Naruto: We Agreed on a Simulation, But They Actually Came to Life?

Chapter 147: Chapter 147: Enough

Tsunade and Kitahara Kaede walked side by side down the main street.

Konoha was bustling at noon. Stalls lined both sides of the road under makeshift canopies, with shoppers weaving through the crowd and the occasional shinobi flickering across the rooftops.

Kitahara Kaede didn’t look at Tsunade, but he could feel her glancing at him every now and then. The glances were infrequent and brief.

He knew exactly what was happening. Tsunade was still searching for evidence.

And today, he wanted an answer of his own. He wanted to know exactly how much she remembered.

As they passed a tofu stall, Tsunade spoke first.

"Do you usually cook?"

Kitahara Kaede looked at the vegetable stall ahead, his tone remaining neutral. "Of course. When you live alone for a long time, you eventually have to learn how."

He said this intentionally. In the simulation, Tsunade had asked the exact same question, and he had given the exact same answer.

After speaking, he didn’t turn his head immediately. He merely watched her from the corner of his eye.

Tsunade’s pace faltered for a fraction of a second before returning to normal. Her hand, hanging by her side, tightened into a light fist.

She remained silent, but a fragment of a memory surfaced in her mind. She saw Hagoromo Kaede standing in a kitchen, looking down as he prepared ingredients, answering in that same flat tone:

’When you live alone for a long time, you eventually have to learn how.’

Tsunade suppressed the sudden wave of disorientation. *It’s just a coincidence...*

"You sound quite experienced," she remarked.

Kitahara Kaede didn’t elaborate, instead steering the conversation away. "Is the situation Kushina-nee was just in common?"

Tsunade glanced at him. "The Nine-Tails becoming restless?"

"Yeah."

"Not exactly common," Tsunade replied, her voice dropping slightly. "But it’s a real pain when it actually happens. That was just a small disturbance; if the seal hadn’t held it back, the entire house would have been leveled."

Kitahara Kaede nodded. "With Lady Tsunade here, there’s no need to worry too much."

Tsunade’s eyebrow twitched. "You certainly have a way with words."

"Just the truth."

Tsunade huffed and didn’t respond further.

They arrived at a butcher shop. The owner looked up, saw Tsunade, and immediately beamed. "Lady Tsunade! Buying groceries yourself today?"

"Mm, just picking up a few things," she replied casually.

The owner then looked at Kitahara Kaede. "Is this young man helping you carry the bags?"

Before Kitahara Kaede could speak, Tsunade shot the owner a look. "Just sell me the meat."

The owner immediately looked down and grabbed his knife. "Right away! Which cut would you like?"

Kitahara Kaede stood by without interrupting. Tsunade looked at him. "What do you think we should get?"

He didn’t rush to answer. He scanned the meat on the cutting board, reached out, and picked up a piece of chicken breast to inspect it.

"Let’s get some chicken breast," he said naturally. "We can grill it, or prepare it to be more tender."

Tsunade’s gaze lingered on the meat. That was exactly how she liked it—both in reality and in her dreams.

Suppressing the strange feeling in her heart, she asked pointedly, "Is that how you like to eat it?"

Kitahara Kaede handed the meat to the owner to be weighed. "I wouldn’t say I ’like’ it." He paused. "It’s just that someone else likes it."

Tsunade’s eyes locked onto his face. Kitahara Kaede didn’t flinch.

This was another test. If Tsunade only had fragmented dreams, she might not react. But if she remembered enough, this sentence would definitely trigger a response.

Tsunade didn’t react immediately. Only after a few seconds did she murmur, "Is that so?"

The owner, oblivious to the tension, chimed in. "Chicken breast is tricky. Overcook it by a second and it becomes dry as a bone. Most people can’t get it right."

Tsunade instinctively replied, "Cut it thick, pound it flat to loosen the fibers, and then marinate it."

At almost the exact same moment, Kitahara Kaede spoke. "Cut it thick and pound it, otherwise the flavor won’t penetrate the center."

The owner froze, knife in hand. He looked at Tsunade, then at Kitahara Kaede. "Wow, you two really know your stuff!"

Tsunade averted her eyes. "Just weigh it."

Kitahara Kaede fell silent. This time, Tsunade’s reaction had been stronger.

He now had his answer. Tsunade remembered. At the very least, she remembered a great deal.

They left the butcher and walked to a nearby vegetable stall. Tsunade leaned over to pick through the greens, picking up a bunch and then putting it back.

She tried to tell herself not to overthink it. Similar tastes in cooking could be a coincidence. Knowing how to handle chicken breast could be a coincidence. Even the phrase "someone else likes it" could be interpreted in other ways.

But when coincidences piled up, they began to carry a different meaning.

Eventually, Tsunade picked up a bunch of mountain vegetables. "Kushina mentioned she wanted to eat these."

Kitahara Kaede glanced at them. Tsunade had once taught him how to prepare these. Back then, she had complained that he was too slow and had repeated the instructions several times.

The roots had to be scraped clean, otherwise they would be bitter.

Kitahara Kaede hadn’t intended to say anything more, but the words left his mouth before he could stop them. "These are a bit of a hassle to prepare."

Tsunade looked at him. Kitahara Kaede took the vegetables from her. "The roots has to be scraped clean, or they’ll be bitter."

Tsunade lowered her eyes.

This was no longer a coincidence. She could find a reason to explain a single sentence. She could find another reason to explain a habit. But every time he spoke, he hit upon specific details that had existed only between her and Hagoromo Kaede.

Why? If this was just a dream, why was he so similar? And if he wasn’t that person, why were his words identical?

Tsunade placed the vegetables in the basket, her voice devoid of emotion. "You certainly know a lot."

Kitahara Kaede arranged the groceries. "One has to know a thing or two."

