Uzumaki Hayashi reached out and pushed the door open.
Outside, Umino Iruka stood leaning against the wall, his head nodding, looking as though he was about to kiss the wall. The sound of the door startled him awake, and he scrambled to straighten up.
"Iruka-sensei?" Uzumaki Hayashi blinked. "What are you doing here?"
"Ah, Hayashi, you finally came out."
Umino Iruka rubbed his eyes and looked him up and down. Seeing that he was all right, he visibly relaxed.
"You never came back to school this afternoon, and I just couldn't stop worrying, so I came to check on you." He paused, his tone growing a little cautious. "Are you feeling unwell? I thought you might be sick."
Uzumaki Hayashi's heart skipped a beat.
Oh boy. There was no way I could tell him what happened this afternoon.
"Sorry for making you worry, Iruka-sensei." He rubbed the back of his head, looking perfectly earnest as he spun his tale. "After I got home this afternoon, my head felt all fuzzy, so I didn't go back to school. Sorry."
Strictly speaking, that wasn't a lie.
He really had passed out, and quite thoroughly at that.
"Hey, what are you apologizing for?"
Hearing that, Umino Iruka waved his hands repeatedly, looking embarrassed instead.
"If you weren't feeling well, then I was the one who failed to notice. That's my fault. Why should you be the one apologizing?"
As he spoke, he moved a little closer and lowered his voice.
"Also, today... no one bullied you again, did they?"
"No, no." Uzumaki Hayashi quickly shook his head.
He had barely finished speaking when-
Grrr.
His stomach growled with impeccable timing, loud and clear in the quiet night.
Uzumaki Hayashi: "..."
Umino Iruka froze for a moment, then burst out laughing.
"Look at us, getting carried away talking." Smiling, he patted Uzumaki Hayashi on the shoulder. "Come on. Dinner's on me."
"Actually, Naruto probably hasn't eaten yet either. Would you like to come find him with me?"
Dinner?
Uzumaki Hayashi's eyes shifted.
While taking stock of his belongings earlier, he'd remembered something-the old Third had met him twice and given him a scroll, but not a single cent. He had probably forgotten to prepare the money.
Every bit he spent left that much less in his pocket.
Now Iruka-sensei was treating him. He'd be a fool to pass up a free meal.
"Sure, absolutely." Uzumaki Hayashi agreed without the slightest hesitation.
The two of them left and walked along the nighttime streets.
"That Naruto disappears as soon as night falls." Umino Iruka looked troubled. "With a village this big, who knows how long it'll take to find him..."
"Leave it to me, Iruka-sensei."
Uzumaki Hayashi closed his eyes briefly, silently sending out a thread of perception.
Mind's Eye of the Kagura.
Clusters of chakra lit up throughout the village. After a quick search, he located that familiar little flame-
Naruto's still crouching in his usual spot.
"Found him. Follow me."
Umino Iruka followed, half skeptical. After several twists and turns, they soon spotted a small blond figure at the entrance to a back alley.
Naruto Uzumaki was crouched at the foot of a wall, hugging his knees with his chin resting on them. He gazed expectantly at the alley entrance, waiting for who knew what.
What's he doing crouching here? Don't tell me he's waiting for...
"Naruto!"
Uzumaki Hayashi called out.
The blond head whipped around. The instant Naruto Uzumaki recognized him, his eyes lit up, and he leaped so high he practically sprang into the air.
"Hayashi!"
No sooner had he jumped up than he spotted Umino Iruka behind Uzumaki Hayashi.
"...Ah."
Naruto Uzumaki let out a long sigh on the spot, the excitement draining from his face at a visible speed.
"Why is Iruka-sensei here too..."
Umino Iruka: "..."
He was utterly speechless. So seeing him was that much of a letdown, was it?
"You little brat!" Umino Iruka strode over and rapped Naruto Uzumaki on the head.
"Oww!"
Clutching his head, Naruto Uzumaki immediately flopped onto the ground and began rolling back and forth, shouting as he rolled.
"Iruka-sensei's a brute! He's hitting me! A teacher's hitting me!"
Umino Iruka's temples throbbed.
I didn't even put any force into that!
Unable to watch any longer, Uzumaki Hayashi stepped forward and hauled the blond heap off the ground.
"All right, enough acting." He held Naruto Uzumaki up until he was steady on his feet. "Iruka-sensei's treating us to ramen. Are you coming or not?"
Ramen?
At that word, and upon seeing that Uzumaki Hayashi was the one pulling him up, Naruto Uzumaki's eyes instantly lit up.
He shot upright, his back ramrod straight, showing no trace of the boy who'd just been rolling around on the ground.
"Yes! Of course! If you're treating... no, if Iruka-sensei's treating, I'm definitely coming with you!"
Umino Iruka watched from the side, his face darkening.
Who was rolling all over the ground just now? Suddenly he's all sprightly?
This brat really doesn't have a steady bone in his body.
And so, the three of them headed toward the ramen shop together.
The village was much quieter at night, and the streetlights stretched their shadows out behind them.
As they walked, Naruto Uzumaki edged up beside Uzumaki Hayashi. After hesitating for a long time, he finally spoke cautiously.
"Um... what happened this afternoon didn't get you into trouble, did it?"
"Ever since Grandpa Hokage called you in, I've been wondering if I dragged you into it... You're okay, right? You didn't get yelled at?"
"I'm fine." Uzumaki Hayashi waved a hand. "The Third just chatted with me. Nothing happened."
"Really?!"
Naruto Uzumaki instantly perked back up, brimming with energy and practically skipping as he walked.
"That's great! I knew you'd be okay!"
Once his excitement settled, he leaned closer again, his face full of curiosity.
"So what did you do this afternoon? I noticed you never came back to school..."
"Oh, that."
Uzumaki Hayashi's eyes crinkled.
"It's a secret."
"Whaaat! Come on! Tell me! We're such good friends!"
"A secret is a secret."
"Stingy!"
The two traded jabs back and forth. Following behind them, Umino Iruka listened and couldn't help smiling himself.
After they passed another intersection, the ramen shop's sign came into view.
Piping-hot steam billowed out from behind the curtain, carrying the aroma of bone broth.
Except-
Several familiar faces were already seated inside.
Before you continue