"Oh! Okay, Kawasaki-senpai!"
Naruto had been met with cold stares his entire life, so he had a vague sense of who was genuinely kind to him. In this moment, he was truly happy to have met an adult who didn't shun him.
"Let's go, Sasuke. We'll get something to eat first." Kawasaki beckoned to Sasuke, who was standing off to the side with his hands in his pockets, trying to look cool.
"Hmph, so troublesome."
Though he acted aloof, Sasuke didn't refuse when he saw the happy expression on Naruto's face.
Kawasaki looked up at the sky for a moment, then led the two boys out of the forest.
The Anbu members hidden in the trees looked at each other in bewilderment.
Uchiha Kawasaki was a major figure, currently the Vice-Chief of the Uchiha clan. He was the one who had previously brought utter humiliation upon the entire Hokage administration. And now he was approaching the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.
"Report to the Hokage at once!"
"Yes, sir!"
Ichiraku Ramen.
The shop curtain was pushed aside as Kawasaki entered with Sasuke and Naruto in tow. There were no other customers, only Teuchi and Ayame.
"Old Man Ichiraku! I'm back!" Naruto yelled as soon as he walked in. Sasuke turned his face away with a hint of embarrassment, pretending not to know him.
Teuchi greeted them with a warm, friendly smile. "Naruto, you're here! What would you like today?"
"Old..."
Under Kawasaki's glare, Naruto swallowed the word "Man."
"Kawasaki-senpai, can I have the tonkotsu ramen?" Naruto asked shyly.
Kawasaki was already studying the menu, his finger sliding down the list. "Forget the tonkotsu ramen," he said.
"I can't?" Naruto's head drooped in disappointment.
"Get Naruto the Grand Slam." Kawasaki ordered the most expensive item on the menu. In addition to the noodles, it came with various meat cutlets, chicken, eggs, and chashu pork—the most deluxe ramen combo available.
"Whoa! Long live Kawasaki-senpai!" Naruto had never eaten the Grand Slam before. The best he'd ever had was the regular tonkotsu ramen.
Kawasaki couldn't help but shake his head as he watched Naruto's face light up with pure bliss over a simple meal.
"I'll have a bowl of tonkotsu ramen. Sasuke, order whatever you want."
Just then, Kawasaki felt a surge of chakra pass over him from above. He didn't look up. Was this the Third's scrying jutsu? *Heh. You're nowhere to be found when Naruto needs looking after, but the moment someone approaches him, you're faster than anyone.*
...
"Slurp..."
"Slurp..."
Naruto slurped his noodles loudly, a picture of pure joy.
Kawasaki finished his own bowl of tonkotsu ramen. The broth was indeed rich and flavorful, but it wasn't quite to his taste. It was passable. Sasuke, meanwhile, had ordered a few side dishes and was enjoying them quietly.
Just as Naruto was about to finish, the shop curtain was pushed aside again. A ninja with spiky silver hair and a mask covering his face walked in and sat down in the furthest corner.
"Sir, one bowl of Miso Chashu Ramen, please."
Kawasaki turned and glanced at Kakashi. *Tch. Are they really this nervous? They even sent Kakashi.*
"Buuurp~" Naruto let out a satisfying belch and pressed his hands together. "Thanks for the meal!"
The constitution of the Uzumaki clan was no joke. The Grand Slam ramen bowl was two sizes bigger than Naruto's head, and it was piled high with toppings. Even Kawasaki himself would have taken some time to finish it, yet Naruto, who was only five years old, had already devoured the entire thing.
Naruto loved ramen, partly because it was delicious, but also because Teuchi and Ayame were among the few who didn't treat him with scorn. Besides, the ramen here was relatively cheap—it was all he could afford.
"Naruto, are you full?" Kawasaki asked with a smile.
"Hehe, I'm stuffed, Kawasaki-senpai!" Naruto patted his bulging stomach, feeling happier than ever before.
"Naruto, I heard you're always getting into a bit of trouble," Kawasaki said.
Sasuke was confused. *We only just met today, where did you 'hear' that from?* But a single look from Kawasaki silenced him.
"I, um... hehehe." Naruto scratched his head sheepishly. He couldn't very well tell Kawasaki that his pranks were just a way to get people's attention. "I'm sorry, Kawasaki-senpai. I won't be naughty anymore."
But instead of scolding him, Kawasaki waved Ayame over. "The bill, please." He then took out twenty 1000-ryo bills and handed them to her.
Ayame quickly waved her hands. "The total is only three hundred and twenty ryo." Ichiraku Ramen was already affordable; besides the two-hundred-ryo deluxe bowl, Kawasaki's and Sasuke's meals were only sixty ryo each.
Kawasaki gestured dismissively. "Keep the rest. Naruto and Sasuke can eat here whenever they want in the future. Just deduct the cost from this."
"Is... is that okay?" Ayame looked to her father, who smiled and nodded, so she accepted the money.
"Naruto, I've left a tab here, so from now on, you and Sasuke can come eat whenever you like."
"Kawasaki-senpai, I can't do that! I can't take your money," Naruto said, shocked.
Kawasaki's expression hardened. "Who said I was giving you money? You're Sasuke's friend. Are you just going to sit and watch while Sasuke eats?" He continued, "The Ninja Academy is starting soon. You two will be in class every day, so it'll be more convenient to eat here."
"Ah... oh... um..." Naruto's young mind felt like something was off, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.
Kawasaki's smile returned. "Sasuke doesn't have many friends, so I'm counting on you to hang out with him more often. Also, no more mischief. Once school starts, you need to study hard."
"Oh! Okay! I'll hang out with Sasuke all the time! And I'll study really hard!" When Naruto couldn't figure something out, he simply stopped thinking about it. For the first time, someone had asked something of him, and he felt a surge of strength, his heart filled with warmth and joy.
Sasuke pouted from the side. "Hmph. Who cares if he comes looking for me."
Kawasaki, used to Sasuke's aloof act, simply shook his head and led the two kids out of the shop.
Kakashi quickly finished his noodles and followed them, keeping his distance. The Hokage had urgently summoned him and ordered him to find out why Kawasaki was suddenly being so kind to Naruto and what his true intentions were.
As it turned out, after treating Naruto to ramen, Kawasaki took him to Konoha's Eighth Street. The street was lined with Uchiha businesses and was currently the liveliest area in the village, as the Uchiha Police Force patrolled nearby.
Everyone who saw Kawasaki greeted him with a respectful bow. "Lord Kawasaki."
Kawasaki acknowledged them with a wave.
As they reached the end of the street, Kawasaki sensed that Kakashi and the others were getting anxious. The number of Anbu in the area was increasing. For now, Kawasaki didn't want a direct confrontation with them. He took a wad of cash from his pocket and handed it to Sasuke.
"Sasuke, you haven't been back in a while. Go buy some new clothes. Hmm, get a few sets, and buy two for your good friend Naruto as well. I have something to take care of. I'll see you in a bit."
Kawasaki gave Sasuke a meaningful look. Sasuke's eyes darted around, a flicker of understanding on his face.
As Kawasaki walked away, he spoke to a nearby Uchiha clansman. "Some Anbu will be here to watch Naruto soon. You don't need to do anything."
"Yes, sir!" The Uchiha Police Force member saluted.
After walking a short distance further, Kawasaki spoke to the empty space behind him. "Come out, Kakashi."