Defying Convention

[AU] Caught between the laws of tradition and her own desires, Hinata is cheered on by an encounter with an enthusiastic ramen chef.

-x-

Stern eyes beneath heavy brows were focused with intense concentration on the slicing board, furrows at their corners. Long hair, heavily greying, was pulled back to keep it from falling where large and rough hands were doing remarkably delicate work.

A little girl watched with wide eyes and bated breath as careful cuts were made with the knife. Though not yet old enough to appreciate the finer points of the skill, she knew that the familiarity with which her father filleted and sliced the fish was not something easily learnt. Her young mind, however, was perhaps more occupied by the thought of eating the dish once it was prepared.

As she began to salivate at the thought, the man straightened and wiped the blade on a cloth. 'Hinata, were you paying close attention?'

The deep voice snapped her from her reverie. 'Y-yes, father!'

'Good. Soon, you will try.'

'Me?' Hinata stared. Her, doing what her father did? Such graceful work as his? No, that was impossible. She stared down at her own hands, small and smooth. They would never be strong enough to hold the enormous knife her father used to cut tuna, or skilled enough to wield the thin blade needed to prepare pufferfish.

'Yes.' The firm voice brooked no room for argument. 'Hyuga blood runs through your veins, and so too does the will to uphold its name.'

Hinata started as she awoke from her doze. She could remember her dream with perfect clarity – it was one she experienced often, a memory of a time when her family trade was nothing more than an untouchable vision. Now, it was a battle all too real.

With a sigh, she rubbed at her eyes and looked around – she had fallen asleep by the counter again; the place where she saw her father working every day, the long bench that she wiped down every night. Hinata had only been resting eyes for a minute, but one minute became five, then ten, and before she knew it she had fallen asleep.

She clenched her hands for a moment, squeezing them so tightly that her palms hurt from the pressure of her fingers. Her thoughts brought to mind the fact that, someday soon, she might never stand behind this counter again. When her father had told her she would one day continue his work, Hinata believed in him with the certainty of a child. When he had said those words, she had no idea of the world into which she would be entering.

Hinata knew that her father was a stubborn and prideful man. He had once told her that she would learn to make sushi, as generations of Hyuga had done, but she was sure that her father did not say this with the consideration of her mother dying in childbirth in mind. He had always spoken of how Hinata's mother was the only woman for him, and it extended even past her death. Hiashi Hyuga refused to remarry, despite having no child to continue his family name – he had only two daughters.

Women were not permitted into the world of sushi, not professionally. Hinata knew that her father hadn't said those words with the idea of her succeeding the restaurant in mind – yet he had latched onto them as a promise and refused to back down. Perhaps he had wanted a son as his heir, but that paled in comparison to the shame he would feel at handing down centuries worth of history to someone not of direct descent.

After her father announced his decision to have one of his daughters succeed him, Hinata knew that there were complaints from every direction. Cousins put themselves forward eagerly to be selected as heir instead, while competitors in the field frowned at the lack of propriety on the part of one so respected in the world of fine dining. She herself was too young to understand, and threw herself in to helping around the kitchen when her father asked, wanting nothing more than to make him happy.

The one thing she did know, at that age, was that the terrible looks sent to her sister could be no fault of the child she kissed before bed every night and cradled when she fed her every morning. The subconscious knowledge of the resentment that others held of her sister being born a girl made Hinata strive ever harder. Even though she began by only wiping tables and washing dishes – she wasn't allowed to touch the knives, which were her father's treasures – and it took years before she was made to make rice and eventually prepare the ingredients, Hinata took pride in her work.

Now, her father wanted her to be the one making the sushi, right here in front of the customers. Helping to clean the restaurant as a child was not a strange thing; even when she was in high school, making the sushi rice alongside the apprentices was only disapproved of and not denied. Now, as a woman in her twenties, being told that she was to serve her customers – neither Hinata nor anyone else could deny her father's intentions of passing on the restaurant to his eldest daughter.

Hinata was torn. She had never been someone who could stand conflict, her meek nature stood testimony to that. She had never tried to stop her father from teaching her, even though in hindsight perhaps she should have. She recognised that he wanted someone to pass his knowledge to, so in place of a son she learnt his trade. She'd kept her hair short and dressed simply, but now she realised that was simply cementing her father's beliefs that she should inherit his legacy. The day he told her to serve customers from behind the counter, the restaurant made local headlines.

