Naruto: I'm in Konoha, my name is Uzumaki Menma

Chapter 234 Naruto's Childhood Was Not Lonely

In Konoha Village, the afternoon sun shone with a touch of languor, yet it couldn't penetrate the gloom in some corners.

Naruto Uzumaki was carrying a large cardboard box that was almost half his height, and he was walking home with some difficulty.

The cardboard box was filled with instant noodles of various flavors, among which the most eye-catching were several beautifully packaged "limited edition flavored cup noodles".

This is the "strategic reserve grain" he just bought from the "Cado Department Store" in the center of the village.

Kado Department Store is a large shopping center that has opened in Konoha Village in recent years. With a wide variety of goods and reasonable prices, it has quickly become the villagers' first choice for shopping.

For Naruto, this place also holds a special meaning.

This is one of the few places that won't look at him strangely, won't drive him away, and certainly won't deliberately sell him expired or substandard food.

He even occasionally gets snacks or discounts that store clerks secretly slip to him.

This is because the real owner of this shopping mall is the mysterious Mr. Gato, and it is said in the village that Mr. Gato greatly admires a boy named Menma and has adopted him as his godson. Menma is Naruto's best friend.

Although Naruto himself was not fully aware of the complex story behind this relationship, he could clearly feel the goodwill the shopping mall showed him.

However, the mall's goodwill could not shield the village from its indifference.

As I walked down the street carrying the cardboard box, those familiar, persistent whispers and cold gazes once again quietly surged in from all directions.

"Look...it's that child again..."

"Tsk, buying so much instant noodles..."

"Stay away from him, he's bad luck..."

"I wonder what the Third Lord was thinking..."

The voices were low, yet they pierced Naruto's ears with pinpoint accuracy, like needles.

He tried to straighten his small back, pretending not to hear, and quickened his pace, wanting only to return to that "home" as soon as possible, which, although empty, could at least shield him from these sights.

Finally, we arrived at the familiar apartment building.

Naruto took a deep breath, pushed open the stairwell door with his shoulder, and ran upstairs.

Standing in front of his house, he silently took out his keys and opened the door.

"Squeak-"

The door was pushed open, and a stuffy smell of instant noodle seasoning packets mixed with a slight musty odor rushed out.

Naruto habitually took a deep breath, then shouted in the loudest and most energetic voice he could muster: "I'm back!"

The sound echoed in the empty hallway, but there was no other response.

The light of expectation in his azure eyes quickly dimmed.

The room was dimly lit as the lights were off.

Naruto fumbled for the switch on the wall and pressed it.

pat.

The dim light came on, illuminating the mess inside the room.

Dirty clothes are carelessly tossed on the sofa, chairs, or even the floor, crumpled into a ball.

In the kitchen sink, piles of dirty dishes and utensils seemed to have been there for a long time, and a faint, unpleasant smell emanated from them.

The small table in the living room was covered with empty instant noodle containers that hadn't been thrown away, some even still containing the broth.

This place is less like a "home" and more like a temporary lodging, a neglected and lifeless dormitory.

Naruto seemed to have gotten used to all of this by now.

He laboriously moved the box of new instant noodles to the corner of the kitchen, where many similar boxes were already piled up.

He looked at the sink, his little face scrunched up, and finally decided... he'd wash it tomorrow.

Naruto walked to the sofa, pushed a few dirty clothes on it onto the floor to make room for himself, and then, as if his bones had been removed, he suddenly fell backward onto the sofa.

My body sank into the somewhat worn-out sofa cushions.

He tilted his head back, staring blankly at the dusty lamp on the ceiling, his eyes vacant.

silence.

Deathly silence.

Only the occasional sounds of laughter and chatter from other people's homes or the clatter of pots and pans coming from outside the window, faint and indistinct, further accentuated the desolation inside the house.

"...It's so quiet..." Naruto murmured to himself, his voice so soft it was almost inaudible.

He buried his head in his knees, and after a while, he suddenly raised his head, as if to dispel the suffocating loneliness, and suddenly jumped up from the sofa!

