Chapter 709: Affection
Chapter 709: Affection
"Good morning," Kakashi replied, glancing at Kaito.
Kaito reluctantly greeted Kakashi, not wanting to appear rude in front of Haruno Rin.
After the brief exchange, Kakashi didn't linger and left, surprising Kaito.
Akane and the others also took the opportunity to slip away.
Contrary to Kaito's expectations, Haruno Rin didn't invite Kakashi to join them.
Seeing Kakashi and the others leave, Kaito and Haruno Rin continued walking towards the flower shop.
"That's it?" Kaito was both surprised and delighted.
If Kakashi had joined them, there would have been no chance for Kaito to get closer to Haruno Rin today, as dealing with Kakashi would have taken up most of his attention.
"Rin..."
Kaito wanted to ask Haruno Rin why she didn't invite Kakashi, but he suddenly closed his mouth.
"What's wrong, Kaito?" Haruno Rin tilted her head curiously.
"I wanted to ask you something, but I forgot what it was when I tried to say it," Kaito said, scratching his head awkwardly.
Kaito was concerned that Haruno Rin had forgotten, and his reminder made her remember.
They had just parted ways with Kakashi, and at a ninja's pace, they could catch up to him within seconds.
"Is it something important?"
"Well, I don't think so," Kaito replied, thinking that even if Kakashi joined, it wouldn't be that important.
After all, the worst-case scenario would be wasting a day, and both Kaito and Haruno Rin were still young, only thirteen years old. Kaito had plenty of time to build a connection with her.
"That's true. Even Kaito wouldn't be so absent-minded as to forget something important the moment he turned around," Haruno Rin said with a smile.
"Of course."
As they walked and chatted, just as they were about to enter the street where the Yamanaka Flower Shop was located, they heard a hawker's voice.
"Tempura, freshly fried tempura!"
"Rin, do you want some tempura?" Kaito asked, looking at Haruno Rin.
Following the hawker's voice, they spotted a tempura stand.
As if noticing Haruno Rin's gaze, the middle-aged vendor wanted to showcase his skills. He picked up a prepared shrimp, coated it with egg batter, and carefully dropped it into the hot oil, causing a few drops to splatter.
It seemed that some oil had splashed onto his hand, and the middle-aged vendor's expression twisted in pain.
Haruno Rin: ...
This vendor seemed like an inexperienced novice, even worse than her.
"Kaito, why don't we finish at the flower shop first and then go somewhere else to eat?" Haruno Rin suggested.
Although street food wasn't expensive, this vendor didn't seem reliable, and the tempura might not taste good.
"Let's try this one. It's been a while since I had tempura, and I'm a bit hungry," Kaito insisted.
"Kaito, look carefully. This vendor seems like a novice, and the tempura might not be good," Haruno Rin said, assuming Kaito hadn't noticed.
"Really? I think it's worth a try. After all, it won't cost much, and who knows, it might be one of those ugly-looking but delicious treats," Kaito persisted.
Hearing this, Haruno Rin didn't persuade him further.
Kaito did have a point; it wouldn't cost much, and the worst-case scenario wouldn't result in a significant loss.
So, they approached the tempura stand together, and Kaito spoke up, "Give me a portion of tempura."
The middle-aged vendor nodded and then said solemnly, "Congratulations! You are our 10,000th customer and will receive a free mystery reward."
Haruno Rin looked at the vendor skeptically and examined the stand more closely.
10,000 customers? She didn't think this vendor looked like someone who had been in business for long.
"What great luck! Today must be my lucky day. What's the reward?" Kaito asked excitedly.
This was the reason he insisted on buying tempura; the vendor was actually Koushi Tetsu in disguise.
To eliminate excess time and ensure that Kaito and Haruno Rin finished at the flower shop just in time for lunch, Koushi Tetsu and Shiniguki Kumo had planned more than one "surprise."
"Secret Room Escape Duo!" Koushi Tetsu answered.
"It's the latest game designed to effectively train a ninja's observation skills. If it weren't for the 10,000th customer milestone, I wouldn't have spent the money on this."
Koushi Tetsu winced as he explained.
"Is there still a place in Konoha for this kind of game?"
Rin Haruno felt increasingly puzzled. She wasn't sure if it was psychological, but she found herself perceiving Kaito as somewhat odd.
