Fishing

"Oh-ho!"

Water splashed up, even spraying onto Yueshu's face, but the chill did nothing to dampen his enthusiasm.

Yueshu was grinning as he looked at the fruits of his morning's hard work.

In the battle a few days ago, Yueshu had been a great help. Of course, that had also made him one of the honored wounded.

To show their gratitude, Takigakure had offered to take good care of Yueshu and the others, so he was staying in the village for a while.

During that time, Jiraiya Squad was being treated like honored guests.

They ate well, drank well, and slept well. Everything was top of the line.

Even Jiraiya had stopped hurrying to leave. He'd used "recovering from his injuries" as an excuse to stay a few extra days.

With their Jonin instructor saying as much, his students naturally had no objections. For Yueshu and Minato Namikaze, it was all the more reason to stay.

Yueshu couldn't be bothered to go back to Konoha. Both places were equally boring, so he might as well stay here a while and fish. And that was exactly what he was doing now.

Minato Namikaze's reasons weren't as simple as Yueshu's. Only he knew what they were.

"Mm, not bad."

Yueshu nodded at the fish he'd caught.

The usually lazy Yueshu had finally found something to do besides practice swordsmanship and sleep.

Fishing was surprisingly to his taste.

"You're here again."

Kushina's voice came from behind him. Yueshu turned to look.

The girl stood there with her hands on her hips, her red hair stirring in the breeze.

"Kushina, want to join me?"

Yueshu waved his catch and smiled.

Kushina didn't answer. She sighed first.

"Honestly, you were so badly hurt, and you still won't lie down and rest."

She walked over and sat beside him.

"These injuries healed ages ago. Lying around all day isn't good for me."

"You're the sort who'd rather lie down than sit up, back in the village."

Kushina shot him a look. Yueshu responded with an awkward laugh.

"I didn't know about fishing back then. I tried it now, and it turns out I quite like it."

"You're unbelievable. You're the same age as us, but you act like an old man."

"Even I'd be hurt if you called me an old man."

Yueshu put the fish in the bucket beside him, then cast his line again.

"Would you be hurt?"

"Maybe."

Yueshu and Kushina traded remarks, most of them pointless chatter with no real meaning.

"By the way, did you come here for something?"

After setting his hook, Yueshu settled in to wait as usual. He didn't mind having Kushina stop by for a chat.

"Can't I come by if I don't have a reason?"

Kushina shot him another glare.

"That's not what I meant. Why am I getting glared at for no reason?"

Yueshu gave a wry smile.

Kushina snorted. Yueshu didn't understand her at all. She was always doing things that left him baffled.

"Minato's been spending a lot of time with Miss Hui lately."

"Huh?"

Kushina suddenly changed the subject, leaving Yueshu completely confused.

The topic had changed so fast that Yueshu couldn't keep up. They'd just been chatting about nonsense.

"Now that you mention it, that's true. Minato, that guy..."

Yueshu thought it over.

"Maybe he likes Hui's type."

"Hui?"

"Huh?"

Kushina looked at Yueshu with that strange expression again, making him shudder.

"Ahem. Miss Hui."

Yueshu had been Chinese in his previous life, so he wasn't used to using honorifics. He'd gotten into the habit of calling her by her name.

"Hmph."

Is she on her period or something?

Yueshu couldn't help wondering as he watched Kushina act so strangely.

He hadn't spent much time around girls in his previous life, but he knew that girls' moods could get unsettled around that time of the month.

"Hey."

"Hmm?"

"Nice weather today, isn't it?"

Kushina couldn't think of anything to say, so she settled for a random comment. After all, she couldn't say she wanted to talk to him more. She might be a tomboy, but she was still shy, especially about things like that.

Yueshu hadn't spent much time around girls in either life, so he couldn't understand what she was thinking.

He looked up at the sky, then nodded.

"Yeah, it's pretty nice."

"Honestly."

Kushina looked at him and laughed.

"Huh?"

Yueshu didn't understand why she was laughing.

"Blockhead!"

Kushina teased him with a laugh.

Yueshu was just about to say something when his fishing rod started to move.

A fish was biting!

Yueshu immediately put everything else aside. The matter at hand came first.

There was nothing quite like eating something he'd caught himself for dinner.

Thinking this, Yueshu's hands moved without delay.

Because of that, he missed the tender look in Kushina's eyes.

Kushina, the big sister of the group, propped her cheek on her hand and quietly watched Yueshu.

That young face of his always appeared whenever she needed him.

When she'd been stolen away, and when she'd felt helpless, too. Whenever she needed him, he would be there.

Just like a hero in a story.

Thinking of this, Kushina couldn't help smiling.

Even the Red Hot Habanero was a girl in love.

"Whoa!"

Yueshu's shout brought Kushina back to her senses.

"It's a big one!"

Yueshu rarely looked so childlike.

"We'll eat this one tonight."

Grinning, Yueshu put his catch in the bucket and started packing up.

"Not fishing anymore?"

"No need. We've got dinner for tonight. And at this hour, a nap would be great."

Yueshu yawned.

Kushina sighed softly, then smiled.

Just as I thought.

He's still the Yueshu she knows.

An idiot, a lazybones, an idiot who does nothing but sleep all day.

But...

He's surprisingly dependable.

Kushina and Yueshu set off for home, though it was only their temporary lodgings.

"Haah, what a lovely day."

Yueshu sighed again.

Sunlight fell softly around them, and Yueshu savored the peace of the moment.

"Yeah."

Kushina replied as if answering her earlier question, or perhaps she was simply responding to Yueshu's words.

Yueshu had been in this E World for a little over a year, almost two, and had been living the life he wanted—the so-called lazy life. He had to admit, he was enjoying it.

He didn't feel much longing for his old life. Come to think of it, he couldn't even remember it. All Yueshu wanted now was to unravel the mystery of his current identity.

Of course, there was no need to rush.

Ah!

I think I still have a draw I forgot to use.

As he walked, Yueshu suddenly remembered.