As the day drew to a close, Ryomaru found himself immersed in a sea of new experiences. He found that he enjoyed the lessons, the interactions with his classmates, and the sense of camaraderie that bloomed within the classroom.
Despite his status and origin, his classmates treated him as one of their own. The day had started with uncertainty and apprehension, but it ended with a sense of belonging and acceptance.
When the final bell rang, Ryomaru gathered his things and headed towards the gate, where Samui was waiting.
"Ryomaru." As he was about to take Samui's hand to head home, the gentle voice brought him to a halt. Turning, he found Hinata standing there, her hands nervously fiddling with the hem of her shirt. Samui raised an eyebrow, her eyes twinkling with amusement as she watched the scene unfold. Ryomaru could practically feel her storing this moment away, ready to pull out when she felt the need to tease him.
With a soft smile, he approached the timid girl. "Hi there, Hinata."
She glanced up at him, her pale eyes wide with shyness, and murmured a soft greeting. Ryomaru couldn't help but feel a pang of warmth for her. He took a step closer, lowering himself slightly to match her height. "You can tell me anything, Hinata," he said, his voice soft and encouraging.
After a moment, Hinata nodded, her lips pressing into a thin line as she gathered her thoughts. "I was wondering..." she started, her voice barely more than a whisper. "Could you teach me... the Leaf Exercise, and um, that cloud exercise as well?" Her face was a mixture of excitement and uncertainty, her eyes shining with the prospect of learning something new.
Ryomaru couldn't help but chuckle at her earnest request. He gently reached out and patted her head, his gesture causing the girl's cheeks to flush an even deeper shade of red. "Of course, Hinata," he replied, his voice soothing. "I'd be more than happy to help. How about I walk you home and we can discuss when we can start practicing?"
She shyly nodded, a small smile gracing her lips. "Thank you, Ryomaru," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Turning back towards Samui, Ryomaru gestured to Hinata. "This is Hinata," he introduced. "Hinata, meet Samui-nee."
A slow, pleasant smile spread across Samui's face. "Nice to meet you, Hinata," she greeted warmly, extending a hand to the shy girl. Hinata accepted it, giving a small, polite bow in response.
As they left the school grounds, a tall figure appeared before them. The man bowed deeply to Hinata, saying, "Hinata-sama, you are expected at home. Shall we go now?" He was Ko, one of the branch members of the Hyuga clan and Hinata's personal bodyguard.
Turning her gaze onto the stoic man, Hinata smiled, her cheeks still flushed from Ryomaru's words earlier. "Ko-san, I will walk with Ryomaru and Samui-san," she announced, her voice stronger than it was a few minutes ago. Ko glanced at the two Cloud shinobis and Ryomaru, then gave a nod of acquiescence. He had no choice but to obey the heiress' orders.
With that settled, they started their journey, and Hinata curiously asked a few questions about the Cloud village. "How do the people of Cloud treat children? Are they kind to outsiders?" She was quiet for a moment, then added, "Is the weather always sunny there?"
As they continued their walk, Ryomaru answered her questions with his usual easy-going demeanor, his face lit up with enthusiasm as he shared stories of his hometown. It was evident that despite everything, he held the Cloud village close to his heart.
Just when Hinata was about to ask another question, Ryomaru, a teasing glint in his ice-blue eyes, turned to her and said, "You love Naruto, right?"
The abruptness of his statement caught Hinata off guard, her pale eyes widened in shock, and she promptly fainted. Samui, who was walking just behind them, caught her before she could hit the ground. The platinum-haired kunoichi couldn't help but laugh at the situation, her usual cool composure shattered by the comedic scene.
Once Hinata came to, her face turned an even deeper shade of red as she started to stutter in an attempt to change the subject. Ryomaru, seeing her distress, decided to give her some relief.
"Naruto is with Uncle B right now," he assured her, "Uncle B is one of the nicest people I know. He's a great teacher, and I'm sure Naruto will become much stronger under his guidance. And don't worry, Naruto will make plenty of friends in the Cloud. He has that kind of personality that draws people in."
Hinata listened to Ryomaru, her blush slowly subsiding as she processed his words. A small, hopeful smile graced her lips, and she nodded her understanding. Ryomaru's reassurances seemed to have worked, and the rest of their journey passed in a comfortable silence, each child lost in their own thoughts.
When they reached the Hyuga Compound, Hinata shyly invited Ryomaru and Samui in to meet her father. "Maybe we could schedule the practice times with him, since my training plan is pretty strict..." she suggested.
Samui, always alert and composed, studied the compound before nodding. The Hyuga Compound was well-secured, and she felt that there was no immediate danger. With a gentle pat on Ryomaru's shoulder, they stepped in.
Upon reaching Hinata's house, they were greeted by a middle-aged woman with a warm smile. She was attractive, her long dark hair cascading over her shoulders, her pale eyes reflecting the same gentleness that Hinata's had.
"Hina-chan!" she called out lovingly. Hinata let out a soft giggle as she ran up to the woman, holding out her hand. The woman took it, their fingers entwining naturally as Hinata said, "Mom, these are my friends."
The woman, evidently Hinata's mother, turned her gaze onto Ryomaru and Samui. Her eyes sparkled with intrigue as she extended a hand towards them. "Nice to meet you. I'm Hinata's mother, Himawari."
Ryomaru returned her greeting with a polite bow, his charming demeanor coming to the fore. "Hello, ma'am. I'm Yuki Ryomaru from the Cloud Village, and this is Samui."
The woman's face softened at their introduction. "Ah, so you're the exchange students we've been hearing about. It's a pleasure to meet you both,"
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