It's Sunday. You know what that means, guys.

Please, let me know what you think.

"Hey. Did you hear?"

"They say that…"

"Looks like there's something good about him after all…"

The rumors started slowly, as they always did. That was the nature of rumors, after all. They started as opinions, usually small, usually alone. Usually an errant thought from one villager to a person they really trusted. If the other person didn't agree, then the rumor usually died there. If they did, however?

Well, you know what they say about fire. It only takes a single, tiny ember to explode into an inferno.

That one opinion usually turned into the opinion of two and, bolstered by the acceptance, was usually said louder, prouder. That flickering ember beings to spread as a smoldering flame, all the way up until it is the main thought buzzing through everyone's mind. Entire conversations would start and end debating over the validity of such rumors and, assuming that point of contention came to an amiable conclusion, what the consequences of that true rumor would be.

Teuchi, owner of Ichiraku Ramen, was used to the lifespan of rumors. He had been a ramen shop owner for a very many years, after all. People flitted in and out of his stand like sand through fingers, and all of them brought with them interesting topics of conversation, big and small. Most didn't care that he was in earshot, and to let them keep their privacy he made to pretend as if he were giving his all preparing food or cleaning dishes.

Still, he had been doing this job for so long that everything was second nature to him. He had more than enough ability to do his job and eavesdrop a little bit.

"Did you hear? That boy managed to become a Genin this year."

Teuchi's ears knew a juicy rumor when he heard it. People didn't speak in hushed tones that energetic unless it was something interesting. He turned down the water gushing from the pipes and started cleaning the dishes a little slower.

"It's been a while, hasn't it?" the second woman said. She turned to her friend, covering her mouth as if her hand could hide both her words and the noodles she was eating. "This was his third try at it, isn't it?"

Third try? Well, that cemented it. There were only two children that the village ever talked about unprovoked, and Teuchi knew for certain that the Uchiha didn't struggle with becoming a Genin.

His lips curled into a frown. Why were they talking about Naruto?

"Don't you think it's dangerous? Do we really want… that… to learn ninja techniques? Isn't it dangerous enough already with the…"

"Be quiet!" the friend hissed. "You know that you aren't supposed to be talking about that!"

The two went silent for a few seconds, a moment that Teuchi knew was being taken to check their surroundings. There weren't any ANBU around, but that was the rub of it, wasn't it? You never truly knew when they were around.

"I don't like it any more than you do," the friend said. "But apparently he did it fair and square. We can't complain. Besides, if everything goes right, then hopefully he'll just go and get himself killed."

He heard the first woman murmur something, probably with food in her mouth, and the two chittered about something that Teuchi found himself long since tired of.

"Here is your check," he said, having already tallied the women's tab.

"Oh?" said the first one. She had long, silky blond hair that Teuchi remembered thinking was extremely beautiful. "But we weren't done ordering yet."

"Well, I'm very sorry to hear that," Teuchi responded. "Because I am done serving you."

XxX

The next time Teuchi heard about some rumors concerning his favorite customer, it was at night, well after the blond knucklehead tucked himself away for bed.

"Isn't it wonderful that the Chuunin Exams are being held in Konoha this year?" one man asked. He was already quite a few glasses in, and it was showing in the pinkness of his cheeks. "There are so many damn tourists!"

Teuchi almost found himself chuckling despite himself. If civilians like him were able to note the amount of extra people roaming through the corridors, then he definitely did. The foot traffic alone had cause his business to boom, and Teuchi was already planning out what he was going to do with the influx of money. Perhaps he could expand his chain? He shook his head. Ideas for later.

"I'm excited to see the exams, personally. Those foreign kunoichi always look so… exotic."

Distasteful words, made even more distasteful by the way the man said it, but Teuchi couldn't help but find himself agreeing. The tourists, ninja or not, did always catch the eye. Even he found himself staring once or twice.

"Speaking of things a little closer to home, I hear that the Uchiha brat was participating."

"Oh? Well, that's not really a surprise. His clan is supposed to be full of gifted kids, ain't it. Well, was supposed to be full of gifted kids."

The two fell into a silence, no doubt giving even a little respect towards one of the village's bigger tragedies.

"Come to think of it, there are a lot of clan kids participating this year. I hear almost all of the clan heirs are going to have a go."

The other man took a sip of his drink. "Really? Ain't that insane? Seems like just about all of the major clans decided to shack up at the same time. Think it's a coincidence?"

