Naruto: Tsunade's Brother

Chapter 215: First Meeting

Jiraiya gazed at Konoha's newly rebuilt gates and let out a long breath, then shouted with gusto, "Grilled meat! Fine wine! I am back!"

Tsunade crossed her arms over her chest and said, "Jiraiya, you've been going on and on the whole way about someone named Arima. Is the grilled meat he makes really that good?"

Jiraiya shot a glance at her ample figure and couldn't help swallowing.

To keep Tsunade from noticing his lapse, Jiraiya put on an air of disdain and said, "Didn't you already taste his wine? You even drank my share clean! And now you've got the nerve to question him?"

Tsunade bit her thumbnail, then finally made up her mind and said, "Alright! First we'll eat grilled meat and drink good wine, then we'll head to the casino and clean house!"

Naruto immediately protested, "Pervy Sage, I still need to learn ninjutsu! After we eat, can you train with me?"

Jiraiya turned around and chopped Naruto on the head, scolding him, "I've already taught you such powerful techniques, and you haven't even fully mastered them yet!"

Naruto was just about to argue back when his stomach, at the worst possible moment, let out a loud growl.

He patted his deflated belly and said, "Pervy Sage, I'm hungry!"

Jiraiya rubbed Naruto's head and said excitedly, "Alright! Let's go eat grilled meat!"

"Grilled meat! Grilled meat!" Naruto echoed immediately.

And so, the very first thing the group of four did upon returning to Konoha was head straight for Arima's small barbecue shop.

…

Arima's shop had already closed for the day, and he was just about to shut the doors when a shout rang out from afar, "Boss! Wait, wait!"

He was far too familiar with that voice, if it wasn't Jiraiya, then who else could it be?

Arima looked up, about to say something, but the words caught in his throat.

In the glow of the setting sun, the figure of a golden-haired beauty entered his field of vision.

As he looked at her, he felt an overwhelming sense of familiarity, yet at the same time, an equally overwhelming sense of strangeness.

Tsunade had noticed Arima long ago. But the instant their eyes met, she saw something in his gaze that felt eerily familiar, more intense than Dan, deeper than Jiraiya.

Her heart immediately began to pound like a startled deer, and her face flushed uncontrollably.

'What's wrong with me? Why do I feel this way?! Did I fall under a genjutsu? No, I didn't…

Then could it be love at first sight? Impossible. I'm already so old, how could I fall for a young man in his twenties?'

Yet Tsunade knew those were nothing more than excuses. She simply didn't want to admit that she could fall in love with another man at first sight.

As they drew closer, Arima forcibly reined in his emotions and welcomed them into the shop.

In the kitchen, Arima carefully prepared the dishes, this time, all of them were his wife's favorites.

He didn't know whether this world's Tsunade would have different tastes, he could only do his best.

Soon, Arima brought out a large table full of delicious food and even set out his treasured fine wine.

Jiraiya asked curiously, "Boss, isn't this a barbecue place? Why the change in style today? Is this tender chicken really any good? I even brought you new customers!"

Arima deliberately glanced at Tsunade and smiled. "You won't be disappointed."

That single glance made Tsunade's heart beat even faster. She could tell that Arima seemed to understand her tastes extremely well.

She gently picked up a piece of chicken and put it into her mouth.

The flavor crashed violently against her taste buds. For a brief moment, Tsunade felt like crying, this taste was exactly the same as the food her grandmother used to make.

She continued sampling the other dishes, and without exception, every one of them carried the same flavor her grandmother used to cook.

To Tsunade, this was the long-lost taste of home. For someone who had wandered the shinobi world for so many years, this was exactly what she needed most.

Forcing back the tears, Tsunade raised her thumb and said, "Arima, your cooking is amazing. It's just like my grandmother's. Thank you."

Arima smiled and thought to himself, 'You silly girl, this is all what Grandma taught me. Of course it tastes the same.'

Out loud, he said to Tsunade, "I'm six years older than you. You can call me Arima-ni."

At those words, Tsunade's pretty face flushed bright red in an instant.

She hurriedly downed the wine in front of her and said again and again, "Great wine, really great wine. I've only had a few cups, and I'm already a little drunk!"

Arima watched her performance with amusement. In his heart, he compared the Tsunade of the two worlds, there really wasn't much difference in their personalities.

Hearing Tsunade's comment, Jiraiya took a sip, smacked his lips, and said, "Hmm, it does seem a bit stronger than usual."

Hearing that, the corner of Arima's mouth lifted slightly, then immediately fell back into place.

Jiraiya really was an amusing kid, this wine was no different at all from what he'd secretly drunk before.

Tsunade completely treated herself like a guest. Whatever Arima put into her bowl, she ate. The tacit understanding between the two made Jiraiya sigh in amazement.

"Tsunade, looks like your older brother took really good care of you back then."

Tsunade was in the middle of drinking when she heard that and nearly sprayed wine all over his face. She didn't remember having any older brother!

Yet Arima's earlier behavior made her start to doubt herself.

'Did I really have an older brother? Otherwise, how could he know Grandma's signature dishes?

If he's not my brother, then why does he care so much about me? Because of my looks? My money? …Could it be that he really is my brother? My… Arima-nii?'

Lost in thought, Tsunade actually called out, "Arima-nii."

Even more interesting was that Arima responded naturally, "Yeah? What is it, Tsunade?"

Tsunade hurriedly covered her mouth, afraid she might say something else without thinking.

Inside, she muttered, 'Arima-nii…? Why does it feel so natural to say?'

Arima pushed the charcoal-grilled squid toward her and said gently, "Try this. It's really good."

Very obediently, Tsunade picked up a squid tentacle and savored it carefully. The dish was indeed excellent, and she praised it repeatedly. "It's really delicious!"

Arima then placed a piece of charcoal-grilled chicken into her bowl and said, "Here, try this. Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside."

Tsunade naturally picked up the chicken from her bowl, ready to put it into her mouth.

At that moment, she suddenly noticed Jiraiya and Shizune staring at her with their eyes wide open.

Tsunade asked, "Why aren't you two eating? His cooking is really amazing!"

Jiraiya's chopsticks clattered to the floor, while Shizune knocked over her wine cup in her fluster.

Only then did Tsunade realize that her behavior with Arima had been a bit too intimate. Feeling embarrassed, she lowered her head and focused on her bowl of rice.

What was amusing was that Arima acted as if nothing were wrong, continuing to pick food into Tsunade's bowl with movements that were natural and practiced, as though everything he was doing was only proper.

Tsunade had been about to refuse, but when she saw the indulgent look in Arima's eyes, the words at the tip of her tongue were swallowed back down.

And just like that, Jiraiya and Shizune ended up stuffed with nothing but dog food.

The two of them maintained a silent, unspoken understanding. Anyone present would find it impossible to believe that this was actually the first time Arima and Tsunade had ever met.

After eating and drinking their fill, Tsunade had Jiraiya take Naruto back first. She needed to have a proper talk with Arima.

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