Snowflakes drifted softly through the early winter wind.
Beside the run-down swings in the park, time seemed to grind to a halt.
Three-year-old Uzumaki Naruto sat frozen on a swing.
His clear, highly guarded azure eyes widened in disbelief, reflecting the fairy-tale-like girl standing before him.
A pure white fox-fur cloak, soft dark blue short hair, delicate rosy cheeks, and radiant, celestial light-blue eyes.
She’s so cute!
Naruto’s limited vocabulary couldn’t find the words to describe the beauty in front of him.
To him, she looked like a snow elf glowing with a warm, gentle light.
And what had she just asked him?
Did he want to eat ramen?!
Naruto sat stunned, his small body stiffening in the chill wind.
He was used to the villagers’ glares—full of hatred, avoidance, and malice.
Adults called him a “Demon Fox” and forbade their children from coming near him.
Yet this impossibly elegant girl had walked up and initiated a conversation.
She was even offering to treat him to ramen?
Grumble—!
Before Naruto could respond, his empty stomach let out a thunderous roar that echoed loudly across the silent snowfield.
His pale, frostbitten face instantly flushed bright red.
He wanted nothing more than to dig a hole in the snow and hide.
“M-Miss!”
Standing behind her, Hyuga Natsu felt her entire world crumbling.
Her Byakugan eyes were wide with shock—not just because the Young Miss was talking to the village’s taboo “Demon Fox,” but because—
Didn’t you just finish ten extra-large bowls of ramen?!
Miss!
You literally let out a broth-flavored burp right before we walked out!
How are you ready for more ramen already?!
Natsu let out a desperate cry in her head, convinced the universe had lost its mind.
Hinata ignored her maid’s inner turmoil completely.
Damn, his stomach growled louder than thunder in my past life.
How long has this kid been starving?
Hinata thought to herself.
Seeing Naruto’s embarrassed, tearful expression, Hinata took a deep breath.
Without waiting for an answer, she stepped forward.
Reaching out from under her fox-fur cloak with a pale, soft hand—still warm from the ramen shop—she grabbed Naruto’s cold, chilblain-covered wrist.
“Let’s go!
I’m taking you out for a feast!” Hinata declared heroically, pulling him toward Ichiraku Ramen.
“E-Eh?!
Wait…
wait a minute!”
Taken off guard, Naruto stumbled off the swing.
He stared wide-eyed at the small hand wrapped around his wrist.
So warm!
In his whole life, aside from occasional visits from the Sandaime Hokage, no one had ever willingly touched him—let alone pulled him along with such warm, firm strength.
The warmth surged from his wrist throughout his cold body, touching his bruised little heart.
“Miss!
Slow down!
Wait for me!” Natsu panicked.
Setting aside all taboos about the “Demon Fox,” she hitched up her kimono skirt and sprinted through the thin snow after them.
A few minutes later.
Swish!
The warm curtain of Ichiraku Ramen was pushed aside once more.
Behind the counter, Teuchi-ossan was wiping down the cutting board, reminiscing about his recent “ramen soulmate” who had just polished off a massive stack of ten empty bowls.
Suddenly, hurried footsteps approached.
Teuchi looked up, his eyes widening.
The girl in the white fox-fur cloak was back, holding hands with a small blonde boy.
“Ossan!” Hinata puffed, slapping her hand onto the counter.
“Eleven more bowls of special tonkotsu chashu ramen!
Make them extra large!”
Teuchi dropped his rag.
His squinted eyes snapped open, looking at Hinata in utter disbelief.
“E-Eleven bowls?!
Little customer, did I hear that right?” Teuchi stammered.
“You…
you just ate ten!”
Then, Teuchi’s gaze shifted to the shivering Naruto behind her.
Taking in his thin, tattered clothes and his pale, malnourished face, realization struck the shopkeeper.
I get it now!
She saw this poor kid starving in the cold and came back just to buy him a meal!
Teuchi constructed a deeply touching narrative in his mind, his eyes brimming with tears.
What a kind, pure angel!
To protect this outcast’s pride, she’s willing to pretend she’s eating alongside him!
How noble!
However, as his eyes drifted back to Hinata’s completely flat stomach, his mouth twitched.
…Though, if she ends up eating ten of those eleven bowls herself…
with an appetite like that, can this poor boy even afford to feed her when he grows up to be a ninja?
Musing to himself, Teuchi quickly got to work.
“Orai!
Eleven special ramens, coming right up!”
Meanwhile, Natsu staggered into the shop, completely drained of life.
Leaning weakly against the doorframe, she watched her Young Miss climb back onto the high stool.
Her brain stopped functioning entirely.