He ran to the center of the room, cleared his throat, and first tried to puff out his chest, then put on a stern face and said in what he thought was a very mature, gruff voice, "Ahem! Naruto! Did you behave well at school today and listen to Iruka-sensei? No mischief allowed! You have to strive to become an excellent ninja!"

He plays the role of the "father" in his imagination.

Then, he quickly ran to the other side, put his hands on his hips, and deliberately raised his voice, imitating the tone of those gentle mothers he occasionally heard in his memory: "Little Naruto~ Are you hungry? Mom made you something delicious~ Did you make any new friends today?"

He plays the role of the "mother" in his imagination.

In this empty room, he was performing a one-man show, sometimes a stern father, sometimes a gentle mother, and sometimes back to himself, answering his parents' questions.

"I did a great job today!"

"Ramen! I want Ichiraku Ramen!"

"Menma, Choji, and Kiba are all my friends!"

But his performance gradually slowed down, and his voice grew softer and softer. Finally, he stopped and stood blankly in the center of the room.

Because he suddenly realized that he didn't even know his parents' names or what they looked like.

The three generations of grandfathers never told him, and the villagers kept it a secret.

"Dad... Mom..." Naruto lowered his head, looking at his dirty shoes, his voice trembling with a barely perceptible sob.

"If only you were still alive..."

Lunch was still a bowl of instant noodles in hot water.

After finishing his meal, Naruto felt even more bored.

He longed to go back to school because at least there was Iruka-sensei there, and friends like Menma, Shikamaru, Choji, and Kiba. They could attend classes together, play pranks together (though they often got scolded), and train as ninjas together.

Lively atmospheres can alleviate loneliness.

But it's a holiday now.

Holidays mean that everyone has their own family and their own things to do.

Shikamaru has to play shogi with his father or be forced to train in the clan's secret techniques; Choji has to go to family gatherings or participate in the Akimichi clan's physical training; Kiba has to do tracking exercises...

Even his best friend Menma seems to only come out to play with him on Saturdays and Sundays.

Most of the time, Naruto Uzumaki is alone.

The afternoon sunlight became gentler.

Naruto couldn't stand the stuffiness inside the house any longer and decided to go for a walk.

He wandered aimlessly and unknowingly ended up at the edge of the village, by the Nanga River.

This is a place he frequents.

The sound of the flowing river brought him a moment of peace.

He found a flat rock to sit on, picked up the pebbles around him, and threw them into the river one by one, watching the ripples spread out in circles and then disappear.

He just stood there, lost in thought, watching the sunset gradually turn the sky and the river surface orange-red.

Just then, footsteps came from the path above the riverbank.

Naruto instinctively turned his head to look. He saw Uchiha Sasuke walking along the riverbank with his hands in his pockets, a cool expression on his face, his eyes fixed straight ahead.

It looks like they just finished training and are heading home.

Their eyes met unexpectedly in mid-air.

Instantly, it seemed as if invisible sparks were crackling.

Naruto immediately turned his head away and let out a clear "Hmph!" through his nose.

Sasuke also snorted coldly, raising his chin even higher.

Just as the atmosphere between the two was awkward and filled with childish antagonism, another voice came from the riverbank with a slightly lazy tone.

"Hey you two, what are you doing here? Posing for a photo op?"

Naruto turned around in surprise and saw Menma walking slowly down the riverbank with his hands behind his head, a familiar, slightly teasing smile on his face.

"Menma!" Naruto exclaimed happily.

Sasuke's already somewhat displeased mood was further fueled when he saw Menma.

He stood on the riverbank, pointing down at Mianma, and shouted, "Mianma! You wait! In the practical class after the start of next semester, I will definitely beat you and take back first place in the grade!"

He considered it a great humiliation to be easily defeated by Menma in the last practical lesson, and has been training intensively with his older brother Uchiha Itachi ever since.

Menma picked at his ear, a dismissive "here we go again" expression on his face, and lazily dragged out his words: "Ah—I know, I know, we'll talk about next semester next semester... Sasuke, you're so long-winded."

