Chapter 24

"Didn't expect to bump into you here, Yaneko."

Kaito couldn't help but laugh at the sight in front of him. After glancing at the sign of Ichiraku Ramen, he decided to stroll in after a moment of thought.

Ichiraku Ramen holds a lot of history in Konoha. Kaito often visited when he was a child, considering it's a well-known 'must-check-in' spot in Konoha.

Characters like Naruto, Iruka, Kakashi, among others in the original storyline, had all eaten here. After crossing over to this world, naturally, Kaito wouldn't miss this place.

However, as he started to have more missions, his visits lessened.

As for Nara Yaneko, this young girl was a classmate of Kaito's during their time in the ninja school.

Although Kaito and Shisui graduated early, after she graduated, she still teamed up with Kaito for a period of time.

Kaito's impression of Nara Yaneko is quite deep. After all, the name Yaneko is one that Kaito, having watched a certain anime, could hardly forget.

In addition, she is quite beautiful with hair that could be tied up into a high ponytail or let down as long, straight black locks, earning her quite a reputation in Kaito's XP.

Moreover, it seems she is the cousin of that kid, Nara Shikamaru, inheriting the Nara clan's unique intelligence.

During their missions together, she often provided advice that even the leading Jonin were willing to listen to.

However, as their ninja ranks advanced, and they each took on new roles and missions, their squad naturally disbanded.

Kaito had been working solo these past years. Although there were squad reunions, he rarely attended.

It wasn't that he didn't want to, but often, he wasn't in Konoha during these gatherings, and so naturally, he couldn't participate.

"Yeah, I thought my eyes were deceiving me," Nara Yaneko chuckled, cocking her head to the side, "You're such a busy man. I'm struggling to remember when I last saw you."

"Probably...a year or two ago?" Kaito wasn't quite certain either, but he nonchalantly shrugged it off, "You know, I'm now a mission ninja, naturally, I've got a lot on my plate."

Being with an old teammate made Kaito feel at ease.

Their squad had never had any significant disputes, and Kaito himself did not share the notorious issues of the Uchiha clan.

Apart from Nara Yaneko, they had another teammate who was a civilian ninja. All things considered, they got along quite well.

"Boss, get him a large bowl of pork flavored ramen with extra chashu. Don't forget to add a good dose of chili."

Upon hearing Kaito's words, Nara Yaneko didn't immediately respond. Instead, she turned her head towards Ichiraku and ordered a bowl of noodles. Then, she lowered her head, eating while speaking.

"I know, but you indeed made a wise choice, not foolishly taking a position at the police department.

Plus, running into you today is a joyous event, so I'll pick up the tab. You can eat without worry."

"Quite a rare occasion, you inviting someone to a meal?"

Hearing this, Kaito couldn't help but laugh even more. Nara Yaneko seldom treated others. Even though she came from a well-off family, she seemed rather stingy.

As for her mention of a position in the police department, she had subtly brought it up with Kaito years ago.

Back then, the Nine-Tails incident hadn't occurred yet, but she had warned Kaito on the day their squad disbanded. The police department was definitely not a good place to be.

This indeed surprised Kaito immensely. As a time-traveler, he naturally knew the police department was a trap. But Nara Yaneko wasn't a time-traveler, nor was she an Uchiha.

"You're trying to subtly criticize me, aren't you? Accusing me of being stingy?"

Upon hearing Kaito's words, Nara Yaneko couldn't help but roll her eyes. However, she didn't care about such things at the moment, continuing to leisurely eat her meal with her head lowered.

"Not really, but you can trust me on this. Speaking of which, what kind of work are you doing now?"

Kaito naturally wouldn't confess his true thoughts, but he didn't want to linger on this topic. He swiftly changed the subject.

"It would be strange if I did trust you, and your way of changing the subject is still so stiff, but no matter."

Nara Yaneko raised her head to glance at Kaito, then she leisurely spoke.

"After our squad disbanded, I followed my father to learn how to handle family matters. Later, my cousin asked me to join him in the administrative department, saying it would be a waste if I didn't go.

However, I told him that I'm still young and don't have many plans for now. In truth, I don't want to join the administrative department at all; it's too boring and incredibly troublesome.

I'd rather go to school and find a simple position, something easy and without so many hassles."

Nara Yaneko's cousin is, of course, Nara Shikaku. Kaito wasn't surprised that Nara Yaneko could work in the administrative department.

After all, Yaneko is very intelligent, and according to the traditions of the Nara clan, their future either lies in selling medicine or working in the administrative department, which is a major tradition of their family.

However, it seems that Nara Yaneko also inherited the Nara clan's laid-back attitude, clearly not yearning for work in the administrative department.

As the two of them were conversing, Ichiraku had finished preparing the ramen and served it up. It must be said that Ichiraku's ramen is among the most hearty meals Kaito has had over the years.

Whether it's the portion size or the ingredients used, one could see the degree of seriousness Ichiraku put into making ramen. This is truly dedication to ramen craft.

For people like this, who put their hearts into making ramen, Kaito would always come back no matter how many times he ate it.

However, just as Kaito was about to start eating his ramen, a small, seemingly weak boy with a head full of blond hair suddenly ran in.

When this little guy came in, Kaito noticed a warm smile appear on Ichiraku's face, but the other ninjas eating there were frowning.

"Huh? It's this little guy." Nara Yaneko naturally noticed this scene too. She took a quick glance and lost interest: "Didn't expect to run into this little guy again."

"It seems you don't find him annoying." Kaito amusingly looked at Nara Yaneko: "This kid's name is Naruto, right?"

That's right, the little guy who ran in this time was Naruto!

Indeed, Kaito naturally knew Naruto, though for various reasons, he had rarely encountered him.

But as the protagonist of the original story, how could Kaito possibly forget him? However, there is still a need to feign a bit, since in reality, he isn't that familiar with Naruto.

"Wow, that's rare." Nara Yaneko looked at Kaito with some surprise: "You actually called him by his name, and you even don't dislike him."

"Please, I'm not an idiot, okay?" Kaito shook his head, then sighed: "I've heard about his situation, the kid is quite pitiful."

"Yeah, the kid is indeed pitiful." Nara Yaneko also sighed slightly: "My little brother is his classmate, so I'm not unfamiliar with him, but..."

At this point, Nara Yaneko suddenly looked at Kaito seriously, then lowered her voice and said earnestly.

"You'd better not show sympathy for him. His identity is too special. You haven't forgotten the incident back then, have you?"

//

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