Daily Life 2

He set two pairs of bowls and chopsticks on the table, carried a huge pot as tall as his chest out of the kitchen and placed it on the floor, then used a ladle to fill two bowls with a mixed concoction whose ingredients were impossible to identify.

"Th-These... what are they? Can you really eat this much?" Ino stared blankly at the enormous pot in front of her, big enough for her to bathe in, then swallowed and asked.

Hearing Ino's question from across the table, Samu Kokaze tilted his head and put on a troubled expression. "Hmm! I can't help it either. My appetite is just this huge. If it weren't for the woodcarving shop's business, I'd practically be unable to afford to feed myself!"

"Come on, give it a try! My cooking's pretty good. I even added some highly nourishing medicinal herbs I got from Shikamaru. They're great for the body." Samu Kokaze sat across from her, looking at her expectantly.

"Heh... hehe!" Ino laughed awkwardly. Looking at the porridge-like food of unknown composition before her, she swallowed, closed her eyes, and downed it in one gulp.

Eh? It wasn't as bad as she had imagined. It actually tasted pretty good, though its appearance was truly hard to praise.

Ino's eyes lit up after taking a bite, and she thought to herself.

"How is it? My cooking's not bad, right?" Samu Kokaze said with a hint of smugness as he watched Ino finish an entire bowl and serve herself another.

"Mhm, mhm!" Ino nodded while working hard on the food, her cheeks puffed out. After swallowing with difficulty, she said regretfully, "It tastes great, but it looks way too ugly!"

"Uh!" Samu Kokaze's smug smile froze instantly. He no longer felt like showing off, so he picked up his bowl and chopsticks and launched into battle against the food.

After quite a while...

"Ah! Ah! I finally feel alive again!" Samu Kokaze patted his completely unbloated stomach and sighed from his chair as he looked at the now-empty pot.

"This is the first time I've ever seen someone who can eat as much as you!" Ino sat across from him with a stunned expression, watching Samu Kokaze eat bowl after bowl until he had finished the whole pot without his belly even bulging.

"Well! You'll get used to it." Samu Kokaze lazily half-reclined in his chair and waved a hand.

"How could anyone get used to that? I don't think even Uncle Chōza can eat as much as you!" Ino complained.

"Uncle Chōza?" Samu Kokaze sprang up from his half-reclined position and asked curiously, "Choji's father, right? I heard everyone in his family eats a lot because of their secret technique. He still can't eat as much as me?"

"Yeah!" Ino sat on her stool at the dining table, propping her chin on one hand as she thought for a moment. "Last time, when I went to Choji's house with my dad, Choji told me that every meal his family eats is made with high-energy ingredients, and they taste really good too."

As she spoke, Ino seemed to think of something delicious and swallowed.

Is that so? Looks like I need to go find that Choji guy too! Samu Kokaze thought, resting his chin on his hand as his eyes flickered.

"Hey!"

A girl's sharp call rang by his ear. Seeing the small hand waving before his eyes, Samu Kokaze came back to himself. "What is it?"

"What were you thinking about? I called you, but you didn't hear a thing!" Ino pouted as she looked at Samu Kokaze, having somehow come over to his side.

"Sorry, sorry. I was thinking about what you said earlier. I want to get some ingredients from Choji, otherwise eating this much every meal wastes too much time." Samu Kokaze looked a little embarrassed as he faced the slightly displeased Ino.

"Hmph, forget it. I'll go find Choji with you later. For now, come to the hospital with me. I don't want you showing up at my birthday party tomorrow with a huge lump on your face!"

Ino let out a breath, then muttered softly, "And I especially don't want Sakura to make a spectacle of it tomorrow!"

"Sakura? What Sakura?" If Samu Kokaze's senses had not far surpassed those of ordinary people, he truly would not have caught that last sentence.

Hearing Samu Kokaze's question, Ino's little face flushed bright red. "No, no, you definitely heard wrong! Just hurry up and come to the hospital with me."

As she spoke, she grabbed Samu Kokaze by the collar and dragged him outside.

"Hey, wait! Let me tidy up the house first!"

"What's there to tidy up? Hurry up!" Ino ignored Samu Kokaze's calls from behind her and dragged him out.

Whoosh... whoosh...

It was noon. The howling winter wind surged back and forth through Konoha's streets, yet the pedestrians did not hide indoors because of it. People bundled in thick clothes walked through the streets, young children built snowmen and threw snowballs, and ninjas in shinobi attire occasionally passed along the road. The village was especially lively.

On the street, Samu Kokaze, who had been dragged outside by Ino, looked helplessly at her as she excitedly darted back and forth along the road.

"Didn't you say we were going to the hospital?" Samu Kokaze's helpless voice came from behind Ino.

"What? Is it so miserable to come out and play with me?" Ino turned around with a fierce expression.

"How could that be?" Samu Kokaze laughed. Seeing Ino still staring at him stubbornly, he said helplessly, "Fine, fine. We'll do whatever you say, okay?"

"Much better!" Ino muttered softly. Her smile returned as she ran in front of Samu Kokaze, grabbed his hand, and pulled him down the street.

"Wait!"

Samu Kokaze suddenly spoke while being dragged along. From the corner of his eye, he spotted a figure ahead dressed entirely in green, like an oversized kappa. His grip on Ino's hand suddenly tightened, and beads of cold sweat even appeared on his forehead.

"Come with me!"

Samu Kokaze barked softly and pulled Ino around the corner of a house. Only after that figure gradually ran off into the distance did he let out a long breath and step back out.

"What happened just now?" Ino asked, looking at Samu Kokaze with concern.

"Nothing. I just ran into someone annoying. Luckily, he didn't see me." Samu Kokaze said, full of relief.

Ino looked at him worriedly for a moment, opening her mouth as though she wanted to say something.

Seeing Ino's concern, Samu Kokaze sighed. "Don't worry. He just sees me getting up to train every day and keeps pestering me to wear that outfit of his and join him. I've been changing where I run every day just to avoid him." As he spoke, a wronged expression appeared on his face.

"Pfft!" Ino, who had been worried just moments ago, covered her mouth and burst out laughing. She teased, "You'd probably look really good in that outfit too!"

"You little—" Faint veins bulged on Samu Kokaze's forehead. He waved his hands and lunged toward Ino ahead of him. "You still dare laugh at me? You're dead!"

"Haha! Come catch me, then!" Ino's delighted laughter rang through the street.