"Maybe," the first man said. Teuchi looked up to see the man take another drink. "But I don't think so. Ninjas work differently, you know? It wouldn't surprise me if they planned all this shit out to the letter."

Teuchi found himself wondering the same things from time to time. His establishment was frequented by ninja often, and he knew that their lives, while exciting, were more or less the same. They went and to work every day and took time off when able. They did training constantly, sure, but that was little different to how he himself would experiment and try new recipes every so often, just to keep his skills in shape. Maybe to improve a little. Still, one couldn't help but wonder about the more nuanced portions of their lives. There was so much about the life of a ninja that remained hidden.

Teuchi could only feel like such things were by design.

He stopped his musings when one of the men ordered another bottle of alcohol. He banished the thoughts and moved to retrieve it.

"You think he could make it?" one of the men asked.

"Who?"

"You know who. The de… well, I mean. The kid. The annoying one."

Teuchi stopped, bottle of sake in hand. He had a feeling he knew exactly who the men were talking about.

"Ain't he a troublemaker? I can't imagine him getting very far. He's on the same team as the Uchiha brat, sure, but he can't be more than dead weight, right? He's great at pranking, sure, but defiling the Monument don't transfer too well to being a good ninja."

"And how do you know that?" the first man asked. "He did outrun the people who were trying to catch him. That's gotta count for something."

"Hey," the first one asked. "You one of his fans now?"

The second one laughed. "Hardly. But I'm just giving credit where credit is due. He passed for a reason, you know? There's gotta be something there if he hasn't been killed yet."

The first one grumbled, but he didn't say anything else. The two sat in silence for a few seconds.

"Maybe," the first one said. "Maybe."

Teuchi returned then. He placed the sake bottle on the counter maybe a little harder than he strictly needed to. The two men seemed surprised, but they were far too drunk to comment on it.

XxX

"Did you hear that Orochimaru is in the village?" a nervous girl asked. Teuchi stopped what he was doing, which was making some noodles, and listened. That… did not seem like good news at all.

"Yeah, he was seen walking around the Forest of Death during one of the exams. I heard a team got attacked!"

Teuchi frowned, then swallowed the bile trying to rise in his throat. Naruto was participating in the exams, wasn't he? Teuchi could only hope that the team attacked wasn't his.

He went back to making a fresh batch of noodles, though his daughter would arrive later in the day and note how sloppy they seemed.

XxX

"He did it!" screamed one of the spectators. The surprise and exuberance warred in the man's voice, but ultimately the excitement won out, and the man stood from his seat and cheered.

Teuchi, of course, was also present during the third round of the Chuunin Exams. He wasn't usually one to go watch these things, but he found out that Naruto was participating, so of course he couldn't resist. Not that Naruto himself would ever tell him. He was more focused on Sakura-chan and how much of a bastard the Uchiha kid was.

Down in the stadium there was a Hyuuga kid laid out on his back. His eyes were wide open as he stared empty at the ceiling. Naruto, in an amazing upset, had managed to deliver a nasty uppercut to the boy, taking him out of the fight. Sure, there was a bit of heavy drama going on there, but ultimately Naruto had won.

The Hyuuga, apparently a prodigy even in the Hyuuga clan, was the fan favorite to win the whole thing. And Naruto had taken him out before even the finals. The crowd, initially stunned, started cheering uproariously. Teuchi had wanted to do a bit more eavesdropping to hear what the people thought, but far too many people were screaming.

Of course, some were shouting in rage, having bet against the boy, but there were a minority of people that had cashed in on some serious winnings.

"Dad! Dad!" his daughter, Ayame, screamed. The smile splitting her face was wide enough to span the entire Hokage Monument. "He did it! Naruto won, dad! He did it!"

Teuchi, unable to contain the man's mirth, covertly stashed his own winning ticket in his pocket. He could focus on the rumors some other time. Now was the time to bask in Naruto's victory.

XxX

"Well, we were looking to renovate anyway," Ayame stated. She was beside him as they looked at the remains of their shop. It wasn't in the worst shape, such honors were left to the buildings on the main street which were reduced to rubble. Their shop was just a little banged up. One wall had caved in, collapsing and destroying some of the tables and chairs. The counter itself was mostly fine, but there was a need to replace the end, which had splintered from receiving the blunt of the wall's collapse.

