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Inoiki rolled his eyes at Shikamaru's question and let out a sigh. "Don't overthink it. Her name is Kurotsuchi, and she's the granddaughter of the Tsuchikage." He crossed his arms and continued, "As I mentioned earlier, I'm in the middle of a mission. She's part of that mission. I captured her, and right now, she's a captive of Konoha. But, as you can see, because of her special status, she's been granted limited freedom within the village."
A wave of surprise swept through the group. The granddaughter of the Tsuchikage? That was the last thing they expected.
Ino frowned. "Wait… if she's a captive, won't she try to escape?"
Inoiki shook his head. "First of all, her chakra is sealed. And second, she's well aware of the consequences if she tries anything."
Kurotsuchi let out an exaggerated sigh. "Yeah, yeah, I get it. No need to remind me." She then changed the subject with a smirk. "Anyway, I was wondering… could you take me somewhere to eat?"
Inoiki raised an eyebrow. "And why exactly would I do that?"
Kurotsuchi tilted her head slightly, feigning innocence. "Because you're the only person I know in Konoha. Who else am I supposed to ask?"
Before Inoiki could respond, Naruto suddenly chimed in from the side, grinning. "Then why don't you come with us to Ichiraku Ramen? It's the best in Konoha! I was already planning to take Inoiki there—to treat him as an apology for, uh… my slightly inappropriate behavior earlier."
He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, while Kurotsuchi's interest visibly piqued at the mention of food.
Kurotsuchi shrugged. "Well, I guess that works for me."
Inoiki scratched the back of his head, his gaze flickering to Naruto, who looked genuinely apologetic. With a sigh, he said, "Alright, fine."
Sakura, standing to the side, frowned. "But isn't she from a hostile village?"
Inoiki nodded. "Yeah, she is. But let's be real—she's going to eat somewhere anyway. It doesn't make much of a difference if she eats with us or not. Besides, I was planning to treat everyone today. I never got the chance to throw a party after my promotion to Special Jonin."
Sakura hesitated, then gave a small nod. The others followed suit. If Inoiki had no issue with it, who were they to object?
With that settled, the group made their way toward Ichiraku Ramen. Naruto walked on Inoiki's right, while Kurotsuchi strolled beside him on the left.
Naruto glanced at Inoiki, guilt evident in his expression. "I'm really sorry for grabbing your collar like that. I just— I got really mad."
Inoiki chuckled, placing a reassuring hand on Naruto's shoulder. "Don't sweat it. I know you, Naruto. You're my friend—I get how emotional you can be."
Inoiki smirked. "Oh, and just so we're clear—I'm only paying for the rest of them. My ramen? That's on you. After all, you did say you wanted to apologize by treating me."
Naruto scratched the back of his head, laughing sheepishly. "Yeah, yeah. Don't worry about it."
With that settled, they finally arrived at Ichiraku Ramen. Inoiki stepped forward and greeted the owner with a grin. "Hey, Uncle Teuchi! I brought all my friends for a treat, so get some good, hot Ichiraku Ramen ready for everyone!"
Teuchi, always wearing his warm smile, nodded. "You got it! Go ahead and take your seats." Then he turned to his daughter. "Ayame, bring out some extra chairs so everyone can sit comfortably."
Ayame nodded and, spotting Naruto, called him over. "Naruto, give me a hand with these."
"Of course!" Naruto beamed and rushed to help, eager as always.
Once the seats were set up, everyone settled in, and Teuchi wasted no time serving up steaming bowls of Ichiraku Ramen. The rich aroma filled the air as they dug in, enjoying the familiar, comforting taste.
Between mouthfuls, they chatted—discussing upcoming missions, future plans, and whatever else came to mind. Laughter and conversation flowed easily, making the meal all the more enjoyable.
By the time they finished, everyone was full and satisfied, their bellies warm with ramen and their spirits lighter from good company.
Once everyone had finished their meals, Inoiki stepped forward to settle the bill. As promised, he paid for everyone—except himself.
He turned to Teuchi with a smirk. "By the way, Uncle Teuchi, Naruto will be covering my bill. It's part of his apology treat."
Teuchi chuckled knowingly, nodding as he tallied up the total. Naruto must've caused some trouble again, he thought.
Just then, Inoiki gestured toward Kurotsuchi. "And as for her—her name is Kurotsuchi. Prepare a separate bill under her name based on what she ate."
Kurotsuchi blinked in confusion. "Why do you need a bill in my name?"
Inoiki crossed his arms. "Because it's necessary. When the people from your village come to retrieve you, I'll show them the bill and make them pay me back."
Kurotsuchi frowned. "But you paid for everyone else. What difference does it make if you cover mine too?"
Inoiki smirked. "I paid for them because this was my treat. They're my friends. You, on the other hand, aren't my friend or anything like that—so why should I pay for you?"
Kurotsuchi's expression darkened. She glared at him for a moment before scoffing and turning on her heel. "Hmph!"
Without another word, she stomped off, clearly annoyed.
Inoiki merely shrugged, unconcerned.
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