Naruto sat beside me, staring at the table overflowing with food. His bright blue eyes were wide with disbelief, and his mouth hung slightly open as though he couldn't believe this feast was actually meant for us.
It was the expression of a child who had gone too many days without a proper meal.
Yoshino noticed immediately.
Without saying anything, she filled a large bowl with steaming rice and gently placed it in front of him. Then she picked up a tender piece of roasted chicken and set it on top.
"Eat as much as you want," she said warmly. "You're still growing."
"Thank you, Auntie!"
Naruto's face lit up with an innocent smile.
He lowered his head and eagerly shoveled a huge mouthful of rice into his mouth. His cheeks puffed out like a squirrel storing food, and after only a few hurried chews, his eyes sparkled.
"It's delicious!"
His voice was muffled by the food filling his mouth, but his excitement couldn't have been clearer.
Yoshino watched him quietly.
For just a moment, a complicated emotion flickered across her face.
Pity.
Heartache.
Perhaps even guilt.
She didn't say a word. Instead, she silently placed another piece of grilled fish into his bowl.
Only after making sure Naruto had enough to eat did she finally turn toward me.
The gentle smile on her face disappeared.
Her eyes narrowed.
Interrogation mode.
"Al."
"...Yes?"
"Tell me honestly."
Her voice was calm, but somehow even more intimidating because of it.
"What do you usually eat at home?"
"...Just normal meals."
She folded her arms.
"Shikaku told me you work from home."
I shot Shikaku a glance.
He calmly continued eating as if he hadn't heard anything.
"..."
Traitor.
Yoshino continued.
"He also said that when you're busy writing, you sometimes forget to eat."
"..."
"So what exactly do you mean by 'normal meals'?"
Her gaze became even sharper.
"Do you actually eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner?"
"I do."
"What about the food itself?"
She wasn't finished.
"Do you cook?"
"...Sometimes."
"And the rest?"
"...I buy bento boxes."
That wasn't technically a lie.
After all...
Making fried eggs still required turning on the stove.
Yoshino sighed exactly as though she had expected that answer from the beginning.
"I knew it."
She looked toward her husband.
"Shikaku."
"I told you."
"This child lives alone."
"Who's making sure she eats properly?"
Shikaku calmly picked up another bite of food before answering.
"No one."
He swallowed before continuing.
"That's why I invited her over."
Yoshino nodded firmly.
"Good."
Then she looked back at me.
"From now on, come here at least once every week."
She pushed a bowl of hot soup toward me.
"It isn't as though we're missing a pair of chopsticks."
"I..."
I wanted to refuse politely.
There was no reason to trouble them.
Before I could even finish speaking, Yoshino had already turned toward Naruto.
"You too."
She pointed her chopsticks at him.
"Come together with your sister every week."
Naruto looked up from his mountain of food.
His lips were covered with a little oil from the chicken.
Without even glancing in my direction for approval...
He nodded enthusiastically.
"Okay!"
"..."
Traitor.
Yoshino couldn't help smiling.
"Good."
She looked at Naruto with unmistakable tenderness.
"If there's ever something you want to eat..."
She paused.
"You can tell Auntie."
Naruto froze.
His chopsticks stopped halfway to his mouth.
A single grain of rice clung to the corner of his lips.
For several seconds...
He simply stared at her.
His lips parted slightly.
It looked like he wanted to say something.
Thank you.
Or perhaps...
Can I really?
In the end...
Only one tiny sound escaped.
"...Mm."
He lowered his head so quickly that his blond hair covered his eyes.
Then he resumed eating.
Only...
Much faster than before.
Almost desperately.
As if burying himself in the food could hide whatever expression had appeared on his face.
No one exposed him.
Everyone quietly understood.
Across the table, Shikamaru continued drinking his soup without saying anything.
Only after finishing did he finally look at me.
"So..."
"Besides writing books..."
"You basically stay home all day?"
"Pretty much."
"You never go outside?"
"Only when I need groceries or daily necessities."
He rested one elbow on the table.
"Then..."
"How did you meet Naruto?"
"We happened to run into each other."
"Hm."
He repeated the words.
"Ran into each other."
That familiar thoughtful expression appeared on his face again.
His eyes narrowed slightly as he quietly analyzed every possibility.
He picked up a piece of tempura.
Took a bite.
Chewed slowly.
But thankfully...
He didn't continue asking.
Probably because he had already guessed enough.
Seeing the dangerous direction the conversation might take...
Especially if he started asking about my novels...
I decided to change the subject myself.
"Shikamaru."
He looked at me.
"What?"
I smiled with the gentle expression of an elder reminiscing about old memories.
"You know..."
"I actually held you when you were a baby."
...
Silence.
The entire dining room froze.
Shikamaru's chopsticks stopped in midair.
"...What?"
His expression completely cracked.
"You were only a few months old."
"Auntie Yoshino was carrying you."
"She asked if I wanted to hold you."
"So I did."
"You were surprisingly well-behaved."
"You didn't cry at all."
Slowly...
Very slowly...
Shikamaru turned toward his mother.
"...Mom?"
Yoshino thought about it seriously.
Then her eyes brightened.
"Oh."
"That's right."
She laughed softly.
"It really happened."
"You were tiny back then."
"When Al held you..."
"You grabbed onto her finger and absolutely refused to let go."
Shikamaru's expression changed at incredible speed.
Disbelief.
