The living room table held a rather sumptuous spread of small dishes. Besides miso soup, there were sushi, pan-seared saury, mang beef curry rice, green vegetables, and steamed egg, all served in duplicate, with Rin's portions being two-thirds smaller.
A warm aroma of food filled the living room. Uchiha Obito watched Nohara Rin, who was wearing an apron. If it were possible, he truly wished to stay with Rin like this forever.
Upon hearing Rin's question, he paused for a moment before smiling and saying, "It's nothing, let's eat together!"
"Obito, this isn't like you to not speak your mind," Nohara Rin said with a hint of playful reproach, but she eventually offered a healing crescent-eyed smile. "However, thinking about it, Obito is an adult now, and he's become more mature~"
Looking at Rin's sunny smile, Obito's face flushed, and his nose inexplicably felt a sting. He cleared his throat and began the pre-meal ritual, clasping his hands together. His voice rang out clearly, "Chibaku Tensei~ Ah no, I'm going to eat~"
Damn it, after watching too many anime, he unconsciously thought of Chibaku Tensei whenever he clasped his hands.
"I must cultivate diligently and complete missions, to awaken the Rinnegan soon. The power of the Rinnegan should allow me to protect Rin..."
Obito thought this as he chewed his food, savoring the taste with his palate.
'The soup is a bit bland, the pan-seared fish is slightly overcooked, and the curry rice is a bit salty. They didn't bring out the original flavors of the ingredients to their fullest potential... but this is Rin's taste! I want to be able to eat like this forever!'
Obito's gaze became incredibly resolute.
Having devoured his portion like a whirlwind, Obito put down his chopsticks with a smile. "I'm full!"
Facing the lunch made by Nohara Rin, Uchiha Obito truly practiced the "clean plate" policy. He even chewed and swallowed the saury, bones and all, leaving not a single grain of rice behind.
"Obito, how many times have I told you not to eat so fast? It's bad for digestion," Nohara Rin chided, having only eaten half of her meal. She then looked a bit dejected. "I made double the amount from yesterday, and it's still not enough? Should I share some with you?"
"No need!" Although tempted by the prospect of sharing food with the person he admired, Obito still refused, smiling warmly. "You know me, I've always eaten very quickly."
As for whether he was full, as an A-rank, his stomach was like a furnace. He could quickly digest even an entire B-rank mang bull. When he ate, he was savoring the feeling of dining with Rin.
"Alright!" Rin said no more and continued to eat her meal in small, elegant bites, a delight to behold. Obito lazily propped his chin on his hand, watching her, a warm smile unconsciously appearing on his lips.
Five minutes later, Rin finally finished her meal. Just as she was about to stand up to clear the table, Obito called out to her (with a gesture like Er Kang). "Rin! Wait a moment."
Nohara Rin looked at him strangely. "What is it, Obito?"
Obito's face showed a struggle, and finally, as if making a decision, his expression turned calm.
"I lied to you!"
He didn't want to lie to Rin, but he feared that if Rin knew the truth, she would leave him without hesitation.
Nohara Rin was silent for a moment, then said, "Although I don't know the reason, I believe Obito wouldn't harm me. After all, we are partners."
"I will remove the barrier on the room immediately. There is no danger outside. The area outside the house is full of beasts... it's all a lie..." Obito clutched his hair, distressed. He didn't know how to explain to Rin.
After reviving Rin, he had almost confined her within this cage called a house, fearing that Rin would encounter the Fourth Hokage if she left. He feared she would learn the entire truth.
To his surprise, Rin was not angry about being confined. Instead, she showed her usual warm smile. "I know. After all, Obito's lies are always so clumsy."
Through their interactions over the past few days, Obito's hesitant expressions had already revealed everything. But Nohara Rin had never pressed him; she was waiting for Obito to tell her himself.
"Fourth's house is on the right, the third alley on the right when you go out. Rin, when you see Fourth, you will know the whole truth... I... I'm going on a mission now!"
Obito couldn't bear to face Rin's warm, trusting smile. He blurted everything out and then, in a bit of a fluster, stood up and disappeared from the spot using the Body Flicker Technique, leaving Nohara Rin stunned.
"Fourth... Obito didn't directly call him Teacher. Did something happen after I died? And Teacher is also in this world?"
This surprised Nohara Rin, but at the same time, her inner doubts deepened.
Standing there for a moment, she patiently cleaned the dining table and the kitchen, then mopped the floor. Wiping her hands, she headed towards Minato Namikaze's house.
On the rooftop, Uchiha Obito stood with his hands clasped, silently watching Nohara Rin's departing back, his lips pursed.
"Rin~"
He murmured her name, and finally, he used the Flying Thunder God Technique, completely vanishing from the spot.