increase in his reserves, he smiled, shouldered his bag, and munched the meat pie he had made on the way to the Ninja Academy. Early graduation could wait. Training came first.
On the way, Hiko noticed the looks. Among the Uchiha, eyes had changed. He was not stupid. He knew why. Tsunade, you little troublemaker.
He wondered if he owed her a debt from some other life. She kept finding him, and now trouble found him too.
He was not a typical clansman. To him, ancient grudges could go jump in a river.
A bunch of old men refusing to change would drag the Uchiha down.
If he ever held real power, he would sweep them out.
At school, he walked into class and became the focus again. All because of Tsunade.
He ignored it, took his seat, and did not even look up when she walked in.
"What are you staring at!"
Hiko could tune it out. Tsunade could not. She was seething. After last night, her elders had lectured her for hours about history, grudges, and proper distance, all to say one thing: stay away from Uchiha Hiko.
She was furious. She had done nothing, yet everyone suspected something. The strange looks at home were bad enough. Now her classmates were doing it too.
Her expression said it all. Anyone who kept whispering or staring would get a beating.
It worked.
"AHEM"
The brats fell silent at once. Only then did the teacher enter. He glanced at Hiko and Tsunade, surprised that a joking comment had blown up into rumors overnight.
"Alright, quiet down. Class begins."
Jokes were one thing. The Senju and Uchiha were another. This was not something to take lightly.