"You okay, Naruto?"
"Ah, um, yes! Of course, I am fine, Dattebayo!" Naruto showed a bright smile as he answered Suzuki's question.
Suzuki looked at Naruto for a moment, trying to look at Naruto's expression before he asked, "We're going to have a BBQ after this, do you want to come? It's my treat."
"Eh? Your treat?!"
Gulp!
Naruto gulped for a moment, thinking of the delicious meat, knowing that with his money, it was impossible to buy a BBQ, and naturally nodded. "Okay!"
"...." Everyone.
While Suzuki wasn't surprised by Naruto's answer, everyone was speechless, wondering whether Naruto had no shame after Naruto had failed to become a ninja, but thinking that it was their last time that they might meet Naruto, considering Naruto would retake another year of school, which was Suzuki was jealous about, as Suzuki didn't really want to graduate, everyone went to the BBQ, as they ate a lot, especially Hinata, who didn't really hold back with her appetite anymore.
Yup, being with him had made her braver, and as Suzuki had said, no one really judged her by eating a lot, but what she didn't know was that she was someone with a high status, a princess of the Hyuga Clan, which was practically a noble family in the Konoha, so how could the others dare to laugh, right?
Still, while Hina was good, Suzuki tried to observe Naruto more, who appeared to be less gloomy, or rather, he couldn't see Naruto getting depressed at all.
'No, is it even possible for him to get depressed?'
Suzuki had been observing Naruto for a while, and while it was wrong of him to say this, he felt that Naruto had a certain toxic positivity trait, which made Naruto always stay positive, sunny, and bright, no matter what would happen, and erased all the horrible thoughts from his mind as if they never existed.
'What a pitiful guy...'
Suzuki sighed inwardly, but he knew that he didn't have time to care about the others, as his life was still in the mercy of others. Also, if he was too close to Naruto, he was afraid that he would attract unwanted attention, so he decided to just quit when it was time for them to finish their meal.
"Where are you going after this, Suzuki?" Naruto quickly asked.
"I am going to work." Suzuki paid the money for everyone, then put his wallet back in his pocket.
"Work? Aren't you working too much?" Shikamaru yawned as he looked at Suzuki incredulously.
"I am not from a big family like you, who gets pocket money every month."
"...." Shikamaru.
"Do your best, Suzuki-kun," Hinata smiled softly as she tried to encourage him.
"Thank you, Hinata. Your father is waiting for you, right? You should go back early."
"Um." Hina nodded.
"You too, Ino."
"Why is mine so plain like that?!"
"...."
Suzuki rolled his eyes, then changed his tone. "You, too, be careful on your way home, Ino. Your parents are waiting, right?"
Ino was satisfied, then asked, "Then, do you want to visit my place? They are okay with you joining, you know?"
"..." Everyone.
Still, Shikamaru and Chouji gave a thumbs up.
"Let's do it next time since I am too busy now."
Suzuki didn't lie as he was about to expand his business, from hospitality, real estate, then charcoal, then he got another new idea.
"Okay."
Ino didn't force him, as she knew that Suzuki was busy, or rather, she had seen him working, and he was kind of handsome, even if he wasn't the most handsome one.
"But my parents want to see you. Is that okay?"
"...okay."
Suzuki nodded, then glanced at Shikamaru, who gave him a thumbs up, before he looked at Hinata, who just smiled.
"....."
"Then, I will go back first. See you all tomorrow."
Suzuki was still a child, 12 years old, so why should he think about those things, right?
Regardless, as he left, no one stayed, and they all left to their own places as they talked about their ninja life tomorrow, and also what Suzuki planned to do with his business.
"Will he start a new business?"
"There is a chance."
"What do you think it is, Shikamaru?"
"...I don't know, but I think that it will make a good amount of money for him."
Shikamaru wasn't sure what kind of business Suzuki would do, but he knew well that the guy definitely wouldn't aim for one that made less money, yet still offered steady, stable profit, so Suzuki wouldn't attract the greed of others.
"So, go and get him, Ino!"
"...I am not for him for money, but I... I... thank you, Shikamaru."
"Don't worry. With my brain, he can't leave you."
"THANK YOU VERY MUCH!"
"...." Suzuki.
Nevertheless, as everyone left, Naruto was alone, and once again, he was filled with loneliness, as he realized that after this, he would be left behind, and they wouldn't be together anymore, especially when he didn't pass the graduation exam, and when he thought that intense loneliness that he would have, as he would be all alone—
"Naruto."
"M-Mizuki-sensei?"
Mizuki, one of the teachers of the ninja school, approached Naruto with a gentle, loving smile. "Do you want to retake the exam?"
At that moment, Naruto listened to the devil's whisper.
Meanwhile, Suzuki, even if he knew, wouldn't feel panic, because he knew that no matter what happened, Naruto would be okay.
Why did he have such confidence?
Don't ask him, okay?
The answer was obvious; instead of thinking about those things, he started a business making medical tools, especially when he saw the products of the current medical tools had a different quality among them, yet it was normal, as they were made by hand, being crafted by the craftsmen, which made them expensive, and quality impairment as a human wasn't static, and even the best craftmens would make a mistake when they were tired, sick, or even just bored, so to go beyond, he decided to make a factory.
Yup, the first factory in the world of Naruto, and with the help of "Manager," which was simply the AI that helped him with many things, and along with the connections he had with the other him, in the modern world, he knew what he should do to make this factory.
Still, while having money was good, Suzuki knew that power was more important, and because of that, he tried to use the jutsu that was given by Hiruzen, looking at it, thinking about what jutsu he could develop from it until—
Knock! Knock! Knock!
"Who?"
"Suzuki-kun, are you there? I am Iruka!"
The sound of the loud knocking door was heard, yet unexpectedly, the one who knocked on the door was his teacher, Iruka Umino.
"Iruka-sensei? What's wrong?"
Still, wearing his lounge kimono as he was resting in his living room, Iruka appeared to be in a panic and apologized, "Sorry to bother you, but did you see Naruto?"
"....." Suzuki.
Yup, the plot didn't seem to move away from Naruto at all.