The Kitchen for Three

Early morning.

Tsunade unlocked the door with the spare key and went inside.

The shoes in the entryway were neatly lined up. The stove was off, and no one was in the living room.

She changed her shoes and crept inside so quietly that she found it ridiculous. It wasn't as if she were sneaking in to steal anything.

The bedroom door was ajar.

Tsunade reached out and pushed it open.

Kitahara Kaede sat at the table with several documents in his hands.

At the sound, he turned. His eyes met hers, and he paused.

Tsunade walked over and glanced at the papers.

Several files were spread across the table. The edges of the top page were marked with red lines, but Kitahara Kaede's hand covered the contents, so she couldn't see them.

"What are you looking at?"

Kitahara Kaede gathered all the files together, pushed them aside, and blocked them with his body.

"Nothing. Just routine paperwork from the Anbu."

Tsunade assumed they were ordinary documents and didn't press him.

"Come on. Let's go buy groceries."

Kitahara Kaede stood up and casually tucked the files into a drawer.

Tsunade had already turned and headed for the door.

The streets were crowded.

The morning market had just opened, and vendors' cries rang out from every direction.

Tsunade walked on his left. After a dozen steps, she nudged his arm with hers.

Then she nudged it again.

Kitahara Kaede turned his head to look at her.

Tsunade kept her eyes forward, her expression almost too calm. The tips of her ears had turned pink.

He smiled and reached out, slipping around her wrist to take her hand and link arms with her.

Tsunade's steps faltered for half a beat, then she linked her arm more tightly through his.

Once she had, she seemed relieved, and her steps grew lighter.

The two of them strolled through the morning market.

They stopped by a weapons shop and went inside for a look. Tsunade touched the newly arrived shuriken, decided they were too expensive, and left empty-handed.

When they passed a dango shop, Tsunade stopped.

"Wait a moment."

She bought two skewers of Three-Color Dango, took a bite herself, then held one up to Kitahara Kaede's mouth.

"Open up."

Kitahara Kaede lowered his head and took a bite.

Tsunade drew her hand back, her eyes curving into a smile.

At the entrance to the teahouse across the street, two Chunins who had just returned to the village from a mission held their teacups, their gazes fixed on the pair.

One nudged the other in the arm.

"See that? They're linked arms."

"Oh my god, finally! The whole village has been waiting for this for years—"

"Shh. Lady Tsunade will kill you if she hears."

They ducked their heads and pretended to drink their tea.

Of course, Tsunade heard them.

Her ears turned even redder, but she held Kitahara Kaede's arm more tightly.

They had no idea that, twenty meters behind them, half a head peeked out from behind a fruit stand.

Nawaki.

He had seen Tsunade's state with his own eyes after she came home the night before.

She'd sat on the sofa, holding that blue necklace and grinning at thin air.

She'd grinned for half the night.

This morning had been even more outrageous.

She'd combed her hair in front of the mirror three times and changed outfits twice.

When she left, she'd even been humming a little tune.

Nawaki had known right away that something was up.

When had his sister ever hummed?

So he'd followed her in secret.

From the moment Tsunade had unlocked the door and entered her sensei's house, he'd understood everything.

And now—he'd seen his own sister link arms with her sensei in the street and feed him dango.

Nawaki crouched behind the fruit stand with both hands over his mouth, his whole face beaming.

His eyes were even a little wet.

He'd watched the two of them dance around each other since he was little, neither one willing to make the first move.

He'd worried, dropped hints, and even asked them outright.

Every time, he'd gotten either Tsunade's violent suppression or his sensei's silent smile in response.

It had been driving him crazy.

But now, finally—

He sprang to his feet and hopped twice on the spot, then hurriedly crouched back down.

He'd nearly blown his cover.

Nawaki whispered to himself, "Sensei, nice work."

At the bookstore entrance,

Jiraiya walked out carrying a stack of thick books, a grilled meat skewer clenched between his teeth.

He was looking down at the blurb on the top book when he caught sight of the street across from him.

The skewer fell from his mouth.

Tsunade had her arm linked with Kitahara Kaede's as they walked side by side past a vegetable stall.

Tsunade was smiling.

A happy, contented smile.

Jiraiya stood there watching them for a long time.

The books in his arms slowly slipped a little lower.

He'd known for a long time, ever since they were teenagers.

Tsunade had never looked at Kitahara Kaede the way she looked at him.

