The second day at Raftra Kitchen went smoothly. Faces that had been unable to get a seat yesterday now deliberately arrived earlier, unwilling to repeat their disappointment.
Behind the kitchen counter, Raftra measured spices, made sure the rice didn't clump, and checked that the frying oil was hot. Every few minutes he peered outside to ensure customers' orders were being served.
"Two more fried rice," Kakashi called from the register without turning, his hand still writing in the notebook.
"Okay," Raftra answered briefly as he stirred the wok.
The bustle continued until just before midday. When the line finally eased, the shop door opened again. Naruto came rushing in, his face bright with a grin.
Raftra, still holding the spatula, glanced over with a teasing smile. "Free-meal contract limit is three times a day, okay?"
Naruto chuckled and scratched his head. "Thanks! I'm going to eat a lot today."
He took the seat by the window and ordered fried rice and breaded chicken without hesitation. Kakashi only glanced at him and made no comment—he knew very well that the "contract" was just Raftra's way of making Naruto comfortable.
Naruto's order was ready within minutes. Raftra himself carried the plate and set it down with a casual, "Eat up—don't let it go cold." Naruto nodded eagerly and dug in.
As evening approached and the sun leaned toward the horizon, the shop door opened once more. Tsunade and Shizune stepped inside and chose a table not far from Naruto.
Raftra wiped his hands and approached with a friendly tone. "You came earlier this time, Lady Tsunade, Shizune-san..."
Tsunade offered a slight smile as she scanned the menu. "Yes, I didn't want to be late like yesterday."
Naruto, still holding his chopsticks, turned his head. "What will you have?" he asked innocently.
"Spaghetti and breaded chicken," Tsunade answered as she closed the menu.
Naruto gave a thumbs-up. "Good choice!" he laughed.
Light conversation filled the table. Tsunade asked about Naruto's progress at the academy; Shizune chimed in occasionally with questions about his basic drills.
Naruto answered enthusiastically, talking about his strict teacher, classmates, and other small daily things.
Raftra watched quietly while preparing their order.
Inwardly he mused, 'It would be useful if I could bring Naruto closer to Tsunade and Shizune. This moment can be exploited without making them feel forced.'
A few minutes later the order arrived. Raftra intentionally placed the plates in the same manner as before and responded to every compliment from Tsunade and Shizune with an easy laugh. He played his role lightly and—almost without noticing—seeded closeness between Naruto, Tsunade, and Shizune.
The table's atmosphere warmed; Naruto grew less awkward and the three of them seemed at ease.
'The manipulation is small, but it's working smoothly,' Raftra thought as he returned to the kitchen.
'Every word I say, every gesture I make, is to speed up their bond.'
'It's tricky—Tsunade is sharp and will catch on if I'm too aggressive. That's the challenge. I must stay consistent.'
At the register, Kakashi only glanced over. His fingers tapped the notebook lightly.
'The kid is playing a game. After drawing Naruto closer to the Hokage, now he's arranging for Naruto to bond with Tsunade and Shizune,' Kakashi thought.
'I still don't know if he genuinely cares or if he merely enjoys orchestrating things.'
The shop remained lively: small laughs and the smell of cooking filled the room. Day two passed, and Raftra's small scheme continued without major hiccup.
….
The next morning—day three—the shop felt very different from the previous two days. From dawn, footsteps at the door were steadier than before. Those who'd hesitated earlier, or who had only heard gossip, were now curious and wanted to try for themselves.
Raftra prepared the kitchen at first light: spices measured, woks hot, rice warmed. When the door opened, the aroma greeted the first customers.
The first wave quickly gave way to the next. Dishes moved in and out without long pauses. Kakashi, who had been sitting at the register with a book, finally joined the flow: taking orders, calling out names, occasionally delivering plates to tables.
By midday most seats were filled.
"Whew, it's getting busier today," Raftra said, wiping sweat with a clean cloth as he scanned the packed room.
Beside him, Kakashi sat casually and rolled his stiff shoulder. "Have you heard the rumor that this shop is backed by the Hokage?"
The question made Raftra pause. He took a sip of water and replied calmly, "I know. Some customers think the Hokage is directly helping this place… and I don't plan to correct them."