If they were replacing the end of the counter, they might as well replace the whole thing, so that was what Ayame and Teuchi was focusing on.

"Should I get the broom?" Ayame asked. Her eyes, as critical and analytic as her mother's, surveyed the damage and was likely already working on the best way to salvage what could be salvaged while dumping everything else. "Well, I suppose I should first check to see if we still have a broom. You think the looters came through here?"

If they did, then they likely would have left disappointed. Teuchi didn't keep his money or anything particularly valuable here. The broom in question was an old thing he bought when he first opened the shop back when Ayame was born. He would miss it if it were gone, but it was ultimately old and worthless beyond sentimental value.

"Bah, I think we're fine," Teuchi grumbled. "We might as well start work while we still have the daylight."

Ayame, a workaholic like him, simply nodded and stepped over the debris as she made her way to the back. A part of Teuchi hoped that the back was fine, as that would mean that they had a chance of salvaging what was left. Another part of him quickly killed that hope. They were in need of renovation anyway, and Teuchi had just come into a substantial amount of money anyway.

"Shame about what happened, isn't it?"

Teuchi grunted. He didn't need to turn to know who was speaking to him. He recognized Sayuri Kazahana, the proprietress of the shop next door to him. What she sold was… not exactly a mystery to him, but it also wasn't something that he had a wish to inquire about. What she and her ladies wished to spend their time doing was their business. All he needed to do was enjoy their weekly tea parties.

"I'm sorry about what happened to your establishment. Are your employees okay?"

Sayori hummed. She was an older woman, around the same age as Teuchi himself. She had graying hair, but unlike Teuchi she was proud of the fact. She wore her age like a crown, strutting around regally without a care in the world.

"They're fine," she said, her voice even and measured. Teuchi was sure that, in her prime, she was quite the professional. "They were a little shaken, of course, but I have more than a few kunoichi in my employ. They were able to handle the hooligans that came our way. Luckily, there was nothing more than fodder."

Teuchi nodded but cast an eye towards the establishment next door. It was in far worse a situation than his own. The entire front of the building had collapsed, showing the inside. Now that he could see, he noted the carpets and frilly beds that took up the interior. Most of it was destroyed, either burnt or covered in dust and ash. There were one or two things that were salvageable, but for the most part it was a lost cause. Where Teuchi was contemplating just fixing things, he was sure that Sayori was doomed.

"If you need anything…" he started. Sayori shushed him before he could continue. "Do not worry about such things," she said. "You are going through your own problems as of now, are you not?"

"Yes, but…"

"And besides," she continued. "It is high time we moved, after all. The locals have been complaining about our… mode of business. I think we would have a much better venue over in the Red Light District." She took a pull from the ridiculously ornate pipe that she carried with her everywhere. "A little bit more dangerous, yes, but there has yet to be a client brave enough to challenge my girls."

As if to accentuate her words, several of the girls had just returned from their tasks. They took one look at the destruction and shrugged their shoulders, then walked over and picked up some fallen support beams.

Teuchi wasn't sure if he could do that back when he didn't have a bad back.

"I believe we'll be fine, Teuchi," she said. "But do not mistake my refusal for more than it is. I am very grateful for your offer."

Teuchi nodded. The two watched as their respective employees got to work on their worksites.

After a while, Sayori spoke again. "Though, there is one favor that I would enjoy from you?"

Teuchi raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And what would that be?"

"That charming little boy that always came around. Naruto, I believe? My girls love him. He always used to make them laugh. He stopped coming around as much once he became a Genin, but I can't imagine he would be too thrilled to see us go. Do be a dear and let him know of our new address?"

Teuchi felt a part of him, something in the back of his mind, rear up at the mention of Naruto. He enjoyed Sayuri's company, but even he had to admit that her services were best left away from the eyes of children.

Sayuri, an expert in reading the hearts and minds of men, chuckled. "Oh, come now Teuchi. I assure you that his dealings with us were entirely platonic. I believe the most risky things we've done with him is help him with his Sexy Jutsu. He's seen some bodies, sure, but we both know how… dense… he is. I assure you, there were no intentions beyond academic leisure.

Teuchi, a member of the service industry for years, was also an expert in reading others. He had to be, having interacted with so many people over the years. He wasn't entirely sure he would be able to read someone as skilled as Sayuri, but something about the way she spoke convinced him.

