A New Week Begins with a New Friend

At dawn, Hui felt a little pressure on his chest. He opened his eyes abruptly and found Amber curled up on top of his blanket.

Why was Amber being so clingy today? Normally, unless he made her favorite grilled fish, she wouldn't even let him pet her.

Hui didn't think much of it. Maybe she was waiting for him to get up and make her grilled fish. But it was Monday, and he didn't have time to make anything that troublesome.

Feeling a little guilty, he slowly crawled out from under the blanket, leaving Amber fast asleep on the now-empty bed.

"Hui, your lunch is on the table. Sasuke's waiting outside for you, so don't take too long," Chuanhe called.

"Oh, okay!"

Sasuke? Why was he waiting for me today? After quickly getting ready, Hui saw two lunches on the table.

Sasuke? Two lunches?

I see. Father's so thoughtful. Hui grabbed the lunches and stuffed them into his bag.

"I'm off."

"Be careful on the way."

Before long, Amber came out of Hui's room. "Meow~ That was such a comfortable nap."

She hopped onto the table. She could still smell the grilled fish, but there was nothing there.

"Master Chuanhe, did you put away my grilled fish?" Amber hurried into the workshop to ask. She was so alarmed that even her usual verbal tic disappeared.

Chuanhe paused, then told Amber, "Amber, your grilled fish is probably gone. You'll have to wait until next time."

"Meow!" Amber's mournful cry rang through Chuanhe Residence.

"Hui, there's something my older brother asked me to tell you," Sasuke said as they walked.

Then he motioned mysteriously for Hui to lean closer and told him what was supposed to be kept secret.

Hui replied helplessly, "Father just told me yesterday to avoid using the Flame Explosion Technique, and now you're bringing it up too, Sasuke. Did you two plan this together? Don't worry, I'll keep it secret."

The two walked side by side toward school, chatting as they went. Along the way, several girls whispered to each other.

"Is that Sasuke-kun? He really is handsome."

"The one beside him is, too," her friend agreed.

"They're both from the Uchiha Clan, Konoha's most prestigious clan," another friend explained.

Hui and Sasuke ignored it all. They had to go through this every day, and even Hui had learned to act cool like Sasuke.

"Sasuke? Good morning. You're... Uchiha Hui, right? Good morning!" A voice Hui vaguely recognized called out.

The boy had blond hair and six whisker-like marks on his cheeks. It was Naruto Uzumaki.

"Good morning, Naruto Uzumaki. Sasuke, is he your friend? You seem pretty familiar with each other," Hui greeted him first.

"Who's friends with this guy?!" they said in unison.

"Stop copying me!" they said in unison again.

Hui stared at them, dumbfounded. Were these two brothers from different parents? Their reactions were exactly the same.

"You two are so in sync. Have you known each other for a long time?" Hui teased.

The two boys glared at each other. They'd only known each other since starting school, and both felt that being this in sync had to be the other's fault.

Then they both huffed and walked into the classroom without another word. Left behind, Hui was now absolutely certain they were brothers from different parents.

"Sasuke, I think you two get along pretty well. Why not try being friends?" Hui teased as he sat down beside him.

"Hmph. He's just a dead last. Who'd want to be friends with him?"

Hui smiled without replying. "By the way, do you know where he lives? I don't know much about Naruto. Before I started school, Father taught me everything."

Sasuke didn't answer because he didn't know what to say. Everyone in class knew about Naruto's situation. How could Hui not know?

After Hui asked Sasuke, the classroom grew much quieter.

"He doesn't have a home," Sasuke replied, then fell silent.

Hui was quiet as he looked toward Naruto in the corner. Suddenly, he felt an indescribable loneliness.

He remembered how the children in his clan used to call him a bastard with no mother. Maybe Naruto felt the same way he had back then. But at least Hui still had his father. Naruto had no one.

"Sorry for asking such a stupid question."

At noon, on the rooftop.

"Sasuke, Father prepared two lunches today. Let's eat together."

"My older brother packed one for me, too."

"Oh, I see. I can't finish this extra one by myself. Want to share it?"

Sasuke didn't answer. He stared blankly at the swing below.

Following Sasuke's gaze, Hui saw Naruto sitting on the swing with his head lowered. People passed by all around him, but no one paid him any attention.

Hui couldn't stand the sight. He handed Sasuke the lunchbox and jumped straight off the rooftop.

"Wait here, Sasuke."

Hui's leap from the rooftop attracted no one's attention. He walked straight toward Naruto, who heard him coming and looked up.

Hui crouched down until he was level with Naruto. "Naruto, did you bring lunch?"

"Hui?" Naruto was genuinely surprised. Aside from Grandpa Third Hokage, everyone called him the Demon Fox. Hui was the first person to approach him and start a conversation. Wait, no—there were also Uncle Teuchi and Big Sister Ayame.

"My fa—teacher said that if you don't eat properly, you won't grow tall. I brought an extra lunch today, so come eat with us!"

Naruto's eyes gradually brightened, and the corners of his mouth lifted slightly. "Really? Then I won't hold back."

Naruto followed Hui to the rooftop, where he and Sasuke glared at each other. "Hui, why didn't you tell me that annoying Sasuke was here too?" Naruto pointed at Sasuke as he spoke.

But this time, the familiar retort didn't come. Naruto sensed something was off and turned to look at Sasuke.

Sasuke gritted his teeth and said, "Naru-to Uzumaki, come eat with us."

The world felt strange today, almost unreal. Am I dreaming? Even Sasuke, the person I hate most, invited me to eat with him.

"Okay!"

As Naruto watched eagerly, Hui opened the lunchbox. A golden-brown grilled fish lay inside.

The three of them looked at one another, at a loss.

"Alright, that settles it. This one's yours, Naruto, and this one's yours, Sasuke."

Hui and Sasuke eventually decided to split their two lunches and the fish into three portions.

Naruto accepted the lunchbox, a little embarrassed. "Hui, Sasuke, thanks. Let's eat!"

"Haha, no need to thank me. Thank Sasuke, since his brother made the lunches."

"Really? Thanks, Sasuke."

"Shut up and eat."

A few minutes later, they had finished eating.

Naruto put his hands together. "Thanks for the meal. Your grilled fish was delicious, Hui. Sasuke, your fried egg was really good, too."

"Let me introduce myself. I'm Naruto Uzumaki, but you can just call me Naruto. I like Ichiraku Ramen, grilled fish, and fried eggs. My dream is to become Hokage and earn everyone's recognition!"