Having temporarily set aside the Fourth Hokage's invitation to join ANBU, Hyuga Satoru didn't linger in the Hokage's Office.
He hadn't been home in a very long time and had no idea whether anything significant had happened within the clan during his absence.
After spending so long away from Konoha, Satoru still felt a faint trace of unease. He couldn't be sure whether this world truly possessed some kind of "corrective force," but judging from Uchiha Shisui's situation, perhaps his worries were unfounded.
While training at Mount Myoboku, Shisui had successfully avoided his fated death. Although he still hadn't awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan for reasons unknown, those eyes had always been the root of his tragedy—so perhaps not awakening them wasn't such a bad thing after all.
Satoru used the Flying Thunder God Technique to return home. As he stepped out of the room that served as his teleportation marker, he caught sight of a small figure tottering down the corridor.
A tiny girl, holding a vase with a single fresh flower, stumbled toward his room.
Hyuga Hanabi hadn't expected anyone to step out suddenly, and before she could stop, she bumped straight into Satoru's leg. The vase slipped from her hands, dropping toward the floor, and she herself began to topple backward.
Just as Hanabi squeezed her eyes shut, bracing for impact, a strong yet gentle hand caught her back, while the other deftly caught the falling vase.
When she opened her eyes again, the first thing she saw was Satoru's face reflected in her wide white pupils.
For a moment she froze, and then excitement filled her gaze. Her small lips moved hesitantly, her voice stuttering slightly—
"B… Brother…"
Hanabi clearly wasn't used to saying that word, but her voice carried clearly through the quiet corridor.
"…."
Satoru looked down at the little girl before him, then broke into a warm smile. Bending slightly, he asked softly:
"Hanabi, is that you?"
Glancing at the vase in his hand, Satoru suddenly recalled the vase sitting on the windowsill of his long-empty room. The flowers there had only just begun to wilt—it was clear someone had replaced them a few days ago.
Looking at the vase he now held and the fresh blossom inside, he didn't need to guess—it was obvious who had done it.
Hanabi nodded eagerly, her small face shining with pride.
During Satoru's long absence, he had only occasionally sent letters home. Yet Hanabi had recognized him at once, which surprised him a little.
As for Hanabi, the boy she had only heard about from her parents and sister—the "big brother" everyone spoke so fondly of—was suddenly standing before her. She could hardly contain her excitement.
When Satoru called her name, warmth bloomed in her chest, and she nodded even more enthusiastically.
"Here, your vase," Satoru said with a smile, gently placing it back in her hands. "Hanabi, what were you doing with this?"
"Changing the flowers in Big Brother's room," she replied cheerfully, tilting her head back to look up at him. "Mama said that's what gives a room life."
Her innocent words made Satoru's heart soften. He chuckled, reaching out to ruffle her hair gently.
"Is that so? Then I'll thank you for keeping my room lively, Hanabi.
"Come on, let's go see Mother."
Still smiling, he took the vase from her hands and, bending down, lifted Hanabi into his arms. She didn't resist at all—she wrapped her small arms around his neck, giggling softly.
Though Hanabi had only seen Satoru in old photographs, something about his presence felt familiar and safe, awakening an instinctive trust in her.
Perhaps, Satoru thought, that was what people meant by blood ties.
After placing the vase back in his room, Satoru carried Hanabi toward their mother's quarters. It had been years since he'd seen his parents—of course he needed to greet them first.
But as soon as he stepped into the next corridor, a voice echoed from around the corner.
"Lady Hanabi, please slow down—watch your step!"
Rounding the corner came Hyuga Mio, dressed in her maid uniform, hurrying toward them. When she saw Satoru holding Hanabi, she froze on the spot.
"Big Brother's back!" Hanabi called cheerfully, waving one tiny hand at her caretaker.
Her voice pulled Mio out of her daze.
"Lord Satoru!" she gasped, dropping to one knee in salute. It had been more than two years since she'd last seen him. His features and aura had both changed greatly—his once-bright eyes now held a calm, ocean-deep light, and his presence felt far more composed, almost commanding.
Where Hanabi felt warmth, Mio felt pressure—a reminder of Satoru's authority as heir to the Hyuga main family.
"Long time no see, Mio," Satoru said kindly. "You can stand. We're at home—no need for so much formality."
He stepped forward and helped her up himself.
Only then did Mio's initial shock fade, replaced by a soft smile. "Welcome home, Lord Satoru."
After sending Mio off to resume her duties, Satoru continued on with Hanabi in his arms until they reached Hyuga Hanako's room.
Pushing the door open, he was greeted by a familiar sight.
