Chapter 196: The Tenderness of Sunset Red
Night fell, blanketing the Uchiha compound in a quiet, peaceful dark. In the large, open-air courtyard of the main estate, however, it was brightly lit.
Lanterns hung from the eaves of the house, casting a warm, golden glow over the scene.
A large dining table, typically used for formal clan meetings, had been repurposed. It was laden with various fresh, immaculate ingredients.
Platters of top-grade, marbled Wagyū beef. Thick-cut, tender pork belly. Piles of fresh, crisp vegetables, and skewers of seafood.
A large, charcoal grill sat in the center of the table, burning fiercely, its embers glowing a vibrant orange.
Naruto was frantically, and loudly, placing slices of grilled meat onto the grill, his mouth constantly urging.
"Hurry, hurry! My meat is almost ready! Don't let it burn! Hinata, pass the sauce!"
"Ah, Naruto-kun, the fire is too big; it's going to burn!" Hinata whispered a reminder from the side. She expertly flipped a few slices, then carefully placed the most perfectly grilled, non-charred pieces of beef onto Uchiha Akira's plate.
"Thank you, Hinata. You're a natural at this," Uchiha Akira said with a genuine, small smile.
"Y-You're welcome, Akira-sensei!" Hinata's cheeks flushed slightly, and she lowered her head, pleased.
Uchiha Akira picked up a slice of the tender beef with his chopsticks and put it into his mouth.
It was perfect. The meat was tender, impossibly juicy, and melted on his tongue.
He paired it with a sip of iced barley tea. In that moment, all the fatigue of the day—the endless paperwork, the council meetings, the burden of leadership—seemed to vanish.
He watched the scene. Naruto, now arguing with himself about which piece of meat was his. Hinata, quietly making sure everyone's plate (especially Akira's) was full, while also managing to eat.
He looked at his two disciples, so completely different in personality, yet so unexpectedly harmonious. He felt an unprecedented sense of deep, quiet satisfaction.
This, he thought to himself, is what it's for.
Perhaps, this was the other, more personal, initial intention behind his decision to change the Uchiha's fate and become Hokage. Not just for power, but for this. For this peace.
The lively, chaotic barbecue dinner drew to a close with Naruto's ravenous, non-stop eating.
Finally, the boy leaned back, his chair groaning in protest. He slumped contentedly, his belly perfectly round and full.
"Ah... I'm so full... so, so full... I feel like I can't move..."
Just as a comfortable, lazy silence settled over the group, a series of soft, hesitant knocks came from the estate's main door.
"Knock, knock, knock."
"Hmm? Who could it be this late?" Naruto asked curiously, his voice muffled by his fullness. "Is it Pervy Sage? He probably smelled the meat..."
"I'll get it," Hinata said, always the proper one. She stood up, straightened her clothes, and walked towards the entrance.
A moment later, Hinata returned. And she was bringing someone with her.
The newcomer was a woman of mature, captivating beauty. She was dressed not in a combat uniform, but in a modest, deep-red casual dress that still managed to outline her graceful figure.
Her long, black hair was immaculate, and her unique, striking red eyes belonged to none other than Kurenai Yūhi.
[Inorin's Note: Yūhi Kurenai (夕日紅) literally means "Sunset Red," which is the "red" referenced in the chapter's title.]
However, at this moment, Kurenai's face held a hint of shyness and nervousness, a stark contrast to her usual composed, Jōnin demeanor.
She carried an exquisite, lacquered bento box in her hand.
"Kurenai?" Uchiha Akira was a little surprised. He hadn't summoned her.
"H-Hokage-sama," Kurenai bowed slightly to Akira, her gaze darting to the messy table, then back to him.
"I... I'm sorry to intrude so late." She said, her voice somewhat awkward.
"I... I recently learned a few new dessert recipes, and... I just..."
Her words were a bit fragmented. A captivating, deep blush spread across her cheeks, visible even in the warm lantern light.
"Whoa! So, you specifically came to deliver a late-night snack, Kurenai-sensei?" Naruto, ever the blunt one, asked boisterously. "Is that for us?"
