"Uncle Teuchi, I want a large bowl of pork-flavored chashu ramen!"
"Coming right up, Naruto!"
When Teuchi saw Naruto walk in, a warm smile appeared on his face. Without wasting a second, he turned around and began preparing the ramen.
Naruto cautiously stepped up to the farthest seat and hopped onto the stool. He loved this place. Ever since he first visited, it had left a lasting impression on him.
The flavor here was incredible—easily the best he'd ever tasted. But what truly mattered wasn't just the food. The shopkeeper, Uncle Teuchi, was different. He never scolded Naruto, never looked at him with disdain, and never treated him like a burden or a curse.
Naruto wasn't even sure if it was the ramen or Teuchi's kindness he liked more. Still, he told himself it was the taste—after all, Ichiraku's ramen was his favorite food.
Every time he received his monthly stipend from the Third Hokage, Naruto made a beeline for this shop. And whenever he had something to celebrate, this was his go-to spot.
"Here you go, Naruto—one large pork-flavored chashu ramen," Teuchi said with a smile as he placed the steaming bowl in front of him.
By now, most of the customers had already left, leaving only a young man and woman seated off to the side. Some passersby approached the entrance, seemingly interested in coming in, but after spotting Naruto inside, their expressions turned sour and they walked away.
Clearly, Naruto's presence made others uncomfortable, which hurt the shop's business. But Teuchi didn't mind in the slightest. In fact, he seemed quite content to let his daughter Ayame handle the cleanup as he leaned on the counter to chat with Naruto.
"Something good happen, Naruto? You were just here at the start of the month. What brings you back so soon?"
"It's because something awesome happened!"
Naruto eagerly picked up his chopsticks, eyes gleaming at the sight of the ramen. Without hesitation, he split them apart and started devouring the noodles.
"Itadakimasu! Mmm, this is amazing!"
"Slow down before you burn yourself."
Teuchi chuckled, shaking his head. While prepping another bowl of noodles, he asked, "So, what exactly happened to make you so happy?"
"I made some real friends!"
Naruto's words were muffled by his mouthful of noodles, but his pride was clear.
"Today, I skipped class with Shikamaru and Choji. Choji didn't want to at first, but I convinced him! And he even shared his chips with me! We got in trouble for it, but I don't care—it was worth it. I finally have real friends!"
"Hey now, you're not supposed to skip class!" Ayame chimed in with a frown. Whether it was the mention of skipping school or just her frustration with the business being affected, she didn't sound pleased.
Meanwhile, the young man and woman at the side table looked at Naruto in surprise. They hadn't expected to overhear something like this.
"Besides, if you keep this up, who knows if you'll even graduate and become a ninja."
"That's a problem for another day," Teuchi interrupted with a smile before Naruto could argue with his daughter. He scooped some freshly cooked noodles and slices of pork into Naruto's bowl.
"Still, congratulations, Naruto. You're one step closer to your dream. Keep it up."
"Thanks, Uncle Teuchi! I'm going to make more friends. And I'm going to become Hokage. I'll earn everyone's acknowledgment!"
Naruto's smile widened as he looked at his refilled bowl—but for some reason, his eyes stung a little.
"Hey, kid. Mind if I ask you something?" came a voice from the side.
It wasn't overly warm, but it wasn't cold either. Just curious and calm. Naruto turned and saw a good-looking young man wearing a Konoha forehead protector looking at him.
"Huh? What's up, big bro?"
"You said you want to become Hokage, right?"
The black-haired young man smiled gently, his expression friendly.
Naruto nodded earnestly. "Yeah!"
"Then let me ask you this—does becoming Hokage earn you everyone's recognition? Or is it being recognized by everyone that lets you become Hokage?"
"You've got issues, don't you?" the woman beside him suddenly snapped. "He's just a kid. How's he supposed to answer that? Eat your ramen."
"Alright, alright." The man pouted and gave Naruto a nod before returning to his meal.
But Naruto was left deep in thought. That question seemed simple on the surface—almost like both answers meant the same thing. Yet something about it gnawed at him. There was a difference. A big one. He just didn't understand it yet.
Still, he made sure to remember the question.
He bent over his bowl and began eating again with even more vigor. But when he finally finished and looked around, the two young adults were already gone. The ramen shop was empty.
Whenever others saw Naruto walk in, they usually chose to leave—and this time had been no different. But he was used to it.
Naruto stood up and took out his wallet to pay.
"No need, Naruto," Teuchi said gently.
"Huh? No way!" Naruto shook his head stubbornly. "I'm paying!"
Teuchi just laughed and pushed the money back into Naruto's hand. "Relax. That big bro who talked to you earlier already paid for your meal. You're covered."
"That guy?" Naruto glanced at the now-empty seat and mumbled to himself.
Something about that young man felt… different. He hadn't looked at Naruto like he was a nuisance. He hadn't treated him like some cursed kid. He had just seen Naruto for who he was.
That alone meant everything.
For some reason, Naruto felt the corners of his eyes sting again. But he blinked quickly and turned to Teuchi.
"Hey, Uncle Teuchi. What was that big bro's name?"
"Him? If I'm not mistaken, his name's Uchiha Yuhara."
[If you like this story, please don't shy away from adding to the collection, giving a power stone, and leaving a review.]