Chapter 44

                                    

                                          
I want some food.
Food was a basic right that should never be denied to anyone but at the age of six, Naruto learns that not everyone was willing to give her food. Even though there was some money in her pocket. Real money that the Hokage gave her, not some money that she got through from either begging or stealing from someone else. She thought going to the supermarket with actual money will change things.
The store owners still kicked her out and throw water at her.
I just want to eat some food and feel some more warmth. Naruto shivered and looked at the world around her. With the various snowflakes covering the floor and the blankets of snow wrapped snugly around the buildings, the village looked like a winter wonderland but it held no laughter. She kicked a pebble and her lips curled into a scowl, eyes flickering to the various stands and restaurants at offer.
Her eyes lingers on a small ramen stand and shuffled her feet together. Blue eyes flickered to the various people in the crowds, who seemed to be looking everywhere but at her. They always ignore me. What am I? A fly. She grinded her teeth together and shuffled her feet towards the ramen stand.
She stopped walking when a man walked out of the stand, pushing away the curtains. Black eyes locked on her and it softened which makes Naruto blink. She just stood in front of the ramen stand, hands shoved against her pockets and her nose twitched at the scent.
The man leaned forward to her and the blond-haired girl took a step back, blue eyes narrowing at him. The smile on his face wavered, dropping to a frown. He knelt down and a smile formed around his lips, making Naruto's bright blue eyes widened.
"Don't you want to come in, little girl? I make some really tasty ramen." He informed her. His eyes lingered on her hair and then it moved down to her blue eyes and sadness leaked out of it. For a brief moment, a tear seemed to leak out of his eye but it was gone as soon as it was there. It must have been her imagination.
She blinked. "Ramen?"
Was he offering her a chance to eat some food?
"It is really tasty," the man smiled and patted his stomach before holding out a hand to her. "And I bet it can warm you up."
The smile on his face brought a sense of warmth in her and she steps back. Her blue eyes focused on the outstretched hand that seemed to beckoning her to follow him. Why was he being so nice to me? She chewed on her bottom lip and dropped her head as the wind slapped against her whole body and Naruto shivered.
She darted her eyes to the inside of the shop, where an older girl peaks out with her brown eyes looking at her with curiosity. There was no one else in the restaurant and it made sense to the young girl when she looks at the various families that seemed to be going back home. Her eyes lingered on the smiling wife, scowling husband and their two children.
The smiling wife looked at her and then her eyes flickered to the ramen stand owner. Those black eyes flashed with pain and understanding as if she knew something that she did not know. The youngest son tugged his mother's sleeve and the moment between them was gone. She turned her head away as the woman looked down at her son with her lips curled into a sad smile.
Naruto never noticed that even then Sasuke was always looking at her.
She leaned forward and decided to follow him inside the store. The stabbing coldness in her body seemed to be fading away and the blond-haired girl blinked when the man pulled out a large bowl, filling it with soup and noodles along with various food. Her nose twitched and saliva began to dribble down her mouth.
"I-Is this for me?" She looked at the large ramen bowl and picked it up. It's so huge. She nibbled her bottom lip and looked at the older male, who smiled at her and gestured for her to eat. She took the chopsticks and began to gobble down the ramen, which seemed to stuffle down the growing hunger in her stomach and filled her bones with warmth.