Kapitel 21: Chapter 36
I lazily walked toward the Hyuga compound, flowers in hand. I wanted to see if I could spend the entire day without any chakra whatsoever, which was why I left my weights with Ino. "Maybe I wouldn't feel so weak if I got used to it?" Whether it was a good idea to walk into a group of Byakugan users with the 'counter' to their bloodlimit, I had no idea. But at least if Hiashi and I met, I would face him on my own terms and not let him lord over me with the superiority of the Byakugan and the Hyuga clan.
I was fixing my ponytail when I saw Hinata by the gates. She was still a ways off. I felt annoyed that I couldn't just bound over to her in a few steps at ninja speed. "Maybe if I just let out my chakra for a split-second. Like iaijutsu."
It wasn't particularly difficult to stop myself from making chakra. It was like I was keeping my eyes shut, except inside my being. It wasn't difficult to maintain. But like having my eyes shut, going without chakra dulled my instincts. It would only take a single flicker to reach Hinata. Just a peek of chakra. Just a taste.
I imagined clapping my hands together once, a split-second burst of chakra. If I timed it right, I should be able to propel myself to Hinata. "Three...two...one..."
Something went horribly wrong as I crashed into the ground, my legs having given away from under me. I laid on the ground, unable to stand as my lower body burned with pain. Hinata must have noticed because she screamed and ran towards me. I panicked and let my chakra flow freely, which seemed to turn the burning feeling into mere soreness. Gripping my legs, I wondered, "Maybe I didn't use enough chakra?"
"Haru-san! Are you okay?" Hinata asked, not knowing what she should do.
"Yeah. I'll be fine," I groaned. I was already feeling better by the second. "I just did something stupid. Don't worry about me." I stood, despite the shakiness in my legs, and hobbled confidently toward the gate to Hinata's home. It only took a few seconds to replenish the chakra deficit in my legs. By the time Hinata had broken out of her surprised state and met me at the gate, I had already sealed my chakra again.
I dusted myself off the best I could and handed the girl the flowers that I had brought. Only a few had bent out of shape from my tumble. "These are for you, Hinata."
"Thank you, Haru-san. They're very nice," Hinata said. She was wearing some simple pale-colored robes and not her ordinary hooded jacket. "Do you want to come inside?"
The Hyuga compound was a traditional Japanese-styled series of buildings. It was surprisingly busy. I saw men and women talking amongst each other, sometimes carrying things between the various buildings that made up the compound. All of them had the same pale eyes. Even the children that were running around. Nearly every adult was wearing a Konoha headband.
I felt a tug on the side of my kimono. "Are you the hero?" asked little Hanabi. She couldn't have been more than three. Unlike her sister, she had long, flowing black hair with brown overtones instead of blue. And there was a sharpness to her eyes that I found hard to imagine on Hinata.
"Nah, I'm the evil sorcerer," I said happily. "Hinata defeated me and turned me away from the path of darkness. Isn't your sister amazing?" Hinata blushed furiously and dragged me away by my arm. She slammed open a nearby door and shoved me inside before closing it behind her.
Once she realized that we were alone together, her face grew even more red and she stammered, "Ah, ah, I'll...I'll get some tea!" Hinata walked through another doorway leading farther into the building.
The room had a single low table in the middle where I sat on the floor to wait for Hinata to return. The walls were adorned austerely with the occasional frame of poetic calligraphy. "Could use some flowers to liven this place up."
It wasn't long before Hinata returned with two piping hot cups of tea. She placed one in front of me and the other across the table. Instead of sitting down, however, she put her hands together and whispered to me, "I'm sorry, Haru-kun." Before I could say anything, she dashed out of the room again. And in her place, a man stepped into the room, Hiashi Hyuga.
I rose to bow. "Hyuga-dono, it is an honor to meet you."
The stern looking man bade me sit with his hands. "So this is the young lad who has lit a fire in my eldest daughter's heart," he said with a chuckle and a sly smile.
I felt nervous. "Could you explain what you mean by that, Hyuga-dono?"
Hiashi sat down across the table, supremely relaxed. His wrist rested on his raised knee as he spoke, "At first, I was opposed to this farce. Clan honor is not something to be trifled with. I admit that I don't quite understand what my daughters were thinking, sending you a formal challenge. But when Hinata left for your first duel, I could sense something in her. You must have seen it too for when she returned, it had grown. Something I had never been able to cultivate, despite my best efforts, do you know what it is?"
"Determination," I answered blankly.
Hiashi smiled in satisfaction. "For the entire week, she trained like never before to defeat you again. I was amazed. I could only imagine what happened between the two of you, between the heir to the Hyuga and a boy who seems to have no chakra whatsoever."
"It does seem like I have no chakra, doesn't it?" I laughed but it sounded hollow even to myself. "I'm still working on perfecting the technique. It leaves a lot to be desired," I told him frankly.
"This technique of yours," Hiashi said as he rubbed his chin. "How did you come across it?"
"I used to read a lot."
"Hm. Does anyone else know about this 'technique'?" he asked, focusing his eyes on me.
"I intended to teach Hinata when I had something combat worthy. As it is, it's only good for clearing my tenketsu faster after she beats me up." I stared back at him. "Hyuga-dono, may I ask you something about the Byakugan?"
At that, Hiashi sat up straight, no longer relaxed and genial. "It depends on the question being asked."
"The Byakugan can see great distances in 360 degrees. It can also see through solid objects. What I want to know is, how far underground would a talented Byakugan user be able to see?"
The Hyuga clan head looked me up and down and carefully considered his answer. "Far enough," he said curtly.
"Haha, I'm sorry to have ruined the mood, Hyuga-dono," I said honestly. I was starting to think I had a habit of going too far with my questions.
"Haru-kun, what exactly are your intentions toward my daughter?" he asked directly, with utmost seriousness as could be expected from a protective father, despite the fact he was talking to a six year old.
"I think Hinata has a lot of potential. I want to help her realize it and get stronger together, as friends. Because if I can't get stronger, I won't be able to...beat..." "Orochimaru. Kabuto. Akatsuki. Obito. Madara." There was so much I had to prepare for. It felt like a race that had just started and I was already behind. I knew Hiashi could sense the anger that was boiling inside me as I trailed off in my answer, but he didn't press me to continue.
All Hiashi said was, "Take care of Hinata for me." He picked up his tea for the first time and sipped from it before adding, "If you break her heart, I'll kill you."
Slowly, my head came to rest on the table. Bent over, suddenly exhausted and cognizant of the situation, I answered, "I understand, Hyuga-dono. But really, it's not like that. We're just friends."
"Well, if it's like that, please continue to get along with her. And remember what I said," he said innocently yet with hidden malice, like a knife hidden inside a bed pillow.
With my head still on the table, all I could do was groan pitifully.
Hinata was guiltily fidgeting with her fingers as she spoke after her father had left, "I'm sorry, Haru-kun, but my father said that he wanted to meet you. What did he say to you?"
I lifted my head from the table finally and reassured her, "It's nothing. Don't worry about it."
We sat in awkward silence. I think it was a full minute before I chugged my lukewarm tea and suggested, "Hey, Hinata, do you like ramen?"
Together, we headed to Naruto's apartment. When I mentioned to him that I wanted to go to Ichiraku's, he was ecstatic. Despite his desire to head there immediately, I insisted there was one more stop we needed to make. Luckily, by the time we stopped by the Yamanaka flower shop, Ino's mother was there to watch the store for her. So the four of us went together to Ramen Ichiraku. And I think, for the first time in my life, I was truly surrounded by friends.
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein