“Here’s the dish for today.” I said as I handed over two boxes to Sasuke.
He glanced at the two boxes before he looked back at me. “Why two boxes?”
I smiled a bit. “One of them has food that you seem to like best out of six or seven tha-” “Seven.” “…Out of seven that you’ve tried so far, with improvement according to your feedback. Consider it a birthday gift.”
Sasuke’s eyes widened slightly. He then looked again at the boxes in his hands, falling silence for few seconds before a small smile appeared on his face. “A late birthday gift.” He said with a smirk.
“Developing recipes takes times, y’know?” I shrugged. “Besides, even if I finished the dish on that day, I would still wait until you no longer being swarmed.”
His smile turned wry. “Fair enough.”
Then his expression shifted again, into hesitation this time, if I’m reading it right.
Without much thought, I blurted. “You got something to say?”
He frowned a bit. “How do you know?”
“I guessed, and it seemed I was right. You look like you were hesitating a second ago. So… anything you want to say?”
Sasuke hesitating again, and he was silent for a while. I waited, also in silence, before he started speaking again. “How many recipes do you plan to have me test?”
I involuntarily raised an eyebrow. “Well, I’ve planned to develop nine tomato-based recipes. So this should be the second last.”
Right after I said that, Sasuke’s expression visibly dimmed. Then he turned around, seemingly about to leave.
… Did he really just communicate in code? Or am I reading into it too much?
Sigh…
“You’re always welcome to join us on the lunch, y’know?”
That stopped Sasuke in his track, eyes widening again as he turned back facing me.
I continue rambling without minding him. “If you want, I can even sell you a portion of bento box, though obviously it will not always be tomato-based dish. Just make sure you give me a heads-up one day early to prepare your portion.”
Seeing Sasuke being petrified in place, I didn’t push the conversation further and turned to leave with a “see you later”.
Though not five steps later, I could hear a whispered “Thank you” from behind me, which I responded with a thumbs up as I kept walking.
.
.
.
I arrived at our usual lunch spot a few minutes later.
I sat down and picked my bento that I left earlier before addressing the questioning glances the group’s been sending my way.
“He accepted the gift.”
They sighed in apparent relief hearing that. Though I am not done yet.
“… And if I’m reading this correctly, it seems Shikamaru guessed right; Sasuke does have some interest in joining us for the lunches.”
Then they fell silent again, staring alternately at me and Shikamaru. While the Nara heir himself was half-staring at me for a second before sighing in apparent defeat.
“Sigh… Just tell me how you came to that conclusion.”
So I did tell them about giving the two bento boxes to Sasuke and the conversation that followed. I also shared my thought process that led me to believe Sasuke was inclined to join the group.
Halfway through my recount, I could see Sakura started beaming, most probably at the prospect of having Sasuke joining, making it easier for her to get closer to her crush. I also noticed Shikamaru glancing at Sakura after I’ve done recounting, likely also noticing the same thing.
“Haaah… If it was only boys in this group then there will be no problem.” Shikamaru muttered. “What a drag.” To which me, and I see also Shino, nodded in agreement.
Hinata and Aki looked relieved at first, probably due to our little success in helping Sasuke, but their expressions turned to confusion as they looked at Shikamaru. Sakura mirrored that confusion, while Ino was about to snap at Shikamaru before pausing and turned thoughtful.
“You think the other girls will lash out at the four of us.” Ino stated, half asking, to Shikamaru.
It was Shino who confirmed her statement. “They will definitely be disgruntled at the four of you.”
“Especially Sakura.” Shikamaru added. “If Sasuke ended up joining, I can see they made up a case just because you stopped hanging out with them since the second day after Sasuke returned.”
Yeah, Sakura had actually distanced herself from Sasuke’s fangirl swarm the very next day after I told her about sincerely helping Sasuke. Glad to see her see reason, but, as Shikamaru said, I can also see other girls accusing her of foul play if Sasuke joined here.
“The heck?! Why are they so scary?!” Kiba exclaimed.
“Un!Un! It’s not like they are competing for the last piece of meat on the barbecue grill!” This chapter is updated first at g.com.
“No, Choji. Your focus is off here.” Sora replied wryly.
Ino, after looking thoughtful for a minute, then looked at me. “Sasuke never really said out loud that he would join, right?”
“No, he didn’t.”
“Then I guess this will a problem for future us.” Ino shrugged and seemingly bringing the topic to a close.
“Agree. Let’s hurry and eat! I’m famished!”
We all deadpanned at Choji before starting to eat as well.
.
.
.
Turns out not worrying about it was the correct move in that position, as Sasuke never approached me again after he gave me the critique for the last tomato-based dish, even after the term ended.
Though he did ask when and where he can have those dishes that I made him try. To which I just repeat what Choji have told me. Because the “trying new dish” thing were not merely a ploy anymore.
At some point Choji asked me to made those dishes for his family, and next thing I know, I actually got another deal to have my recipes featured in one of Akimichi-owned establishment.
Truly a case of hitting two birds with one stone with this one.
Now, about the term’s result…
“*whistle* Four times in a row now.”
“Congrats again, Takeshi!”
I smiled as I peel my gaze away from the ranking list. “Thanks, guys!”
“Heh, just you wait, Takeshi!” Kiba declared. “I will take your first place in practical classes in the next term!”
