"No way?"
Sakura was stunned.
She knew her own gaze too well.
That look... no!
Sasuke will be in our class in about half a month... Sakura, what are you doing?!
Suddenly, Sakura looked up.
She saw Ino and Hanabi staring at her.
And... Hinata, when did you wake up?
Wait, Hinata, why does your gaze seem a bit resentful?
"Hinata, that... I didn't, it wasn't me..."
Oh no!
Sakura's heart tightened.
She quickly ran to the railing.
Looking down, she saw Naruto grinning foolishly below.
She could vaguely hear him and Neji talking.
"Haha~"
"Neji, it seems Sakura falls for this kind of thing. Should I try it on Sakura too?"
"Yeah, yeah, then Sakura will definitely be head over heels for me."
Neji massaged his forehead with a wry smile.
This guy... why does it feel like he's doing it on purpose?
He was about to say a few good words for Hinata.
Sakura's voice came from the stands.
"You idiot Naruto, give up! My heart belongs to Sasuke!"
Naruto's smile froze.
"Damn you, Sasuke!"
"I challenge you to a fight!"
Smack—
Neji couldn't take it anymore.
He slapped him.
"Naruto, you're at it again! Quickly calm down!"
Neji's expression was serious.
But that hit was a bit too hard.
Naruto's eyes rolled back.
"Did I use that much force?"
"Wait!!"
Neji suddenly paused.
'During the comparison viewing, all offensive actions are prohibited.'
The rules established when the comparison viewing system first appeared echoed in his mind.
"I can barely activate my Byakugan... so why was I able to hit Naruto?"
The black frame world screen continued.
[Back mountain.]
["Naruto... are we not there yet?" Sakura was already panting heavily, her breathing rapid and labored.]
[Little Naruto glanced back at her.]
["We're here."]
[As soon as he spoke, little Naruto stopped.]
["Ouch~" Sakura didn't react in time and bumped into little Naruto's back.]
["I'm sorry, I didn't mean to." Sakura quickly apologized.]
[But little Naruto didn't react.]
[She quickly stepped forward, following little Naruto's gaze.]
[She saw a pure white rabbit, lying in the grass in front of them, its foot seemingly caught by something.]
[Sakura covered her mouth and gasped.]
[At that distance, she could clearly see the little white rabbit's heart beating faster due to nervousness.]
["Naruto... it's so pitiful." Sakura said with some reluctance.]
[Little Naruto looked back at her, but said nothing.]
[Sakura lowered her head, not daring to speak carelessly again.]
[Half an hour later.]
[Wisps of cooking smoke rose.]
[Grumble—]
[Sakura's sad tears overflowed from the corners of her mouth.]
[She swallowed with difficulty.]
["It smells so good~ "]
["Is it not ready yet, Naruto~?"]
Sakura: "..."
Damn it!
Why am I so pathetic?!
"Sakura, you're such a bother." Ino teased.
Sakura's face instantly turned red.
Hinata pouted, looking enviously at the Sakura on the screen.
I was the first to discover Naruto's good qualities.
["Th-this... is this for me?!" Sakura's eyes widened.]
[Looking at the half-roasted rabbit she held in her hands.]
["Mm, this won't fill you up. We'll have to go back for more later." Little Naruto nodded, taking a bite of the roasted rabbit.]
[It was perfect in color, aroma, and taste.]
[It just lacked some vegetables.]
[No matter, someone will treat them later.]
[Of course, the most important thing was that shop with prices more than half off the usual.]
[Seeing little Naruto eat with such relish, Sakura stopped being polite.]
["Delicious~!"] Sakura's eyes lit up. She had never eaten rabbit meat like this before.]
[There was no trace of her earlier reluctance; she almost said, 'Add more cumin.']
[Before long, the two little ones had finished the roasted rabbit.]
[Sakura still licked her lips, wanting more.]
["Do you like roasted meat from a picnic?"]
[Little Naruto suddenly said.]
["Yes~!"] Sakura quickly nodded in response.]
["Then let's go, that's enough for today." Little Naruto stood up and held out his hand.]
[Sakura was startled for a moment, then shyly extended her small hand, placing it in little Naruto's.]
[After pulling Sakura up, and confirming that the feeling of being monitored was very faint.]
[Little Naruto then lowered his voice slightly and said, "Shikamaru and the others should be very interested too."]
["If you like it, we can often come here for picnics in the future."]
["Mm!" Sakura blinked, "Ino will definitely like it, the environment here is very good."]
