"Based on Shikamaru's numbers, there's a Cultural Festival in exactly five days. Timing the release of Fox Tales Episode Two to coincide with it would be ideal."
Inside the Uchiha compound, Hinata sat front and center with the authority of a yakuza boss, while her crew members knelt in two neat rows on either side. The effect was pure old-school Japanese gang headquarters.
"Right? So that means we have to finish Episode Two within the next few days."
Sakura played the dutiful housekeeper, placing freshly prepared matcha before each member in turn. Of all the current crew, she was arguably the one with the least to do. Not that she minded—judging by the heart-shaped pupils and rosy cheeks, serving tea in the home of the boy she loved like a devoted wife was making her positively giddy.
"Correct. And we need to make a radical change this time—something that sets our work completely apart from everything else out there."
Hinata unrolled a pre-written scroll and spread it across the floor. Her voice carried unmistakable pride. "A one-of-a-kind theme song. I wrote this overnight. It's called 'Blue Bird.' Everyone needs to learn it."
In her previous life as a pseudo-otaku, Hinata had consumed enough anime to know one universal truth: the first thing people remembered about any show wasn't the plot—it was the theme song. Naturally, her plan was to give Fox Tales a proper opening track.
Granted, Fox Tales was positioned as a fantasy romance, but it wasn't exactly The Legend of the White Snake. Performing "A Thousand Years of Waiting" would feel absurd. After considerable deliberation, Hinata had settled on "Blue Bird"—the Shippūden OP that had left the deepest impression on her in her past life.
"Everyone has to learn it? Oh, I get it—you mean having each character perform their own version of the same song as bonus content on the disc?"
Surprisingly, Choji was the first to catch on. Hinata shot him an appreciative look. "Exactly. When fans pick up the disc, they can learn the theme song alongside their favorite character. Pretty great concept, right?"
"Tch... pointless."
"Ugh... what a pain..."
"Singing? That sounds really hard..."
The reactions around the room varied, but they all shared one common thread: nobody was going to defy Hinata's decision.
"Quiet, all of you. Ino, you can read sheet music, right? Then you're in charge of teaching this bunch. If they don't cooperate, you have my permission to use unconventional methods."
Hinata handed the music scroll to Ino. She knew the girls' Academy curriculum included a music class, and Ino's grades in it were top-notch.
"The sheet music is fine, but Hinata—we can't do this without accompaniment."
Ino studied the scroll with a slight frown, then reviewed the notation more carefully and nodded. "We don't need a full orchestra, but we need at least a harmonica player for accompaniment. Otherwise it won't work."
"Harmonica... Is there anyone in our class who can play?"
Hinata considered the matter. Ino had a point—accompaniment was an essential component. If they could find the right person, so much the better.
"Well... I do know someone, actually. But how do I put it?"
Ino tapped her chin, looking genuinely troubled. "He's... a weird one. Honestly, compared to Naruto, this guy is the type where you don't even know how to start a conversation with him. You probably already know who I'm talking about."
"Oh! You mean... that sunglasses guy, Shino?"
Sakura, kneeling off to one side, rubbed her arms involuntarily—as though soothing a sudden outbreak of goosebumps. Whatever image she'd conjured clearly made her uncomfortable.
"Aburame Shino?? You're sure about that?"
Hinata's pupils contracted sharply. Was this the inevitable gravity of destiny, pulling all of Konoha's rookie nine together?
"Yeah, don't let his zero presence fool you. His grades in music class are the best in our class. It's not just harmonica—he can apparently handle bagpipes, harp, you name it. But you know how he is. Getting him to even talk to you is going to be a challenge."
Ino pressed a palm to her own temple in resignation. Shino was clearly beyond her.
"No... that's not a problem. In fact, this is perfect."
Rising to her feet, Hinata's lips curved into an odd smile.
Aburame Shino—the bug-wielder of the Konoha 12. In canon, he was the captain of Hinata's own squad. Given that they were originally teammates, building rapport should actually be easier.
"Right, I'll go recruit Shino. The rest of you keep practicing the melody a cappella. Once Shino arrives, we'll start formal rehearsals and recording."
Cracking her knuckles, Hinata vaulted over the compound wall and disappeared. Watching her go, Ino couldn't help muttering, "Was Hinata always this... decisive?"
"Can't really remember, but I do recall she used to get bullied a lot. And Naruto stood up for her more than once."
Choji popped a chip into his mouth, tilting his head to one side. "Maybe she just... did a total personality one-eighty?"
"Who knows. Anyway, let's start rehearsing the song. Shikamaru, you're up first."
"Ugh, why does it have to be me? What a drag..."