There was a fondness there. An almost matronly concern for the boy. That was something he could respect.

"Please," he said. "Come inside. I'm sure I at least have a bottle of sake for you."

Sayuri hid her giggle behind her ornate fan. "Oh? After all these years have you finally fallen for my charms, Teuchi?"

"Not your charms," the old man responded with a smile. "But I am fond of your time. Share just a single cup with me while we talk?"

Sayuri, pleased as punch, didn't respond with words, but rather gestured for him to lead the way. He did so with a smile of his own, and soon she was seated behind the counter.

"Dad! I think I found the broom and some cleaning supplies! I think we can… oh!" Ayame startled as she walked from behind the curtain. "Sayuri-obasan. I wasn't aware you were dropping by today. Excuse our appearance."

"Oh, dear. I couldn't possibly fault you for that. I assure you that we aren't looking much better, either." The two women shared a laugh. It was short, but it was genuine. "Though, I must say, you are looking more and more beautiful as time goes on. The offer from before still stands if you're…"

"I'm a ramen chef, through and through," Ayame cut her off. "I have soup broth instead of blood, you see. I'm afraid none of it is blue enough to join your group. Sorry."

Sayori didn't seem insulted in the slightest. Rather, she smiled, as if expecting the answer. "Very well. Do be a dear, though, and get your father and I some cups?"

"Aye, ma'am."

And just like that she was zooming back off again.

"She'll make some man very happy one day."

Teuchi grumbled. "Let's not talk about that."

"And what did you want to talk about, perchance?"

Teuchi laid the bottle of chilled sake on the part of the counter that was still good. It was a more expensive brand, one that he hoped to save for a celebration. Still, with the way things were going, this would have to do. He still had his most expensive one hidden away, so he wasn't too upset about breaking this one out now.

"Naruto," he said, simply. Sayuri quirked an eyebrow.

"I see," she said. "I've heard that he failed to be promoted."

Teuchi wanted to spit, but he held back on account of the company he was in. "Fat load of… I don't agree."

"I'm sure that half the ninja population of Konoha doesn't agree, either. I've heard rumors, you see."

"Rumors?" Teuchi asked. Now that was a topic that he was experienced in. "What kind?"

"Well, as you know, my establishment tends to cater to the more… militaristically gifted of Konoha. Most of them who come in prefer to have a little conversation once they have finished sampling our services."

Ayame had returned by now. She left two glasses on the table and bowed, before heading back to the rear.

Teuchi popped open the bottle and poured them both a glass. "And what have they been saying?"

"Well, for the most part, they're upset that the boy hadn't been promoted. I mean, we have all noted his performance during the exams… well, the part of the exams that we were able to watch."

"He did amazingly," Teuchi responded, lifting his glass. Sayori did the same, and they both sipped. "I don't think he lost even a single time."

"Indeed," Sayori said, the small smile returning to her face. "Not against the Inuzuka, or the Hyuuga, or even the Sand boy."

"Sand boy?" Teuchi asked mid pour. "I don't remember him ever fighting any Sand Ninja. What are you talking about?"

"Oh?" she asked. "You don't know? Do you remember that gigantic sand monster that appeared just beyond the walls?"

"How could I forget?" Teuchi asked. "I haven't felt chakra that foul since the Kyuubi attacked. But what does that have to do with… no…"

The older man nearly dropped the bottle he was holding, but luckily his companion was quite used to handling the mistakes of her partners. She grabbed the bottle of sake out the air as if she were the one holding it all along, cradling it and refilling their cups.

"Oh, ah, thank you, Sayuri-san."

She giggled. "Please, let's not stand on ceremony. Sayuri is just fine."

Teuchi's blush was small but visible, and neither of them spoke of it as they sipped at their alcohol.

"Naruto… he couldn't have possibly," Teuchi started.

"Of course not," Sayuri responded. "But my girls usually don't bring unreliable information to me. They've been trained better than that. And we both saw the gigantic toad outside the walls. Jiraiya-sama was in the village at the time of the attack, so I doubt that he was the one to summon that one outside the walls. The only other person in the village with the toad contract was…"

"Enough," Teuchi said, voice tight. "I get it. Naruto really was the one to fight that giant… thing." Teuchi drained his cup before he continued. "He's… gotten strong, hasn't he? I wonder why he hasn't told me about it, yet."

"Being in the hospital probably had a hand in that."

