The Three of Them

What nonsense are you spouting!

Sakura Haruno rolled her Byakugan at her friend.

"I'm completely drained!" Hinata slumped weakly against Sakura, like a salted fish, pouting and complaining listlessly, "It's all your fault for taking Sasuke out to play, and now I have to handle all the tasks that require using Dōjutsu! I've been working overtime for four days straight!"

Hotaru Hyuga, holding a high position of power, was too lazy to do these trivial tasks, so the work that was meant for two people was all taken on by Hinata Hyuga the Anbu.

There was nothing she could do; she wasn't an orphan of a powerful clan, nor did she have an older brother who was a force to be reckoned with in the ninja world. Her Byakugan was also widely considered inferior to the Sharingan, and she herself was a taijutsu-type ninja who wasn't likely to stand out.

"Hinata... I'm so sorry." Sakura Haruno took her hand and said apologetically, "How about I treat you to Ichiraku Ramen?"

"Just ramen?"

Sakura Haruno gritted her teeth. "Unlimited, eat as much as you want!"

"Real?"

"Really!" Sakura's eyes were incredibly firm.

"I forgive you!" The girl's Byakugan instantly brightened, and she propped herself up from Sakura, the smell of salty fish on her body vanishing instantly, and she smiled brightly.

The speed of the change left Sakura speechless.

Sakura Haruno's face hardened, and she glanced at her sideways. "You're just deceiving my feelings, aren't you!"

"Hehe, forgive me, Sakura." The girl with the Byakugan grinned and leaned in to give Sakura a kiss on the cheek. "Love you!"

They kissed.

Sakura Haruno was taken aback by this intimate behavior between the girls. She quickly pushed Hinata away with a look of disgust and wiped her face. "What are you doing? There's still drool in your mouth!"

It's wet.

Are you a dog?!

Disgusting!

"Haha," Hinata laughed rather unladylike, pointing at the girl's face, "Sakura-chan is shy!"

Then, Ichiraku Ramen Shop.

Because of Naruto, Ichiraku loyal fan of Ichiraku, Sakura Haruno, Hinata, Sasuke, and others would occasionally come here for a meal.

The portions are generous and filling, the price is reasonable, and the taste is quite good. It's a great dining option for young ninjas who have just entered the ninja world and are short on cash.

However, even the most affordable price becomes an outrageous figure when multiplied by twenty or more.

The stack of empty bowls in front of Hinata quickly exceeded twenty, forming a high pile on the table, teetering precariously.

The diners watching from the sidelines gaped wider and wider, Teuchi's eyes grew brighter and brighter, and Sakura Haruno, who was treating the guests, became paler and paler.

"The twenty-fifth bowl!" Hinata finished the last bit of soup in her bowl, piled the empty bowls even higher, wiped her mouth with a flourish, and called out, "Boss, another bowl, please!"

"OK!"

With Teuchi smile, he replied and turned to hand over a bowl of noodles, completely ignoring Sakura Haruno's frantic winking and eye contact, placing it neatly in front of Hinata.

"The twenty-sixth bowl!"

A nosy, ordinary diner's shout caught the attention of a passing teenager.

Hinata?

The black-haired boy walked over, and the first thing he saw through the curtain was the stack of empty bowls. Looking down, he unsurprisingly saw the black-haired girl slurping noodles rapidly, her face seemingly buried in the large bowl.

The boy paused for a moment, then lifted the curtain and walked into the shop, where he met the gaze of Sakura Haruno, who had a bitter expression on her face.

"... And Sakura too." He laughed.

"Sasuke?"

Hearing the familiar voice, Hinata suddenly raised her head and turned around. Standing behind her was the slender boy, Sasuke Uchiha.

"Oh, Sasuke! You took my Sakura-chan out to play without me, and now I'm stuck working overtime in the Anbu! Humph!" Hinata joked familiarly, smiling at Sasuke. "You, how are you going to make it up to me!"

Compensate?

Sasuke glanced at the empty bowl in front of Sakura and the twenty-odd empty bowls in front of Hinata, understood immediately, pulled out a chair and sat down on the other side of Sakura, casually saying, "This meal is on me."

"Keep ordering, don't be shy with me," Sasuke said calmly, exuding an air of extravagance. "Uncle Ichiraku, I'll have one too, the same as Sakura's."

Hinata was speechless for a moment.

She suddenly realized the true nature of Sasuke as Uchiha orphan who inherited a vast fortune – a nouveau riche.

Sakura Haruno glared at him sideways and said irritably, "What are you doing? I'll treat you to this meal, but you'll have to figure out how to repay the favor yourself!"

Turning to Ichiraku, he said, "Teuchi, put his share on my tab too."

Teuchi squinted and chuckled as he looked the three young ninjas over from left to right, then from right to left before returning to the kitchen and quickly bringing out a fresh bowl of ramen, which he placed in front of Sasuke.

"Sasuke is too skinny. He needs to eat more and gain some weight so he'll have the strength to train!"

Sakura Haruno always felt that Ichiraku's words were meaningful and had a hidden meaning.

Sasuke didn't seem to understand anything, and continued to eat his noodles politely while glancing sideways at the two girls beside him.

Sakura Haruno sat quietly beside him, her back ramrod straight, her index finger resting on her soft lips, lost in thought. A seat away was Hinata, eating swiftly and elegantly. In the time it took Sasuke a bite, she had already finished the remaining half-bowl of ramen. Seeing the boy looking over, she asked, "By the way, Sasuke, why did you suddenly start studying Sai's file again?"

The black-haired boy withdrew his gaze and, while eating his beef brisket, said slowly and deliberately, "Sakura and I just obtained a new batch of information. Sai is Root member who can be redeemed, so the Lord Hokage is considering giving him a chance."

"So, we didn't just go out for fun; we completed an S-rank mission!"

Hinata narrowed her eyes, staring at him with disbelief.

"It's true!" Sakura Haruno nodded, offering an explanation, then winked at Hinata and said, "But it's not convenient to discuss the specifics here..."

Hinata glanced suspiciously between Sakura Haruno and Sasuke.

She didn't put down her chopsticks until Sakura Haruno felt uneasy. She gracefully wiped her mouth, patted her still-flat stomach, and muttered, "I'm only half full... Tell me next time, Sakura!"

She stood up, glanced at the time, and said, "Not now... I have to get back; it's almost curfew."

--As a powerful and influential family, the Hyuga Clan has quite a few rules.

"See you two later!"

She strode Earth Flow the shop and blew the girl a kiss. "Thanks for the treat, Sakura-chan!"

After finishing, he turned and left, disappearing into the night.

Sakura Haruno watched Hinata leave, then turned to find Sasuke had quickly finished his ramen. He put down his chopsticks and said to her, "I'm done eating. Now... I'll take you home."

"By the way, I'd like to talk to you about those issues from lunchtime on the way here."

Sasuke's expression was very serious.

Sakura Haruno stared at him intently, then suddenly burst into laughter.

Ichiraku Ramen Shop and her home are both located in the core area of Konoha, not far apart. Even if she Earth Flow back slowly, it won't take too long.

That said, if she needed someone to escort her, wouldn't everyone in Konoha be living in fear?

"I don't need you to take me," she pouted, refusing without hesitation.

After paying the bill, Sakura turned and left.

Sasuke followed behind.

"We're going the same way here," Sasuke explained, meeting the girl's questioning gaze.

Sakura Haruno shrugged.

[Second update. You might not believe it, but I revised every single action in this chapter.]