Asuma

Kuro ignored the whispers around him, and Naruto, though quieter than before, did the same.

"..."

However, his initial enthusiasm seemed to have vanished.

Suddenly, he stopped in his tracks.

Kuro looked at him with a raised eyebrow, "What's wrong?"

"Forget it…." Naruto clenched his fists and then let out a sigh.

After a moment of silence, he looked up and said, "I'm glad you invited me to your birthday, but if you stay near me, you'll get into trouble."

"Are you talking about those looks?"

Naruto avoided his gaze but eventually nodded.

"So what?" Kuro said indifferently. "Do you care what they think?"

?

Naruto looked at him confused, not understanding.

"If you live only for yourself, wouldn't it be exhausting to worry about what others say or think?"

Naruto opened his mouth to respond, but no words came out, and he lowered his gaze, lost in thought.

Isn't it sad to live just for yourself?

Although being independent could be unique and even admirable, hadn't he shown that expression of loneliness before?

Kuro, noticing his hesitation, smirked teasingly.

"I know what you're thinking. That's why I invited you, isn't it?"

"Eh?"

Naruto looked at him, puzzled.

"Friends, family… it's enough to keep the people who truly matter close. The opinions of others, their looks, their thoughts…"

"To be direct, those people have nothing to do with me. Why should I care what they think?"

After saying that, he turned around and started walking toward the restaurant.

Everyone has their way of living.

Kuro didn't believe in judging others' actions, but he also wouldn't let anyone judge his.

He wasn't like Naruto. He didn't need the approval of others.

He only cared about himself.

But…

My path is the most suitable for me, and I don't need anyone's compassion.

…

Kuro had hoped to meet that duo again. He not only wanted another gluttony contest but also another chance to pluck more hairs from Chōza to try forging an accessory that could convert fat into chakra.

As for Naruto…

Kuro wasn't sure if Hiruzen was using his crystal ball to spy on them, but if that was the case, he had to find a way to steal more hair and blood without raising suspicion.

Unfortunately, the heavens don't always grant wishes.

When he arrived at the restaurant, Chōza and Chōji were nowhere to be seen.

Instead, he noticed Asuma and Kurenai sitting by a window, chatting and laughing while enjoying grilled meat.

I don't know what Asuma said, but Kurenai seemed amused.

"….."

What the hell am I watching?

A romantic comedy?

Cursing under his breath, finding the sight rather irritating, he headed to a secluded corner of the restaurant.

I prefer to keep a low profile and avoid drawing attention.

However, with Naruto present, he knew maintaining a low profile would be impossible.

He had barely sat down when Naruto entered the restaurant in his typical carefree manner.

Immediately, all eyes turned to him.

The customers who had been chatting animatedly fell silent, their laughter fading.

For a moment, the restaurant seemed frozen in time.

Then, as if nothing had happened, everyone resumed their conversations.

Naruto opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but no one looked at him. Even the waitstaff avoided approaching, as if the boy were invisible.

Kuro sighed and motioned for him to come over.

Naruto, with his head hanging low, slowly walked toward his table.

As he moved, the people who pretended not to see him began pointing at both him and Kuro, whispering quietly.

From their seat by the window, Asuma and Kurenai obviously noticed the tension in the restaurant.

Asuma lit a cigarette and exhaled a long ring of smoke.

"Those people misunderstand the boy too much."

"Why is there such a big misunderstanding?" Kurenai asked with a frown.

"I don't know."

Asuma took a deep drag and, after exhaling slowly, added, "But it's very likely that someone deliberately caused it."

He had just returned to Konoha and wasn't familiar with the village's current situation.

However, as a member of the Twelve Ninja Guardians, he had spent years beside the Daimyo, observing political intrigues and surviving internal conflicts.

His experience gave him a special "nose" for detecting maneuvers like this.

"Why would they do something like that?"

Asuma leaned back in his chair, exhaling one last ring of smoke before responding, "I have no idea. Maybe there's something hidden in him… or it could be part of the plans of some people seeking personal gain."

"In short, it's complicated."

"I hope it's the first," Kurenai sighed, taking her glass and bringing it to her lips.

As a ninja, she knew which things were better left unasked.

Although she felt sympathy for Naruto, she didn't try to help him; she didn't know if her intervention might make things worse.

Still, as she watched the blonde boy chatting cheerfully with another expressionless boy, a small smile appeared on her cherry-red lips.

"Even though everyone hates him, it seems he still has a friend."

Asuma followed her gaze and saw Kuro, who was conversing with Naruto with a calm demeanor. A smile appeared on his face, "That boy is good. Even if fate involves him in a disaster, he hasn't abandoned his friend."

"I think so too."

The two clinked their glasses softly and drank, sharing a knowing smile.

...

When Naruto reached the table, a new smile lit up his face.

Though the indifference of others still hurt, he didn't want his emotions to affect Kuro.

"Hey... I know it, but what should I call you?" he asked, scratching his head with slight embarrassment.

Kuro looked at him with a calm expression, resting an elbow on the table and his chin on his palm.

"Kuro," he responded in a neutral tone.

"Eh!?" Naruto jolted as if he hadn't expected such a straightforward answer. Then he smiled widely and waved his hand.

"I don't understand why you make me so uncomfortable with things like this!" he said, half-joking and half-complaining.

Kuro raised an eyebrow, maintaining his relaxed posture, "You don't need to worry about me. Even if you cry right here, it won't cause any fluctuations in my heart."

Naruto looked clearly offended and slammed the table as he stood up, "Hey! Didn't you say we were friends?"

"How can you be so cold? You're breaking my heart, Kuro!"

Kuro didn't flinch, "We're not, and I don't care about your drama. Sit down and stop talking nonsense."

...

After a while of back-and-forth banter, the atmosphere had relaxed quite a bit.

Naruto leaned back in his chair, looking at the ceiling lamp with a serene smile.

For the first time in a long while, the indifference of others stopped weighing on him, even if just for a moment.

"Thanks, Kuro."

"Thanks? For what?" Kuro asked, looking at him as if he were a weirdo.

"Doesn't matter why. Just thanks."

Kuro frowned and focused back on the meat, "You're crazy."

With that, he placed meat and vegetables on the grill, murmuring something inaudible as the aroma began to fill the air.

________

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