TPMITWON Chapter 24: Dinner

Souta's stomach rumbled softly, reminding him that he hadn't had dinner yet. The night before, Souta had gone straight to bed after cleaning himself up, too tired and still struggling to believe that it was his first day in the world of Naruto.

However, this time, Souta knew that his body needed food. After a day of training, he needed to replenish his energy.

With a relaxed stride, Souta stepped out of his apartment and walked down the streets of Sunagakure. Sunagakure was never truly quiet, even at night.

A few residents were gathered in front of small shops, chatting casually after a long day. There were also others like Souta—looking for dinner.

After a few minutes of walking, a mouthwatering aroma suddenly wafted into Souta's nose. The smell was so strong, a blend of rich broth with the distinctive slightly spicy spices of Sunagakure. Souta's stomach immediately reacted, and without hesitation, he followed the source of the aroma.

Finally, Souta found a simple food stall. The stall consisted only of a tent with a wooden frame and a few wooden chairs and long tables.

Oil lamps hung in several corners, providing dim lighting that created a warm atmosphere. The sound of clattering cooking utensils could be heard from the small kitchen behind the tent, accompanied by the increasingly tempting aroma of food.

The stall was quite busy, but there were still a few empty seats. Souta chose a spot that was somewhat secluded, and not long after, a teenage boy around fifteen or seventeen years old approached Souta with a friendly expression.

"Hey, would you like to order food?" the boy asked.

"Yes, is there a menu?" Souta asked while glancing around, noticing several customers who seemed to be enjoying their meals.

"Of course, here’s the menu for this place," the boy replied, handing over a slightly crumpled but still legible menu.

Souta looked at the fairly long list. There were various options of Sunagakure specialties, ranging from spiced soup, roasted meat, to rice-based dishes and porridge.

After considering for a moment, Souta finally chose something simple—a porridge with small pieces of eagle meat. Besides being cheap, this dish seemed quite filling. Souta also ordered a glass of cold water to accompany it.

"Alright, please wait a moment," the boy said before heading to the kitchen to prepare the order.

Souta waited in silence, enjoying the calmness of the night. However, not long after, Souta's eyes caught sight of someone he recognized. It was Pakura.

At the same time, Pakura also spotted Souta. Their gazes met for a moment before Souta smiled slightly. Without hesitation, Pakura walked over to Souta.

"So you're having dinner here too?" Souta asked.

"Yes, I always come to this place for dinner," Pakura replied with a nod.

"Is that so?" Souta murmured. At least now he knew Pakura's favorite place for dinner.

Before long, the teenage boy returned with Souta's order. However, upon seeing Pakura, the boy's expression brightened.

"Oh, Pakura's little brother! You came right on time today, as usual. So, the usual?" the boy said in a familiar tone.

"Yes, please make it the usual," Pakura replied briefly.

The boy nodded before heading back to the kitchen. Souta glanced at the boy, noting his appearance—dark purple hair with brown eyes, wearing a simple brown shirt and black pants.

"Do you know that boy well?" Souta asked.

"Yes, that's brother Takuma," Pakura answered without much elaboration.

"Takuma?" Souta murmured as he began to taste his porridge.

As soon as the first bite entered Souta's mouth, he was immediately taken aback.