With the clinking of silver taels in their hands, Shouta Kazuki and his group of friends excitedly wandered through the bustling streets of Konoha, preparing for their long-awaited feast. The atmosphere was lively, filled with laughter and the eager chatter of young shinobi-to-be. Even the usually reserved Hinata Hyuga couldn't contain her excitement.
Having visited her classmates' homes before and having them over at hers, she had grown fond of these gatherings. But if she had to pick a favorite place, it would undoubtedly be Shouta's house. His mother, Hanako Kazuki, was an exceptional cook, and every visit left Hinata feeling warm and full.
It was a rare luxury for her. She never understood why her appetite was so large compared to others, but at home, it was always a challenge to eat her fill. However, today was different. With Uchiha Sasuke offering such a generous amount of money, there was no doubt that she would have a proper meal.
Most of the group felt the same way. Their families, though not overly strict, had begun to grant them more freedom as their graduation from the academy approached. Soon, they would be real shinobi, making their own decisions, and experiencing the harshness of the world outside Konoha.
As everyone split up to gather supplies, Uzumaki Naruto, buzzing with excitement, clenched a crisp 10,000-tael bill Sasuke had handed him and dashed into a barbecue restaurant.
For Naruto, barbecue had always been an unattainable luxury. He had spent countless days standing outside restaurants, watching families enjoy steaming plates of grilled meat while his stomach ached with hunger. But today was different. Today, he had money—real money. And with it, he was sure he would finally be able to experience the kind of meal he had only dreamed about.
However, as soon as he stepped inside, the warmth and aroma of the restaurant were overshadowed by the cold stares and venomous whispers of the villagers.
"The demon fox has entered the restaurant!"
The words cut through the air like a blade.
"Disgusting! Look at his face! That whisker mark—it makes my skin crawl!"
"That thing is bad luck! He shouldn't be allowed to eat here!"
Naruto froze, gripping the money tightly. He had expected excitement, maybe even curiosity, but not this.
Then, one of the villagers pointed at the bill in his hand.
"Wait a minute... how the hell does that brat have 10,000 taels?"
Another sneered. "He must've stolen it!"
"Yeah! There's no way a filthy demon fox like him could have that much money!"
"He's a thief! He probably stole it from some hardworking villager! Thieves don't deserve to eat in a nice place like this!"
Within moments, the situation spiraled out of control. A few drunkards among the crowd staggered forward, their faces twisted with hatred and self-righteousness.
"You hear that, brat? Hand over the money! Someone like you doesn't deserve to have it!"
Naruto instinctively backed away, his grip on the bill tightening as he pressed himself against the wall.
"I-I didn't steal anything!" he protested, voice shaking. "This money is real! I was just gonna buy some barbecue!"
His plea only fueled their mockery.
"Oh, that's rich! The fox thinks it has a name! Uzumaki Naruto? Don't make me laugh! You're just a monster pretending to be human!"
With that, one of the drunkards shoved him hard, causing Naruto to stumble and nearly fall. The others joined in, pushing, shoving, and even throwing weak punches at him.
The pain wasn't the worst part. The worst part was that no one—not a single person—stepped in to stop them.
Until a small, trembling voice cut through the chaos.
"Naruto-kun!!!"
Hyuga Hinata, who had been quietly following him from a distance, rushed inside the restaurant, her pale lavender eyes widening in horror as she saw Naruto curled up on the floor, shielding the bill in his hands from greedy fingers.
She didn't hesitate. Without thinking, she shoved her way through the crowd and knelt beside him, her hands shaking as she tried to help him up.
"Are you okay?" she asked, her voice filled with concern.
The room fell silent for a moment as several villagers recognized her.
"Wait... those eyes..."
"She's from the Hyuga clan!"
"Why is someone from such a noble family associating with him?"
Murmurs spread like wildfire. Some looked uncomfortable, unsure of how to react now that a member of a prestigious clan had gotten involved. But the drunken ones weren't so easily deterred.
One of them let out a loud, mocking laugh.
"Well, look at this! First the demon fox, and now a white-eyed freak! What a perfect pair!"
"Yeah! A monster and a cursed child! No wonder they're sticking together!"
Hinata clenched her fists. Her heart pounded in her chest, but she refused to move.
"Naruto-kun didn't do anything wrong!" she shouted, her voice stronger than before. "He's not a thief, and he's not a monster!"
Naruto's breath hitched as he looked up at her. No one—not even the teachers at the academy—had ever defended him like this before.
Hinata turned to him, eyes full of determination.
"Naruto-kun, let's go find Shouta-kun and the others!"
Naruto shook his head. "No... Hinata, you should leave! They might start attacking you too!"
But Hinata didn't move. She simply squared her shoulders and said firmly, "I don't care. Even if they hit me, I will stand by you."
Naruto's eyes widened. For the first time in his life, someone was willing to take a beating for him.
At that moment, before anything else could happen—
A new voice rang out from the entrance of the restaurant.
"Oi, what the hell is going on here?"
The air in the room seemed to shift as Shouta Kazuki stepped inside, followed by Uchiha Sasuke and the rest of their group.
Sasuke's sharp eyes immediately assessed the situation, narrowing as they landed on the crumpled form of Naruto. His jaw tightened.
Shouta, on the other hand, merely cracked his knuckles and sighed dramatically.
"You guys sure know how to ruin a shopping trip," he muttered before shooting a dangerous grin at the crowd.
"Now... who wants to explain why you're laying your hands on my friend?"
4o