“Oh! Okay, Kawasaki-senpai!”
Naruto had been looked down upon since he was little, and he had a vague idea of who truly cared about him.
At this moment, he was genuinely happy. He had met an adult who didn't despise him.
“Let’s go, Sasuke. Let's get something to eat first.”
Kawasaki waved to Sasuke, who was standing with his hands in his pockets, acting cool.
“Hmph, so troublesome.”
Though he was being arrogant, seeing Naruto's happy expression, Sasuke didn't say no.
Kawasaki looked up and led the two out of the forest.
The ANBU members hiding in the trees looked at each other in astonishment.
Uchiha Kawasaki, a big shot. He is the current Vice-Clan Head of the Uchiha Clan.
He had previously caused the entire Hokage system to lose face.
Now, he was approaching the Nine-Tailed Jinchūriki.
“Report to the Hokage immediately!”
“Yes!”
Ichiraku Ramen Shop.
The curtain was lifted, and Kawasaki led Sasuke and Naruto inside.
There were no other customers in the shop, only Teuchi and Ayame.
“Teuchi-san! I’m back!”
Naruto shouted as soon as he entered. Sasuke turned his head awkwardly, pretending not to know Naruto.
Teuchi-san had a kind face and a warm smile. “Naruto, you’re back! What would you like today?”
“Big…”
Under Kawasaki's glare, Naruto swallowed the word “Dads”.
“Kawasaki-senpai, can I have a tonkotsu ramen?”
Naruto asked shyly.
Kawasaki was already studying the menu, his finger sliding across it.
He said, “Forget the tonkotsu ramen.”
“Why not?”
Naruto lowered his head in disappointment.
“Get Naruto the Grand Slam.”
Kawasaki ordered the most expensive ramen on the menu.
Besides the ramen.
He also added various cuts of meat, chicken, eggs, and chashu, making it the most luxurious ramen set.
“Oh! Kawasaki-senpai, you’re the best!”
Naruto had never had a Grand Slam before.
The best he’d had before was tonkotsu ramen.
Kawasaki shook his head as he watched Naruto’s face light up with happiness over a little food.
“Get me a bowl of tonkotsu ramen, Sasuke, order whatever you want…”
Kawasaki felt a chakra passing over his head.
Kawasaki didn't look up. Was it the Third Hokage's 千里眼之术 (Thousand-Mile Eye Technique)?
Hmph, you didn’t show up when you were taking care of Naruto, but now that someone is approaching Naruto, you're running faster than anyone else.
...
“Slurp…”
“Slurp…”
Naruto was making slurping sounds as he ate, ecstatic.
Kawasaki finished a bowl of tonkotsu ramen. It was indeed delicious and flavorful.
But he couldn’t eat it too much. He could only say that it was decent.
Sasuke ordered some snacks and enjoyed them on the side.
Just as Naruto was about to finish, the curtain was lifted again.
A silver hedgehog-haired ninja wearing a mask entered and sat in the farthest corner.
“Boss, I’ll have a bowl of miso chashu ramen.”
Kawasaki turned and glanced at Kakashi.
Tch, are you really this worried? Even Kakashi was sent.
“Burp～”
Naruto burped and clasped his hands together.
“Thank you for the meal!”
The Uzumaki Clan’s constitution really wasn’t just talk.
This Grand Slam ramen, the bowl was two circles larger than Naruto’s head, and there were so many ingredients inside.
Even he would have to spend some time finishing it. Unexpectedly, Naruto had already finished. And Naruto is only five years old now.
Naruto loves eating ramen, partly because the ramen here is delicious.
On the other hand, Teuchi and Ayame are some of the few people who don’t discriminate against him.
In addition, the ramen here is relatively cheap.
Naruto can only afford this.
“Naruto, are you full?”
Kawasaki asked with a smile.
“Hehe, Kawasaki-senpai, I’m full.”
Naruto patted his bulging stomach. He’d never been so happy.
“Naruto, I hear you often cause trouble?”
Someone asked.
Sasuke was baffled. He thought: We only met today, where did you hear that?
But with a look from Kawasaki, Sasuke immediately shut up.
“I, that… hehehe.”
Naruto scratched his head, a little shy. After all, he couldn’t tell Kawasaki that it was all just little pranks to get attention.
“Sorry, Kawasaki-senpai, I won’t be naughty anymore.”
But Kawasaki didn’t scold him. Instead, he beckoned Ayame to come over. “Please settle the bill.”
Kawasaki took out twenty thousand-ryo bills and handed them to Ayame.
Ayame quickly waved her hands. “It’s only three hundred and twenty ryo in total.”
Ichiraku Ramen was already affordable. Except for the luxurious version, which was two hundred ryo, Kawasaki and Sasuke’s were only sixty ryo each.
Kawasaki waved his hand. “Keep the rest, Naruto and Sasuke can eat here freely from now on, deduct the expenses from this.”
“This… is that okay?”
Ayame turned to Teuchi, who nodded with a smile. Then she accepted the money.
“Naruto, I have some money deposited here, feel free to come and eat with Sasuke whenever you want.”
“Kawasaki-senpai, how can that be? I can’t take your money.”
Naruto was surprised.
Kawasaki put on a stern face. “Who is giving you money? You are Sasuke’s friend, are you going to sit and watch him eat?”
“Ninja school is about to start, you two have to go to class every day. It’s convenient to eat here.”
“Ah… oh… this…”
Naruto felt something was wrong, but he couldn’t explain it.
Kawasaki smiled again and said, “Sasuke doesn’t have many friends, you’re the one who keeps him company.”
“And, stop making trouble. You should study hard when you’re in school.”
“Oh! Okay! I’ll hang out with Sasuke often! I’ll study hard!”
Whenever Naruto couldn’t figure something out, he just stopped thinking about it.
This was the first time someone had asked him for a favor. He felt a surge of strength, warm and happy.
Sasuke pouted from the side. “Who cares if he hangs out with me, hmph.”
Kawasaki was used to Sasuke's little arrogance. He shook his head and led the two children out.
Kakashi quickly finished his noodles and followed closely, trailing behind Kawasaki and the others.
Just now, Hokage-jiji had urgently called him back, asking him to see what Kawasaki was up to, why he was being so kind to Naruto, and what his intentions were.
As a result, Kawasaki treated Naruto to ramen and then took him to Konoha’s Eight Streets.
That street was lined with Uchiha family shops. Currently, Konoha’s Eight Streets was the busiest because the Uchiha guard was patrolling nearby.
Everyone who met Kawasaki respectfully bowed. “Kawasaki-sama.”
Kawasaki waved back to each of them.
When he reached the street corner, Kawasaki felt Kakashi and the others were getting impatient, and more and more ANBU members were appearing.
Kawasaki didn't want to have a direct confrontation with the ANBU for now. He took a wad of money out of his pocket and gave it to Sasuke.
“Sasuke, you haven’t been back for a while. Go buy some new clothes, um, buy a few sets, and get two sets for your good friend, Naruto.”
“I have something to deal with. See you later.”
Kawasaki winked at Sasuke, Sasuke’s eyes rolled, as if he understood.
Kawasaki walked outward and instructed the nearby Uchiha clansmen. “Later, some ANBU members will come to see Naruto, you don’t need to worry about it.”
“Yes!”
The Uchiha guards saluted.
After walking a distance, Kawasaki said to those behind him, “Come out, Kakashi.”