On the vast riverside, only his bucket was empty, which made him, who was known as a 'fishing master,' feel a bit embarrassed.
Hinata keenly caught the change in his mood, her small face flushed, and she lowered her head in a panic.
She quietly moved her bucket behind her and, while Menma wasn't looking, gently released the small fish back into the river.
The fish flicked its tail and instantly disappeared among the water plants.
Afterward, she twisted her fingers, standing awkwardly to the side, not even knowing where to cast her gaze.
Menma watched this scene, the corners of his mouth twitching uncontrollably twice, and he sighed with a wry smile, "This is too much..."
The sun gradually set in the west, painting half the sky red.
Menma patted the grass clippings off his body, regaining his confident expression.
Although his fishing luck was bad, his cooking skills were not to be underestimated.
He skillfully prepared the fish, his blade swiftly moving across the fish's body, quickly cutting out neat decorative slices.
With a 'sizzle,' the fish entered the hot oil, and the aroma instantly filled the air.
Adding seasoning, water, and reducing the saucehis movements were fluid and graceful.
Finally, a perfectly braised fish, rich in color, aroma, and taste, was freshly served.
"Wow! It smells so good!"
Naruto twitched his nose, like a puppy following a scent, and was the first to dart out from the crowd.
The others also dropped their fishing rods and gathered around, drawn by the aroma.
Naruto, drooling, stared intently at the bright red, steaming braised fish on the plate, his eyes wide with shock, and exclaimed, "Big Brother, when did you get such good cooking skills?"
"Learned it from a book."
Menma crossed his arms over his chest and proudly raised an eyebrow.
Seeing the renewed look of admiration in his friends' eyes, the earlier frustration of not catching any fish instantly vanished, and his lips couldn't help but curl up high.
"Did I do well?"
Sasuke slumped weakly to the ground, beads of sweat still on his pale face.
To help cook the fish with Fire Release, his Chakra was almost exhausted, and he was breathing heavily even while speaking.
Menma smiled and patted his shoulder, pointing to the others eagerly waiting to eat the fish: "This one fish isn't enough. Please bear with it a little longer."
"Huh?"
Sasuke's face fell.
"This is also a form of training; it can help you refine your Chakra control."
Menma said earnestly.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
Sasuke's eyes blazed with fighting spirit, he gritted his teeth, and swiftly formed hand signs.
Flames even hotter than before erupted from his mouth, making the oil at the bottom of the pan sizzle.
"Oh! This is also a form of training!"
Lee appeared out of nowhere, his bowl cut bobbing with his movements.
He waved his arms, shouting excitedly, "I can't slack off on my training either! Starting now, I'll do five hundred push-ups!"
No sooner had he spoken than he hit the ground with a 'thud' and began doing push-ups rapidly, chanting rhythmic slogans.
"Lee... this isn't the time for that..."
Tenten sighed, holding her forehead in exasperation.
When the last fish was plated, Menma clapped his hands in satisfaction.
He turned his head again to see Sasuke's eyes rolled back, and he fell straight to the ground with a 'thud,' having fainted from exhaustion.
"Sasuke!"
Sakura shrieked, rushing over to help him up.
But Naruto reacted even faster, grabbing a nearby bucket and splashing all the water out with a 'whoosh.'
Sasuke shuddered from the cold water, but Sakura was also drenched, her pink hair dripping wet.
"Naruto!"
Sakura trembled with anger, her hair practically standing on end.
"S-Sakura..."
Naruto backed away repeatedly, frantically waving his hands in front of him to explain, "I didn't see you just now..."
"Idiot Naruto!"
Sakura roared, grabbing Naruto's collar and raising her fist to punch him.
"Stop!"
Sasuke had already regained consciousness; he staggered to his feet and shouted, pointing at Naruto, "Only I can defeat that guy!"
"Pfft!"
Menma sprayed out all the water he had just drunk, coughing violently, his eyes wide as he looked back and forth between Sasuke and Naruto.
Watching one with fierce eyes and the other pouting defiantly, he muttered to himself, "These two boys are acting a bit strange..."
"Menma-kun..."
