Immediately, Jin and Ayame started bickering again, their voices filling the ramen shop with laughter and noise.
For the first time in a long while, Uchiha Jin felt a little lighter — as if the shop was his home, as if this warmth could replace the coldness of the Uchiha Clan Grounds.
As for going back to the clan compound?
Heh. Best not to mention it.
"All right, that's enough, you two," Teuchi finally said, smiling as he brought out steaming bowls of ramen. "Wash your hands, dinner's ready."
The two of them exchanged a look, snorted at each other, then obediently went to wash up.
---
An hour later, after finishing their meal, Jin didn't leave right away.
Instead, he stayed to help Teuchi and Ayame prep the shop for the upcoming lunch rush.
It wasn't until just before opening that Jin finally had his lunch, rubbed his full stomach, and reluctantly headed home.
Truthfully, he wanted to keep helping.
In the past, he never stayed after eating — he had been too busy training, working desperately to gain enough strength to survive.
But now things were different.
With the system giving him steady progress, he didn't need to grind himself into exhaustion anymore.
Unfortunately, Teuchi disagreed.
"You're a ninja now," Teuchi had told him seriously. "You'll be heading to the front lines soon. Use this time to prepare properly — don't waste it here."
Jin had no choice but to shrug and head back.
There were things he couldn't exactly explain to Teuchi, so he simply let it go.
---
But as he walked the streets, a faint frown appeared on his face.
Ever since he had arrived at Ichiraku that morning, he had felt it — eyes on him.
Even now, he could feel the presence of someone following him.
Who could it be?
Hiruzen, the Third Hokage?
Danzo Shimura?
Orochimaru?
The names turned over in his mind, but no clear answer came.
He was cautious by nature, and he had always kept a low profile. He shouldn't have attracted anyone's attention.
After a moment of thought, however, he decided on a plan.
He would do nothing.
If someone was observing him, fine. He'd just continue being the useless, harmless Uchiha everyone thought he was.
If this had happened before, he might have panicked — afraid that his secret training would be discovered.
But now?
With the Lie Flat and Slack Off System, he didn't even need to train anymore.
Even if they were spying on him, they'd find nothing.
Realizing this, a calm smile curved his lips.
He yawned lazily and walked the rest of the way home as though nothing had happened.
---
Ten minutes later, Jin returned to his small house, immediately sprawled across the sofa, and closed his eyes for a nap.
It was one of the few good habits he had brought over from his previous life.
Back then, he hadn't dared to indulge in midday naps for fear of wasting precious training time.
Now, though, he could enjoy them guilt-free.
Just as sleep began to tug at him—
Whoosh!
A shadow passed outside his courtyard.
Footsteps stopped just beyond the door.
Then—
Bang, bang, bang!
Knocking echoed through the house.
Jin blinked in confusion.
Who could that be?
He had lived in Konoha for years, but he didn't have many acquaintances.
Aside from Ayame and Teuchi, no one ever visited him.
And they certainly wouldn't come all the way to the Uchiha compound.
Curious, Jin rose, still reluctant to leave the soft embrace of the sofa, and walked toward the door.
When he opened it, he froze.
Standing outside his courtyard was a familiar figure dressed in a black shinobi outfit, a green flak jacket over his torso, and the Uchiha crest on his sleeve — the red and white fan blazing proudly.
Uchiha Shisui.
Jin's expression turned from confusion to shock.
Why was he here?
He knew Shisui well — how could he not?
Before his adoptive parents' deaths, they had been close to Uchiha Kagami's household, and Shisui had often visited.
Even though Shisui wasn't yet known as Shisui of the Body Flicker, he was still one of the clan's most promising young shinobi, a true rising star.
But after his parents' deaths, Jin had deliberately distanced himself from the clan, avoiding any connection with them.
For years, he and Shisui hadn't spoken.
Yet here Shisui was, smiling warmly.
"Jin-kun, surprised?" Shisui asked, his voice carrying the same gentle tone Jin remembered from childhood.
"I'm sorry. I've had too many missions over the years.
"I haven't even been able to rest during holidays, so I never had the chance to come visit you.
"I'm truly sorry for that."
Jin stared at him in silence for a moment.
He believed him.
Shisui wasn't the type to lie.
But the last thing Jin wanted was to get drawn into the orbit of major characters like him.
If he could, he would have avoided this meeting altogether.
Still — Shisui had come all this way.
There was no polite way to send him away.
Jin forced a smile and stepped aside.
"Come in."