"Thank you for the meal!"
Sasuke picked up a piece of braised lamb and placed it in his mouth. His eyes closed as he chewed slowly, savoring the flavor. His cheeks puffed out like steamed buns.
After swallowing, his eyes snapped open, practically glowing. "Naruto, your cooking is incredible! It's as good as my brother's!"
He gave Naruto an enthusiastic thumbs-up.
Hearing such genuine praise from his friend sent warmth flooding through Naruto's chest—a feeling unlike anything he'd experienced before. It was like a current of pure happiness flowing through his entire body.
Even better than when people compliment my muscles, he realized with surprise.
"Your brother cooks too?" Naruto asked, genuinely interested.
"Yeah!" Sasuke nodded eagerly. "At home, besides Mom, my brother does most of the cooking. But honestly? I like his food the best. He's even better than Mom."
"If you say so, then your brother must be really talented." Naruto's expression turned thoughtful. "I'd love to meet him sometime. We could have a cooking competition."
Sasuke's face lit up. Naruto was praising his brother! That settled it—Naruto was definitely worth being friends with.
"My brother's work keeps him really busy," Sasuke continued, his expression dimming slightly. "Even though I'm his favorite little brother, I can't eat his cooking every day."
He brightened again almost immediately. "But no matter how tired he is when he comes home, if I ask, he'll always cook for me. Of course, I try to be considerate. When I can tell he's exhausted, I'd rather skip a delicious meal than make him work harder."
The moment Sasuke started talking about Itachi, he transformed completely. The cold, taciturn boy who barely spoke became an excited chatterbox, words tumbling out freely.
As Naruto listened to Sasuke describe his brother with such obvious happiness written across his face, a familiar ache settled in his chest. He had friends now. He had people who cared about him.
But what would it feel like to have family love? To have a sibling who looked out for you?
[Should I tell him something?] the system wondered, sensing Naruto's thoughts. [...No. Not yet.]
Sasuke noticed Naruto's expression shift. He made the connection quickly. "Naruto... when I get the chance, I'll introduce you to my brother. You're my friend. I'm sure he'd treat you like a younger brother too."
"Yeah." Naruto's smile returned. "I'd definitely like to meet him. After all, it would be a lifetime regret not to befriend someone with cooking skills as excellent as mine."
"Wow, this soup looks amazing!" Sasuke redirected his attention to the mutton soup, noting its rich, milky-white color. He took a careful sip.
The soup was incredibly smooth, sliding down his throat with perfect consistency. Rich and full-bodied, with absolutely no gamey smell. "This is delicious! It doesn't have that mutton smell you get at restaurants."
"That's because these are sheep from my farm," Naruto explained proudly. "I use special breeding techniques. They eat grass, not feed, and they run all over the mountains exercising. Meat from sheep raised like that doesn't need additives. It tastes great naturally—no weird smell."
He picked up a spicy lamb trotter with his chopsticks and placed it in Sasuke's bowl. "Here, try this. These sheep run all over the mountains, so their legs are especially strong and flavorful."
Meanwhile, at the Uchiha compound...
Itachi worked efficiently in the kitchen, wearing his apron with practiced ease. He glanced at the clock. School would be ending soon. Sasuke would be coming home for dinner.
He imagined his little brother's face when he saw the table full of his favorite dishes. The thought made Itachi smile.
With that pleasant anticipation, he finished the last dish and untied his apron. According to his calculations, Sasuke should be home in about ten minutes.
Itachi sat in the living room briefly, then decided to meet Sasuke on his way home.
He stepped outside the clan compound, leaped gracefully onto a streetlamp, and stood atop it with his arms crossed. There he waited, perfectly balanced, for his brother to appear on the road below.
"Come on, Sasuke, have another leg of lamb!" Naruto placed the meat in Sasuke's bowl. "It's been stewed until it's soft and tender."
"No, no, I really can't!" Sasuke patted his distended stomach. "If I eat anymore, I'll burst. Your cooking is so good—I already ate way too much."
"You talk big but eat so little," Naruto teased. "You're still growing! You need to eat more like me if you want to get taller and stronger."
He started to raise his arms to flex—then heard the ominous sound of fabric straining. He froze immediately.
If I keep showing off my muscles and destroying clothes, even the pig farming income won't cover my clothing budget.
"Here, Naruto..." Sasuke placed the lamb leg back in Naruto's bowl. "You eat it."
"Well, if you insist." Naruto's restraint dissolved. He'd only been holding back out of politeness—with his current appetite, eating an entire sheep in one meal was nothing.
Using both hands, Naruto attacked the remaining food with gusto. Meat disappeared from the table at a visible rate.
Everything that entered his mouth—even the bones—went straight down. His stomach, working like a grinding mill, instantly converted it all into pure energy.
Sasuke watched with his mouth hanging open.
No wonder he's so huge. He eats like a demon.
After eliminating every last scrap of food, Naruto released a satisfied burp. "Ah, that hit the spot. Nothing makes you happier than good food."
On the road outside the Uchiha compound...
Itachi stood on the streetlamp, waiting.
"Naruto, let me wash the dishes," Sasuke offered.
"Absolutely not. You're a guest—I can't make you do chores." Naruto waved off the suggestion. "Come on, let's go outside and walk a bit."
As they headed out, Naruto glanced at Nine-Tails sprawled on the couch in a textbook lazy pose.
The fox grinned at him with obvious mischief.
The two boys stepped outside and began walking slowly along the mountain path, digesting their meal.
Walk a hundred steps after eating, and you'll live to ninety-nine, as the saying goes.
On the road outside the Uchiha compound...
Itachi stood on the streetlamp, still waiting.
The moment Naruto and Sasuke left, Nine-Tails reluctantly dragged himself off the couch. He grabbed the apron from the cushions, tied it around his small body, and padded over to the dining table.
Not a single scrap of food remained.
"Greedy brat," Nine-Tails muttered. "Doesn't leave anything for me."
"Expects me to work like a horse but won't give me any grass to eat. Hmph..."
Grumbling continuously, Nine-Tails gathered the dishes and carried them to the kitchen. He turned on the water and began washing with practiced efficiency, his small paws surprisingly dexterous.
On the road outside the Uchiha compound...
Itachi stood on the streetlamp.
Waiting.
The sun began to set, painting the sky in shades of orange and pink.
Still, Itachi waited, his silhouette perfectly balanced against the darkening sky—a patient brother wondering where his little sibling had gone.