As soon as Inari's words fell, the faces of everyone, who were still immersed in the warm atmosphere, suddenly froze. Even the atmosphere at the dining table was like falling into an ice cave, and it instantly dropped below zero.

"This kid has stepped on a minefield perfectly...... Naruto hadn't tasted any pain or anything, and he really dared to say it. ”

The moment he heard Inari's words, Kakashi, who had always been moody, was visibly surprised and his eyes widened. It wasn't until he was silent for a long time that he slowly let go of his fist that he clenched involuntarily. He shook his head lightly with a smile and turned his gaze to the figure of Naruto who was still lying on the table with his eyes closed, closing his eyes. While secretly in his heart, he whispered guilty and self-reproachful.

"The pain that this child has tasted since the moment he was born...... But it's much more than all of us combined......"

Of course, spending a long time with Naruto made Kakashi know that Naruto's mental strength was also unmatched. So much so that Kakashi believed that in the face of Inari's emotional out-of-control questioning words, Naruto must have his own solution. Even vaguely in his heart, he always inexplicably thought that the current scene was still expected by Naruto, and he didn't refute anything. just secretly restrained the stunned look on his face, and chose to watch silently.

"Yi ...... Inari! What are you messing around! How can you talk to Naruto like that......"

It's just that at the same time...... Compared to Kakashi, who has more or less guessed a little bit of the inside story in his heart. As for Naruto's character, Dazna, who still only knows one thing and doesn't know the other, is obviously almost frightened by the actions of his precious grandson. So much so that while feeling like crying without tears in his heart, he was afraid that Naruto would get angry or hold a grudge against Inari's Dazna, so he hurriedly scolded angrily, while frequently signaling his eyes, trying to make his precious grandson, who was on the verge of death and repeatedly jumping sideways and trying madly, wake up from the precipice.

"Why don't you apologize to Naruto? If you are so rude, your grandfather will be angry! ”

"Whew...... Ann, ah, child, child, I won't go to my heart. ”

Fortunately, Inari's emotional outbursts, and the mocking words he uttered, were nothing more than a pediatric-level existence for Naruto, who had been accustomed to cold words since he was a child, under the "enthusiastic care" of the residents of Konoha Ninja Village. So much so that as soon as Dazna's words fell, Naruto took a deep breath and suppressed his complicated feelings. He smiled as he bent his eyes to soothe the panicked Dazna. While raising his hand naturally, he quietly pressed on the leg of the small fan under the cover of the table, and completely angered the best friend who was completely angered by Inari's complaining words, and rubbed his hands, obviously planning to give Inari a "love education", quietly pressed on his seat, without the slightest movement. After a slight pause, he slowly opened the eyelids that were like lead. In order to meet Inari's disgusted gaze, he continued softly word by word.

I see, that is, I don't want to make any changes, I just cry and cry all day long, and make myself like the protagonist of a tragedy...... Is this the most authentic side of you? Inari? ”

"You...... What do you mean by that? I want to pretend to be ...... again."

"Don't be in such a hurry, Inari, I'm not done yet...... Before answering your question, let me ask you a question. ”

Knowing the warmth and coldness of human feelings, Naruto can more or less understand how much the little guy in front of him who is emotionally out of control has been hit when he witnessed the death of his stepfather. So much so that the gentle tone of Naruto's words, from beginning to end, did not fade in the slightest. On the contrary, he seemed to be worried that his next remarks would stimulate Inari again, and he became a little softer. Then with that clear and soft eyes, he looked at Inari without dodging or dodging, so that he could slowly calm down, and then asked again as if he had a finger.

"If you cry all day long, can you make up for what has happened and the people you have lost?"

"Huh? This...... This ......"

Because when he looked closely, not only from Naruto's face, but also from the slightest hint of anger. On the contrary, from this warm and gentle smile, a sense of relief and comfort inexplicably emerged, which made Inari open his mouth wide in shock, but at this moment, he didn't know how to respond to Naruto's words. So much so that he was silent for a while, and under the influence of his stepfather's teachings in the past, he pursed his lips and bit his lips, and muttered word by word.

"No...... No...... But......! ”

"So, here comes the problem again, Inari ......"

Inari subconsciously, the answer blurted out was obviously the answer that Naruto deliberately guided and wanted to hear. So much so that the smile in his eyes became more and more vigorous, and at the same time, he dragged his weak body and stood up from the dining table. With his hands on his hips, he grinned and showed a brighter smile at Inari, who still had some tears on his face.

"Since you are crying, you can't have a slight impact on what has happened...... On the other hand, why not smile less and keep yourself in a good mood to face the new day? ”

"I ...... I...... Shh It's such useless pretty things again! ”

Naruto's brighter smile, combined with the contagious words of reassurance, made Inari's heart, which had begun to gradually thaw in the process of getting along with Naruto and his party, gradually showed signs of complete collapse, obviously subconsciously, the words that Naruto said, silently recognized and accepted. It's just that because he had just thrown cruel words at Naruto not long ago, the childish Inari retorted again with a straight mouth like a broken jar.

"I'm ...... Watching his father get ...... Given by Cardo...... How can a guy like you understand my pain......

