Chapter 20: Healing the Heart Takes the Medicine of the Heart

They found a small izakaya and walked in confidently, as if they belonged there. A staff member quickly ushered them into a private room with tatami mats.

"May I take your order?"

"Fruit juice, beer both cold. Grilled chicken skewers..."

Naruto scanned the menu and picked out some safe choices things that were unlikely to disappoint.

Thanks to having an "adult" like Naruto by her side, Koyuki didn't attract any unwanted attention.

Before long, the server returned with their drinks, placing the beer next to Naruto and the juice in front of Koyuki.

It wasn't until the dishes had all arrived that the two of them exchanged a glance and silently swapped drinks.

The girl cracked open a can of beer, took a sip, and stuck out her tongue.

"Eugh... it tastes awful."

"I'd be surprised if you liked it."

Her reaction was exactly what Naruto had expected.

"You say that like you've had it before..." Koyuki pouted, feeling underestimated.

I have, actually just not in this lifetime.

Naruto didn't argue. He grabbed a chicken skewer and began eating in silence.

How was it?

Not bad. Savory with a hint of sweetness. Could use some chili for a kick.

The other dishes were similar. The tempura was bland compared to the stuff Ino's mom made.

As for thinking about another girl while eating food paid for by one… Naruto didn't even see a problem with it.

Koyuki's appetite wasn't big. After a few bites and sips, she put down her chopsticks and rested her chin on her hands, watching Naruto eat.

"Say, why don't you like the Leaf Village? With your looks, I bet you're pretty popular over there."

Koyuki suddenly spoke up, curiosity gleaming in her eyes.

"Quite the opposite, actually," Naruto mumbled through a mouthful of food, cheeks puffed out like a chipmunk. "My reputation's enough to make babies cry."

"Did you do something terrible?"

"Maybe I'm just too good-looking? I mean, when you're rare-level handsome, haters are just part of the package."

Koyuki rolled her eyes. What a waste of a mouth.

She was annoyed by his glibness, yet somehow found herself more intrigued.

To the average civilian, ninja were wrapped in layers of mystery. But Koyuki, born a princess and having to study some ninja basics for her acting roles, had a decent grasp of the world.

She had no idea how skilled Naruto truly was, but if he could use ninjutsu at this age, his talent was probably far above average.

Good-looking, talented so why wasn't he well-liked?

Just as she was pondering, a sudden noise broke out beyond the sliding doors. Three Leaf shinobi walked into the shop, laughing and chatting.

They wore the standard gear: navy undershirts, green flak vests, and forehead protectors with the Leaf emblem.

"They're Leaf ninja..." Koyuki whispered, alerting Naruto.

He let out a casual "oh" without even turning his head.

Koyuki grew anxious. "Aren't you worried?"

Naruto remained calm. "If anyone should be worried, it's them. Maybe you too. But me? Not even a little."

"Why not?"

"Because even if they recognize me, there's nothing they can do. But if I get pissed off... well, they might not make it out alive. And then you become an accomplice."

Koyuki shot him another eye roll. She was quickly learning that nothing out of this boy's mouth could be taken seriously.

After all, in the eyes of any reasonable person, no five-year-old no matter how gifted could be a match for three full-grown ninja.

The trio of Leaf ninja sat down in the room next to theirs and started ordering like regulars.

As soon as their drinks arrived, they began chatting away.

"Been a while since I was in the Capital. Still as lively as ever."

"Last time was half a year ago, I think during that mission in the Grass Country, remember?"

"Yeah... missions from local nobles are always so dull. Guard duty or, like, walking dogs and finding lost cats."

"No kidding! Guess that means things are peaceful around here. Ha!"

"Might not last though..."

"What do you mean?"

"Idiot. You forgot what our current mission is? We're supposed to gather info on that kid."

"Oh right, that demon Naruto, wasn't it?"

They lowered their voices, but Koyuki had sharp ears and caught the name clearly.

She glanced at Naruto, who still showed no reaction, chewing calmly.

Koyuki shuffled closer to him, hoping to hear the conversation more clearly.

Naruto shot her a side glance, and she quickly looked away, feigning innocence.

"Can't believe it," one of the shinobi murmured. "That brat everyone's been calling 'the demon fox' for the past three years turned out to be..."

"Hey!" another interrupted.

"Ah sorry, sorry..."

The ninja scratched his head awkwardly.

Koyuki nearly jumped out of her seat, ready to slap him upside the head.

Turned out to be what?!

Finish your damn sentence!

"It's just info gathering though," one of them added. "He's still just a kid. Isn't it a bit much to mobilize this many people? And we're even forbidden from engaging him?"

"Don't forget what he's carrying..."

"Well... in the end it's the higher-ups playing with fire. We're the ones who suffer for it."

"Exactly. And it's hopeless anyway. I heard that kid already mastered the Flying Thunder God. That was the Fourth Hokage's signature technique!"

Koyuki sat in silence.

From the fragments of the conversation, she pieced together several key facts.

Naruto had indeed run away, and the Leaf was combing the land in search of him.

His identity was extremely unusual, connected to some kind of mysterious "thing" something he carried within him. And there seemed to be another hidden layer to who he really was...

Talk about mysterious origins... Who would've thought that random street kid I met had a backstory like this?

She returned to her seat, gaze fixed on Naruto, deep in thought.

So you ran away too...

Then maybe... just maybe... you'll understand how I feel?

She remembered that night fleeing her homeland in panic, terror twisting her chest like a vice. The image of Doto Kazahana haunted her like a nightmare.

That night had shattered her will to fight. She didn't want justice, revenge, or her throne back.

She just wanted to get away. Far, far away.

Somewhere no one knew her name.

Snow Country? Let it rot.

All she wanted was to live.

"You're getting emotional over some weird connection you think we share, aren't you?"

Naruto finally spoke, lifting his eyes mid-bite.

"Hatred, sorrow, fear your feelings are strong enough to mess with the taste of my food."

Koyuki kept her head down, her voice barely a whisper. "It's none of your business..."

Naruto sighed and said no more.

He understood. Emotional wounds like hers weren't something words could fix.

In the original story, her fear of Doto Kazahana was absolute. She truly believed he was unbeatable someone so powerful she didn't even consider resisting.

Power alone wouldn't change her mind.

Healing the heart takes the medicine of the heart...

If she couldn't overcome her own fear, then even if Naruto helped her a thousand times, it'd be like he never helped at all.

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NEXT CHAPTERS: Numb-Faced

is a delightfully offbeat and clever chapter that blends humor, pop culture, and heart in a way that only a Naruto reimagining could pull off. Centered around Naruto's surprise debut in the entertainment industry, the chapter introduces the real-world anime director Tensai Okamura as an in-universe character, creating a fun meta-layer for fans.

From shadow clones singing harmonies to a ninja-powered rendition of Ultraman Tiga's theme song with a hilarious Kurama twist this chapter is full of creative surprises. Naruto's casual blending of chakra tricks and music stuns everyone around him, including the eccentric but lovable director. The narrative also pokes fun at industry quirks, tsundere-tailed beasts, and Naruto's multilingual past life in a seamless, tongue-in-cheek way.

Smart, funny, and filled with charm, this chapter is a must-read for fans of Naruto who enjoy a fresh, humorous spin on the world especially those who love pop culture Easter eggs and chaotic genius energy.

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