Konoha: The Honored One

At this time, deep in the park's jungle, Gojo tossed his earphones aside, watching Naruto and Sasuke from a distance. He let out a long sigh. "Kids these days really love to act all innocent, don't they?"

"Seriously, you say stuff like that, and anyone would be mad at you," Sakura said, exasperated. She had assumed Gojo might have some decent dating advice up his sleeve, but clearly, she had expected too much.

Gojo's version of romance? Skip all the steps. Go straight to chaos.

Poor Sasuke. Poor Naruto.

If Naruto found out he was being duped like this, he'd lose his mind.

"Sasuke's transformation, though... not bad. I'd give it an eight out of ten," Gojo mused, rubbing his chin as he admired Sasuke's distant form.

Sasuke, in disguise, was strikingly convincing—graceful, elegant, and every bit the picture of a refined young lady.

"She's gorgeous," Sakura muttered in reluctant agreement.

Gojo, however, was not about to let that slide. "The guy's transformation has better curves than you. His face? Also prettier. Honestly, you're slacking as a woman."

Sakura's face turned crimson as she hugged her chest defensively. "Shut up! I'm still growing! I'll develop—just wait and see!"

"Sure, sure," Gojo teased, waving her off dismissively. "Dream big. Maybe one day you'll catch up to Tsunade."

Sakura's jaw tightened. "I will!"

"Don't feel bad, though. There's gotta be some upside to being... compact," Gojo said, pretending to search for a silver lining.

Sakura narrowed her eyes. "Like what?"

Gojo smirked. "I don't know, but I'll let you know if I think of one."

"You jerk!" Sakura's face burned with embarrassment and fury, her fists trembling as she resisted the overwhelming urge to clock him. Unfortunately, she knew better than to start something she couldn't finish.

"Relax, kid. Getting this worked up isn't good for your hormones," Gojo quipped.

Sakura glared daggers at him. "You're infuriating!"

Gojo ignored her tantrum, his attention back on Naruto and Sasuke. "Looks like they're deciding on a date spot. Let's just sit back and enjoy the show."

"Hmph," Sakura grumbled, crossing her arms but ultimately following his gaze. Her feelings for Sasuke had cooled considerably, so she didn't feel any jealousy watching this unusual pairing unfold. If anything, she was just curious.

Naruto and Sasuke entered the local ramen shop as Gojo and Sakura trailed discreetly behind.

Inside, Naruto plopped into a chair, beaming. "Ichiraku Ramen's the best! Uncle's ramen is legendary—you're gonna love it!"

Naruto's enthusiasm for ramen was unmatched, and today was no exception.

Sasuke, maintaining his "elegant lady" act, gave a nonchalant nod. He'd eaten here before, but ramen wasn't his favorite—he was more of a tomato guy.

Teuchi, the shop's cheerful owner, chuckled. "Naruto, since you've hyped me up so much, I'll toss in some extra noodles."

"Thanks, Uncle!" Naruto cheered, practically vibrating with excitement.

Teuchi's eyes shifted to Sasuke. "And who's this? A new face, I see."

Before Naruto could blurt out something embarrassing, Sasuke coolly interjected, "Just someone I met recently."

Teuchi smiled warmly. "Well, anyone with Naruto is welcome here. I'll throw in an extra slice of char siu for you."

Sasuke gave a polite nod. "Thank you."

As they waited, Sasuke stole glances at Naruto. Seeing the boy cheerfully chatting with Teuchi, even as people outside the shop shot him wary or hostile looks, Sasuke's perspective shifted. Despite the cold treatment, Naruto's sunny smile never faltered. But beneath it, Sasuke could detect a hint of sadness.

Naruto had every reason to be bitter, yet he wasn't. Instead, he burned with determination, constantly declaring his dream of becoming Hokage.

"Do you really want to be Hokage?" Sasuke asked, his voice tinged with curiosity.

Naruto's grin widened as he pointed a chopstick at Sasuke. "I'll bet everything I have on it! I'll surpass every Hokage before me and earn the respect of everyone in the village. That's my dream—my ninja way!"

For a moment, Sasuke was taken aback. Naruto's unyielding resolve was... impressive. Sasuke had never thought much of dreams, focusing solely on his ambition for revenge. Yet here was Naruto, facing similar hardships, but somehow stronger for it.

Was this Gojo's plan all along? To make him see Naruto in a different light?

Sasuke smirked slightly and dug into his ramen. "It's not bad."

Naruto grinned. "Told ya! Ichiraku's is the best!"

Sasuke wiped his mouth with a napkin. "I still prefer tomatoes. But... maybe I'll try it again sometime."

Naruto laughed. "You're such a pain. You and Sasuke would get along great."

Sasuke's eyebrow twitched. "...You don't say."

At that moment, the shop door creaked open, and Konohamaru and his friends walked in.

"Big Brother Naruto?" Konohamaru's eyes lit up at the sight of his mentor.

Naruto waved. "Hey, Konohamaru! Here for ramen?"

Konohamaru grinned, waving a stack of coupons. "Yep! Still using the ones you gave me!"

Naruto scratched his head, laughing nervously. He had completely forgotten about those coupons, and now he was broke, thanks to Gojo's tendency to "borrow" all his cash.

Konohamaru suddenly leaned closer, eyeing Sasuke curiously. "Big Brother, who's the pretty lady?"

Naruto puffed out his chest proudly and raised his pinky. "Smart kid. You guessed it—she's mine."

Sasuke's eye twitched as he fought to keep his composure. Meanwhile, Gojo, peeking through the window, was laughing so hard that tears streamed down his face.

"This," Gojo said between fits of laughter, "is the best entertainment I've had in years!"