23 Chapter 23 Hobby

Land of Fire.

Tanzaku Town.

Creak…

The door of the restaurant was pushed open and the stunned Azuma was pulled inside by Ino.

"So many people, ah, that seems a good spot!"

Ino looked around and seeing the massive amount of people she was somewhat surprised but it is normal as today is the yearly festival.

But her eyes quickly spotted a vacant table at the corner as she quickly strode towards it and pulled Azuma but the latter didn't budge.

"Come on, or it will be occupied_____"

Ino turned around and said to Azuma quickly but couldn't complete her words as she saw Azuma looking at her hand holding his with a poker face.

"Ah, sorry!"

Ino hurriedly let go of his hand, crimson dyed her face and even her neck had a shade of red as she put her hand behind the back not daring to look at Azuma.

"Idiot Ino, how can you make such a blunder!"

Cursed Ino in her heart as she knew Azuma had a little withdrawn personality and he might not like such an attitude from her.

"Let's go!"

But her worry was short lived as Azuma's voice fell in her ears as she saw him striding towards the vacant table at the corner.

"Phew…Saved…"

Sighed Ino in relief putting a hand on her chest, the fast beating heart quickly slowing down as she followed Azuma.

Azuma sat down on the seat as Ino sat opposite to him on the other side of table still not daring to look at him.

"Aww…this is so awkward!!"

Thought Ino looking at Azuma from the corners of her eyes and seeing him sitting quiet.

"Cough, let's see what should I eat"

Coughing Ino initiated the conversation as she looked at the wooden board hanging beside the table, the menu.

"Meat…Meat…isn't there a healthy dish?"

But the embarrassed expression on her face quickly went away replaced by a complaining as most of the dishes were of meat and weren't healthy.

"You can try this"

But just when she was having hard time choosing, a voice fell in her ears as she looked at Azuma with disbelief.

"Did you say something now, Azuma-Kun?"

Ino looked at him and asked as she couldn't believe it was Azuma who initiated the conversation and thought maybe it was just a hallucination.

"If you want to eat healthy food, you can try Tofu, it's a good replacement for Meat and Soba is good as well, it's anti-ageing"

Azuma had a calm expression on his face as he pointed at one of the dishes on the board, though his eyes revealed an expectant look.

This look was the same as when a parent advises his children and hopes he would act according to his words.

"You know so much, Azuma-Kun!!

Said Ino surprised as she understood one thing, Azuma seems to know a lot about food and she can initiate a conversation by this topic.

"Ino, this is the chance you were looking for, don't let it slip!!"

Thought Ino clenching her fists reminding herself in her heart.

She wasn't really that hungry, so first she wanted the conversation Azuma started to keep going, as it was once in a million opportunity.

"I…live alone… so I cook whenever I have time and have studied a lot about different ingredients and their affects."

Hearing her praise, Azuma was silent for a moment, before he spoke with some light in his eyes as no one can refrain themselves from talking about their hobby, not even Azuma.

"Sigh~"

"You are amazing Azuma-Kun, you are strong and you can cook as well and here I don't know a thing about cooking…sigh…"

Said Ino putting a sad look on her face, looking at Azuma with an aggrieved look in her eyes.

"Huh…It's… not that difficult…if you put your heart in learning…you will definitely be able to learn…"

Seeing the aggrieved look in her eyes, Azuma was slightly taken aback and said as to him it seems that his words may have really hurt her.

"Really… but I have no one to teach me…ah, yeah…why don't you teach me and I also want to try the food you make"

His encouragement lit up a spark of hope in Ino's eyes but suddenly she seemed to think about something and asked, putting an expectant look on her face.

"Teach…I…"

Hearing her request, Azuma was slightly hesitant as he didn't have time to teach her and wanted to reject but he stopped seeing her looking at him, with eyes wide, the expectant look clearly visible.

"Please agree!!"

"Thump…"

Ino clenched her fists under the table, her heart beating fast, her face red as she knew the most important moment was here.

"Ha…"

"I…I'll teach you…"

Seeing the expectant look in her eyes, Azuma found himself unable to reject her and said his decision in a low tone, a helpless look in his eyes.

"Yay!!"

A loud cheer erupted in the restaurant gaining everyone attention as they looked at the girl donned in Red Kimono, who had her arms raised in high five with strange eyes.

"Ah, sorry!!"

"So embarrassing!!"

Seeing everyone looking at her, even the bold Ino was embarrassed as she lowered her head not daring to raise to it.

"Ha…"

Seeing her like this, Azuma chuckled lightly, his lips slightly raised as without knowing himself, he was having fun sitting with her.

"Ugh…"

"I want to eat meat!!"

Seeing Azuma laughing at her, Ino looked at him and puffed her cheeks like a hamster with melon seeds stuffed in its mouth, and ordered angrily.

"Thud…"

The food was served quickly as Ino mercilessly thrusted the bamboo chopstick in meat, and bit the meat viciously looking at Azuma, imagining the meat on her chopstick to be Azuma.

"Women really are unpredictable creatures"

Seeing the angry Ino, Azuma scratched his head with some confusion as even after living two lives, he still can't understand women.

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