And outside the compound, unnoticed by any of the young crew members, Kakashi lay on his side atop a thick branch, gazing down at the Uchiha estate below. The silver-haired, dead-eyed Jōnin murmured to himself with evident interest, "Writing their own music and running their own rehearsals, huh? Certainly a spirited bunch of brats. Well... I'll observe a bit longer before deciding how to make my approach."
Since it was a Sunday, finding someone at the Academy was out of the question. The Aburame clan, however, occupied their own distinct corner of Konoha's residential districts. Low-profile though they were, they were a recognized ninja family with a designated living area. Hinata's objective was therefore straightforward: a house call.
With the village map as her guide, Hinata located the Aburame residential block without difficulty. A quick check of the directory board, and she found Aburame Shino's home. She knocked politely.
"Coming. One moment."
A calm voice answered from within. The tone was young but carried a composed, almost adult-like rationality. The door opened to reveal a boy in dark sunglasses—Aburame Shino himself.
"Good day, Shino. I apologize for the unannounced visit."
Hinata offered a polite bow. She hadn't forgotten that proper social etiquette was called for here. Based on her knowledge of canon, Aburame Shino was someone who adhered strictly to rules and formalities. The correct approach was to play by the book.
"Thank you for the greeting. Is there something I can help you with?"
Shino reached up to adjust the sunglasses on the bridge of his nose. According to canon, the guy liked playing the mysterious type—his later habit of wrapping himself head to toe in clothing was proof enough.
"There is, actually."
"Then please, come in. I'll prepare tea."
Shino's behavior was almost robotic—flat, methodical, and scrupulously correct. Hinata nodded in approval. Good. His personality was exactly as she'd expected, which would make this much simpler.
Once seated in the living room, Hinata got straight to the point.
"I'll be direct. I've been developing a secret technique recently and need a substantial amount of money to fund the training. Borrowing indefinitely isn't sustainable, so I partnered with some classmates to produce a drama series, which has been doing quite well commercially. Now I want to expand the production, starting with an original opening theme. I consulted some crew members, and they unanimously agreed that you have the best musical aptitude in our class. So I'd like to invite you to join us. Would you be interested?"
Hinata laid out her purpose openly and honestly. With someone as rule-abiding and perceptive as Shino, the worst possible approach was deception. The odds of getting caught were high, and the damage to any future relationship would be severe.
"I see... That makes sense. Then the other collaborators would be Sasuke, Naruto, Shikamaru, Choji, and also Sakura and Ino—who both suddenly skipped class that same time. Correct?"
Shino's sunglasses glinted. His words sent a jolt of surprise through Hinata. She'd known this sunglasses boy was the only person in their class who could match Shikamaru in raw intelligence, but having him rattle off every single current crew member on the spot was still unnerving.
"Please don't be alarmed. These are conclusions drawn from repeated observation over the past while."
Sensing Hinata's wariness, Shino adjusted his sunglasses and began his unhurried explanation. "First, you, Hinata. Your personality underwent a dramatic shift approximately one month ago. Since then, you've been sustaining training injuries on a regular basis—my insects have detected the scent of blood and medicinal herbs on your fingertips more than once in class. That prompted me to pay closer attention. Next came the concurrent absences of you, Naruto, and Sasuke. The identical medicinal scent on all three of your arms afterward confirmed you were training together. Then there were Sakura and Ino's sudden absences. Those two would never skip class under normal circumstances, so..."
"..."
Hinata's eye twitched. Now she understood why Sakura and Ino found this sunglasses boy so hard to approach. Having someone who wore a permanent poker face yet could see through your every move sitting nearby was, to put it mildly, deeply uncomfortable.
And beneath that stoic exterior, the guy was clearly the secretly showy type. This unprompted monologue of analytical conclusions positively reeked of someone desperate to be noticed.
Canon had him pegged exactly right. He hated being ignored, and he was a talker.
"Shut up! Your way of talking is seriously annoying! I'll ask you straight—do you want to be our accompanist or not?"
Having endured more than she could take, Hinata cut off Shino's endless analysis with a snarl. The boy calmly pushed up his sunglasses. "Certainly. Our teacher says we should foster good relationships with classmates, and I personally believe that participating in group activities outside of school is an excellent way to strengthen—"
"Uchiha compound front gate, this afternoon! Bring whatever instruments you're best at! We've got a Cultural Festival deadline in days!"
Head pounding, Hinata fished out 100,000 ryō and slapped the money down in front of Shino. The sting of spending this much had become secondary. "This is your advance payment! If you want to pick up any extra instruments, go ahead! Now if you'll excuse me!"
As Hinata fled through the front door in a near-sprint, the sunglasses boy sat there for a moment, adjusted his sunglasses one more time, and then spoke to the empty room.
"I... don't like being ignored."