Teuchi felt his fingers squeeze around his glass, but he restrained himself. He took a deep breath and allowed himself to calm.

"Did you learn that from your girls as well?"

"No. I learned that from my frantic scramble to find him. I found him in the North Hospital, under the watchful eye of his Jonin commander." Sayuri hid a measured laugh at his expense. "Such a bright child, he was already up and complaining about being locked in the room. I managed to calm him down, but I could see that he was raring to go again the moment I left. Perhaps you would be a better option to keep him from tearing that poor hospital apart?"

"More like I'll be the one to keep him from tearing himself apart," Teuchi cursed. He turned back to his companion. "North Hospital, you say? Thank you for the information. I'll pay you back for it."

"Think nothing of it," Sayuri chuckled. "Consider this fine sake as my payment."

Teuchi smiled as well as he poured them another cup. They shared it in amicable silence before he rose from his seat. Noticing the dismissal for what it was, Sayuri rose with him, the action so seamless that he could swear they rose at the same time.

"Good day," Teuchi said, glad to find another person who appreciated Naruto for who he was. "Let me know if you need any help at all."

Sayuri, of course, didn't say anything. Proper etiquette demanded she request nothing of her patrons, and he had a feeling that the old matron was prideful even before she entered her business. He escorted her out, mind whirring on what he could do to repay his old friend.

The answer didn't hit him until they were outside the shop and she was bowing goodbye to him. Her store was right next to his, wasn't it? And they were looking to expand. With proper renovation and money that he had more than enough of, he could easily make the restaurant into something great. With this, they would both win, and he would be able to pay back someone with a good heart.

"Hey, Sayuri-san. I have a proposition for you."

XxX

"That kid did the impossible again."

By now Teuchi had an immediate idea of when people were talking about his charge. They had a certain tone of voice to them, and a certain way to address him. Ninja usually referred to him as Naruto, but the civilians had come to calling him that boy. It was a step up from demon brat, but it still wasn't quite what he wanted. It was as if they were all afraid of what might happen if they were to say his name. As if it were some sort of curse that summoned misfortune upon them.

"Yeah, I heard about it. He brought Lady Tsunade back, didn't he?"

Teuchi's ear twitched as he hammered another nail into the wall. The renovation of his shop was coming along nicely. If they kept at this pace, they would be done within the month. The harder things were handled by the ninja construction workers, who could move beams and dirt as if they were playing with mere toys. For the finer things, however, civilians were brought in to do things. Those same two civilians were chatting behind him.

"I thought that she hated Konoha," one said. "Hadn't she said that she would never return?"

"Never isn't a word that exists to that boy, it appears."

The two continued their work. They were currently working to tear down the still standing wall between what used to be Teuchi's shop and Sayuri's building.

"Did you hear how he did it?" the bigger man asked. When he first showed up, Teuchi had mistaken him for one of the ninja. His arm was as big as Teuchi's entire body, and that was to say nothing of the man's absolute boulder of a chest or his tree pillar legs. "I heard he had to fight Orochimaru for it."

Orochimaru? The same Orochimaru that attacked them during the Chuunin Exams? So he was still alive.

"I heard they won because of him," the smaller worker said, though to say that the man was small was an exaggeration. He was still far bigger than Teuchi himself was, but to compare him to his mammoth of a coworker would be doing him a disservice. "Get this. He used the Fourth's technique."

"He used Flying Raijin?"

"No, you idiot!" the smaller one said. How he managed to say that with a straight face to a man almost twice his height spoke of either familiarity or confidence. "The… uh… the other one. The swirly one that spins."

"The Rasengan," Teuchi supplied. He remembered the name well. He actually helped Minato name it, alongside Kushina, of course. The man was… quite frankly horrible at naming things.

"Yeah, the Rasengy," the smaller man said. "Thanks, old man!"

Teuchi ignored the old man comment and went to retrieve some more nails.

"Lady Tsunade is going to be healing Kakashi and the Uchiha kid. And she's going to be the next Hokage!"

"Oh? That's good. We've been without one for too long now. Guess that little brat did something good after all!"

Teuchi smiled as continued to hammer away at the wall.

XxX

It was a quiet day. Far too quiet, if you asked him. Teuchi was cleaning out one of the pots that he used to make the afternoon noodles. He usually kept this one on the burner to make more for the afternoon rush, but the torrential downpour seemed to damper the spirits of hungry civilians.