It was a few weeks after the fact and Hinata was still mulling over the situation. She'd stood behind the counter and wiped everything down obsessively, hoping to clear her head. All that had brought her was a sweet dream with unpleasant memories. She groaned and stood, picking up the cloth and straightening her clothes before leaving the restaurant and locking up behind her. It was evidence to her father's trust in her that he allowed her in his restaurant alone. Despite the changes to both its interior and location over time, the restaurant was a proud legacy of the Hyuga. Hinata felt a little guilty that she'd fallen asleep inside, instead of doing anything productive.

With a glance to her surroundings, Hinata guessed that it was perhaps a little past midnight. There was probably someplace still open, where she could have a bite to eat to take her mind off the many things happening in her life. If all else failed, she could go out and get pleasantly tipsy, enough to make her simply forget about things for a while. But, she concluded eventually, that was a coward's way out, and wouldn't help her to solve anything. Still in thought, she headed for the bus stop; she might stop by the little café that she knew lay on the route home. It opened late, she remembered.

-x-

Yet not that late, as she saw when she stood outside its darkened windows. Checking the timetable next to the door, Hinata saw that the café closed at eleven. She was about to head back to the bus stop in a considerably worse mood than she had been before, when she spotted the welcoming warm glow of a clearly open establishment. Never mind that it looked old and ratty, and that a quick glance at its entrance flap told her the place was a ramen stand – at that point, Hinata could hardly care less.

As soon as she stepped in, the boisterous call of welcome made Hinata flinch. It was strangely reminiscent of the words she heard her own father say countless times, despite the clearly different voice and tone. Nevertheless, she walked towards the counter and sat down. The place was empty, but that was probably to be expected. She did arrive there in the middle of the night.

'Hey,' the chef called out. 'What would you like to eat today?'

Hinata looked up, and her eyes met with the brightest shade of blue she'd ever seen. They shone with the cheerful light of someone happy with their life. It made her feel a little jealous, but she realised straight away how silly it was to be envious of a stranger.

'Uh, you feeling alright?'

'Oh, y-yes,' Hinata managed to reply, catching herself before the silence stretched into awkwardness. 'Sorry, I was a little distracted. I'll have… um, I'll have the ramen with pork bone broth, please.'

'No problem! Must've been a tough day at work, huh? You're looking pretty stressed!' The man made small talk as he chopped vegetables behind the counter.

Hinata paused, uncertain as to what she should say. She wasn't exactly in the mood to have a long conversation with a stranger – she wasn't the type to talk much at all, really. All she wanted was to sit down, eat and then go home.

'Yes, it wasn't a good day,' she mentioned eventually, hoping that the chef would leave. She was certainly too polite to request it herself.

The ramen chef didn't get the hint. 'That's too bad – but hey, everyone's got their bad days! Like me, for a while I was kinda in the red, with this ramen stand. Heh, guess people didn't trust a kid to serve up their ramen, huh? Ah, but that was years ago; I've nearly saved up enough to get a better place now.'

Hinata felt bad to ignore someone obviously making conversation, but she didn't reply. Part of her was too shy to keep up and part of her too tired.

'Whoa, sorry, I've been saying too much to a complete stranger, huh?' The man scratched at the back of his head, embarrassed.

In her mind, Hinata fervently agreed.

'Guess that means I should introduce myself! I'm Naruto Uzumaki, and I'm going to be the best ramen chef in Japan!' He grinned broadly, having timed his words so that he finished speaking just as he scooped Hinata's noodles into a bowl with a flourish.

'My name is Hinata.' It was hardly polite to go without introducing yourself after someone else had already done so, so Hinata was reluctantly dragged into conversation. 'I'm… I make—'

'You've got to be a chef, right?' Naruto interrupted, with a quick glance downwards.

Hinata blinked. 'I… yes, I hope to be deserving of the title.'

Naruto smiled knowingly. 'Yeah, I can see it in your hands!'

Hinata realised that his previous downward look was directed at her hands, placed loosely on the countertop in front of her. She felt slightly self-conscious at the visible callouses on her fingers.

'Hey, I'd be proud if I worked so hard that everyone could see my efforts right there on my hands,' Naruto said when he saw her downcast appearance. 'I bet you're really good at what you do, huh?'

'N-nothing like that,' Hinata mumbled weakly.

