Naruto stood before the counter, clutching something in his hand, seemingly about to pay. At the call, he jolted and spun around, a flicker of panic flashing through his eyes.
"Iruka-sensei?!"
As soon as he spoke, Iruka noticed something was off—Naruto swiftly hid the item behind his back, both hands clenched tightly at his waist. That furtive manner did not suit his usual mature demeanor at all.
"Hm? What's wrong, Naruto?" Iruka deliberately slowed his approach, his gaze falling on Naruto's tense arms. "Why are your hands behind your back? What good thing did you get?"
Naruto's eyes darted as he shifted half a step to the side, his voice turning vague. "...This? It's nothing! Just some... nothing worth talking about!"
"That tone of yours doesn't sound like 'nothing worth talking about.'" Iruka could not help smiling slightly, though he deliberately put on a stern face. "What are you hiding?"
"Seriously!" Naruto took a small step back and muttered indignantly, "This isn't school. Iruka-sensei can't boss me around here, can you?"
"Huh? What kind of stupid thing is that?" Iruka took two steps forward, his tone taking on a teacher's authority. "As your teacher, I don't—"
"Ahem!"
A deliberate cough suddenly rang out. Iruka turned toward the sound... and what he saw made his heart sink.
The stationery shop owner stood behind the counter, his eyes churning with undisguised malice as they bore straight into Naruto.
"No chatting in here. Leave at once." The owner's voice was cold and harsh, every word steeped in disgust.
Iruka's fingers tightened instinctively. So this was how the villagers treated Naruto? The rejection he had only heard about in secret was now laid bare before him.
He could not help turning to Naruto, only to find no obvious expression on the boy's face. Naruto