“Then I will try my best to defend it. Though, what about the theory class, Kiba?”
Kiba looked away. “Well, you can keep that one.”
…Sure, Kiba. Whatever you say.
“I will also not fall behind in hand-to-hand combat class.” Shino suddenly declared in lowercase.
Probably swept up in the atmosphere, Sora also declared, “So am I! I will also try to overtake you in the next term, Takeshi!”
Well, well, well. They sure are fired up.
“It’s a drag, right?”
“Quite so, Shikamaru. If you and Choji also got involved, then that is 6 that surely gonna challenge me in hand-to-hand combat class next term.”
“*Munch* Don’t worry Takeshi, I’m not interested in that. But should it be five, even if you count me?”
Shikamaru raised an eyebrow. “Sasuke, huh?”
“That’s rig-” “Takeshi!”
Ah, speak of the devil.
I turned around to see Sasuke marching towards me, thankfully without bringing his usual swarm of fangirl.
Sasuke crossed his arm before he started speaking. “Next term in the combat class, and the term after in the ninjutsu class, I will take the first place. Prepare yourself.”
I just smiled at his challenge. “Bring it on, Sasuke.”
Sasuke also smiled in return before turning back and walked away.
Choji then whispered to me. “Why you didn’t invite him again?”
I turned to the group before answering. “Because I think once is enough. For now, I just want to give him some space, just like I suggested myself before.” This chapter is updated first at novelping dot com.
Shino then added. “He has gotten better.”
Which Shikamaru nodded. “Yeah. His eyes are no longer looked empty all the time.”
I then added “That he did. Besides, I told you that I have said to him that he is welcomed to our group, so I believe he will come to us when he is ready.”
And that’s one reason I didn’t keep insisting that Sasuke join the group. The other reason that I didn’t say out loud was guilt, because I might be unintentionally manipulating his emotions.
Though, I gotta admit, it was super gratifying watching Sasuke improve this much. He was already doing way better than when he first came back after the massacre, and I think he’s even better than his canon counterpart right after graduation.
I guess treating him “normally”, without feeling like we are walking on a thin ice, was the right move, huh? That, and also letting him know that there’s a group of his peers that available in the corner if he needs it, surely help somehow.
Of course, that’s not to discount Sasuke’s own amazing mental resilience.
The group nodded in apparent agreement to my last statement. We fall into silence for a couple of second before Kiba finally spoke. “Alright, let’s leave. We’re done, right?”
“We are. But Mr. First Place might not.” Shikamaru said with a snicker.
As if on cue, Iruka called, “Takeshi, can you spare a minute?”
I deadpanned at the boys who snickered before shrugging and went to see Iruka.
.
.
.
“Congratulation on getting first place again, Takeshi.” Iruka said with a warm smile
I also smiled and nodded in response. “Thank you, Iruka-sensei.”
“Now, I’m sure you’ve guessed why I called you here, right?”
“Is it for reward?” I asked hopefully. “But I already got Kage Bunshin, right? Not to mention you will also teach me wall-walking and water-walking later this holiday.”
Yup, I somehow managed to get Iruka to teach me those two things.
My plan on how to get to that was HEAVILY hinged on the chance that I got to narutally see a ninja doing those two actions, only then I could to mention it to Iruka staged simply as a curious student.
Maybe my karma from previous life was still in the net positive, because by some incredible luck I actually got that chance and thus ended up asking Iruka about it.
And with my shame-o-lever turned all the way down, of course I asked him if he could teach me those. To which he agreed, but only on the summer holiday.
“As Hokage-sama have said, the Kage Bunshin was for placing first across all three terms of your first year. Now that you also got first on this term, of course there is another reward. As for teaching you wall-walking and water-walking, consider it… a gift.”
For that, I can only stood up and bowed deeply while saying my thanks, which Iruka accepted before he told me to sit back down.
“Right, let’s get to the point.” Iruka then continued. “The first reward for you is this; another set of coupons you can use at certain establishment.” Iruka said as he handed me an envelope.
I receive it while remembering the three sets of coupons that I still haven’t used.
All those coupons don’t have expiry date, so I kinda treated them like emergency food funds or maybe a gift for later in the case of Ichiraku’s coupon.
It also helps that I’m not really into eating out unless it was for a social occasion. Hopefully this one also doesn’t have any expiry date.
“For the second and final reward, Hokage-sama has granted you permission to learn Shunshin, a D-rank jutsu.”
… No way…
“So I hope you don’t have too much planned for this summer holiday, as you will learn Shunshin from me as soon as you become proficient enough in water-walking. That is, if and only if you manage to do it before holiday ends.”
I blinked at his announcement before I jumped and punched the air in excitement.
“… YEEEEEeeeiisss…. Um… Sorry, Iruka-sensei, I got excited.”
“It’s okay, Takeshi.” Iruka smiled warmly. “Now, let’s talk about when we can start the training.”
Note
My fingers cramped…
So, yeah. No fancy maneuver or anything like that, just simple gestures here and there to "help" Sasuke.
I also have the MC rewarded Shunshin as a single term reward. Firstly because it's only D-rank. Secondly, because in the background, Hiruzen knows Takeshi might have a much lower chance to get another first place after this as the curriculum (especially practical class) ramped up.