Eleven bowls…
plus the ten from before…
that’s twenty-one bowls…
Natsu nearly fainted.
What is her stomach made of?!
Is it her digestive system that mutated instead of her Byakugan?!
Clack!
Clack!
Clack!
Soon, a row of steaming, oversized ramen bowls lined the counter.
“Itadakimasu!”
Without hesitation, Hinata grabbed her chopsticks and launched back into her fierce eating routine under everyone’s stunned gazes.
She couldn’t help it.
Her Rikugan’s constant processing burned through her three-year-old body’s energy reserves at an insane rate.
The first ten bowls had barely filled her up, and the run through the snow had cleared out whatever room was left.
Slurp!
Slurp, slurp!
Watching the adorable girl inhale noodle after noodle with wild enthusiasm, Naruto sat on his stool, completely stunned.
He stared down at the bowl of luxury ramen in front of him, topped with thick slices of chashu and wafting rich aromas.
He didn’t dare move.
Not because he didn’t want to eat, but because he was afraid.
The best thing he had ever eaten in his life was half a piece of clean bread he’d found in a trash can.
Having something this delicious right in front of him felt like a dream that might vanish the moment he touched it.
“What are you waiting for?” Hinata asked, looking up from her giant bowl, her lips glossy with broth.
Seeing Naruto frozen, she scowled.
I’m nice enough to treat you, and you’re just sitting there?
Swallowing her food, Hinata raised a chubby little fist, shook it threateningly at him, and announced bossily, “Oi, blonde kid!
I bought you ramen.
If you don’t eat it, I’ll beat you up!”
The adorable threat, delivered by such a cute face, carried zero intimidation.
Instead, it was oddly endearing.
Naruto shivered.
He looked at her raised fist, then back at the steaming bowl.
“I…
Trembling, he reached out his cold hands, picked up the chopsticks, and took a bite.
The hot, rich soup and chewy noodles burst with flavor in his mouth.
It was the warmest, most delicious thing he had ever tasted.
“Oishii?” Hinata asked casually.
No answer came.
Hinata turned to look and paused.
Naruto was clutching the giant bowl, his head lowered deep into it.
He was shoveling noodles into his mouth while tears streamed down his face like a broken dam.
Thump…
thump…
Hot tears dripped into the broth, creating tiny ripples.
He ate hungrily while silently weeping.
The ramen tasted salty, yet sweet.
He didn’t know who this pretty girl was, but he knew that on this freezing winter day—in a world where everyone hated him—someone had taken his hand, given him a bowl of piping hot ramen, and demanded he eat it.
Watching him cry while stuffing his face, Hinata’s urge to play the tough boss faded.
Man, this poor kid, she thought.
Sighing, she pulled a clean handkerchief from her sleeve and tossed it next to him.
“Just eat.
Why are you crying?
People will think I bullied you,” she muttered, turning back to her bowl, feeling a strange twinge in her chest.
Half an hour later.
Another eleven empty bowls were neatly stacked on the counter.
Burp—!
Hinata let out a satisfied burp, patted her stomach, and threw down some money.
“Ossan, keep the change!”
Outside, the snow was falling heavier.
Natsu quickly opened an umbrella over Hinata’s head.
Naruto followed her out of the shop.
His belly was full of warm food, and a healthy color had returned to his pale face.
Watching her turn to leave, he clutched his shirt tightly, summoning every ounce of courage he had.
“Ano…” Naruto’s voice was tiny, trembling with clear hesitation.
“Are…
are we friends?”
After asking, he squeezed his eyes shut, holding his breath.
Hinata stopped in her tracks.
She didn’t turn around right away.
Friends?
Hinata rubbed her chin under her cloak, her mind racing.
In the original story, Hinata was your ultimate fangirl, too shy to even look at you.
But I’m different!
I was a guy in my past life, and even if I’m a girl now, there’s no way I’m playing the sweet little wife!
Wait…
looking at it from another angle…
A glint of mischief flashed in her blue eyes.
This kid is the future Nanadaime Hokage, the strongest power in the shinobi world!
If I become his friend now, I’ll be the Hokage’s childhood best buddy—his mentor figure, even!
Talk about a high-return investment!
With that thought, Hinata turned around.
She tilted her head up against the falling snow, looking at the trembling boy.
Then, she flashed a brilliant, confident, slightly unruly grin.
Pointing a chubby finger right at him, her voice rang out clearly through the snow:
“Un!”
Naruto snapped his eyes open, overwhelmed with joy and disbelief.
Hinata’s grin widened as she raised her chin, declaring her presence loud and clear:
“Remember this, blonde kid!”
“My name is Hyuga Hinata!”