Waiting is the most agonizing part of any process, especially when the aroma of delicious food wafts through the air and all you can do is sit and salivate. That kind of torment is ten times worse.
At this moment, Iruka felt like he had been transported back to many years ago, to when he was just a child.
Back then, both of his parents were still alive. They loved food, too.
Because they were both shinobi, they were often away on missions and rarely home for dinner. But whenever they had the chance, Iruka's parents would buy a huge bag of ingredients and come home to cook something special.
Just like now, Iruka would sit in a chair, too young to help, resting his chin in his hands, watching his parents knead the dough.
"What were they talking about back then?"
Iruka propped his cheek on one hand, lost in thought.
Those memories had grown distant, blurred by time. Even his parents' faces had become hazy in his mind.
No…
There was one thing he still remembered clearly.
The smell.
As Yuuta dropped the noodles into the boiling broth, the rising steam brought with it a rich wheat aroma that enveloped Iruka completely.
"That's it... that smell!"
Familiar, yet distant, the fragrance dragged Iruka deep into his memories.
He could almost see those two shadowy figures again, standing not far from him, laughing and chatting while they dropped the noodles into the pot.
"Honey, Iruka's about to reach academy age, isn't he?"
"Yeah, can you believe it? Time flies."
"Oh, stop saying things like that. You're making us sound old."
"Fine, fine. My mistake. Our life is just getting started."
"Then, will you keep walking forward with me?"
"Of course I will, hey! Don't get handsy! The kid is right there!"
Tears welled up in Iruka's eyes, blurring his vision.
Now he was beginning to believe this ramen really was something special.
Just the smell alone had him fighting the urge to steal a bite, just like when he was a kid, eagerly waiting for his parents to finish cooking.
"Here you go, your beef ramen."
Yuuta appeared with a steaming bowl in hand, snapping Iruka back to the present.
To be honest, Iruka's heart sank a little at the sight.
The ramen floated in a clear broth with just a few thin slices of beef on top. Even with a sprinkle of chopped green onions, it looked… a little underwhelming.
Iruka remembered the ramen his parents used to make. They'd pile on thick slices of beef, just looking at it was enough to make you feel full.
Well… it's a business, after all. They still need to make a profit.
Somehow, Iruka had forgotten why he came in the first place, and now, he was making excuses for Yuuta.
Unlike Naruto, who always went straight for the meat, Iruka picked up some noodles first. He blew on them gently, then brought them to his mouth.
Slurp. Slurp.
Wait…
His eyes widened.
As the noodles slid down his tongue, the silky, elastic texture exploded in flavor.
It tasted just like the ramen his parents used to make!
How many years had it been?
Since the Nine-Tails' rampage.
Since his parents sacrificed their lives to protect the village.
Since Iruka had tasted ramen like this.
Not even Ichiraku's ramen could compare.
Slurp. Slurp. Slurp. Slurp.
Tears streamed down Iruka's face as he devoured the bowl.
He remembered the countless nights he'd sat alone in the kitchen, staring into the silence,
The silence filled with memories of his parents and the warmth they brought.
In those moments, he could almost believe they were still alive, right there with him.
He had tried to learn how to make ramen himself as he grew up, but no matter how hard he tried, he could never recreate that taste.
It was like chasing a dream…
A dream he had convinced himself would never return.
But now…
Even as he finished the last of the ramen in record time, he still wanted more, if only to hold onto that fleeting feeling of dining with his family again.
"Huh? Iruka-sensei, why are you crying?"
Of course, it had to be Naruto, clueless as ever, who broke the moment.
"Shut up! Eat your damn noodles!"
Iruka snapped, unusually brusque.
Naturally, it worked like a charm. Naruto recoiled like a startled ostrich and immediately turned his attention to his bowl.
Sorry, Naruto.
Iruka apologized silently.
He didn't want Naruto blabbing about this all over the academy tomorrow. That would be too embarrassing.
As the noodles were gone, Iruka noticed the few slices of beef still floating in the broth. They drifted like rootless wood on a calm sea.
If the ramen was this good… what about the beef?
With that thought, Iruka picked up a slice and popped it into his mouth.
Mm!
As he chewed, the meat broke apart like fabric in a washing machine, shredding and releasing its juices in every direction.
The rich beefy flavor mingled with the soup, flooding his tongue. The spicy warmth surged down his throat and spread through his body.
And then… something even more surprising happened.
His chakra stirred.
After years of stagnation, being stuck at the chunin level with no room to grow, he felt his chakra increase slightly.
It was faint, but it was there.
A ray of hope.
Iruka bolted to his feet, eyes shining.
"Boss! Does your beef ramen really increase chakra?!"
Yuuta looked at him strangely.
"Didn't Naruto tell you?"
"Er…"
Iruka shot Naruto a sharp look.
"Why didn't you say anything?!"
Naruto blinked innocently.
"You never asked, Iruka-sensei!"
"You!"
Iruka nearly choked. Anyone would've been pissed off by that answer.
And as all this unfolded, none of them noticed,
Outside the shop, a pair of eyes was silently watching.
"What a strange little restaurant... I wonder what other secrets it holds?"
"No matter. The boss's plan can't tolerate any variables. I'll have to test this place myself."
The shadow murmured, fading into the crowd.
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200 P.S = 1 Extra Chapters
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