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Chapter no.77 Friends?!
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Shikamaru and Choji hurried down the street, catching sight of Ino waiting at the corner, arms crossed and foot tapping impatiently.
"Took you two long enough."
Choji was halfway through a cheesecake slice, his cheeks puffed out with food. "Hey, I had to refuel."
"Whatever. We've got to find Naruto and fix this mess."
"Where do you think he'd go?"
"Ichiraku Ramen, obviously," both Ino and Shikamaru said at the same time.
The trio quickly made their way to the small ramen stand, the comforting scent of broth and noodles wafting toward them. Teuchi greeted them with a warm smile from behind the counter.
"Welcome to my humble ramen shop, kids. What can I get you three today?"
Naruto, who was sitting at the counter with a half-eaten bowl of miso ramen, turned to face them. "What are you guys doing here? Shouldn't you be at Yakiniku Q?"
Choji didn't hesitate. He marched straight up to the counter, carefully placed the takeout boxes down, and gave a deep bow.
Naruto blinked. "Sorry for what?"
"For being rude to you all day," Choji said, his voice sincere. "I was being a… vegetable."
Naruto, Teuchi, and Ayame all tilted their heads in unison. "Vegetable?" they echoed, confused.
"Choji doesn't like vegetables," Ino clarified. "He means he was being stubborn. And not just him. We're all here to apologize for the misunderstanding."
"Yeah, it was troublesome, but… we are sorry."
"It's nice that you kids made up, but what's with the boxes?" Teuchi asked.
Choji straightened up, smiling sheepishly as he opened one of the boxes.
"I thought if I was going to apologize, I'd do it right. So, let's eat and forgive, yeah?"
Teuchi let out an appreciative whistle. "Now that is some premium beef!"
"Well, there's plenty to go around," Ino said quickly, nudging Choji in the side before he could protest sharing.
"Ayame, bring out my grill!"
"You got it, Dad!" Ayame called, disappearing into the back.
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The garden was a modest space, surrounded by a simple wooden fence that gave it a cozy, enclosed feel. A few lanterns hung from posts, casting warm light over the small stone path that led to a patch of neatly trimmed grass. Some potted herbs and vegetables lined the edges.
"It's not much," Teuchi said, carrying out a couple of folding chairs and placing them around the grill, "but it's perfect for nights ." He returned to the kitchen, muttering something about grabbing plates and bowls.
Meanwhile, Ayame was crouched near the grill, carefully arranging charcoal in a neat pile. She pulled out a lighter, trying to ignite the flame with short, precise clicks.
The group settled in as Ayame worked.
Naruto opened his box, his eyes sparkling at the sight of the meat. "This must've cost a fortune," he said, glancing at the others.
"Well," Ino said, "we taught that waitress and restaurant a lesson and worked some magic."
"Thanks… for sticking up for me."
"Do you know why the waitress was like that to you?"
Shikamaru's eyes narrowed, reading between the lines. "No? Or you just don't want to say?"
"I don't want to say."
"Naruto," Ayame interjected, her voice tinged with anger as she spun toward him. "What happened?!" Her eyes were sharp, protective, like an older sister ready to go to war on his behalf.
"Nothing happened, Ayame Neechan."
"Seriously, it's nothing. Let it go."
Teuchi, who had been arranging the plates and bringing out some side dishes, glanced at Ayame and gave a subtle shake of his head. She hesitated, her lips pressing into a thin line, before turning back to the grill with a muttered, "Fine. But this isn't over."
Shikamaru's gaze lingered on Naruto. He could see the tension in the way Naruto's shoulders were stiff, the way his smile didn't quite reach his eyes. He sighed internally. If Naruto wasn't going to talk about something even Teuchi and Ayame seemed to know, then there was no way he'd open up about anything deeper—like the mysterious "Oscar" or that strange, shining armor.
Ino watched the interaction closely, filing it away. "You're lucky you've got Ayame Neechan looking out for you," she teased, trying to lighten the mood. "I'd be more worried about her than me."
"Yeah, yeah, I'll keep that in mind."
Shikamaru said nothing, but his mind was still turning, piecing together the fragments of information. Answers would come in time, he figured. For now, he let it go.
