How to avoid being a Ninja

chapter 10 : Naruto Uzumaki

She grinned wider, breaking off from the hug slowly as she held out her hand to him.

"Nice to meet you, Naruto!" 

His lips slowly curled into a small smile, holding her hand gently as he simply nodded instead of using his words.

A woman's voice could be heard nearby.

Aiko turned towards the familiar voice calling out to her.

"Aiko!~" it was her mother sweetly calling out to her.

She turned back to Naruto, giving him a gentle pat on his head and smiling 

" Sorry I have to go now my mom is calling me. don't give up, Naruto! You're better than anyone here and you'll become a greater person, believe it!" 

She said before running off to meet up with her mother, leaving the child behind her.

Her words played in his mind repeatedly as he felt a strange sensation in his chest.

Something he never felt before.

It was warm…

to her, it wasn't something major. But to him, he felt like she saved him. Not just  from the bullying earlier but from the dark and cold place everyone left him at.

She gave him hope.

Aiko held her mother's hand and with that the two headed back to their home .

" So Aiko-chan, did you make any friends ?" Her mother asked her.

Said girl thought for a bit, 'I did meet Naruto but.. are we friend? I don't know. It's not like I'll ever meet him again anyway' she decided to shrug it off and looked at her mother.

"Probably?" She replied, reciving a sweat drop from her mother.

' what does she mean probably? did the way of making friends change and become hard in this generation..?' 

~time skip~ 

Aiko was in her room reading a medical scroll about the Mystical palm that she found in the storage room by coincidence two days ago .

She already made her mind  since she  won't become a ninja she will become a medic or a civilian daughter  , she always wanted to become one in her last , lucky she kept some knowledge from the seven years she spent in the medical academy at least they aren't wasted .

While she was lost in her thoughts she suddenly smelt something burning she jolted from her position in her bed and hurried downstairs to be greeted by the sight of her mother trying to put down the fire in the pan  

"Mother …" Aiko sighed looking at the mess her mother made at the kitchen .

" Ahh aiko-chan I was trying to make. …..I will try again " her mother said laughing

 awkwardly .

"No no wait  how about you relax I will clean up the mess let's just for father to come back" 

The daughter suggested as she  pushed Tomoko out of the kitchen and closing the door on her face before she could even reply.

Tomoko sulked, going to the garden to water her newly planted flowers and herbs.

After Tomoko left the kitchen Aoko begun cleaning up then she spotted the bag of floor on the table and an idea came to her mind.

' I wonder if ..' 

~ one hour later ~

Ryohei entered the house ,putting off his sandels as a delicious aroma hit him .

"Umm, what a sweet scent. Who is cooking? There is no way it's Tomoko…" He muttered just as he was about to enter the kitchen when the backyard door opened, Tomoko walked in and had the same surprised face as her husband.

Her attention was turned to him and she smiled, walking closer to him.

"Welcome home, dear!" She said and he smiled back at her, saying thanks and they both entered the kitchen finding Aiko setting down a plate on the table then taking off her apron -which was bigger than her since it belonged to Tomoko-

She turned towards them and smiled, "Oh you're back, father!" She dashed towards him, giving him a hug. - but obviously, she could only hug his waist - 

He chuckled, lifting her up in his arms.

"oh? Was our little Aiko the one who was cooking?" He said, kissing her forehead to which Aiko returned with a giggle.

"Yup! Since mom almost burned the house down!" 

"A-Aiko… don't exaggerate.." Tomoko said, Dramatically anime crying.

Ryohei chuckled, ruffling his daughter's hair gently and patting Tomoko on her back trying to cheer her up.

Moments later, they were seated at the table which Aiko prepared neatly.

The dish that she had made caught their attention.

In their -tomoko&ryohei- minds, it looked weird. They were… almost afraid to eat it even though the aroma was heavenly.

But they didn't want to crush their daughter's spirits so they kept a smile on their faces.

"Then.. please try my first dish, Mom, father!" She said, cutting two pieces and placing them in front of them.

They gulped and looked at her to find stars in her eyes.

She was eager to let them try what she cooked.

 Ryohei looked at Tomoko, smiling but sweating. 

"It's sad but I'll let you have the honour of being the first to try it, Darling!" He said.

"Oh no no, I will let you have that honour, dear!" She replied.

Aiko sighed, 'are they afraid I poisoned them or what? You'll see…' 

She pout, making the best puppy eyes she could. 

"you both try it at the same time.."  she said, faking teary eyes.

They gulped, sighing in defeat and holding it up near their mouths.

'There goes nothing..!' 

They both thought, taking a bite.

Aiko smirked, seeing their surprised faces as their eyes lit up.

"it's… delicious..?" Tomoko stated, some leftovers were on her chin. 

"why? You thought it would taste bad?" Aiko said, faking a sad tone.

"of course not! I'm just surprised my daughter could cook better than me ~" Tomoko replied.

"it's really appetizing, " Ryohei said with a smile, "What's the name of this dish, Aiko?" He added.

Both parents looked at their daughter who grinned, standing up on her chair.

"This dish is called… pizza!"