❈—18:: Ramen Conversations

Naruto Uzumaki

That big-headed bastard, Naruto fumed as he stomped down a street in the shopping district.

Who the hell did he think he was? Making Sakura sad.

I mean, sure, what he'd said hadn't exactly been a lie, Sakura did treat Naruto how Sasuke treated her, and Naruto had been aware of it himself before now, even though he never let himself dwell on it, but even so…

"Ah!" the blonde screamed in annoyance, raking his fingers through his yellow-blonde hair roughly as though it would help him dig out his unwanted thoughts.

Sasuke was an asshole, period. Even if what he'd said was true, and a tiny part of Naruto (whose existence will very much be denied outside the safety of his head) felt thankful that the boy had mentioned it, that hadn't changed. Sasuke Uchiha was, had always been, and will forever be a jerk.

Worse, Sasuke was a jerk who'd made Sakura sad.

… Just like how Sakura always made Naruto sad.

"Dammit!" Naruto screamed again, pounding a fist against his forehead repeatedly in another vain attempt to rid himself of any non-sasuke-hating thoughts.

That bastard was messing with his head!

Sakura hadn't done anything wrong. Naruto insisted to himself. She'd just wanted to spend time with that asshole.

Sasuke was the bastard and that was final! the blonde genin declared mentally.

The declaration didn't make him feel any better though, so Naruto vented out some of his frustration physically on the nearest available target that caught his eye; namely, a half-empty, plastic bottle minding its own business where someone had carelessly discarded it on the ground.

His foot shot out, striking the half-full container in the side and sending it flying.

Now, Naruto may be a twelve year old boy, but he was still a ninja, a being with superhuman physical capabilities borne from a lifetime of chakra boosting his body on a cellular level. So, despite how much Naruto held back, his kick sent the plastic container shooting across the street at definitely dangerous-to-civilian speeds…

On a street packed full of civilians.

A strangled "eep" escaped the young genin as the object barely missed the head of a fat woman by a few scant inches, striking a solid brick wall instead.

The woman screamed, jumping back in shock at the suddenness of it all.

Unbalanced by her sudden motion, the fat woman's feet tangled up, and like falling lumber, she came crashing down.

Shit.

Everyone on the street stilled as the woman hit the ground, even as, uncannily, they seemed to burst into motion at the same time.

Two Good Samaritans rushed to the woman's side to provide aid, and Naruto, having long since become an old hand at matters such as this, realized that this was his moment to make his escape.

Unfortunately for him, one of the bystanders on the street was a keen-eyed busybody, and the woman caught him before he could slink away.

"Hey, you," she called from her little fruit stand some distance away. "What were you thinking, kicking something like that?"

Her eyes caught his headband, the silver metal of it proudly displaying his rank as genin.

"And you're a ninja, too," she added. "Shouldn't you be more responsible than that?"

The woman's words had drawn attention to Naruto, putting him in a position he most certainly did not want to be in, since it was only a matter of time until—

"Wait, isn't that Naruto?" someone asked.

—until that happened.

"Naruto?" someone else asked in disbelief. "The troublemaker?"

"Yes, that's him."

"Wait, they made him a ninja? Seriously?"

Naruto scowled at the teen boy who said that.

The hell was that guy implying? Why wouldn't they make him a ninja?

Even as Naruto thought that, interest in his presence had caught on like a wildfire, and the troublemaking blonde seemed to be the only thing anyone cared about now.

"What is he even doing here?"

"Probably looking to cause trouble again."

"I heard he burnt down a store once."

What!? That was a lie!

Naruto glared at the man who'd said that. He was standing in front of a nice, little boutique.

Maybe I should burn down your store, the boy thought darkly. Maybe then you'd know better than to— Naruto caught himself.

No. He couldn't let himself think that way. Not after he just discovered only yesterday that the reason why Sakura had been pissed off with him all these years was because he'd apparently pranked her family's store.

Well, that and the fact that, while Gramps was willing to let Naruto get away with a lot, he doubted even he would let Naruto get away with arson.

Ninja had been suspended for less.

So, with gritted teeth and a heavy scowl, Naruto stomped down the street, ignoring the angry words and angry glares of the people around him.

Don't worry, he promised them. One day I'll be so important you'll all sing my praises when I walk down the street instead.

As Naruto walked away, his stomach rumbled. He needed some ramen, he decided, and just like that his dark mood lifted.

Twenty-five minutes later, Naruto was at his favourite (read: only) ramen place, Ramen Ichiraku, a steaming bowl of noodles before him.

"Thanks for the meal," he said and dug in.

As he lost himself to his food, he heard Ayame greet a new customer who walked in.

The new customer walked up to the counter and sat next to Naruto, before saying in a familiar voice: "Wow, he sure is digging into that, huh?"

Naruto turned.

"Kakashi-sensei!?" he asked with a full mouth.

"Hiya, Naruto," the jōnin greeted amiably.

