**Chapter 14: Hinata's Little Thoughts**
"Hey, Hinata!"
Boredly strolling down the street, Naruto spotted a striking figure ahead and immediately recognized Hinata.
"Ah..."
Hinata turned with a soft gasp, her cheeks flushing crimson. "Nar... Naruto-kun, good morning."
"Morning!" Naruto jogged over to her, clasping his hands behind his head. "Heading to the assembly point too?"
"Y-yes..." Hinata forced an awkward smile.
"Have you had breakfast yet?" Naruto asked casually.
"I was just about to..." Hinata mumbled, her face still flushed.
"Perfect! I haven't eaten either. Let's go together!" Naruto suggested.
"Ah... okay... Naruto-kun..." Hinata stammered, her blush creeping up to her ears.
"Great! Let's go." Naruto naturally took Hinata's hand and started walking. "How about Ichiraku Ramen? Eating noodles for breakfast is good for you, you know! Hinata, Hinata!"
"Huh?"
Hinata, still dazed, snapped awake at Naruto's call, responding absentmindedly.
"I said, how about we go get some ramen?" Naruto repeated, inwardly muttering, "When did Hinata get so easily distracted?"
"Oh... okay..."
Hinata's heart pounded in her chest, her breathing slightly uneven as she replied, her palms sweating profusely.
The moment Naruto had taken her hand, Hinata's mind had gone blank with a *boom*, and she nearly fainted. Even now, her consciousness remained hazy; she probably wouldn't notice if Naruto sold her off right then and there.
"Hey, Uncle! Sister Ayame! I'm back!" Naruto shouted as they approached the ramen shop.
"Oh, it's Naruto," the Ichiraku Ramen shop owner said, strolling out from the back room.
"Two bowls of ramen—one large, one extra-large!" Naruto called out.
"Alright, I'll get them ready right away."
The owner nodded, muttering to himself, "How many days has it been since I last saw Naruto? And he's already got a new girlfriend? Ah, these young people these days... And this girl here..."
"Hinata, make sure you eat plenty later, okay?" Naruto said, smiling at Hinata, who was sitting stiffly beside him. "And relax a little! What's with the tension?"
"O-okay..." Hinata managed to squeak out, her voice barely audible.
*Such a shy little thing,* Naruto thought, chuckling inwardly.
"Naruto, your ramen's here! As usual, you get a 20% discount today."
A gentle voice called out, as refreshing as a spring breeze.
"Oh, hey Sister Ayame! Thanks for your hard work." Naruto greeted her with a smile as she gracefully approached.
"No need to thank me, Naruto, sweetie. Is this your girlfriend?" Ayame placed two bowls of ramen—one large, one extra-large—in front of Hinata and Naruto, then set the tray aside and leaned against Naruto.
"Heh, well, not quite yet..." Naruto scratched his head, his words betraying his true intentions.
*Not yet, but soon enough.*
"Little Naruto, you're being modest for once?"
Ayame draped her delicate, lotus-like arm around Naruto's shoulder, a mischievous smile playing on her lips. "Isn't that right, little sister?"
"Ah... um... I..."
Hinata, still flustered by Naruto and Ayame's bold conversation, felt her heart leap at the question. Her cheeks flushed crimson as she stammered, unable to form a coherent sentence.
"Uh... Sister Ayame, let's drop this topic. Hinata's easily embarrassed..." Naruto glanced at Hinata, who was still staring at the floor, and scratched his head awkwardly, forcing a smile.
"Aww, little Naruto's learned to be possessive, has he?" Ayame leaned closer, her fair, delicate face inches from his, and whispered with a fragrant breath, "You little rascal, the girl you brought here the other day was different from today's, wasn't she? I didn't realize you were such a player."
"Sister Ayame, I..." Naruto glanced at Ayame's face, so close he could feel her breath, then quickly averted his gaze from her pure yet subtly alluring features.
"Hehe, are you shy?" Ayame teased, reaching out to gently rub Naruto's cheek. "Alright, I won't interrupt you and your little girlfriend's bonding time. I'm off now, giggling."
With a final playful gesture, Ayame leaned in and nipped Naruto's earlobe, sending a shiver through his entire body.
"I... I..." Naruto stammered, watching Ayame float away with a "resentful" gaze and a thoroughly frustrated expression.
So far, only the daring Ayame had managed to take advantage of Naruto. This was largely because he was surrounded by young girls just beginning to awaken to romantic feelings.
While things were going smoothly for him now, he was in for a rude awakening when he encountered more mature and alluring women. If he couldn't handle Ayame, what chance did he stand against them?
It had to be said: Naruto's experience in the dating world was still at the beginner level. He hadn't even seen the big leagues yet.
"Hinata, eat more! Why aren't you eating?"
Still flustered by Ayame's teasing, Naruto turned his attention to devouring his ramen, seeking a small outlet for his frustration.
But when he finished his extra-large bowl of ramen and glanced at Hinata, he noticed her bowl was still mostly untouched, which struck him as odd.
"Ah..."
Startled by Naruto's sudden remark, Hinata's chopsticks slipped from her grasp and clattered to the floor.
"Hinata, you seem a little distracted," Naruto said, looking at her with concern.
"N-no... I'm fine..." Hinata stammered, waving her hands frantically, her eyes darting around.
"Here, hurry up and eat. You can use my chopsticks," Naruto said, handing her his chopsticks.
"Th-thank you," Hinata murmured, gently taking the chopsticks and picking at her ramen halfheartedly.
"Sister Ayame, another bowl!" Naruto shouted toward the kitchen.
"Okay, just a moment!" Ayame's cheerful voice called back.
Soon, Ayame emerged with another extra-large bowl of ramen and placed it in front of Naruto.
"Uh... Sister Ayame, could I get another pair of chopsticks? Hinata's just fell on the ground, and we're one short now."
Naruto stared dumbly at the bowl of ramen. Was he supposed to eat it with his hands?
"Hehe, no can do, little brother. Figure it out yourself."
Ayame leaned down, blew a fragrant breath onto Naruto's cheek, and sashayed away with a playful giggle.
"Uh..."
Naruto shot another "resentful" glance at Ayame before turning to Hinata with a thick-skinned grin. "Uh... Hinata, could I borrow your chopsticks for a sec?"
"Oh..." Hinata murmured softly, lifting her chopsticks from the broth and handing them to Naruto.
"Careful, the broth's dripping!" Naruto quickly took the chopsticks and popped them into his mouth, only to pull them out a moment later. "Not bad! Pretty tasty. Hey, Sister Ayame, your Ichiraku Ramen is getting better and better!"
"Maybe it tastes so good because your little girlfriend used them?" Ayame teased with a coquettish smile, watching the scene unfold.
"Hmm... you're right," Naruto nodded in agreement.
*Thump!*
Hinata's head drooped lower and lower until she accidentally bumped it against the counter.
"Hinata, you're so clumsy! Here, let me rub it for you." Naruto gently pulled Hinata into a hug and pressed his hand lightly against her slightly reddened forehead.
*Boom!*
Another thunderous roar erupted in Hinata's mind, and she finally lost consciousness.
"Uh..." Naruto froze mid-motion.
"Hehe... Little brother, your new girlfriend is quite amusing." Ayame burst into unrestrained laughter, leaving Naruto utterly mortified.
"Mature beauties are terrifying..." Naruto muttered weakly, staring at Ayame. "Even though her figure is... so perfect..."
...............
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(End of Chapter)