After school, Naruto headed straight to the ramen shop. He slurped his noodles quickly.
Meanwhile, Kasi had already prepared Naruto's room for the surprise party. Balloons, streamers, and small snacks were ready. His little group of friends — Shikamaru, Ino, Choji, Hinata, Shino, and Kiba — had already arrived, curious about who had organized everything. Their parents had told them it was okay to go, so they followed instructions without much hesitation.
Shikamaru, as usual, was already thinking a few steps ahead. Hmm… who is this person? he mused, glancing at the decorations and little setup. They must be related to Naruto somehow.
When Naruto finally got home, he froze. First, the birthday wishes from friends, and now… a surprise party? His mouth hung open.
From the village office, Hiruzen watched through his crystal ball, furrowing his brows. He didn't move, just observed quietly.
Naruto's surprise quickly turned to happiness, then emotion. His eyes were wide, his hands trembling a little. "Th… thank you, everyone!" he said, voice shaking.
Shikamaru crossed his arms, muttering, "What a drag…" but added quickly, "We're your friends, aren't we?"
Naruto nodded, still trying to absorb everything. "Yeah… but who organized this? Who planned all this?"
Hinata, as shy as ever, spoke in a soft, low voice. "A… a yellow-haired person… came to our houses and spoke to our parents about it."
Kiba, Choji, and Shino all nodded in agreement. Ino shrugged, adding, "Yeah, same here.
Naruto's eyes widened. Who could it be? he thought, looking around the room, unsure.Naruto stood in the middle of his room, dazed. He had been shunned, discriminated against, ignored, and glared at with hatred and disgust for as long as he could remember. And now… here were all these friends, celebrating him.
A strange warmth filled his chest. Is this… what it feels like when someone actually makes an effort for me? he thought. His eyes grew a little moist.
"Where… where is he now?" Naruto asked, still looking around.
Shikamaru shrugged. "He was here just now… but before you got here, he disappeared."
Naruto frowned, puzzled. Disappeared? Who could do all this and vanish like that?
Kiba clapped his hands together. "Let's enjoy the party! Cut the cake!"
Choji nodded excitedly. Shino stood calmly, saying nothing, just observing.
They started eating, laughing, and playing together. For the first time, Naruto felt like he truly belonged somewhere, like he was part of a group that genuinely cared for him.
But not everyone in the village was happy.
Far away, under the instigation of Danzo, a mob had formed. They were angry, ready to throw stones and, if they could, give Naruto a beating. Their hatred had not gone away, and they were waiting for the chance to act.
Naruto laughed and played with his friends, completely unaware of the mob coming to disturb his little celebration.