The aroma of tonkotsu broth wafts from Ichiraku Ramen.
When Shinsei Gate of Opening and went in, Teuchi was stirring the noodles in the pot with long chopsticks. He looked up and saw who it was, his face showing surprise at first, then he smiled.
" Lord Hokage, what brings you here today? What would you like to eat?"
"I'm hungry." Shinsei sat down in an empty seat, took off his straw hat and placed it on the counter. "The usual, a large bowl of miso char siu, with an egg, and the noodles a little firmer."
"Alright." Teuchi and got to work, his movements three times more efficient than usual.
Just as Shinsei picked up his chopsticks, the curtain behind him was lifted again.
Naruto's voice came in first.
"It really is here! I thought Kurama was lying to me."
Naruto plopped down next to Shinsei and shouted into the room.
"Uncle, a large bowl of miso char siu with an egg!"
Sasuke followed Naruto in, glanced at Shinsei's straw hat, said nothing, sat down a seat away, and ordered a bowl of soy sauce ramen.
Sakura and Ino were the last to come in. Sakura sat down opposite Shinsei, still grumbling about Naruto.
Why are you running so fast? Nobody's going to take your spot.
Ino then sat down on the other side of Shinsei.
She had just sat down when she smelled a faint Yakumi on Shinsei. Her brows furrowed slightly, but she didn't say anything.
Five people sat in a circle eating noodles. Shinsei ate very quickly, but Naruto ate even faster.
The chopsticks stirred the soup in the bowl, splashing a few drops. Sasuke ate with the most refined manners, but he still ate quickly.
While eating, Sakura said, "After the moon disappeared, many people in the village couldn't sleep well. My mom said it's too dark at night, and she's always afraid of stepping into a ditch when she goes out."
Naruto looked up. "What are you afraid of? Aren't there streetlights? Dad said they're already installing them."
Sakura glared at him. "Your mom's the one who's scared."
As soon as Sakura finished speaking, she realized that what she had said was inappropriate.
Naruto is currently in a state of flux, having a mother and not having a mother.
The Kushina Uzumaki of this world is dead. But the Kushina Uzumaki from a parallel world has come to live in Konoha.
She also treated Naruto as her own child, even though she was only 15 years old.
Naruto, carefree and nonchalant, didn't pay any attention to what Sakura said, but he seriously refuted her.
"My mother isn't afraid of the dark!"
These words were quickly met with approval from the crowd.
Kushina Uzumaki, with her fiery temper, wouldn't be afraid of the dark. That would really go against her big sister image.
Shinsei smiled and continued eating his noodles. Ino put half of the char siu from her bowl into Shinsei's bowl and said...
"Eat more. You must not have been eating properly these past few days."
Shinsei didn't refuse. He put the piece of char siu in his mouth, chewed it, and nodded, saying it was delicious.
Naruto saw this and tapped the rim of his bowl with his chopsticks. " Ino, you're being too biased! My bowl is missing meat too."
Ino didn't even turn her head. "What you lack isn't meat, it's a beating."
Sakura and Sasuke both looked up at Ino at the same time, then simultaneously looked down and continued eating.
Naruto muttered "violent girl" and Sakura slapped him on the back of the head, almost making him choke on the soup.
After eating noodles, the five of them strolled around the street. There was no moon in the sky, but the streetlights were already on.
The newly installed streetlights are powered by Chakra, emitting a soft white light from their glass covers.
There were more people on the street than I expected, probably because the moon was gone and everyone wanted to stay in the light.
Several children chased after them, holding up new-style Chakra windmills that glowed with a pale blue light when they spun.
Sakura glanced at Sasuke and quietly tugged at his sleeve.
Sasuke slowed his pace at Sakura's prompting.
Naruto, nonchalantly clutching his head, was met with a sharp tap from Sakura on the head, followed by a smack covering his mouth.
The three of them fell behind, and before Shinsei could react, Ino was the only one left beside him.
"They did it on purpose, didn't they?" Shinsei said.
"Probably," Ino replied, her voice a little softer than usual.
The two walked along the main street toward the edge of the village.
The road grew quieter and quieter, and the houses on both sides gradually thinned out, replaced by rows of trees. Shinsei was familiar with this place; when he was a child, he and Ino often practiced Tree Climbing in this vicinity.
He remembered which tree had brushed against his arm, which branch had caught on Ino's hair.
"Um, Shinsei." Ino suddenly spoke up. She didn't look at him, her gaze fixed on the white stone pavement illuminated by the streetlights.
"What?"
"I was hoping you'd figure it out yourself, but you always seem to miss it."
Ino slowed her pace. " Hinata went to the moon with you. I know it was a mission. But I still wonder, if it were me, would you have been just as protective of me?" She paused. "Am I being particularly petty?"
"No," Shinsei said, "If it were you, I would have done the same."
Ino finally looked up at him, her eyes shining like a moonless night.
She stopped and turned to face him, as if she had made a huge decision.
"Then I'll say it. Shinsei, I like you."
The wind blew in from the woods, carrying the scent of grass and earth.
Shinsei looked at Ino. Her face was pale in the streetlight, her ears were red, but her eyes didn't look away.
He opened his mouth, but couldn't say anything for a moment. He didn't want to refuse, nor did he feel he had the right to agree so easily.
He had too many things on his mind: the moon, the Ten-Tails, Madara, and the entire Land of Fire.
He's never been good at matters of the heart.
Ino waited a few seconds, then suddenly laughed.
"I knew it. You always shut up at times like this."
"I..." Shinsei began, Ino suddenly pointed behind him. " Shinsei, what's that?"
Shinsei instinctively turned around. The shadows of the trees swayed, but there was nothing there.
When he turned back, he felt a warm, gentle touch on his cheek, like a flower petal falling on his skin. He froze.
Ino had already taken two steps back, her ears turning from red to deep red, her whole face looking like it was burning.
"I'm going back now!" she practically shouted, then turned and ran.
Her ponytail swung in a golden arc through the night. Shinsei stood there, watching her run away until her figure was obscured by the shadows of the trees, then slowly raised his hand and touched the spot where she had just kissed him. It wasn't hot, but it was very warm.
He stood there for a while. The wind blew again, rustling the leaves overhead.
The streetlights cast his lonely shadow on the stone path.
"What's this?" he muttered to himself, slowly walking towards home.
After walking a few steps, I looked back again, but there was no one left in the shadows of the trees. The woods were quiet; even the chirping of insects had subsided.