Itachi laughed. Konan laughed. K laughed. And then everyone laughed.
Sakura wanted to find a hole in the ground and crawl into it.
"Haha! Sakura, your professional obsession is hopeless!"
Honestly, Toneri was completely confused—he didn't get what was funny. Once everyone finished laughing, he held up the thermometer, staring blankly.
"What's this?"
Sakura covered her face. How do I even explain this to Toneri?
"Hehe… i-it's a thermometer, used to check your temperature when you're sick," Karin said with a smile. Toneri blinked, adorable and naive.
"Eh? Really? I've never been sick! How do I use it? How?"
Sakura had question marks spinning in every direction. Where on earth did this Otsutsuki kid come from?
"Idiot."
A muffled, disdainful voice spoke. It was Kisame, expressing his disapproval. Toneri, pointing at Kisame, posed dramatically.
"Hey! Three-legged turtle! Don't run!!"
"Hmph! Then you're just a two-legged brat!"
The voice was rough. Sakura looked toward it and saw a tiny monkey sitting on Deidara's shoulder. Hmm… based on the tail count, it should be called Four-Tails. Sakura panicked—I need to disappear right now.
"Eh! Four-legged monkey!"
"Son Goku's jinchuriki died, and the weasel picked him up. Yep." Deidara shrugged. Four-Tails, or rather Son Goku, jumped down to Kisame's side.
"You're Otsutsuki Toneri?"
His tone was slightly hostile.
Toneri tilted his neck, standing proudly.
"Yes. So what?"
His posture and demeanor had the aura of a hero. If he weren't facing a tiny monkey, he could pass for a prince.
"Hmph… definitely has that clan's aura."
"What? Not satisfied? Come fight me!"
Honestly, the scene was almost unbearable to witness. Kita thought the same. Fortunately, the simple kite was ready—colorful paper and a bird-shaped frame. Kitaheld Four-Tails by the tail and tossed him toward Kisame, stopping a standoff between boy and beast.
"Here, take it and play."
"Hehe, thanks, Kita!"
Toneri cheered, holding the kite high. He didn't forget the thermometer in his hand, carefully tucking it in his pocket. Turning to Sakura, he said,
"Show me how to use this later~"
Sakura blinked in disbelief.
Karin laughed, then slapped Toneri on the head like Obito would. Toneri yelped but didn't retaliate this time. Rolling his eyes, he ran to Konan for comfort.
"Konan! You've got to protect me! Karin hit me!"
Konan chuckled. Facing the mischievous boy, she pinched his soft cheek.
"Alright, I'll deal with her later. Go play."
Toneri happily ran off. Deidara, seeing him free, immediately dropped his work.
"Boss, I'm done washing dishes, I'm going to play too!"
Not waiting for a reply, he leapt to chase Toneri. Hidan noticed and jumped after him.
"The boss is lying, I'll drag him back to work!"
Though he just wanted to play with Deidara, Nagato smiled silently. Kakuzu glared at Hidan, abandoning his plan to retrieve him.
The workers weren't done, but Karin came over to help, followed by Mizuki. Nagato smiled.
"Go play with Toneri. You don't need to help."
"Eh? But there's still so much to prepare…"
Karin said. Konan rose from the sofa.
"Go, take Kisame and Son Goku along." Kiita nodded approvingly.
After instructions, Kita listened. Mizuki, noticing he didn't have work, chimed in, "Hehe, Kita and Karin really are gentle and caring~"
"Kita? Karin?!!!"
The red-haired girl shouted, while the blue-and-white-haired boy laughed and dodged. The playful group left in chaos.
Karin rolled up her sleeves, naturally taking over Deidara's unfinished work. Nagato joined in. Kisame sighed, shaking his head.
"You really spoil them. Toneri and Karin, fine. But Deidara and Hidan… have some shame?"
"What can they do if they stay? Waste ingredients?" Kakuzu commented. Nagato laughed, "Kids' nature. Toneri rarely comes down anyway."
"Yep, look at me, such a model youth! Look at this fish I'm prepping—so great~"
Obito entertained himself. Karin teased, "Have some shame, will you?"
"Does this guy even have shame?" Konan mocked. Obito complained, "You two, enough! Always singing in tandem—long-distance bullying, huh?!"
"Bullying you gives me satisfaction?" Nagato asked. Itachi agreed, then remembered Sakura. To avoid embarrassing her, he asked,
"Why don't you go play with them?"
Well… first, kites aren't fun. Second, she didn't know what to do with them. Third, Karin and Mizuki were already playing closely—she couldn't intrude as a 'third wheel.'
"I want to help."
She pointed to vegetables.
"Then chop these."
Kisame, remembering her culinary results, stopped her.
"Forget it. Wash dishes instead. Surgery? Fine. Cooking? Not your talent."
Itachi agreed.
Curious, he asked, "What happened?"
Kisame, working, revealed Sakura's dark culinary past.
"Sakura's knife work reminds me of the operating table. We don't let her cook anymore; she changed my perception of women."
Sakura flushed with embarrassment. Karin picked up a knife, defending her gender:
"Who says women must cook? You're just ignorant!"
"Not cooking excuses you?" Nagato retorted. Karin could only make soup well. Karin and Karin could make edible food, but taste… questionable. Karin challenged,
"Cooking well doesn't mean you'll serve like Kakuzu!"
Kakuzu, hit by the comment, muttered, "…I should've killed you sooner, Karin, so you wouldn't be in my way."
Laughter erupted. Sakura's embarrassment faded. Standing there, she couldn't see these people as terrifying anymore. Kakuzu, once capable of cold-blooded acts, now cooked and joked. The truth was: Akatsuki members, though criminals, also had people they cared about. When Karin fell ill, they worried. When Kakuzu brought in a wandering doctor, they sincerely hoped someone survived. Even the people playing upstairs cared for each other.
Even bad people, even terrorists, even unforgivable criminals… they were human, capable of attachment.
Sakura smiled, washing dust from the dishes. But one bowl slipped…
"CRASH."
Everyone's eyes turned to her. She was mortified.
"Uh… sorry, I didn't mean to."
"Lazy."
"Unskilled."
"Spoiled."
"Privileged."
Sakura's inner world: Bastards! Truly a group of unforgivable criminals!!!!
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