"Guess this is going to be one of the slow days," he whispered to himself. He turned back to his kitchen, ready to prepare something for himself, when an errant breeze caught his attention.

By the time he turned back to the front, he was met with a familiar sight. One he hadn't expected to see again.

"Hey, Teuchi-san," Iruka Umino said. He collapsed in a chair, thoroughly drenched from head to toe. His head remained a spiky mess, something that Teuchi was never able to figure out for the years he knew the boy. Still, it wasn't the only thing that remained the same about him. He still had soft eyes, a welcoming voice, and an easy smile. "Working hard?"

"In this weather, it's more like I'm hardly working!" he responded, his voice about one octave off from a booming laugh. He smiled widely, something he only reserved for the customers he liked. "What can I do you for, Iruka?"

"Oh," he said. He hesitated, looking up at the menu as if he wasn't going to order the same thing he usually did. That was a habit Teuchi never managed to beat out of the boy, not from the first time he stumbled into the shop all those years ago, little more than a stubborn orphaned kid with a lot to prove. "I think I'll have… well… perhaps just a miso noodles. That should be fine."

It was the same thing Teuchi offered him when he was a starving bag of bones and not much else. He had since paid back his tab—Iruka was responsible like that—but he still never bothered to order anything more expensive.

"Coming right up," Teuchi said. He started the order. "So, tell me, how have things been? We never really get the chance to talk anymore."

"Things have been fine," the schoolteacher responded. "Work has been fine. Now that Naruto's gone, classes are certainly less hectic." He then sighed. "Far less exciting, too, but there are still enough problem children to keep me on my toes."

Teuchi barked out a laugh. "Why are you making it sound like you miss the kid?"

"Because I do!" Iruka said. He sipped at the water Teuchi placed in front of him. "And, gosh, I'm going to miss him a whole lot more when he leaves."

That brought Teuchi to a pause. "Leaves? Is he going somewhere?"

"Oh… he didn't tell you?" Iruka asked. "He's going on a training trip with Jiraiya-sama. He needs to be stronger because of… certain enemies… that want to do him harm. Tsunade-sama and the council decided that he would be safer if he were out travelling around."

Teuchi remembered that name Jiraiya was that loud, rambunctious kid from a couple years ago, back when Teuchi had just started his shop. He was always screaming about his love for that blond girl on his team…

… wait, that blond girl was the Hokage now, wasn't she? Man, how time flew.

"Well, I hope that he's going to remain safe," Teuchi said, feeling something wistful in his heart. He was going to be seeing another one of the young ninja who visited his shop go off and make something for himself. That was… fun. It was alright. He had gotten used to it. "I wouldn't want him to get hurt out there."

"Well," Iruka laughed. "It's not as if he could be any more hurt than he already did. I mean, he did get a hole through his lung."

This time there was no one to catch the bowl as it slipped out of his hands. The ceramic bowl broke into pieces, spreading noodles and broth across the ground.

"Oh," Iruka said sheepishly. "He didn't… he didn't tell you, did he?"

Teuchi decided that he would give the boy an earful when he next saw him.

XxX

"Old man Ichiraku!" Naruto yelled as he stormed in. As usual, Naruto was never one for subtlety. Or silence, for that matter. The patrons inside turned around, some of them annoyed at the blatant disregard for decorum, but most of them were more than used to his antics. They spared him a glance, turned up their nose at the distastefulness of his conduct, and turned back to what they were doing. "I got a big order for you! I'm not going to be here for a while so I have to eat my fill for the entire trip!"

Teuchi, also used to the boy's antics looked up from what he was doing. There were quite a few rumors already circulating that Naruto was going to be leaving today, and he hadn't heard a lick of it from the boy himself. He finished preparing the bowl he was making and set it in front of the seat that Naruto usually occupied.

"Already ready?" Naruto asked as he collapsed into the bar seat. "Sweet, old man. And just how I like it! Thanks a lot!" The blond pulled apart the chopsticks and prepared to dig in, but not before saying a short prayer. "Oh, and, before I begin, I gotta say that I like what you've done with the place! It looks good!"

Teuchi found himself smiling at the boy's words. He was about to thank him, but he stopped himself short. He wouldn't let himself be caught up in the boy's tempo.

"So, Naruto," he said. "I've been hearing some rumors about you."