Naruto: The White Spider of the Leaf

The next morning arrived sluggishly, dragging with it the weight of the previous day's events. We had been given permission to stay home and rest for a while, though the word 'rest' felt like a hollow comfort. There was little peace to be found in the aftermath of such a crushing loss. We had fought hard, bled for it, and still, we had failed. That land was a stronghold which was supposed to be our foothold in the region, a key part of our strategy. Losing it meant losing more than just a tactical position—it meant losing time, momentum, good men and possibly even the war itself if we weren't careful with how we reacted next. Worst of all, there was no real chance of reclaiming it anytime soon.

In an ideal world, this would be the time to unleash the Nine-Tails. But we didn't live in an ideal world. Uzumaki Mito, for all her strength and legendary prowess, was old. Too old to be thrown into the front lines of a war like this. We all knew she would fight if it came down to it—she was an Uzumaki, after all—but no one wanted to push her to that point unless absolutely necessary. The alternative wasn't viable either. Kushina hadn't inherited the Nine-Tails yet, and even if she had, she wouldn't be experienced enough to control it under battlefield conditions. No, that transfer would have to happen soon, but not at this time. Likely not during the war time unless something drastic changed in Mito's condition.

...

A few days passed since we returned from that defeat. Minato mentioned he'd be going to see Kushina again today. Those two were seriously inseparable. It was almost admirable how they could still act like lovesick birds, even with the war looming over us. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little jealous of that carefree attitude. Maybe it was their way of keeping some semblance of normalcy in a world that was anything but. That said, I had a feeling Minato wasn't as carefree as before. Roshi's words had stuck with him. I could see it in his eyes that night when we returned, the way his mind kept replaying that moment over and over again.

I'm sure he's going to start working on that jutsu now. The Rasengan.

Should I help him develop it faster? I did that with Tsunade, after all, but… I still want to rival Minato. If I just hand him his masterpiece before I have even mastered it, three years in advance too, won't I just be stabbing myself in the foot? 

But there's the war too… 

I'll mull over it as he works on creating it for now. I can't hand him the ready method without raising an eyebrow yet, anyway.

Meanwhile, Jiraiya was likely at the Hokage's office, discussing whatever crucial matters needed addressing in the wake of our loss. That left just me and Yukino to figure out what to do with the time we'd been given. It wasn't much, but for now, we would wait.

But waiting was its own kind of battle.

Me, personally? I spent my free time training at home. 

The grind never stops! I gotta master that damn rasengan!

It's all I've been doing since we returned.

I was in the living room, and the third step was proving to be more frustrating than I had anticipated. Three clones surrounded me, each of us holding a balloon, trying to maintain perfect chakra equilibrium within it. The theory behind the Rasengan was simple enough—contain and control raw, rotating chakra to form a devastating sphere of power which was perfectly spaced within the air balloon.

But theory and practice were two very different things.

Pop.

The balloon in my hands burst, and almost simultaneously my clones' balloons suffered the same fate, unable to hold the balance. It was maddening. Every time I thought I had it, some little shift in my control sent everything spiraling apart.

I had hoped that seeing the tailed beast bombs up close would offer me some kind of insight, some type of inspiration to do this stuff more properly, but nada. I just didn't have that sort of talent to pick up things from seeing them once, like good ol' Minato did. 

Speaking of Minato, he would probably figure it out faster than I would if I gave him the method, but I wasn't about to let that happen. I gritted my teeth, filling up new balloons with air, determined to get it right.

Then the doorbell rang.

I let out a breath, dismissing my clones as I walked over. The moment I slid the door open, I was met with a sight I hadn't seen in a long time.

Yukino, standing there dressed in a beautiful kimono.

For a second, I just stared. The war had stripped us of moments like these—of soft colors and delicate fabrics, of anything outside of training gear, armor, and bloodstained bandages. Seeing her like this was… refreshing. Almost unreal.

"What's up?" I asked, leaning against the doorway with a casual smirk. "You're looking nice today."

It was a smooth compliment, the kind that slipped out naturally, before I even realized I had said it.

Yukino's cheeks flushed a light pink as she kept her hands behind her back, shifting her weight slightly as she wiggled her foot against the wooden porch. It was rare to see her act so sheepishly.

"Are you free today?" she asked, voice softer than usual.

I glanced back toward the training space. "Kinda. Which is why I'm working on my chakra control."

Yukino huffed, crossing her arms. "That's all you ever do, you snowflake. Come on, why don't you get dressed and come on a walk with me? Maybe we can have lunch somewhere."

I shook my head. "That won't be necessary. I'm not all that hungry." 

