Aoba and Hinata stepped out of Ichiraku Ramen.
Just as he was about to head toward the Hyūga Clan compound, a tall, imposing man suddenly appeared in front of him.
The man’s expression was anything but friendly.
…That look.
It was strangely familiar.
Aoba had seen that expression many times before.
Whenever he met Tenten’s parents, Ino’s father, or Sakura’s parents, they would always secretly look at him with exactly the same face.
The only difference was…
He didn’t recognize this man.
Still, judging from those distinctive white eyes, he was probably one of Hinata’s bodyguards.
“Little.”
“Boy.”
“Thank you very much for taking care of our young lady.”
The words were polite.
The tone was not.
“…You’re welcome.”
Hearing the man’s gritted teeth, Aoba didn’t feel awkward in the slightest.
He was already used to it.
Turning toward the girl behind him, who still had her head lowered, he smiled.
“Hinata, your family came to pick you up.”
“I’ll be going now.”
“Ah?”
Hinata instinctively looked up.
But Aoba had already turned around.
Within moments, his figure disappeared into the night.
She bit her lip, her eyes filled with disappointment.
Then she suddenly remembered something…
And became even more dejected.
When…
When will we see each other again?
“Lady Hinata?”
The bodyguard immediately noticed something was wrong and hurried over.
“I’m fine.”
Hinata gently shook her head.
Even so, the bodyguard could clearly sense a trace of dissatisfaction directed toward him.
It was the first time she’d ever reacted to him like that.
Now he felt wronged instead.
He had actually found Lady Hinata a long time ago.
But from outside the shop, he’d seen her happily eating ramen with a smile on her face.
In the end, he’d decided to wait until she was ready to leave before revealing himself.
He’d even risked being punished by Lord Hiashi to do it.
That brat deserves to die…
The bodyguard silently made up his mind.
After returning, he would report everything to the clan head in full detail.
That kid needed a thorough investigation.
Still thinking about the bizarre events of the day, Aoba pushed open the front door to his house.
The room was pitch black.
Feeling his way along the wall, he reached for the light switch.
The instant his fingers touched it—
A hand suddenly grabbed the back of his collar.
He was lifted clean off the ground.
“Who’s there?!”
Aoba shouted.
His body spun in midair as he launched a spinning kick.
The attack was effortlessly caught with one hand.
But he wasn’t finished.
Without hesitation, he slipped his other hand into the inner lining of his clothes.
Several shuriken shot out toward the shadow holding him.
Immediately afterward, he felt himself falling.
The hand holding him had let go.
The darkness echoed with the sharp clang of metal striking metal.
Just as Aoba steadied himself and prepared to pull out an explosive tag—
The other person finally spoke.
“That’s enough.”
“It’s me.”
The lights came on.
Standing before him was Hayato Hayashi, his stern face as unyielding as ever.
“…Uncle.”
“Scaring people like that is dangerous.”
Seeing the familiar face, Aoba finally relaxed and quietly tucked the explosive tag back into his clothes.
He’d almost lost two thousand ryō.
“Hmph.”
“You’ve caused quite a stir in the village today.”
Hayashi returned to his seat, narrowing his eyes at Aoba.
He had only just returned from a mission and still carried the chilling aura of someone fresh off the battlefield.
Even knowing his uncle wouldn’t actually hurt him, Aoba couldn’t help feeling a chill run down his spine.
His throat felt dry.
“W-What did I do?”
Hayashi folded his arms across his chest.
His eyes narrowed even further.
“What’s your relationship with the girls from the Yamanaka family and the ninja tool shop?”
“…Just ordinary friends.”
Aoba scratched his head and answered honestly.
“Just ordinary friends?”
Children in the ninja world matured early.
Having a crush at four or five years old wasn’t unusual.
Hayashi wasn’t against Aoba finding a girlfriend.
But…
He couldn’t be too fickle.
If Sakura from the Haruno family was included, that made three girls already.
And if he absolutely had to be a ladies’ man…
Couldn’t he stop choosing daughters from influential families?
As his uncle, Hayashi was having a difficult enough time already.
Earlier today, after returning to the village and submitting his mission report, Inoichi Yamanaka had given him quite the unpleasant look.
Later, when he stopped by the ninja tool shop to restock supplies…
The owner had looked at him exactly the same way.
Neither of them had made things difficult for him.
Still, he’d thought he’d somehow offended them.
Only after asking did he learn…
Everything was because of his nephew.
“I’ve only been teaching Tenten shuriken throwing.”
“They’re the ones who keep coming over…”
Aoba muttered quietly.
Hayashi’s eyelid twitched.
Then he asked,
“When I’m away…”
“Do you usually come home this late?”
“No.”
“Today’s different.”
“I was eating dinner with a friend.”
Seeing the interrogation easing up, Aoba casually walked over and sat on the sofa.
Hayashi immediately asked,
“Ino?”
“Sakura?”
“Or Tenten?”
“…Actually…”
“It was the Hyūga Clan’s eldest daughter.”
“Hinata Hyūga.”
“…”
Hayashi fell silent.
After a long pause, he finally spoke.
“Aoba.”
“I know you’ve always been a sensible child.”
“So you should understand something.”
“My strength isn’t bad.”
“But this is as far as I’ll ever go.”
“At the end of the day…”
“I’m still just a somewhat capable commoner.”
The gap between civilian ninja and the great clans was as wide as heaven and earth.
Stories of ordinary boys ending up with noble young ladies did exist.
But those were love stories.
The boy married into the clan.
Aoba, meanwhile…
Was provoking one heiress after another.
Even Hayashi was starting to get nervous.
Aoba looked at him in confusion.
Hayashi’s expression became even more serious.
“I’m worried that one day…”
“I’ll come home from a mission…”
“And find you chopped into pieces.”
“…”
Aoba had absolutely nothing to say.
Hayashi stood up and patted him on the shoulder.
“Get some rest tonight.”
“Tomorrow I’ll check your training.”
“If a poor boy wants to stand beside a young lady…”
“The only thing he can rely on…”
“…is his own strength.”
“So you’re saying…”
“Hinata ate five whole bowls of ramen outside?”
Hiashi Hyūga stared at the bodyguard in disbelief.
He simply couldn’t imagine it.
At home, Hinata always claimed she was full after barely finishing a single bowl of rice.
Yet today…
She had calmly eaten five large bowls of ramen.
“I saw it with my own eyes, Lord Hiashi.”
The bodyguard answered firmly.
Hiashi remained silent for a long moment before finally recovering from the shock.
“…I understand.”
“You may leave.”
“And prepare a full report on Aoba Hayashifor me.”
“Yes, Clan Head.”
The bodyguard bowed and withdrew.
Returning to the living room, Hiashi looked at Hinata.
She was quietly reading a book with little Hanabi, who was still only a tiny child.
An overwhelming sense of guilt suddenly welled up inside him.
All this time…
He had only ever looked at Hinata as the heir to the Hyūga Clan.
Yet something so obvious…
Something that even a child outside the family had noticed…
He, her own father…
Had failed to see it entirely.