"It's Anko."
Asuma recognized the girl's identity. She was Special Jonin from the village, the former apprentice of Sannin Orochimaru, and Hong's best friend.
Anko was once a popular figure in the village. He became a disciple of Sannin Orochimaru at a young age. This was a blessing that no one could ask for. But the moment Orochimaru defected from Konoha, everything changed.
He was holding a large glass of beer generously in his left hand, and two skewers of meatballs in his right hand. Anko looked like he had already gotten rid of the original haze, but if he had really gotten rid of it, how could he be drunk alone in an izakaya in the middle of the night--
"Asuma, you're back. Hong has told me about it many times. If you don't come back, I think she will go to Daimyo to catch you."
Anko had obviously been drinking for a while, her cheeks were red, and she was on the verge of being drunk. She put down the meatballs, put down the bottle, and wiped her eyes.
"Hey? Asuma? Is it really you, or am I drunk--"
"No matter, boss, bring me two more bottles." She grabbed Asuma's hand and her voice became louder.
"To celebrate your return to the village, we will not return unless we get drunk tonight. If I get drunk before you, you will send me to Hong's place. If I get drunk before you, I will send you to Hong's place!"
"Today I must let the third-generation old man have a grandson!"
Anko shouted, but the boss ignored her and brought a bowl of sobering soup. It seemed that this was not the first time he had to deal with a drunk Anko.
But Anko didn't care what the boss served. She had been practicing with Orochimaru for so long and had never seen any poison. She picked up the bowl and drank it all in one gulp, and then started coughing violently.
"Boss! What are you serving me!" She shouted loudly, but her eyes became clearer and she was not as staggering as before.
"You are a ninja. If you go crazy with alcohol, you might tear down my shop--" the boss shrugged and replied with a smile.
"Oh, how can my wine be so bad? Boss, please don't slander me!" Anko put down his hand, lightly knocked on the table, and protested in a low voice.
"Weren't you the one who filled my store with venomous snakes last time?" The boss said with a hint of resentment in his voice, "I was so scared at that time, okay!"
"Oh, those snakes are so cute--" Anko's voice trailed off. She remembered the last time she was drunk. That time, while drinking, she thought about her master and unconsciously used that technique.
Anko no longer struggled with the boss. After all, she was the one who was in the wrong. At this time, Asuma also said again, "Anko!"
"Yeah!"
Seeing the person standing next to her, Anko jumped up in fright, and rubbed her eyes again.
"I thought I was drunk and hallucinating, but it turns out you are really back!"
She repeated what she just said again, and Asuma realized that Anko was really drunk just now.
"Asuma, really don't want to drink some?" Anko continued to ask.
"No, Anko, my father is still at home waiting for me to buy food." He shook his head and replied.
Although he did want to drink, he couldn't do it tonight. He looked at the boss and asked if there were any hot dishes.
"Huh? Your father?" Anko did not stop. She stretched out her hand again and took Asuma's arm.
"Haven't you always lived outside? When did you move back to live with Lord Hokage?"
"And Lord Hokage actually has no servants at home, and you even need to run out to buy food yourself!"
"Are you trying to trick me? You want to get rid of me quickly and live in Hong's house?"
Anko grinned, bit off a meatball from the bamboo stick, pushed away the boss's hangover soup, and took another sip of wine.
She became swaying again, and Asuma finally reached out and pulled off Anko's arm from her arm, and then started to buy food from the boss.
Most of the dishes here are snacks and cold dishes, but Asuma felt that it would be better to take some hot dishes back. It was already so dark and the temperature was not as warm as during the day.
"Then there are only udon noodles." The boss scratched his head and rummaged through his inventory.
"It's either roasted birds. If you're not in a hurry, I can roast some for you."
"Then so be it--"
Asuma nodded. By the time the boss packed the hot udon noodles and the roasted bird began to emit an attractive aroma, there were not many customers in the store.
Anko also fell asleep, with his face pressed against the table and saliva flowing from the corners of his mouth.
"Go back quickly, she's fine." The boss handed the bag to Asuma and sighed softly.
"She often does this. When I get off work, she will wake up on her own."
"Lord Hokage's food is more important." He grinned and said to Asuma.
Food is indeed very important to Third Hokage. When Asuma got home, he smelled a pungent smell. He used the key to open the door and rushed in without changing his shoes.
Then he watched his father sitting at the dining table, and the food on the table turned into a horrible shape.
"The fire is a bit louder." Hiruzen Sarutobi explained to his son. Asuma nodded doubtfully and put down the food he bought.
"Fortunately, I bought enough, otherwise I would be really hungry." He said as he started to change clothes. After he changed clothes, Hiruzen Sarutobi had already picked up the chopsticks and picked up the udon noodles one by one.
The noodles were soupy and a little hot. Hiruzen Sarutobi couldn't eat them for a while, so he had to raise his head and watch Asuma bite into a bunch of roasted birds.
The boss's skills are very good. The chicken is roasted tender and fragrant, with plenty of juice. The udon noodles are much plainer, with only a faint taste. Although the two of them are eating food, no one is focusing on enjoying the food.
They looked at each other, and finally Third Hokage spoke.
"This time - are you leaving?" His voice was very soft, and he just lowered his head when he spoke, so that Asuma could not see his face, and at the same time, he could not see Asuma's face.
The only organs he could sense were his ears. He heard Asuma place the bird-burning bamboo sticks on the table, heard the sound of Asuma gently inhaling, and heard the words he opened his mouth and spoke.
"Father, I shouldn't leave this time."
Asuma said softly. His actions were exactly the opposite of his father's. He raised his head and looked at the warm yellow light above his head. Then he stood up and said, "I'm going to wash up first. You should go to bed early."