Yukari Uchiha (English)

Chapter 16

As I see the villagers approaching Naruto, I stand up resolutely from the swing and walk directly towards the little boy. "Hey, do you remember me?" I ask him gently. Naruto nods with a broad smile, and I notice how the villagers turn around and walk away upon seeing us together.

"Yako, can you keep an eye on them and tell me what they were planning?" I whisper in my mind.

"Of course, Princess," Yako responds immediately.

I kneel down in front of Naruto so I can look him directly in the eyes. "How about we go get something to eat?" I ask him kindly.

His eyes suddenly light up with a bright blue glow of joy, and he beams at me excitedly. "Yes! I'm so hungry! Let's go eat ramen!" he exclaims with enthusiasm, practically bouncing with anticipation.

"That sounds good, so let's go," I say softly to Naruto, and he grins at me with a wide smile. Together, we head into the village, and I can't help but notice how small and vulnerable he still seems, despite the energy he exudes as he hops through the streets.

When we arrive at Ichiraku, I sit down with Naruto at the counter. The owner greets us warmly: "Good evening, you two! What can I get for you?"

Naruto looks up with big eyes and exclaims excitedly, "I want ramen with lots of meat, for real!" His voice is so eager that I can't help but smile.

"I'll have a bowl of ramen too, please," I add, watching as Naruto can barely contain his excitement for the meal.

The owner nods kindly and immediately starts preparing our order. Naruto turns to me with shining eyes and asks, "Yukari, why are you so nice to me?"

His question surprises me a little, and for a moment, I don't know how to respond. Finally, I smile and say, "Because you deserve it, Naruto. Everyone deserves to be treated well."

"Really?" he asks incredulously, as if finding it hard to believe.

"Yes, really," I reply, looking him firmly in the eyes. "And besides, we're friends, right?"

Naruto grins broadly and nods enthusiastically. "Yeah, friends!"

When the food is served, Naruto immediately digs into his bowl with a fervor that makes me laugh. It's so simple, but the sight of this little boy, so happy to share a simple meal with a friend, touches me deeply.

After we've both finished eating, I walk Naruto home. It's already dark, and I want to make sure he gets home safely. As we walk, we chat a little more, and I can see how much Naruto enjoyed the evening we spent together.

At his door, I kneel down to his level and ask, "Did you have fun today, Naruto?"

His eyes light up, and he nods eagerly. "Yeah, totally! Thanks, Yukari!"

I smile and gently ruffle his hair. "I'm glad. Remember, I'm always here if you need someone to talk to."

"Okay, Yukari!" Naruto shouts before quickly disappearing into his small home. I stand there for a moment, watching him go, my thoughts swirling around everything that happened today. Finally, I turn and make my way home, walking through the main streets of Konoha towards the Uchiha district. The cool evening air and the quiet streets give me the peace I need to reflect on everything.

"Kitsune, did you inform Shisui? And Yako, did you find out anything?" I ask in my thoughts as I walk through the streets.

"Yes, your brother asked about you. I told him you would be home a little later and that you had eaten," Kitsune replies in my mind.

"The villagers wanted to punish Naruto because he carries the Nine-Tails within him. They want to take revenge on him for their losses back then," Yako reports.