He finished the water, set the glass down, and added in a flat tone, "That rumor's good for business. If people believe it, they'll come in greater numbers."
A faint smile curved his lips while his mind worked quickly. 'Yes… I planted that rumor. I uttered a few ambiguous lines to customers; they filled in the rest themselves.'
'And now that interpretation has spread into "fact."'
Kakashi fixed him with a sharp look. "You… deliberately did all this, didn't you?"
Raftra turned, wearing an innocent expression and narrowed eyes. "Deliberately what?"
"Don't pretend. I know you engineered those rumors. I've been watching you," Kakashi said flatly, his gaze never leaving Raftra's face.
Raftra chuckled softly, bowed his head for a moment, then patted Kakashi's shoulder. "Kakashi-san, you must be tired thinking along those lines."
Kakashi did not reply. He watched the teenager with quiet puzzlement. 'He's slippery. Too plain to read, yet too calm not to be hiding something,' he thought.
"You're just being suspicious, right?" Raftra asked.
"More or less, but my judgments aren't careless," Kakashi answered.
The shop stayed busy; customers came and went. Kakashi exhaled quietly, unsure what more to say.
'I'm sure there's a small game behind this. Without proof, there's nothing I can do. Let time reveal it,' he thought.
Raftra returned to the kitchen, lighting the stove as if the conversation had never happened. Business continued; patrons smiled; the "Hokage-backed" rumor grew roots without a single added word.
'I expected Kakashi might sense it, though I worked to conceal where the rumor came from,' Raftra thought.
'Kakashi is clever.'
...
The following day, day four, Raftra opened a new chapter for Raftra Kitchen. From morning the place was busy—regulars mingling with new faces.
Among the chatter outside the shop, talk shifted: people no longer mentioned only "Hokage backing"; now they whispered that Raftra was a "relative of the Hokage."
Some even went further, claiming he was part of the Sarutobi clan. Raftra's dark hair—similar to some Sarutobi members—became "proof" in the villagers' mouths.
By noon, two customers seated near the register leaned in and one dared to ask directly, "Raftra-san, are you related to the Hokage?"
Raftra, placing a dish on their table, paused. He neither denied nor affirmed; he simply smiled thinly and said, "I am close to the Hokage. We have a personal connection."
The customers exchanged looks and nodded. His non-answer, rather than dispelling doubt, made them more convinced.
"He didn't answer straight," one murmured. "Yeah, he's hiding something," the other whispered.
The small talk spread to neighboring tables and gradually filled the room with new speculation about Raftra's true identity.
As evening fell and the flow of customers slowed, the door opened again. "Hokage-sama?" some patrons whispered in surprise.
Hiruzen, cloaked in his Hokage robe, entered with a steady step. His presence drew glances from those still dining; they murmured and smiled, feeling their rumors had been 'confirmed.'
"Grandpa! Why are you late?" Raftra called, waving toward the door.
Hiruzen paused, squinted, and then chuckled. He stroked his beard and said, "Grandpa? You don't usually call me that."
Raftra scratched his head, feigning embarrassment. "Eh… I slipped up, sir. Hearing Naruto call you 'grandpa' made me follow suit."
Some patrons overheard and began to whisper and chuckle; others nodded as if reassured.
Raftra kept working without adding anything more; he let the rumor swell.
'Sorry, Hiruzen, but I do want to amplify this. And I think… you understand and don't mind too much,' Raftra thought.
Hiruzen, meanwhile, mused, 'Hmm… his calling me Grandpa feels deliberate. He seems to be planning something.'
He sat calmly. 'Let's see what his plan is.'
Night came before they noticed.
The shop emptied slowly; the lingering scent of oil and spices faded. Raftra closed the sales ledger, turned off the stove, and suggested they head home.
On the path back, street lights came on and the streets grew quiet—just the two of them walking.
Kakashi wiped his brow with a tissue. "You realize the rumor's getting out of hand, and yet you let it spread?"
"That's strange and suspicious," he added.
Raftra turned, showing an unreadable, innocent face. "What am I doing? I don't get your point. This ninja here needs treatment for his paranoia."
Kakashi snorted and fell silent. His gaze stayed forward and his steps steady. 'Sometimes Raftra's act—whether genuine or a performance—gets on my nerves,' he thought.
