Naruto let go of her as abruptly as he had grabbed her, still grinning from ear to ear, completely oblivious to the mental breakdown he had just caused.

“We’re a team! The first and most secret team for my new jutsu!” he declared, planting his hands on his hips with an air of triumph. “And teams celebrate their victories! Hinata, this calls for the most sacred ritual of all Konoha shinobi!”

Hinata, who was still trying to remember how to breathe, could only stare at him with wide eyes.

“A-a… r-ritual?”

“A bowl of ramen at Ichiraku’s!” he exclaimed as if it were the most obvious truth in the universe. “It’s the only way to seal such an important pact! Let’s go!”

Without waiting for an answer, he took her hand. The contact was like an electric spark. Naruto’s hand was warm and slightly rough from training calluses; hers was small and soft. For Naruto, it was an impulsive gesture, like a kid grabbing a friend to go play. For Hinata, it was as if the sun itself had decided to take her by the hand. The world faded away, and her only reality was the pressure of his fingers intertwined with hers.

“R-r-right now!” she managed to stammer as he was already dragging her out of the clearing.

They walked, or rather, Naruto dragged her, through the streets of Konoha. He was a step ahead, bursting with energy, pointing at random things with his free hand.

“Look, Hinata! The candy shop! They say their dango is almost as good as the food of the gods! We have to try it someday!”

Hinata barely registered the scenery. Her mind was entirely focused on not fainting. People watched them pass: the loud Uzumaki boy dragging the shy Hyūga heiress by the hand. It was such an unlikely sight that it drew stares of pure curiosity. Hinata tried to make herself invisible, lowering her head and wishing her hair would completely cover her face, but at the same time, a part of her—a brave, dreaming part—was absolutely thrilled.

Halfway to the shopping district, Naruto stopped short, a look of horror on his face.

“Oh, no!”

Hinata stopped with him, her heart skipping a beat with worry. “W-what’s wrong, Naruto-kun? Are you okay?”

He slapped his free hand against his forehead in a gesture of pure desperation. He dug through his pants pocket and pulled out his frog wallet. He opened it. It was pathetically empty.

“The money!” he moaned. “I invited you on a super epic celebratory date and I don’t have a single ryō! I’m the worst teammate in history!”

Hinata blinked. A date? Did he say “date”? The word echoed in her head, momentarily erasing the money problem.

Naruto started pacing in circles, muttering to himself. “What do I do, what do I do? I can’t ask Old Man Teuchi for credit on our first date… that would be humiliating!”

Suddenly, he stopped. A light of genius, or perhaps absolute stupidity, flashed in his eyes.

“I’ve got it! I know someone who can fund us! It’s an investment in the village’s future, believe it! Follow me!”

Before Hinata could ask, he was already pulling her along again, this time in the direction of the Academy.

****

Iruka Umino sighed, rubbing his tired eyes. The pile of mission reports from the new genin on his desk seemed to be growing instead of shrinking. Being a chūnin instructor was a rewarding job, but it was also exhausting. He heard a commotion in the hallway and his instinct, honed by years of dealing with a certain orange whirlwind, told him exactly who it was.

The door to the teachers’ lounge burst open without the courtesy of a knock.

“Iruka-sensei! Emergency! I need funding for a top-secret, S-Rank mission of vital importance to Konoha’s security!”

Naruto stood there in the doorway, an expression of utmost seriousness on his face, holding the hand of a Hyūga girl who looked to be on the verge of spontaneous combustion.

Iruka looked at Naruto. Then he looked at Hinata, whose face had reached a shade of red that rivaled the Uzumaki clan symbol. Then he looked at their intertwined hands. A slow, knowing smile spread across his face.

“Naruto,” he said, with a calm that completely disarmed his student’s drama, “a ‘mission’ to take Hinata out for ramen doesn’t count as S-Rank.”

Naruto’s jaw dropped. “How did you know?”

“I’m your teacher. And your frog wallet is always empty,” Iruka replied, leaning back in his chair. He crossed his arms. “Besides, that’s the most ridiculous excuse you’ve come up with since you tried to convince me that your shadow clones needed their own lunch budget.”

Hinata let out a small squeak of pure embarrassment and tried to pull her hand away from Naruto’s, but he held on tighter.

“It’s not ridiculous! It’s a celebration! Hinata and I have formed a secret alliance! And alliances are sealed with ramen! It’s the rules!”

Iruka raised an eyebrow, his gaze shifting from amusement to genuine interest. An alliance, he thought. This kid… he’s finally making friends. And not just any friend. He looked at Hinata, who was still trying to hide behind her own hair.

I feel like his personal piggy bank, Iruka thought with an internal sigh, but the idea didn’t bother him. In fact, it filled him with a strange sense of pride. Naruto was growing up. He was taking a step, albeit a clumsy and loud one, toward maturity.

