"So this is your sister? Why didn't you tell us earlier? We were so embarrassed just now!"
Ino's cheerful voice rang out on the quiet street, imdiately followed by Sakura's unmistakable barbell-like laughter.
Next to them stood the three Hyūga siblings—Ryosuke, Hinata, and Hanabi—each wearing an expression darker than the next.
It had only been a few minutes since they'd stepped out of the Hyūga compound when they ran into Yamanaka Ino and Haruno Sakura on their way to school.
Before anyone could say a word—before greetings, even—the two girls had already shouted down the street:
"Did you take a leave of absence to have a baby?! Isn't it hard to raise a child at your age?!"
Their synchronized screech had drawn the attention of every villager in earshot. Of course, the topic helped too.
It was chaos.
A scandalous misunderstanding, shouted in public, with all eyes watching.
Even Hinata—usually poised and composed—was too stunned to hold back. Ryosuke had to quickly drag the confused little Hanabi away from the main street before soone started asking for baby nas.
Once they'd reached a quieter road, the trio scrambled to explain the truth: Hanabi was their sister, not their child.
"...To be honest, I don't think you two felt even a shred of embarrassnt," Hinata muttered, hand on her forehead, looking utterly betrayed by her childhood friends.
In public, Hinata always carried herself with quiet grace and a dignified coldness. But that aloof front didn't apply to people like Ino and Sakura—friends who'd stuck by her back when she could barely speak above a whisper.
"Embarrassed? That street went silent!" Sakura huffed. "Everyone was staring. Ugh, people are so nosy. Mind your own business!"
"Totally," Ino agreed, arms crossed. "I even caught so people looping back around just to eavesdrop."
Then her tone shifted into sothing more mischievous.
"But really, Ryosuke… just a friendly reminder—safety asures are very important. Especially when you—"
"Don't," Hinata interrupted, voice dropping dangerously low.
Ryosuke, for his part, looked like he wanted to evaporate into thin air. He stood off to the side, trying to pass as invisible. With one hand, he gently covered Hanabi's ears, hoping to spare her any psychological damage.
He wasn't sure if Hinata was the normal one anymore.
Maybe it was Ino and Sakura acting their age.
Maybe Hinata had just grown up too fast.
"We should go. We'll be late if we keep standing around like this," Hinata finally said, dragging the conversation back to sanity. "I don't want Hanabi leaving a bad impression on her first day."
Her voice had regained its commanding edge. But unfortunately, once a conversation like this started, it was hard to stop the montum.
The peaceful family outing had beco a loud and chaotic parade, led by two chatterboxes who hadn't seen each other in too long.
They were still talking as they reached the Ninja Academy gates.
"You two… aren't going in?" Ino asked, glancing over her shoulder when Hinata and Ryosuke stopped.
Hinata shook her head while adjusting Hanabi's hair and smoothing down her collar. "No. There are still things to handle in the clan. I'll return to school after they're resolved."
"There won't be many classes today," she added, giving Hanabi a final once-over, "but be sure to get along with your classmates, alright?"
As the saying goes: When the mother is away, the older sister becos the mother.
Hinata always took that responsibility seriously.
"Study hard. We'll co get you after class," Ryosuke added with a warm smile.
"Okay," Hanabi nodded. She was polite and obedient, though a little shy—understandable for soone who'd spent most of her childhood within the Hyūga estate.
"Don't worry. With the two of us here, she'll be fine!" Ino declared proudly.
Unfortunately for Hanabi, that reassurance marked the beginning of her real problems.
Ino slung an arm around her neck and pulled her forward. "Co on, little sis! I'll take you to check in. Hinata's sister is my sister. If anyone bullies you, just co find ."
Before Hanabi could respond, Sakura zipped to the other side, throwing her arm around Hanabi's other shoulder.
"Don't listen to her. I'm the top student in our class after your sister, so I'm the real role model."
"What was that, Forehead? Why do you always copy ?"
"Oh, shut up, Ino pig! I'm just helping Hinata's sister—what does that have to do with you?!"
With poor Hanabi sandwiched between them like a hostage, the trio walked off toward the school, looking like an awkward, three-headed creature.
Even as they crossed the gates, Ryosuke could still see Hanabi twisting her head back, silently pleading for rescue.
"Honestly, I'm more worried about the two of them than I am about Hanabi," Hinata sighed. "If they're all in the sa class, she'll be safe—but at what cost?"
She smiled, despite herself.
Then she turned to Ryosuke, rembering that he wasn't exactly close with Ino or Sakura, and quickly clarified, "I don't an they're bad people. They're actually very mature when it counts. I'm just… worried they'll be a bad influence."
She paused. "I didn't know anything at that age… until they—"
Her voice trailed off.
Hinata suddenly stopped talking, realizing she was about to veer into dangerous territory.
"…What?" Ryosuke raised a brow. "What exactly did they teach you?"
"Nothing! Really—nothing," she blurted, grabbing his sleeve and trying to drag him away.
But Ryosuke didn't budge.
His gaze had shifted to soone approaching in the distance.
"Brother Neji!" he called out with a wave.
Hinata followed his line of sight—and sure enough, footsteps were heading their way.
Neji Hyūga ca into view, wearing his usual reserved expression. He nodded politely as he approached.
"…Ryosuke. Hinata."
Though he looked slightly uncomfortable, Neji still carried himself with composure and offered his greetings respectfully.
"I heard the clan's been busy lately," he added. "Is sothing happening?"
"I was just dropping Hanabi off. She's finally old enough to attend school," Ryosuke replied.
Neji paused for a mont, surprised.
Then he nodded slowly, realizing Hanabi was old enough now.
