Trade Me Your Future Wife 8: Naruto, Want Some Ramen?
Trade Me Your Future Wife “If you dare to bully others or call people names again, I’ll beat you up.
Got it?” Chiya didn’t go overboard; he just made sure their noses were bleeding enough to be memorable.
After a while, once they had cried their fill, he broke into a wicked, playful smile.
As the saying goes, it takes a “bear child” to deal with “bear children.” If an adult had intervened, they would only have been scared for a moment before turning back to their old habits.
Only a peer who was “tougher” than them could teach them a real lesson.
“We got it!
Waaaaah…” Hearing this, the three of them looked up.
When they saw the handsome face with that smirk—even more mischievous than their own—they suddenly trembled and answered in unison, voices thick with sobs.
Chiya didn’t look at them again.
The three boys scrambled away as fast as their legs could carry them, bawling like babies, wishing their parents had given them an extra pair of legs to run with.
Hinata Hyuga stood there with tears still lingering in the corners of her eyes, looking at this boy who had appeared like a hero to save her.
Strangely, a familiar feeling welled up in her heart; it felt as if she had met him somewhere before.
She mustered her courage, walked up to Chiya, blushed deeply, and gave a gentle bow.
“Um…
thank you.” “No need to thank me.” Chiya formed a hand sign.
With a poof of smoke, his transformation dispersed, and he returned to his true, older appearance.
Hinata looked at the now-taller Chiya, and that sense of familiarity washed over her again.
She couldn’t help but ask, “Um, have we met somewhere?” “It seems you still remember,” Chiya squatted down slightly and asked with a light laugh, “Two years ago, that winter day, you were lost in the snow.
How about it?
Do you remember?” “You’re the big brother who brought me home,” Hinata realized, memories of that day flooding back instantly, her voice filled with excitement.
Chiya nodded and gently patted the little girl’s head.
Hinata hung her head, shyly.
Chiya glanced toward the end of the road where a male ninja with pure white eyes stood watch, and then toward a small, yellow-haired boy hiding behind a tree not far away.
He whispered to Hinata: “Little girl, you are from the Hyuga family.
You possess the Byakugan and should have been receiving formal ninja training since you were small.
Why couldn’t you handle those few bullies?
Remember, next time you encounter such a situation, don’t retreat, and don’t cry—learn to fight back.
Other people’s help is only temporary; no one can protect you for your whole life.
Blind submission and weakness won’t solve anything.
If you want to protect what you cherish, you must learn to take the initiative.
Alright, I have something to do.
See you next time.” With that, Chiya turned and walked away, slowly disappearing from Hinata’s sight without looking back.
A moment later, a Hyuga clan chunin guard ran over, looking nervous.
“Young Miss, why did you run off again?
What if you had encountered a bad person?
It’s fortunate that the person just now didn’t do anything…
Also, you didn’t get close to that yellow-haired brat, did you?
The Clan Head has ordered that we are not allowed to…” Hinata ignored the guard’s nagging, her eyes fixed on the spot where Chiya had vanished.
Behind him, the yellow-haired boy was still sneakily tailing him.
She whispered to herself, “Until next time, Big Brother.” After that day, Hinata changed from her usual timid and shy personality.
Her interest in Gentle Fist training suddenly skyrocketed.
Aside from completing the training assigned by her father every day, she started practicing privately.
Whenever she encountered something she didn’t understand, she would ask her father immediately.
This left her father, Hiashi Hyuga—who was responsible for teaching her—surprised and relieved.
During one assessment, upon discovering Hinata’s massive improvement, the usually strict man actually gave a rare compliment to the daughter he had previously overlooked.
Getting her father’s approval made Hinata incredibly happy, and she trained even harder, gradually catching up to the “genius” Neji Hyuga.
Of course, that is a story for another time.
…
On the other side, Chiya had returned the way he came and arrived at Ichiraku Ramen.
[Ding!
Congratulations to the host for completing the mission.
Reward: Earth nature chakra transformation.] “At least that didn’t go to waste,” Chiya said, a slight smile playing on his lips as he heard the system notification.
He glanced behind him.
There, a yellow-haired brat was hiding behind a telephone pole, using the clumsiest stealth techniques ever, peeking out from time to time.
When he saw Chiya turn his head, the boy shrank back in guilt.
“Come out.
You’ve been following me the whole way; aren’t you tired?” Chiya sighed, full of helplessness.
“Nii-san, do you remember me?
I’m Naruto…
Uzumaki Naruto…” Naruto stepped out from behind the pole with a sheepish grin.
“Of course I remember,” Chiya said.
As it happens, their acquaintance started from two years ago, when he first took Hinata home.
Originally, it should have been Naruto—who wandered the streets because he had no family—who helped Hinata, but Chiya’s intrusion meant they never met.
Even this time, if Chiya hadn’t intervened, Naruto would have stepped up just like in the original story, saved Hinata, and gotten beaten to a pulp.
On the way back, Chiya had encountered Naruto and, feeling pity for him, treated him to a bowl of ramen.
He hadn’t expected the boy to remember it even now.
Hearing this, Naruto’s pale blue eyes shimmered with excitement, his joy plain to see on his face.
Because, apart from the Third Hokage, Chiya was the first person in his life who hadn’t looked at him with strange or hateful eyes.
The owner of Ichiraku Ramen was the second.
Just then, Naruto’s stomach let out a loud rumble.
“You must not have eaten properly again,” Chiya said.
Naruto blushed, shyly rubbing his stomach, and turned to look at the brightly lit Ichiraku Ramen stand next to Chiya.
He swallowed hard.
“I knew it.
Let’s go in; I’ll treat you to some ramen.” Chiya glanced unobtrusively at the ANBU ninjas hiding in the shadows monitoring Naruto, then stepped into the shop.
Naruto was stunned for a second, then followed him inside, bursting with excitement.
In the shadows, one ANBU operative said: “Someone is contacting the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.
Should we report this to the Hokage?” The other replied: “No need.
That kid is probably just taking pity on the Jinchuriki and treating him to a meal.
Let’s observe for now.” “Yo, is that Chiya-kun?
How come…
you aren’t with your little girlfriend today?
What would you like to have?” Teuchi the ramen shop owner greeted them with a smile.
“Get him a bowl of Tonkotsu ramen,” Chiya pointed at Naruto, then pulled out the small amount of money he had and placed it on the table.
“Uncle Teuchi, from now on, give him a bowl every day.
This should be enough to feed him until after the New Year.” “Nar…to?” Teuchi’s eyes, usually squinted, opened wide for a rare moment.
He looked at Naruto with a complex expression, recalling the time two years ago when Chiya had brought Naruto here, and then considering Chiya’s own background.
He couldn’t help but sigh: “Chiya-kun, you really are a good person.” Chiya smiled, and just as he was about to leave, Naruto’s youthful, expectant voice reached his ears: “Chiya Nii-san, aren’t you eating?” “No, I have an appointment.” Chiya shook his head.
Izumi was waiting for him to have New Year’s dinner.
He walked away without looking back, leaving Naruto standing there, dazed.
But soon, his attention was completely stolen by the delicious smell of the ramen.
Today was destined to be a wonderful day for Naruto.
Although he lost his chance to meet his future wife, he had gained a New Year’s feast of ramen.