Inside a lively barbecue restaurant in Konoha.
Fat sizzled on the iron grill, and the rising steam blurred the faces of the three people sitting together.
"Bring ten more plates."
Tsunade slapped the table with gusto, making the condiment jars rattle and clang.
She had rarely worn anything other than her ninja attire, but today a pale purple kimono set off her skin like snow. The neckline revealed just enough to make the pulse quicken.
Chiya smiled as he flipped the meat on the grill. As he moved, his sleeve slid back and revealed the red marks left behind from the previous night's exertions after the clan head succession ceremony.
Tsunade caught a glimpse with her sharp eyes and her face reddened.
Under the table, she lightly nudged his shin with the tip of her foot.
Chiya's hand jerked, and the meat nearly burned.
"Hey, watch it."
Tsunade blinked and picked up a piece of grilled meat with her chopsticks, dipped it in sauce, and held it out to Chiya's lips.
"Clan Head, say ahh."
Kushina, who had been drinking miso soup, choked hard. Her bright red hair nearly stood on end.
She scrambled to wipe the corner of her mouth, but her eyes were locked rigidly on the intimate exchange between the two.
'Chiya-sama actually bit down from Tsunade-sama's chopsticks, and then casually licked the sauce off the tips of her fingers.'
'Chiya-sama and Tsunade-sama, could they be...'
Kushina's eyes went wide. The chopsticks in her hand nearly slipped.
She instinctively turned her head away, her heart pounding like a drum.
Tsunade-sama had mentioned this Uchiha Chiya before, so Kushina had mentally prepared herself a little.
But seeing the two of them this close in person still left her stunned.
The image of Mikoto's shy smile whenever she brought up Chiya floated into Kushina's mind.
Mikoto was her closest friend. Every time Mikoto mentioned Chiya, her eyes lit up.
But now, Chiya was with Tsunade-sama like this.
'Am I still half asleep?'
'This is the Senju princess, the renowned Tsunade-sama of the ninja world.'
'How did she end up getting involved with this new Uchiha clan head?'
"Has he been deceiving Mikoto this whole time?"
Kushina's fist clenched without her realizing it. Her breathing had grown unsteady.
Thinking of Mikoto's trust in Chiya and the way she looked up to him, a nameless anger rose inside Kushina.
Mikoto was so trusting and pure. If she ever found out about Chiya being this close with Tsunade-sama.
She bit her lip. The image of Mikoto crying in heartbreak even surfaced in her mind.
'What a scumbag.'
She cursed him fiercely in her heart. Her impression of Chiya plummeted instantly.
Kushina wrestled with whether she should tell Mikoto the truth.
She knew how much Mikoto cared about Chiya. If she blurted it out carelessly, it might shatter Mikoto completely.
But hiding the truth felt like a betrayal of her closest friend.
'Maybe... this is just a misunderstanding?'
She tried to convince herself, but the way Tsunade and Chiya were feeding each other and the expressions on their faces looked nothing like an act.
'If I weren't here, those two would practically be pressed together, holding each other and kissing, wouldn't they?'
"Kushina, the meat is about to burn."
Chiya pointed it out casually, then naturally picked up a piece of finished grilled pork belly and placed it in Tsunade's bowl, before just as naturally taking the cup of sake Tsunade had been drinking from and finishing it in one go.
The red-haired girl kept her head down and stared at the grill.
She flipped the meat mechanically, while the image of Mikoto's gentle smile kept flashing through her mind.
That girl, gentle to her very core. What a situation.
'How am I supposed to tell Mikoto about this?'
She suddenly felt that the tender grilled meat in her mouth had lost all its flavor.
"Tsunade-sama, I'm full. I'm going to go train."
A short while later.
Kushina stood up abruptly. Her chair scraped across the floor with a harsh sound.
She grabbed her ninja tool pouch in a rush and bolted out the door as if fleeing, not even touching the drink she had ordered.
Chiya watched her retreating figure and was briefly puzzled.
"What's gotten into that girl?"
Tsunade was equally confused.
"No idea. She just graduated not long ago. Probably eager to improve herself."
Chiya looked away and did not think much more of it.
He stood up, stepped over to Tsunade's side, and casually wrapped his arm around her waist.
"Never mind her. She's just a kid. Let's continue."
Before he finished speaking, he picked up a piece of grilled meat, dipped it in sauce, wrapped it in a lettuce leaf, and placed it in Tsunade's mouth.
Watching a smear of sauce trail from the corner of her lips, Chiya moved to wipe it away with his hand.
Suddenly, he turned sharply toward the window.
Three dark figures were sweeping past from the direction of the orphanage. The one at the front wore a mask.
'Anbu or Root?'
Chiya's brow furrowed slightly.
Tsunade followed his gaze.
"That should be the Anbu. They came from the direction of the Hokage Building."
"You think they're the ones behind it? Should we follow them?"
Tsunade set aside her smile. Her face turned serious.
"If it's the Anbu, we had better not go over there."
Tsunade's brow creased.
"What do you mean? If you don't suspect the Anbu, then are you saying it's..."
Chiya's gaze dropped to the grilled meat on the table. He picked up a piece and placed it in Tsunade's mouth.
"No evidence."
Tsunade's cheeks puffed up, like a hamster with a mouthful of nuts.
"If it really is them, I am going to have a very serious conversation with the old man."
The old man she referred to was Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"No rush. Eat first. They won't give up and stop after just this one incident."
Tsunade looked at Chiya with surprise.
"You actually seem to know something."
"More or less. But I can't tell you yet. I'm worried you won't be able to finish eating if I do."
Tsunade's curiosity only deepened.
But looking at the serious expression on Chiya's face, she asked nothing more.
The sizzle of the grill sounded again. Tsunade looked down.
She quickly picked up her chopsticks and flipped the meat, then took a piece from the edges where it had finished cooking, dipped it fully in sauce, and held it out in front of Chiya with an eager look in her eyes.
"Here, let me feed you."
Chiya did not stand on ceremony. He opened his mouth and took it directly, muttering as he chewed.
"This sauce is good. Though I prefer milk."
Hearing the word milk, Tsunade's face turned red. She slapped her chopsticks down on the table.
"Milk? You little punk, calling out for milk in broad daylight. I think you're just asking for it."
Outside on the street, vendors were packing up their stalls.
Among them, five figures moved through the crowd. They appeared to be ordinary travelers, but in truth they were Kumogakure spies who had been lying in wait for over half a month.
The lead vendor pulled his wide-brimmed hat down low and swept his gaze past the dessert shop at the corner of the street.
That was a place Uzumaki Kushina visited regularly.
He spoke in a low voice to the companion at his side.
"The target makes a habit of buying sweets every Wednesday evening. Tonight is the best opportunity."
One of the others gave a small nod.
He pretended to sort his goods while letting his eyes scan the surroundings.
He was clearly mapping out the escape routes.
"The Anbu patrol intervals are fifteen minutes. We have to complete the capture and leave Konoha within ten minutes."
"Konoha's barrier has blind spots. The alley on the east side has already been checked. No barrier jutsu there today."
A glint of contempt entered the lead figure's eyes.
"Today's operation allows only success. Failure is not an option."
"Getting that Uzumaki clan survivor out of the Land of Fire is entirely up to us."
"Yes."
The four surrounding figures straightened their expressions, then began to disperse in different directions to make their final preparations.