"I'm heading out!"
A clear, crisp voice echoed from the entranceway as Sakura Haruno put on her shoes and pushed open the door.
"Dear, why is Sakura leaving so early in the morning?"
Haruno Akio, sitting at the dining table with a newspaper in his hand, looked over to his wife with a puzzled expression.
Haruno Megumi was in the kitchen cleaning up the breakfast dishes. She huffed impatiently and replied,
"How would I know? And stop pretending to read that worn-out newspaper. If you're so free, go sweep the floor for me, then mop it, and finally take out the trash!"
"Uh, hehe... got it."
Looking at his wife's stern face, Haruno Akio wisely set the newspaper down and went to fetch the broom, not daring to argue.
---
Sakura walked along the bustling streets of Konoha, deep in thought.
Since she had decided to visit Naruto's home yesterday, she had been wondering what would be an appropriate gift to bring him.
Naruto's favorite food was obviously Ichiraku Ramen.
But it was only nine in the morning—too late for breakfast, too early for lunch.
Sakura's mind wandered to the original storyline of her past life.
She remembered all too well what Naruto's early life had been like.
Expired milk...
Instant noodles for every meal…
Putting on makeup for the pictures of her past self and his late father...
Ugh!
Her bright green eyes suddenly lit up as if an idea had struck her like lightning.
"Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime."
With this philosophy in mind, Sakura headed straight for the village bookstore. Using the money Iruka-sensei had given her, she purchased a book titled "Cooking Recipes: From Beginner to Master Chef."
Then, following the ingredients needed for the very first recipe in the book, she went shopping and picked up the essentials.
All in all, she spent about 80 ryo.
---
Hokage's Office
Inside the quiet Hokage Tower, Sarutobi Hiruzen had no urgent tasks today. He had intentionally freed up his schedule to observe how Sakura would interact with Naruto.
Watching the young girl's movements through the crystal ball, the elderly Hokage couldn't help but smile.
He hadn't misjudged her. Her idea was good.
If Naruto could learn to cook even just a little, it would be a major improvement.
---
Following the address Iruka had provided, Sakura finally arrived at Naruto's residence, carrying bags filled with groceries and the cookbook.
He lived on the top floor of a small building—one that offered a clear view of both the Hokage Tower and the Hokage Rock.
It was a great location, far better than her own house. After all, the Haruno home couldn't see either landmark.
"Naruto, are you home?"
"Hello? Naruto?"
"It's me, Sakura."
She knocked gently on the door. Not long after, she heard frantic shuffling and the sound of things being knocked over. Then, the door swung open to reveal a blonde-haired boy wearing a sleeping cap, looking very much startled and confused.
"S-Sakura?"
Six-year-old Naruto stared in shock at his classmate standing at his doorstep.
Other than the Hokage, this was the first time someone had ever come to visit him at home.
"I came to see you. You're not going to turn me away, are you?"
Sakura raised the grocery bags slightly in front of him and gave him a friendly smile.
"N-No, not at all!"
Naruto looked flustered, staring at the girl like a deer caught in headlights.
"Then why are you just standing there and not inviting me in?"
Her teasing tone brought Naruto back to his senses, and he quickly stepped aside.
"Ah! Right! Come in, come in!"
Sakura walked in and was slightly surprised to see that the apartment wasn't as messy as she had expected.
Then again, considering that the Third Hokage personally visited every month to deliver Naruto's living expenses, it would be odd if the place were filthy.
"S-So, uh, Sakura, did you come over for something… specific?"
Naruto stood nervously, watching as she curiously surveyed the apartment.
"Huh?"
"Can't I just come to visit you without a reason?"
"Or... are you saying you don't want me here?"
Without waiting for a reply, Sakura walked straight to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator.
It was packed.
Box after box of square-shaped containers filled the shelves.
Sakura took one and checked the expiration date.
Three more days. After that, it would be expired.
"Naruto, your milk is about to go bad. You should drink it soon."
She waved the carton of milk at him.
"Eh? Oh... okay..."
Naruto's expression turned blank. He wasn't sure how to react to her being here—let alone digging through his fridge.
"So... um, why did you come here today, Sakura?"
He asked the question hesitantly, half-expecting a prank or a lecture.
"Iruka-sensei was worried about your mental well-being. He asked me to drop by and check on you."
Sakura replied without hesitation, completely throwing Iruka under the bus.
Sarutobi Hiruzen, watching the scene from his office through the crystal ball, frowned at first.
But soon, his expression softened.
Yes, it was better this way.
People don't usually offer kindness without a reason.
If Sakura had come by without any explanation, Naruto would have become suspicious.
This way, at least he could accept the visit at face value, and it avoided unnecessary complications.
---
"Eh…?"
Naruto blinked, looking dazed for a moment.
He couldn't explain why, but he felt a slight pang of disappointment.
He had hoped that maybe... just maybe... Sakura had come because she cared.
"Iruka-sensei really does care about you," Sakura said with a smile, reaching over to ruffle Naruto's spiky blond hair. "Don't make him worry too much, okay?"
Her eyes landed on the table where an empty instant noodle cup sat. A few more discarded cups peeked out from the trash bin nearby.
Even though she had been expecting it, her brow furrowed slightly.
"Is this what you eat every day?"
Naruto didn't notice her disapproval. He thought she was curious and his face lit up with pride.
"Yup!"
"Instant noodles are my favorite food in the whole world!"
"I even have super rare collector's editions of noodles!"
Excitedly, he rushed over to a nearby cabinet and flung the doors open.
Sakura's jaw tightened.
It was... an entire cabinet filled to the brim with instant noodles.
No wonder he wasn't growing properly.
"How much is one of these, anyway?"
She picked up a cup and checked the date. Fortunately, it still had three months before expiration.
"Two hundred ryo per cup! Super cheap!"
"...How much?!"
Sakura nearly dropped the cup in shock.
She had just bought a whole bag of ingredients and a cookbook for 80 ryo, and Naruto was spending 200 ryo on a single cup of noodles?
If Iruka knew about this, he'd blow a gasket.
"Well, it's a special collector's version, so it's a bit more expensive than regular ones. But it tastes amazing!"
"Do you want to try one, Sakura?"
He looked up at her with hopeful eyes.
Sakura stared at him, baffled.
"Where are you getting all this money from?"
She tilted her head, genuinely confused.
Wasn't Naruto supposed to have had a miserable childhood?
Drinking spoiled milk, living off cheap noodles...
Okay, fine. The not eating properly part still checked out.
"Grandpa gives it to me. He gives me 5,000 ryo every month."
Naruto said this proudly, like it was the most normal thing in the world.
Sakura instinctively turned to look out the window, her eyes settling on the towering Hokage building in the distance.
A home in the heart of Konoha, 5,000 ryo per month in allowance, a fridge full of nearly expired milk, an entire cabinet full of overpriced instant noodles, and tons of prank supplies…
Sarutobi Hiruzen was giving him the money—but no one had ever taught Naruto how to manage it.
He wasn't lacking resources.
He was lacking guidance.
---
(End of Chapter)
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