"Alright, it's getting late, and I'm a bit hungry. Hinata, let me treat you both to Ichiraku Ramen!"
After regaining his composure, Yu rubbed his slightly protesting stomach and smiled at the two kids.
"Really?! That's great!"
Without waiting for Hinata's response, Naruto beside her was already jumping with joy. The villagers had shunned him, calling him a monster, but today, this handsome big brother turned out to be so kind.
"But... But, Father-sama..."
Hinata, with her head lowered, hesitated in a low voice.
"There's no 'but.' I'll explain it to Hiashi-sama."
Yu guessed Hinata's hesitation was due to the strict restrictions of the Hyuga main family. Usually, at this time, she had to be back home on time.
With that, Yu casually glanced aside and spoke to the empty space, "You two go back first. I'll naturally escort Miss Hinata back to the Hyuga main family later."
After saying that, Naruto looked up at Yu in confusion. "Who are you talking to?!"
"It's none of your business. Let's go."
Yu placed his hand on Naruto and Hinata's heads and guided them towards the main street.
At this moment, the two Hyuga branch family ninjas who were hiding hesitated for a moment. One of them whispered a few words to the other, and the other swiftly left.
.....
With the two kids in tow, Yu quickly crossed two streets and arrived at the bustling center street of Konoha.
"Uncle Ichiraku! Give me a bowl of pork ramen! A big one!"
The three of them arrived at the entrance of a shop with a sign that read "Ichiraku Ramen." Naruto, who was already restless, shouted inside as soon as they reached the door.
"Oh! It's Naruto!"
Seeing Naruto walk in, Uncle Ichiraku maintained his usual smile. "Bringing friends along, huh!"
"Yeah! They're my friends I met today! The big brother here is treating us today!"
Naruto laughed, his eyes squinting into slits. Since birth, the villagers had never shown him kindness, and he usually lived from meal to meal. He never expected to suddenly meet two people who didn't dislike him.
"I'll have a bowl of tonkotsu ramen. Hinata, what would you like to have?"
Yu also sat down at the counter and looked at Hinata beside him, asking.
"Um... I'll have the same as you, big brother Yu."
As the heiress of the Hyuga main family, Hinata rarely had the opportunity to dine outside with others.
"Alright, two bowls of tonkotsu ramen, please. Thank you."
Yu glanced around the shop, noticing that it hadn't changed much since he last visited several years ago.
"You... aren't you Yu-sama?!"
At this moment, a beautiful girl emerged from behind the counter—it was Ayame, Uncle Ichiraku's daughter.
"Ah, Yu-sama, you've honored our humble shop today! My friends and I all greatly admire you!!"
Ayame peeked out from behind the counter, her gaze fixed on Yu's handsome face, and her eyes exaggeratedly emitted heart-shaped beams.
"Um... Hello..."
Seeing Ayame suddenly appear, Yu felt a bit embarrassed. After all, Konoha wasn't that big, and it was easy to be recognized while walking on the streets.
"Darn it... Big brother is so popular with the girls!"
Naruto, next to him, looked at Yu and muttered enviously.
"Stop talking and eat your noodles!"
As they spoke, a steaming bowl of pork ramen was already prepared and placed in front of Naruto.
Before long, the three of them had their bowls of ramen ready. While Yu and Hinata leisurely savored their noodles, Naruto, on the other hand, slurped his noodles loudly, attracting curious glances from others in the shop.
"Ah... I'm so full!"
Naruto patted his satisfied stomach, let out a burp, then suddenly slammed the table and shouted loudly to Yu, "Thank you for treating me to ramen today! My name is Naruto Uzumaki, remember my name, because I'll become the Hokage in the future!"
"The Hokage, huh?"
Watching Naruto's exaggerated expression, Yu couldn't help but lightly chuckle as he patted his head and gazed into his sky-blue eyes. "Your eyes resemble your father's... If it's you, I believe you can do it."
"My father?"
Hearing Yu's casually spoken words, Naruto froze. His lineage was a topic avoided by everyone in the village during this time period. He hadn't expected this big brother who treated him to ramen to be so unabashed.
He had thought that when Yu heard him saying he wanted to become the Hokage, he would mock him like everyone else, considering how seemingly unreachable this dream was to everyone. But instead, Yu easily affirmed him.
Unconsciously, a misty haze filled Naruto's eyes. He had never known who his parents were since childhood, and he had never received any affirmation from anyone. He didn't expect that the big brother he met today not only treated him to Ichiraku Ramen but also affirmed his dream.
"It's not the person who becomes the Hokage that will be recognized by everyone, but the person recognized by everyone who will become the Hokage."
Yu suddenly became interested and unconsciously borrowed this famous quote from the anime, spoken by Uchiha Itachi to Naruto. "Naruto, if you want to become the Hokage, remember my words."
"Alright, let's go. Hinata, I'll walk you home."
Ignoring the bewildered Naruto, who was stunned by his own Talk no jutsu, Yu casually waved to Hinata after she heard his words.
After paying and leaving Ichiraku Ramen, holding Hinata's small hand, they walked back towards the Hyuga clan's territory. Yu felt a wave of emotions stirring in his heart.
It seems that talk no jutsu is indeed a formidable technique that requires no Chakra consumption...
Thinking about it, in the anime, figures like Zabuza Momochi, Gaara of the Sand, Six Paths Pain, and Obito Uchiha... Each of these powerful names, in a certain sense, fell victim to Naruto's mouth jutsu.
Even someone as formidable as Pain was directly talked down by Naruto's talk no jutsu, willingly sacrificing himself to revive the people of Konoha. Similarly, Obito Uchiha, after meticulous planning for so long, was ultimately persuaded by Naruto the fourth Great Ninja War, betraying Madara and meeting his demise.
...
Hyuga Clan Compound, main family residence.
"Has Hinata not returned yet?"
Hyuga Hiashi, sitting in the main hall, inquired of the guards below.
"Clan Head-sama. Yakushi Yu-sama has already escorted Miss Hinata back and is currently on the way."
The Hyuga main family guard below replied truthfully.
"That's good... Where did Yakushi Yu take Hinata just now?"
Hiashi recalled his subordinates' report that Yu had left with Hinata, feeling somewhat uneasy.
However, considering that the young man had once saved Hinata, it could be considered a favor to the Hyuga Clan, so he didn't intervene.
"Clan Head-sama, Yakushi Yu-sama took Miss Hinata... to eat ramen."
The guard below replied somewhat awkwardly.
"Hmm? To eat ramen?"
Hiashi was stunned. What was Scarlet Yu thinking? "Um, it's nothing, you can go now..."
"Everything is so unpredictable, he's truly someone no one can fully understand..."
Gazing at the starry sky outside, Hiashi sighed deeply.
----
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