Seeing Naruto Again

"You're really not very good at comforting people." Kakashi rolled his eyes. "Now that you've learned it, let's head down the mountain. If there's anything you don't understand later, just come ask me. In this weather, if we stay any longer, we'll be dried out like jerky."

"Perfect. It's not past lunchtime yet, so let's grab a bite together. Call it my thanks for your help, senior. What would you like to eat? How about Ichiraku Ramen?" Chiya asked.

"Didn't you already decide for me?" Kakashi replied listlessly.

Perhaps because Chiya had spent so much time around the Uchiha Clan, and, like him, had a close friend who was an Uchiha.

He didn't feel much animosity toward Chiya.

He just thought he was a somewhat devious junior.

Soon, the two of them arrived at Ichiraku Ramen.

There, they ran into someone they hadn't expected: Uzumaki Naruto.

"Nii-san Chiya!" It had been a year since Naruto last saw Chiya, back in the previous winter, and he was especially excited to see him again.

Perhaps even Chiya himself didn't realize that simply treating Naruto to ramen twice—both times after beating Hinata to the punch—had let Naruto feel the warmth of family.

He had become the first person after Iruka to make his way into Naruto's heart.

"Hey, it's you. A year's gone by, and you're still just as short. Have you been living on instant noodles again instead of eating proper meals?" Chiya stepped forward and gently ruffled Naruto's blond, spiky hair as if he were petting a dog.

When Kakashi saw the orphaned son of his teacher, his expression changed abruptly. His face beneath the mask looked extremely uneasy.

"Heh." Naruto chuckled, thoroughly enjoying his time with Chiya.

Then, with admiration in his voice, he said excitedly:

"Um, Nii-san Chiya. I heard about it! You graduated from the Ninja Academy less than a year ago, and you've already become a jonin. I want to become an excellent ninja like you, Nii-san Chiya, and then become Hokage!"

"Is that so? Then do your best. If it's you, I'm sure you can do it." Chiya answered casually and sat down. "Boss, three bowls of Tonkotsu Ramen. As for the toppings, add whatever tastes good. It's on me today."

"You got it, Chiya!" Teuchi replied cheerfully and started preparing the ramen.

When Naruto heard Chiya's words of encouragement, he froze. Without realizing it, Chiya had gained another place in Naruto's heart: he had become the first person to believe in him.

Kakashi watched Naruto's expression change without saying a word.

Only after the meal, when Naruto had to return to school and hurriedly finished eating before leaving early, did Kakashi speak. He asked hesitantly, "Chiya, are you close with that kid?"

Chiya pretended to be surprised before answering, "Not really. Counting today, we've only met three times. I just felt sorry for him being all alone, so I treated him to ramen a few times."

"I see." Kakashi murmured, then continued, "You should know who he is, though. If I remember correctly, your parents died in the Nine-Tails Incident. Can you tell me why you don't hate that kid?"

"Why would I hate him? The Nine-Tails is the Nine-Tails, and Naruto is Naruto. At the time, that little guy was nothing more than a newborn. What could he possibly have done?"

Chiya responded with a question, then turned his criticism toward the real culprit.

"I wonder who was heartless enough to spread rumors that Naruto was the Nine-Tails. An innocent child was already an orphan, and then he had to spend his childhood surrounded by the villagers' hatred and hostility."

"He drank expired milk and ate instant noodles. Even when he wanted to buy something, nobody was willing to sell it to him. He went hungry every day."

"The fact that he managed to stay alive until now is a miracle."

Then he added, "If I find out who did it, I'll report them to Lord Hokage immediately."

"Rumors?" Kakashi thought of his father, the White Fang of Konoha, who had been destroyed by rumors. Then he thought of Naruto's circumstances and couldn't help feeling guilty.

The Third Hokage had ordered everyone to stay away from the Jinchuriki, but Kakashi was also a disciple of Naruto's father, Namikaze Minato. How had he gone all these years without showing any care for his teacher's orphaned son?

What had he even been doing all this time?

As evening approached, the sun sank toward the horizon.

The sunset in the west and Konoha's many buildings made for a beautiful, bustling scene.

At that moment, on the rooftop of the Hokage Office Building, Sarutobi Hiruzen stood with his hands behind his back. Behind him, Hatake Kakashi knelt on one knee in his Anbu Ninja uniform.

"How was it, Kakashi? What impression did that boy Chiya leave on you?" Sarutobi Hiruzen asked with his eyes half-closed, his back to Hatake Kakashi.

He hadn't gone out of his way to have Kakashi teach Chiya ninjutsu out of kindness.

He had mainly wanted to test Chiya.

Though Yuhi Kurenai had already reported everything about Chiya to him, and he trusted her completely, she and Chiya were teacher and student.

Given what had happened between him and Orochimaru, he couldn't rule out Yuhi Kurenai concealing a few seemingly insignificant details from him.

And it was often those details that could truly reveal a person's character.

That was why he had sent Kakashi to test Chiya before assigning him to go undercover in the Uchiha Clan.

Kakashi lowered his gaze and thought for a moment before voicing his opinion respectfully. "Setting aside his Kekkei Genkai, there's no doubt he's a genius on par with Uchiha Itachi. He learned the B-rank Earth Style ninjutsu Earth Style: Earth-Style Wall and the A-rank technique Chidori in less than half an hour."

"As for his character, he's no villain. On the contrary, he has a strong sense of justice and can look at things rationally."

"Perhaps because he's an orphan himself, he feels sympathy for the weak."

"I see." Sarutobi Hiruzen let out a long breath. Overall, Kakashi's assessment didn't differ much from the information he already had.

But the fact that Chiya could look at things rationally was a problem.

He needed a pawn who blindly worshipped him to go undercover in the Uchiha Clan.

He didn't need Fujiwara Chiya, someone capable of independent thought. If things went wrong, Chiya might really do something against the Hokage's wishes for the sake of that Uchiha girl, just as Danzo had said.

That was the last thing Sarutobi Hiruzen wanted to see.

Looks like I'll have to spend some time guiding him again. That boy's Will of Fire isn't pure enough yet, Sarutobi Hiruzen thought with a sigh.

"Lord Hokage." Just as Sarutobi Hiruzen was considering how to instill the Will of Fire in Chiya, Kakashi's voice interrupted his thoughts.