Chapter 40: Menma And Naruto
The warm curtain was gently lifted from outside, and Menma led Naruto into Ichiraku Ramen Shop.
“Welcome—oh, it’s Menma.” Uncle Teuchi looked up from the counter, his smile familiar.
At this time, still some time before dinner, there weren’t many customers in the shop, just two ordinary genin.
“Uncle Teuchi, give me a tonkotsu chashu ramen, no…”
“No narutomaki, extra bamboo shoots, I know.” Teuchi smiled and interrupted him, his hands not stopping.
It seemed like someone else in his memory had said something like that, but he couldn’t recall the vague figure from his memory.
Naruto followed behind Menma, his steps a bit hesitant.
The two genin eating ramen saw Naruto at the door and showed looks of disgust, startling Naruto into instinctively shrinking his neck.
When Naruto instinctively wanted to run away, Menma pressed his shoulder: “What are you spacing out for? Look at the menu and order yourself.”
“Right, I still don’t know your name.” Menma had already sat on the high stool, his brows lightly raised, asking despite knowing.
“I’m Naruto, Naruto Uzumaki!” Naruto also climbed onto the high stool next to Menma, sneaking a glance at the wooden menu board on the ground.
Unfortunately, Naruto couldn’t read yet, so he imitated Menma and said: “I-I want a tonkotsu chashu ramen too.”
“Got it, please wait a moment, you two.” Uncle Teuchi started busying himself.
“Boss, money’s here.” The two genin finished their ramen and left some banknotes.
As they left, the two were still discussing in low voices.
‘That guy just now, he’s that one, right?’
‘Yeah, the one who got the Fourth Hokage killed…’
‘Really kills the mood, I almost threw up…’
Naruto had his back to the ramen shop door, but he heard these murmurs, and his mood sank a bit.
He didn’t understand what “Fourth” meant, nor what “demon fox” was, but he could hear the disgust and rejection toward him.
“Ayame, come clean up.” Uncle Teuchi’s call broke the stagnant air.
“Coming! Coming!” An eight- or nine-year-old little girl with a white headscarf burst out from the kitchen like a whirlwind, her blue apron flipping with her movements.
She deftly cleared the bowl and chopsticks, the rag drawing smooth arcs on the counter.
“Young Master Menma, brought a friend again.” Ayame blinked and teased, her work not delayed at all.
“Don’t keep calling me young master, Big Sister Ayame~” Menma fired back with sharp words, deliberately dragging out the tone.
The words “Big Sister” made Ayame, who was cleaning, freeze with the rag in her hand.
“Hey!” The little girl puffed her cheeks in anger: “You should call a girl ‘Older Sister’!”
Even though she was just an eight- or nine-year-old little girl, being called “Big Sister” by a younger kid still made her grit her teeth.
‘So his name is Menma.’ Naruto on the side watched their bickering with some envy.
“Right, what’s this little brother’s name?” Ayame finished cleaning and didn’t rush back to the kitchen, instead coming up to Naruto.
“You… hello… I’m Naruto Uzumaki!” Naruto was a bit at a loss, his cheeks flushing from being treated kindly for the first time.
Moreover, Naruto could feel that neither Menma nor Ayame had the malice toward him that the other villagers did.
“Hello, I’m Teuchi Ayame, welcome to our ramen shop anytime!” Ayame patted her chest.
“So, welcome new customer, I’ll make you some tempura.” With that, Ayame folded the rag and ran to the kitchen.
Soon, two bowls of ramen and one tempura were served in front of Menma and Naruto.
“Please enjoy!” Uncle Teuchi and Ayame, the father and daughter, stood at the kitchen counter, smiling and slightly bowing.
“Then, let’s eat!” Menma picked up his chopsticks and clasped his hands together.
Just as he was about to dig in, he saw Naruto next to him staring at the rising steam, tears suddenly splashing onto the wooden counter.
“Kid, why are you crying! Didn’t anyone teach you what to say before eating!” Menma hated kids crying the most.
“No… no one taught me…” Naruto wiped his tears.
From as far back as he could remember, the people around Naruto were full of malice toward him, and no one taught him life knowledge or anything; he could only fumble alone in this world full of malice.
“Then learn from me, let’s eat!” Menma frowned, picked up a pair of chopsticks, and handed them to Naruto.
Naruto took the chopsticks and looked at the boy next to him who grumbled but acted so warmly, feeling a strange emotion surging in his heart.
“I… let’s eat!” Naruto imitated Menma’s actions, clasped his hands, said it, and snapped open the chopsticks.
Slurp slurp—
The sounds of them eating ramen echoed in the shop. Uncle Teuchi didn’t know what happened but knew it was something heartwarming, so he turned to get busy.
Ayame curiously glanced at Menma, then at Naruto.
For some reason, she felt like the two were like brothers.
Perhaps because Naruto was too hungry and had never eaten any proper hot food, this bowl of ramen was like a delicacy to him; he devoured it ravenously, even drinking the broth clean.
Menma had only eaten half when he saw Naruto had already set down his bowl and was staring eagerly at the plate of tempura between them, drooling.
“Look at you drooling, it’s all yours.” Menma casually pushed the tempura over.
“But…” Naruto instinctively wanted to refuse.
Menma raised his chopsticks: “First, when accepting others’ help and kindness, say thank you; second, don’t waste others’ kindness.”
Seeing Naruto still wanting to say something, Menma added: “I’ve eaten plenty today, not like you, you hungry ghost.”
With such a reason, Naruto happily picked up a tempura with his chopsticks, his face blooming with a smile: “Thank you! Menma!”
“Uncle Teuchi, this meal’s on this kid.” Menma had almost finished too, set down his chopsticks, and pointed at Naruto next to him enjoying the tempura.
Uncle Teuchi looked up from the steam, grinning: “Sure, since it’s a new customer, I’ll give you nine off, that’s ninety silver taels.”
Naruto, eating the tempura, froze at the price, quickly grabbed his wallet and counted.
Someone delivered his monthly money, not a lot. His house was arranged by Konoha, utilities and rent basically free, so his monthly living expenses were average; he could afford a ramen meal.
But Naruto ate instant noodles every day and barely had any pocket money left, really not understanding where the money went.
These ninety taels still hurt Naruto’s wallet.
Naruto took out a hundred-yuan banknote and reluctantly handed it to Uncle Teuchi.
Ayame took the money, pulled out a wallet, and gave Naruto ten silver coins as change: “Here’s your change.”
The two walked out of the ramen shop one after the other, Menma contentedly rubbing his belly, while Naruto clutched the ten silver coins of change, his whole demeanor dimmed.
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