Tsunade lapsed into silence.

They walked to a spice stall. Tsunade reached up and touched her collar. A small piece of Blue Fluorite was hooked out from beneath her clothes.

She didn’t look down at the necklace; she kept her eyes fixed on the spice stall. "Do boys find a necklace a good gift to be received?"

Kitahara Kaede’s hand paused over a packet of shichimi powder. The answer in his heart finally settled.

Tsunade remembered everything vividly.

He picked up the shichimi powder and placed it in the basket. He had spent over twenty years by her side in the simulation. He could no longer treat this simply as a complication left behind by the system.

At least, not where Tsunade was concerned.

He picked up a bag of salt and answered according to the memory. "Boys generally don’t like necklaces."

"Why?" Tsunade pressed.

"They’re too conspicuous and inconvenient." He placed the salt in the basket. "If you’re really going to give a gift, it’s better to give something useful."

Tsunade’s fingers brushed against the necklace, remaining still for a long moment. This answer matched perfectly, too.

She tucked the fluorite back into her collar with a very light motion.

Kitahara Kaede saw it. Since he had decided to take responsibility, there was no longer a need to hide every single habit.

As they walked back with their groceries, Tsunade’s pace was slower than it had been on the way there. Kitahara Kaede carried the grocery bags, walking on the side closest to the street. He shifted the heavier bags to his outer hand, leaving the hand nearest to Tsunade empty.

Whenever the crowd thickened, he would instinctively shift half a step to create a buffer between her and the passersby. These actions weren’t conscious; it was simply how he had always walked.

Tsunade noticed. She didn’t say a word. She simply looked at that empty hand.

In her dreams, Hagoromo Kaede had always done the same. He never said, "I’m protecting you," but he always did.

He always positioned himself to face the danger, keeping his free hand available for her.

Tsunade looked away as they returned to Kushina’s home.

As Kushina opened the door, her eyes darted between the two of them. "Welcome back! Thanks for everything."

Tsunade handed over the wallet. "I’m glad you’re aware of that."

Kushina took the wallet and reached for a bag of groceries. She looked at Tsunade, then at Kitahara Kaede, wearing a picture-perfect, innocent smile. "About that... I’m still feeling a bit under the weather. I don’t think I can handle dinner."

Tsunade stared at her. "You—"

Kushina immediately clutched her stomach. "Really! I’m still incredibly weak, believe me!"

Tsunade let out a frustrated laugh. "You’re hopeless."

Kushina immediately turned to Kitahara Kaede. "Kaede, please help Lady Tsunade in the kitchen!"

Kitahara Kaede carried the groceries inside. "Of course."

Kushina immediately gave him a thumbs-up. "Kaede’s the best!"

In the kitchen, Tsunade washed her hands and stepped in as the lead chef. Kitahara Kaede had already prepped the ingredients: the chicken breast was placed by the cutting board, the wild greens were in a separate bowl, and the seasonings were arranged within easy reach.

Tsunade looked over the counter in silence. She picked up the wild greens and handed them to him. "These are a bit of a hassle. You handle them for me."

Kitahara Kaede took the knife. "Understood."

He looked down and began prepping the greens; his movements weren’t fast, but they were precise and steady. Tsunade stood beside him, watching. As she stared, a familiar silhouette began to overlap with him in her mind.

Kitahara Kaede placed the prepped greens on a plate. "Will this work?"

Tsunade snapped back to reality. "Yes, it will."

As the cooking continued, Kitahara Kaede handed her the soy sauce before she even reached for it. The moment her eyes flickered toward the spices, the shichimi powder was already in her hand. Finally, Tsunade couldn’t help but look at him.

Kitahara Kaede set the bottle down steadily. "Based on how you were holding the spoon, I figured you needed this."

Tsunade gripped the small bottle. "You’re quite observant."

Kitahara Kaede kept his gaze on the fire in the pan. "I just had a feeling you’d need it."

Tsunade didn’t respond, but the meal progressed seamlessly.

During dinner, Kushina took a piece of chicken, her eyes lighting up. "This is delicious!" She grabbed another piece immediately. "Lady Tsunade, you’re on a roll today!"

Tsunade kept her head down. "Less talking, more eating."

Kushina glanced at her, then at Kitahara Kaede, and went back to eating her rice obediently.

After the meal, Kitahara Kaede didn’t linger. He helped clear the table and the dishes before taking his leave. "I have some things to attend to, so I’ll be heading back now."

Kushina walked him to the door and lowered her voice. "Kaede, you and Lady Tsunade were way too in sync today, don’t you think?"

Kitahara Kaede gave a small smile. "I was just assisting."

Kushina narrowed her eyes. "Really?"

Kitahara Kaede didn’t answer. He simply gave a wave and turned to leave. Kushina watched him walk away, then glanced back into the kitchen. Tsunade was still there, head down, tidying up the counter.

Kushina murmured to herself, "There’s definitely more to it than that."

That night, Tsunade returned to her own home. She kept the lights dim. She removed the Blue Fluorite necklace and held it in her palm, the cool stone pressing against her skin.

Sitting at her table, she retraced the day’s events one by one.

The chicken breast.The wild greens.The necklace.The placement of the seasonings.The silent synchronization in the kitchen.The way he kept one hand free while they walked.And that phrase... "Just because someone likes it."

Individually, every single thing could be explained away. But when taken together, the excuses no longer held up.

Tsunade closed her eyes. In her mind, the image of Hagoromo Kaede standing in a kitchen and looking back at her appeared. Then, she saw the real Kitahara Kaede, head bowed, diligently prepping the wild greens. The two faces, separated by twenty years of memories, slowly began to overlap.

She gripped the necklace tightly, the edges digging into her palm with a slight sting.

Tsunade opened her eyes and whispered, "Enough."

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