Even though he knew that, he'd still hoped he might have a chance...

But it was no use...

Jiraiya pushed the books back up and set off, crossing the street toward them.

Tsunade spotted him first.

She didn't unlink her arm, but her body stiffened slightly.

Jiraiya stopped in front of them, his gaze passing over Tsunade's face before settling on Kitahara Kaede.

He was silent for three seconds.

Then he raised a hand and patted Kitahara Kaede on the shoulder.

"Take good care of her."

He lowered his hand and turned to leave.

His strides were long, his back straight.

The books were stacked high in his arms, hiding half his face.

Tsunade looked back at him.

Her lips parted, but in the end, she said nothing.

Jiraiya turned into an alley and disappeared around the corner.

Tsunade looked away and walked on in silence for a few steps.

Kitahara Kaede placed his free hand over the back of the hand linked through his arm and gave it a gentle squeeze.

Tsunade glanced down at his hand and took a breath.

"Let's go home and cook."

Flames licked at the bottom of the pot on the stove.

Tsunade wore an apron as she added the chopped pieces of Pacific saury to the pan. Oil splattered, and she shifted to the side.

Kitahara Kaede stood beside her, chopping green onions.

"Salt."

He handed it to her.

"Water."

He passed it over.

Tsunade stepped back half a pace as she turned the fish and bumped into his arm.

"Move aside."

"You only need to step forward a little."

"I can't reach the seasoning."

Kitahara Kaede leaned forward slightly, slipped one arm around her waist, and reached over her shoulder with the other to grab the soy sauce bottle. His chin rested on her shoulder.

Tsunade went rigid for a moment.

She turned her face to the side. At this distance, he was close enough for her to count his eyelashes.

Tsunade abruptly turned back to stare at the pan.

"...Pour it in already. What are you waiting for?"

Kitahara Kaede drizzled soy sauce into the pan, but didn't remove the arm around her waist.

"That's enough, that's enough! You're pouring in too much!" Tsunade's hand holding the spatula trembled a little, and her voice rose half a note. "Get behind me. Stop seducing the cook."

Kitahara Kaede chuckled, let go, and stepped back.

The sound of someone taking off their shoes came from the doorway.

Nawaki sat down beside the dining table, swinging his legs.

"Smells great."

He watched the two of them working side by side in the kitchen, unable to suppress the smile tugging at his lips.

Tsunade came out with a plate and glanced at him.

"What are you smiling about?"

"N-nothing."

Nawaki quickly lowered his head and took a huge gulp from his teacup.

Kitahara Kaede came out behind her carrying Miso Soup and happened to see Nawaki give him an exaggerated wink and a thumbs-up.

He smiled faintly and set the soup on the table.

The three of them sat down to eat.

Tsunade placed the biggest piece of fish in Nawaki's bowl, then put the piece without bones in Kitahara Kaede's.

Nawaki shoveled down a couple of mouthfuls of rice, then suddenly looked up.

"Sis."

"Hmm?"

"Your cooking tastes better than usual today."

Tsunade raised an eyebrow.

"Isn't it the same dish as always?"

"When you're in a different mood, the food tastes different."

Tsunade tapped him on the forehead with her chopsticks.

"Quit messing around."

Nawaki covered his forehead and giggled.

The smell of cooking oil still lingered in the air.

Sunlight streamed in through the window, falling over the three of them.

The clink of chopsticks and bowls, their bickering, and their laughter all mingled together.

As she ate the last bite of rice, Tsunade suddenly remembered something.

"By the way, those files you were looking at this morning—"

She paused.

"Are you taking another mission?"

Kitahara Kaede put down his chopsticks.

"No. I was just sorting through documents."

Tsunade looked into his eyes for two seconds.

"Really?"

"Really."

Tsunade said nothing more. She got up and began clearing away the dishes.

Nawaki leaned close to Kitahara Kaede's ear and lowered his voice.

"Master, I followed you two all morning."

Kitahara Kaede glanced at him.

"I know."

Nawaki's eyes widened.

"You noticed?"

"I noticed when you were outside my house."

Nawaki's face fell.

Kitahara Kaede patted him on the head.

"You've got a long way to go."

Rubbing his head, Nawaki watched his master walk into the kitchen and stand shoulder to shoulder with Tsunade at the sink to wash the dishes.

He rested his chin on his hands and murmured softly,

"That's nice."