The restaurant was still as noisy as ever.
A moment later, Mei Terumi seemed to have composed herself. The ripples in her emerald eyes gradually settled.
She regarded Uchiha Kou with a complicated expression.
Though it annoyed her, she had to admit that Uchiha Kou was right.
He had indeed pointed out what she'd overlooked. This guy, who had reminded his client to pay attention to the details before the mission began, had done his job.
Maybe... I misunderstood him?
Mei Terumi reflected, a thoughtful glint passing through her emerald eyes:
After all, no matter how much of a bastard this guy is on the surface, he's still a renowned and recognized elite who made a name for himself during the Third Ninja World War.
His character might be a total mess, but at least his professional ability should be beyond question.
At the very least, judging from his reminder just now, he was taking the mission seriously.
Mei Terumi hesitated for a moment.
Her lips parted slightly. The word "thanks" turned over in her throat a few times before she finally managed to get it out:
"Tha—"
Kou raised his bowl and gulped down the remaining broth.
He set the bowl down on the table with a heavy thud, then let out a satisfied burp. His handsome face was alight with happiness.
Kou looked up at Mei Terumi's hesitant expression, understanding dawning in his dark eyes.
He held out a hand to her:
"You don't have to say it. I get it."
Mei Terumi: "?"
No, what did he get?!
A sense of foreboding rose in her heart.
"Waiter, another order!"
Kou raised his hand, his voice ringing out above the din and carrying straight to the busy waiter nearby:
"Two more bowls of seafood ramen. Put it on her tab!"
Mei Terumi's eyes widened, naked shock spreading across her cool, beautiful face:
"Wait, I—"
Kou shook his head, cutting her off before she could continue. His fingers tapped the table with a crisp sound:
"I could tell from your expression. You must be hungry!"
He put on an understanding look and said considerately:
"I get it. Girls are always too shy to ask.
I'm very thoughtful, you know. I couldn't possibly let my employer go hungry—that would be unprofessional."
Mei Terumi opened her mouth, at a loss for words.
After a long pause, she managed a timid reply:
"Two bowls are too much. I can't eat that much."
"That's exactly what I was waiting for you to say!"
Kou's eyes lit up at once, his voice brimming with the satisfaction of a successful scheme.
Mei Terumi: (ꐦ ಠ 皿 ಠ)
"Ah... I let that slip."
Kou's smile froze. He instinctively covered his mouth, but it was too late.
Mei Terumi's face had already darkened.
"So this was your real goal all along!"
Mei Terumi hissed angrily:
"I knew it! You really are a bastard!"
Kou looked at her flushed, furious face, a trace of guilt passing through his dark eyes.
He fell silent for a moment, then—
"...Hehe!" ❛‿˂̵✧
The corners of his mouth curled into a sly smile.
"Don't you 'hehe' me!"
Mei Terumi's voice was mostly swallowed by the restaurant's din, but nothing could hide the fury in her gritted words...
A short while later
"This ramen... really is good."
Mei Terumi set down her chopsticks and looked at the empty bowl before her. Still savoring the meal, she wiped her mouth.
The noodles were springy, the broth rich, the pork tender, and the seaweed's delicate fragrance spread across her tongue.
She had to admit this restaurant's ramen deserved its popularity.
A trace of satisfaction showed on her usually cool, beautiful face.
She silently made a note of the restaurant's name:
"Once this mission is over, I have to bring Sora here to try it."
"What do you think? Pretty good, right?"
Kou watched her with a mischievous grin, his dark eyes brimming with smugness.
Mei Terumi's face reddened slightly. She gave a small cough, her voice stiff with awkwardness:
"Ahem, it's... not bad."
Kou glanced at the empty bowl in front of Mei Terumi.
He grinned.
"What are you looking at!"
Mei Terumi's voice suddenly rose.
Her cheeks were faintly flushed, whether from embarrassment or irritation.
As if unable to bear Kou's teasing look, Mei Terumi instantly put on a serious expression. Her emerald eyes grew intent.
She lowered her voice until only the two of them could hear:
"That's enough small talk. Now... can we discuss the mission?"
Kou dropped his teasing expression, his dark eyes turning serious.
Acting over the top to lighten the mood had indeed made things less awkward between them.
But if he kept fooling around when it was time to discuss business, it would only backfire.
He'd worn this mask for so many years; Kou knew exactly when to wear it and when to set it aside.
Mei Terumi watched Kou's serious demeanor, surprise flashing through her emerald eyes.
It was faint and fleeting, quickly fading back to calm.
Still, she found herself feeling a little more respect for the man before her, Uchiha Kou.
...Though that was only because his earlier behavior had lowered her expectations.
Mei Terumi spoke seriously, her voice low enough for only the two of them to hear:
"Our mission isn't taking place within the Land of Water. I want you to understand that first."
Kou replied as if it were obvious:
"You don't need to tell me something that clear, do you? You chose Mist Harbor as our meeting point, so we're obviously taking a boat out of the Land of Water."
His tone was languid, as though he were stating the most ordinary fact.
Though Kou already knew the answer, he put on a curious expression and asked lazily:
"So, where are we going for this mission, Miss Client?"
Mei Terumi fell silent for a moment.
Her fingers traced the tabletop lightly, a complicated look surfacing in her emerald eyes:
"Our destination is an island southwest of the Land of Water."
"An island?"
Kou pretended to look surprised. His brow furrowed, and his expression grew serious:
"There are plenty of islands southwest of the Land of Water. Why not be more specific?
The smallest one? Or... the most famous one?"
Mei Terumi studied Kou's expression, her emerald eyes full of scrutiny.
She watched his eyes, his brow, every subtle change in his handsome face.
Uchiha Kou showed none of the anger she'd expected. He merely seemed mildly curious as he asked a perfectly reasonable follow-up.
Mei Terumi breathed a sigh of relief.
After all, the Land of Whirlpools had once been Konoha's staunch ally.
During the Second Ninja World War, while Konoha was caught up in the fighting, the Mist Village openly entered the war and sent troops to attack Konoha.
In secret, however, it joined forces with Iwagakure and Kumogakure, launching a lightning-fast, three-nation strike on the Land of Whirlpools and wiping out this great enemy right on its doorstep.
Though Iwagakure and Kumogakure had played their part, there was no doubt that the Mist Village had been the chief architect of the Land of Whirlpools' destruction.
Uchiha Kou was a rogue ninja, but he had once been a shinobi of Konoha.
She had to sound out his reaction to the Land of Whirlpools.
Mei Terumi knew Kou was clever and understood that he'd grasped the implication behind her words.
Seeing his natural reaction, she stopped testing him and got straight to the point:
"Our destination for this mission is the Land of Whirlpools.
More precisely... the ruins of the Land of Whirlpools, a country that was destroyed long ago."
Before you continue