**Chapter 9**

Naruto's smile didn't last long. As realization set in, he felt his heart drop. *Did I mess up? Again?* This was his first friend, and now he feared he'd ruined everything. But before he could spiral further, Sasuke's voice cut through the tension.

"Stupid? Me? No way!" Naruto shouted back, his resolve flaring.

"You're stupid, idiot!" Sasuke retorted, unwilling to back down.

"Stupid!"

"Idiot!"

Their argument continued in an endless loop until Uchiha Itachi spoke up.

"Sasuke, that's enough," Itachi said calmly, his gaze sharp. He turned toward Satoru, silently accusing him of being the instigator.

*What? Me?* Satoru felt the silent reprimand and his heart sank. This time, it really wasn't his fault. *Sometimes these two are just bound to clash,* he thought.

Sasuke, hearing his brother's words, fell silent and dropped his head. *Great,* he thought. *Now big brother has seen me acting foolish.* His frustration grew as he stole a glare at Naruto. *It's his fault!*

"I'm sorry," Sasuke muttered begrudgingly.

Naruto's eyes widened. "Uh, well, I kinda started it, so…" He scratched his head and forced a smile, trying to mask the strange, bittersweet feeling bubbling inside him. He couldn't help but envy the bond between Sasuke and his brothers. *So that's what it's like to have a family,* he thought. *Lucky guy.*

"They're brothers. That's just how it is," one of the nearby onlookers whispered, watching the scene unfold. "Looks like they're close."

Seeing the flash of sadness in Naruto's eyes, Satoru decided to lighten the mood. His smile brightened as he announced loudly, "What a sweet scene! I smell childhood friends in the making."

"Absolutely not!" Naruto shouted, surprised by his own volume.

"Second brother, stop talking nonsense!" Sasuke added, clearly embarrassed.

Their sudden outbursts caught Satoru by surprise, and for a second, he blinked at their flustered faces. Then he laughed, the carefree sound ringing out in the open space. The joy of riling them up was irresistible.

Naruto, though confused, felt a growing warmth. *Big brother might be weird, but he's not bad,* he thought. But doubts lingered. *Is he really related to these two?* Unlike Sasuke and Itachi, who were serious and intense, Satoru had an air of freedom about him, a lightness that was almost out of place in the Uchiha clan.

"What are you all doing here?" a voice called out. Uchiha Shisui had just emerged from the Hokage Building and took in the scene before him.

"Shisui," Itachi greeted, a rare hint of relief in his voice.

"Hi, Itachi." Shisui's eyes shifted to the others, recognizing Naruto immediately. The resemblance to the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, was undeniable. He glanced at Satoru, who was well-known among the younger Uchiha for his unpredictable nature. Finally, he looked at Sasuke, Itachi's younger brother, known for his solemn and determined spirit.

"Hello, I'm Shisui, Uchiha Shisui," he introduced himself with a friendly smile.

The trio responded with polite greetings, their expressions ranging from nervous (Sasuke) to curious (Naruto) to slyly cheerful (Satoru).

"By the way, big brother," Naruto suddenly said, turning to Satoru, "do you remember that day at the ramen shop?"

"Yes, what about it?" Satoru tilted his head, wondering why Naruto was bringing it up now.

"The ramen contest is starting soon! Let's all go!" Naruto's voice was filled with excitement. He remembered how enthusiastic Satoru had seemed when they talked about it last time.

"A ramen contest?" Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Isn't it a bit early for that?"

"It's starting early," Naruto confirmed. "I don't know why, but they said it'll happen sooner than planned."

Uchiha Itachi, watching the interaction, pieced it together. *A small-scale conflict is brewing in the village. The timing must have shifted to accommodate that.*

"Are you all going?" Sasuke asked, hesitant but intrigued.

"Of course! You're coming too, Sasuke," Satoru said with a mischievous gleam in his eyes. "Your big brother will be there too," he added, leaning in conspiratorially.

Sasuke's eyes brightened at the mention of Itachi. "I'll go," he said, unable to hide his anticipation.

Satoru smirked, satisfied. *This is going to be interesting.*

>>>>>

Up to Chapter 20 available on Patreon.com/c/GGFanfiction :)

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