As Naruto lifted the noren curtain, a rich, comforting aroma rushed out to greet them, instantly driving away the chill clinging to their bodies.
The inside of Ichiraku Ramen was warmly lit, a sharp contrast to the dim, snow-choked streets outside.
"Yo! Naruto, you're here early today!"
Teuchi, wearing his familiar headband, broke into a kindly smile the moment he spotted his regular customer.
Completely at home, Naruto plopped down into the middle seat at the counter and called out loudly,
"Teuchi-ossan! One bowl of tonkotsu ramen—extra narutomaki and bamboo shoots!"
This was his classic, most luxurious setup.
In his previous life, Naruto hadn't liked bamboo shoots at all—but that didn't matter now.
They were delicious!
After ordering, he quickly turned to the girl sitting carefully beside him, his tone naturally softening.
"What about you, Hinata? The miso ramen and chashu ramen here are really good too!"
Hinata sat with her hands neatly placed on her knees. Feeling the curious gazes from Teuchi and his daughter, her fair face flushed slightly.
She lowered her head and spoke in a voice as soft as a mosquito's buzz, but still clear enough to hear.
"I… I'll have the same as Naruto-kun…"
"Old man, she wants the same as me!"
"Got it!" Teuchi laughed. "Two bowls of special tonkotsu ramen—extra narutomaki and bamboo shoots!"
As he turned around to start cooking, he shot Naruto a meaningful glance, as if thinking: This kid actually brought a little girl today. Impressive.
Naruto had brought friends here before—Inuzuka Kiba, Nara Shikamaru, Akimichi Choji, and… someone from the Aburame Clan whose name even he couldn't quite remember.
But this was the first time he'd ever brought a girl.
The rising steam, the savory scent of ramen, and the lively presence of the blond boy beside her gradually eased the tension in Hinata's heart.
This tiny ramen shop felt like a warm refuge, isolated from the icy world outside.
---
Beyond the curtain, wind and snow continued to howl.
At a nearby street corner, two figures appeared silently. Leading them was none other than Hiashi Hyuga. His expression was calm, his steps steady as he headed toward the warmly lit shop.
But after only a few steps, a hand holding a pipe blocked his path.
Hiruzen Sarutobi stood there, his Hokage hat dusted with snow—clear evidence he had been waiting for some time.
"Lord Third."
Hiashi's eyes flickered. He immediately stopped and bowed, along with the Hyuga clansmen behind him.
The Sandaime reached out and gently but firmly stopped him.
"No need for formalities, Hiashi."
Straightening, Hiashi's pale Byakugan gaze drifted toward the glowing curtain.
"That child's identity is… special," he said evenly. "It may be inappropriate for my daughter to be too close to him. I will take her back now."
"Hiashi."
The wind and snow roared between them, but it couldn't drown out the weight in the Third Hokage's calm voice.
"We shouldn't interfere too much in children's affairs."
He took a slow draw from his pipe, the ember flaring briefly before he exhaled a long stream of smoke.
As the curtain fluttered in the cold wind, he could clearly see the scene inside: two children sitting side by side, enjoying steaming bowls of ramen.
One smiled like sunlight.
The other, like a gentle crescent moon.
"Despite being ostracized," the Sandaime said quietly, "Naruto remains remarkably cheerful."
There was a faint emotion in his voice.
"But because of his 'special status,' very few people in the Village are truly willing—or brave enough—to approach him and become his friends. Even the Nara boy has done so. What, then, are you still worried about?"
His gaze shifted to Hiashi's Byakugan, his tone deepening.
"And if I remember correctly, your daughter Hinata hasn't been very sociable at the Ninja Academy either. Because of her introverted nature, she doesn't have many friends, does she?"
Without waiting for an answer, he continued gently but firmly.
"Two lonely children met today.
"One stepped forward to protect the other. The other expressed her gratitude sincerely.
"If that becomes the start of a friendship—of a precious bond…"
The glow of the pipe highlighted the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, lending his words a quiet gravity.
"Isn't that a good thing for both of them?
"Lonely hearts need warmth. This bond may one day become the strength that supports them on their respective paths."
Hiashi's white eyes flickered.
With the Byakugan, he could see the scene behind the curtain even more clearly than the Hokage.
Hinata's gently curved eyes—so relaxed, so genuinely happy—caught him completely off guard.
It had been a very long time since he'd seen that expression on his daughter's face.
Seeing that Hiashi still didn't respond, merely staring at the warm light, the Sandaime sighed inwardly.
The Hyuga were loyal and powerful—unquestionably devoted to the Village—but that rigid devotion to tradition, that weight carried by a great clan, could make them inflexible.
He brought the pipe back to his lips, smoke curling before his face, and cast Hiashi a meaningful look.
His tone remained calm—but now it carried unmistakable authority.
"Let them finish their ramen in peace."
He repeated himself, quietly but firmly.
"Consider this… a Hokage's order."
Those words carried tremendous weight.
Hiashi stiffened slightly, pulled back from his tangled emotions.
After a moment of silence, he withdrew his gaze from the curtain. When he turned back to the Sandaime, his eyes had returned to their usual restraint.
He bowed shallowly.
"Yes, Lord Third."
The wind and snow continued to fall—but the interference had been stopped outside.
---
With hot ramen warming their bellies, even their fingertips felt alive again.
Naruto patted his stomach in satisfaction, pulled out his small wallet, carefully counted the money, and placed it on the counter.
"Teuchi-ossan, Ayame-neechan, thanks for the meal!"
Teuchi accepted the payment with a gentle smile, looking fondly at the two children.
Ayame, meanwhile, wore an aunt-like grin, her gaze flicking between the shy Hinata and the ever-cheerful Naruto.
Stepping back out through the curtain, the snowfall seemed lighter than before. Night had already fallen, and the streetlights cast a warm glow over the snow-covered road.
The cold crept back in.
Naruto glanced at the petite Hinata beside him and naturally thought of what to do next.
Pulling his scarf tighter, he spoke in a straightforward, resolute tone.
"I've seen where your house is before, when I was training around the Village with Guy-ossan."
He pointed toward the direction of the Hyuga Clan Compound.
"It's dark and freezing now. I'll walk you home."
Hinata blinked in surprise and looked up at him.
Under the streetlight, his golden hair was haloed in soft light, like a small winter sun.
She instinctively wanted to refuse—she didn't want to trouble him any more—but when she met his clear blue eyes, filled with nothing but sincerity, the words stuck in her throat.
Instead, a strange sense of reassurance welled up inside her.
Lowering her head, she unconsciously toyed with the end of her scarf and replied softly, her voice tinged with shyness—and a faint, unnoticed reliance.
"Mm… then I'll trouble you, Naruto-kun."
The two walked side by side through the snow, their footsteps crunching rhythmically in the quiet night.
As they turned onto the main road leading toward the Hyuga Clan Compound, Naruto suddenly stopped.
Under a streetlight ahead, two figures stood silently amid the wind and snow, as though they had been waiting for a long time.
The man in front wore traditional Hyuga robes, his Byakugan eyes cold and sharp in the dim light.
It was Hiashi Hyuga.
Beside him stood another Hyuga clansman, expression solemn, watching Naruto and Hinata like an unmoving statue.