Hey, everyone! What's up?
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To Killthief99,
Thank you for your review, and suggestion! I'm still not sure whether I should put the translations at the top or bottom, and I'm still thinking about it. I've decided to make a poll on my profile page, and see other's opinions on it. Whatever the results are, I'd probably follow it; I do what I can to make my readers happy with my writing! So, maybe you could pop over to the profile page and give a vote! Thanks again~!
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I've finally gotten round to writing up the seventh chapter, yay!
ミ コ ト • Mikoto
Chapter 7: Judgment
Previously:
Hyuuga Ko shouted after the child. "No, Hinata-Sama, you mustn't go in there!"
"…Silly." He hugged her, and let the Hyuuga heiress cry into his chest. "You're not lonely. I'm here."
He held her tighter. "I promise…I'll always protect you."
Hiashi smirked, proudly. "Everything seems to be going well, so far." He glanced at his dead brother's picture. "Hizashi…your plan is starting to come into action."
He stood up. Just a little more time…and that's when I'll tell them.
•
"Hinata-Sama! You're late!" Neji folded his arms.
"G-Gomenesai, Neji-Nii san…" she panted. "It won't ever happen again!"
He sighed, and nodded. "Let's begin training, then."
It had been a week since Hinata had started to take lessons from Neji. Her techniques were greatly improving, and Hiashi noticed that. Soon, Hinata would be able to beat even her little sister, who always used to win in the past.
"What did I tell you before? Move your arm here, if you're going to take on a defensive position."
"Ah, Hai! Gomen!" she quickly readjusted.
He tapped her leg. "Bring your leg closer. There, that's it."
"S-Sorry for not realizing my mistakes…" apologized Hinata.
His hand touched her face, and he tilted Hinata's head upwards, to make her look at him in the eye. "Hinata-Sama, please stop apologizing for everything."
She felt her face heat up, and her eyes quickly shifted to the corner, avoiding eye contact.
"Your eyes back on me. Never look away from the enemy. Keep your head raised high, and proud, as the main branch of the Hyuuga household."
Hinata hoped that he couldn't tell that she was blushing, and slowly looked up at him.
He smiled. "Now, show me all the things I've taught you this week."
He took a step back, as he watched her demonstrate the style of the gentle fist.
•
Ah, what a lovely morning today. Hiashi gazed out the window as he held the calligraphy brush. He decided to stop his calligraphy for now, and attend breakfast. He stood up, and calmly walked through the Hyuuga corridors. He walked past the Hyuuga courtyard, where Hinata and Neji were training. He paused, and watched the two for a while. It seemed Hinata was demonstrating the gentle fist to Neji. It seems I've made a good choice.
He continued to watch the younger generation, without them realizing he was there.
•
"…Bad habit." muttered Neji.
Hinata paused. "?"
He took a step towards her. "I've always told you to correct your footing." He looked down at her feet. "Do you think, with a footing like that, your stroke wills be confident, and your movement stable?"
She shook her head.
He pushed her, hard. And Hinata had to take a step back to regain her balance.
"Hinata-Sama, just that one step back, causes an opening for your opponents. Fix your footing to the one I taught you."
She nodded, and did so. He pushed her again, with the same strength as before. She stayed on her ground.
"See?"
"Hai…"
"So, the next part goes like this." He stood behind her; he was very close to her. There was almost no gap between them.
"N-Neji-Nii san…?"
His hands were on her wrists, his legs touching hers, his warm breath on the back of her neck, and his body was pressed against her back. He pressed her forward. "You take a step forward, and with your left hand you…"
Hinata gulped, and let him guide her through it. None of the words he told her reached her brain, and she could hear her own heart thumping loudly.
"And after you do that, you…Hinata-Sama, are you listening?"
She flinched. "Uh…um…yes…"
"Repeat what I just said."
"Erm…after you do that, you…Hinata-Sama, are you listening?"
He sighed. "Not that part."
"Oh! You mean…uh…"
"…You weren't listening at all."
"I'm very sorry…"
He shook his head. "It's fine. Is it that you can't concentrate because you're ill?"
"Eh?"
"Your face is extremely red, and your body heat is above the average."
"N-No! I'm not ill! I just…"
"?"
"N-Nandemonai…"
He nodded, and was about to continue, but then he heard someone clear their throat.
•
Hiashi was still happily watching Hinata's improvement, but when his nephew started to help her, by being rather close to her, Hiashi's eyes widened, and he almost forgot to breathe. Was Neji making a move on my daughter…? He continued to stare. He could see Hinata wasn't objecting, but she was blushing like mad. That's funny. He only saw her blush like that, when she was around that Uzumaki boy. He frowned. It wasn't a bad thing; it was just an unusual thing. Or perhaps, his daughter was one of those very sensitive people. Yes, that must be it. The two cousins still hadn't realized him watching, and Neji had been so close to Hinata for such a long time. She looked like she was going to pass out. That's no good, if Hinata passes out, how will she continue training? So, he did the first thing that came to mind. Interrupt their training session.
