Night fell.
The kitchen was filled with the rich, savory smell of grilled Pacific saury.
Tsunade finished cooking the fish, heated the Miso Soup, and neatly set out two place settings.
She sat at the table, resting her chin in one hand as she watched the clock on the wall.
The second hand ticked steadily.
At six, there was nothing outside but the wind.
At seven, the soup had gone cold, a thin film of oil forming on its surface.
She got up and took it back to the stove to heat it again.
At eight, the fish had gone cold too, so she reheated it as well.
"Reconnaissance missions often run late. It's perfectly normal."
She spoke softly to herself as she carried the cold food back into the kitchen.
The fourth day.
Tsunade went to the hospital as usual.
During a break, she took out a sheet of paper and began sketching the layout of the yard.
How much space to leave in the front yard for flowers, and how much in the back for vegetables.
She even marked out exactly where to put two rocking chairs in the corridor.
As she drew, she started laughing to herself.
A nurse beside her teased her, asking if she was about to get married.
For once, she didn't lose her temper. She just blushed and called the nurse nosy.
The fifth day.
She didn't go to the hospital.
She waited at home.
From morning until night.
Nawaki set dinner on the table and saw his sister sitting on the steps by the door.
She stared without moving toward the direction of Kitahara Kaede's house.
"Sis... Come eat first. Master's so strong. He'll definitely be fine."
Tsunade didn't move.
"You eat first. I'm not hungry yet."
It wasn't until the night