Inside a private booth in the Yakinu Q shop, Team 1 was having barbecue after their intense test at the training ground 1. The three genin's, Gin, Ryu and Kiyoko, sat opposite to their jonin instructor, Genma.
"My name is Genma Shiranui, a Jonin of Konaha. Likes to hang out with my old teammates, hates ignorant people and one's who spread malicious rumors. I achieved my dream of becoming a Jonin. What about you guys?" After introducing himself, Genma asked the three.
"Ryu Tanaka! Genin of Konaha. Likes to train, hates studying, wanna be a strong ninja." Ryu said with puffed up chest.
"Kiyoko Shimizu. Likes to train and study, hates cats. My dream is to be a good medical ninja." Kiyoko said with a small smile.
"Gin Ichimaru. Likes cooking, training, kenjutsu and ninjutsu. Hates pretty much nothing. Want to open a restaurant before the age of twenty five." Gin gave a bow after saying that and sat straight.
Cocking an eyebrow, Genma asked "Then why did you become a ninja?"
Smiling, Gin said "My old man won't allow me to sell my dishes in his shop, so I have to open my own. To have my own shop I need money. And the most lucrative job is being a ninja."
"So you're in for the money, got it." Genma nodded at him and said to the three of them "There's nothing wrong with that. All ninjas work to get money, if you have enough money you can train even harder and become even stronger."
Just then, the door opened and the waitress bought in the meat and drinks that they had ordered. Placing them on the table, the waitress said "Enjoy your food."
"Thank you." The three genin's chorused together.
As they started grill the meat, Genma asked "Who came up with the plan? Why?"
Ryu was the one who spoke first "Gin came up with it and we gave suggestions too."
Kiyoko nodded in agreement, so Genma's attention turned to Gin.
With wry smile, Gin elaborated why he made the plan "Since stealing anything directly from a jonin as a genin is nigh impossible, I went for the distraction tactic. First we checked our inventory, and after knowing how many tools we have, I came up with the plan on the spot. Since I have the best taijutsu and kenjutsu in the team, I became the main distraction. Ryu and Kiyoko set up the traps as per my instruction and their own suggestions. After that the three of us directed you through the traps and during that time, we snagged three senbon from your tool pouch."
"What about those miniature earth golems that took the senbon?" Genma asked with a smirk, showing that he hasn't missed that little detail.
Gin gave a beaming smile and said "It's a D-Rank ninjutsu I created with the help of Kakashi-nii. Since it was just a D-Rank jutsu, I taught my friends and we could do it easily. It have higher chakra consumption than the clone technique, hence the D-Rank. If the chakra consumption can be halved it will be E-Rank jutsu."
Genma was surprised by this revelation, and he cursed Kakashi in his mind 'Damn Kakashi! This is why he made that bet with me.'
Genma then nodded at that and said "After eating your fill, go home and take good rest. From tomorrow onwards, we will be doing missions." Looking at each of them, he said "I'm informing you right now, I'll nominate you three to take chunin exams next year. You three have the basics, I'll drill in the rest within a year, so work hard, study well and rest in between. Now, let's dig in."
Nodding at Genma, the three started to eat the barbeque meat and rice, after Genma took his portion first. They talked in between the bites, and Genma asked Gin about the clone technique and if he was interested in selling the trick to the village for a D-Rank jutsu in return.
Gin readily agreed while thinking 'The only ones who could achieve what I can do are those have high chakra control. For example, Tsunade, Shizune, Sakura and most of the medical-nin.' Gin paused and thought about Tsunade and Sakura using illusion clone to distract enemies while punching the snot out of them. 'Yeah, if it's Tsunade, she will make this work with Shadow Clone and then she will have four arms to punch someone. I feel sorry for Jiraya.'
After eating their fill, the team went separate ways. As soon as Gin reached his home, he saw that his dad, mom and sister were waiting for him to celebrate his graduation.
As soon as the Academy ended, Naruto came running towards Ichiraku with Hinata, Shikamaru, Choji and Shino on tow.
Barging in to the stall, Naruto made beeline towards Gin, who was cleaning the counter "Gin-nii! Did you pass? Did you become a shinobi?"
