---
Hinata Hyuga turned around, her Byakugan scanning the snow-covered landscape. Tokuma, her assigned guard, was nowhere in sight. Only the heavy snowfall greeted her as it descended from the sky, thick and silent.
She was lost again.
Ever since Natsume had rescued her during their last encounter, Hinata couldn't stop thinking about him. She longed to see him again—to ask his name and thank him properly.
"De... room," she whispered softly, her voice nearly swallowed by the cold wind. She had retraced her steps, hoping they would lead her to the small forest where she had met Natsume. At first, she felt confident, unafraid. But now, standing alone in a world of white, anxiety crept in.
"Hey! White-eyed freak! Stop right there!"
The sudden shout jolted Hinata out of her thoughts, bringing with it unpleasant memories. She froze.
Three older boys approached her, each one taller and more menacing than the last.
"I heard you made Katsuru and his friends cry the other day. What a disgusting sight," the boy in the middle sneered, shoving her roughly.
Hinata stumbled into the snow, the cold biting into her skin.
"Wa-ha-ha-ha!"
The boy laughed wildly, eyes glinting with malice. "You're trash, just like those other losers!"
What the bullies didn't know was that Katsuru and his friends had been humiliated by Natsume, who had taught them a lesson after they tried to bother Hinata. Too ashamed to tell anyone, Katsuru and his gang kept quiet. Now, seeking revenge, these boys had set their sights on her.
Bullying wasn't uncommon for Hinata, even as the heiress of the Hyuga clan. Her clan's status didn't shield her from cruelty, especially when she appeared weak.
"Stop!"
A voice cut through the snowfall like a kunai.
The boys turned to see a blond boy around their age, wearing a bright red scarf.
"My name is Uzumaki Naruto! And I'm gonna be the future Hokage!"
"Hokage? You must be an idiot!" the leader scoffed, glaring at Naruto with disdain.
"Shut up!" Naruto yelled, fists clenched.
Before Naruto could react, the leader struck him hard in the face. Naruto's cheek reddened instantly, blood trickling from his nose.
"What a joke. Future Hokage? You're just a loser in a dumb scarf," one of the bullies mocked, grabbing the scarf and waving it around.
Hinata's heart sank as she watched Naruto get knocked down. She was grateful he tried to help, but seeing him so easily defeated made her think of Natsume. Strong, calm, and capable, Natsume seemed even more remarkable compared to Naruto.
Suddenly, a rushing sound broke through the scene.
"Water Release: Water Whip!"
A sharp crack echoed as the bullies were sent sprawling into the snow, yelping in pain. Hinata's eyes widened in recognition.
It was him—.
Natsume sighed as he shook his head. Once again, Hinata had gotten lost and was being bullied. And this time, Naruto had gotten involved as well.
He couldn't help but feel a little amused. These boys didn't know who they were dealing with—whether it was Hinata, a Hyuga, or Naruto, the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki.
Still, the Holy Ring of Destiny didn't alert him to any serious danger, so Natsume wasn't overly concerned.
Approaching Naruto, he helped the blond boy to his feet and handed him his now-damaged scarf.
"You alright?" Natsume asked casually.
Naruto looked up at him, eyes filled with confusion and uncertainty. He took the scarf, but without a word, he staggered away, his expression guarded.
Natsume frowned slightly. Does he think I don't know who he is?
Naruto, shunned by the village because of the Nine-Tails sealed within him, feared Natsume would turn hostile if he learned the truth. To avoid further humiliation, Naruto walked away.
Turning to Hinata, Natsume smiled softly. "Hinata, where's your guard? How do you keep getting lost like this?"
Hinata blushed furiously, stammering as she tried to respond. The warmth of Natsume's breath in the cold air only made her more flustered.
"I'll take you home," Natsume said gently, hoisting her up in one fluid motion. He began running toward the Hyuga compound, snow crunching underfoot.
Hinata's heart pounded as the cold wind whipped around them. She wanted to ask his name, to finally thank him properly, but her voice failed her. Overwhelmed with emotion, she fainted in his arms.
Natsume arrived at the Hyuga compound within minutes. He set Hinata down carefully and shook her lightly until she stirred.
"You're home now," he said with a sigh of relief. "Try not to get lost again, okay? See you around."
Before Hinata could respond, Natsume vanished in a blur, using the Body Flicker Technique.
Hinata blinked, glancing around to find him gone. Disappointed, she hung her head. She still didn't know his name.
Meanwhile, Natsume caught up with Naruto near Hot Spring Street. Naruto, already recovering from the earlier scuffle thanks to his healing abilities, was at a local shop.
"Nine cups of instant ramen, please!" Naruto shouted, eager to stock up.
The shopkeeper glared at him. "You again? I told you, I'm not selling to you anymore. Get lost before someone sees me dealing with you."
Naruto's smile faded, his face falling. He never understood why people treated him this way. What had he done wrong?
"I'll take a box of instant noodles," Natsume interjected, stepping forward.
The shopkeeper's tone immediately softened. "Right away, sir!"
After paying, Natsume handed Naruto the bag of ramen cups. "Here. Three hundred ryō should cover it."
Naruto stared at him, shocked. "Are… are you really talking to me?"
"Of course," Natsume grinned. "You wanted noodles, right?"
Naruto's voice trembled. "Aren't you afraid of me? Everyone says I'm the demon fox."
Natsume chuckled. "Afraid? Of you? I'm pretty good with foxes, actually."