"No, you're wrong...... Naruto, this guy should be the one who understands you the most among us. ”

It's a pity that compared to Naruto, who has a pleasant face. Under Naruto's stopping, Fang barely endured, and without the small fan that was angry at Inari, he obviously didn't have Naruto's good temper. So much so that although Naruto, who sensed that something was wrong, frequently signaled to the small fan with his eyes the moment Inari spoke. But his eyes were still slightly narrowed, and with that rather disdainful indifferent look, he stared at Inari's figure at the same time, and without waiting for Naruto to say something in response, he sneered coldly to himself.

"Losing his father is the worst child in the world? Hmph, don't make me laugh, idiot......"

Don't forget, even if Naruto intervened halfway, the current little fan did not grow into an extremely cold and withdrawn personality like the original book, and even Naruto and Sakura, who were teammates, were difficult to approach. But in the final analysis, the bones of Xiao Tuanfan, who is himself from the Uchiha clan and the son of the patriarch, naturally inherited the innate arrogance of the Uchiha clan without omission. It's just that in the company of Naruto, in order to avoid being preached and disgusted by Naruto, in front of others, he tried his best to restrain this superior pride.

In other words, when facing acquaintances, they can only be regarded as barely able to communicate normally, but they are still more or less reticent...... If it weren't for Naruto's strange attitude towards Inari that was almost unconditionally tolerant in the past few days, Xiao Tuan Fan felt quite suspicious. And knowing that Naruto would never choose to endure for no reason, he planned to wait and see what was hidden in it? Inari, who is not related to Naruto and frequently speaks disrespectfully to Naruto, is probably like his grandfather, who was intimidated by Xiao Tuan's fan, and even directly pressed and rubbed on the ground, right?

"You have memories of getting along with your father and enjoying the warmth of your father's love. Even if you lose your father, don't you still have your grandfather and mother who care and love you, and they are always by your side? ”

Because of this, the small group of fans whose anger bar has reached a critical point has obviously completely worn out the last trace of patience in Inari's self-righteous accusatory words. And as time passed, the face of Naruto, who had long been by his side since childhood, as his own brother, began to become more and more cold and hideous, and he sneered without any sympathy at all.

"So, instead of crying, you should steal the fun...... After all, what you said in your mouth, this super invincible idiot who only laughs all day long, has lost his parents since the day he was born! In other words, even if you want to find someone to compare with in order to win sympathy, you are looking for the wrong person! Because Naruto, he's so much worse than you! You useless crybaby! ”

With the angry words of the small fan, the moment he blurted out. Except for Kakashi and the others, who already knew the inside story, the faces of the others suddenly stiffened completely. Then he turned his head a little in unison, and looked directly at Naruto with a stunned face. Trying to combine this from beginning to end, except for being serious in the face of some difficult situations, most of the time, Naruto, who is almost always a carefree smile, and the poor orphan who lost his parents since childhood, as Xiao Tuan said, these two diametrically opposed human images, are combined and overlapped!

"Liar...... Lie......"

Of course, in the face of this shocking truth. Inari, who originally spoke out openly and accused, was naturally the most affected existence among these people. So much so that Inari, who was gradually calming down in Naruto's gentle appeasement, was suddenly unable to confide in the stubborn accusations that had gradually brewed in his heart. Instead, he covered his mouth with his hands and whimpered intermittently.

After all, the pain of losing his father is enough to make Inari's personality change a hundred and eighty degrees...... made Inari, who empathized, dare not imagine it at all......

If at the beginning, he was like Naruto, without any relatives to accompany and spoil him......

Even once...... Can you have the courage to smile like Naruto?

"Well, although Sasuke's tone is not particularly good...... But I can assure you that everything he says is the truth. And you have seen it...... Even with such a past, Naruto has never complained about others, has he ever complained to others? ”

At the same time, in the face of the angry accusations of the small fan, Kakashi, who also attaches great importance to Naruto, although he doesn't say it, but in his heart, while acquiescing to Sasuke's performance, he is secretly snickering in the bottom of his heart. So much so that faintly, after hearing Inari's unbelievable whispers, he took over the conversation with a smile and continued in a gentle voice unpleasantly.

In fact, even as a teacher, I have never seen this child become decadent, angry, or cry because of his innate unfortunate fate, but have been constantly trying to change his fate. Even when others need help, he always reaches out to them without hesitation and does everything he can to help them......"

"So I think this precocious and distressing child has cried enough from the moment he became sensible......"

"Hey...... It's not something to brag about, so why say it? It's embarrassing ......."

As for Xiao Tuan Fan and Kakashi pretending to be black-faced and red-faced characters respectively, they were obviously deliberately teasing Inari's appearance, so that Naruto, who had no time to stop him, suddenly showed an embarrassed look that couldn't be laughed or cried. So much so that after raising his hand on his forehead, he complained softly to Xiao Tuan Fan and Kakashi angrily, and then met Inari's eyes, which gradually let down his guard and guard, and began to soften rapidly. While sorting out the complex emotions in his heart, he looked at Inari again. While bending his eyes and laughing, he spread his hands, pretending to be innocent and joking gently.

"Well, though, by that time, you should know, Inari?"

"For the 'like-minded'...... It's hard for me to do whatever I want. ”

(End of chapter)