Author: Woohoo finally another chapter after soooooooooooo long…please read and enjoy! (#^o^#)v Lots and lots thanks to people who reviewed ('3')n
Chapter 04
"Ummm…Naruto…" Iruka smiled, gently admonishing. "You don't have to finish Ramen Ichiraku's whole month's food supply today, you know."
Naruto and Iruka sat side by side at the bar of the Ramen Ichiraku's, with Teuchi chatting and serving them, with few other late night customers loitering around. Beside Naruto was a haphazard piled load of nearly 20 empty large bowls, yet he was still noisily slurping on another.
Iruka and Teuchi had watched Naruto devour one bowl after another with the enthusiasm of a starved person who has never seen such food before.
Naruto slurped loudly before placing the empty, yet still smoking bowl down. He burped.
"Aww old man…you make the best ramen ever!" Naruto grinned and patted his satisfied stomach.
Teuchi chortled, pleased. "You always say the same."
Naruto leaned forward, looking at Teuchi with narrowed eyes. "Now that I think about it…its slightly different!"
"What?" Teuchi said, hands on his hips, looking at Naruto in amazement. Iruka also turned to look at Naruto.
"Naruto, it's the same ramen we have been eating for years!"
"No-no Iruka sensei, its slightly different!" Naruto nodded expertly, folding his arms, looking thoughtful. "It may look the same, smell the same, the quantity and consistency is same, almost tastes like before, but…but…there is a slight different hint of something else underneath….."
Both Iruka and Teuchi gaped at their resident Ramen specialist Naruto, who was rubbing his chin and pondering on the mystery.
"But it tastes the same!" Iruka said fervently.
"No. It's different." Naruto said seriously. "There is…something else in it….I don't know how to explain it…but it's not the same, definitely."
"Naruto, I had two bowls too. It tasted the same as usual."
"No…there is something….extra… the taste is richer, more refined, the feeling is different." Naruto insisted. Ayame walked over to join the heated conversation.
"What happened?" Ayame asked curiously.
"Naruto says the ramen tastes different. But I also had one during the break it was the same." Teuchi said, looking thoughtfully at Naruto.
"Pffft! You are joking right." Ayame said looking at Naruto in amazement. "It has the same old ingredients, heck I even order from the same old supplier and my old man here makes the noodles by hand. How can it be different? None of the other regulars including Iruka has commented on any difference."
"I dunno…but…there is something about it…" Naruto mumbled off thinking hard.
"Chief." Matsu, an old apprentice of Teuchi appeared from the kitchen. A goofy smile imprinted on his face. "Lady Huuga-san is worried we are running low on pork chop."
Teuchi sighed. "Tell her it's okay we won't be serving any more pork chop dishes today. Ayame remember to order it tonight so the butcher can supply before we open tomorrow."
"Yes, Father." Ayame and Matsu bustled off to comply.
"Lady Huuga?" Naruto blinked.
"The young pretty mistress of Huuga clan…" provided the passing-by Nishi cheerfully, another old apprentice-turned-server at Ichiraku restaurant, " says wants to learn how to cook ramen…beats me why…I mean when she can have servants at her beck and call. Such gentle lady working hard here…tut…tut…what the world is coming to…"
Naruto was flabbergasted. "Do you mean Hinata chan?"
Nishi nodded.
"But..but why?" Naruto asked directing the question to Teuchi.
Nishi answered instead. "Well chief refused to take her under his apprenticeship but the gentle lady has will of iron, refused to back out and even though is a Medical nin rushed here every day to reconsider until the old man finally agreed, even when she was clearly already exhausted. Impressive. Never knew the Huuga blood could produce such as down-to-earth gracious lady. "
Teuchi humphed and pointed at Nishi. "Stop gossiping. Go serve the table, the customers are waiting!"
"How long has she been working here?" Naruto asked seriously.
"Nearly 3-4 months." Teuchi grumbled.