After all, his Wood Release had a unique ability to suppress the Nine-Tails' chakra. A little truth couldn't hurt.
---
Uzumaki Naruto stood clutching a plastic bag filled with instant noodles, a swirl of emotions churning inside him.
It baffled him that Natsume treated him so normally. People usually avoided him or looked at him with fear, so this casual acceptance felt strange and unfamiliar.
"Let's go," Natsume said, carrying a box of instant noodles under his arm.
"Huh?" Naruto snapped out of his thoughts, blinking in confusion. "Go where?"
"I'll take you somewhere you can actually get something good," Natsume replied, repeating himself with a smirk.
"Really?" Naruto's eyes widened in disbelief.
It wasn't that Naruto couldn't buy food—he could—but he never got the good stuff. Like milk, for instance. Whenever he bought it, it was always close to expiring. He had learned to stomach it, but it wasn't exactly pleasant.
Natsume's mother had done something similar in his previous life, always buying discounted milk just before it expired. As long as you drink it before the date, it's fine, she'd say.
Naruto hadn't even realized until much later that drinking spoiled milk had made him sick before. He had always assumed it was just bad luck or his body not handling food well. No one had ever taught him simple things like checking expiration dates.
"Of course," Natsume replied confidently, though his mind was elsewhere.
He wasn't just taking Naruto shopping—he was taking him to the Gunma Casino, a place Natsume had developed over the last few years. It now had a branch right in Konoha.
As the casino's owner, Natsume had enough influence to ensure Naruto got whatever he needed. Even if the Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, found out, it wouldn't matter. Natsume wasn't affiliated with Danzo or Orochimaru, and he wasn't an Uchiha either. He was Tsunade's apprentice, and messing with him would mean crossing Tsunade—and by extension, the Senju clan.
If Hiruzen wanted to maintain his reputation, he wouldn't dare take action against the Senju, a clan tied to Konoha's very foundation.
"Come on, let's hurry up!" Natsume called, noticing Naruto still standing in place. He waved impatiently.
Naruto blinked, his eyes reddening slightly, though no tears fell. He rubbed them roughly and shouted, "Right! I'm coming!"
Soon, the two arrived at the Gunma Casino. Naruto stared at the building in awe. It was enormous and luxurious, and he felt a strange sense of unfamiliarity standing in front of such a place.
"A casino…?" Naruto mumbled, still confused. He didn't even know what gambling was, but the place felt far too fancy for him.
"We're going in through the back," Natsume said with a sly smile, pulling Naruto by the arm and leading him to a side entrance. He didn't want to cause a scene with the waitresses dressed in elegant kimonos at the front.
As they entered through the back, a middle-aged man greeted them enthusiastically. "Boss! What brings you here?"
Natsume grinned. "What, am I not allowed to drop by, Masayu?"
"Ah, no! I didn't mean it like that," Masayu stammered, bowing deeply. "You're welcome anytime, Boss!"
Naruto's jaw dropped. Boss? The man was calling Natsume, who didn't look much older than him, boss? He was completely shocked.
"Naruto," Natsume said, turning to him, "this is Masayu. If you ever need anything, you can come to him. He'll take care of it."
Masayu's eyes flicked to Naruto, clearly recognizing him as the boy people referred to as the demon fox. But the man's demeanor didn't change. He smiled warmly. "No need to worry, little man. Anything you need, just let me know."
Naruto was at a loss for words. This was the second time someone had shown him kindness, and it made him emotional. Despite his efforts to hold back, tears began to spill from his eyes.
"I'm sorry," Naruto said, wiping his face. "You're the second person to be so nice to me. I'm happy, but I don't know why I'm crying…"
Natsume sighed quietly. Naruto really had it rough. Most adults couldn't handle constant ridicule and ostracism, but this kid, barely seven years old, endured it every day and still remained hopeful.
"Who was the first person?" Natsume asked, trying to sound casual. "Why didn't they help you out more?"
Naruto sniffled, thinking for a moment. "There's this old man. I don't know who he is, but he's really nice to me. He comes to see me sometimes and gives me money."
Natsume's eyebrow lifted slightly. He had a pretty good idea who it was. "What does he look like? Maybe I know him."
Naruto's face brightened a little. "He's not very tall, has white hair and a beard, and sometimes smokes a pipe."
Natsume chuckled inwardly. Of course, it's Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"Hmm," Natsume pretended to think hard, then snapped his fingers. "Follow me."
He led Naruto outside, stopping in front of the Hokage Monument. Pointing at the third face, Natsume asked, "Does that look like him?"
Naruto's eyes widened as he stared at the face of the Third Hokage. "Wait... That's him! It's really him!" he gasped in disbelief.
Natsume smiled knowingly. "So, the Hokage's been visiting you, huh?"
"Yeah!" Naruto beamed, pride swelling in his chest. "Grandpa Hokage is really nice to me!"
Natsume raised an eyebrow. "If that's the case, then why doesn't he stop the villagers from treating you so badly?"
Naruto's smile faltered.
Natsume's words sunk in. Yeah… why doesn't Grandpa Hokage stop them? He's the leader of the village. If he wanted to, he could make it stop…
"Maybe he's too busy?" Naruto muttered, trying to convince himself.
"Well, next time you see him, maybe you can ask him," Natsume suggested nonchalantly, knowing full well that Hiruzen wasn't going to change the villagers' attitude overnight.
Naruto fell silent, deep in thought. Natsume decided to leave it there. Change wouldn't come from just one conversation, but at least Naruto had someone on his side now.
The bond between them would only grow stronger.
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