Reaching over the counter, Gin ruffled his hair and from his pocket he extracted his forehead protector and gave it to Naruto "You're looking at a Genin of Konaha."
Naruto's eye's sparklefd as he saw the forehead protector, and at the same time, four more kids came in to the stall, with some decorum unlike certain someone.
Gin just waved at them and told Naruto "Since I became a Genin, I'll treat you and your friends two bowls of ramen. How about it?"
"Thank you!" Naruto jumped up and down in joy, and climbed over the stool in front of the counter and said while pointing at his friends "These are my friends! Shikamaru, Choji, Shino and Hinata." Then pointing at Gin he said "This is Gin! He's also my friend and he makes me good food three times a day and also train me."
"Yo." Gin greeted them with a smile 'Good, Naruto is bringing Hinata for a date, even if there are others.'
"Hello."
"Yo."
"*munch* Hi!"
"...."
'They match what I expected. The shy, the lazy, the foodie, the silent. Meh, whatever I'm sure that they will frequent from now on after eating here.' Gin thought to himself as he observed the four friends of Naruto.
"Two miso ramen for me, with extra meat!" Then turning to his friends, he said "Come on, Gin-nii owns this place."
"Ahem." A cough was heard from the kitchen.
"Ah! I mean, Teuchi-san owns the stall, Gin-nii is his son." Naruto corrected himself hurriedly.
Ayame, who was helping in the kitchen chuckled hearing that and turning around she told the rest if the kids "Come on, what do you guys want?"
"I'll have what Naruto-kun is having." Hinata said with s low voice, enough for Ayame to here. Ayame in return gave a knowing smile.
"What's this Poisson Ramen?" Shikamaru asked as he looked at the menu, and saw four different types of ramen in the special ramen section.
"A special ramen made by Gin." Ayame said with a beaming smile.
Blinded by the smile, Shikamaru ordered Poisson Ramen, and Choji who was sitting next to Shikamaru said "I'll have all four special ramen."
"Alright, what about yours?" Ayame nodded at Choji and looked at Shino.
"I'll have one bowl of Poisson Ramen and a bowl of Kozuyu Ramen." Shino ordered after setting the menu down.
"Good." Turning to Gin, Ayame said "Go on, make ramen for these kids, I'll stay here and entertain them.*
"Alright." Agreeing with her, Gin went to the kitchen and started preparing the special ramen for the three. Since Choji ordered all four, Gin started with the common one, the Poisson Ramen. Teuchi on the other hand started working on miso ramen for Naruto and Hinata.
As they were making ramen, Ayame watched the four kids talking with each other. More like, Naruto praising Gin's cooking, his training regime and the others asking questions here and there.
"I'm telling you! You will like Gin's cooking, he's the best!" Naruto boasted as if it was his own achievement.
Shino who was ever silent in the class asked "Naruto, you said Gin-san trains you right? What kind of training is it?"
"Mmm let me think... Yeah! Physical training, calligraphy training, hand sign training, chakra control training and taijutsu training."
"Why do you train all those?" Shikamaru asked in horror.
With a wide smile Naruto said "Gin-nii said that he will give me a gift after I become a genin if I train in everything that he tells me to train. And knowing Gin-nii, I'm sure that it's going to be a super duper gift, and I want it."
"Make sense." Shikamaru said after hearing that.
Just then, Teuchi and Gin place a one bowl on each of them. "Miso ramen for Hinata and Naruto." Teuchi said.
"Poisson Ramen for, Choji, Shikamaru and Shino." Gin said and after placing the three bowls on the counter, Gin said "Dig in!"
"Itadakimasu!" Saying unison they started to slurp on the noodles.
Choji, Shino and Shikamaru couldn't stop slurping down and in no time they finished the ramen and sat there dazed. Not giving them a moment of recovery, Gin served them their second bowl and this time, Shikamaru and Shino showed some restraint, but Choji's restraint became loose and ate in frevor. Then third bowl, then the fourth, and before finishing that the three of them ordered again. This time they wanted every special ramen in the menu, and Hinata seeing this ordered for her and Naruto.
An hour later, five kids exited the ramen stand with bloated stomach and a content smile on their face. The four friends of Naruto had only one thought in their head 'This is why Naruto came here everyday. The food is divine!'