— Naruto Uzumaki's POV —
Mother gave me a mission so now... I'm in Konoha.
There doesn't seem to be anyone who recognized me.
Mother had taught me all kinds of sort of magic.
One of them is magic for illusion.
I am able to sense this thing called "magicules" now, and utilize it in a battle to a certain extent, believe it.
But anyway... Currently, I'm inside Ichiraku's.
It has been a long since I came here... Teuchi Oji-san doesn't seem to remember me though...
Well, it doesn't matter...
I've moved on from my fear in the past... A little bit.
So now I am able to eat ramen even though...
"Hic—"
"Oi oi... What's wrong, lad? Is something wrong with the ramen?"
I answered Teuchi Oji-san's question, "No it's... It's just it's so good." I smiled at him while remembering Iruka-sensei...
Mother said, Iruka-sensei can be brought back to life.
I don't know if that's true but...
For now, the only way for me to handle this feeling, is to engulf myself in battles.
Mother is right, it takes a fear to drive fear away...
But... I don't want to fear.
That is currently, the important thing I do not possess.
"You ordered so many Bamboo shoots" Suddenly came a voice beside me.
The owner of the voice is a boy my age. He has black spiky hair and his whole appearance screamed "EDGY".
He wore a grey-unzipped jacket over his white shirt and black pants along with black sandals.
"Do you like Bamboo shoots?" The boy suddenly asks.
It took me quite a while to respond since it has been very long since I've made a conversation with strangers...
"Eh- uhh... yeah! It's not really because I like it it's... " Iruka sensei's image came into my mind...
"It's just I used to eat it with someone I know... I sometimes complained about not having fish cake instead of Bamboo shoots and... We argued a bit." And I keep ordering seconds even though I said I hated the toppings afterward... Haha.
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— Third Person's POV —
The boy with dark hair, is Sasuke.
Sasuke stared at the white-haired boy for a while before smiling a little bit, "Hn... And now that you taste it once more, you grow to like it since it reminds you of him, isn't it?"
It made Naruto widen his eyes a little before asking Sasuke, "Are you a telepath or something...?" He delivered that line with a skeptical face.
"Heh, I just reminded of something..." While saying that Sasuke raised his chopsticks, seemingly holding one of the toppings.
"Someone I know loved Fishcake so much that she ordered a full bowl of them" he stated whilst showing Naruto the circular toppings.
"I was thinking of her as a rival back then, just because I wanted my brother's attention."
Again, Naruto widens his eyes, he then asks excitedly, "T-then! You must probably know how it felt being scolded once you got their attention right? Like after playing pranks on them or, being so childish around them?!" Unbeknownst to him, a smile was plastered on his face.
"Hn... I once selfishly challenged her to a breakfast-eating competition"
"Pfft— And- and then you smug at them since you thought you won even though they are just confused as to what the hell you're doing exactly, right? AHAHAHAHAHA"
"Then what about 'The favorite snacks'" (Sasuke)
"Heh... They are basically currency to bribe us, isn't that right? Many times Sensei bought me cup noodles just so I want to train, believe it!" (Naruto)
Sasuke raised an eyebrow at the word "sensei" but he dismissed the frown immediately and says, "Hn? My sister threatened to dispose of my stash of tomatoes if I didn't stop bothering her instead."
"Pfft— AHA HA HA HA HA HA HA"
They go on with a smile on their face. Even Sasuke's usual stoic cold face changed to a smirk of fondness as Naruto laughs inside the Ramen stall.
Even though their topic of conversation was a bit dumbfounding...
The Ramen chef, Teuchi, and her daughter smiled at their unique but cheerful exchanges.
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"*Sigh*... I've never talked about this kind of thing... It was so refreshing to share it with someone, believe it."
"Hn. That applies to me too."
"By the way, I'm Naruto, my I know your name?" Suddenly, the white spiky-haired asked.
"Hn. Sasuke." The raven-haired responded.
