Naruto's level of poverty honestly shocked Hidezawa.
If he remembered correctly, Naruto was supposed to receive a stipend from the village, wasn't he?
So why did he seem this broke?
"Huh?"
Hearing a voice behind him, Naruto flinched and turned around. He blinked in confusion at Hidezawa and Yugao, then instinctively stepped back.
"Who… who are you guys?"
"We were on our way to Ichiraku for some ramen and happened to see you."
Hidezawa gave a casual shrug, rubbing his chin as he glanced at the pitifully worn frog wallet in Naruto's hand.
"We were thinking of getting to know you, maybe even letting you treat us… but then…"
"…"
Naruto's eye twitched. Even if he emptied his entire wallet, he couldn't afford one full meal, let alone three.
But he didn't dare say that aloud.
He had already suffered enough 'heavy-handed lessons' from the villagers. So with a miserable expression, he lowered his head and muttered,
"Sorry… I spent my money on other things, so I don't have any left…"
Yugao, who had been mostly quiet, suddenly felt at a loss.
She had spent the last several years immersed in Anbu operations, never bothering to learn more about Naruto. All she knew were the whispers and rumors that followed him through the streets.
And honestly, even if she had seen him before… would she have approached?
Her heart still held resentment toward the Nine-Tails.
But this kid… he didn't feel anything like the rumors.
"I see."
Hidezawa wasn't surprised.
Sometimes, he wondered if Naruto had been secretly hit by Kotoamatsukami, but even that didn't explain everything. Naruto was… different.
No matter how the world treated him, he remained its brightest sun.
"Man, you're really dirt poor. What did you even spend all your money on?"
"…"
Naruto said nothing.
He had never understood why the entire village hated him so much.
Just being able to buy something without getting chased off was already a luxury.
So whenever he got a bit of coin, he would splurge, knowing he wouldn't get another chance for a while.
But even this explanation… he didn't dare say out loud.
He was too afraid of another beating.
To his surprise, the older boy suddenly said,
"Forget it. Since you're an orphan too, I'll treat you today. But you better pay me back later."
"Uh… huh?"
Naruto stared, wide-eyed. "You're treating me?"
"Yeah. So, are you coming or not?"
Hidezawa turned and started walking toward the stand like it was no big deal.
"If not, that's fine. I'll save a few coins."
"I'M COMING! I'M COMING!!"
Naruto practically tripped over himself rushing to catch up. It wasn't every day someone in Konoha treated him like a normal kid—let alone offered him food.
…
Inside Ichiraku Ramen, the three of them sat at the counter after placing their orders.
Teuchi greeted them with his usual cheerful warmth, while Ayame peeked from behind the curtain, curious.
They weren't regular customers—and more surprisingly, someone other than her father was treating Naruto to a meal.
As they waited for their ramen, Naruto couldn't help himself.
"Big bro, big sis, are you guys ninjas?"
"We?"
Hidezawa looked down at his clothes, then over at Yugao.
Since neither wore a forehead protector, he casually shook his head.
"Nope. We're not ninjas."
"…"
Yugao nearly choked on her own breath.
As Anbu, they wore masks rather than headbands. And since they'd just returned from a meeting with the Hokage, they weren't wearing either.
Still—how did that make them not ninja?!
"Aww, that's too bad."
Naruto slumped but quickly straightened up again, his eyes sparkling with resolve.
"One day, I'm definitely gonna be a ninja! And not just any ninja—I'm gonna be the Hokage!"
"But…"
Hidezawa smirked, ready to splash some cold water on that fire.
"Before we talk about Hokage dreams, maybe focus on affording your next meal."
He held up three fingers.
"Training requires food. Food costs money. So do kunai, shuriken, scrolls… And you can't even afford a single bowl of ramen."
"Damn it…"
Naruto clenched his fists in frustration. But then, he growled stubbornly,
"I'll earn money! And one day, I'll treat YOU to ramen every single day!"
"Then start by paying me back for today."
Hidezawa chuckled, knocking down the boy's enthusiasm again.
Naruto's head drooped like a wilted flower.
Yugao, watching this one-sided teasing session, finally stepped in.
"Alright, enough already. Once he enters the Academy, things will improve."
She then looked at Naruto seriously.
"Why do you want to be a ninja so badly? And why Hokage?"
"I'm not just saying it!"
Naruto's brows furrowed, and he rubbed his growling stomach.
"I don't know why, but… it feels like the village doesn't like me."
He looked down.
"I don't want to be ignored anymore. I want people to notice me… to acknowledge me."
He raised his head, eyes shining with that stubborn dream.
"Grandpa Hokage told me—if I become Hokage, everyone will accept me. So I have to do it."
Yugao was stunned.
'So that's it… He just wants to be acknowledged?'
For the first time, she questioned the image she'd built of him in her mind. Was the entire village… just wrong?
Hidezawa, meanwhile, tapped the counter with his knuckle.
'Then why, when you got to the Academy, did you start hanging out with those troublemakers and pulling pranks?'
Sure, it got him attention—but was that really the kind of acknowledgment he wanted?
…
Just then, Hidezawa's sharp senses picked something up.
He turned, and Yugao mirrored him, her hand instinctively moving to her weapon.
A silver-haired shinobi in a mask approached casually, and from a rooftop nearby, another presence lurked.
"Kakashi-senpai?"
Yugao recognized him immediately.
Kakashi gave a lazy wave.
"So this is where you two were. Hope I'm not interrupting anything."
He glanced briefly at Naruto.
"I know it's a little sudden, but… you should probably meet your new teammate now, don't you think?"
"New teammate?"
Yugao followed his gaze to the hidden figure nearby.
Hidezawa stood up smoothly.
"Understood, senpai. Let's go."
Naruto, still chewing his noodles, looked around in confusion.
"Wait—teammate? You guys ARE ninjas?! But you just said—!"
"Kid…" Hidezawa said with a smirk, ruffling Naruto's spiky hair, "Consider this your first lesson."
"Ninjas aren't playing tag. You need to observe. And most importantly—never blindly trust what people say."
"But—!"
"No buts."
Hidezawa cut him off.
"You lost this one, kid. And as punishment… you're eating all three bowls of ramen by yourself."
"Huh…?"
Naruto blinked in confusion—until it hit him.
"Wait… that's not a punishment! That's a reward!"
But before he could say anything more, he caught Hidezawa's smile.
And something strange bubbled up in his chest.
Warmth.
'Someone… acknowledged me.'
His eyes stung.
"Crap! I forgot to ask their names!"
…
From the alleyway, Kakashi watched the scene quietly before turning to leave. He had his own complicated feelings about Naruto, but as he walked away, one thought stuck in his mind.
"That kid… he's not bad."
Just then, Teuchi ran out from the stand in a panic.
"Wait, Kakashi!"
"Hmm?"
Kakashi turned lazily.
"That'll be three extra-large bowls of ramen. Your total comes to—"
"…"
Kakashi's lone visible eye twitched.
"…Maybe I judged Hidezawa a little too soon."
*****
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