6 Chapter 6: Thoughts

Tenten strolled calmly through the bustling streets of blooming Konoha. The refreshing breeze ruffled the short strands of her chestnut hair, but her contemplative expression lingered. Passing by stalls with loud voices enticing her to buy various products, her thoughts were nowhere near the present. They were solely focused on one thing – "What happened to Lee?"

Tenten couldn't fully grasp the reason for her curiosity about him, but for some reason, her heart ached at the thought of the typically lively and boisterous guy suddenly losing his cheerfulness. She vividly remembered seeing him earlier today in front of the academy with a forced smile, as if he was trying to recapture yesterday's happiness, but...

It was only now that Tenten realized that Lee hadn't been sincere back then. He had greeted her with a fake smile and nothing more.

"Lee has become stronger and more ruthless, and when he was finally acknowledged, he became rude to everyone and stopped connecting... But before... He was constantly seeking recognition and friendship from those around him... But... They all bullied him and laughed at him, and I... I was just too cold towards him and ignored him all this time, ugh..." Tenten continued to spiral in her thoughts, admitting that not only were others to blame but she, too, had her share of responsibility.

In this way, it became clear that Tenten, as a person, wasn't entirely bad. On the contrary, in her thoughts, she revealed a much kinder and vulnerable side than she often displayed in real life. She began to genuinely worry about someone who was essentially a stranger to her. So much so that she suddenly and truly had to stop in the middle of the crowded street, blush noticeably, and vigorously shake her head to clear her mind of these unwanted thoughts.

"Am I thinking too much about Lee? Could it be... I'm falling for him? For that buff and bushy-browed guy? No, no! That can't be!" Thankfully, Tenten quickly found a convincing justification for herself and muttered quietly under her breath:

"I'm just a soft-hearted future Kunoichi from the Hidden Leaf, right?"

Meanwhile, children nearby were running around in courtyards, brandishing small sticks, shouting that they were ninjas with kunais, and occasionally catching the attention of the chestnut-haired girl with buns on her head. Watching them, she couldn't help but feel a mix of endearment and sigh at the futility of existence. At just twelve years old, Tenten was well aware that not all shinobi were noble warriors from fairy tales; many were ruthless killers at the beck and call of the Hokage.

However, who was she, and who was the Hokage? The answer was clear.

Without power, rank, or special abilities, you were simply a nobody, and nobody called you by name. Tenten, devoid of the typical naivety of her age, knew this and calmly accepted it, seeing no other alternative path in life.

"That's why I want to become a legendary and greatest Kunoichi like Tsunade of the Senju clan!" she firmly declared in her thoughts, clenching her small fist. Her ambitions remained vast.

Next, she spotted a certain restaurant, with a sign indicating that they served ramen. It had a modest appearance and didn't stand out in any particular way. However, Tenten's stomach betrayed her with a rumble, and more importantly, upon closer inspection, she saw the person who had occupied her thoughts earlier – Lee.

Rock Lee in the flesh, and he was genuinely smiling. In the company of the cheerful blond with stripes on his cheeks and a ridiculous orange jumpsuit.

Seeing nothing wrong with having dinner at this place, Tenten walked through the hanging curtain and was met with Lee's gaze. She ended up just staring in an awkward atmosphere, but Lee didn't seem to mind. He was rapidly slurping down one bowl after another, completely ignoring the guest who had walked in and causing even the usually stoic Rock to stop playing with his chopsticks.

"Hey there. You came for a meal before training, right? Join us, Tenten," the buff young man said amiably, while a plump old man in a white chef's hat arrived at the counter, grinning paternally. After such a warm invitation from Lee, Tenten felt she couldn't refuse. It was a far cry from his demeanor after their sparring match.

"Y-yeah, hi... I'll have a medium-sized bowl, please," she said, her initial shyness fading away as she placed her order and took a seat next to Lee and the unfamiliar blond.