Seemingly aware of her discomfort when speaking about her own situation, Naruto plowed on as he set the bowl down in front of Hinata and urged her to eat with vigorous hand motions. 'Me, I've been running this place since high school. I dropped out, but—' here he shrugged, 'at least I'm doing something I love. Better than making more money than you know what to do with, but not making your life any happier, you know? I have a friend like that.'

As he fell quiet, all that could be heard was the near-silent swallows of Hinata eating her noodles. 'T-the ramen is good,' she said to fill the emptiness. 'Um, I don't mind if you continue.'

Hinata realised that, after a while, she really didn't mind. At first she was intimidated and annoyed, worrying that she was expected to hold a conversation with this over-exuberant ramen chef when she really didn't want to be doing anything of the sort, but she caught on that he was only trying to make her feel better by taking her mind off her troubles. Naruto hadn't pressed her for details on her life, but blabbered on about his own to distract her. Hinata felt grateful.

'Sure, I'll tell you a bit more about what I'm gonna do with this place then, 'kay? Uh, you won't be bored that I'm just talking about ramen, will you?' Taking Hinata's silence as an assent, Naruto continued. 'Well I've been saving up since I first opened the ramen stand, back when no one would eat here since I was a pretty questionable guy, I guess. I mean, I was pretty young and didn't look like I could do anything – doesn't help that I look like a complete foreigner!'

Hinata gave a little laugh halfway through her noodles. 'A-aren't you?' she mentioned curiously.

'What made you think that? Well my hair and eyes are natural, but there's no rule that everyone from a single country has to have black hair and brown eyes, is there?'

'No,' Hinata conceded. 'I guess not. M-my own eyes are exotic enough.' Strangely, she had been drawn into talking before she realised it. It was rare enough for her to enjoy speaking with others for an extended period of time, and even more so when the other person was a stranger.

'Exactly! So I had to convince the customers that I wasn't some delinquent using the store as a front for criminal activity – yeah, an old man wanted to call the cops on me and everything! Then I actually had to make them like me and my ramen. Nowadays… well, you can't see it right now, but during lunch hours the place is pretty packed!'

'I can believe that,' Hinata said softly. 'Y-you're very friendly and welcoming. Anyone would be able to see the determination you have, once they got to know you.' She was a little embarrassed to be saying this to someone she might never meet again in her life, but then knowing this fact was strangely liberating.

Heat spread on Naruto's face as he scratched at his cheek self-consciously. 'Thanks,' he said with a smile.

'I won't keep you any longer,' Hinata said as she finished up her meal and wiped at her lips with a napkin. 'Thank you for talking to me, i-it made me feel better.'

'Nah, no problem! I chat to my customers all the time,' Naruto replied. 'It's great, talking to all kinds of people, you know?'

'Yes,' Hinata said as she felt her lips turn up at the corners into the most natural smile she'd felt for a long time, 'it is.'

-x-

Several months later, Hinata was standing behind the counter of her father's restaurant – well, no, it was her restaurant. Her features were schooled into composure and she was looking into the face of a camera as she recounted the trials she experienced in struggling for her right to inherit the Hyuga legacy.

'Miss Hyuga, I understand that you have been groomed for the task of inheritance since childhood? Few can call themselves true masters of the kitchen at such an age as yours, and certainly not before years, or even decades, of training.'

Hinata had been briefed on the questions she would be asked and told to plan answers accordingly, so she had no stutter or catches in her voice when she replied. 'Yes, my father began teaching me how to make sushi as soon as I was able. I cannot hope to match up to his ability, but I am grateful that he trusts me to continue the successes of the Hyuga restaurant.'

'Yes, that is a rather controversial topic, isn't it? The Hyuga are at the head of a series of successful sushi and seafood restaurants around the country, and we're standing right now in the flagship store – Miss Hyuga, how do you feel about holding such a prominent position in a predominantly men's world?'

As the questions continued, Hinata relaxed. She was confident in her words and in her convictions, no matter what opposition she might face. She was even a little excited to be appearing on television – not everyone could claim that as an achievement in their lives.

'Miss Hyuga, and what motivated you to fight for the ownership of the restaurant? Many competitors and even those within Hyuga disagreed with your father's desire to pass it to one of his daughters and you seemed unwilling to pursue the conflict – what changed things?'

