yellow & blue

&&

"Make sure to pick up apples and butter, we run out of those."

Entering the new normal, Uzumaki's couple celebrate it by holding a mini home picnic in their backyard for two. Naruto, being husband on the duty, standing in the fruit aisle sorting pink-yellowish apples to the fruit basket as his wife requested.

His arm muscles a bit strained as he pushed the rolling trolley that stacked with home supplies and livestock. It's monthly shopping, as people called it.

The smell of spices and herbs welcomed his nose as he was at the aisle, searching for pepper that aligns with varieties of brand. While he was remembering which brand used to use at home, his heart dropped. Eyes wide opened.

"Sasuke babe?! What are you doing here?!"

Being distracted from choosing between Ajinomoto and Sasa, a young lady with under-ear cut black hair and an outfit that shows a bit too much skin turned her head to the source of the voice. Her pitch-black irises skimmed through this unknown mister --one meter-- beside her. "Sorry, wrong person. I ain't whom you called me before." With the thick accent of native speakers, she confirmed using the Japanese language. Her mask muffled the voice.

Switching his language mode to his mother tongue, Naruto quickly answer, "O, oh! Yes- No- I'm mean, I am sorry. I thought you are my wife. Well, she is at home now, that's why I'm aghast seeing her or, well, you who-slightly-look-like-her here." The chuckling at the end of the statement was to tone down the tension that filled the air around them. In the back of his head, he envisions his doctorate thesis was laughing hysterically on his work desk because he can't speak properly when he was erred by mistaking a random person as his wife. Embarrassing.

"Who is this, Ku?" An old man, rolled his automatic wheelchair coming from the other side of the young lady.

"Calling by mistake, Jiji."

Naruto, being the good man he was, trying to be as polite as possible by saying, "Pardon me, Sir. I have mistaken this lady as my wife. Meanwhile, my wife is at home. I apologize for the inconvenience."

"Woah, so happy to meet other Japanese in a foreign country." The old man said. Naruto can tell that the old man's lips curved upward by the eyes that were hidden behind his grayish thick eyebrow. "It's understandable. Because we wear a mask these days, make our face vague. So it can be mistaken for other people."

"That's right, Sir."

"Well, let me introduce you, young lad, she is my granddaughter. Her name is..."

"Kurotsuchi."

"Naruto."

Without telling their first name and do the handshake, both of them exchanged name.

Before Kurotsuchi's grandfather said anything unnecessary --to her liking--, she cut him subtly by saying, "Hm, Jiji said that Jiji wanted to find sweet potatoes. Let's move to that section, I saw sweet potatoes over there."

"Oh, sweet potatoes! Grandpa wants boiled sweet potatoes! Let's go!!"

Distracted from what he was going to say, the old man now wiggling on his wheelchair. Feeling pumped as Kurotsuchi mentioned sweet potato.

"Yes yes. Boiled sweet potato." She chuckled to reduce the awkwardness. But, her act just sounds like she was accentuated them. "Eum, sir, we will go first."

Can tell by the gesture that Kurotsuchi girl isn't comfortable with her grandfather talking something private, Naruto let her and the old man moved to the crate that showcasing Convolvulaceae family in the next aisle. He himself, continuing his task, picking pepper between brands. Still, pinpoint which one is used at home.