Sara's residence had a spacious and elegant courtyard. It preserved Loran's distinctive stone carvings and greenery while also incorporating the warm style of the Land of Fire.
An open area in the center had been cleared, and a traditional stone barbecue grill had been set up.
Chiya personally got to work, lighting the fire and preparing the charcoal. His skilled movements left the women beside him completely stunned.
"Lord Chiya... You even know how to do this?"
Anko widened her eyes as she watched the man who could decide the fate of the ninja world with a wave of his hand now rolling up his sleeves and carefully adjusting the charcoal. His focused expression looked as though he were preparing for an important battle.
"I know a little."
Chiya smiled faintly and did not explain further.
He possessed memories from another world, and the cultural importance of food in those memories was far deeper than in this war torn ninja world.
The freshest beef tenderloin, pork belly, chicken thighs, and various vegetables had already been prepared.
But what happened next truly left all the women present in continuous shock.
Chiya casually took out several small jars as if performing magic. Inside were special sauces that he had the kitchen prepare according to his memories.
The rich blend of soy sauce, sake, mirin, fruit juice, and various spices created a flavor that simply did not exist anywhere in this ninja world.
Using a brush, he evenly coated the thin slices of meat with the sauce. His movements flowed naturally with an almost mesmerizing rhythm.
The moment the meat touched the hot grill, it let out a pleasant sizzling sound, and the rich aroma of roasted meat mixed with the sweet fragrance of the sauce instantly spread throughout the courtyard.
"So... so fragrant!"
Sara could not help but exclaim. She instinctively covered her mouth, her eyes sparkling.
Pakura took a deep breath, and a look of pure enjoyment appeared on her face.
"I've never smelled anything like this before. It instantly makes me hungry."
Although Yugito's expression remained calm, the slight movement of her throat revealed just how much she was looking forward to it.
Terumi Mei made no effort to hide her curiosity. She stepped closer, her emerald eyes fixed on Chiya's every movement.
The meat slices danced in Chiya's hands. Every flip came at exactly the right moment, roasting each side until it was perfectly browned while locking in all the juices.
He sprinkled crushed nuts and a special seasoning powder over the meat before placing it on a plate and handing it to the first judge.
It was placed in front of Anko, who was practically drooling.
"Give it a try."
Anko accepted the plate almost reverently. She picked up a slice of the still sizzling meat, gently blew on it, and carefully placed it into her mouth.
The next second, her eyes suddenly widened. She froze completely, as if struck by the Body Flicker Technique, her face filled with disbelief.
"H... How is it?"
Sara asked eagerly.
Anko swallowed the meat with great difficulty and let out a satisfied sigh. Her voice became so excited that it almost cracked.
"It's delicious! W... What is this flavor?
It's so delicious! The outside is slightly crispy, while the inside is tender and juicy. The flavor... the flavor is so rich!
Sweet, salty, fragrant... and there's even a slight fruity wood aroma!
I've never eaten barbecue this delicious before! Teacher! Lord Chiya is amazing!"
She excitedly grabbed Pakura's arm and shook it.
Seeing this, Pakura could not wait any longer and took a bite herself. Her beautiful eyes immediately shone with astonishment.
"Chiya! Y... You actually have this kind of skill? This is better than the best barbecue restaurant in Sunagakure...
No, it's ten times more delicious than anywhere I've ever eaten! This sauce matches everything perfectly. It's incredible!"
Sara and Yugito also each took a bite, and their reactions were exactly the same. They were instantly conquered by the taste.
Sara's eyes narrowed happily as she ate, looking just like a content little kitten.
"Chiya, you always manage to surprise people... This is truly wonderful."
Yugito softly replied, "Mm."
Although her response was brief, the way she immediately reached for a second piece showed exactly how highly she rated it.
Watching the reactions of the others, Terumi Mei became even more curious.
She also took a bite, and the layered, bold, yet perfectly balanced flavors immediately overwhelmed her taste buds.
She looked up at Chiya with an incredibly complicated expression.
This man stood at the very peak of the ninja world in strength and acted with overwhelming decisiveness.
And now even his cooking...
Was this astonishing?
Just how many hidden sides did he still have?
"Lord Chiya."
Terumi Mei could not help but speak, her tone filled with sincere admiration.
"Are you really... capable of everything?"
Chiya simply smiled.
"Not everything."
"Ah? Is there really something Lord Chiya can't do?"
