The Tables Have Turned (A NaruHina Story)

3

I wish.

Apart of me wanted to...

So much to taste in that bowl of ramen and I hate it enough to kick him out of the competition. That way he doesn't have a change of becoming my apprentice.

I really should've hated it.

In fact, it wasn't even something I would consider competition material. I mean, his fellow competitor presented us with the tastiest piece of NY strip I've had in a very long time. How did he presume he could compete with a simple tantan ramen bowl with only char-siu as the protein present?

Yet...

I slumped down in my leather couch with a loud beating and gripping heart. My arm instinctively covered my special eyes, causing them to relax and close.

I could tell he was nervous. He kept taking long breaths, his oceanic eyes were gazing at the ground, waiting, as if the devil himself could come out at any moment to soothe his shaking nerves.

It's easing, really. Seeing someone who had always been so confident and cocky begging for some sort of escape.

It was this moment , I genuinely felt my TV smile was representing a true feeling bubbling up inside me.

Triumph.

I, along with my fellow judges, were the reason the cocky bastard was nervous. In my years of knowing him, I never took him to be someone to be shaking from it. If he were ever nervous, he hid it well; definitely fooled my blind younger self.

Kakashi called him up, tapping at the table in front of us to set his bowl down.

Each of us stood out of our chairs but my eyes never left him. He released another breath as he set down a single bowl...of...

Why am I even surprised?

"Is something funny, Chef Hinata?" Shikaku-san asked.

I hadn't realized I chuckled out loud.

"Sorry." I cleared my throat. "Please, tell us what you made for us today, Mr..."

Naruto couldn't hold my gaze at all. He merely mumbled "Uzumaki Naruto" into his mic set. I wasn't sure if it was caught into the loud speakers. I could hear some of the audience members whisper amongst each other, asking for some sort of clarity.

I am continuously scoring points today, aren't I?

"Now, can you please tell us about this bowl of ramen you have for us?" Kakashi-san jumped in.

Naruto spoke more slowly this time and instead of looking at me, he decided to look at my other two fellow judges. "It's a simple tantan ramen with char-siu. I used herbs that could only be found here in Konoha to give it more of a homey feel."

"Wait," Shikaku-san held up a hand. "You only put in char-siu?"

The contestant blinked. "Yes sir."

It was Kakashi-san's turn to chuckle but it wasn't like mines out of amusement. More so...that Naruto is wasting his time.

"Ramen is a dish where the more toppings the better and you're over here only putting in one choice?"

"I-"

"Well, I am a little disappointed that this is how we close out today's competition..." Shiraki-san shook his head.

I didn't say anything to add fuel to the fire brewing in front of me. In all honesty, watching Naruto burn on the spot from embarrassment is a real dream come true.