The trio—Satoru, Sasuke, and Naruto—finally made their way to the Ichiraku Ramen shop. Without hesitation, they ordered extra-large bowls of ramen for everyone.
Midway through their wait, Sasuke's brow furrowed as a thought struck him. He turned to Satoru with suspicion.
"Second brother, do you even have money to pay the bill? Didn't you spend everything compensating for the Konoha building you destroyed? Is there any money left for food?"
Naruto perked up, now equally curious, and stared at Satoru expectantly.
Satoru, with a confident grin, reached up to adjust his blindfold dramatically before pulling out a card seemingly from thin air. He waved it in front of Sasuke with a flourish.
"Dun-dun-dun-duuuun... Behold! I borrowed the Weasel's card to treat you."
"..."
Sasuke exhaled slowly, his patience well-tested after the day's antics. He replied with surprising calmness, "Does big brother know about this?"
Satoru raised a smug eyebrow. "How would he know? My skills are comparable to his, after all."
...
Meanwhile, back in the shadows of Konoha's surveillance station, Uchiha Itachi silently observed the trio through the monitor. He nodded knowingly.
Got it. Got it.
But that card... That's my card.
...
Back at the ramen shop, the steaming bowls of extra-large ramen were served, and the three stared at their meals with unwavering determination.
"Let's settle this properly," Satoru announced with mock gravity. "The first one to finish their noodles is the winner. Only the winner escapes punishment. Got it?"
Sasuke and Naruto exchanged serious nods, their faces reflecting the gravity of the moment.
"Understood!"
It wasn't just a ramen-eating competition—it was a battle of pride. Neither could afford to lose.
Time ticked by, and soon enough...
"..."
Sasuke and Naruto stared at Satoru in utter disbelief.
His bowl was completely empty. Clean as if it had been licked spotless.
"How?!" Sasuke exclaimed, his voice tinged with betrayal. "You're so thin—how can you eat that fast?!"
Satoru smirked, leaning back with the satisfaction of a victorious general. "If you gamble, you have to accept the loss. Don't regret it."
Naruto and Sasuke groaned in despair, their unfinished bowls mocking their efforts. The world seemed to go dark around them as the weight of their loss sunk in.
Satoru, unbothered, stood up, card in hand, and strode confidently to the counter to pay.
However, the cheerful mood was interrupted when the cashier swiped the card and frowned. "Sorry, insufficient balance."
"...?"
Satoru froze. "Insufficient balance?!" He muttered under his breath. "Did Big Brother anticipate this? No way..."
His gaze drifted to a free meal coupon in his hand, and a mischievous grin curled his lips.
Turning to the cashier, he proposed, "How about they work off the balance? You know, sell themselves for labor."
"..."
The cashier stared at him in shock.
Moments later, Satoru returned to the table with two sets of women's outfits in hand. "Sasuke, Naruto, it's time to honor your debt," he declared cheerfully.
Sasuke and Naruto froze, their faces pale. "Now?" they asked in unison, pleading with their eyes.
"Of course," Satoru replied with an almost angelic smile. "And you still have to..."
...
After an intense chase through the streets of Konoha, two new "waitresses" appeared at Ichiraku Ramen.
One, with cold eyes and a brooding aura, introduced herself as Xiao Lan.
The other, an embodiment of chaos, clumsily knocked over everything in her path and went by Xiao Huang.
That day, Ichiraku Ramen saw an unprecedented surge in customers, all eager to witness the "new hires." The story of these waitresses became a local legend, drawing laughter and confusion for years to come.
...
That night, as they walked home, Sasuke gritted his teeth, his fists trembling with frustration. He turned to Satoru and declared, "I will never trust anything you say ever again."
Satoru, entirely unbothered, gave him an innocent look. "What? I did well today! I helped others, solved problems, and treated you to food. What's not to trust?"
Sasuke's glare only deepened.
As they passed a street stall selling sugar gourds, Satoru's eyes lit up. He clapped his hands together in excitement. "Ah! Sasuke, second brother will buy you a sugar gourd!"
Before Sasuke could refuse, Satoru dragged him to the stall.
"How much for a sugar gourd?" Satoru asked enthusiastically.
"Ten ryo each," the vendor replied with a smile.
"Ten ryo? That's expensive," Satoru remarked, feigning surprise.
"Well, it's because they're hand-prepared, with all the seeds carefully removed," the vendor explained.
Satoru nodded thoughtfully before replying, "Then put the seeds back in."
"..."
The world seemed to pause for a moment. Sasuke and Naruto fell silent, their patience stretched to its limit.
In the end, Satoru proudly walked home with Sasuke, carrying the "perfect" sugar gourd.
For Sasuke, the sweetness of the treat couldn't even begin to mask the bitterness of the day.
>>>>>
Up to Chapter 120 available on Patreon.com/c/GGFanfiction :)
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