Thus, the group of eight entered and settled into a private room.
While waiting for the ingredients, Hayato Ren couldn't help but ask Namikaze Minato:
"How are your little ones doing?"
Upon hearing this, a complicated expression appeared on Namikaze Minato's face.
Just as he had expected, Kakashi was indeed a genius, while Uchiha Obito was truly a novice.
However, that wasn't the main issue.
If their skills were lacking, they could be trained gradually over time.
Even Minato's teacher, Jiraiya, had been a complete underdog when he first became a ninja.
And now, hadn't he become one of the Three Ninja renowned throughout the Shinobi World?
What troubled Minato was how to properly coordinate the relationship between Kakashi and Uchiha Obito.
That morning, following Leaf Village tradition, Minato had conducted a bell-stealing game.
To his complete surprise, at the very start of the assessment, Uchiha Obito and Kakashi had immediately clashed.
Although Kakashi quickly subdued Uchiha Obito, and the three of them eventually passed the assessment through cooperation.
From the look of defiance in Uchiha Obito's eyes, it was clear that reconciling with Kakashi wouldn't be so simple.
Thinking of this, Minato couldn't help but sigh.
"They're all children with promising futures."
Seeing Minato's somewhat troubled expression, Hayato Ren patted his shoulder and suggested:
"Don't worry, as the saying goes, great talents mature late."
Hearing this, Uchiha Obito's eyes lit up.
Wasn't the phrase "great talents mature late" a perfect description of himself?
Even though I'm a novice now, that doesn't mean I'll always be one.
Once I awaken my Sharingan, I'll be able to punch Kakashi, become Hokage, and win the beauty's heart.
Imagining that wonderful future, Uchiha Obito couldn't help but let out a lecherous chuckle.
"Hehehe~"
Watching Uchiha Obito's foolish grin beside him, Kakashi quietly increased the distance between them.
He didn't want to be associated with this idiot-like guy.
Soon, the waitstaff brought all the ingredients.
Perhaps because other teams were present, Yuhi Kurenai didn't choose shochu.
Instead, like Konan and the others, she opted for sparkling water.
From the conflicted expression on her face, it was clear this choice didn't quite satisfy her.
Under the charcoal fire's heat, the beef sizzled.
A soul-stirring aroma, enhanced by the Maillard reaction, teased everyone's appetites.
As soon as the first batch of meat was grilled, Uchiha Obito eagerly picked up a piece of beef with his tongs.
Then, with an obsequious expression, he placed it on Nohara Rin's plate.
"Rin, I specially grilled this for you. Go ahead and eat it?"
In response to Uchiha Obito's attentiveness, Nohara Rin showed a somewhat forced smile.
Then, she picked up her tongs and returned the piece of beef to Uchiha Obito's plate.
"Haha, Obito, you should eat it yourself. I have my own here."
Uchiha Obito completely failed to detect the rejection in Nohara Rin's words.
Instead, he happily thought to himself:
[Rin is worried I won't have enough to eat, that's why she's returning the grilled meat to me. She definitely has feelings for me. I knew I was better than that smug Kakashi, hehehe...]
Just as Uchiha Obito was immersed in his fantasy world,
Nohara Rin's next action sent his mood plummeting from heaven straight to hell.
They watched as Nohara Rin gently picked up a perfectly grilled piece of meat from the grill with her chopsticks and placed it on Hayato Ren's plate.
"Teacher, please have this."
Seeing the shy smile on Nohara Rin's face, Uchiha Obito felt as if the sky was falling.
He had just developed a favorable impression of Hayato Ren because of his earlier comment about "late bloomers,"
but now Hayato Ren had become the second most disliked person in Uchiha Obito's eyes.
As for the first most disliked person, of course that would still be Kakashi.
Noticing Nohara Rin's action, Konan immediately picked up a piece of grilled meat and placed it on her own plate.
Then, using her chopsticks, she brought the meat to Hayato Ren's mouth and said softly:
"Brother Ren, ah~"
After successfully feeding Hayato Ren, Konan subtly cast a triumphant little expression toward Nohara Rin.
[Hmph, no matter how you try to disguise it. I'm still the one closest to Brother Ren.]
Watching her two teammates, Yuhi Kurenai, who had her cheeks stuffed full, took a moment from her busy eating to pick up a piece of grilled meat and place it on Hayato Ren's plate.
"Alright, you should all eat your own food. There's no need to keep serving me."
Hayato Ren couldn't help but speak up.
Because of the three kids' continuous offerings, the plate in front of him was almost overflowing.
This spectacular scene drew an envious look from Namikaze Minato nearby.
They were both first-time teachers, so why were their students so different?
Could it be that being handsome meant you could do whatever you wanted?
He wasn't bad-looking himself - he even received love letters occasionally back in school.
Maybe it was due to like repelling like.
Namikaze Minato fell into deep thought.
After the meal, Hayato Ren and Namikaze Minato's teams went their separate ways.
"Alright, we'll disband for today. Gather at my house tomorrow at 3 PM."
Hayato Ren addressed the three kids before him.
"But teacher, I don't know where your house is?"
Yuhi Kurenai couldn't help but ask.
"If you don't know, then investigate. As ninjas, you need strong information gathering skills."
Hayato Ren responded.
"Then why are we gathering at 3 PM instead of in the morning?"
Yuhi Kurenai blinked her big eyes and continued questioning.
Hayato Ren stepped forward and flicked her forehead with his right hand.
Looking at Yuhi Kurenai covering her forehead with both hands, he said impatiently:
"Why so many questions? Are you going to interrogate your clients like this when you take on missions later?"
As for why the time was in the afternoon, that was obviously because Hayato Ren wanted to sleep in during the morning.
What decent person could get up that early anyway?
Seeing Yuhi Kurenai being put in her place, Konan couldn't help but smile.
"Alright, if there's nothing else, we're dismissed for now."
After saying that, Hayato Ren took Konan and headed home.
....
"Dad, dad..."
Yuhi Kurenai hurriedly opened the door and looked for her father.
"What's wrong, my little angel? Did someone bully you?"
Yuhi Shin Kurenai showed a doting smile as he spoke to Yuhi Kurenai.
"Do you know who my new teacher is?"
Yuhi Kurenai said with a mysterious expression.
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