The studios of Jiraiya and Sai were now officially established, marking another milestone in the lives of Naruto and his friends. For Naruto, it was also a moment of reflection—he finally understood something essential about himself and those around him.
That evening, Tenten suggested they all go out for dinner together. Everyone agreed enthusiastically. Only Neji appeared slightly hesitant, mumbling about wanting to go home. But before he could protest, Tenten directly interrupted him:
"You're at home all the time! Don't you want to see how much effort everyone is putting in? One meal isn't going to hurt!"
Neji could only stare blankly. There was no counterargument—Tenten had him completely cornered. Naruto chuckled quietly to himself. It seemed that Tenten was the only person capable of managing Neji's stubbornness.
While pondering what to have for dinner, Naruto suddenly felt a pull in his mind—a familiar signal. Sasuke was calling him.
"Let me see… what is that guy doing now? He's calling me so early, before sunset!" Naruto muttered, feeling a mix of amusement and helplessness.
Lee noticed his reaction. "Naruto, what's wrong?"
Naruto smiled, trying to play it off. "It's nothing, really."
Turning to the group, Naruto explained, "Everyone, I'm sorry. I may not be able to join you tonight. Someone needs my help, so I have to go. I'm really sorry!"
Tenten's eyes widened slightly. "Naruto, you're not coming with us?"
Scratching his head, Naruto replied, "I really can't. It's important. You all go ahead and eat without me."
With a wave, Naruto left, disappearing in a flash of the Flying Thunder God Technique. Everyone watched his retreating form, realizing something urgent must have arisen.
Lee muttered, "What could possibly make Naruto so anxious?"
Sai pondered for a moment. "It has to be Sasuke or Hinata. Only matters concerning them could make Naruto this nervous."
Jiraiya nodded, agreeing silently with Sai's assessment.
Neji, frustrated, turned to Tenten. "If Naruto's gone, do we still eat tonight?"
Tenten chuckled and waved her hand. "Of course! Come on, Neji, let's eat. Right, Jiraiya-sama?"
Jiraiya laughed heartily. "Exactly! Since Naruto isn't here, we can still enjoy our meal. How about barbecue tonight?"
Tenten's laughter rang out, "Yes! That sounds perfect!"
Neji covered his forehead, resigned to his fate. It seemed there was no escaping Tenten's insistence.
Meanwhile, Naruto had already teleported directly to Sasuke using Flying Thunder God.
With a swift whoosh, he appeared inside a private room. Sasuke was seated on a plush sofa, holding a wine glass with a sly smile.
"Naruto, come sit here!" Sasuke beckoned, patting the space beside him. Naruto's eyes immediately took in the glasses and bottles on the table. Sasuke's face was slightly flushed—clearly, he hadn't arrived for a simple check-in or energy restoration this time.
"I said, Sasuke… what are you doing?" Naruto asked cautiously, lowering himself into the seat.
Sasuke poured a glass of wine and handed it to Naruto before taking a generous sip himself.
"Stop pretending to be calm and tell me," Naruto said, eyeing him.
Sasuke grinned, swirling the wine. "Take it!"
"Take what?" Naruto asked, confused.
"You know what!" Sasuke replied, a mischievous glint in his eyes. It was obvious he had already drunk quite a bit before Naruto arrived.
Naruto blinked. "Wait… you mean… Sakura and Ino?"
Sasuke chuckled confidently. "It shouldn't be a problem anymore. Everything's handled."
Naruto's eyes widened, and he gave a thumbs up. "Damn, Sasuke! You're really on top of things!"
Sasuke poured himself another glass, sighing contentedly. "Given the speed of my… 'operations,' I should have finished with both of them. If not…" He shook his head, clearly unconcerned, and refilled his glass.
Then, raising his wine, Sasuke said with a grin, "Come on, have one with me!"
Naruto nodded. "No problem."
The glasses clinked together, echoing in the private room. They drank, the subtle warmth of alcohol spreading through their bodies.
Naruto wiped his mouth, noticing there were no appetizers. "Wait a minute… it's night already, and we haven't even ordered food!"
Sasuke smirked, pressing a button next to him. A light outside indicated service was needed. A tall waitress entered promptly.
"Hello, what can I get for you?"
Sasuke waved his hand toward Naruto. "Menu. Let him order!"
The waitress produced a menu and handed it to Naruto. As he glanced at it, she gasped softly.
"Are you… Uzumaki Naruto?" she asked, eyes wide.
Naruto smiled. "Yes, that's me."
Blushing, she handed him a pen and paper. "Could… could you sign this?"
Naruto chuckled. After becoming famous, such requests were common. He signed: Naruto Uzumaki.
Returning his attention to the menu, Naruto placed an order. The waitress jotted everything down, her face glowing with excitement, and left. Sasuke couldn't help but chuckle at the sight.
Holding his wine, Naruto took a sip and asked, "Why are you laughing?"
Sasuke shook his head with amusement. "It's funny… you and I are completely reversed from when we were children. Look at you—people want your autograph, and little girls blush just seeing you. And here I am, relaxed, drinking wine like an adult."
Naruto laughed heartily. "Jealous, huh? You can have female fans, but I can't?"
Sasuke laughed in return, picking up his glass. "Come on! It's rare I get to relax like this. Drink with me!"
Naruto raised an eyebrow. "I thought you didn't like alcohol?"
Sasuke grinned. "People change."
Naruto savored the moment, watching Sasuke. He couldn't help but laugh. "It's true. People really do change."
Soon, the dishes arrived. They ate and drank, chatting about everything—their childhood, past adventures, and even details from Naruto's previous life.
Sasuke swirled his glass thoughtfully. "Naruto… in this life, can we change the outcome? Can we truly defeat the Ōtsutsuki clan?"
Naruto's eyes gleamed with conviction. "Even if I can't change everything, I'm not afraid anymore. I've already made up for too many regrets. That day… with you by my side, even if I die in battle, I will have no regrets!"
He drained his glass in one gulp and leaned back on the sofa, a rare smile of relief spreading across his face.
"I never understood why Jiraiya liked drinking so much," Naruto admitted. "But now… I get it. It numbs the pain, helps you forget for a while."
Sasuke looked at him, eyes softening, and smiled. Naruto, blessed with the Nine-Tails Chakra, could always resist alcohol if he wanted—but even he understood the comfort it could bring.
For the first time in a long while, both felt a rare sense of peace, sharing a quiet night with laughter, wine, and old memories.
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