His mother sat cross-legged on a tatami mat by the window, needle and thread in hand, working quietly on a piece of clothing.
Hearing the door, she assumed it was Hanabi returning, but when she looked up and saw Satoru standing there—holding her youngest daughter—her sewing froze mid-stitch.
"Satoru?!"
Time seemed to stand still for a moment.
Then she hurriedly set her sewing aside and stood, eyes bright with surprise and joy.
"I'm back," Satoru said softly, a gentle smile spreading across his face.
Hanako hadn't aged much at all—her beauty still carried the same calm grace as before. Seeing her expression, Satoru's heart warmed even more.
If he counted his past life and this one together, he was probably older than his own mother now—but some bonds, he mused, had nothing to do with age.
Hanako's love had always been genuine. Every memory he had of her was filled with quiet care and devotion.
"No wonder the house felt so quiet… You've finally come home."
She stepped closer, giving him a fond look. "You must've had a hard time escorting Kushina during her training. You've even lost weight!"
There was a saying: there's a kind of "thin" only mothers can see.
In truth, Satoru hadn't lost weight at all—he'd grown taller, leaner, more muscular. Years of training and excellent nutrition had turned his once-youthful frame into that of a young warrior.
Still, he smiled. "It wasn't hard, really. Just training in a different place. The food was good, the bed was comfortable—oh, and you wouldn't believe it, the bugs on Mount Myoboku are packed with protein—hundreds of times more than beef."
He flexed one arm jokingly as he held Hanabi with the other, showing off the hard muscle beneath his loose training robes.
Hanako blinked. "Bugs?"
"Oh, yes," Satoru said cheerfully. "They're a special local delicacy—fried or grilled, they're amazing. Boiled… not so much. I'll bring some back next time."
Changing the topic smoothly, he asked, "By the way, where's Father? I haven't sensed him since I got back. Is he out of the village?"
Hanako sighed. "Yes, he left last week. Now that the wars have finally ended, he's gone to inspect the Hyuga family's assets outside the village—to assess the damage. He's also visiting a few allied clans to maintain relations. It'll probably take him a month or so."
Although the war had concluded, the Hyuga still had plenty of business to handle.
Despite being a shinobi clan with their compound in Konoha's center, supporting such a large family required considerable wealth. Relying solely on mission pay wasn't enough, and draining the Branch Family endlessly wasn't sustainable.
So, ever since the founding of Konoha, the Hyuga had maintained several legitimate and underground enterprises.
Inside the village, they managed mission commissions, rental properties, and collected their share of the military budget allocated to noble clans.
Outside the village, their ventures ranged from farmland and fisheries to gambling houses, exchange offices, transport companies—even black-market trading.
A large portion of their wealth came from those shadow networks.
The Third Shinobi War had dealt the clan a severe financial blow. Agriculture halted, the entertainment industry collapsed, and commerce slowed to a crawl. Only transport—dangerous but profitable—had thrived, keeping the Hyuga financially afloat through the war years.
The clan's reach extended far and wide; their business and blood ties spread through every corner of the ninja world.
Even the Kaguya clan of Kirigakure—once among the strongest of the Mist—had been one of their old allies. That alone spoke volumes about the Hyuga's far-reaching influence.
But such a complex network required constant upkeep. Even during wartime, the Hyuga maintained diplomatic contact with friendly clans—how much more so now, in peacetime.
"Father really doesn't get a break, does he?" Satoru murmured with a faint smile.
"Neither will you, once he returns," Hanako said, shaking her head gently. "You're not a child anymore, Satoru. Your father will start entrusting you with clan affairs soon. Enjoy your free time while you can."
At nearly one meter seventy, Satoru looked every bit the young adult now. Combined with his calm demeanor and natural authority, no one would mistake him for a boy.
To Hanako, he was already ready to bear responsibility.
"Mm. If Father really does assign me work, I'll do my best to learn," Satoru replied earnestly. "I won't let anyone down."
He had already anticipated this. It was precisely why he'd declined Minato's offer to join ANBU—he couldn't afford conflicting loyalties between the Hokage's command and his clan's expectations.
Looking back now, it had been the right decision.
"By the way," Hanako said suddenly, "you should visit Elder Shin later. He's been talking about you constantly. If you hadn't sent the occasional letter home, I think he'd have gone straight to the Hokage's Office to demand your return."
Her tone softened. "That old man has carried the clan's worries his entire life. Now that you're back, you should share some of that burden."
Hearing his great-granduncle's name, Satoru smiled knowingly.
"I understand," he said solemnly. "If there's any way I can help Elder Shin, I'll do everything I can."
And in his heart, he meant every word.
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