Lin Cheng's Little Tsundere

"So, about dinner tonight..."

Seeing Kakashi suddenly wear an expression that said he was going to eat Lin Cheng out of house and home that very night,

Lin Cheng felt a bead of cold sweat trickle down the back of his head.

"N-no problem! Eat whatever you want! I'll make sure you're full!"

The cold sweat slid down the back of his head as Lin Cheng stammered out his promise.

Then, Lin Cheng and the others watched in horror as Kakashi seemed determined to eat enough to turn himself into a fat man in one sitting!

"Oh, Kakashi! My eternal rival, bound to me by destiny! What's gotten into you?

Or are you challenging me?

That's it! It must be!

Wait for me, Kakashi! I'll catch up with you in no time!"

His worried tone suddenly took a sharp turn.

What had started as Kakashi wolfing down barbecue alone instantly became a scene of Kakashi and Might Guy eating together.

The corner of Lin Cheng's mouth twitched. He awkwardly tried to talk them down. "K-Kakashi! Don't do anything rash!

I'll cover all your meals for the next little while! You don't have to go this far!

You'll make yourself sick!"

"Lin Cheng! I won't stop my duel with Kakashi!

If you're worried you won't have enough money, I'll help pay too!"

As he frantically tried to keep up with Kakashi, Might Guy squeezed out his promise between mouthfuls.

"...Is that really what you think, Might Guy?"

After a moment of silence, Lin Cheng suddenly asked in a quiet, ominous tone.

Then Lin Cheng did something that left everyone else dumbfounded.

"Waiter!"

"Yes, sir! What can I do for you?"

Hearing Lin Cheng's low voice, tinged with a hint of menace,

the waiter, who had been waiting outside, immediately opened the door and came in.

With a thud, Lin Cheng set a thick stack of the highest-denomination bills on the table and slowly pushed it toward the waiter.

"Go! Bring out every ingredient in this barbecue restaurant that can be grilled! My friend isn't full yet!"

"Uh... sir!"

Seeing this, the waiter who had just come in didn't know what to do.

"What? Not enough money? Then... I'll add more!"

With another thud, an identical stack of bills appeared before everyone.

For a moment, even Kakashi and Might Guy, who were still frantically eating barbecue, were left reeling.

"Hurry up!" Lin Cheng said expressionlessly.

"Y-yes! I'll bring the ingredients right away!"

At last, the waiter regained his composure and answered with a smile.

Then, as if he had used the Body Flicker Technique, he vanished in an instant and ran off to prepare the ingredients.

Looking at the frozen scene, Lin Cheng, who had just been expressionless, immediately put on a kind expression.

"Don't be shy! Eat as much as you like! And don't worry about me running out of money! I have plenty!

If this place isn't enough, we can always go to the next one!"

"..." Everyone.

"..." The Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi, spying on them in secret with the Telescope Technique.

"Lin Cheng! There's no need for this! You don't have to make the restaurant bring out every ingredient they have!"

Nara Shikaku, who had only met Lin Cheng that evening, awkwardly tried to talk him down.

"That's right! Our Akimichi Clan often holds gatherings at this barbecue restaurant!

Even if everyone in our clan came, we couldn't eat through their entire stock of ingredients!"

Akimichi Choza, who had also only met Lin Cheng that evening, offered his sincere advice.

But his words made the others break out in a cold sweat!

"Then that's perfect! We won't have to go anywhere else!"

Lin Cheng simply smiled in response to Nara Shikaku and Akimichi Choza's advice.

"Lin Cheng! You really don't have to do this!"

Yamanaka Inoichi, who had come with Nara Shikaku and Akimichi Choza, hadn't expected the seemingly kind Lin Cheng to be so stubborn. He, too, tried to talk him down, sweating nervously.

"How could I not?! I was only worried about my friend's health, but you all said I was afraid I couldn't afford to pay!

I have to clear that up!

I, Lin Cheng, care a great deal about my reputation!"

His cheerful expression and tone made it clear he wouldn't take no for an answer.

A cold wind blew past...

In the end, under Lin Cheng's smiling gaze, Kakashi and Might Guy forced themselves to eat until they were stuffed.

Then they were taken to the hospital in Konoha.

After that, while everyone else's legs trembled, Lin Cheng went to the hospital to sit by their beds, looking bashful.

"Ahem! I think I'll have to watch what I say and do around him from now on!

Otherwise, things could get dangerous!"

Watching Lin Cheng walk away with a smile, Yamanaka Inoichi coughed awkwardly, a sheen of cold sweat on his face.

"...I agree!"

After a moment of silence, Asuma Sarutobi managed to get those two words out.

At the same time, someone far away in the Hokage Office abruptly stopped using his jutsu after an unexpected coughing fit.

"Heh heh! With such an adorable personality, he must be a good person at heart!"

Remembering the look of stubborn pride he'd seen on someone's face, Hiruzen Sarutobi chuckled to himself.