If Izumi and I Fell into the Sea, Who Would You Save?

Itachi forcibly wedged himself between Izumi and Gua.

Gua wasn't much of a talker.

Izumi had pretty much been carrying the conversation.

Now Izumi didn't want to talk either.

The atmosphere grew awkward for a moment.

Itachi scratched his head. Did I show up at a bad time?

Unlike Gua, he was very perceptive and had long since noticed something was off between the two.

He suspected Izumi and Gua were dating already.

He decided to probe a little.

"Izumi, why have you been spending so much time with Gua lately?"

"Hmph!"

Izumi folded her arms and looked up at the sky. It was obvious she didn't want to deal with Itachi right now.

Itachi: ...

Itachi could only turn to Gua.

"Gua, why have you been spending so much time with Izumi lately?"

Gua fell silent for a moment.

I spend more time with you every day than with anyone else.

And you're asking me that?

You sound like you're fishing around to catch your partner cheating!

"What exactly are you trying to ask?"

Gua looked at Itachi.

Itachi scratched his head, leaned close to Gua's ear, and murmured something.

Izumi noticed too, so she pricked up her ears to eavesdrop.

Unfortunately, that stingy Itachi spoke so quietly that she couldn't hear a thing.

Only after Itachi finished talking to Gua...

Itachi sat up straight.

Izumi immediately turned her head away and pretended to gaze at the sky.

Gua stared blankly at Itachi, then looked at the Three-Color Dango in his hand and fell silent for a moment.

He took a skewer of Three-Color Dango from the takeout bag and silently handed it to Itachi.

Itachi: "For me?"

Gua: "Eat more, talk less."

Itachi: ...

Itachi took the Three-Color Dango. Fine, he wouldn't talk.

The Three-Color Dango was delicious anyway.

Sitting between Gua and Izumi, Itachi ate happily.

Izumi wasn't happy!

Gua didn't really care.

The waters of the Naka River flowed quietly, and all was peaceful.

It was as though the Three-Color Dango had painted the whole world in color.

They stayed until dusk.

Only then did the three part ways.

Itachi left first. He had wanted to stay longer, but it was getting late. Although his father had been very kind lately...

Still-

Itachi didn't dare get too carried away.

Getting home early was still important.

Itachi left.

It was already quite late.

The sun had set beyond Hokage Rock, and the four enormous Hokage faces in the distance glowed a dusky yellow.

"Gua, what were you and Itachi talking about by the river?"

On their way home, just before they parted, Izumi suddenly asked the question that had been on her mind all along.

"Itachi said Izumi and I were dating too young."

Gua spoke flatly.

Izumi's face instantly flushed red. She clenched her little fists. "That jerk!! Itachi!!"

Gua had already walked some distance away.

"Gua! See you tomorrow!"

Izumi suddenly called out.

Gua waved. "See you next year."

Watching Gua walk away, Izumi pursed her lips.

"Tch~"

Izumi turned and headed home, humming.

"We watched the fading contrails..."

When Gua got home, he noticed something different about his mother, Nai, and his father, Dashan.

The two sat beside the low table, looking at him with deeply meaningful smiles...

Gua ignored them.

He went straight into the kitchen to see what delicious food his mother had prepared today.

Beef Hot Pot, freshly fried tempura, grilled meat, and a vegetable salad.

Something else was bubbling away in a pot.

Gua glanced back toward the living room.

Today didn't seem to be any special occasion.

Hmm?

Actually, wasn't putting Orochimaru on trial worth celebrating too?

Noticing Gua's puzzled gaze, his mother, Nai, quickly got up and came into the kitchen.

"Out, out, out!"

"You'll have to wait a little before eating!"

His mother pushed Gua out as though he were an NPC.

"I was just waiting for you to get home before putting in the udon noodles!"

"They'll be ready soon! Just wait a moment, Gua."

His mother was clearly very happy.

Gua stood in the kitchen doorway for two seconds. So she was going to cook udon noodles?

Gua didn't particularly care for udon noodles.

He preferred Beef Hot Pot.

Before long, the udon noodles were ready.

The family of three gathered around the low table. Steam rose from the Beef Hot Pot and udon noodles, while the tempura and grilled meat had been prepared ahead of time, so they could dig right in.

His mother, Nai, wrapped some grilled meat in lettuce for Gua.

His mother, Nai, was smiling.

Gua took the lettuce and grilled meat, his eyes darting between his mother and father.

Finally, Gua looked down at the grilled meat again.

Mom, you haven't poisoned this, have you?

Nai: ?

Gua hurriedly stuffed the lettuce and grilled meat into his mouth in one bite.

"Gulp~"

He swallowed with difficulty.

"Delicious!"

His mother, Nai, watched Gua with a beaming smile.

Gua was utterly baffled.

His mother's smile looked like a weasel's today...

Gua could only keep eating.

"Gulp~"

"Gulp~"

"Gulp~"

He kept stuffing down tempura and grilled meat, not even daring to touch the Beef Hot Pot.

He was afraid that if he stopped, he'd meet his mother's "kindly" smile.

Something's off with Mom today!

"Gua, was that girl today the one you brought a lunch box for last time?"

His mother, Nai, finally showed her true colors.

Gua paused slightly in the middle of eating.

He pulled the half-eaten piece of tempura from his mouth and looked up at his mother.

So that's what this was all about?

"Yeah."

Gua didn't see any reason not to admit it.

"I never imagined Izumi could be so fierce. She's just like her mother~"

Nai seemed to be casually saying whatever came to mind.

Gua didn't understand.

Do we really need all this beating around the bush at home?

He figured his mother had probably remembered the past.

People were nostalgic, after all.

Gua carried on eating.

Dinner was lavish and delicious today. Now that he had the chance, he could finally start on the Beef Hot Pot.

His mother, Nai, continued chattering away.

"Still, that personality is a good match for Gua. Don't you think, Dashan?"

"Absolutely!"

Dashan's smile was like a sunflower in full bloom.

Every muscle looked like a sunflower seed turned toward the sunlight.

He really was happy.

Dashan added, "Izumi's a good kid!"

"Oh, you have no idea. Izumi even snapped at me today. She was so cute when she shielded our son behind her."

Nai began recounting the day's events.

Dashan chimed in, "Kids will be kids."

Then Nai changed tack.

"Say, if Izumi and I both fell into the river, who would Gua save?"

Dashan shook his head, his expression solemn. "Hard to say."

Gua: ?

Gua, who had been locked in battle with the Beef Hot Pot all this time, "keenly" realized something was wrong.

He lifted his head from his bowl.

His eyes met his mother Nai's.

"Gua would..."

"Mom."

Gua answered before she could finish!

He wasn't merely brushing off the question. He meant it.

Izumi and Mom, I'd save Mom. Itachi and Mom, I'd save Mom. Shisui and Mom, I'd save Mom. The clan leader and Mom, I'd save Mom. Dad and Mom...

I'd still save Mom...

Dad, you can't blame me. A man ought to shoulder his responsibilities.

Dad, you can swim, right?