"With that, Tsunade finished her sake in one gulp."
After hearing Tsunade's words, Okamoto Dousuke had a hunch on the way to the restaurant that it might be related to the impending Third Shinobi World War. "It's alright, please don't worry, Teacher Tsunade. I am very happy to contribute to the village's efforts!"
Tsunade looked at her disciple sitting across from her and smiled. "This time, your primary role will be as a medical-nin. Ordinarily, scout teams are composed of at least Chunin-ranked ninjas. You are the first to join as a Genin. This is an initiative taken by both myself and the village."
"Teacher, are you forgetting my strength? I nearly defeated Kakashi in the past. You've witnessed my growth over these last few years. Please, have faith in me!" Okamoto Dousuke assured Tsunade.
"Alright, kid, let's finish eating and stop with the nonsense," Tsunade said, placing her empty sake glass down and heading to the front to settle the bill.
Okamoto Dousuke put on his clothes, then picked up Tsunade's coat and followed her out of the restaurant.
Stepping out of the sushi restaurant, the April night air still carried a slight chill. It felt refreshing on their faces, instantly clearing their heads. Okamoto Dousuke handed the coat to Tsunade.
"Dousuke, from today onward, you are a true ninja." With those words, Tsunade retrieved a Konoha ninja forehead protector from her pocket and gave it to him.
"I'll give you a week to rest. You don't need to come to the hospital. Your classmates will be graduating tomorrow, so you should go back to the Academy for that," Tsunade told Okamoto Dousuke.
"Understood, Teacher," Okamoto Dousuke replied.
"Okay, go on home. I won't see you off," Tsunade said, looking at Okamoto Dousuke and waving dismissively.
"Teacher, I apologize for making you spend so much money today," Okamoto Dousuke said, turning back to bid farewell before heading towards his home.
Watching Okamoto Dousuke's departing figure, Tsunade whispered a blessing, "Good luck, Dousuke!"
The next day, in a private room at Konoha BBQ restaurant.
Okamoto Dousuke opened the curtain to the private room. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize you guys were here so early."
"Dousuke, you're late! Get in here!" Might Guy's booming voice greeted Okamoto Dousuke at the door.
Uchiha Obito, who was sitting further inside, stood up and looked Okamoto Dousuke up and down as he entered, then reached up to touch his own forehead protector.
"Hey, Dousuke, look at this! I'm a genius!"
Okamoto Dousuke looked at Uchiha Obito, who stood with one hand on his hip and a finger pointing at his Konoha forehead protector, and said sarcastically, "Yeah, yeah, I know. You're the best, okay."
Then, glancing at Might Guy, Shizune, Nohara Rin, and the others, he joked, "So, does this mean you can graduate just by taking the exam now?"
"How could it be any different? I, Obito, am so talented I could still graduate even if I slept through every class!" Uchiha Obito grinned confidently.
"Stop showing off and sit down before you burn all the meat," Okamoto Dousuke chuckled, sitting down next to Shizune. He picked up the largest piece of cooked meat with his chopsticks and dipped it generously in sauce.
"Hey! You arrive late but get to eat first!" Obito exclaimed indignantly when he saw Okamoto Dousuke already enjoying his food.
"Dousuke, will you continue working at the hospital?" Shizune asked with her mouth still full.
"He's likely being assigned to a special task force. I don't know the specifics. What about you all?" Okamoto Dousuke replied, choosing not to reveal his immediate assignment to the scout team just yet.
"Obito, Kakashi, and I have been assigned to Minato-sensei's Jonin team," Nohara Rin answered truthfully.
"It's a shame Kakashi isn't here; I would have finally defeated him in a barbecue-eating contest!" Might Guy declared, immediately sensing several pairs of eyes turning towards him.
"Why are you all looking at me? I did go to Kakashi's house to invite him, but he completely ignored me. Besides, Lin brought it up first!" Might Guy defended himself, looking helpless.
"I last saw Kakashi at the memorial. He still hasn't recovered from the shock of his father's passing. Since his father died, whenever I've gone to his house, he's either been out or training. He doesn't seem to trust anyone right now. I've heard that his teammates in his new team are also having trouble connecting with him," Okamoto Dousuke said with a sigh.
"Don't worry, Dousuke, I'll help Kakashi through this," Nohara Rin said gently, her voice filled with concern.
"Don't be so gloomy, everyone! Leave it to me, Obito, to go and knock some sense into that big idiot. Next time we have a get-together, I'll tie him up and bring him here myself!" Uchiha Obito announced loudly, trying to lighten the mood at the table, which had become noticeably somber due to the mention of Kakashi.
The conversation about Kakashi caused them to finish their dinner rather quickly, and they soon bid each other farewell.
The weather was still quite cool, so pedestrians on the street hurried along.
Two short figures, however, were walking slowly towards them from down the street.
A cool breeze rustled through the air, and one of the shorter figures couldn't help but sneeze.
"Look at you. It's not even that cold yet, and you're not even wearing a coat. What if you catch a chill?" The taller figure looked at the shorter one who had just sneezed, a hint of concern in his voice. He then took off his own coat and draped it over the shorter figure's shoulders.
"I just wanted to show you how I look in a skirt!" the short figure muttered, slightly embarrassed.
Under the dim glow of the streetlights, the short figure appeared even more petite.
"Thank you, Dousuke. Please don't get cold," Shizune said, feeling the weight of the coat on her body. She recognized the familiar scent of hospital disinfectant, which still held a trace of warmth. She thanked Okamoto Dousuke, who was now only wearing a short-sleeved shirt in the cool night air.
"It's alright, I'm in good health. Besides, this is partly for my own benefit. If you were to get sick from the cold, Teacher Tsunade would demand an explanation from me. What would I do then?" Okamoto Dousuke said with a wry smile.
Shizune had mentioned at the Academy that she wanted to introduce him to someone. Unexpectedly, that someone was Tsunade. Ever since her uncle, Kato Dan, had passed away, Tsunade had often visited her home to check on her.
Then, he crouched down in front of her and zipped up her coat from bottom to top with a soft swish.
He casually adjusted the collar and gently brushed aside some of the girl's long hair that had been caught under the clothes. His slightly cold hands briefly touched her warm earlobe, causing a blush to spread across her face.
Without any further words, Okamoto Dousuke and Shizune walked in comfortable silence, side by side, shoulder to shoulder, their shadows stretching long behind them in the streetlights.
"Alright, Shizune, you should head back now!" No matter how long the journey, it always reaches its end. Before they knew it, they had arrived at Shizune's house.
"Okay, Dousuke, please be careful on your way back!" Shizune took off the coat and handed it back to him.
"Don't worry, I will," Okamoto Dousuke said, putting on his coat and waving goodbye to Shizune before turning to leave.
"Also, Shizune, you really do look great in a skirt!!" he called out with a grin.
"Got it, baka!," Shizune replied, a small smile playing on her lips.
A few days passed quickly, and Okamoto Dousuke finally received his summons for assembly.
Gather at the village gate at 8 o'clock tomorrow morning.