When Winter Ends || Modern Naruto Love Story

o5

Naruto is more than just starving. Once he saw his hot, steamy ramen bowl coming his way, he didn't waste any time to dig into it. So this is his definition of staying warm.

Snapping a pair of chopsticks in his hands, the blond headed boy slurped his stringy egg noodles to his mouth, devouring the tangle bunch in one pinch. Mayumi, who stared cautiously at her own in front of her, is unsure of her bowl as if she suspected someone who drugged it. Naruto glanced at her sideways, noticing her stillness after swallowing.

"What's wrong, Mayumi?" His blue orbs looked concern. "You should eat up before it gets cold. The noodles will get soggy if you let it wait in the soup much longer." Finally realizing his words, the blue headed girl steadily grab her own set of wooden chopsticks and break them apart. Naruto watched carefully at her from the corner of his eyes, pretending to be occupied by his food.

It took her a while to start touching her ramen, but eventually, Mayumi pinched a few strands of her rice noodles and imitate Naruto's slurping, only quieter. After a few chews, a big grin settled on Naruto's lips suddenly once he saw her taking the first bite. "Good, isn't it?" He asked.

She paused again, but a lighter expression seeped to her face while nodding. "Yeah, it's delicious." Just by hearing that, it made Naruto even happier by smiling widely, this time showing teeth.

"See? It wasn't so bad," he acted like he was talking to a child, bringing a brighter and much calmer appearance beside Mayumi. She continued to eat the ramen as her pace quickened faster. His blond brow quirked by her reaction. "I was a bit worried there. You made it seem like you never had a ramen bowl before."

After saying this, he lifted his porcelain bowl to his lips and took a full swig of his soup while he heard the blunette mumble in response. "No, it's just...," she looked down. "I haven't had ramen in such a long time. I only remembered having it when I was a kid."

Those words from her are rejected from Naruto's ears, he couldn't believe what he's hearing. Putting his bowl down, he turned back to look at her dumbfounded. "No way. For that long?" She nodded shyly.

If it was in his shoes, Naruto would just leap off the highest building in the world if he's not even close enough to, at least, a ramen cup.

He sighed shamelessly. "Well, why did you stop eating it all of a sudden?" When he looked back at her, he noticed that Mayumi was thinking hard. Her eyebrows are pressed together as her pouty lips begin to frown.

"I'm not too sure..." She muttered, but then shrugged while twirling the noodles in between her chopsticks. "Whatever the reason may be, I think it was for something important."

Naruto blinked in bewilderment. "Something important?" She nodded again, after taking another bite.

"I can't really say what it is, but it just felt like it was a cherished memory that made me stop," she explained. Although it sounded a bit confusing to the blond boy, but it also made sense, telling by the face Mayumi was making when she looked at the ramen bowl for the first time. By this, his eyes wondered away from her profile in a thinking matter.

But when she said that, her voice sounded a bit sentimental and sad. She made it even unclear to herself about why it does. It included Naruto, too. Somehow he has a feeling that this is sort of nostalgic and absent. It was a different feeling than the rest of the time he spent going to this ramen shop.

"Your bill," Ichiraku handed the blond teenager a small check in a slot. When Mayumi saw it, her hands immediately darted to her bag, digging for whatever she's looking for. "Oh! Here... I should pay for my meal," she scrambled but a hand touched her shoulder comfortably.

"Don't worry about it. I was the one who dragged you here," he smiled again while fishing out for his toad wallet. "I don't do this all the time, so consider yourself lucky."

Mayumi wasn't aware of Naruto's generosity as she watched him throw a couple of dollar bills on the counter with a few change. As he was finishing up the payment, he turned to her with an assured look. "All done! Let's get going." The two walked out of the cozy small restaurant side by side, striding pass a few people on the walkway reaching towards the end of town. It's sunset already as the air outside started to get colder and breezier.

Naruto stretched his arms up high as a big yawn broke out, forming a foggy white cloud from his lips. "Not that cold, right?" Mayumi nodded.

He eyed her a blank look before walking a few steps next to her, trying to a lined where she walks.

"Are you sure?" Mayumi asked as Naruto hummed questioningly. "About the food," she finished. He smiled.

"It's fine. If you want to make yourself feel better, then just pay me back later. Alright?" She didn't reply right away, but then he added. "That should give you an excuse to see me again." He rose a brow suggestively as the two stopped by a corner.

Taken by his comment, the blunette shyly looked down as her cheeks began to turn pink under the orange blanket in the sky, almost hiding her blush and blending it with the sun.

Naruto stared at her. "Why are you making that face?" Oblivious as he is, he couldn't tell how embarrassed she is by his last statement.

She shook her head, a little flustered. "N-Nothing! I just dozed off there."

He laughed. "Careful. You don't want to be snoozing while walking home. That will be dangerous for someone like you." Mayumi felt the twinge of humor in his voice as she turned away from him, pouting.

"Er- I wouldn't make a stupid stunt like that!" She protested as she can hear Naruto chuckling to himself.

"Aw, don't be mad. I was only kidding."

After several seconds of letting the tone settle down, both of them stayed quiet. So far, this is the first time he made a light hearted conversation with Mayumi, or the first to see her act this comfortable around him.

Naruto cocked his head, realizing something. "Hey, now that I noticed," he trailed, making her look over her shoulder and appear interested. He thought about what he was going to say, but there was something in those blue eyes of hers that prevented him to.

"Uh, nothing. Sorry," he smiled nervously. "So I'll see you tomorrow?" Again, he caught her off guard. She never said anything about tomorrow, did she? Mayumi look dazed as Naruto kept continuing. "For returning the money," he said, then her shoulders eased in realization. "You're going to be at the park, again? Just like today?"

She blinked. "Um... I think so."

Naruto nodded as he placed his hand on top of her aqua head, giving a patting motion gently against her blue hair. For some reason, he felt like he needs to assure her delightfully.

As he lightly comforts her, a grin plastered his face. "Good. Then I'll see you tomorrow after school again!" He swore he saw a tiny color reached passed her cheeks once Mayumi puts her head down from preventing him to see her face. So he shook it off. "See ya!" He waved, grinning widely and then he turn.

While walking down the familiar neighborhood to his house, Naruto contemplated how the day went. Running into Mayumi was a coincidence, but offering her food and asking her on a date went a little off.

A date...? There's no way.

A date or not, he can already tell that Mayumi is the kind of person who needs someone to pay attention to her. A friend, perhaps. By her sheltered vibe, Naruto can't break a smile on her face, and usually he's the one who makes people laugh. That's what he was about to say to her, about why she haven't cracked a grin yet.

Then he guessed, Mayumi is a tough wall to break.