The first thing that caught Okamoto Dousuke's eye was a pair of exquisitely shaped legs. Another inch of thickness would make them appear less defined, while another inch of slender length would only enhance their elegance. Their straight and graceful form made them seem even more delicate.
The warm rays of the setting sun bathed her fair legs in a soft glow. The hem of her skirt barely reached mid-thigh, the short fabric adding a hint of color to her pale skin.
Her white and tender little feet, encased in soft slippers, moved lightly around the kitchen, her movements radiating a carefree joy.
Looking up, a familiar face came into view.
"Sister Ritsu, why are you here?" Okamoto Dousuke exclaimed in surprise.
"Oh, you're back!" Hearing his voice, Hyuga Ritsu adjusted her apron and turned to face Okamoto Dousuke, who was standing in the kitchen doorway.
"Didn't I tell you last time that I would come and cook for you whenever I had some free time?" Hyuga Ritsu lifted the lid of a pot with her left hand, picked up a spoon with her right, and took a small sip of the simmering stew.
"Yes, you did mention that. What I'm curious about is how you got in," Okamoto Dousuke asked, watching Hyuga Ritsu as she continued to cook.
"How did I get in? That's easy!"
"I knocked on your door when I arrived, but no one answered. I glanced around with my Byakugan and saw that you weren't home."
"I figured, since I was already here, I might as well wait for you inside. I used my Byakugan's enhanced vision to peek inside and then picked the lock with this wire." Setting the pot lid down, Hyuga Ritsu produced a thin piece of wire from the folds of her skirt.
Okamoto Dousuke blinked, momentarily speechless. ....(⊙o⊙)…
Watching Hyuga Ritsu casually describe her actions, Okamoto Dousuke truly hadn't expected that the Byakugan could be utilized for such mundane tasks like sneaking into houses and picking locks.
"Dousuke, go and rest. The meal will be ready very soon," Hyuga Ritsu said, waving him away before turning back to her cooking.
Looking at Hyuga Ritsu, who was still busily working at the stove, Okamoto Dousuke stepped into the kitchen, intending to help.
But he was gently pushed back out by Hyuga Ritsu. "There, it's practically finished. Just wait a little longer."
Okamoto Dousuke obliged, waiting outside the kitchen.
After a short while, Hyuga Ritsu's voice called out from the kitchen, "Dousuke, the food is ready! Come and help me serve it."
One exquisite dish after another was brought to the table by Okamoto Dousuke and Hyuga Ritsu.
"Let's eat!" they both exclaimed simultaneously, their eyes wide at the sight of the sumptuous meal spread before them.
"Is the food okay this time?" Hyuga Ritsu asked, a hint of nervousness in her voice.
"Mm, it's delicious, Sister Ritsu! Whoever marries you in the future will be incredibly lucky," Okamoto Dousuke said with his mouth full of rice, giving Hyuga Ritsu a thumbs-up of approval.
Hyuga Ritsu's cooking was truly exceptional.
"Then I'll come over and cook for you again tomorrow," Hyuga Ritsu said, her eyes narrowing into happy crescents as she watched Okamoto Dousuke devour the food with gusto.
"Well, there's no need for tomorrow, Sister Ritsu. I'll be going out with Lord Jiraiya tomorrow," Okamoto Dousuke said, placing his empty bowl and chopsticks on the table as Hyuga Ritsu sipped her soup.
"Oh, I see. Then… I'll wait for you to come back," Hyuga Ritsu replied, her rosy little lips curving downward slightly, a hint of disappointment clouding her expression.
Looking at Hyuga Ritsu's reaction, Okamoto Dousuke couldn't help but recall their first meeting at the village entrance. Back then, Hyuga Ritsu had projected an almost heroic aura.
But after sharing the life-or-death experience of their recent reconnaissance mission, he found Sister Ritsu to be inexplicably endearing.
"What are you laughing at?" Hyuga Ritsu asked, noticing the amusement in Okamoto Dousuke's eyes. Feeling slightly teased, she subtly bared her two small canine teeth.
"No, I just suddenly thought you looked so cute, Ritsu," Okamoto Dousuke said, reaching out and gently patting the top of her head.
Bang! With a swift slap, her hand shot up and knocked his away.