'If it's real, fine. But if it's an act, he's a masterful and maddening one.'
Raftra turned his head away, a faint smile ghosting his lips. 'Playing with Kakashi is fun. He's clever and guesses everything I do, so playing innocent is a safe move.'
'I could be honest, but where's the fun in that? Besides, I've been too honest with him already—time to start a lie.'
….
The next day, day five.
"Raftra-san! Kakashi-san! I'm back!" Naruto called as he waved before taking his usual seat.
Raftra peeked from the kitchen, raised an eyebrow and smiled. "This is becoming a habit, huh."
Naruto laughed unabashed. "Of course! While the contract is valid, I'll eat a lot to honor Grandpa!"
Kakashi, at the register checking the day's ledger, merely glanced. He knew the pattern: Naruto arrives, orders without hesitation, eats joyfully, and leaves without spending his own money.
Behind the pleasant façade, Raftra worked to maintain the illusion. He kept Naruto believing his meals were paid for by "Grandpa Hokage."
To preserve the narrative, Raftra even crafted a story for Hiruzen. He wasn't sure it would work, but he would try.
'I doubt it will, and Hiruzen may already know, but I'll try and see how he reacts,' he thought.
That afternoon, after the rush, Hiruzen arrived as usual. Raftra prepared a plate of spaghetti, set it on the table, and sat opposite the Third Hokage.
"I heard Naruto is getting free meals," Hiruzen said.
Raftra nodded. "Yes. Kakashi is treating him."
Hiruzen turned his fork and looked at Raftra with a mix of surprise and amusement. "So… Kakashi is treating Naruto every day?"
Raftra folded his arms and replied calmly, "Yes. But please keep this secret from Naruto. He thinks I'm paying, and I told him not to tell anyone. If word gets out, many will grow envious."
Hiruzen chuckled and stroked his beard. He glanced toward Kakashi, who was busy recording visitor numbers.
"Kakashi… as you know, he's Minato's student. Perhaps he feels obligated to take care of Naruto, even if his methods are unusual."
Raftra leaned forward slightly. "I've noticed the same. He never admits his kindness, so it's better if you keep this from him too—if you know."
A faint smile crossed Raftra's face as he looked at Kakashi. 'My manipulation is working perfectly. Naruto believes Hiruzen pays for him, while Hiruzen thinks Kakashi covers it. Everything is going according to plan.'
'However, maybe Hiruzen is manipulating me. It's possible he already knows the truth because Kakashi reported it.'
'If Kakashi did report and Hiruzen still acts like this… then there are two possibilities.'
'One: he doesn't mind my deception because it helps feed Naruto.'
'Two: he's orchestrating this for some other agenda I don't yet see.'
Hiruzen watched Raftra's expression, eyes narrowing as if appraising him. "Why are you smiling? It looks different."
Raftra adjusted his smile to appear more natural. "Nothing—just glad to see someone like Kakashi, usually so cold, care so deeply for a child."
Hiruzen nodded slowly. "Yes… you're right. Seeing that alone is reassuring."
'I know you're lying, Raftra,' he thought. 'It's odd for Kakashi to act like that. My guess is Raftra is the one treating Naruto, manipulating a fake trust between me and Naruto.'
'He's making Naruto believe I pay while making me believe Kakashi does.'
Hiruzen nodded again and made a mental note to ask Kakashi later. 'If my suspicion is true, this is clever—simple, effective, and ultimately kind: feeding Naruto.'
At the register, Kakashi, sensing he was the subject of conversation, looked up briefly. He couldn't hear clearly, but his instincts told him Raftra was scheming once more.
He took a deep breath and returned to his ledger. 'What are you up to now, Raftra?' he wondered.
....
The next morning—day six.
Before breakfast, the door opened and familiar faces trickled in. A vegetable seller from the market stepped in, waving. "As usual: fried rice, Raftra."
Raftra nodded and prepared the wok. "Right away. Not too much salt, right?"
The customer smiled. "You remember my order already."
"Of course—I've seen you six days in a row, uncle," he replied.
Soon two young genin in worn training uniforms came in, joking as they set kunai at the edge of the table before ordering fried noodles.
"You want sweet-and-spicy chicken and egg martabak again, right?" Raftra asked.
