Chapter 164: Chapter 164: She’s Just A Teammate
Kitahara Kaede took the towel and casually wiped his forehead.
As his gaze swept across the edge of the training ground, his movements paused for a beat.
Tsunade was standing there, arms crossed over her chest. He had no idea how long she had been waiting.
They had agreed to go to Kushina’s house for dinner today, but he hadn’t expected Tsunade to come directly to the training ground.
Kitahara Kaede handed the towel back to Kurenai Yuhi.
"I have something to attend to. I’m heading out."
Kurenai Yuhi nodded.
"Mm. Be careful on the way."
Kitahara Kaede turned and shouted one last word to Guy, who was still doing laps in a handstand.
With his head upside down, Guy gave a thumbs-up, a flash of shiny white teeth appearing as he grinned.
"Go on! I’ve still got five hundred laps to go!"
Kitahara Kaede walked briskly toward the edge of the training ground.
Behind him, Kurenai Yuhi watched him leave, her gaze shifting toward Tsunade.
’Is that Lady Tsunade?’
’Is she here for Kaede?’
She watched as Kitahara Kaede reached Tsunade’s side. The two didn’t say much before quickly walking away side-by-side.
Kurenai Yuhi remained where she was, still clutching the towel she had just handed over.
A breeze drifted across the training ground. She looked down at the towel, then slowly looked up, watching their departing figures.
...
Outside the training ground.
Kitahara Kaede walked beside Tsunade and was about to speak when her gaze swept over his face and flickered toward the training ground.
"You’re quite popular, aren’t you? You’ve even got people serving you when you need to wipe your sweat."
Her tone was casual, but she put a bit too much emphasis on the word "serving."
Kitahara Kaede understood instantly. Something was off.
He looked at Tsunade, his voice perfectly sincere. "Just a teammate. We were just sparring."
Seeing him explain himself so earnestly, Tsunade let out a soft huff. However, the corners of her mouth curled up slightly. The slight tension from a moment ago dissipated.
"Let’s go. Kushina is waiting."
The two walked side-by-side through the commercial district. The street was crowded; vendors shouted to attract customers, and children chased paper windmills down the road. They chatted about trivial things—occasionally speaking, occasionally falling into silence. It felt far more natural than when they had been deliberately trying to find topics of conversation.
At Kushina’s house.
The moment the door opened, Kushina’s gaze landed first on Tsunade, then on Kitahara Kaede. She blinked.
’Why did they arrive together this time?’
Kushina didn’t let her curiosity show on her face; she simply stepped aside.
"Come in!"
Tsunade nodded and stepped inside to change her shoes. Kitahara Kaede naturally shifted half a step to let her enter first. Tsunade didn’t stand on ceremony and walked in.
Standing to the side, Kushina’s eyes shifted slightly. The feeling between these two had changed.
Kushina closed the door, pretending she hadn’t noticed a thing.
"Dinner isn’t ready yet. I was just tidying up things upstairs."
Tsunade glanced at the kitchen. "I’ll handle it." She paused, then looked at Kitahara Kaede. "Kaede, help me."
Kushina’s eyebrows rose slightly.
Last time, she had to make up an excuse to push the two of them into the kitchen. This time, Tsunade had volunteered and called him in herself.
"Then I’ll leave it to you two." Kushina smiled and retreated toward the living room.
In the kitchen, Tsunade tied on an apron and checked the fridge.
"The fridge isn’t as empty as it was last time. This is enough."
She took out several ingredients and handed them over. Kitahara Kaede took them and turned to wash them at the sink. Neither of them discussed a division of labor.
Tsunade started the stove. Kitahara Kaede washed the vegetables. Tsunade sliced the meat. Kitahara Kaede placed the necessary seasonings within her reach.
As they moved back and forth in the kitchen, they never once blocked each other’s path.
When Kushina walked to the kitchen doorway, she witnessed this scene. She leaned against the doorframe and watched for a few seconds.
That sense of familiarity was too obvious. She and Minato were like that in the kitchen—they didn’t need to say much to know what the other was going to do next.
’But they weren’t like this last time, were they?’
Kushina slowly looked away. She frowned with a smile and sat back down on the sofa.
’Just what did these two go through?’
’Still, looking at them now, the result seems positive. Lady Tsunade, you really haven’t disappointed me.’
***
The door opened.
Minato walked in and saw Kushina hugging a cushion on the sofa with a strange expression on her face.