"You don't seem to be the type who's chatty huh? I keep finding you nodding and humming instead of responding but... It felt good to talk about this nonetheless. But I'll have to meet the Hokage-sama now that I had my fill..."
"Hokage-sama... Are you planning to issue a mission?"
"Ah, nothing like that. I am just here to deliver some documents."
That intrigued Sasuke.
"Yondaime-sama is not in his office at the moment... He'd rather do his paperwork in Konoha's Orphanage."
"E-eh!? Is that true?"
"I was forced to be there too every now and then..."
Naruto was a bit puzzled by that.
"A— now that I see it, you wore a hitai-ate on your neck... Haha, sorry for not noticing. You must be a genin huh? If that's the case then, can I have you deliver it instead, Sasuke-san?" Naruto asked.
"Hn. It's fine." After receiving the answer, Naruto took an envelope from his kunai pouch and hand it over to Sasuke.
"Are you not going to hear Hokage-sama's answers to this message." Sasuke asked.
"Ah, there's no need for that. I was only asked to deliver it." But to Naruto's response, Sasuke raised an eyebrow.
"Hn... " He shook the envelope and brought it to his ears.
"Wha... Are you checking for bombs or something? On that small envelope?" The white-haired skeptically asked.
"It's for caution, you don't know what kind of techniques other ninjas could do... You may look my age, but your aura speaks as if you're powerful." Sasuke replied.
"A— ahaha! Do you think so? I don't think I'm strong but... You may check the inside if you want to. It doesn't require some high leveled secrecy and I doubt it was something danger... ous? Sasuke-san?" As Naruto trailed off, he asked the Sasuke who is now looking at the inside of the envelope.
But to his confusion, Sasuke's face turned into a dark, and twisted smile. "Khahaha... Is this some kind of a bad joke?"
"Oi... What is it?" (Naruto)
By this point, they were brought to the ramen chef and his daughter's attention.
"Oi... This photograph, Do you know who is this?" Sasuke then flips the paper towards Naruto.
"Huh? This is... This is Satsuki-chan, right? But why would Leader-sama send that?" Naruto, still oblivious to the murderous aura from Sasuke, asked in curiosity.
"Ku— fu ha ha ha ha ha... What a fine taunt... Had I given this to Hokage-sama, I would've been the greatest clown in history."
Naruto has now noticed the change in Sasuke's voice.
"Do you... Know her?" (Naruto)
"Where is she?" (Sasuke)
The moment Naruto heard that voice, to his dismay, he put up a sad face.
"I know where she is but... I can't tell you."
"Answer me, I've spent almost a year looking for her. I'm not about to give up now." Still, with killing intent in his voice Sasuke demanded.
No, Naruto is not sad because of Sasuke's killing intent...
But because of something else.
"Really? 'Almost a year' huh? Well then, " (Naruto)
*SWISH* *SPLAT*
"KHAH-!??" (Sasuke)
Naruto disappeared and reappear behind Sasuke in a swift motion, leaving a slit on Sasuke's throat.
"KYAAA!" "AYAME!" It also destroyed the surroundings as now the ramen stall's banners are sliced to pieces.
'What... Was that attack..? That kid, has claws!?' (Sasuke)
"There's a rule in our group..." Naruto paused before continuing.
"If we find someone looking for Satsuki-chan, we must eliminate them. No matter what." (Naruto)
"She serves as the leader's personal secretary... Seeking her is the same as attempting a hit on Leader-sama." Naruto ended.
Sasuke wiped a part of his blood that came down from his slitted neck.
"Oh, Is that so? Your leader is quite a coward then... But no matter, tell me where she is... Satsuki, is my sister." The last part came out with a tone full of hatred.
"You're lying! Satsuki-chan doesn't have a family!" (Naruto)
"I have no interest in sitting down to correct you!" (Sasuke)
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To be continued.
(A/N: Since you've read this far already, might as well comment something or give me a follow. A vote is appreciated too.)