"Naruto!" Hinata gently tugged at his sleeve from the side, signaling him not to speak so carelessly.
"I... I just... I made some for myself, and I couldn't finish it," Kurenai offered, a rather clumsy, transparent excuse. "So I... I thought I'd bring it for you to try."
"Is that so?" Akira's lips curved into a small, knowing smile. He understood completely.
"Then I must have a good taste. Please, sit." He gestured for her to sit beside him.
Kurenai Yūhi sat down, her posture a little uneasy. She then carefully, almost reverently, opened the bento box in her hand.
Inside the bento box, several exquisite, perfect-looking desserts were neatly arranged.
There were crystal-clear Mizu Shingen Mochi, like solid drops of water. There were adorably shaped, pink Sakura Yokan. And, in the center, several perfectly square, vibrant slices of matcha cake.
[Inorin's Note: Mizu Shingen Mochi (Raindrop Cake) is a delicate, clear jelly-like dessert. Sakura Yokan is a sweet, jellied dessert made of red bean paste, agar, and sugar, flavored with cherry blossoms.]
"Wow! So beautiful!" Naruto couldn't help but exclaim, his stomach magically finding more room.
"Is this... something you made yourself, Kurenai-sensei?" Hinata asked, a little disbelievingly. They looked like they came from the most expensive shop in Konoha.
"Mm..." Kurenai's voice was as soft as a mosquito's hum as she nodded.
Uchiha Akira picked up a piece of the Mizu Shingen Mochi with a small wooden pick.
He put it into his mouth.
The cool, smooth texture instantly melted on his tongue. It carried a hint of salty-sweet cherry blossom and a clear, delicate syrup flavor. It was sweet, but not cloying. It was perfect.
"It's delicious," Uchiha Akira praised sincerely. "Truly."
Upon receiving Akira's compliment, a radiant, relieved smile broke out on Kurenai's face.
All her hard work, all her stress, all her secret practice these past few days... it had finally paid off.
To learn how to make these pastries, she had, in secret, consulted a professional pastry chef for a long time and had tried making them over and over, failing several times at home.
This was her counter-move. Her own, quiet, proactive attack.
Kurenai Yūhi gathered all her courage. She looked up, and her dewy, crimson-red eyes met Akira's purple Rinnegan directly.
"Akira," she said, her voice soft but clear. "I'm glad you like it."
For the first time, in this private, domestic setting, she did not call Uchiha Akira "Hokage-sama" or "Akira-sama."
She directly used his name.
A subtle, ambiguous, and incredibly thick atmosphere seemed to permeate the air.
Even Naruto, who was as oblivious as a block of wood when it came to romance, sensed that... something was amiss. The air felt... weird.
He looked at Kurenai, then at his teacher, then back at Kurenai, unsure of what to say. He just quieted down.
Uchiha Akira looked at the woman before him. The one who was, in her own, brave, gentle way, expressing her feelings. His heart softened.
Kurenai's gentleness, and the tender, fierce affection hidden just beneath her strong Jōnin exterior, held a fatal, undeniable attraction for any man.
Just as the atmosphere became somewhat delicate, just as Akira was about to respond...
"YO! What good stuff are you eating in here?! You didn't even call me!"
A boisterous, loud, and slightly tipsy voice suddenly came from the doorway, shattering the silence like a thrown boulder.
Accompanying the voice, a blonde figure strode in, not even waiting for an invitation.
It was Tsunade.
Behind her followed a very tired, very helpless Shizune, who was holding a small pig, Tonton, in her arms.
"Lady Tsunade, please, this is the Hokage's private residence...!" Shizune hissed.
"Hah? He's my colleague! And my student's student! I can go where I want!"
Tsunade's appearance, loud and alcohol-flushed, instantly shattered the ambiguous, gentle atmosphere that had just begun to brew in the room.
Naruto, however, immediately jumped up from his chair when he saw her.
"Granny Tsunade! How come you're here?"
Bang!
Tsunade unceremoniously, and with practiced ease, smacked Naruto on the head, a large lump instantly forming.