A soft, sweet voice, like a feather, gently brushed Menma's ear.
He turned to see Hinata with her head bowed, her hair falling to cover her flushed cheeks, her fingers anxiously twisting the hem of her clothes.
"What's wrong?"
Menma asked.
"I..."
Hinata suddenly looked up, her large, watery eyes met his for a second, then she quickly looked away in a panic, her voice so soft it was almost inaudible, "I'd like to eat some more..."
Menma's gaze fell on Hinata's empty lunchbox and he was slightly stunned.
The braised fish he had given Hinata earlier was enough to fill an adult Ninja, but now the lunchbox was spotless, not a drop of sauce left.
He was somewhat dazed as he shared half of his own fish with her, muttering to himself, "This appetite... she looks so frail, but she's truly not to be underestimated..."
"Thank you..."
Hinata stared at the fish in the lunchbox, still bearing the marks of Menma's chopsticks, her earlobes so red they almost seemed to bleed, her head buried lower and lower, "This is what Menma-kun ate..."
No sooner had she spoken than she began to eat in small bites.
Her movements were gentle and elegant, yet in just a few minutes, half the fish had vanished without a trace.
Hinata, still wanting more, extended her small pink tongue and gently licked the sauce remaining on her lips, her eyes sparkling as she stared at the empty lunchbox, looking utterly adorable.
Menma's eyes widened, his chopsticks nearly falling to the ground, too shocked to speak.
He never imagined that this shy, timid girl before him possessed such an astonishing appetite.
After a long moment of stunned, he tentatively asked, "Do you want more?"
"Mm..."
Hinata's voice was very soft, her hands tightly clutching the hem of her clothes, her head almost buried in her chest, like a child who had done something wrong.
Menma got up with a wry smile and cooked another braised fish for Hinata.
Watching her once again devour the fish completely, even gnawing the bones clean, his eyes widened involuntarily, and his gaze unconsciously fell on Hinata's flat stomach
There was no sign of being full at all; this was too unbelievable!
He cleared his throat, his mind in turmoil: "What kind of dimensional stomach is this? She looks so small and thin, yet she can eat more than Naruto!"
Hinata noticed Menma's surprised gaze, her face flushed crimson, wishing she could find a hole to crawl into.
She lowered her head, her hands anxiously clasped together, no longer daring to ask for more food, though her mind still savored the delicious taste of the braised fish.
Menma leaned lazily against a thick tree branch.
He watched his friends nearby, immersed in joy.
Naruto and Sasuke were competing to climb a tree, neither willing to concede to the other. Naruto's face was flushed, using both hands and feet like a nimble monkey;
Sasuke, on the other hand, maintained a cool demeanor, his movements elegant yet agile.
Sakura stood at the base of the tree, hands clenched, excitedly shouting encouragement.
Neji was helping Lee train, though his gaze occasionally drifted towards Menma.
Whenever Menma noticed and glared back, Neji would immediately turn his head away proudly, not forgetting to let out a cold snort.
Choji sat under the tree, munching on potato chips, his cheeks puffed out, occasionally sharing a chip with the dozing Shikamaru, even though Shikamaru never caught it.
Tenten helped Ino arrange the freshly picked flowers, while Ino carefully placed them into a flower basket, the two occasionally laughing as they discussed which flower was prettier.
Inuzuka Kiba was chasing Akamaru all over the grass; in a moment of inattention, he slipped and fell into the river with a 'splash.'
He climbed out, dripping wet, his hair dripping water, looking utterly disheveled, yet the smile on his face remained bright.
And Hinata, always quietly by Menma's side, her hands resting on her knees, occasionally stealing a glance at Menma, and when she found Menma looking back at her, she would shyly lower her head, a smile unconsciously gracing her lips.
Menma looked at the vibrant scene before him, smiling contentedly.
"The darkness that enveloped Konoha has been dispelled, and now the Village is bathed in sunlight."
What he wanted was not just for Konoha's children to avoid the battlefield, but for children all over the world to grow up healthy and happy under the sun.
Suddenly, Menma frowned, feeling as if he had forgotten someone.
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