Chapter 13 – The Innocent Gathering

Knock! Knock! Knock!

"Well, are you gonna go open the door?" Naruto asked, looking at Raito, who was standing in front of the door.

"We never had girls in our game." Raito sighed then unlocked the seals. "It's not…"

Knock! Knock! Knock!

"Aye, let me do it." Naruto pushed Raito and opened the door.

Raito snorted before leaving for kitchen. Chōji was busy with the prep work on one side. When Raito entered the kitchen, Chōji narrowed his eyes and grabbed the huge paper bag beside him.

"What?" Raito rolled his eyes and walked to his side. "I already know what that is."

"Hmph," Chōji went back to focus on his work.

Turning the heat to minimum, Raito closed the lid and clamped the pot shut.

Taking out cabbage, tofu and green onions, Raito started washing and cleaning.

Shikamaru leaned against the door frame and continued watching the two while sipping on his tea. "I am getting full just by watching you two."

"Knead, knead, knead." Chōji finished his work then started working on the dumpling sheets.

Ino walked herself in, whereas Hinata gave a small bow before walking in. Upon entering the room, Ino plopped directly on the sofa. Lightly bruised areas could be seen, showing that Ino was still practicing hard just a while back.

"Ino, Hinata, you two came," Naruto said happily, grateful for more company. "It's really great."

"Yeah, that's great," Raito responded in a monotone voice from the kitchen.

"Don't listen to that stupid guy." Naruto rolled his eyes and turned around.

Ino looked surprised as she glanced over at Naruto and said, "I didn't know Naruto could be so gentlemanly. It's quite a shock."

Smiling brightly, Naruto brought out a plate full of sweets, "Here, have some biscuits while the tea is being made."

Shikamaru finished his tea and started, "My old man told me that Ino, Shika and Cho team is being formed this year."

"Great," Raito said plainly, rumbling the tofu.

"Also… you, Naruto and Hinata are on a team."

Raito paused and thought for a while, "Hinata? She is on the team too?"

Raito groaned, "How troublesome. So troublesome. Damn, troublesome." He used a little bit too much force.

'It's definitely that old man and that Hyūga clan's doing.' Raito mumbled, thinking about the reputation points.

"It's definitely due to your encouragement." Shikamaru added with delight.

"Me and my stupid mouth." 'And, of course, the quest,' Raito sighed but then continued. "I should have done it where no one could see."

"Don't go dark here." Shikamaru chuckled as Naruto walked in and took away the teapot.

Shikamaru let the two alone and walked out to see Ino enjoying Naruto's services. He sat opposite and grabbed some cards.

"It's usually about food challenges, enjoying the day and goofing around but today Raito said there was something extra."

"We are going to that place." Naruto quickly added and looked at the three of them.

"That place?" Ino looked Naruto for more information.

Naruto paused for a while before answering. "It's a place for training."

"To train?" Ino's face fell as she leaned onto Hinata. "Boring."

"So, where is this place, Naruto?" Shikamaru asked. He did ask Raito, but he didn't give him any information. Being from the ninja family and not knowing a place, where the people of his same age could find, made Shikamaru extremely curious.

Naruto made a thinker pose and said. "It's hard to explain. It's like it's here but not exactly here." It wasn't like Naruto didn't know how to explain but his vocabulary was a bit too small/ limited/ pitiful /lackluster.

Shikamaru could feel his face twitching as he sighed and leaned back. Naruto's answer did not give him any clue.

"That's stupid," Raito's said from the kitchen.

"I will take you there after eating." Raito walked out to the living room, bringing a bit of everything. There were meat buns, cinnamon rolls, and twisted plain breads.

Shikamaru looked at Raito for a while before grabbing on the meat bun.

Ino also looked at Raito with a frown. However, upon seeing Shikamaru, she said nothing, opting for the meat buns.

"After you eat, sharpen your weapons, because we are going to need them." Raito quickly added before disappearing.

"So, wherever we are going, we need us to be on full strength and weapons are a must." Ino ate another piece before looking at Shikamaru.

"We may need to kill something… or someone?" Shikamaru concluded, looking at Naruto, who nodded with his head like a chicken picking grains.

"Kill? Are you serious?" Ino frowned, glaring at Naruto and Shikamaru.

Ino turned around to look at Hinata, sitting beside her and said, "Let's go, Hinata."

Hinata sat with a cinnamon bun on her hand and a happy smile on her face. When she heard about leaving, Hinata hurriedly shook her head.

"Huh? You too?" Ino frowned harder and she was about to walk, Shikamaru gave her a signal.

Hinata grabbed Ino's sleeve and pulled. "My father has also told me to be here for the day."

"I hate clan orders." Ino mumbled before sitting down. "Why do we have to be here?"

'Hinata's dad, your dad and my dad knows about something… and I don't.' Shikamaru grabbed a cup before sighing. "It's always so troublesome."

"What?" Ino raised her brows.

"Nothing," Shikamaru ignored Ino's glare then walked towards the backyard.

"I don't like this." Raito walked out with a cup.