"I'm not sure. Perhaps it's a new variety. After all, the village's economy has flourished since the war ended," Kaito offered an explanation.
As they spoke, Koushi Tetsu began his job—frying tempura.
In Rin's reluctant gaze, he deep-fried a fresh shrimp until it turned black.
Rin was now certain that he was a complete novice at frying tempura, and no matter what, it wouldn't taste good.
"Could he be a spy from another village?" Rin's heart grew cautious.
If the stall owner was a spy, everything would make sense.
Kaito was a renowned Uchiha genius in the current Ninja World, a target for many hidden villages to eliminate.
Even if they couldn't eliminate him, obtaining critical information about Kaito would be a valuable asset for villages that considered Konoha a potential enemy.
"Then may I ask where this secret room escape game is located?" Rin feigned curiosity and asked in return.
Although she had discovered the middle-aged stall owner's secret, Rin didn't panic.
After all, she was a capable Jonin from Konoha, and Kaito was a formidable fighter whose strength surpassed that of a typical Jonin. A spy wouldn't stand a chance against them.
Moreover, Kaito currently possessed the Rasengan technique, allowing him to retreat and call for support at the first sign of trouble, even if the spy was exceptionally skilled.
"Go straight for about 500 meters, then turn left for 200 meters, and..." Koushi Tetsu thoughtfully took out a small map to guide Rin.
Of course, they didn't have the money to open a secret room escape game store; even this tempura stall was rented.
However, they had their ways of dealing with the lack of funds.
If they couldn't afford a real store, they could use the ninja's exceptional skills to build a simple hut in a small forest, then decorate it casually.
After all, they didn't intend to operate a real business; it was solely for Kaito's dating purposes.
"He's definitely a spy," Rin concluded in her mind.
She was very familiar with Konoha, and she remembered that the area the middle-aged stall owner had mentioned was a small forest. It was impossible for a secret room escape game store to be there.
"Kaito, please wait here for a moment. I think I saw a friend, and I'll go say hello." Rin calmly spoke to Kaito.
"Sure, go ahead, Rin." Kaito didn't think much of it and nodded.
Rin quickly left and returned to the tempura stall after about a minute and a half.
"Rin, who did you see? Was it Shizune?" Kaito casually asked.
"Yes, she's helping Tsunade-sama with some daily necessities," Rin replied after a moment's thought.
Then, she turned to the middle-aged stall owner and said, "Please give me three portions of tempura. Thank you."
Koushi Tetsu was delighted. He not only had the talent for cooking but also for running a stall. Rin hadn't even tasted it, but she wanted to buy three portions right away.
"Rin, are you that hungry? Buying three portions at once," Kaito said, surprised.
Earlier, Rin had stopped him from buying, saying it might not taste good. Yet, in an instant, she had purchased three portions herself.
"Rin, why don't you buy less? Let's try one portion first."
This time, it was Kaito's turn to persuade Rin. He had only come to buy because it was part of the plan.
Before Koushi Tetsu started frying, Kaito couldn't be sure of his skills.
But when he saw that Koushi Tetsu had burned the tempura, he knew it wouldn't be good.
Koushi Tetsu was a bit unhappy. Even Captain Kaito couldn't deny his talent.
"It's okay. Didn't you say that the appearance doesn't determine the taste, Kaito?" Rin smiled and handed the money to the middle-aged stall owner.
Kaito wanted to say something but stopped himself.
"Let's go to a better restaurant for lunch," Kaito thought guiltily.
"Three portions, right? I'll make them right away."
Koushi Tetsu happily took the money and started frying the tempura.
"Why don't we just set up the stall here today, sell all the ingredients, and make a profit after deducting the rent?" Koushi Tetsu thought to himself.
Rin's purchase of three portions gave Koushi Tetsu a boost of confidence.
To thank Rin for her approval, Koushi Tetsu carefully fried each portion of tempura, striving to make them the best.
"Kaito."
Just as Koushi Tetsu was about to finish frying the three portions of tempura, a voice that Kaito vaguely recognized sounded.
Kaito turned to see the Uchiha Police Force Jonin who had previously asked him about leading a team, with two unfamiliar Uchiha ninjas behind him.
Action: "The spy is him!"
Haruno Rin, who was standing in front of the tempura stall, suddenly shouted.
