Chereads / Naruto: The Jumper twin . / Chapter 5 - Chapter 5

Chapter 5 - Chapter 5

POV: MENMA

"Long story short, we got our asses handed to us. No food, no dignity. Just pain and the cold, hard realization that life sucks. I mean, if you're going to lose a fight, the least the universe could do is toss you a slice of pizza, right? But no, apparently, the universe had other plans. Like starvation." I grumbled under my breath, scrubbing the orphanage showers with a vengeance.

Naruto, ever the clueless optimist, tilted his head. "Menma, what's a pizza?"

I froze mid-scrub, appalled. "You don't know pizza? It's like…a warm hug for your mouth. A perfectly baked, cheesy masterpiece. Comfort food sent straight from the heavens. And trust me, after the day we've had, it's exactly what we need."

His eyes lit up. "That sounds amazing! Can we make it?"

I laughed, picturing the disaster we'd create. "Naruto, I love your enthusiasm, but considering your cooking skills, we'd probably end up summoning some demon instead of dinner. But yeah, someday, we'll figure it out. Maybe."

As if on cue, his stomach growled loud enough to echo off the shower tiles.

"Alright, big guy," I sighed. "No way I'm letting my idiot brother go to bed hungry. Follow me."

Grabbing his hand, we stealthily made our way toward the caretaker's room. The plan? Scavenge something—anything edible—or at least money for a snack.

"Naruto, you stand watch. If you see anyone coming, make bird noises or something."

"Got it!" he whispered, his face dead serious.

The door creaked as I pushed it open. My nerves were shot, but desperation was a hell of a motivator. I rifled through the drawers until I hit the jackpot—a few measly coins.

"Score!" I whispered, clutching the coins like they were a priceless treasure.

Naruto's whisper-yell interrupted my victory lap. "Someone's coming!"

We bolted, ducking into the shadows like fugitives. The streets of Konoha were dimly lit, and the sounds of distant laughter and barking dogs filled the air.

As we crept along, Naruto whispered, "One day, when I'm Hokage, people will line up to give us food! Believe it!"

I nearly tripped. "Sure, Naruto. Because nothing screams 'future leader' like two starving kids sneaking through alleys."

Then I saw it. A beacon of hope in the form of a glowing sign: Ichiraku Ramen.

"Come on," I urged, dragging him toward the shop.

Inside, a man greeted us with a knowing smirk. "Welcome to Ichiraku Ramen! What can I get you two young men tonight?"

Naruto's jaw dropped. "Food!" he blurted out, his voice cracking like he'd just seen a miracle.

I shot him a look. "Sorry about him," I said, trying to sound more composed. "We'd like your cheapest meal, sir."

"Say what are your names?" He asked curiously but Naruto flinched thinking the guy might turn on us and chase us out of his pub.

"I am Menma Uzumaki, and this is my brother Naruto," I replied. I noticed his smile grow softer after I mentioned our clan name.

The man chuckled. "Name's Teuchi. Don't worry about it, boys. Tonight, it's on the house."

I blinked, stunned. "Are you serious?"

"Absolutely," he said, his grin widening.

Naruto practically tackled the counter in excitement. I had to pull him back before he scared the poor guy off.

We ordered two massive bowls of ramen and, as a bonus, a few instant noodle cups. As we ate, I decided to liven up the mood with a little hypothetical.

"Naruto," I began, "if I ever had to choose between facing certain death or abandoning Konoha, what would you do?"

He froze, mid-slurp, his wide eyes full of drama. "I'd fight the bad guys and save you, of course! Like a ninja!"

I snorted. "And if the bad guys were, say, giant angry toads?"

Without missing a beat, he puffed out his chest. "I'd throw ramen at them! They'd get so busy eating, I'd sneak in and save the day!"

Teuchi was barely suppressing his laughter. "Kid, you might just be a genius."

After finishing our meal, we thanked Teuchi and prepared to head back. But before leaving, I leaned in and whispered to Naruto, "Do you think those giant toads would prefer miso or shoyu broth?"

Naruto grinned. "Definitely miso. But only if it has extra pork!"

We laughed all the way back to the orphanage, dodging shadows like we were on a secret mission. For a moment, life felt good—simple, even.

Back in the cold confines of the orphanage, I threw myself onto the mattress, still buzzing from the night's adventure. Then it hit me.

"Oh, crap. We didn't finish cleaning."

Naruto snored in response. I sighed, closing my eyes. "Guess that's tomorrow's problem."

---

POV: HATAKE KAKASHI (ANBU CODE NAME: HOUND)

When I was assigned to watch over the Uzumaki twins, I thought it'd be just another mission. Keep them safe, stay hidden, and avoid any unnecessary complications. Simple, right? Wrong.

I trailed them to Ichiraku Ramen tonight, and let me tell you, listening in on their conversation was the highlight of my week.

Menma—already far too mature for his age—hit Naruto with this gem: "If it came to a point where I had to either face death or flee from Konoha, what would your response be?"

Naruto, ever the little ball of sunshine, didn't even hesitate. "I'd fight the bad guys and save you!"

I nearly choked on air. Here I was, lurking in the shadows like some grim reaper, and these kids were discussing life and death like they were picking toppings for their ramen.

The best part? Naruto's foolproof plan for dealing with giant toads: throw ramen at them.

I had to stop myself from laughing out loud. Giant toads? Ramen fights? What in the world were these kids watching?

But beneath the humor, there was something deeply endearing about their bond. They were scrappy, starving, and stubborn as hell, but they had each other.

And me? I'd keep watching from the shadows, making sure nothing took that away from them—not giant toads, bad guys, or even broccoli.

For now, though, I'd let them enjoy their ramen-fueled adventures. After all, even ninjas deserve a break from reality.

Author's Note:

Thank you for sticking with me as I build this world. I promise, things will pick up, but for now, I'm enjoying crafting these little moments. Let me know what you think—feedback, critiques, or just your favorite ramen flavor.