Chapter 48: Departure Preparations, Being Meticulous
After leaving the Hokage Residence, Uchiha Tonan headed to the Uchiha district. He bought sufficient ninja tools and food pills from a clan member’s ninja goods store and then rushed back to Sanbo Motoyoshi’s house.
At this moment, Motoyoshi was drinking tea in the courtyard.
Su
Settled in his wheelchair, he took in a deep breath. His senses were subjected to the mixed smell of the warm tea and fresh flowers in the courtyard. In this unique fragrance, there was some bittersweetness…
Motoyoshi closed his eyes, and held the teacup, as savored a sip at a time. “The taste of a high-grade tea is truly different.”
Ever since Tonan began to look after him, his days had become much more comfortable. Not just steeping tea but Tonan took care of all the household duties as well. He would also trim the flowers and plants in the courtyard every few days.
In addition, he would bring home clothes, tea, and various kinds of strange supplements every day. Most importantly, he footed all the bills.
At first, Motoyoshi refused to use them. He thought Tonan was spending money extravagantly. But over time…
“It’s truly worth it,” Motoyoshi took another sip, slightly narrowed his eyes, and muttered, “This young fellow is filial. I wonder if he has the wind attribute chakra. If he has, then…”
Motoyoshi chuckled but at this moment, Tonan hastily walked in from outside the courtyard.
The old man came back to his senses and inquired with a smile, “Tonan, how come you are back early? Was there no mission today?”
Tonan smiled, picked up the teapot, and filled Motoyoshi’s teacup. He replied, “We’ve been assigned an escort mission but we need to leave the village for a while. I hurried back so that I could get things in order.”
After speaking, he walked into the house and began packing stuff. Seeing this, Motoyoshi put down the teacup on the stone table and pushed his wheelchair towards the door.
“Since it’s an escort mission, you have to do well. This is your first C-ranked mission.”
Tonan replied while tidying up the room, “It’s not C-ranked but B-ranked.”
This piece of information not only startled Motoyoshi but made him feel indignant. He solemnly said, “You’ve just become a genin. Why’s that brat, Sarutobi, assigning you a B-ranked mission already? Let’s go meet him. I’ll come along. I’ll get justice for you. Does he want you to die?”
Tonan smiled faintly but did not stop his actions. He explained, “It’s not dangerous. It was a C-ranked mission initially, but the employer had deep pockets, and the money he gave reached the B-rank standard. Therefore, the mission’s rank was also raised.”
Motoyoshi relaxed hearing this, and said, “That should be alright then. You little kid, you are lucky to meet such a spendthrift employer.”
Tonan walked back and forth in the room, continuously fiddling with things, and casually replied, “We can’t really say that, they’re spending money to buy peace of mind after all.”
Motoyoshi stroked his beard and pondered for a bit. “That’s true. Kakashi and you are both geniuses. Ordinary genin can’t compare to your strength. Moreover, your team leader, that yellow-haired boy, is very capable in terms of speed. That employer didn’t spend his money in vain. Why’re you fiddling around so much? Do you want to take so much along?”
Tonan wiped the sweat from his forehead, and his hands continued to be busy as he explained, “I’m preparing everything that might be necessary on the road. Oh, that’s right, I’ve placed the microwave on a low stool for you. Just turn it on when you want to heat the food. I’ve also placed the daily necessities lower so that it will be easier for you to access.”
Tonan walked into the kitchen as he began listing the whats and whatnots and opened the refrigerator that was stuffed with different kinds of food. Seeing this, he shook his head and said, “We can’t keep these ingredients.”
Immediately afterward, he tied an apron around his waist, took it all out, and placed it on the chopping board.
Tac, tac, tac…
Rapid chopping sounds filled up the kitchen. Motoyoshi pushed his wheelchair to the living room. He looked at Tonan who was busy as a bee and said, “You don’t need to worry so much about me. I’ve lived alone for so many years, I can take care of myself.”
Tonan disagreed. He squatted down and took out old tea leaves from the kitchen cabinet, and replied, “I know, but you… you’re too frugal. I want to criticize this about you. Just look at the kind of tea you drank. Drinking these things is bad for your health. Anyway, I’ve placed the new tea leaves in the cabinet. As for these, I’ll throw them in the garden as fertilizer.”
He walked towards the courtyard, with Motoyoshi shouting in the background. “Don’t do that, I spent money to buy them.”
Tonan turned a deaf ear and threw the old leaves into the flower beds. Motoyoshi’s face was filled with heartache but there was very little he could about it.
“By the way, speaking about money…” Tonan hit his forehead as if he remembered something. He took out a banknote of ten thousand Ryo from his purse and tucked it into a coat that was hung behind the door.
“I’m putting this money in your coat’s pocket. You should buy whatever you need. Don’t try and save anything from this.”
Motoyoshi frowned, and looking at Tonan, who was still busy bustling about, he said, “You do D-ranked missions every day, and you spend so much money for me. Where did you get the money anyway?”
Tonan replied with an indifferent tone, “It’s the death compensation the village gave after my parents died in battle.”
Motoyoshi was startled and took a deep breath. He pushed his wheelchair to the door and took out that banknote. It was at this moment that he realized, for the first time, how heavy the weight of money can be.
“Take it back, how can I use this money?”
Tonan, however, blocked Motoyoshi’s hand. He shook his head, and said, “If we complete this mission, I’ll get forty thousand Ryo as a reward. I can easily earn it back.”
Motoyoshi was anxious. Although he was greedy for money and a miser, he wouldn’t stoop so low as to spend a kid’s hard-earn money. He tried to reason, “I’m an old man, who never goes out. Why would I need so much money?”
Tonan squatted down, took Motoyoshi’s hands in his, and earnestly said, “When I’m not at home, if by chance something happens, going to the hospital will cost money.”
“Moreover, your legs aren’t fine, so you’ll have to take our neighbors’ help. If there’s really an accident, you cannot be stingy. Give people something to express gratitude. This money is for emergencies or else my mind won’t be at ease.”
After speaking, Tonan patted Motoyoshi’s hand, got up, and resumed his work.
“I…” Motoyoshi looked at the banknote in his hand and actually choked with sobs.