This question, Hinata found it important to answer, and to acknowledge the help that another's kind words had given her. 'Not long after my father's decision was first announced and things were still up in the air, I was feeling down and went out to eat. I met a stranger, someone I've never seen since and only met once, who saw how sad I looked and told me about their own life. They had nothing, but built up something with their own determination and willpower. Things didn't start well for them, but they kept trying – I really respected that, and decided that it was what I should do for myself, also.'

'How deep! Not many can say they were truly inspired by a one-time encounter, and certainly not to as great an extent as this! Thank you for your time, Miss Hyuga.'

'It was my pleasure.'

Hinata let out a long, ragged breath as the cameras stopped rolling and all the little extra things set up in the restaurant were packed away. It wasn't frightening to have done that short interview, but it felt draining. As she looked around the restaurant and marvelled that she would be the one bringing food and, hopefully, smiles to the customers who visited this place, she knew that everything was worth it.

-x-

After she stepped off the bus and walked down the street, Hinata thought she had gone to ther wrong place. It was true that the last time she'd made this journey was in the middle of the night, but her sense of direction wasn't that bad, was it? She stared at the place where she thought the small eatery had stood, unable to connect the place of her memory to the tidy little restaurant currently in its place. It hadn't moved or closed down, had it?

A moment later, Hinata recalled the words of the chef, Naruto – he had been hoping to expand the stand, hadn't he? She could hardly recognise the building's façade, bright and new as it now was. Still somewhat uncertain, she stepped through the doorway and was relieved to find a familiar blond head behind the counter.

Slipping into a seat at the end of the bench, Hinata waited patiently for Naruto to finish the animated conversation he was holding with a customer at the other end – who seemed a bored and long-suffering friend, she noticed in amusement.

'Idiot, there's a new customer,' Hinata heard the customer say languidly. 'Nobody's going to come back if you ignore them.'

'Whoa! Sorry there,' Naruto said as he skidded over in Hinata's direction. 'Hey, it's you!'

'O-oh, if you're busy I d-don't mind waiting,' Hinata mumbled. Somehow, it felt as though her courage had deserted her. 'S-sorry, I think I made the other customer leave.'

Indeed, the man at the other end had stood up and left without even a thank-you or goodbye.

Naruto waved a hand dismissively. 'Sasuke's just like that. Always acting like he's got something up his—' he stopped, noticing that Hinata was sitting there listening. 'Uh, sorry, he's just an annoying guy. Anyway, what would you like to order?'

'A miso ramen, if that's okay. Actually, I wanted to, um, talk to you. T-that's why I came at night, like last time. You said this place was very busy during lunch hours, right?' Hinata smiled.

'Oh, yeah. Heh, but all that paid off! The place looks pretty good now, doesn't it?' Naruto grinned as he spoke, walking off to prepare Hinata's noodles.

'It's wonderful here,' Hinata said. 'I actually wanted to come and thank you, for when you told me about this place and, um, yourself, the other night. I know that it was a long time ago and you probably don't remember, but—'

'I do,' Naruto interrupted. 'It's really great that I could help. Uh, were you…' he paused, looking unsure of how to continue. 'Were you on the news the other night?'

Hinata felt her face going red and the heat spreading out to her ears. It was embarrassing to hear that someone had seen her on television. 'Y-yes, I wanted to apologise but I, um, mentioned you. I didn't give a name or anything, though, so I hope that you're okay with that.'

Naruto looked embarrassed himself. 'Nah, I was just pretty shocked that anything I said could help someone like that, you know? I'm pretty happy, to be honest.' He finished up with her ramen by sprinkling some sesame seeds on top and placed the bowl in front of her.

'No, you really helped me. I was feeling very pressured by my family situation and when you talked about trying your hardest to make things work for your ramen stand, I felt motivated. Thank you.'

Hinata fell silent as she ate her noodles and Naruto started wiping down the benches. Once she'd finished, she fished around in her bag to pay but Naruto's hand on her arm stopped her.

'This one's on me,' he said with a grin. 'Meals are free for friends.'

Hinata's face warmed at being called a friend. 'Then I must invite you for some sushi,' she returned. 'I'll write down the address for you – please come! I-I'll be disappointed if you don't.'

As she scribbled down the directions on a piece of paper, Hinata smiled. Who knew that she could gain a friend out of a situation like this one?

-x-

AN: This is a prequel to another alternate universe oneshot. Be warned, however, that the original features a different implied pairing.