After trying to arrange a date for several days, he finally managed to get Kurenai, who had been helping with the postwar reconstruction, to come out.
Son Goten sat on a bench, clutching three skewers of three-color dango, his mouth stuffed full.
But his large, clear black-and-white eyes weren't on the food in his hands. They were fixed on the woman sitting opposite him.
Kurenai Yuhi wasn't wearing her signature mesh ninja outfit today.
She had changed into a burgundy casual kimono, its collar slightly open, revealing her fair, slender neck.
Her black curls were loosely pinned behind her head, and a light layer of lipstick coated her lips. She exuded the languid charm unique to a mature woman.
"Had your fill of staring?"
Kurenai Yuhi sipped her tea, amusement in the corners of her eyes, feeling a little uncomfortable under the brat's stare.
"Nope."
Son Goten swallowed the sticky rice dumplings in his mouth, slapped the bare bamboo skewers onto the table, and answered without a hint of hesitation.
"Kurenai-sensei, you look really pretty today. Even prettier than the dango."
Kurenai Yuhi burst out laughing and reached over to tap his forehead.
"Enough sweet talk. This is to thank you for looking after Hinata during the Chunin Ninja Exams, and... for saving everyone in the Arena that day."
Although this meal had been delayed for several days, that was mainly because the postwar reconstruction work had kept her far too busy.
She finally had a day off today, only for the boy to start teasing her the moment she sat down.
"Looking after Hinata is what I should do. She's my future wife, after all."
Son Goten stuck out his tongue to lick the bean paste from the corner of his mouth, but his eyes were still wandering around