Chapter 123: Tsunade’s Chest Tightness

In the bustling commercial street of Konoha, a newly opened barbecue restaurant named "Snow Bull Secret Roast Q" was alive with activity. Kato Mikaze was busily tending to the grill, carefully roasting beef, while Tsunade was equally occupied—though her focus was on devouring the grilled meat.

This establishment’s specialty lay in its steaks, sourced from the highland Snow Bulls native to the Land of Snow. The unique origin lent the beef a distinct texture and flavor: silky, richly fragrant, fatty without being greasy, tender and savory with every bite.

Kato Mikaze juggled grilling, eating, and occasionally feeding Tsunade, appearing somewhat flustered, yet beneath the surface, his actions were deliberate and well-ordered. Meanwhile, Tsunade displayed the poised demeanor of a refined lady, though in truth she was devouring her food with ravenous enthusiasm—no, make that relishing it with great delight, or perhaps consuming it with the swiftness of a storm sweeping across the plains. Whatever the metaphor, she ate quickly yet maintained her elegant composure.

Earlier that afternoon, Tsunade had insisted she wouldn’t be eating barbecue that night. Yet, drawn irresistibly by the tantalizing aroma wafting through the air, she ultimately succumbed to the undeniable allure of the grilled delicacies.

After wrapping up business at the Spring Base, Kato Mikaze picked up Tsunade at Konoha Hospital and headed straight for the town’s busiest commercial street to settle their dinner plans.

Faced with the classic lovers’ dilemma—“What shall we have for dinner tonight?”—Kato Mikaze showed ample respect for his girlfriend’s opinion. Although he craved barbecue, he refrained from voicing his desire outright, recalling Tsunade’s earlier objection.

A bit mischievous, Kato Mikaze took advantage of Tsunade’s indecision, deliberately steering her towards the area with the most barbecue restaurants.

As night fully embraced Konoha and the sun had set, the stifling heat of the lingering autumn tiger was replaced by a refreshing evening breeze that gently caressed the two as they strolled through the lively street.

Still harboring the frustration of the day and a growling stomach, Tsunade finally yielded before the savory scent of barbecue emanating from the "Snow Bull Secret Roast Q" restaurant, surrendering to the irresistible truth of the “Deliciousness Principle.”

Indeed, humans cannot escape the law of irresistible aroma. When combined with the “Laziness Principle,” it forms a perfect match.

According to Tsunade herself, the reason she chose this barbecue spot wasn’t because she particularly desired the snow-country steak. Rather, she still carried the day’s pent-up anger in her chest and sought to transform that frustration into appetite, fully dispelling the gloom that weighed upon her.

Kato Mikaze merely smiled, silently pleased that his wish to eat barbecue was fulfilled. As for Tsunade’s lingering discomfort, he remained entirely unperturbed.

After dinner, Kato Mikaze planned to take Tsunade to a couples-only movie screening, where he intended to help ease her chest’s tightness—whether by hand, by word, or by other means. In treating Tsunade’s frequent bouts of chest discomfort, a common ailment among women, Kato Mikaze was confident in his rich experience.

He carefully sliced the most tender portion of the well-charred secret-recipe steak onto Tsunade’s plate, then savored a bite himself.

“The flavor of this restaurant’s specialty steak is truly excellent. What do you think, Tsunade?” he asked.

“Mm… it’s delicious, the taste is really good,” she replied, gently lifting the forkful of steak he had just served her and savoring it slowly before speaking.

Her eating pace had notably slowed; now she embodied the true elegance of the Konoha noblewoman.

“Right? I think it’s great too, especially their signature Snow Country highland steak,” Kato Mikaze said with a delighted bite.

“Hm, it’s not worse than the places we used to frequent. We could consider adding this spot to our regular date options,” Tsunade agreed. She genuinely enjoyed the steak, which perfectly helped her dissipate her earlier anger. Seeing that Kato Mikaze also liked it, she suggested adding the restaurant to their usual romantic haunts.

“Bingo! That’s exactly what I was waiting to hear from Her Highness. Next time we come, we can bring Shigure along to try it,” Kato Mikaze said, steering the conversation toward Shigure.

“That brat, I remember he likes barbecue. Since Shigure graduated from the Ninja Academy, it’s been ages since we’ve dined out together,” Tsunade said, though hearing Kato Mikaze mention Shigure stirred a twinge of discomfort in her chest. Calling him a “stinky little brother” was her way of teasing, but beneath her words lay a deep affection for her brother.