In truth, my mind was still wrapped around the events of the other day. After what happened, I couldn't afford to take it easy. I needed to push myself harder—to master the Rasengan as fast as possible, and through byproduct of that, to master the Strength of a Hundred Seal. There was no time for—

Grumble~

My stomach betrayed me before I could even finish my thought. Yukino let out a small chuckle, covering her mouth with one hand. "Well, it seems like your tummy is at least honest."

I felt heat rise up my face. "Tch… Maybe I could grab a bite or something," I muttered, rubbing the back of my head.

Satisfied, Yukino stepped aside as if to let me pass. But just as I was about to step out, she suddenly pressed both hands against my chest and pushed me back inside.

"Ah, ah! Go get dressed. I don't want to be seen with you in your training outfit," she said, a teasing lilt to her voice.

I groaned, but I didn't argue. Turning back inside, I went to change, leaving behind my torn and slightly damp training clothes for something more presentable. Not sure why it mattered that much, it's not like we would attend anything official.

When I returned, Yukino gave me an approving nod, and together, we stepped out into the world beyond the war—if only for a little while.

The streets of Konoha were calmer than usual, though that was to be expected. With the war raging on, most of the shinobi were away, and the usual lively chatter of the village was replaced by something quieter—gentler. The scent of grilled skewers and fresh dumplings still drifted through the air, and the occasional merchant called out their wares, but there was a certain restraint in the atmosphere, like everyone was holding their breath, waiting for the next wave of bad news.

I walked beside Yukino, hands stuffed in my pockets, still a little grumpy about being dragged away from training. She, on the other hand, seemed completely unbothered, swaying slightly as she walked, the fabric of her kimono shifting with every step.

How could she act like this after that day? After what we faced?

Or maybe this was just her way of coping with everything. A day off.

I hadn't seen her dressed up like this in a long time. There was even a sweet scent of perfume hanging in the air around her. It was… different. A pleasant kind of different.

"You're quiet," she noted, turning her head to look at me.

"Just thinking," I said, glancing up at the sky. "It's not every day I get to take a break like this."

"You say that like it's a bad thing," she huffed, folding her arms. "Honestly, you train too much. If you keep going at this pace, you'll turn into some old hermit before you even hit twenty."

I smirked. "Hey, if it makes me strong enough to protect you and the others, I don't really care how old I end up looking."

"Shiro..." She blushed for a moment, but then shook her head and sighed before looking away. "You always say that… but maybe it's okay to just enjoy the moment sometimes too, wouldn't you agree?"

I knew she had a point. But after what happened… after how we lost that battle, I couldn't afford to relax. Still, I didn't want to dampen the mood, so I just shrugged and let the conversation drift.

"By the way, what was that water jutsu you used back then?" I asked.

Yukino gave me a rather wry smile. "There you go asking stuff like that again..."

Okay, maybe I still dampened the mood.

"Sorry, I'm just curious. It was rather powerful and took so many hand seals to perform."

Yukino sighed. "What am I gonna do with you... Well, it's the jutsu I learned from the reward the Hokage gave us." She put her index finger against her lips and winked at me. "That was my 'secret technique' I told you about."

"Oh! Seriously? But you didn't know your nature affinity yet at that point."

"Ah, well, there's a variant for every element, so I just asked for every elemental type scroll for that jutsu. The idea was to learn the one I had an affinity for, but..."

"But you have an affinity for all of them."

"Yeah. Funny how that turned out, huh?"

"How'd you get them to give you five of them in the first place? We were told we can pick one."

"My dad pulled some strings."

I scoffed. "Rich girl."

"Hey!" She hit me on the shoulder.

I looked at her and she looked at me, staring at each other for a moment before we laughed.

"You've got to lend me the lightning variant. I'd like to learn that too."

"Only if you teach me your shadow clone jutsu, as well."

I paused and thought for a moment. "You've got yourself a deal."

We kept talking about some other random stuff as we went through the village streets, eventually we walked past a small sweets shop and Yukino suddenly perked up. "Oh! Look, Shiro! They have dango!" She turned to me with a bright expression. "Come on, let's get some!"

I raised a brow. "Aren't we supposed to be getting lunch?"

"Dango can be lunch."

"That's not how that works."

She puffed out her cheeks. "Says who? You're just afraid you'll like it too much."

I rolled my eyes, but let her drag me over, anyway. A few moments later, we were sitting on a bench, each holding a skewer. The warmth of the freshly grilled dango seeped into my fingers as I took a bite, the sweet sauce melting on my tongue.

"...Okay, I'll admit, this isn't bad," I muttered.

Yukino shot me a victorious grin. "See? I know what I'm talking about."