As soon as she finished shouting, the Haruno Rin at the stall instantly turned into smoke and dissipated, while another Haruno Rin leaped down from the roof of a nearby building.
The original Haruno Rin had just gone to find members of the Uchiha Police Force, and the one who had approached Deidara was merely a Shadow Clone.
"A spy?!" Koushi Tetsu was startled and instinctively took a step back.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Several members of the Uchiha Police Force swiftly flashed towards Koushi Tetsu, launching an attack.
Koushi Tetsu was dumbfounded. Why were they all rushing towards him when there was no one else around?
It couldn't be that he was the spy, could it? Just because his tempura wasn't good enough? But it should have been decent, otherwise, why would Haruno Rin have bought three portions?
For a moment, Deidara didn't know what was happening either.
Of course, although he didn't know what the problem was, Deidara still acted quickly and rescued Koushi Tetsu.
"Deidara, don't be fooled by this guy. He's an undercover agent," Haruno Rin quickly shouted.
Deidara and Koushi Tetsu: ...
What was going on here?
In the end, Koushi Tetsu, having released his Transformation Jutsu, sincerely clasped his hands together and apologized to the Uchiha Jonin, assuring them that he wouldn't randomly set up stalls again.
Koushi Tetsu was genuinely honest now, realizing that if his tempura wasn't good enough, he could be mistaken for a spy.
As Deidara's captain, he couldn't help but feel embarrassed and repeatedly explained and assured the Uchiha Ninja on Koushi Tetsu's behalf.
Out of respect for Deidara, the Uchiha Ninja didn't make a big deal out of it. They said a few words and then left.
"Captain Deidara, I'm sorry," Koushi Tetsu suddenly apologized, his mind flashing with an idea. He then frantically winked at Deidara.
He could take all the blame himself, allowing Deidara to continue his date with Haruno Rin.
Deidara understood, and comfortingly replied, "It's okay. It's understandable for the young to want to experience new things. Just don't go down the wrong path of false advertising."
Seeing Deidara's attempt to act mature, Haruno Rin couldn't help but find it amusing, and a giggle escaped her lips.
The heavy burden in Deidara's heart instantly lifted, and he thought to himself, 'That was close. I almost messed up.'
Noticing Haruno Rin's change in expression, she quickly composed herself and stared at Deidara and Koushi Tetsu with a serious face.
She wasn't stupid. First, it was "role-playing," and now it was "winning the lottery." There was definitely something suspicious going on.
Deidara lowered his head in embarrassment.
Koushi Tetsu's face turned red with shame. Because of his mistake, Deidara and Haruno Rin's date had been ruined.
"Are we not going to the flower shop?"
Just as Deidara thought their day was over, what came next wasn't Haruno Rin's scolding but a calm question.
Deidara looked up and saw that Haruno Rin had walked a few meters away and was standing there, looking at him.
As for the serious expression on her face, it seemed to have been blown away by the spring breeze, leaving only the warm smile that Deidara was so familiar with.
"Let's go," Deidara quickly agreed.
"Then hurry up and don't just stand there with your head down. We won't get there like that."
Deidara patted Koushi Tetsu's shoulder, thanked him, and then ran to catch up with Haruno Rin.
"Rin, you're not mad?"
"Why would I be mad?"
In that moment, Deidara felt like he understood why he liked Haruno Rin.
Then, Deidara used his walkie-talkie to contact Akane and the others, informing them that the plan was canceled and they didn't need to take any further action.
Deidara realized that if Haruno Rin truly didn't like him, no matter what he did, it would be futile.
It was better to just continue as they had before, after all, they still had plenty of time.
For the rest of the day, Deidara accompanied Haruno Rin as they finished shopping at the flower shop.
Then, Haruno Rin took Deidara to buy some snacks, strolled through the park, and chose a nearby restaurant for lunch.
After lunch, Deidara sent Haruno Rin home.
"Sorry for today, Rin," Deidara said as they reached the streets near Haruno Rin's home.
"I told you I'm not mad. I actually had a great time today," Haruno Rin said, slightly puffing out her cheeks, seemingly upset by Deidara's misunderstanding.
"I'm sorry, I..." Deidara apologized again, not knowing what else to say.
Haruno Rin covered her mouth and giggled. "So, I had a great time today."
After saying this, Haruno Rin turned and headed home.
Leaving Deidara standing there, stunned.
(End of Chapter)
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