I Am Uzumaki Menma Chapter 83 - 83 Menma And Naruto

"Hey hey, nma, don't you feel lonely living alone in such a big house?" On the engawa, Naruto, wrapped in a red scarf, exhaled white breath that dissipated into the winter night.

He glanced around the unfamiliar residence, the spacious engawa, the tatami rooms, it had seed so quiet even from the outside.

Naruto had known nma for nearly half a year now, but this was the first ti he had visited nma's ho.

Before, whenever he lingered at the street corner, he would overhear the neighbors gossiping: "The owner of this house is supposedly so big rchant, always away on business, leaving only his adopted son living here."

So Naruto couldn't help but notice how much larger, and emptier, the rooms behind nma were compared to his own tiny apartnt. The space was so vast that echoes could even be heard.

"Lonely?" nma sat on the edge of the engawa, leaning back with his hands supporting him, tilting his head up to watch the fireworks blooming in the night sky.

"It's not so bad, really." Having lived two, or rather three lives, nma's mindset was far more mature than his age. He had long grown accustod to spending New Year's alone.

In the orphanage during his early years, though the kids were noisy, it had been lively. Nono would even prepare New Year's gifts for the children.

As for the fifteen years in the Limited Tsukuyomi World, nma had always felt it was fake… like so Genjutsu cast by that bastard Obito to keep him from causing trouble.

But his very existence couldn't be explained away so easily.

"What about you, Naruto?" Still leaning back, nma turned his head to look at Naruto's perpetually bright and cheerful face, "How's life treating you, living alone?"

"?" Being asked about himself, Naruto felt a warmth in his chest. He scratched the back of his head and grinned, "I'm doing alright too! Even though I don't have parents and I've always lived alone, spending holidays by myself… I'm used to it."

Children in the Ninja World matured early, so it wasn't strange for these words to co from a four-year-old Naruto.

Growl~

A loud growl erupted from Naruto's stomach, making his face flush slightly.

"Co on, I haven't had dinner yet either. Let's eat together." nma stood up and opened the sliding door.

Naruto scrambled to his feet as well, his eyes lighting up when he spotted the dishes covered by a food cloche on the table.

"Sit down first. I'll go heat up the food." nma lifted the cloche and touched the plates, finding them a bit cold, so he told Naruto to wait.

These dishes had been prepared earlier by the hired won, who had co specifically to cook for nma today. There were both hot and cold dishes.

After all, the two won had families of their own, so they needed to return ho for the New Year's celebrations.

nma had asked them to prepare so food, handed each of them a bonus, and then sent them off early to spend the holiday with their loved ones.

The two won had even felt a little guilty about leaving, so they had made sure to prepare an extra lavish spread.

nma had initially thought it was too much… there was no way he could finish all this food alone, and most of it would probably go to waste.

But now that Naruto was here, it worked out perfectly.

Naruto, who was invited, carefully took off his shoes and stepped inside the dining area.

He looked around curiously before climbing onto one of the chairs.

Naruto couldn't help but sighed. Compared to his own ho, this place was huge… it even had a dedicated dining room and kitchen.

After a short while, nma reheated a few of the dishes in the microwave, then pulled out two sets of bowls and chopsticks from the kitchen and began setting the table.

The whole ti, Naruto watched with admiration as nma moved between the kitchen and dining room.

Once he placed a bowl of ozoni (T/N: New Year's soup with mochi) in front of Naruto, nma finally took his own seat.

At four years old, both boys were still quite small compared to the table and chairs… Naruto even had to stand on his chair to reach properly.

"Do you rember what to say before eating?" nma glanced at Naruto beside him.

"Mhm!" Naruto grinned, clasping his hands together, his voice louder than the fireworks outside: "Itadakimasu!"

nma also pressed his palms together: "Itadakimasu."

With the pre-al ritual complete, the two picked up their chopsticks and dug in.

Naruto, who had always lived alone, rarely got to eat such fresh, hot als. He eagerly grabbed bites of this and that, barely able to contain his excitent.

Noticing that Naruto was mostly eating at, nma nudged a plate of vegetables toward him, "Being picky isn't good. Make sure to eat your veggies too."

Naruto, mid-bite into a piece of beef, froze when the vegetables were pushed his way.

This feeling of being cared for made Naruto's nose a little sore.

"Mhm! Thank you, nma!" Naruto sniffled a little before picking up the vegetables and shoveling them into his mouth: "So good!"

Even though he used to hate vegetables, the warmth of being looked after like this… it felt amazing!

…

Sarutobi Clan's compound.

After dinner, Hiruzen refilled his pipe with tobacco, lit it, and walked toward his study while puffing away.

Behind him, in the kitchen and living room, his daughter-in-law was busy cleaning up, while his eldest son sat on the sofa reading the newspaper.

Ever since his wife, Biwako, had died in the Nine-Tails Rampage, and his youngest son had left the village after their worsening conflicts, this house had felt like sothing was missing.

Returning to his study, Hiruzen sat at his desk and placed a crystal ball on its surface, activating the [Telescope Technique].

"Might as well check in on little Naruto. I hope he isn't too lonely." The figure of little Naruto gradually began to appear on the crystal ball in front of Hiruzen.

"Hm? This room… doesn't look like Naruto's place." Hiruzen quickly noticed sothing off. When he adjusted the view slightly, he spotted another small figure sitting across the table.

"Did he go to visit nma? Ah, right… nma is an orphan too." Hiruzen recalled that the wealthy rchant who had adopted nma was always too busy with business to stay in the village for long.

Seeing the two boys alone in such a large house made Hiruzen's heart ache.

However, when he noticed the lavish spread of dishes on their table, which is even more extravagant than his own family's New Year's feast, Hiruzen couldn't help but chuckle.

'It seems that allowing nma to interact with Naruto is the right choice.' Hiruzen puffed on his pipe.

He was well aware of how Naruto was treated in the village.

He even knew who was spreading the rumors that Naruto was the incarnation of the Nine-tailed Demon Fox.

But Hiruzen could never publicly reveal Naruto's true identity.

During the Third Great Ninja War, Minato had killed countless enemy shinobi, so many from other villages still held grudges.

Not to ntion, Naruto is the Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki.

Hiruzen believed that while this upbringing was harsh, Naruto would grow up strong.

'In two more years, Naruto will be six… old enough to enter the Ninja Academy.' Hiruzen pondered, 'Every clan had children around Naruto's age.'

'Their generation could start forming bonds at the Academy.'

'And Naruto would need a proper teacher to instill the Will of Fire in him.'

'As for nma…' Hiruzen's aged eyes fixed on the boy in the crystal ball. He rembered the report Shikaku had submitted when processing the boy's adoption.

The Chakra test had revealed his affinity for Fire Release, aning he had ninja talent.

'He could be enrolled in the academy as well.'

Suddenly, in the crystal ball, nma glanced up at the ceiling before returning to his al.

'His perception is not bad either.' Hiruzen lowered his pipe, exhaling a slow stream of smoke, his smile deepening with quiet amusent.