We sat there in comfortable silence for a while, just watching the people pass by. But then, Yukino spoke again, her voice softer this time.

"Hey, Shirokumo…"

"Hm?"

She hesitated, fidgeting with the sleeve of her kimono. "Do you… think about the future much? You know, after the war?"

I blinked. The question caught me off guard. It wasn't something I let myself dwell on. When you're in the middle of a war, thinking too far ahead feels like tempting fate. Still…

"I guess I do," I admitted, rubbing the back of my neck. "I mean, I don't know what'll happen exactly, but I'd like to think we'll all still be here, you know? That we'll make it through."

She nodded slowly. "Yeah… me too."

"I'll do all I can to ensure that."

"Me too."

For a second, our eyes met, and something in my chest did this weird, unfamiliar flip. I wasn't sure why. Maybe it was the way the sunlight caught her pale eyes. Maybe it was the way she looked at me—not like a comrade, not like a rival, but just… me.

I cleared my throat and looked away. "Anyway, uh—"

Yukino giggled. "Why are you acting all weird?"

"I'm not," I said quickly. Too quickly.

"You're even blushing!" She smirked.

"I am not!"

She laughed again, leaning back against the bench. "Sure, sure. Whatever you say, little snowflake."

I scowled, but I couldn't bring myself to be annoyed. If anything, I felt… lighter.

Yukino suddenly hopped to her feet, nearly making me choke on my last bite of dango. She pointed excitedly towards a shop in the distance, her pale eyes practically glowing.

"Oh! That place looks nice! Maybe we can have a proper lunch there."

I scoffed, brushing crumbs off my hands as I stood. "Now you want a proper lunch? What happened to dango being good enough?"

She ignored my remark entirely and took off toward the shop.

"Hey—wait up!" I called, quickly following after her.

It wasn't until I caught up that I finally saw what she had been pointing at. My steps faltered, my breath hitching just slightly.

The flaps of the tiny shop swayed gently in the breeze, the fabric embroidered with a familiar symbol. A row of simple stools lined up in front of the counter, their surfaces polished and untouched. A faint but rich aroma of broth and fresh noodles curled into the air, warming my senses.

I just stood there, blinking at it.

No way…

Ichiraku Ramen!

I looked for this place everywhere! I scoured the village streets more times than I could count, but I never once stumbled upon it. And now, here it was—almost as if it had been waiting for me.

"Shirokumo?" Yukino nudged my shoulder. "You good?"

I swallowed, shaking off my surprise. "Yeah, just… surprised, that's all."

She tilted her head but didn't question it further. Instead, she grinned and grabbed my hand in hers. "Come on, you dummy. Let's check it out!" 

Her fingers were so soft.

She pulled the fabric flap aside, stepping into the small stall as I followed alongside her, still caught somewhere between awe and disbelief.

Behind the counter stood a young man, probably still in his late teens, with neatly tied-back brown hair covered by a white, small chef's hat and a bright, eager grin that stretched across his face. His hands were planted firmly on the counter as if he'd been waiting all day for this exact moment.

"Welcome, welcome!" he beamed, practically bouncing on his feet. "Please, have a seat! You're my very first customers ever!"

I stared. "First ever customers?"

"Yup!" His excitement was infectious, his eyes shining with uncontainable enthusiasm. "Today's the grand opening of Ichiraku Ramen! I've been preparing for weeks, and I promise you—you're gonna love it!"

I glanced at Yukino, who looked just as delighted by his energy.

"Well, if we're the first, then we've definitely got to order something good!" she declared, plopping herself down on one of the stools.

I followed suit, still a little dazed by how surreal this all felt.

Teuchi clapped his hands together. "Alright! What'll it be?"

Yukino leaned forward slightly, resting her chin on her palm as she scanned the menu overhead. "Hmm… I think I'll have the miso ramen! Oh! And extra green onions, please!"

"Excellent choice!" Teuchi said, already moving with practiced ease, even though this was apparently his first time serving a customer.

Then, he turned to me expectantly. "And for you?"

I hesitated. I knew exactly what I wanted to say, but part of me almost felt… reverent about it. Like I needed a second to appreciate what was happening.

Then, with the smallest smirk, I leaned forward slightly and said, "Pork miso chashu ramen. Extra chashu. Extra naruto."

Teuchi grinned as if he recognized something in my tone—some deep appreciation for what was unfolding here.

"You got it!" he said, immediately setting to work.

I exhaled slowly, glancing around the tiny shop as the sounds of boiling broth and chopping vegetables filled the air.

Ichiraku Ramen.

A legend in the making.