Ino, however, wasn't so easily deterred. She leaned closer, her tone flirtatious. "Oh, come on, Naruto. You can tell me. I'm good at keeping secrets."
Naruto gave her a flat look. "Didn't I just say no?"
Ayame chuckled from the side, carefully tending to the grill as the charcoal finally started to catch. She used a small paper fan to coax the flames. "Oh, Naruto, looks like a pretty girl wants some answers from you."
Ino's face turned beet red as her composure shattered. "What?! I wasn't—! I mean, I didn't—!" She stumbled over her words, flustered, while waving her hands defensively.
Ino groaned loudly, burying her face in her hands. "You idiot!"
"So, is this the last time you try playing matchmaker?"
Ayame just waved her hand dismissively. "Yeah, yeah, blame me later. Seriously, the day this kid figures out when a girl's interested in him will be the day the sun rises in the west."
Meanwhile, Shikamaru and Choji exchanged a knowing look, both smirking slightly. Ino had clearly planned to tease Naruto, but now it had completely backfired, leaving her red-faced and flustered.
"This is taking too long," Choji muttered, eyeing the raw meat hungrily.
"I've got a better idea."
He removed one of his gauntlets, revealing the faintly glowing red of his Pyromancy Flame. With a flick of his wrist, the flame burst to life in his palm, its warmth lighting up the small garden.
"Relax," Naruto said with a grin. "I've got this."
Choji, inspired, grabbed a piece of beef and held it over Naruto's flaming hand like a skewer. The two boys exchanged a mischievous look before Naruto turned his hand slightly, cooking the meat evenly on all sides.
"Gross," Ino said, wrinkling her nose.
"Absolutely disgusting," Ayame agreed, fanning the grill to speed up its ignition while glaring at the two.
"Hey, it works!" Naruto said, popping a perfectly cooked slice of beef into his mouth.
Choji nodded enthusiastically. "And it tastes amazing!"
"And I think this will taste amazing with some ramen! Teuchi-ojisan!"
Teuchi, wiping his hands on a towel, gave him a raised eyebrow and a smile. "You want to put this on your free ramen coupon?"
"Wait," Choji interrupted. "You have a free ramen coupon?"
"Yeah," Naruto replied nonchalantly. "I got it as a prize for becoming a ninja."
Choji's jaw practically hit the floor. His voice trembled with sincerity as he blurted out, "Wanna be friends?!"
Naruto's grin only grew wider. "Best friends."
Without missing a beat, the two clasped hands mid-air and transitioned into a perfectly choreographed dap up, their heads tilting down as their free arms extended dramatically. The movement was so in sync, it might as well have been rehearsed, and the small garden seemed to freeze for a second in reverence of their newfound bond.
Ino groaned. "Boys are so stupid."
Meanwhile, Ayame stood in stunned silence. "…Is this what friendship looks like now?"
Teuchi chuckled, shaking his head as he went to grab the ramen bowls. "Let the kids have their moment."
Shikamaru gazed upon the night sky with a rare smile on his face. The food, the company—it had turned out to be a pretty good night. Still, there was this nagging feeling, like he was forgetting something important.
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Meanwhile, back at Yakiniku Q...
Asuma strolled back to the table, drying his hands on his pants. "Sorry I took so long—some kid clogged the toilet with napkins. Anyway, let's dig in!"
He looked up, expecting to see his team eagerly waiting for him. Instead, there was nothing. No Choji. No Ino. No Shikamaru. No Naruto. Just... an empty table.
He blinked, his hand pausing mid-dry.
"Where did everyone go? Hmm, I'm sure they'll be back any minute now…" Asuma muttered, leaning casually against the table as he glanced around the empty restaurant.
He waited. Five minutes turned into fifteen. Then thirty. Then an hour.
"Uh, sir… it's closing time."
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[ Personal Note: First off, thanks a ton to all of you for sticking with this story. Seriously, you guys are awesome. Now, if you're interested in supporting me on P@treon, let me just say that over there, I post these massive 5k-word chapters. But heads up, if you're jumping to P@treon, you'll need to start from Chapter 36, since that's where this chapter lines up with the content there.
To everyone here just reading along, please don't forget to leave a comment! Honestly, your comments make my day, and they let me know you're as invested in this story as I am. So yeah, thanks again, and I hope you have an amazing rest of your day!