Between her brother Shigure and her lover Kato Mikaze, Tsunade’s heart was divided between the two most important people in her life.

Caught between these two, she naturally wished for a closer bond to form between them—a desire that had led her to agree to Shigure becoming Kato Mikaze’s apprentice.

Yet, Shigure was still in his rebellious youth. Though he had reluctantly accepted that Kato Mikaze would one day become his brother-in-law, Tsunade believed that genuine warmth between them was still a long way off.

On Kato Mikaze’s part, Tsunade had no worries; she trusted that the kindness he showed her would extend to her brother as well.

She knew all too well how dearly Kato Mikaze loved and cherished her. As a mature and beautiful woman, she was fully aware of the depth of his affection.

Her own heart was not made of stone—not iron, nor unyielding rock. Take tonight’s barbecue outing, for instance: Kato Mikaze wanted barbecue and deliberately guided her toward the most barbecue-heavy part of the street. Did Tsunade not see through that little ploy? Of course, she did.

Yet she chose not to call it out openly—this was just one of the unspoken, tacit understandings, a little secret shared between the young couple.

Not only women need soothing; men sometimes require it too.

For a relationship to endure and flourish, both partners must nurture it sincerely, each giving their heart fully.

No relationship built on one-sided effort can truly last.

Tsunade and Kato Mikaze managed their romance differently, reflecting the contrasts between men and women.

Kato Mikaze, as a man, was straightforward and uninhibited, sometimes even a tad mischievous. When the mood struck, he often expressed his desires physically rather than verbally.

Tsunade, though outwardly bold and quick to retaliate playfully by hitting Kato Mikaze, harbored a tender, gentle side, especially after formally accepting Mikaze into her life. She found herself unconsciously revealing more softness in his presence.

For so many years, it had just been Tsunade and her brother, but with Kato Mikaze now officially part of their lives, she needed to adjust to having him around.

Between them, Tsunade had already started letting Kato Mikaze take the lead on “small” matters—like Shigure’s apprenticeship—while reserving “big” decisions—such as where to dine tonight—for herself.

“Hmm, does that really work? Maybe I should find another chance to talk to Shigure alone about becoming your apprentice?” Tsunade’s delicate brow furrowed as she pondered the relationship between her brother and Kato Mikaze, her worry resurfacing.

“Don’t worry, didn’t we agree this afternoon in your office that I would be the one to speak to Shigure about the apprenticeship next time?” Kato Mikaze quickly intervened, sensing Tsunade’s hesitation.

“Are you sure, Mikaze?” Tsunade still looked uneasy—not doubting her boyfriend, but fearing that her brother’s stubbornness would strain their relationship again.

It had taken great effort to get Shigure to accept Kato Mikaze’s presence, and she didn’t want all that progress to unravel.

Tsunade knew her brother’s obstinacy well—after all, he had nearly driven her mad just yesterday, leaving her chest tight with discomfort—a clear sign of her lingering distress.

Now, after a day’s reflection and an afternoon spent with Kato Mikaze’s company—his jokes, playful teasing, and willingness to endure her playful hits, topped off with a sumptuous meal—Tsunade’s frustration and chest tightness had nearly dissolved.

“Last time you and Shigure were together, he still talked back to you and gave you no face,” she said, her brow deepening with concern and helplessness at the thought of her troublesome brother.

Clearly, Tsunade felt powerless when it came to Shigure.

Given the situation, Kato Mikaze guessed that if Tsunade were to discuss the apprenticeship with Shigure alone again, they’d likely argue just as they had the day before.

From his experience, Tsunade rarely won such disputes; she usually ended up so frustrated that she resorted to physically reprimanding Shigure.

Then she felt a mix of tenderness and anger, which often made her chest ache even more.

When Tsunade suffered, Kato Mikaze’s heart ached alongside hers. And as for her chest tightness—well...

Noticing Tsunade’s worried frown, Kato Mikaze understood her concerns perfectly. Whatever troubled Tsunade was also on his mind.

He picked up a wet wipe from the table, cleaning the grease off his hands from the barbecue, then poured Tsunade a glass of her favorite yuzu tea to cleanse the palate, placing it gently by her side.

With his broad hand, he tenderly took hold of Tsunade’s slender fingers and said softly, “Leave it to me, Tsunade.”

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