"Ahem! You two, tone it down—everyone's watching!" Tsunade reminded them.
Still holding Tenten in his arms, Natsuki glanced around and noticed Tsunade, Shizune, Tonton, Megumi, Sakura, and Kurama Yakumo all present, every one of them looking over.
Sakura and Yakumo couldn't help blushing—it really did feel like Natsuki and Tenten were being far too bold.
Natsuki, on the other hand, wasn't embarrassed in the slightest. Only after letting Tenten go did he speak.
"Tsunade-sama, I spent over a month circling that country and never found that guy's trail. I did, however, hear plenty of news about Deidara and Sasori. Since this mission wasn't completed, how's it going to be counted?"
"Mm, since it was an official mission, even if it failed, you still get paid," Tsunade said with a wave of her hand. "And in this case, it's not really a failure. If the target doesn't show up, it's normal not to find him. Also, for now, it's best not to provoke the Akatsuki—so your investigation mission ends here."
Natsuki nodded and didn't press further, though he was curious what all these people were doing here.
A girls' meeting? No… Tsunade was an older woman, not exactly the type for girlish tea parties.
Apparently seeing through his thoughts, Tsunade said irritably, "Stop letting your imagination run wild! Yakumo hasn't been feeling well, so Megumi brought her to me for a checkup. As for Sakura, she came to ask me to take her as a disciple, and I agreed."
Oh? So Sakura was finally apprenticing herself to Tsunade?
Natsuki wasn't surprised in the least.
Sasuke, however, glanced at Sakura with some surprise, making her a little self-conscious.
The truth was, after the last joint operation, Sakura felt more useless than ever—and sensed danger from Yakumo.
Not that Yakumo would necessarily get involved with Sasuke, but it was clear he respected strong girls. If he were to choose a partner, a weakling like her would be out of the question.
So, determined not to drag the team down and to earn Sasuke's respect, she'd resolved to train under Tsunade.
Luckily, Tsunade had been waiting for her to make up her mind, so she accepted quickly.
"That's good," Sasuke said bluntly. "You had no real strength before and were always holding us back. Now that Tsunade-sama is your teacher, train seriously. If you put the time you spend on your looks into training, you wouldn't be this weak."
Everyone collectively facepalmed—Sasuke really didn't pull his punches.
Sure, it was true, but saying it out loud in front of everyone? He was bound to make Sakura want to curl up into the floor.
Surprisingly, Sakura said seriously, "Sasuke-kun is right. I should have realized sooner. Maybe it's not too late now. I'll learn everything I can and never hold you back again."
Sasuke nodded. Perhaps it was the first time he'd actually acknowledged her.
Despite the sting of his blunt criticism, Sakura was overjoyed. This was the first time he'd spoken to her like this, the first time he'd recognized her determination. She felt like she could fly.
After enjoying the show, Natsuki found it was missing a bag of sunflower seeds. He waved a hand. "Alright, Tenten and I will get going. Don't let us disturb you."
Sasuke followed him out, then said, "Natsuki, how about I treat you two to a meal? You've helped me so much, and I've never repaid you. I'm not sure what else to do, so at least let me buy you dinner."
Tenten's eyes lit up. "So, Sasuke succeeded?"
Natsuki nodded. "Yes. Perfectly. No problems at all."
Tenten sighed in relief, smiling. "Well, if you're treating us, we won't hold back. How about BBQ Q? Better be ready, Sasuke—Natsuki and I can really eat!"
Sasuke gave an OK sign. "Eat all you like, I can handle it."
It was just barbecue—how much could they really eat? He'd completed three S-rank and six A-rank missions recently; he had plenty of money. He could even afford to treat Chōji and Hinata if he wanted.
The three of them soon arrived at BBQ Q, but just as Natsuki and Tenten were getting ready to order big, they spotted Shikamaru, Ino, and Chōji—the Ino–Shika–Chō trio.
"Yo! Shino, Ino–Shika–Chō, you're here too." Natsuki was the first to notice Shino.
"Natsuki, Tenten… and Sasuke," Shino said, his voice carrying a subtle note of happiness.
After all, for so many years people had often overlooked him—but Natsuki always noticed him immediately. A true friend and long-time desk mate.
That was what touched Shino most.
In the beginning, Natsuki hadn't always managed to find him right away. But over time, he'd developed the habit of instinctively sensing and locating Shino, never once failing. Tenten, influenced by this, could now easily spot Shino too.
"Hey, hey! Don't shorten our names like that!" Shikamaru protested, though he explained anyway. "Your good desk mate here helped out our team with a big mission, so we're treating him to dinner to say thanks."
Ino quickly added, "Yeah, Shino was amazing. That A-rank mission would've been really tough, but with his help—scouting, recon, sneak attacks, offense, defense—it all became a breeze. The only hard part was getting used to the bugs."
Shino was quick to correct her. "The bugs are excellent helpers."
Ino conceded, "Yes, yes, they're excellent helpers. I wasn't criticizing."
Chōji just kept eating without a care, only remembering to lift his head to greet them—otherwise, Natsuki might have gone over to knock on his skull.
"What a coincidence," Sasuke said, joining in the conversation. "I'm here because Natsuki helped me with something important. I didn't know how else to thank him, so I'm treating these two to dinner."
Chōji actually paused chewing to agree. "Treating someone to a meal is the best way to say thanks. Nothing's more important than food!"
Odd as it sounded, there was some truth in it. Too many words could make gratitude sound hollow, and giving money could feel like a transaction. Sometimes, the simplest way to show genuine thanks was just to treat someone to a hearty meal.
Natsuki and Tenten certainly weren't shy—they immediately ordered several deluxe sets, without a thought for Sasuke's wallet.
Sasuke, far from worried, even insisted on adding extra drinks and fruit.
Now that was generosity.
(End of Chapter)
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