"You little brat!" Hyuga Ritsu's face flushed a deep red.
Okamoto Dousuke simply smiled, rubbing his slightly stinging palm, and remained silent.
After they finished dinner and cleaned up, Okamoto Dousuke and Hyuga Ritsu walked outside together.
"You can go back now. No need to see me off. Just pack your things and go to bed early," Hyuga Ritsu said, looking at Okamoto Dousuke, who had intended to walk her home.
"Then… walk carefully, Sister Ritsu." Seeing that she preferred to walk alone, Okamoto Dousuke turned and headed back towards his house.
Hyuga Ritsu watched Okamoto Dousuke turn and walk away, her eyes widening slightly. What an idiot!
Turning around, Hyuga Ritsu started walking towards her own home. The rhythmic clack of her wooden sandals against the stone pavement echoed in the quiet evening air.
The next morning, Okamoto Dousuke was waiting patiently at the village entrance.
Besides the essential ninja tools secured in his ninja tool pouch, he had also brought a storage scroll to use during his training with Jiraiya. Inside his travel pack were various changes of clothes.
Time ticked by, each minute feeling like an eternity.
Okamoto Dousuke's initial high spirits gradually waned, transforming into a listless slump as he moved from standing to sitting on a stone bench by the village gates.
The morning sun climbed higher and higher, slowly making its way directly overhead.
Okamoto Dousuke rested his head against his backpack, now lying on the stone bench, squinting against the harsh midday sunlight. He occasionally turned his head to glance down the path leading into the village.
"Honestly, Jiraiya is so incredibly unreliable. What time is it already?" After muttering a few complaints under his breath, Okamoto Dousuke's stomach let out a loud rumble of protest.
Just as Okamoto Dousuke was debating whether to grab a quick bite to eat before continuing to wait for Jiraiya, a tantalizing aroma drifted towards him on the gentle breeze. Okamoto Dousuke opened his eyes, following the scent until a pair of familiar two-toothed wooden sandals came into view.
Looking up, he saw Jiraiya, his spiky white hair swaying slightly, holding a steaming bowl of ramen. The words "Ichiraku Ramen" emblazoned on the side of the bowl clearly indicated the origin of this much-anticipated meal.
"Dousuke, you must be starving! I happened to meet someone who had lost her way on my journey here this morning. My strong sense of justice wouldn't allow me to simply stand by and watch her perish, so I ended up being a little late because I was assisting her."
Looking at Okamoto Dousuke, who was lying on the stone bench with a decidedly unimpressed expression, Jiraiya offered an awkward smile.
"Oh, Master Jiraiya, I'm sure the person who fell into the wine jar was in dire need of your help. You probably had to sample all the wine before you could properly rescue her," Okamoto Dousuke retorted, easily detecting the pungent scent of alcohol and a cloying perfume emanating from Jiraiya, even from two meters away.
"Hey, kid, how can you have so little faith in your elders? Look, I even brought you lunch, specially!" Jiraiya held up the bowl of ramen with a flourish.
"Eat up quickly!" He placed the ramen directly in front of Okamoto Dousuke.
His stomach growling fiercely, Okamoto Dousuke looked at the luxurious ramen, complete with sliced eggs and fish cake, his mouth watering involuntarily.
Slurrp!.. Sluuurp!!..
Jiraiya watched Okamoto Dousuke as he finished the last strand of ramen and lay back down on the stone bench, a satisfied sigh escaping his lips. "Dousuke, how was it? Delicious, right?"
"Yeah, it was delicious. When you're this hungry, anything tastes good, especially Ichiraku Ramen."
"Alright, now that you're done eating, why don't you take care of the bill?" Jiraiya said, rubbing his thumb and forefinger together expectantly.
Okamoto Dousuke stared at him, momentarily confused. "Master Jiraiya, are you saying… you didn't pay for this bowl of noodles???"
"Haha! I just brought you the ramen, I didn't say anything about covering the cost!" Jiraiya chuckled, scratching the back of his head with an awkward grin.
"Hurry up and pay, kid! You didn't actually think you could get a free meal, did you?" Jiraiya urged Okamoto Dousuke, who was still reeling from the unexpected request.