At six in the evening, Hyūga Yuu returned to his small apartment at 205 Konoha Meicha Street, carrying both the anxiety of knowing the countdown to the [Byakugan Leak Incident] had begun and an inexplicable sense of anticipation.
Beside him, Hyūga Natsu had already dutifully prepared his slippers and closed the apartment door. She stood by the entrance, wearing a gentle smile, watching Hyūga Yuu, who was setting down the large wooden case for his great bow and trying to find a place for it in the cramped space.
Hyūga Yuu: "I'm home. (Tadaima)"
Hyūga Natsu: "Welcome back! (Okaeri)"
This exchange seemed to have taken place countless times. They didn't resemble twelve or thirteen-year-old sweethearts or fiancés; rather, they acted like an old married couple who had been together for many years.
In reality, however, Hyūga Yuu did not feel the kind of affection for Hyūga Natsu that exists between lovers or spouses.
Similarly, he could sense that Hyūga Natsu felt much the same way about him.
The two were not in love, nor was there any slow-burn romance developing. They were merely playing roles within this relationship, mutually benefiting from the advantages it offered, and gracefully dancing along the boundaries set by social conventions and moral codes.
At least, that's how they viewed it themselves.
Nevertheless, this didn't stop outsiders from holding the stereotype that they were a model pair of fiancés.
This was largely thanks to Hyūga Natsu, who, both publicly and privately, displayed the gentle demeanor of a Yamato Nadeshiko.
Just like now—"Shishi-kun, did you have a fight with Hyūga Tetsu?"
"No."
"I saw everything, you know."
Hyūga Yuu slipped on his slippers and looked up, puzzled: "And what of it?"
Hyūga Natsu suddenly started laughing.
"I'm very happy."
"Why?"
"Because this is the second time I've learned my position in your heart, Shishi-kun."
"What was the first time?"
"This morning."
Hyūga Yuu was taken aback by her words, chuckled quietly to himself, and asked, "What's so great about that?"
Hyūga Natsu giggled. "Because I also realized that besides me, there are many other people who care about you, Shishi-kun."
Hyūga Yuu was startled again and quickly waved his hands. "Are you talking about Hyūga Tetsu? Hey, hey... he's hopelessly crushing on you!"
"That's not it at all."
Hyūga Natsu snickered contentedly, standing behind Hyūga Yuu and gently pushing him toward the dining table, then dropping a bombshell:
"As the saying goes, 'The onlooker sees clearly'!"
"From what I've observed, liking Hyūga Natsu or I am, is just an excuse for that boy, Hyūga Tetsu, to get close to you, whom he admires."
Hyūga Natsu clapped her hands, concluding: "Hmm... It's probably like when Sarutobi Asuma tried to get close to Kurenai by first befriending Kurenai's best friend back in school."
"That's quite an outrageous claim!" Hyūga Yuu's mouth twitched slightly, and he decided he needed to set his little fiancée straight.
It was impossible for him and Hyūga Tetsu—two mere background characters—to have that strange relationship like Naruto and Sasuke!
"Although Hyūga Tetsu was in the same class as us at the Academy, you know that whether it was during school or after graduating and heading to the battlefield, we barely had any close interaction. We haven't even exchanged ten lines of dialogue."
"Besides, how could a mediocre guy like me be someone to look up to?"
"Heh." Hyūga Natsu smiled noncommittally.
"But, Shishi-kun, all those actions you took at the Academy that led to misunderstandings—it was the 'unacquainted' Hyūga Tetsu who stepped up behind the scenes to suppress the rumors for you."
Hearing this, Hyūga Yuu, who recalled that this was indeed true, immediately turned his head away and mumbled defensively, "That was just him taking the initiative to protect the reputation of the Hyūga Clan."
"Hai~ Hai~" Hyūga Natsu nodded with a beaming smile, pushing Hyūga Yuu toward the small round table in their cramped apartment and seating him.
However, the table, which should have been set for dinner, had no meal on it.
Instead, there were only three scrolls marked with the characters for 'Ninja Tools', 'Sword', and 'Rations'.
Seeing this, Hyūga Yuu was stunned. He immediately looked up at Hyūga Natsu, who was kneeling across the round table with a cheerful expression.
"This is...?"
"I picked these out for you today at the ninja tool shop: ninja tools, protective gear, a ninja sword, and some special military ration pills."
"You..." Hyūga Yuu felt flustered looking at the three scrolls on the table. Just as he was about to question her, Hyūga Natsu raised a pale hand, cutting him off.
"I received the loan documents. Also, I am always the first to receive the bank statement regarding changes in your account, Shishi-kun."
"Although I don't understand why Shishi-kun spent one million ryo in a single afternoon;"
"Nor do I quite understand why you refused Elder Hirotsugu's letter of appointment;"
"And I especially don't understand why you asked me to contact Young Master Genkō, attempting to join the Main Family's escort team."
"But..."
Hyūga Natsu suddenly dropped her smile. After a moment of silence, she pointed at the three scrolls on the table and spoke in a slightly hoarse voice:
"Just to be safe, I prepared these for you."
She spoke these words like a wife sending her husband off to war.
Yet, the reality was that it was clearly she who was about to head to the battlefield.
Looking at the expression on his little fiancée's face, the last remaining ambiguity Hyūga Yuu felt about the entire incident finally became clear.
He suddenly pursed his lips, a flame of incomprehensible anger rising in his eyes. He sat up rigidly, his expression grave, as he looked at the girl sitting across the round table.
"So..."
Hyūga Yuu asked, grinding his teeth: "Did you request Hyūga Genkō in advance to refuse my joining the escort team?"
Hyūga Genkō refusing his inclusion in the escort team was strange.
Hyūga Yuu knew from Main Family Elder Hyūga Hirotsugu that Young Master Genkō's father, Hyūga Sōsuke, was actively seeking clan members skilled in medical ninjutsu to safeguard the upcoming mission.
And Hyūga Yuu was one of the few clan ninjas who possessed medical ninjutsu.
Even if Hyūga Yuu's strength was low, Hyūga Genkō shouldn't have refused.
After all, a medical ninja only needed to keep pace with the team and provide medical support. It was clearly stated in the second of the Three Medical Ninja Precepts proposed by Tsunade of the Sannin:
[A medical ninja must absolutely never stand on the front lines of combat.]
Therefore, the biggest obstacle preventing Hyūga Yuu from protecting his fiancée was, in fact, his fiancée, Hyūga Natsu, herself.
"Oops... darn, you found out." Hyūga Natsu stuck out her tongue and gave a cute, innocent smile.
Ignoring his fiancée's attempt to lighten the mood, Hyūga Yuu's face darkened, and he continued to ask, "When?"
Hyūga Natsu let out a breath and confessed sullenly, "I guessed you absolutely wouldn't sign that letter of appointment even before you met with Elder Hirotsugu, Shishi-kun."
"But," she lowered her head, her voice dropping and becoming somewhat dejected, like a mosquito's buzz,
"If it's you, Shishi-kun, I thought that even if I had arranged everything beforehand, you would eventually overcome every obstacle."
"So," Hyūga Natsu suddenly lifted her head, displaying a smile that bloomed like a white orchid, mixed with a hint of embarrassment and a plea for forgiveness.
She extended her fair, slender hands, placing her wrists in front of Hyūga Yuu, squinting her crescent-moon eyes, and giggling innocently:
"Mr. Hyūga Yuu, I've come to surrender!"
"Please, you must accept my apology gift!"
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