Naruto swallowed.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"Well, a little birdie told me that this is the best ramen place in The Leaf," Kakashi said warmly. "I thought it was about time I tried it myself."

"Wait," Ayame said. "You're Naruto's sensei?"

Kakashi looked at her, the embodiment of gentlemanly poise.

"Guilty," he said. "Kakashi Hatake, at your service. May I have your name?"

Kakashi offered a hand.

"Ayame. Ichiraku," she said, taking Kakashi's hand. Kakashi pulled her hand forward and kissed it.

Ayame went a little pink.

Naruto felt his gorge rise.

"You know," Ayame continued, pulling back her hand a little shyly, "Naruto was just talking about you."

"Really? All good things, I hope."

"Uh…" The teenage girl got a deer in headlights look.

Naruto was fully aware why. After all, it was barely a few minutes ago when he'd said that Kakashi was a sadistic bastard who needed a good beating.

"He said your training was memorable," Ayame finally settled on.

"That's not what I said and you know it," Naruto shouted immediately.

Kakashi let out that annoying giggle of his.

"So, Ayame," Kakashi asked, "what would you recommend?"

Before Ayame could speak, Naruto cut in.

"Hey, Ayame, don't serve him. He's a jerk."

Ayame rolled her eyes.

"Naruto, I can't kick out a paying customer just to please you. Besides, he's your sensei; be polite."

Naruto fumed as Ayame ignored him and proceeded to suggest a dish for the smug bastard, Kakashi.

Speaking of, why was Naruto's team full of smug bastards? What was Gramps playing at?

Eventually, because he just wasn't the kind of person who could hold on to anger for long (but mostly because his ramen was growing cold) Naruto harrumphed and went back to his meal.

Things went by quietly for some time after that, with Ayame and Kakashi-bastard making meaningless, small talk that Old Man Ichiraku joined in after preparing Kakashi's order.

After sometime however, a trio of new customers came in, and the Ichiraku pair turned their attention to the new arrivals.

"So, I understand you and Sakura used to be friends," Kakashi said.

Naruto looked at him.

The jōnin's singular eye was focused on the boy, and his steaming bowl of ramen sat untouched before him.

"Yeah, we were, back in fourth year," Naruto said, the reminder drawing a twing of pain. "What's it to you?"

Kakashi shrugged. "You'd like to be friends with her again, wouldn't you?" he asked.

Naruto stared at the jōnin suspiciously. "Yeah?" he agreed cautiously.

"Then why do you annoy her all the time?" Kakashi asks. "What's your plan, to piss her off until she forgives you? Because I can tell you right now that it's not going to work."

Naruto scowled. "You don't know what you're talking about," he bit out angrily.

"Don't I?" Kakashi challenged.

Naruto didn't have an answer to that, so he demanded instead: "Well, what am I supposed to do?"

"The exact opposite of everything you're doing right now," Kakashi said. "Don't pester her to go out on dates that you know she doesn't want to go out on; don't force your company on her; be nice; be considerate of her feelings.

"If you want your friend back, Naruto, you need to put in the work. The right kind of work."

Naruto digested Kakashi's words. They were… not completely wrong, even he could see that. How he'd been going about things hadn't really been working out for him.

Unfortunately, Naruto was a stubborn boy, and his preferred path to solving any problem was to bash his head against it until it came crumbling down before him. Or his head gave out.

Besides, there was the fear there. The fear that if he stopped pushing, he would lose.

"But what if I stop trying and Sasuke takes her out instead?" he asked.

"Then you should be happy for her. Or, at least, respect her happiness," Kakashi said. "Besides," he added after a moment, "let's be honest, that's unlikely to happen anytime soon."

Naruto grew thoughtful. It was, wasn't it?

After all, Sasuke was as likely to go out with Sakura as Sakura was to go out with Naruto himself.

That thought pleased Naruto greatly.

"So, all I have to do is stop asking her out, right?" he asked Kakashi.

"And be considerate of what she wants."

"Hey, I'm considerate."

"Be more considerate then," Kakashi said.

Naruto harrumphed. "Fine."

"Whoa! Done already?" Ayame asked, returning to them now that her new customers were attended to. "I guess it's safe to say that you liked the meal."

"Loved it," Kakashi said.

What the hell are they talking about? Naruto wondered. He didn't even take a single bi—what the hell!?

The bowl of ramen in front of Kakashi, which Naruto knew had been full this entire time, was now empty.

"Anyway," Kakashi said as he rose, "I should be going; I have some business to attend to. How much for the meal?"

"Please, on the house," Teuchi said.

"Yeah, just keep Naruto safe for us, and we'll call it even," Ayame said.

Even through his mask, Naruto could tell Kakashi smiled.

"Deal," he said, then ruffled Naruto's hair. "Goodbye, my cute Sannin."

The jōnin faded into mist.

"Wow, Naruto," Ayame breathed with starry eyes, even Teuchi looked impressed. "Your sensei's kinda cool."

Naruto scoffed.

Well, he guessed the bastard wasn't all bad.