Wood Carving

This time, the two of them traveled even more slowly than before.

As though they were cherishing what little time they had left.

"Kid, I'll grill the meat for you this time."

Watching Itachi prepare to grill meat as usual, Juzo closed his sharp teeth and revealed a hearty smile with a hint of something unusual.

If Juzo didn't make himself look so unconventional, he'd probably be a handsome guy too.

Seeing Juzo's smile, Itachi thought to himself.

Juzo's cooking was not very good. No wonder he had suggested eating soldier pills to restore their strength the first time they had been outside the village...

Itachi ate the grilled meat, black in some places and yellow in others, without showing any disgust.

Instead, he felt that this grilled meat was a rare delicacy.

The burnt flavor mixed with the aroma and the taste of seasonings, creating an entirely new flavor.

"The grilled meat was pretty good."

Itachi cleaned his meat to the bone. A few skeletons were scattered across the ground, without a single shred of meat left on them.

"Hehe, really?"

Hearing Itachi's praise, Juzo, as the cook, was filled with delight.

"Mm, really. What if I can't eat grilled meat this delicious in the future..."

Itachi affirmed Juzo's words, while subtly trying to shake Juzo's determination to die...

After all, if someone wanted to die themselves, no one could save them...

"Hehe, kid."

Juzo understood Itachi's intentions perfectly. He had no intention of continuing the conversation, merely chuckling softly and calling him kid under his breath.

"Seriously, you have the potential to be a chef. Stop being a ninja in the future and become my chef instead. I'll pay you a salary."

Itachi continued...

"Kid, don't be like this. Go back to being occasionally sharp-tongued and mean. The you who talks back is cuter. The way you are now, always saying things you don't mean, makes me a little uncomfortable..."

Juzo bluntly called out Itachi's unusual way of speaking. He really could not stand this version of Itachi; it was almost giving him goosebumps.

"Uh..."

Juzo's words left Itachi speechless. For a moment, he did not know what to say...

His mind raced...

"Your grilled meat is awful. It's the worst grilled meat I've ever eaten. Can't you put some effort into learning so I can have a decent meal...?"

"..."

"Kid, do you have split personalities or something... Just now you said my cooking was good, and then you changed your tune in the blink of an eye..."

Hearing Itachi's words, Juzo felt completely awful.

But as he looked at the remaining half of the unidentified creature in his hand, he seemed to fall into thought.

"I think... it tastes pretty good..."

After a moment, Juzo spoke somewhat timidly as he viciously bit into a heavily charred part.

The intense burnt taste rushed up his nose, and his tongue turned bitter...

Juzo suddenly froze. He remembered that Itachi's grilled meat had also had a large patch of charred blackness. He did not know how Itachi had eaten it without changing expression...

Juzo stared blankly at the somewhat youthful-looking Itachi before him.

"Kid..."

Juzo's voice was slightly choked. He did not know why, but his eyes felt sour.

Perhaps he had been affected by the mood, or perhaps something soft inside his heart had been touched.

Seeing the black stain lingering by Itachi's mouth, Juzo slowly reached out and wiped it away with his thumb.

"If it doesn't taste good, tell me. I'll make you another serving... Children who love bitter things won't be happy... You have to learn to cry and make a fuss if you want candy..."

Juzo spoke with complicated feelings.

"Happiness is too hard..."

Itachi did not dodge. He quietly watched Juzo wipe the corner of his mouth.

He said it lightly.

"If happiness is too hard, then I wish that every day of your future will be peaceful and healthy."

Juzo grinned and said.

"Are you full? Want me to make you another serving?"

Juzo lowered his hand and instinctively wiped it against his clothes.

After wiping it, he paused, then hurriedly undid the buttons, preparing to take off his coat and wash it...

"Don't..."

Seeing this, Itachi did not hesitate. He crossed over the fire and grabbed the hand Juzo was using to take off his clothes.

"You look handsome wearing that robe. It's so late, so don't bother with it. Go to sleep early..."

Facing the confusion in Juzo's eyes, Itachi explained his somewhat rash behavior.

"Oh, I accidentally got it dirty, so I wanted to take it off and wash it..."

Juzo said softly.

"You're someone who's going to die anyway, so why worry about that? Rest early."

Hearing Juzo's words, Itachi replied irritably, but his eyes remained fixed on Juzo, afraid that Juzo might do something foolish...

Even if he had to die, he had to return to his hometown first. He could not die gloriously here. After all, Akatsuki robes were not meant to be taken off...

"You sleep. I'll sleep in a while."

Juzo did not make any more trouble over Itachi's request.

He walked over and sat beside the fire before speaking.

Watching Juzo sitting by the fire, Itachi took out another wooden carving and began carving it.

"What are you carving, anyway?"

Itachi asked curiously. In the past, he had not had much curiosity.

Hearing Itachi finally ask about his wooden carvings for the first time after so long, Juzo suddenly felt somewhat speechless.

After all, Itachi had watched him carve before without ever showing any intention of asking. Now that he had suddenly asked, Juzo felt an inexplicable sense of comfort in his heart.

"Since you asked so sincerely, I'll mercifully tell you..."

Juzo made a goofy expression, wanting to make Itachi laugh.

But when he saw Itachi staring at him with a strange, eerie expression, Juzo's old face reddened. He felt like he had died of embarrassment on the spot.

Feeling that the atmosphere was a little awkward, Juzo took a wooden carving from his clothes and tossed it to Itachi.

"The wooden carvings I originally made were of my mother. But she died when I was very, very young... so I simply have no way to recreate what she looked like anymore..."

Juzo softly explained the meaning behind the carving in his hand.

Itachi quietly listened to Juzo's words, then looked at the wooden carving in his own hand.

"I carved that while you were asleep. I was originally planning to find out your birthday and make it as a special birthday gift for you. But it seems there's no need for that now, so I'll give it to you now..."

Seeing Itachi studying the carving in his hand intently, Juzo spoke softly.

The wooden carving in Itachi's hand depicted him as he slept, his head tilted slightly upward. Juzo had even mischievously carved a few little bubbles above it, recreating the scene of him snoring...

"I originally wanted to carve you smiling, but unfortunately, I've never seen you truly smile. Even when you're asleep, I've never seen the crease between your brows relax..."

Juzo looked at Itachi with some heartache.

"This is the keepsake you mentioned, isn't it? I like it very much. Thank you..."

Itachi suppressed the sorrow in his heart and spoke.

He did not want to remain immersed in grief forever.