Kushina suddenly looked up, her eyes brimming with tears, streaks still wet on her small face, her expression completely dazed.
She stared blankly at Ryo's face, which carried an "impatient" look but was indeed handsome, then at the huge, glistening, sauce-colored pork hock practically shoved up to her nose, as if it was glowing.
This… this contrast was too much!
The boy who had coldly rejected her just moments ago was now offering her a piece of meat that seemed to radiate a sacred light?
Even though his attitude was fierce, the stiff way he handed it over… how could it be so clumsily funny?
"Pfft—"
A jumble of emotions surged in Kushina's heart. The grievance hadn't fully faded, her hunger was unbearable, she was tempted by the huge piece of meat, and Ryo's stiff, awkward appearance had touched her strange sense of humor.
She couldn't help but let out a laugh through her tears.
This was probably the first person who had ever given her something just because "she cried" since arriving in Konoha.
Even if his face was stern, even if his tone was poor, this "care" warmed the lonely heart of the red-haired girl.
"Thank you…" Her voice was nasal but much brighter.
All those accusations of Ryo being a blockhead, cold, and selfish vanished instantly.
At this moment, Kushina unilaterally stamped him with the "can be friends" seal.
He was a good person!
This simple, straightforward thought took root in her heart.
Her hunger surged back with a vengeance.
With food like this in front of her, who cared about image?
Kushina instantly turned into a little hungry wolf. Not caring if her hands got greasy, she grabbed the massive pork hock!
She impatiently opened her mouth and took a huge bite at the thickest, juiciest part!
Boom!
Her taste buds exploded!
This taste… this texture… was unlike anything she had ever eaten!
The sauce was rich and mellow, with a hint of sweetness, savoriness, and deep spice, perfectly seeping into every fiber of meat.
The lean meat wasn't dry at all. It had chew, yet was tender, tearing apart easily, becoming more fragrant with each bite.
The fatty part was translucent, melting in her mouth, rich but not greasy, leaving behind only a mouthful of delicious aroma. The charred pork skin was the soul of the dish, crispy and elastic, slightly sticky with gelatin, chewy and full of fatty fragrance.
The layers of spice didn't overwhelm the natural taste of the meat but instead enhanced it, bringing out a powerful flavor!
"Ooh! So… so delicious!!!" Kushina cried out muffled, her light blue eyes wide and shining with disbelief and joy.
In her entire life, whether in Uzushiogakure or at Grandma Mito's house, she had never tasted such an enchanting flavor!
Half-dead with hunger, eating this made her instantly feel like the happiest person alive.
Any image of being a lady, any elegance or grace, was gone.
Kushina transformed into a glutton, clutching the pork hock bigger than her fist with both hands, gnawing away fiercely.
Her small mouth was crammed full, her cheeks puffed out, sauce smeared across her nose and mouth, but she didn't care, dedicating herself completely to the battle against delicious food. Her face showed intoxicated bliss, almost fainting from happiness.
Ryo, who unknowingly received a "good person card": "…"
He sat beside her, rib still untouched in his hand, his expression indescribable.
Watching Kushina, who looked like a starving ghost reincarnated, happily gnawing away with an oily face, his mouth twitched uncontrollably.
A little… funny?
But seeing his meat mountain rapidly shrinking, he felt real heartache.
This was the energy he needed to recover his stamina!
"Hey! Eat slower! No one's snatching it from you!" Ryo finally couldn't help but remind her. His tone was stiff, but he genuinely worried she'd choke.
"Mmmph mmmph… So… so good… mmmph mmmph…" Kushina nodded furiously, showing she heard him, but her chewing never slowed, only accompanied by satisfied grunts as her eyes curved into crescents.
Ryo rolled his eyes helplessly, looked away from her horrifying eating habits, and lowered his head to his own plate.
No longer caring about the heartache, he grabbed his rib and bit into it fiercely, as if venting his frustration through appetite.
Thus, in the back row of Classroom 3A of the Ninja Academy, by the window, a bizarre yet strangely harmonious scene unfolded:
A red-haired boy in faded clothes, frowning with a helpless expression, gnawed at a roasted rib quickly and defensively, eyes locked on his food.
Beside him, a small, round-faced, red-haired girl with tear streaks still on her cheeks ungracefully clutched a giant braised pork hock, gnawing furiously. Her small face was shiny with oil, her eyes sparkling, her expression filled with joy.
When Ryo lowered his head, she even slyly stretched out her greasy hand and swiftly pinched a slice of smoked meat from the corner of his bento!
"Hey! That's mine!" Ryo would occasionally notice and protest, but his hands didn't stop moving.
"Hmph! Stingy! You said you'd give me food!" Kushina puffed her cheeks, retorting indistinctly, her eyes already on the roasted meat she had long coveted from his plate.
"I only gave you the pork hock! I never said you could steal the rest!" Ryo firmly guarded his roasted meat.
"Stinky Ryo! I'm your friend now! What's wrong with friends sharing?!" Kushina's hands moved even bolder, even trying to grab a rib he had just picked up.
She unilaterally decided they were friends, so she was emboldened.
That naturally familiar, bold personality of hers shone through at this moment.
"Who's friends with you! You're a bandit! Give it back!" Ryo was annoyed yet amused, blocking her quickly.
The two squabbled and wrestled. Ryo had the strength to suppress her instantly, but he couldn't be serious with a little girl, so he only protested and guarded his food.
For a moment, their two greasy faces were close, the small classroom table filled with the scent of oil and helpless bickering.
In the end, although Ryo protected the core supplies like large chunks of meat and the main leg portion, Kushina still managed to plunder about thirty percent of his slices and many smoked strips.
Satisfied, Kushina patted her round belly and let out a loud, happy burp.
Her small face shone with oil, her smile as bright as a blooming flower.
All her grievances from yesterday had vanished completely thanks to this greasy, delicious meal.
Her stomach was full, her mood ecstatic!
Ryo?
Hmm, definitely a good person, cold on the outside but warm inside! He could be a friend!
As for his "loss-making, sour face"?
Kushina ignored it.
Meanwhile, Ryo stared at his half-empty "energy replenishment box," his brows twisted into a knot.
Looking at the satisfied little redhead still licking sauce from the corners of her mouth, he once again realized what it meant to "ask for trouble" and that "women are trouble."
But strangely, he didn't feel that angry anymore?
Still, seeing her smug "I'll do it again next time" expression, his head started to throb again.
Their lively food-snatching scene had already drawn the whole class's attention.
Everyone's expressions were vivid—dumbfounded, disbelieving, their worldview shaken. Oh my god, the red-haired bully Ryo actually had this side to him? Eye-opening!
In the front row, Minato quietly watched Kushina and Ryo's playful scuffle.
He looked down at his carefully prepared bento, filled with neat rice balls and side dishes. His original plan to bravely offer it froze completely.
His warm, sunny smile stiffened on his face, and for the first time, a hint of sadness and loss appeared in his bright blue eyes.
He didn't step forward. He silently opened the lid, took a bite of his rice ball, but it was tasteless.
The classroom buzzed with voices and the aroma of food.
Sunlight, dust, grease, arguments, burps, bulging bellies, a helpless sour face, a satisfied smiling one… all mixed together, forming a chaotic but real picture of hunger, forced sharing, delicious food, misunderstandings, and the first recognition of "friendship."
For Ryo and Kushina, the invisible wall between them was unexpectedly shattered by a sauce-covered pork hock, leaving behind a crack.
(To be continued.)
◇◇◇◇◇
◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 100 Power Stones.
◇ If you enjoy the story, please consider leaving a review, it helps a lot!
◇ Don't forget to add the book to your library.