Terumi Mei's curiosity had been completely stirred as she looked at him timidly.
"I can't give birth."
Terumi Mei froze.
When she saw the smile at the corner of Chiya's mouth, she immediately realized he was joking.
Her face instantly turned red.
"Lord Chiya, that's far too improper!"
Terumi Mei forcefully suppressed the strange flutter in her heart.
She lowered her head and continued placing more meat and vegetables onto the grill.
"Good food can lift people's spirits, especially at a time like this. It's worth putting in a little extra effort.
Don't just stand there. If you like it, eat as much as you want. There's plenty."
The delicious food completely ignited the atmosphere.
Sara smiled as she stood up.
"Wait. How can such wonderful meat be served without wine?"
She ran into the house and soon returned carrying a small jar of clear sake along with several delicate sake cups.
The cups were filled, and the barbecue continued.
Alcohol and delicious food were the perfect combination.
Before long, the atmosphere in the courtyard became even more relaxed and lively.
Even Yugito, who was usually so reserved, had a faint blush on her cheeks and seemed to speak a little more than usual.
Pakura had always been straightforward by nature, and after several cups of sake, she completely opened up.
When the topic turned to how she had once been Sunagakure's hero, she raised her cup and stared at the dancing flames, her eyes becoming unfocused.
"Sunagakure... Heh..."
She suddenly laughed softly, her voice filled with self mockery and bitterness.
"Do you know what it meant to be Sunagakure's hero?
They once placed me on such a high pedestal. Pakura of Scorch Style, the pride of the village..."
Her voice gradually became quieter as her fingers unconsciously rubbed the rim of her cup.
"But what happened in the end? For the so called interests of the village and an agreement with Kirigakure... they sacrificed me without hesitation.
Those leaders who once smiled kindly at me turned around and calmly sent me to die beneath the enemy's blades...
A hero? Before power, that means absolutely nothing. You're just a more useful tool..."
The sorrow and despair in her words instantly cooled the lively atmosphere.
Anko looked at her teacher with concern and gently tugged at her sleeve.
"Teacher..."
Sara was affected by her emotions. She moved closer, held Pakura's other cold hand, and gently comforted her.
"It's all in the past, Sister Pakura. Things are good here now. No one will ever hurt you again."
Perhaps it was because of the alcohol, or perhaps because she had suppressed these feelings for too long. Pakura tightly grasped Sara's hand in return as though she had found a piece of driftwood.
"Yes... It's all over... Thankfully... thankfully I met Chiya..."
She raised her head and looked at Chiya, who was still turning the meat on the grill. Her drunken eyes were filled with dependence and gratitude.
Pakura's words reminded Sara of her own past. Combined with the effects of the alcohol, her eyes gradually turned red.
"I... I'm the same.
Sister Pakura, do you know?
I used to be nothing more than a princess who understood nothing...
But my mother was murdered by that villain Mukade, and he placed me on the throne.
He only wanted to use me as a puppet to control all of Loran... Every day I lived like a puppet, never knowing what tomorrow would bring."
The more she spoke, the more emotional she became, and her voice began to choke with sobs.
"Back then I was completely deceived. I even believed he was doing the right thing and obeyed the man who murdered my mother.
Until Chiya appeared like a light. He told me the truth, defeated Mukade, saved me, and when the Dragon Vein was destroyed, he also saved my people.
He gave me a new life and new hope."
The two women, who had both been toyed with by fate and later saved by the same man, found a powerful connection under the influence of alcohol.
They shared their stories and comforted each other. Finally, they almost turned toward Chiya at the same time, their misty, drunken eyes deeply fixed upon the silent man.
The next moment, before anyone could react, Pakura and Sara stood up almost simultaneously. One hugged his left arm while the other held his right, pressing their burning cheeks tightly against him as though they had found the safest harbor.
"Thank you, Chiya..."
"Please don't leave me, Chiya..."
The sudden scene left Anko and Terumi Mei completely stunned.
Yugito paused with her sake cup still raised halfway, her eyes flickering slightly.
Looking at the two drunken kittens clinging to him, Chiya smiled helplessly.
He could feel their trembling bodies and the deep vulnerability hidden in their words.
Putting down the barbecue tongs, he gently patted each of them on the back with his free hand. His voice was low and reassuring.
"It's alright. Everything is in the past now. You're safe, and this place is your home."