"Tenten, this is Naruto Uzumaki, I just met him. Naruto, this is Tenten, my classmate, whom you, you mustachioed and striped glutton who won't stop eating on my money, should give a proper greeting at last," Rock said sternly, elbowing the so-called Naruto in the side, who nearly fell over and choked on his noodles because of the sudden jolt from his newfound buddy.

"Oh? Really? Alright then, I'm Naruto Uzumaki! The future Hokage, just so you know!" the scruffy blond exclaimed loudly, wiping the grease from his face with the sleeve of his jumpsuit instead of using the napkins right next to him.

"Pleased to meet you, I guess," Tenten replied, sighing. She had gleaned something valuable from their short conversation.

"So, Lee is treating him, even though they just met? Hmm, maybe the changes in him aren't as critical and terrible as I thought? Lee is still as kind-hearted as he used to be..." Tenten realized, finally convincing herself that her worries were unfounded.

Unlike others, Tenten never mocked or laughed at the original Lee when he was more vulnerable. She wasn't a bad person, just a bit too prideful at times. In most respects, she pleased Rock by never looking down on the original Lee, who was more sensitive than most.

As for Lee, he hadn't been rude to her and had interacted with her politely. He would be happy to befriend her if she was willing. Moreover, their fate was bound to involve working together in Might Guy's team.

Lee had met Naruto quite by chance, possibly even fatefully, as they both found common ground over a shared meal. It would be good to explain in more detail how that happened.

After the usual run through Konoha, Rock quickly realized he was starving and needed to refuel. He decided to head to Ichiraku Ramen, a renowned restaurant known for its heavenly noodles at an affordable price, as recommended by the locals.

And as funny as it may sound, the rumors turned out to be entirely accurate.

Furthermore, an inside joke among fans had come true: Naruto Uzumaki's official place of residence was indeed Ichiraku Ramen. It might have seemed like fan fiction or internet humor, but it was a fact.

"At least the 20,000 ryō I earned from the system after the first exercise will prevent me from going broke today, especially if this ramen-loving son of the Fourth Hokage ends up leaving me with no money," Rock thought as he overheard Naruto whisper to the smiling old man behind the counter, ordering another large bowl of ramen. The advantage of ramen was that it quickly replenished energy and didn't cost much.

"You eat too much, don't you think, Naruto?" Rock shook his head and twirled the long noodles around his chopsticks before slurping them up.

"Yeah! I get it, but I want to become strong, and strong people should eat heartily and constantly! That's what my sensei at the academy told me, dattebayo!" Naruto replied with a proud tone, pounding his chest with his fist and wearing a broad smile.

"Alright, that's a logical answer, so I'll let it slide this time," Rock said with a chuckle, waving it off and continuing to enjoy his meal, no longer bothering to address Naruto's voracious appetite.

"After all, he's a Jinchuriki. Eating a lot is obviously beneficial for him."

Having briefly savored the ramen, Rock quickly found a suitable topic of conversation with the silent Tenten, who once again found herself struggling with the situation as the noodles kept slipping out from between her chopsticks in her tense hands:

"Tenten, you fought well in today's practical training, and I really liked it. Your shuriken and kunai throwing skills are only slightly behind those of the Hyuga clan's sharp-eyed members, which is quite commendable."

"Thank you for your kind words, Lee. But... compared to you, my Taijutsu skills seem to be at rock bottom," Tenten admitted with a disheartened sigh, indicating her readiness to set aside her pride when necessary and acknowledge her weaknesses.

"You'll learn more! The Power of Youth is with you, Tenten!" Rock declared firmly, giving her a thumbs-up and flashing a dazzling, good-natured smile, which was quite different from today's serious and righteous demeanor. It was very uncharacteristic for the typical square.

To be honest, Tenten felt much better after that speech. She thought and realized that at the age of twelve, there was no need to rush. There were many more training sessions ahead to become stronger, so sooner or later, she would shine brightly, like a blossoming bud, spreading her pollen throughout the world!