With that, he ignored Sasuke, who was practically bursting with anger on the riverbank, and turned to Naruto with a smile, "Let's go, Naruto. I'm hungry. How about we go eat Ichiraku Ramen? It's on me."

"Really? That's great!" Naruto instantly forgot his earlier frustration, cheered, jumped up from the rock, and ran excitedly to Menma's side.

The two walked arm in arm, chatting and laughing, towards the center of the village, leaving Sasuke alone on the riverbank. Watching their departing figures, he stomped his foot in anger, but in the end, he could only puff out his cheeks and run headlong towards the Uchiha clan's territory.

……

Meanwhile, in the dense forest on the opposite bank of the Namaka River, three figures stood silently on the thick branches of a large tree, watching everything happening on the other side of the river through the layers of leaves.

It was Menma himself, along with his parents, Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki.

Watching Naruto and Menma's shadow clones bicker and gradually disappear into the distance, Minato's face showed a complex and gratified smile. He sighed softly, reached out and patted Menma's shoulder beside him, his voice gentle and full of gratitude: "Thank you for your hard work, Menma. Always taking care of Naruto silently like this."

He could imagine how bleak and lonely Naruto's childhood would have been without Menma's constant companionship and guidance.

Menma's gaze followed the bouncy blond figure. He shook his head, his tone calm yet carrying a hint of barely perceptible warmth: "It's nothing. After all... he's my brother too."

"Besides me, Naruto has many friends. That cool guy who was just arguing with Naruto doesn't seem like he cares about him. There's also Iruka-sensei at school, Choji, Shikamaru, Kiba, and other classmates... Naruto's childhood wasn't lonely."

Kushina, standing to the side, had her brows slightly furrowed, as if she was trying to recall something.

She pointed in the direction Sasuke had disappeared along the riverbank and said uncertainly, "By the way, that black-haired, arrogant kid from earlier... wasn't he a member of the Uchiha clan? He looked kind of familiar to me..."

Menma nodded and explained, "Yes, his name is Uchiha Sasuke, and he is the youngest son of Fugaku, the current head of the Uchiha clan."

"Fugaku and Mikoto's youngest son?" Kushina suddenly realized, a nostalgic look on her face. "No wonder he looked familiar! Mikoto is my best friend! When I was pregnant with you and Naruto, we used to go shopping together all the time! Back then, she was holding little Sasuke, who had just been born... Time flies, in the blink of an eye, that child is so big now, and he's even become Naruto's classmate..."

Her tone carried a mix of感慨 about the wonders of life and a longing for her friend.

Now, however, she is a resurrected body, while her friend is still in Konoha, living a seemingly peaceful but actually turbulent life. The two are now in two completely different worlds.

Minato reached out and gently took Kushina's hand, offering silent comfort.

In the distance, the cheerful voices of Naruto and Menma arguing about what ingredients to add could be faintly heard, adding a touch of warmth and vitality to the tranquil twilight.

The three gradually blended into the twilight of Konoha Forest.

"Hurry up, Menma! I'm starving!" Naruto shouted back as he ran, urging his companions who were following leisurely behind.

The spring air still carried a hint of winter's chill, and the setting sun became warm and languid, casting its rays on the streets of Konoha. Naruto, like a wild puppy, was full of energy, his golden spiky hair standing out brightly in the sunlight.

With a barely perceptible lazy smile on his face, hands in his pockets, and a leisurely gait, Mianma said, "I know, I know, are you a reincarnated starving ghost?"

The two arrived at Ichiraku Ramen, a restaurant filled with an enticing aroma.

As you lift the warm curtain, the familiar aroma of rich broth wafts out.

At this time of day, there weren't many customers in the shop. Uncle Tsuru was busy preparing broth behind the counter, while his daughter, Ayame, deftly wiped the tables that had just been emptied.

"Yo! Naruto, Menma!" Ayame looked up and saw two familiar little figures. Her face immediately broke into a warm smile, especially towards Naruto.

She showed extra care for this child who was always full of energy, yet inexplicably heartbreaking.