↓
Looking for confirmation.
↓
Realizing it was true.
↓
Accepting reality against his will.
Finally...
His face returned to its usual lazy appearance.
Almost.
Because...
The tips of his ears had quietly turned bright red.
He put down his chopsticks.
"...There was no need to mention that."
"Why not?"
I smiled innocently.
"I thought Baby Shikamaru was adorable."
He gave me an exhausted look.
"...You're troublesome."
Despite his complaint...
The corner of his mouth twitched upward ever so slightly.
Beside me...
Naruto completely lost control.
"Pff—"
"Hahaha!"
He slammed onto the table, laughing so hard his shoulders shook uncontrollably.
"Big Sister..."
"Shikamaru..."
"Hahaha!"
Shikamaru looked over without changing expression.
"Naruto."
His voice remained as lazy as ever.
"If you keep laughing..."
"The next time we play shogi..."
"I won't go easy on you."
Naruto instantly clamped both hands over his mouth.
"Mmph!"
Even so...
The laughter never left his sparkling blue eyes.
Watching the children laugh together...
Yoshino smiled warmly.
She quietly picked up another piece of chicken and placed it into my bowl.
Her voice had become even gentler than before.
"You two..."
"Come here more often."
"Don't stand on ceremony."
"This house is your home too."
Those simple words carried surprising warmth.
Shikaku remained as quiet as always.
Without saying much...
He simply stood up.
Scooped another bowl of rice.
Then silently pushed the freshly cooked stew closer to me.
No speeches.
No dramatic concern.
Just quiet actions.
Somehow...
That felt even more sincere.
The dinner continued in a peaceful, welcoming atmosphere, filled with small conversations and comfortable silences that made the house feel unusually warm.
After everyone finished eating, I helped Yoshino wash the dishes.
Naruto and Shikamaru disappeared somewhere into the backyard, their occasional laughter drifting back inside.
Meanwhile...
Shikaku invited me to sit with him in the living room.
He brewed what he proudly called his "after-dinner digestive tea."
It tasted...
Very ordinary.
But somehow relaxing.
We chatted idly about books, village life, and absolutely nothing important.
Before I realized it...
Time had quietly slipped away.
When Shikaku walked over and pulled open the curtains...
The night sky greeted us.
Outside...
Darkness had completely covered Konoha.
Only the lantern near the entrance softly illuminated the front yard.
Beyond it...
The chirping of insects echoed continuously from the surrounding grass.
"It's already this late..."
I placed my teacup down.
Then gently pulled Naruto to his feet.
"We've already imposed enough today."
"It's time for us to head home."
Naruto immediately stood beside me.
Together...
We bowed respectfully.
"Thank you, Uncle!"
"Thank you, Auntie!"
"The food was amazing!"
His cheerful voice filled the house.
Yoshino walked us to the entrance.
She opened the front door.
The cold night breeze drifted inside.
Looking at the dark streets outside...
Her brows slowly furrowed.
"It's awfully dark."
She looked from me...
To Naruto...
Then toward Shikaku.
Without moving from the hallway...
Shikaku folded his arms.
"Then stay here tonight."
"The guest room is always ready."
I hurriedly waved both hands.
"No, really."
"It's only a short walk."
"We'll be home in just a few minutes."
Yoshino studied my face for several seconds.
She seemed to understand.
It wasn't that I disliked their kindness.
I simply didn't want to trouble them any more than I already had.
She sighed softly.
"...All right."
She didn't insist.
Instead...
She disappeared into the kitchen.
A few moments later...
She returned carrying a neatly packed bento box.
Inside were leftover roasted chicken, rice balls, and several side dishes.
Without waiting for me to refuse...
She firmly placed it into my hands.
"Tomorrow morning."
"Heat this up."
"And don't skip breakfast."
I stared silently at the warm lunchbox.
The faint warmth spread from my fingertips...
Straight into my heart.
"...Thank you."
"Thank you very much, Auntie Yoshino."
Beside her...
Shikaku added calmly,
"Next time..."
"Let us know beforehand."
"We'll prepare a few more dishes."
I smiled.
"I will."
"Thank you."
"For everything today."
Shikamaru walked us to the gate.
His hands remained buried inside his pockets.
He yawned lazily.
Just before we stepped outside...
He looked at me.
"Gomoku."
"I won't go easy on you next time."
I raised an eyebrow.
"When have you ever gone easy on me?"
"...The first game."
I blinked.
"...You actually did?"
He didn't answer.
Only the faintest smile appeared on his face.
Then he turned around.
His slippers scraped softly against the wooden floor as he wandered back toward the house.
Without looking back...
He lazily raised one hand in farewell.
Behind him...
Yoshino remained standing at the entrance.
Watching us leave.
Naruto happily carried the extra snacks while humming to himself.
Neither of us spoke.
Yet...
The silence wasn't awkward.
It was comforting.
When we reached the corner of the street...
I instinctively turned around.
The light outside the Nara residence was still glowing warmly in the darkness.
Yoshino was still standing there.
Watching until she was certain the two of us had safely disappeared into the night.
For the first time since arriving in this world...
The road home no longer felt lonely.
Some bonds didn't need blood to become family. Sometimes, a single shared meal was enough to quietly change someone's life forever.
And neither Naruto nor I realized...
Tonight's visit to the Nara Clan had planted the beginning of a friendship that would quietly shape all of our futures.