"What’s wrong?"
Kushina looked up and gestured toward the kitchen.
Confused, Minato walked over to her and glanced inside. Tsunade was stir-frying, and Kitahara Kaede was standing by her side, helping. Their movements flowed together seamlessly.
After watching for a few seconds, Minato looked back and sat down next to Kushina.
"Since when did they become so close?"
Kushina leaned in, her voice low. "I don’t know, but didn’t you notice? They don’t even have to speak to know what the other wants."
Minato thought about it and smiled. "Isn’t that great? It’ll make cooking much easier for Lady Tsunade."
Kushina glanced at him and then sighed.
’Forget it. A man’s obliviousness really is a natural talent.’
Dinner was served. The four of them sat together, the atmosphere much more relaxed than the previous time. Kushina took a piece of chicken, tasted it, and her eyes lit up.
"Tsunade, your cooking has improved again!"
Holding her bowl, Tsunade replied calmly, "Kaede handled the seasoning."
Kushina looked at Kitahara Kaede, then at Tsunade. She lowered her head to eat her rice, muttering softly in her mind.
’Kaede handled it, huh~’
Minato took a sip of soup and started talking about recent events. "Things have been quiet here in Konoha lately."
Kitahara Kaede nodded, his chopsticks continuing to move.
Minato continued, "However, some accidents have occurred in other villages."
Kitahara Kaede looked up. "Oh?"
"A skirmish broke out in the border region between the Land of Wind and the Land of Water." Minato put down his chopsticks, his expression becoming more serious. "The Sunagakure Scorch Release user, Pakura—the one from Mount Kikyo—encountered a new genius from Kirigakure, Terumi Mei, who possesses two Bloodline Limits."
Kitahara Kaede’s chopsticks froze in mid-air.
"Those two collided at the border." Minato shook his head. "According to intelligence, the fight was brutal. It didn’t look like a typical skirmish; it looked more like a personal vendetta."
Kitahara Kaede maintained a neutral expression and picked up his soup bowl. Just as the rim touched his lips, Minato continued.
"Especially Pakura. The intelligence department’s assessment is that she fought recklessly, with every move aimed at killing. Normally, Sunagakure and Kirigakure have no direct conflict of interest in that sector, so they shouldn’t have fought to that extent."
A coughing sound erupted at the dinner table. Kitahara Kaede had choked.
Tsunade immediately turned to look at him. Kitahara Kaede put down the bowl and covered his mouth with his hand, taking a few breaths to recover.
"The soup was too hot."
Tsunade glanced at him and handed him a napkin from the table. Kitahara Kaede took it and wiped the corner of his mouth.
But his mind was in chaos.
’Why would those two run into each other?’
A battle between Pakura and Kirigakure was understandable. But the opponent happened to be Terumi Mei. How old was Terumi Mei right now? No matter how gifted she was, she shouldn’t be appearing on the battlefield this early.
Unless the memories from the simulation had caused Terumi Mei to make her mark ahead of schedule.
Kitahara Kaede’s fingers pressed tightly into the napkin.
In the simulation, he had ultimately died at the hands of Terumi Mei. That had been a game he set up; he had deliberately allowed Terumi Mei to kill him to clear the obstacles for her ascent to power.
But Pakura didn’t know the full story. In Pakura’s memories, the person who had promised to leave with her had broken that promise. In the end, that person had died at the hands of Terumi Mei.
So, when Pakura saw Terumi Mei on the battlefield, what would she be thinking?
The result was obvious.
Kitahara Kaede set down his napkin and picked up his bowl once more, his expression having returned to a state of calm.
"Lord Minato, what happened to those two in the end?"
"It ended in a stalemate," Minato replied. "Both sides retreated once reinforcements arrived, though the casualties on both ends were significant."
Kitahara Kaede nodded.
’That’s a relief. At least those two weren’t hurt.’
He lowered his gaze and fell silent.
After the meal, Minato and Kushina stayed in the kitchen to clear the dishes, while Tsunade and Kitahara Kaede sat in the living room drinking tea. As the house grew quieter, Tsunade looked at him and suddenly spoke.
"Why did you suddenly choke earlier?"
Holding his teacup, Kitahara Kaede’s gaze remained steady. "The soup really was hot."
Tsunade stared at him for a few seconds. "Your expression didn’t look right, either."
Kitahara Kaede took a sip of his tea. "I might just be tired."
Tsunade didn’t press him further.
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