Maruboshi Kosuke led the three children into the Hokage Tower.
People came and went in the first-floor hall. Staff members sat behind the counters, heads lowered as they wrote something, the tips of their pens scratching softly across paper.
Maruboshi Kosuke walked to the window at the very end, took a mission receipt from his robes, and handed it in.
The staff member behind the counter took the slip and glanced at it. "Mr. Kosuke, still a D-rank mission?"
The question sounded perfectly ordinary, but there was a tone of I understand in it. In all his years in Konoha, Maruboshi Kosuke had never taken a mission above C-rank.
"Mm. D-rank." Maruboshi Kosuke nodded.
The staff member said nothing more. He lowered his head, stamped the slip, counted out a few bills from the drawer, and handed them over.
Maruboshi Kosuke took the money, stepped aside, divided it into three portions, and handed them to the three children.
"Uncle, what about yours?"
"I don't get any." Maruboshi Kosuke said with a smile, "I'm only helping you get familiar with the mission process. I didn't really do any work."
Shin-chan took the money and exclaimed, "So much money!"
"The reward for a D-rank mission isn't actually much."
"It's way more than the allowance Mom gives me." Shin-chan held the money up. "Uncle, you're so big-thighed."
Maruboshi Kosuke froze. "What?"
"Big-thighed," Uchiha Toru explained from the side. "It means generous."
Maruboshi Kosuke was silent for a moment. "This money wasn't given by me. It was paid by the client."
"Then the client is so big-thighed."
"Let's go. We'll take another mission." Maruboshi Kosuke shook his head.
The second mission was helping a grocery store move goods.
The owner had received a new batch of merchandise, piled outside the shop entrance, and needed it moved into the warehouse.
The three children worked for more than half an hour, going back and forth many times, and finally moved all the boxes into the warehouse.
"So tired." After Shin-chan moved the last box, he sat directly on the steps and rubbed his belly. His stomach cooperated by letting out a growl.
Maruboshi Kosuke came out of the grocery store, holding the mission receipt. "Let's go back. Once we report the mission, we can leave."
Shin-chan didn't move.
"What is it?" Maruboshi Kosuke asked.
"Uncle." Shin-chan looked up. "I'm hungry."
Maruboshi Kosuke pointed at the iron pot on his back. "Then let's find a place to eat."
"Uncle, you're going to cook?" Shin-chan's eyes immediately lit up. "What are we eating?"
"What do you want to eat?"
"Fried shrimp!" Shin-chan was the first to shout.
Maruboshi Kosuke shook his head. "No shrimp."
"What about steak?"
"No."
"Curry rice?"
"None of that either."
Shin-chan's face fell.
Maruboshi Kosuke found an empty training ground, set up the pot, and took a small cloth pouch from his robes. Inside were all kinds of seasonings.
Shin-chan squatted beside him and watched for a while, then handed over the money he had just received.
Maruboshi Kosuke froze. "What are you doing?"
"Money for groceries," Shin-chan said. "Mom always spends money when she buys groceries. Uncle, you need money to buy ingredients too, right?"
Kakashi was silent for a moment, then also took out his money and placed it beside Shin-chan's stack.
Uchiha Toru looked at the two of them, sighed, and took out his money as well.
Three stacks of money were neatly placed on the stone.
Maruboshi Kosuke looked at those three stacks and was silent for quite a while.
Normally, when genin received money after completing a mission, they kept it for themselves. Who would take it out to treat their teacher to a meal?
Not to mention, this "teacher" was only helping them get familiar with the mission process. He wasn't even their official instructor.
Maruboshi Kosuke sighed and accepted the money. The reward for a D-rank mission wasn't a large amount, but it was more than enough to buy ingredients for one meal.
"Wait here for a while." Maruboshi Kosuke turned and left.
Shin-chan shouted after him, "Uncle, where are you going?"
"To buy groceries."
"Do you want me to go with you?"
"No need. Watch the pot."
About ten minutes later, Maruboshi Kosuke returned, carrying two bulging cloth bags. He placed them on the stone and took the contents out one by one.
Eggs, tofu, shiitake mushrooms, beef...
Shin-chan's eyes followed the ingredients, and his mouth slowly opened.
"Uncle, are you making steak?"
"Not steak. Beef noodles."
"Beef noodles!" Shin-chan's eyes grew even brighter.
Maruboshi Kosuke didn't answer. He cut the vegetables neatly and sliced the tofu into perfect squares.
Shin-chan squatted beside him and watched. "Uncle, were you a cook before?"
"No."
"Then why are you so good at cooking?"
Maruboshi Kosuke's hands paused for a moment, then continued cutting.
"When you live long enough, you learn a little of everything."
The beef was cut into thin slices. When it went into the pan, oil splattered, and the aroma immediately drifted out.
Shin-chan's nose twitched. He leaned forward, only to be stopped by Maruboshi Kosuke.
"Don't get too close. The oil will splatter."
"But it smells so good."
"You still have to wait."
Once the beef was cooked, he took it out and set it aside.
The remaining oil in the pot was used to stir-fry the vegetables. The moment the greens hit the pan, there was a sizzling sound, white steam rose, and the fragrance grew even richer.
After the noodles were cooked, Maruboshi Kosuke scooped them out into four large bowls, each filled with a generous portion.
On top of the noodles, he placed the cooked beef. Beside the beef, he added stir-fried vegetables and several pieces of fried tofu. Finally, he poured a spoonful of sauce over everything.
Then he added a fried egg to each bowl. The yolks were half-cooked and trembled softly.
"Eat."
Shin-chan was the first to rush over. He picked up a piece of beef and stuffed it into his mouth.
"Uncle."
"Mm?"
"You're like Kakashi."
Maruboshi Kosuke froze.
"You both cook better than Mom." After Shin-chan finished speaking, he grabbed a big mouthful of noodles and kept slurping.
The wind blew across the training ground, carrying the smell of grass and earth, as well as the aroma of beef and sauce.
After Kakashi finished eating, he placed his bowl on the stone and looked at Maruboshi Kosuke.
"Teacher, when you used to go on missions, did you cook for yourself too?"
"Sometimes."
"In the wild?"
"Mm." Maruboshi Kosuke nodded. "You make do with whatever you have."
Kakashi nodded and asked nothing more.
Shin-chan rubbed his round belly and burped.
"Uncle, can we eat this every day from now on?"
"You wish."
"Then every other day?"
Maruboshi Kosuke looked at the three bowls. All three had been eaten completely clean, without even any soup left behind.
"I don't have that much money."
"Then I'll give you all my money from now on."
"No need." Maruboshi Kosuke shook his head. "You should save it yourself."
"Save it for what?"
"To buy things you want."
Shin-chan thought about it. "I want chocolate sticks."
Maruboshi Kosuke shook his head, put away the pot, and carried it on his back again.
"Let's go."
"Where?"
"The Hokage Tower," Maruboshi Kosuke said. "To turn in the mission slip and receive a new mission."
~~~
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