"Come inside! I've already served the food—don't make me hit you again!"
Kushina's voice rang out from the kitchen, quick and fierce as always. Meka winced, absently rubbing the spot on his jaw where she'd left her mark earlier. She really doesn't hold back… he thought, shuffling into the warm wooden house. A single table at the center was set for two, steam rising from bowls of soup. In that homey light, it was hard to believe he was living under the same roof as Kushina Uzumaki herself.
"What are you waiting for? Sit!" Kushina urged, a playful smile on her lips as she tied her red hair back.
Meka moved quickly to the table, picking up the spoon and taking a sip. The taste… exploded on his tongue—salty, yes, but with a bitterness that startled him. "Uh… it's a bit bitter," he blurted, before his nerves could catch up.
Kushina paused mid-bite, her eyes narrowing dangerously. "What did you say?"
"Nothing! It's delicious—really!" Meka stammered, forcing down mouthful after mouthful to avoid her wrath. He remembered, much too vividly, how that fiery personality was even more intense up close.
Afterward, Kushina rose from her seat, stretching her arms above her head. "I'm gonna take a bath. You do the dishes," she commanded, vanishing into the house before he could protest.
Left in the kitchen, Meka stacked the bowls and started scrubbing, mumbling to himself, "Six hours left… I have to kiss her before the time runs out or I'm dead. But Kushina Uzumaki?! What twisted quest did the system drop me into…"
Lost in thought, he finished tidying up. As he dried the last bowl, he heard the unmistakable sound of splashing water from down the hallway. Just thinking about it made his ears go hot.
Nope. Don't even think about it. You'll die of embarrassment before the timer gets you…
Unable to help himself, he wandered down toward the sounds, finding two doors—one to the left, one to the right. He hesitated, then slid the right-hand door open a crack for just a peek.
Inside, Kushina was drenched in soap and water, bent forward slightly as she scrubbed her hair. The door creaked and, before he could close it, she spun partway around. "Meka? Are you finished with the dishes?"
He froze, beet red. Kushina, turning to face him, gave him an impish grin. "Do you want me to rub your back?"
The words knocked the air out of him. "N-no thanks!" He slammed the door shut with a clatter, stumbling backward into the corridor, cheeks burning.
From the bathroom, her laughter rang out, light and genuine. "You better not be slacking off out there!"
Meka sank to the floor, heart pounding. The way the light made her eyes shimmer, the warmth in her smile—even caught at her most casual and unguarded, Kushina was radiantly cute. He couldn't stop the small smile curling at his lips.
Just then, the translucent system window blinked in the corner of his vision:
[Time remaining: 02:17:46]
He sighed, running a hand over his face. "Guess surviving in the Naruto world isn't as easy as watching it…" But for a moment, the fear faded, and wonder took its place.