His comforting words seemed to work. Pakura and Sara gradually calmed down, but neither of them showed any intention of letting go of his arms. Instead, they rubbed against him as though they had found the most comfortable pillow, looking ready to fall asleep right there.
Looking at their adorable drunken appearance, Chiya knew the barbecue party could not continue.
His gaze swept across the courtyard before settling on Anko, who was still secretly eating more meat.
"Anko."
"Ah? Y... Yes! Lord Chiya!"
Like a student suddenly called on by her teacher, Anko nearly jumped. She quickly swallowed the meat in her mouth and stood up straight.
"Your teacher has had too much to drink. Help her back to her room so she can rest."
Chiya gestured toward Pakura, who was still tightly hugging his left arm.
"Oh! Alright!"
Anko hurried over and carefully tried to pry Pakura's hands away.
"Teacher? Teacher? Let's go back and sleep."
Pakura grumbled in dissatisfaction, but under Chiya's gentle gaze and with Anko supporting her, she finally loosened her grip and staggered toward the guest room while leaning against her student.
After dealing with one of them, Chiya naturally turned his attention toward Terumi Mei.
She had been quietly sipping her sake while watching everything unfold. As she wondered about the complicated relationships before her, she suddenly noticed Chiya looking directly at her, causing her heart to tighten for no reason.
"You, come here."
Terumi Mei already knew what he wanted.
She secretly looked down on him in her heart.
Even so, she put down her cup and hurried over, her movements carrying a hint of panic.
Chiya spoke calmly.
"Please help Sara back to her room so she can rest."
"...Yes."
Terumi Mei responded softly as she walked over to Sara.
Looking at the gentle and graceful queen, who was now clinging to Chiya like a child, her emotions became rather complicated. Even so, she gently supported Sara's shoulders.
"Lady Sara? Let's go back and rest."
Sara seemed even drunker than Pakura. Still half asleep, she loosened her grip with only a slight pull from Terumi Mei and leaned weakly against her as they slowly left the courtyard together.
Fortunately, Sara's residence had more than enough rooms to accommodate the two drunken women.
The lively courtyard quickly became quiet again. Only the occasional crackling of the charcoal remained, along with the lingering aroma of roasted meat and sake.
Chiya picked up his cup, finished the remaining sake in one gulp, and looked toward the only person left.
Yugito.
She still sat there with her side facing him, quietly watching the fire. The dancing flames made her profile appear soft and distant, giving her a peaceful beauty.
Chiya stood up and sat down beside her.
Yugito's body stiffened almost imperceptibly.
Without saying anything, Chiya naturally reached out and gently stroked her light brown hair. The cool strands slipped softly through his fingers.
"Are you getting used to it?"
His voice was even softer and lower than before.
"Life here after leaving Kumogakure."
Yugito did not avoid his touch, nor did she answer immediately.
After a long silence, she slowly turned her head and met his calm, deep eyes.
The firelight danced within them, yet the emotions hidden beneath remained impossible to see.
"...There's nothing to get used to."
Her voice still carried its usual coolness, but if one listened carefully, there was the slightest hint of softness.
"It's the same everywhere."
But...
Was it really the same?
She silently asked herself.
In Kumogakure, she had been a weapon, a Jinchuriki, a source of power that had to be controlled and watched.
But here...
Although her position was awkward...
No one looked at her with fear or treated her like a tool.
Sara's generosity, Pakura's occasional kindness, and the man before her...
The Uchiha Chiya who had once entered her heart and led her away from Kumogakure!
Chiya looked at her without pressing further. He simply withdrew his hand, picked up the sake bottle, and slowly filled her empty cup.
"As long as you get used to it."
He spoke casually, as though it were nothing more than an ordinary greeting.
Yugito looked at the clear sake gently rippling inside the cup. It reflected both the firelight and the faint outline of the man sitting beside her.
Only the two of them remained in the courtyard now. It was so quiet that they could hear each other's breathing.
A subtle atmosphere that was difficult to describe quietly spread through the lingering fragrance of meat and sake.
"Chiya..."
Her voice suddenly broke the silence, barely louder than a whisper.
The impulse in the young woman's heart finally overcame her restraint.
She threw herself directly into Chiya's arms.
"I also want to thank you..."
"It was only after meeting you that I understood what it feels like to truly love someone!"
"Chiya, from now on, you are my light!"
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