" Nanako, let me do it."
Didaze had only been sitting for a short while when he smelled a burning odor, and had no choice but to stand up and say to Nanako.
"Ahem... Brother Didaze, it'll be ready soon, ahem..."
Nanako emerged from the kitchen looking disheveled, her once vibrant red hair now somewhat dull.
"Brother Didaze, you can trust me..."
Nanako looked into Didaze's eyes, and her voice gradually lowered.
"I'll do it, sweetie."
Didaze patted Nanako's head, then went into the kitchen.
"Good heavens..."
Didaze stared at the dark, indistinct food in front of him, clicking his tongue in disbelief.
"There's no way you could eat that!"
Didaze simply dumped out all the dark, unappetizing food from the previous day.
He then began preparing the dishes he remembered from his previous life.
Although he's not a professional chef, he can at least cook some home-style dishes.
It's still better than Nanako's cooking, no matter what.
Nanako, on the other hand, rested her chin on her hands and looked at Didaze with admiration.
"Brother Didaze really knows everything..."
Nanako looked at Didaze, her eyes overflowing with love.
Before long, Didaze had prepared four dishes and a soup.
"Wow, Brother Didaze, your cooking is so much better than what you get outside!"
Nanako took a bite and praised it repeatedly.
"That's too kind of you. My cooking certainly can't compare to what you get outside; after all, they make a living that way."
Didaze didn't think his amateur skills could compare to the means by which others made a living.
"No, no, no, nothing outside tastes as good as what you make, brother!"
Nanako said with a determined look.
"Big brother, I... I want to eat your food for the rest of my life, is that okay...?"
Nanako mustered her courage and spoke to Didaze, who was eating.
"Sure!"
Didaze looked up at Nana with a beaming smile.
Then Didaze produced a clay figurine of two people as if by magic.
The image above prominently features Nanako and Didaze holding hands, smiling broadly.
The Nanako pictured above looks exactly the same as she did a year ago.
Nanako and Didaze had been dating for a while, but they hadn't taken the next step of holding hands.
Nanako hinted at it multiple times, Didaze ignored her.
Didaze couldn't bring himself to do it, as he was under eighteen.
"Can I use this as a marriage proposal gift, Nanako?"
Will you marry me?
Didaze placed the clay figurine aside, and the figurine began to move on its own. A bouquet of flowers appeared in the hand of one of Didaze's figurines.
"Big brother..."
Nanako covered her mouth, tears streaming down her face.
"Don't call me 'big brother' anymore. From now on, I'll be your closest relative in the world."
Didaze pressed his head close to Nanako's, feeling her body temperature.
"Husband... husband!"
Nanako's voice trembled.
"Wife."
Didaze held Nanako's head gently in his hands.
Nothing happened that night.
"Big brother..."
Nanako slowly opened her eyes in the morning, and her face flushed slightly as she looked at Didaze lying next to her.
She still feels a little shy when she thinks about the passionate encounter last night.
"Still calling me 'Big Brother'?"
Didaze tapped Nanako's head with some displeasure.
"Husband!"
Nanako shouted happily.
"That's more like it!"
Didaze kissed Nanako.
" Nanako, I have to go out for a bit. I've already set the lunch aside; I'll be back to cook for you at noon."
Didaze said gently.
"Um!"
Nanako nodded.
She feels like the happiest woman in the world right now.
Uzumaki Hiko's House
Knock knock knock!
Didaze knocked directly on Uzumaki Hiko's door.
"Um?"
Uzumaki Hiko, still half-asleep, opened the door.
Didaze? You're back.
Uzumaki Hiko was slightly surprised to see Didaze, but not too much.
"Could you be Nanako 'Nanako elder at our wedding in a couple of days?"
Didaze bowed to Uzumaki Hiko.
Uzumaki Hiko is now practically Nanako's only elder.
"Are you getting married?"
Upon hearing these words, Uzumaki Hiko, who had been feeling a bit sleepy, instantly became wide awake and full of energy!
"Yes, but because Nanako and I are both orphans, so..."
Didaze didn't continue, but Uzumaki Hiko already understood.
"I understand, I will go then, but you need to talk to Nanako about this."
"I'm worried," said Uzumaki Hiko.
He was afraid that Nanako wouldn't want him to be an elder at her wedding.
After all, showing respect is one thing, but actually bowing to an elder is another.
I will talk to her.
Didaze nodded.
Nanako and Uzumaki Hiko's relationship has long surpassed that of a typical master and disciple; they are more like a father and daughter.
Uzumaki Hiko, who has never had children, has long treated Nanako like a daughter.
It's just that Uzumaki Hiko is too caught up in the situation to see things clearly.
"Next..."
Didaze walked towards Ōnoki's house.
It's still early, so Ōnoki hasn't gone to the Tsuchikage's office yet.
Ōnoki processes documents very quickly, so he rarely stays out all night.
Even Ōnoki often goes home relatively early.
Knock knock knock!
Didaze knocked on Ōnoki's door.
"Huh? What are you doing at my house so early in the morning?"
Ōnoki looked at Didaze with some wariness.
Or rather... he was looking at his window with some wariness.
"Old man, your windows are so small, it wouldn't be scary to bump into them, what are you worried about?"
Didaze couldn't help but complain to Ōnoki.
How dare you say that?!
Ōnoki instantly flew into a rage, leaping up and delivering a powerful blow to Didaze!
However, Didaze used his Dragon Vein Chakra to protect his head in time, so Ōnoki essentially hit the Chakra shield.
"Speak, what brings you to see this old man so early?"
After throwing a punch, Ōnoki felt great and smiled as he spoke to Didaze.
"I'm getting married to Nanako, and I hope you can be my elder and witness our wedding."
Didaze bowed to Ōnoki.
"I?"
Ōnoki was a little confused.
He never expected Didaze to ask him to be his elder.
Is that okay?
Didaze looked at Ōnoki with expectant eyes.
"You've asked me to take on this role, and I'm truly at a loss."
"But I promised you!"
"To be honest, it's really because of you that I'm being invited to be your elder at your wedding!"
Ōnoki laughed heartily at Didaze's expectant gaze.
He never expected that Didaze would be so close to him.
I should have known better than to throw that punch; I wonder if it even hurt him.
"What... what are you doing?"
Didaze looked at Ōnoki, who was flying up and rubbing his head while blowing on it, and asked him in a daze.