Early in the morning, in the bedroom atop the tower, Nagato finished washing up and adjusted his appearance in front of the mirror.
Konan stood quietly to the side, holding a neatly folded robe in both hands.
These days, Nagato usually stayed up late with Konan, but unable to withstand her urging, he would still sleep every few days.
"Yoxi~!" Once he was ready, Nagato took the robe from Konan and draped it over himself.
"Let's eat."
When he came to the table, Nagato's eyes lit up. "Oh, sandwiches? That's really a rare sight! Are they a new item at Granny Otose's shop?"
Konan said, "Try one and see how it tastes."
Nagato pulled out a chair and sat down, looking at Konan. "Have you eaten already?"
Konan said, "Mm. I was a little hungry, so I ate my portion first."
Konan always used to wait and eat with me. But today, she ate first... She must have really been hungry...
"Then, thanks for the meal." After putting his hands together, Nagato picked up a sandwich, bit into one corner, and chewed.
"..." Konan watched Nagato's reaction closely, unexpectedly feeling a little nervous.
"Mmm~ It tastes good." Only when Nagato expressed satisfaction with the flavor did Konan's brows finally relax.
Nagato took a second bite from the middle and continued tasting it. "But this kind of salad dressing paired with vegetables and fruit doesn't really seem like the sort of dish Granny Otose would try making~."
Konan lowered her eyes. "Actually, I made it myself..."
"Huh?" Nagato froze at once. "K-Konan... You made these sandwiches yourself?"
Konan nodded gently and said somewhat shyly, "Mm. Recently, to pass the time, I started liking reading, so I went to the Amegakure bookstore and found some magazines about cooking. I tried learning how