The Year Draws to a Close

Uchiha Chirori couldn't hear a thing inside the kitchen, so when she stepped out and suddenly saw such a large group of people, she was startled.

"Goodness, everyone is here! Perfect, dinner will be ready in no time."

Chirori then said to Torifu, "Haoyuan is loitering in the kitchen, trying to sneak food. Take him out, I can't manage with him underfoot."

Receiving the order, Torifu ducked into the kitchen and, in a matter of moments, carried a small child out.

The boy's clothes were covered in grease stains, and his face was smeared with sauce; he had been eating with such total abandon.

When Torifu carried him out, he was still gnawing on a bone.

Torifu had no intention of scolding him, though; it was normal for a child to be mischievous, and the sight made Hashirama and Tobirama burst into laughter.

They took turns holding Haoyuan, doting on him.

Haoyuan was a clever little thing, too; whoever picked him up, he would say something sweet, putting everyone in a great mood.

"I don't know who this kid gets his cleverness from. Torifu wasn't like this when he was little, was he?" Hashirama asked with a helpless laugh.

Tobirama nodded as well, "Indeed. He's quite the charmer; who knows, he might grow up to be a real lady-killer."

Tobirama seemed to see right into Haoyuan's future, though it was mostly said in jest.

Soon, the dishes were brought out one by one.

Half of them were dishes Torifu liked to eat; it seemed his teacher's wife had put a lot of thought into it.

The whole family sat around the large table in the living room, and it couldn't have been more lively.

"Torifu, hurry and try some. Many of these are your favorites," Mito said with a warm