"Mind your manners, brat! Call me Lady Tsunade!"
"Ouch!" Naruto clutched his head, squatting down with teary eyes.
Tsunade snorted, then turned her gaze to the dining table.
Her eyes scanned the remnants of the barbecue... then landed on the exquisite, open bento box of desserts.
And then... she saw Kurenai Yūhi, sitting very close to Uchiha Akira.
Her eyebrow subtly twitched.
"Oh? Isn't this Jōnin Yūhi?" Tsunade said, her voice dripping with a new, sharp sarcasm.
"So late at night... coming to the Hokage-sama's house... is there some urgent mission to report?"
Tsunade's words were a direct challenge. A glint of scrutiny, and an undisguised challenge, flickered in her amber, slightly drunken eyes.
Kurenai Yūhi, her face flushing, stood up. She did not falter. She bowed to Tsunade with dignity and grace.
"Lady Tsunade. I merely... made some desserts and brought them for Hokage-sama to taste."
Although she had a gentle, non-confrontational nature, Kurenai was not going to back down in this matter.
"Desserts?"
Tsunade walked to the table. She picked up a slice of the matcha cake—the one Akira had not yet tried—and, without even looking at it, directly popped it into her mouth.
She chewed a few times, her expression thoughtful.
Then, in a very professional, gourmet-like tone, she commented:
"Hmm... the matcha flavor is certainly there. It's potent."
"Unfortunately," she continued, "the cream is a bit over-whipped. You can see the graininess. It makes the texture slightly greasy."
She took another, smaller bite. "And the cake base... it lacks sufficient moisture. It's a bit dry to eat. The ratio is off."
Tsunade looked at Kurenai, a dismissive, almost pitying smile on her face.
"Overall, it's... barely edible. As an amateur's work, I suppose it's... passable."
These words were extremely harsh. They were clinically, brutally unforgiving.
Shizune, standing nearby, broke out in a cold sweat. She was frantically, desperately winking at Tsunade.
Lady Tsunade! Please! Stop talking!
Kurenai YYūhi's face, which had been glowing with pride, instantly turned pale, then flushed with unpleasant, angry color.
Her carefully made desserts... the ones she had spent days perfecting... the ones Uchiha Akira had just praised... were utterly, and publicly, disparaged by Tsunade.
A surge of grievance and indignation welled up in her heart. She felt her eyes begin to sting.
Uchiha Akira saw all of this. He saw Kurenai's crestfallen face. He saw Tsunade's smug, challenging smirk.
He picked up the last, similar slice of matcha cake. He took a bite, chewing it slowly as Kurenai watched, her breath held.
"Is that so?" Akira said, swallowing.
He looked at Tsunade, his purple Rinnegan completely unreadable.
"I think it's just right."
"Sweet, but not cloying. The texture is firm, not dry."
He took another bite, then a sip of his tea. "And paired with barley tea, it perfectly cuts through the richness of the grilled meat we just had. It's an excellent balance."
Akira turned his gaze from Tsunade, and looked directly, and gently, at Kurenai.
"Kurenai," he said, his voice clear and final. "Your culinary skills are better than any pastry chef in Konoha."
Uchiha Akira's words were not just praise. They were a declaration.
They were an undeniable affirmation and a direct support of Kurenai.
Kurenai Yūhi's eyes, which had been filling with tears, now glowed anew.
She looked at Uchiha Akira gratefully. Then, she straightened her back and met Tsunade's shocked, furious gaze, her own chin held high.
[Inorin's Note:
Enjoying the story? Dropping a quick review, comment, or Power Stone means the world to me and keeps these daily updates flowing!
Want to read 50 chapters ahead or just want to help keep a shameless translator alive? (My livelihood actually depends on this, haha 😭). You can support me directly here:
(P.S. Just remove the brackets and replace the [.] with a regular dot . to use the links!)
✨ Patreon (50 Advanced Chapters): patreon[.]com/InorinTL
☕ Ko-fi (Support / Sponsor): ko-fi[.]com/InorinTL
Thank you so much for reading and keeping this project alive!]