This time, Nao decided to be direct.
Right away, he played an emotional card—a mix of a younger sister's playful complaint but really a subtle probe to discover the real reason behind Chishio's sudden departure three years ago.
"This really was my fault. I owe you an apology. Please don't be mad at me."
Chishio chuckled as she accepted the bag of strawberries, her eyes lighting up as she peeked inside.
"Ah, I knew little Gion would know my tastes. Such large strawberries—hard to come by these days!"
"As long as you like them."
A complete sidestep of the topic—clever old fox. Nao couldn't help but feel a twinge of frustration.
"Come on in and sit," Chishio said as she placed the bag on the cupboard at the entrance.
"You've traveled a long way, you must be starving. Perfect timing—I kept some food warm for you."
"Yay!" Nao's face lit up, genuinely thrilled.
This wasn't acting; he was honestly starving from the long journey.
Chishio went into the kitchen, while Nao sat at the dining table. Hina, displaying her little-hostess spirit, eagerly brewed tea and brought out snacks.
She was quite curious about this "pretty big sister from Marine Headquarters" and, after brewing tea, clung to the chair next to Nao, bombarding him with questions.
Nao initially wanted to brush her off, but when he accidentally mentioned Zephyr's elite training camp, Hina's curiosity exploded. She peppered him with one question after another.
Nao was starting to get a headache and only then remembered—Hina would eventually join Zephyr's training program in the future. Maybe five years from now? Or ten? Technically, she was his "junior."
"Anyway, like I said, Zephyr-sensei's training is super tough," Nao said while subtly glancing into the kitchen at Chishio's busy figure.
"Not everyone can handle it, little Hina. You'd better think it through."
From their encounter up until now, Nao could tell that Chishio was genuinely surprised and happy to see him, which meant Gion (Momousagi) held a significant place in her heart. This would help with his persuasion mission.
However, Chishio clearly didn't want to bring up her sudden departure from Marine Headquarters three years ago. It was something Nao would have to carefully uncover.
"Hina's not afraid!"
Hina clenched her fists.
"I'll work hard to join the elite camp, and become a strong Marine like you, big sis! I'll catch all those evil pirates!"
"What are you saying, little Hina?" Chishio's voice called from the kitchen as she emerged with a tray of dishes.
She gave Hina a light scolding look.
"Don't be fooled by Gion's youthful looks. Technically, you should be calling her 'granny' instead."
Nao's forehead twitched.
He was still a young man, not even old enough to be called "uncle," and now he was supposed to be called "granny"?
"No way!"
Hina clung to Nao's waist, snuggling against him and sticking out her tongue at Chishio.
"Gion-onee-san is so pretty! She doesn't have all those wrinkles like Chishio-granny. Calling her 'granny' is too weird!"
"You cheeky little thing! Are you saying I'm old?" Chishio pretended to be mad, glaring at Hina.
Hina made silly faces and stuck out her tongue, making Chishio laugh as she playfully tickled Hina's sides. Hina couldn't handle the tickling and burst into giggles.
Even though they weren't blood relatives, the closeness between them was obvious.
Watching from the side, Nao felt a pang of envy.
He hadn't seen his family for over a year. With two more years left until the elite camp's final exam, he wasn't sure he'd get a chance to return to East Blue before graduating.
Maybe he could ask Garp next time he visited to take him along to East Blue for a quick visit?
Luffy wouldn't be born for another two years, but Ace had already been entrusted to Dadan, and Garp would occasionally sneak off to check on him.
For example, the last time Garp brought Nao a letter from home, he'd said he was delayed by half a month due to a mission.
But considering the fleet had detoured through East Blue, Nao couldn't help but suspect that Garp had made a detour to secretly visit Dadan.
"Knowing Garp-san's character, he probably wouldn't refuse such a small request," Nao thought.
By then, the table was filled with a simple but thoughtfully prepared meal.
"Thank you for the meal!"
Despite his rumbling stomach, Nao respectfully put his hands together in prayer before tasting the soup.
"So good!"
The fresh flavor spread across his tongue, making him smile.
"As expected of Chishio-neesan—your cooking is just as amazing as before. No wonder Tsuru-neesan used to come over whenever she didn't feel like cooking."
This was a tip Gion had shared with him back on the ship. It was perfect for strengthening bonds.
Chishio hadn't started eating yet. She sat, smiling warmly at Nao.
When she heard his compliment, she chuckled and served herself a small bowl of soup.
"And then there's Garp-san," Nao continued, noticing Hina struggling to reach the tempura. He helped her before turning back to Chishio.
"He's always loved your cooking. Even after you left Marineford, he's still been sighing about how much he misses your food."
But as soon as Nao mentioned Garp's name, Chishio's expression turned cold.
She lowered her gaze, silently picking at her food without another word.
The previously lively atmosphere instantly grew tense.