And somehow, against all odds, we were here to witness its very first day and make its very first order.

As Teuchi moved around the small kitchen, the sound of bubbling broth and the rhythmic chop of fresh ingredients filled the air. The scent of garlic, miso, and simmering pork wafted over the counter, wrapping around us like a warm blanket. My stomach growled in anticipation, and Yukino giggled.

"You sure you ordered enough, Shirokumo?" she teased, resting her elbow on the counter. "Extra chashu and extra naruto? Sounds like you've got a thing for ramen."

I leaned back, folding my arms. "I just know a good bowl when I see one."

"Uh-huh," she said, smirking. "The way you're looking, so eager, it seems like you've been waiting your whole life for this one bowl to get prepared!"

She had no idea.

Before I could respond, Teuchi placed two steaming bowls in front of us with an excited flourish. "Alright! One miso ramen with extra green onions for the young lady, and one pork miso chashu ramen with extra everything for my first ever legendary customer!"

I glanced down, and—yeah. It looked perfect. The thick slices of chashu rested just beneath the surface, glistening with broth. A swirl of naruto floated to the side, and the steam rising from the bowl carried the scent of pure comfort.

Yukino clapped her hands together eagerly. "Itadakimasu!"

She dove in immediately, pulling up a long strand of noodles and slurping it with no hesitation. I watched as her face lit up with pure satisfaction. "Mmm! This is amazing!"

Teuchi practically beamed. "Glad to hear it! I worked hard on that broth!"

I picked up my chopsticks, taking a careful bite. The rich umami flavor spread across my tongue instantly, the warmth sinking into my bones. A slow smile crept onto my face before I could stop it.

"Yeah," I muttered. "This is really good."

Teuchi grinned, rubbing the back of his head. "Thanks! I put my heart into this. One day, I want this place to be the best ramen shop in all of Konoha!"

I let out a small chuckle. "Sounds like a solid plan. Keep making ramen like this, and I think you might actually pull it off."

Teuchi's eyes practically sparkled. "You really think so?"

"Yeah," I said honestly. "I do."

Yukino tapped her chopsticks against her bowl. "But if you get super popular, don't forget us, okay? We were your first customers, so that means we get a discount for life."

Hey, hey, Yukino-chan! You're rich! What do you mean by discount?

Teuchi laughed. "Deal! But only if you keep coming back!"

Wait, it actually worked?

Yukino and I shared a look before nodding.

"Looks like we've got ourselves a new favorite spot," she said cheerfully.

"Oh, yeah, we do!" I grinned back at her.

I focused on my ramen again, eating in comfortable silence as the warmth of the meal and the easy atmosphere settled around us. The afternoon light filtered through the shop's small opening, painting soft shadows along the wooden counter.

At some point, Yukino glanced at me, her chopsticks pausing mid-air.

"Hey, Shirokumo?"

I swallowed my bite, raising an eyebrow. "What?"

She fidgeted slightly, poking at her noodles. "This… this is kinda nice, isn't it?"

I blinked. "The ramen?"

She rolled her eyes. "No, this." She gestured vaguely between us. "Spending time like this. Just eating, talking, not worrying about training or missions or anything else."

I stared at her for a moment, caught off guard by the sudden sincerity in her voice. I wanted to say something witty in response, but… she wasn't wrong.

It was nice.

So instead of dodging the moment, I just nodded. "...Yeah. It is."

She smiled—just a small one, nothing flashy, but it made something in my chest do that weird flip again.

I quickly focused back on my bowl, clearing my throat. "Anyway, hurry up and finish. I don't want to have to carry you if you eat too much and can't move."

She gasped, feigning offense. "Excuse you! I have the perfect appetite."

"Sure you do."

She stuck her tongue out at me before turning back to her ramen.

And as I sat there, in the first ramen shop of a soon-to-be legend, with a girl who made my heart race for reasons I didn't quite understand yet, I thought—

Maybe, just maybe, this is a moment I'll remember forever.

Just as I was about to take my last sip of broth, a voice cut through the comfortable atmosphere like a kunai slicing through paper.

"Well, well. If it isn't Shirokumo and Yukino-chan."

The hairs on the back of my neck stood up before I even turned around. I knew that voice. It had been a long time since I last heard it, but the smug undertone was unmistakable.

Yukino stiffened beside me, her chopsticks pausing midair as we both turned toward the entrance.

Standing there, arms crossed and a smirk tugging at his lips, was Uchiha Shinichi. His dark eyes flickered with something unreadable, but I could tell—this wasn't just a coincidence.

He was here for a reason.

And just like that, the easy warmth of the ramen shop turned ice cold.

...