“Alright,” he finally said, pulling out his own wallet. He took out a few bills, more than enough for two bowls of ramen and maybe even dessert. “But this is a loan, you understand, Naruto? And I want it back. With interest.”

“You got it, Iruka-sensei! Thanks! You’re the best!” Naruto exclaimed, snatching the money with lightning speed.

“And Naruto,” Iruka added, his tone becoming more paternal. “Be a gentleman.”

Naruto gave him a wink. “Always am! Believe it!”

With that, he bolted from the room, dragging Hinata with him and leaving Iruka alone with a tired smile and a stack of paperwork.

“That kid…” he muttered to himself. “He’s going to be a great Hokage. Or the cause of my early retirement. Probably both.”

****

The atmosphere at Ichiraku Ramen was a soothing balm. The smell of pork broth, the sound of slurping noodles, and the warm smiles of Teuchi and Ayame were Naruto’s true home.

“Two miso ramen with extra pork for Konoha’s newest and coolest ninja!” Naruto shouted as he entered, plopping down on his usual stool. He then realized he was still holding Hinata’s hand and let go abruptly, a blush rising to his cheeks that rivaled hers.

“And… um… one for my friend,” he added, his voice a little lower.

Ayame peeked out, a mischievous grin on her face. “Your friend, Naruto? This is the first time you’ve brought a girl here. Is this a date?”

“YES!” Naruto yelled, his confidence returning.

“N-NO!” Hinata shrieked at the same time.

Teuchi laughed from the kitchen. “Sounds complicated. The first round is on the house for your graduation. What will you have, young lady?”

Naruto turned to Hinata. For the first time, instead of just assuming what everyone wanted, he asked.

“Hey, what’s your favorite? You can order whatever you want. I’m paying!” he declared, proudly displaying Iruka’s money.

Hinata was surprised by the question. “I-I… I like shio ramen. The simple kind.”

“One shio ramen for the kunoichi with the best taste in the village!” Naruto ordered.

The meal was… surprisingly normal. Naruto explained his complex philosophy on the perfect balance between the noodles, the broth, and the naruto fish cake. He told her stories of his most epic pranks, and to Hinata’s surprise, she found herself laughing. Not a shy little giggle, but a genuine laugh that made Naruto stop mid-story just to look at her.

“Hey, you have a really nice laugh, Hinata,” he said, with a sincerity so direct it made her blush all over again.

Toward the end of the meal, as the sun began to set, Naruto got serious again.

“So… about the jutsu,” he said in a low voice. “Tomorrow, after we get our teams? Let’s meet at the training ground near your house. The one by the river.”

Hinata nodded. The embarrassment was still there, but now it was mixed with an excitement that gave her butterflies in her stomach.

“I-I’ll be there, Naruto-kun.”

Naruto paid the bill with an air of great importance and left a generous tip. When they left the stand, the sun had set, and Konoha’s paper lanterns were beginning to light up the streets.

****

The walk back to the Hyūga compound was much quieter. The silence was no longer awkward. Naruto walked with his hands behind his head, whistling an off-key tune. Hinata walked beside him, feeling happier and braver than she had in her entire life.

Just as they were turning a corner, they bumped into a familiar figure with pink hair and a red ribbon.

“Naruto?”

Sakura’s voice was tinged with its usual irritation, but she stopped short when she saw who was with him. She didn’t yell, she didn’t insult him. She just stood there, blinking, as Naruto and Hinata walked past.

“Hey, Sakura-chan!” Naruto greeted her with an energetic nod.

Sakura didn’t answer. Her analytical gaze shifted from Naruto to Hinata. They weren’t holding hands, nor were they standing particularly close, but something was different. Hinata’s posture was straighter. And her face… Sakura had never seen Hinata Hyūga smile like that before. It wasn’t a shy or nervous smile. It was a radiant, genuine smile, full of a happiness that seemed to light up the darkening street.

How strange, Sakura thought, frowning as she watched them walk away. I’ve never seen her smile like that. Especially not with Naruto.

It wasn’t jealousy. It was curiosity. An anomaly in the social order she knew. A piece of the puzzle that didn’t fit. And Sakura Haruno did not like unsolved puzzles.

****

At the gate of the Hyūga compound, the goodbye was as awkward as the beginning.

“Well, uh… see you tomorrow, then,” Naruto said.

“Y-yes. Tomorrow,” Hinata replied.

“Awesome! Get ready to get super strong!” he told her with a wink before turning and running off.

Hinata watched him go until his orange silhouette disappeared into the night. She touched her lips, where she could still feel the echo of her own smile.

Naruto ran home, but this time he didn’t feel alone. He felt… accompanied. The strange blue window was still in his vision, but it was no longer a crushing secret. It was a secret that, for the first time, he was about to share. And that, he decided, was much more exciting than any bowl of ramen.