Looking at Ryosuke and Hinata standing in front of him—so composed, so far removed from who they were just a few years ago—Hyūga Neji felt a strange sense of displacent.
So much had changed.
He still rembered that day when he and his father visited the clan head's residence to et the newly integrated Ryosuke. Back then, he'd sworn to protect both Ryosuke and Hinata during their ti at the Academy.
But now?
Now, both of them had carved their own paths forward. anwhile, he—once hailed as the Hyūga prodigy, the so-called "big brother"—was still standing in place, hesitating.
"…I have to resubmit my application for the graduation assessnt today," Neji said suddenly, almost absentmindedly.
"Huh?" Hinata blinked, confused.
But Ryosuke caught it and lit up with interest. "It's been… what, half a year? So you're finally ready to challenge it again?"
The last ti Neji applied for early graduation was just before the clan eting last year. Since then, there'd been nothing.
Neji seed to second-guess himself imdiately. He looked away. "…Forget it. Maybe I'll wait a few more months."
The sting of failure still weighed on him. If he failed again, people might start saying it outright—that the Hyūga really were inferior to the Uchiha.
Even if Uchiha Sasuke had failed twice, he'd passed on the third try. And Neji was older by a year—technically giving him more ti to succeed.
"Think about it again, Brother Neji."
Ryosuke's voice was steady, encouraging. "It's just a graduation exam. Even if you fail, we Hyūga can take that loss. What's important is that you have the courage to try."
"Look at Hinata. She faced setback after setback, but she kept pushing forward—and she eventually got Father to accept her plan to reform the clan."
"Yes, Brother Neji," Hinata added gently. "Even if you fail, I don't think anyone in the clan would bla you—especially now, with how much the atmosphere has changed. But if you succeed… everyone would be so proud. It's been a long ti since the Hyūga had a genius graduate early."
Neji looked uncertain.
But their words made sothing flicker inside him again.
"…I'll think about it," he said at last.
He didn't give a definitive answer. The clan might forgive him for failing again, but the school would definitely erupt into another storm of comparisons. That pressure still lood large over him.
They didn't linger much longer.
Neji had to return to school. Ryosuke and Hinata had other responsibilities waiting. After a few more words of encouragent, they parted ways.
On the way back, the two avoided the comrcial street where chaos had struck earlier and instead took a longer, quieter route through the village.
Hinata remained unusually silent.
It wasn't until they reentered the Hyūga compound that she finally spoke, her tone subdued.
"…I've realized I haven't trained properly in a long ti."
She looked ahead, not at Ryosuke, as she continued. "Every day is packed with clan responsibilities. I barely have ti to practice. I don't regret contributing to the family—it's an honor, really—but sotis it feels like… like I'm no longer a shinobi."
Ryosuke raised a brow and chuckled. "Then what do you think you've beco?"
"I… don't know." Hinata answered honestly. Her expression was conflicted. "Lately, I've just been following the elders around. I haven't even practiced our clan's technique in weeks. I'm not sure I could perform it properly now."
"That's normal."
Ryosuke offered her a calm, grounded explanation. "No one can do everything. The more ti you spend on one thing, the more you lose sowhere else. That's just how it works."
"My father was once one of the strongest warriors in the clan. But after becoming clan head, his strength declined—not because he was weaker, but because he was busier."
"As long as you feel your work is aningful, that's what matters."
Hinata listened in silence.
His words cald her, grounding her thoughts. There really wasn't a way to balance everything perfectly. But if her current path could bring positive change to the family, then it was still worth it.
Not so long ago, she would have had to write these words down and study them before understanding.
But now? Now she could grasp Ryosuke's aning quickly.
The Great Elder had taught her well.
---
They stopped in front of the Clan Elders' Pavilion.
"Co see this afternoon. Let's go watch the fireworks together."
The invitation surprised Ryosuke a little, but warmth filled his chest.
He smiled. "Alright. School probably won't run long today, so I'll be out early."
"I'll co pick you up, and we can visit the snack street before dinner."
"Deal."
Hinata's eyes sparkled at the ntion of food.
She waved goodbye with a smile and disappeared inside the Pavilion, ready to begin another day of clan work.
Once she was gone, Ryosuke turned and walked ho alone.
---
"Strength…"
He repeated the word to himself as he walked, Hinata's earlier confession still fresh in his mind.
There was an odd anticipation rising within him.
This shift in the clan—these reforms—were the perfect bait. If he played his cards right, he could draw out so very big fish.
The Hyūga clan had over a thousand years of history, but that didn't an it was clean.
There were still many elders and branch family mbers who believed the position of clan head should belong to the strongest, not the wisest.
And many of them had remained quiet for years—not out of loyalty, but because of how broken the system was. In their hearts, they didn't support Hinata.
So were radicals who resented the caged bird seal, convinced of their own superiority. They slithered through the clan structure, sowing doubt and seeking personal gain—parasites feeding off the family's legacy.
Even soone like Hyuga Hizashi had once been influenced by these voices—so from the branch families—whispering doubts, stirring ambition. That mindset eventually led him to believe that his son, Neji, should be clan head instead.
Because Neji had talent.
And Hinata, back then, had been weak.
These radicals hid deeply within the clan. Generations of investigation by the head family had failed to root them all out.
They were the Hyūga's greatest hidden danger.
Only a few people could be trusted absolutely—those like Hoshicai and a handful of elders who had no interest in power or politics. Ryosuke had always been cautious around the rest.
That's why his strength and abilities had been kept tightly under wraps.
Known only to a select few.
Because in a clan as vast and as old as the Hyūga… you never knew who was waiting to strike from the shadows.
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