"…" Shikamaru sighed.

"It's not the same." Raito paused and made a pained expression. "Bringing girls is so…"

"Troublesome," Shikamaru glared at Raito then added. "My old man's advice, 'we need to be a better team.'"

"A team?" Raito snorted and looked back. While Ino and Naruto were chatting, Hinata was sitting quietly beside Ino with a small smile, like a doll.

Hinata felt someone looking at her, so she looked back to find Raito. She opened her mouth before closing it.

"It's a bad combination." Raito threw the left over tea and added, "Hyūga clan is the worst."

"…" Shikamaru stayed quite. He knew the few things that happened between Raito and the Hyūga clan, which was resolved by Hiruzen intervening.

"Isn't it what's called 'looking a person through clouded glass.'?" Shikamaru said in a low voice.

Raito paused and looked at Shikamaru. He opened his mouth but closed it after then after a while, then said, "I am not." Stubbornness coming out of his mouth

Raito did not say anything and just rushed back to the kitchen.

"Where's the bathroom, Naruto?" Ino asked.

Naruto looked upstairs and pointed, "First door to the right."

"Hinata, let's go." Ino grabbed Hinata and went for the bathroom.

"Weird," Naruto looked in confusion as the two walked away.

"Naruto, can you bring the extra steamer from the storeroom." Raito finished all the preparation. There were a big ball of dough and a big bowl full of the fillings.

He brought out the fillings and dough ball to the table. A couple of pair of chopsticks, a rolling pin and extra flour, and everything was ready.

A couple of minutes later, Naruto brought out a steamer and baskets.

Hinata and Ino also walked down the stairs and looked at the table.

"We are making dumplings?" Ino rushed and looked at the fillings before looking at Chōji. "Why isn't it meat?"

Chōji glared back, "Meat is for later."

He was resolute. Meat is only to be used at the end.

Ino growled before snorting. "I am gonna tell dad that you guys were having food parties all this time."

Shikamaru rolled his eyes and coordinated everyone's position.

"Hey I want to shape the dumplings too. Why do I have to be the one to replace baskets again?"

"If you don't want to eat…" Raito started a staring contest but Naruto soon gave up.

"Start boiling the water." Raito commanded.

Naruto filled the steamer with water and lit the fire whereas Shikamaru started making small dough balls. Feeling that Shikamaru was doing it slow, Ino joined.

Chōji started rolling and the sheets were made in seconds.

Hinata and Raito grabbed the chopsticks and started wrapping the dumplings.

Naruto hurried to place the baskets on the steamer.

"Naruto, don't forget to open the windows."

The first to finish their work were Ino and Shikamaru. So, they started plating the dumplings.

In between the process, everyone started grabbing dumplings.

Working, eating and bonding. Such a happy event that linked friends with family.

Ino looked at the situation and elbowed Shikamaru. "I feel a little bad doing this."

"What is bad about this?" Shikamaru ate another dumpling.

"… Don't you understand?" Ino rolled her eyes and whispered. "This is about love."

Shikamaru sighed looking at the dumplings at his chopsticks. He looked at Ino, like looking at an idiot, and said, "Don't think of useless things."

'But this is really sinful.' Ino giggled.

Raito felt Ino's gaze, hence looked back with a glare. 'You are all under my [Chakra Sense], you know.'

Looking sideways, Hinata was quietly eating the dumplings. If not for Ino's constant interruption, questioning Hinata, she would be just like Shino.

Remembering those aggressive old men with their white pupil less eyes, looking at him with a deep frown on their faces as they said things that did not have him in concern.

'Want to put a seal on me? I'll remember you all.'

[Fūinjutsu Lvl 10] 

"Hm, I should ask her." Raito said aloud when everyone was in the middle of eating.

Silence fell as they looked at Raito.

"What do you want to ask Ami?" Ino broke the silence and asked.

"What?" Raito came out of daze and looked at everyone. They had puzzled look on their face but Naruto was different.

Naruto knew that Raito went into daze from time to time. Naruto let out a laugh seeing Raito trying to explain things.

Raito groaned under Ino's constant attack, "Just who is this Ami?"

"Heartless," Ino pointed her chopsticks and added, "You are even trying to-mmph."

Raito did not want to hear Ino. So, he just threw a dumpling on her open mouth.

"Cough, cough." Ino closed her mouth and hurriedly ate the dumpling.

She covered her mouth and glared at Raito. Then she piked the chopsticks with dumpling and shoved it towards Raito.

"You, will, eat." Ino rushed towards Raito whereas Raito grabbed his portion and turned to run. "I am eating."

Later, after eating, everyone went to the kitchen for cleaning.

Raito hurried and stood in front of the sink, wearing yellow gloves ready to wash the dishes.

Chōji and Shikamaru paused, looking at Raito. Shikamaru shook his head as he elbowed Chōji, "Lazy Raito is going to wash dishes. What's happening?"

Raito coughed to catch attention and said, "Chōji, send me everything."

[Dishwashing Lvl 23]