"Come in. I've still got plenty of fish in the kitchen. I won't be able to use them all, so after we eat, take some with you."
Kakashi shrugged off Ryosuke's hand from his shoulder and walked toward the kitchen without looking back.
Rin let out a quiet sigh of relief at the sight of his retreating back.
Just being able to see Kakashi was already a good start.
The three found a place to sit down.
"Kakashi, do you live alone?"
Looking around the neat and tidy house without spotting anyone else, Rin couldn't help asking in surprise.
Kakashi came out of the kitchen with three bottles of drinks, setting them on the table without answering her question.
Instead, he looked at the three of them.
"What do you want to eat?"
"Huh?"
Obito scratched his head, thinking hard.
Ryosuke took a sip of his drink and spoke first.
"I want braised fish."
"Braised fish?"
Rin blinked. That was the first time she'd heard of that dish.
"Okay."
Kakashi gave Ryosuke a brief glance, then took note as the other two named a couple of simple dishes before heading back into the kitchen.
Before long, the smell of cooking oil drifted out.
"Wow, that smells amazing!"
Obito inhaled deeply, his voice full of awe.
Rin was no different; her throat worked involuntarily, clearly drawn in by the aroma.
She suddenly remembered Ryosuke's earlier request for braised fish and turned toward him.
"Ryosuke, how should we bring this up—"
Obito, eyes flicking from Kakashi back to Ryosuke, spoke before Rin could finish.
Ryosuke set down his drink and shook his head.
"This isn't something we can talk through. A wound in the heart needs the right medicine."
At that, a faint shadow crossed Rin's eyes.
"All we can do for now is drop by, share a meal, and keep him company."
When neither of them replied, Ryosuke got up to grab another bottle of juice.
"Ryosuke, how come you know your way around Kakashi's house so well?"
Obito looked at him suspiciously as he moved about with practiced ease.
"Once, I was fishing by the river and it started pouring. I happened to run into Kakashi, and he let me wait out the rain here."
"Oh, so you've been here before!"
Obito nodded in understanding, then downed the rest of his drink.
"Rin, I'll take you fishing in a few days!"
"Sure," Rin replied with a smile.
"The fish is ready!"
As they spoke, Kakashi brought out the braised fish, pan-fried river fish, and several cold vegetable sides.
"Whoa!"
Rin and Ryosuke had already been drawn in by the smells, and now their eyes lit up at the sight of the dishes.
"Kakashi… you're amazing!"
"What is this…?"
Their excitement was palpable.
"This is the braised fish Ryosuke taught me last time. That one's pan-fried river fish—Hatake style."
"Let's eat!"
They didn't need to be told twice and immediately dug in.
"Kakashi, this fish is incredible!"
"Ryosuke, where'd you learn to make braised fish? Teach me next time—then I can cook it too…"
After swallowing a mouthful of fish, Obito shot a glance at Rin, his face flushing red.
Kakashi stood and pulled a sheet of paper from the table.
"This is the braised fish recipe Ryosuke wrote down last time."
He set it in front of Obito.
"Thanks!"
Obito's eyes gleamed with envy as he carefully folded the recipe and tucked it away.
"Ryosuke, I didn't expect you to come up with recipes. Planning to be a chef someday?"
Ryosuke almost choked.
"Slow down, Ryosuke."
Rin passed him a bowl of soup.
He accepted it without hesitation and drank deeply.
"We're going to be ninja—why would I be a chef?"
Obito laughed.
"Yeah, we're gonna be ninja! Ha ha!"
With the laughter, the table's atmosphere became warm and lively.
Ding. Uchiha Sasuke Card Points +2.
Ding. Uchiha Sasuke Card Points +1.
Ding. Uchiha Sasuke Card Points +1.
Before long, the four of them had finished eating, their expressions showing clear satisfaction.
Whether it was the taste of the food or the comfort of the company, it was hard to say which was more filling.
"Kakashi, it's getting late. We'll come see you again tomorrow!"
Obito burped, glancing at the darkening sky, and thought of his grandmother at home.
Kakashi gave a calm nod.
"Let's go, Rin."
"Ryosuke, aren't you coming?"
Seeing him still seated, Rin couldn't help asking.
"It's fine. You two go ahead—I'll head back on my own."
Exchanging a glance, Obito and Rin left together.
"I'll help you clean up."
Seeing Kakashi starting to clear the table, Ryosuke got up and carried the dishes to the kitchen to wash.
One cleaned, the other washed—an unspoken rhythm.
When all the dishes were done, Kakashi kept his head down before finally speaking.
"Thanks."
Ryosuke turned to look at him.
"No need. You invited the three of us to dinner—if anything, we should be the ones thanking you."
Kakashi didn't reply, just set the clean plates on the rack.
Ding. Uchiha Sasuke Card Points +2.
[End of Chapter]