"Raftra-san knows our order now..." they laughed.
'A steady base of customers is forming; I remember faces and their orders,' Raftra thought. 'This pattern will be the foundation before the shop expands.'
By midday the shop was lively but not chaotic. Raftra knew who liked large portions, who always asked for extra chili, even who arrived at what time—making service smoother.
Amid the bustle, his personal relationships with the locals shifted too.
Kakashi, once merely a "stoic watcher," often stood by the kitchen now, offering brief tips on how to slice vegetables or reminders about flour stock. Those small exchanges gradually eroded the formal distance between them.
Naruto, once awkward, now called Raftra in a casual older-brother tone. "Raftra-nii, your food's always great," he said between bites of martabak. Raftra gave an unapologetic thumbs-up.
By late afternoon Hiruzen would come in calmly—sometimes just to sip tea in the corner and ask, "How's it going today?" Their quiet conversations reinforced a growing mutual trust.
Tsunade showed up more frequently too, though still ready with a sarcastic remark. "You're too confident about your chicken's price, Raftra," she'd scold.
But her presence during quieter hours made her interest obvious—she came deliberately to talk with Raftra and probe him gently.
'Typical Tsunade... clearly she chooses slow hours so she can interrogate me subtly,' Raftra thought.
Shizune occasionally appeared behind Tsunade, laughing softly and trading small talk with Raftra.
The atmosphere brightened further when Guy began visiting regularly. The door vibrated with his boisterous entrance: "Raftra! Kakashi! I'm ready to fuel up on your food!"
In less than a week, Raftra Kitchen evolved beyond a simple eatery. It softly became a small hangout in Konoha where light banter mixed with the scent of cooking.
Raftra stood behind the counter and let his eyes scan the room—a space alive with laughter, greetings, and the clatter of cutlery.
'This is only the first step,' he thought. 'With the right rhythm I can keep this atmosphere while building a bigger plan. I'll shape who to trust, who to approach… slowly.'
He wiped his hands with a clean cloth and looked over the line of tables. 'When the time comes, I will take full control.'
'I won't recreate exactly what I saw in my dream—I'll modify it.'
….
When night finally fell and the doors were locked, Raftra Kitchen settled into silence. The lingering smells of oil and spices faded; the only sound was the scrape of a chair as Raftra pulled one close and sat.
Before him lay sheets of blank paper and the small notebook he always carried.
He bent his head and began to write simple figures: estimates of ingredients used, daily customer numbers, average orders per table.
His hand moved quickly, noting the little details others might dismiss. "Today we used more rice… chicken stock down by five kilos… some regulars have started to form," he murmured, sketching arrows on the page.
Kakashi, who had just closed the cash drawer, walked over and pulled up a chair beside him. In his lazy manner he studied the notes. "You even record who asks for extra chili. This is too detailed for a stall."
Raftra smiled faintly and kept writing. "Small details often make the difference. If I know patterns, I can prepare ingredients exactly. Nothing's wasted; nothing runs short."
Kakashi nodded briefly and leaned in. "If you want to expand, you'll need to recruit staff. You could start tomorrow."
Their conversation stayed calm and practical, like two coworkers who'd grown familiar. Kakashi suggested Raftra find someone used to kitchen work—trustworthy and not overly talkative.
Raftra replied, "I don't need a professional chef. Discipline, willingness to learn, and honesty matter. I can teach the recipes."
Kakashi reminded him about workload and rhythm. "If it gets busier, you can't keep relying on me. My duty is to observe, not to chop onions all day," he said, yawning lightly.
Raftra laughed. "I know. That's why we must hire before it's too late."
After nearly an hour of notes and planning, the table filled with lists, arrows, and cost estimates.
Raftra finally leaned back and sighed. "My body's aching all over," he said as he rolled his shoulders to loosen the tension.
Kakashi stood and patted his shoulder. "Will you take tomorrow off? Or stay open?"
Raftra nodded slowly. "I'll take tomorrow off. I need to find new staff. Without them, expansion is only a dream."
They dimmed the kitchen lights and cleared the table. Despite exhaustion, Raftra's face showed satisfaction. He knew they'd taken an important step—tomorrow would be the start of turning the little shop into something larger.