----
Naruto twitched the corner of his mouth and said with a helpless smile, "It's fine, I'll think of something."
Seeing that Choji and the others were about to hand in their mission report, Naruto didn't want to hold them up any longer. He waved goodbye and turned to leave.
Noticing Naruto's distressed expression, Choji rummaged through his belongings, pulled out a pack of unopened snacks, and handed them to him. "I'm not the smartest, so I don't know how to help, but if you're feeling down, eating something might cheer you up."
Naruto looked at Choji's round, smiling face and took the snacks gratefully. "Thanks, Choji. Next time, I'll bring you something special from other countries maybe snacks from the Land of Wind or the Land of Birds. Oh, or maybe even the fried bugs from Mount Myoboku, if you're feeling adventurous."
Hearing the mention of exotic delicacies, Choji's mouth began to water, but before he could press Naruto for more details, Ino pulled him away by the sleeve.
What Naruto didn't realize was that the snack Choji had given him was the last one he had saved from this mission, intending to celebrate with it on the way home.
Still, Naruto felt the kindness in Choji's gesture. Next time, I'll bring him something truly special. That's a promise.
Sitting down on a nearby bench, Naruto tore open the snack wrapper and began munching on the potato chips. These are pretty good, he thought. Choji really knows his snacks.
Naruto wasn't sure if eating could actually relieve stress, but for the moment, it did help him feel a little less worried.
Even if things don't work out, Kakashi-sensei wouldn't notice my secret ability unless he paid really close attention. And mom's always busy; she probably won't catch on either.
I'll test it tomorrow morning when she goes grocery shopping. If things go south… I'll just borrow Sasuke's allowance for a few days.
Ten minutes later, having finished the last of the potato chips, Naruto sensed Choji's location. It seemed he had already handed in the mission report and was heading home. Naruto chased after him, holding the empty snack wrapper.
"Choji!" Naruto called out. When Choji turned around, Naruto waved the wrapper dramatically and shouted, "The last bite~!"
"Ahhh!" Choji bolted toward Naruto like a blur, snatching the final chip from his hand and devouring it with a satisfied crunch.
"Thanks, Naruto!" Choji said, beaming. Choji had a personal rule of never wasting the last bite of food, and Naruto had remembered that, going out of his way to share it. It warmed Choji's heart.
Meanwhile, in the Hokage's office, Minato Namikaze watched the scene unfold in his crystal ball. He chuckled softly, his face glowing with the warmth of a proud father.
---
That evening, Naruto returned home and reported the mission's progress or lack thereof to his parents.
"We managed to fail three-quarters of the mission," Naruto admitted sheepishly.
Minato didn't seem upset. Instead, he smiled and said, "Sounds like Kakashi was a bit uncooperative. Still, there's one mission left, right? Work hard, and there's still hope."
"I'll do my best," Naruto promised. Though inwardly, he wondered just how much this father of his was willing to meddle behind the scenes.
At dinner, the atmosphere was lighthearted. Kushina relieved that Naruto had silently kept her in the loop about their struggles, was in high spirits.
"If I'd known this was how Kakashi would behave, I'd have broken one of his legs and sent him to the hospital," Kushina said cheerfully.
[Kakashi, who was currently sitting in a quiet corner eating a meal, felt a strange chill run down his spine. He had no idea why.]
---
The next morning, Naruto woke up at 4 a.m. but lay in bed pretending to sleep until he heard the sound of the front door closing around 6 a.m. His mother, Kushina, had left for the market, just as planned.
Naruto carefully slid out of bed, moving as if his bones had turned to liquid, and crept toward the window. Peeking out, he watched Kushina walk down the street with a basket in hand.
Confident she wouldn't turn back, Naruto leaped out the window and hid in the nearby trees.
He began following his mother from a safe distance, using every stealth technique he had learned from Jiraiya and Kakashi. Naruto felt like a true ninja, observing Kushina as she greeted passersby, chatted with vendors, and haggled over prices.
'Mom really is just like Dad when she smiles… legendary couple indeed' Naruto thought with a faint grin, shaking his head to clear the distraction.
As he watched, Kushina finished filling her basket with fruits and vegetables. However, she suddenly stopped and began rummaging through her purchases.
Naruto froze, worried that she might have noticed his presence. Instead, Kushina pulled out a strawberry, examined it with a satisfied smile, and casually tossed it into the air.
The strawberry flew straight toward Naruto and hit him square on the forehead, splattering into sticky red jam.
Naruto grimaced, rubbing his forehead. Thank Kami she didn't throw the watermelon first.
Leaping out of his hiding spot, Naruto blurted out a line that could only lead to disaster:
"Dad told me to spy on you!"
----
Don't forget to drop some Power Stones!
For early access to advanced chapters on p@treon.
P@treon/iamxeno
Thank you so much for your support and for reading!