["When we were in school, Ino even took us on a picnic... but it wasn't like yours, Naruto."]
[Little Naruto's lips curved slightly, "Alright then, in a couple of days we'll come here together. I'll leave it to you to inform Ino and Shikamaru."]
["Okay!"] Sakura didn't hesitate and immediately agreed.]
Tobirama Senju: Good kid! Is he planning to use those little ones as long-term meal tickets?
Mei Terumī: "Second Hokage of Konoha, you're wrong. Little Naruto can provide skills, emotional support, and also take those little ones to play, fish, catch shrimp, and crabs."
Mei Terumī: "If I had a friend like that when I was little, I would absolutely not mind using my pocket money to buy ingredients and go on a picnic with him."
Ino Yamanaka: "That's right, Mizukage big sister is correct. I'm sure that even the me in the black frame world would have no reason to refuse."
Nara Shikamaru: "It's troublesome... but if I can fish, I think I wouldn't refuse either."
Akimichi Chōji: "If there's roasted meat to eat, then there's no problem at all!"
Sakura Haruno: "So... I'm just a messenger?"
Ino wrapped an arm around Sakura, "You were the first to taste Black-Framed Naruto's cooking, aren't you satisfied?"
"Look how envious Hinata is!"
Saying this, Ino pulled Hinata closer.
Hinata blushed, stammering that she wasn't.
But who would believe her?
However, after Ino's little commotion, the somewhat strange atmosphere from earlier disappeared.
"Wait, Ino-neechan, you seem to have said something wrong. The first one to taste Black-Framed Naruto-nii's cooking shouldn't be..."
Hanabi's words were cut off by Ino before she could finish.
"It's not a person anyway." Ino said as if stating a fact.
Tanzaku Quarters.
"Boss, I remember you also sell roasted rabbit here. Get one for me to try, and put plenty of cumin!"
"It's best if it's roasted just like Naruto's in the black frame world."
"Oh, and bring a bottle of sake."
"Shizune, you have some too. There won't be any danger anyway."
[After little Naruto took Sakura away from the back mountain.]
[They headed straight for Ichiraku Ramen.]
[His money had long run out.]
[During this time, he had been eating wild vegetables, roasted fish, snails, and so on.]
[No matter how delicious, he would eventually get tired of it.]
[He had just received money today, but little Naruto had other uses for it and didn't plan to spend too much.]
[This was the first time someone had treated him to a meal.]
[Little Naruto was still very happy, so he unhesitatingly chose Ichiraku Ramen.]
["Yo~ it's you, Naruto!"]
[At this time, the ramen shop was already empty; lunch hour had passed.]
[Teuchi-ojisan smiled kindly when he saw Naruto.]
["Hm? Naruto, did you make a friend?" Ayame, hearing the commotion, also poked her head out from the back kitchen.]
["Yeah, Teuchi-ojisan, a bowl of tonkotsu ramen~!" Naruto said, sitting down with a somewhat reserved Sakura.]
[Although her house wasn't far from here, Sakura had never eaten here before.]
[Finally, she ordered the same ramen as little Naruto.]
[Teuchi-ojisan even added an extra poached egg for them.]
[After the meal, Sakura rubbed her somewhat round belly, and led little Naruto through alley after alley.]
[They finally stopped in front of a somewhat dilapidated shop.]
[Little Naruto looked up. It was a shop that sold expiring food.]
['No wonder it's so cheap.']
["Thank you, Sakura." Little Naruto said solemnly.]
[Sakura was taken aback by his serious demeanor and quickly waved her hands.]
[Little Naruto smiled.]
[He comforted her, "It's okay, just don't walk with me in the future."]
[Looking at Sakura's slightly reddened eyes, little Naruto felt a pang of pity.]
[After all, she was with him, which was why she got caught up in the scolding.]
[It was mainly to gain the trust of that scoundrel leader; otherwise, little Naruto would have long since picked up stones and thrown them at that group of people.]
[Of course, although little Naruto would most likely endure now and in the future.]
[But he would never forget; these hatreds and angers would accumulate little by little.]
[When his wings were full in the future, he would make them all pay.]
["No... I'm fine... Naruto, have you always been like this?"]
[It would have been better if he hadn't comforted her. As soon as he did, the insults and curses she had just heard immediately echoed in Sakura's mind.]
[Little pearls of tears fell like they were worthless.]
Orochimaru: "Hearing is always just hearing. Empathy is difficult."
Orochimaru: "Only by experiencing it can one truly understand Naruto-kun's feelings and know what kind of life he lives."
....
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