"Does she do serving duties too?" Naruto frowned recalling the sometime rowdy crowd at the Ramen shop.
"Ai." Teuchi nodded. "A good cook is useless if he does not know how to serve the customer the food is intended for."
"Any trouble with the crowd? They are respectful towards her?" Naruto asked in a grave tone, going full protective Ninja mode.
Teuchi was surprised. He knew Naruto had a very serious and protective side but he had always hidden it behind nonchalance and since eating Ramen was his most relaxing time he rarely bothered about the shenanigans going at the shop as he knew Teuchi only let it go on only so far. For him to be suddenly overly concerned about the crowd behavior was a bit of shock.
Besides he had never seen Naruto so protective of any kunoichi , or maybe the ones who usually joined him were only Sakura and Ino and they seemed pretty self-sufficient.
Looking at Naruto's taut jaw Teuchi smiled wryly, though Huuga Hinata was shy and rarely spoke more than few words but she had the relentless stubbornness of a mule and certainly knew how to gracefully defuse any hot situation with a gentle word or hand. Never mind the ever present protective Huuga clan members who had started eating at the shop.
"Naruto, she's one of the best Kunoichi of her age and can take care of herself." Iruka rebuked softly having heard from Kakshi the Hokage's verdict on Naruto's over-protectiveness.
Naruto's brows knitted in a frown also recalling Baa chan's word but he hotly protested: "Of course she is an awesome kunoichi! But she's such a gentle and sweet person that doesn't deserve having to deal with such crap! "
….
"Ummmm…..ano….." A timid voice gently spoke hesitantly. Naruto and Iruka turned to see a hotly blushing Hinata standing in the doorway of the kitchen, behind the bar where Teuchi stood.
"HINATA CHAN!" Naruto leapt from the stool, a joyous wide grin erasing the tense expressions of before.
"Na-Naruto kun…" Hinata spoke reverently then her eyes lit up and she beamed before coming few steps forward. "You are back."
Naruto edged closer to her. "Yep, just came couple of hours ago."
Hinata raked her starving eyes on him. "Are you okay? Any injury? You look tired…."
Naruto grinned rubbing a hand on the back of his head. " Tehehehe. Yea, just few scratches. Baa chan has already ordered 2 month vacation time."
"Let me see Naruto kun." Hinata softly demanded.
"Awww Hinata chan. I applied the healing cream you gave me last time. It works like a charm." Naruto whined playfully.
"Naruto kun…"Hinata sighed. "Let me know when you need more."
"Hinata chan you're the best!" Naruto smiled, then keenly asked, "I just heard about you working here…how is everything? Old man here is strict and a killjoy-" he jokingly passed a glance at Teuchi, who mocking shook a fist at Naruto, then leaned over the bar and spoke in a loud whisper "but is a mean cook: best in the whole region!"
Hinata was smiling but froze when Naruto moved closer, his very essence surrounding her. Her heart started thundering in her chest as her temperature rose.
"Hinata chan… are you okay?" Hinata looked up at the sound of Naruto's soft querying voice.
She cleared her throat . "I …I am fine. I am learning very much… di…did you like the ramen today, Naruto kun?"
"Yep, It was AWESOME! Haven't eaten anything sooooo good in a while." Naruto patted his satisfied tummy while Hinata blushed in delight.
"Wait…did you make it Hinata chan?" Naruto snapped his fingers. Hinata blushed even more and shyly nodded.
"Wah it is now even more super!" Naruto grabbed her hands enthusiastically. "You are officially the bestest ramen maker from now onwards!"
If possible Hinata blushed even hotter, the sensory overload of seeing and hearing Naruto was already more than enough for her but the feeling of the rough scarred yet gentle palms on her, even fleeting, was just too much for her starved heart.
So Hinata unable to bear more, did what only happened near Naruto. She fainted.
Author: So what do you think? Good? Sorry for any grammar mistakes! Hope you like it!