"Sister Ayame!" Naruto greeted loudly, then sidled up to the high stool in front of the counter and sat down, gazing longingly at the bubbling broth in the pot and the various ingredients displayed beside it.

After wiping the last table, Ayame walked over with a smile, habitually ruffling Naruto's messy blond hair before turning her gaze to Menma beside her, a mischievous glint in her eyes: "Eh? Menma-kun, why did you come alone today? Didn't you bring your beautiful young lady from the Hyuga clan? Did you two have a fight?"

Mianma pursed his lips helplessly, already used to this topic.

Ever since Hinata, the eldest sister, made her "food-protecting declaration" during her self-introduction at the beginning of the school year, his relationship with Hinata has become a topic of frequent banter among many people, especially those who know him well.

"Sister Changpu, please stop joking with me." Menma sighed and pulled out a chair to sit down.

"Hinata has family practice today, so she can't come."

"Oh~ so it's a strict young lady who's going to train." Ayame deliberately dragged out her words, continuing to tease him: "Does someone feel like something's missing, making even ramen less appealing?"

Menma rolled his eyes, deciding not to engage with the conversation, and turned to the older man, shouting, "Uncle, the usual, two bowls of signature tonkotsu ramen!"

The loud voice of the middle-aged man came from the kitchen area: "Alright! Double Naruto rolls for Naruto, and bamboo shoots for Menma, right? Wait, it'll be ready soon!"

He knew the two children's tastes by heart.

"That's right! Thank you, Uncle Hand-Strike!" Naruto waved his chopsticks happily, eagerly getting into position, waiting for the ramen to be served.

Just then, the noren curtain was lifted again.

The people who walked in were a seemingly ordinary man and woman.

The man was tall and slender, dressed in a common dark blue casual outfit. He had brilliant blond hair, though the ends were slightly dull. He wore a gentle yet somewhat aloof smile. The woman, on the other hand, had bright red hair tied in a neat ponytail. Her face was filled with curiosity and excitement as she looked around at this place, which was both incredibly familiar and somewhat strange to her.

They were none other than Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki, who had used the Transformation Technique.

In the ninja world, blonde and red hair are not unusual colors; many ninja clans also have these hair colors.

But this combination still feels somewhat familiar to me.

Minato's gaze quickly swept across the small shop, then naturally landed on Naruto and Menma, who were sitting side by side. A complex emotion, hard to describe, flashed in his gray eyes—guilt, relief, and deep affection.

He tried to keep his expression calm.

Kushina could barely control her emotions, especially when she saw Naruto's small figure from behind; her eyes welled up with tears.

She quickly took a deep breath, forced herself to look away, and pretended to be very interested in the menu on the wall.

"Welcome!" Changpu immediately stepped forward to greet them, "Please have a seat here, both of you."

Minato nodded politely, his voice deliberately lowered: "Thank you. Please give me a bowl of tonkotsu ramen, with extra bamboo shoots and naruto rolls."

The flavor he ordered unintentionally turned out to be exactly the same as the combination of sesame and Naruto.

Kushina also came over, looked at the menu, and said in as normal a tone as possible, "Then I'll have one... um... Family Ramen! All the toppings!"

Changpu smiled and agreed, gesturing, "Okay, please wait a moment. You two can sit over there..."

Before she finished speaking, Minato and Kushina had already walked to the counter very "naturally" and, extremely "coincidentally," chosen the two empty bar stools next to Naruto and Menma.

Minato sat on the other side of Naruto, while Kushina sat on the other side of Menma, sandwiching the two children in the middle.

Naruto was intently watching the middle-aged man stretching noodles when he sensed someone sitting down next to him and instinctively turned his head to look.

Seeing the blond man beside him, he blinked his azure eyes, tilted his head, and showed a pure look of confusion on his face.

"Hmm?" Naruto muttered to himself.

"I have this feeling... that's a little strange..."

But his thick-skinned nerves were soon drawn to something more important: the hand-beating uncle was placing two steaming bowls of ramen, piled high with toppings, in front of him and the noodle maker.

(End of this chapter)