"Thump~" The door closed softly.
The cheerful figure of his fiancée disappeared within the small apartment.
Hyūga Yuu sat silently at the low, round table. The stark white light of the incandescent bulb illuminated the three scrolls before him, and his elongated shadow felt like a massive weight pressing down on his shoulders.
Yet, Hyūga Yuu did not show the slightest hint of dejection.
When he came back to himself, he glanced at the nearby mirror, as if possessed, and realized he was actually smiling.
The smile looked both perverse and creepy, startling Hyūga Yuu himself.
Instinctively, he mused that he absolutely couldn't let this terrifying 'tomodachi' (friendship) infiltrate his mind, but after a moment of thought, he felt he might be overreacting.
He spread his arms wide and lay back completely onto the tatami mat, the taut strings of his heart finally relaxing a little.
Hyūga Yuu was no savior, nor did he bear the heavy responsibility of saving the world.
He simply figured that since he had been reborn, he should strive to live well in this world and live like a 'proper human being.'
In that case, as a person, making a friend or two shouldn't count as some heinous crime, right?
Thinking this cautiously, Hyūga Yuu sat up, reached out, untied the straps of the three scrolls on the table one by one, unrolled them, formed the hand signs for the Summoning Jutsu, and pressed his hands down.
"Poof~" Amidst the swirling smoke, a pile of supplies appeared on the low table.
First and foremost was a set of ninja tools forged from hundred-folded steel, including three kunai, thirty-two shuriken, a coil of steel wire, four smoke bombs, and a stack of explosive tags.
This was the standard configuration a ninja should possess.
Besides the various ninja tools, the table also held a fine ninja sword about 1.2 meters long, a set of ninja battle gear, and a package of military rations (Hyorōgan) sufficient for about half a month.
Seeing this collection of items, Hyūga Yuu's eyes lit up. He picked out the battle uniform and held it up.
Ninja attire was quite specialized. To carry the large quantity of tools needed to sustain combat, relying on just one or two pouches was impossible, yet hanging too many would impair a ninja's balance and mobility.
The ugly green Chunin vests and under-layers worn by most Chunin and higher-ranked ninja in the Village Hidden in the Leaves were actually the most expensive items in a typical ninja's gear.
The one in Hyūga Yuu's hand was undoubtedly a higher-grade, specialized battle suit.
Its overall appearance resembled a pure black, high-collared, one-piece shirt.
The collar could be pulled up to cover the mouth and nose. It featured a utility pouch at the waist, and two leg wraps on the sides, which could separately hold shuriken holsters and scroll bags. The inside of the uniform was fine-woven chainmail that offered effective protection against blades and axes, complemented by the standard Chunin gloves, foot wraps, and a headband embedded with a forehead protector...
Considering this battle suit's combination of style, utility, and protective effect—far superior to the Chunin vest—its cost was probably no less than seven hundred thousand Ryo.
Having experienced two years of war, Hyūga Yuu naturally understood the role such gear played in ninja combat, and he had long desired a similar piece of equipment.
However, he was a Genin and did not qualify to be issued a Chunin vest by the village.
At the same time, the exorbitant price of this specialized protective gear had deterred the financially strapped Hyūga Yuu.
He hadn't expected Hyūga Natsu to give him such a valuable gift.
Thinking of this, Hyūga Yuu couldn't help but feel a little uneasy.
Hyūga Natsu did not come from a wealthy family; like him, she was a war orphan, and she didn't even have the foundational family connections he did that allowed him to interact with elders of the Hyūga Main House.
So, how did she acquire this battle uniform? Hyūga Yuu immediately understood.
Hyūga Natsu's monthly salary as a Chunin employed by the Main House was three hundred thousand Ryo, and as far as he knew, she had only started this job less than three months ago...
Now, all of her wages were right here.
Hyūga Yuu couldn't help but take a deep breath, his knuckles turning slightly white where he gripped the uniform.
In the end, he said nothing, nor did he grab the scrolls and chase after her to refuse the kindness. He simply and silently changed into the gear Hyūga Natsu had brought.
Then, he heavily closed his pale eyes, which had grown increasingly sharp.
He sat still on the tatami, waiting for time to tick by, and waiting even more for the moment that felt like a decree of fate for him—
Having been rejected from joining the Main House Guard Squad, Hyūga Yuu had no way to overturn the Hyūga Main House's decision; he could only wait for the reassignment order that would come in a few days.
But by then, the opportunity would surely be gone.
Hyūga Yuu had no interest in the fate of that Hyūga Main House young master, but the one thing he had to ensure was that the person he cared about survived the impending incident safely!
And if he wanted to bypass this resolution and secretly protect Hyūga Natsu when she left the village tomorrow, then he would need a reassignment order issued by a higher authority within Konoha!
Just then, Hyūga Yuu felt the light source he perceived through his closed eyelids flicker a few times.
Immediately after, "Snap!" With that sound, the apartment plunged into darkness.
In the midst of the profound, silent darkness, a low, indifferent voice, whose distance was impossible to discern, suddenly sounded right next to Hyūga Yuu's ear,
"So—"
"Is this why you sought us out?"
"Shishi... kun?"
# Outside the Apartment.
The sun was setting, and night was descending.
Hyūga Tetsu, who had personally witnessed Hyūga Yuu entering the apartment under Hyūga Natsu's serene and sweet gaze, felt quite miserable.
This was not heartbreak, nor was it jealousy.
He simply couldn't understand why he was standing here, like a kite whose string had snapped, his thoughts drifting further and further away.
He was pacing in the middle of Konoha's Tea Street, not far from the apartment building.
The lights of the shops along the street flickered on and off, reflecting on his stern face.
Successive waves of people passed by, carrying laughter, silence, distress, and the clear direction of their own lives, relentlessly pursuing the momentary, numbing joy.
In this environment, Hyūga Tetsu unconsciously felt thirsty. He wanted a drink, but due to the Three Ninja Prohibitions, and being underage, he could only go into a shop and get a cup of milk.
He squatted by the roadside, sipping the milk distractedly, his gaze involuntarily drifting toward the lit apartment building.
It was true that Hyūga Tetsu and Hyūga Yuu did not share a clear, traditional relationship like [Friend], [Brother], or [Close Friend].
Their every conversation consisted of fewer than ten sentences.
By sociological definition, their relationship was more akin to [Familiar Strangers].
But ever since he heard the news that afternoon that Hyūga Yuu had rejected the Main House Elder's appointment,
Hyūga Tetsu had immediately dropped everything and rushed here impatiently, wishing he could dunk Hyūga Yuu's head in a water tank to make him come to his senses!
Was it for Hyūga Natsu?
It didn't seem like it. He certainly liked Natsu—who wouldn't like a beautiful girl like her—but Natsu preferred Hyūga Yuu. Rather than trying to steal her away, he was more inclined to silently wish her happiness.
So, it couldn't possibly be for that conceited idiot, Hyūga Yuu, could it?
The thought startled Hyūga Tetsu. He jumped to his feet, spilling milk all over the ground.
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