"Er-hem!" Hiashi cleared his throat, loud enough for them to hear.
They both turned, and saw that the Head of the Hyuuga clan was in their presence. Immediately, Neji let go of Hinata, and they both bowed very deep, and greeted him.
"Ohayo Gozaimasu, Hiashi-Sama!"
"O-Ohayo Gozaimasu, Otou-Sama!"
He nodded at the two. "Excuse me for interrupting, but I was wondering if you two had eaten breakfast yet."
Hinata tried to his her reddened face. "Iie, we haven't eaten yet…"
Neji looked up at Hiashi. "Only tea."
Hiashi then smiled. "Let's eat together then."
•
Tenten sighed, as she leaned on her elbow. Neji didn't come to the daily team training session today. He didn't come yesterday, or the day before. In fact, he stopped ever since he started training Hinata.
Lee and Gai were still at their push-ups. Lee looked over at Tenten. "Tenten, finished already?"
She glared at the two. "I'm tired! I don't have crazy energy like you two!"
Gai grinned. "You'll just have to learn how to be more youthful, Tenten!"
She watched the two do their push-ups. "Do I really have to come to these daily sessions every morning?"
"Yes, you do! It helps the youthful spirit get knocked into you at the start of the day!" replied Gai.
She pointed out, "But Neji doesn't come anymore!"
Lee nodded, while doing his push-ups. "Tenten is correct. Neji doesn't join us anymore."
"And we can't even call it a team session if all of us aren't here!" said Tenten.
"Nonsense! Even if one member doesn't come, the rest of the members should at least still come!"
Tenten sighed again. Instead of wasting her time training with her team, she could be on a date with Neji!
"When will that day come…?" If only I was in Hinata's place…!
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"So, Neji, Hinata, ever thought about love?" asked Hiashi, curiously. Of course he had to know these things. It was relevant to his and his twin brother's plan.
Neji almost sprayed his tea, and he would've if Hiashi wasn't here. "L-Love?"
Hinata blinked, shocked. "O-Otou Sama…?"
Hiashi chuckled. "You know, the romantic type of love."
Neji recovered from his little choking. "Why the sudden question?"
"Part of being the Hyuuga Head is to know about the next generation's love interest. It's to see whom they choose to marry, and of course, they must have our approval."
Neji closed his eyes. "No, I haven't ever thought about love. And marriage is out of the question."
Hiashi nodded. "And Hinata?"
She felt nervous, and couldn't help but fiddle with her fingers under the table. "I…I…haven't really t-thought about l-l-l-love…more of…um…a-admiration…?"
Neji eyes Hinata. She must be referring to Naruto.
"Hmm…interesting."
Neji felt strangely suspicious towards his uncle. He wasn't normally interested in petty little things like love.
Hiashi then smiled. "Anyhow, it's great to see you two getting along well with each other."
They both just nodded.
Hiashi then added quietly. "It may be the start of the Main & Branch finally coming together…"
•
An Elder stood up. "Hiashi-Sama, I clearly object to this sort of thinking!"
"And why is that?"
"They're both still young, and are not ready to be bind together like that! And as you know, they may already have other possible love interests!"
"I've already asked them."
Now, this caught all of the Elders in the room attention.
Hiashi said, "For years and generations, the Hyuuga clan has been split into two, Main, and Branch. We've had some bad blood between the two families, and I've decided that we should join the two together. My decision will not be changed."
Another Elder stood up. "Are you crazy?!"
"What are you thinking?! We can't bring Branch and Main together! It's absurd!"
Another raised his voice. "I bet you and Hizashi were planning this all along!"
The room fell silent.
Hiashi calmly sipped his tea. "You're actually correct. We've always been planning this."
"!"
Another Elder stood up. "I don't think Hiashi-Sama's decision is wrong. It's true that the two families have been torn apart, but maybe, it's finally time to bring them together again."
The first Elder shook his head. "The Branch and Main already have meals together, isn't that enough?"
Hiashi had a stern look on his face. "No, I believe it is not. Having meals together is not the same as actually joining together. The Branch has to suffer from a terrible curse mark that we, Main, have put on them. Casting such a terrible thing on your own family, do you really think that is suitable? If outsiders heard about this, they'd think it was despicable. The next generation has already received the curse mark, but the generation after that…by then, I want the curse seal to have perished from history."
They all started murmuring again. Some disagreed, some agreed.
Hiashi stood up, and raised his voice for all to hear. "All of those who dare to strongly object my judgment stand up now!"
"…" Hiashi's lips started to curl upwards. "I'm glad we've all come to a wise agreement."
-End Of Chapter 7-
Japanese Translations:
Gomenesai-I'm very sorry
Hai-Yes
Gomen-Sorry
Nandemonai-It's nothing or nevermind
Ohayo Gozaimasu-Good morning
Iie-No
Otou-Father
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Sorry, if it's sort of short…I think I'm having a writer's block… =_=
But anyways, thank you very much for reading!
By the way, I've set up a poll on my profile page, to see what other people's preferences on whether I should put the translations at the top or bottom. Please take a visit, and give us your vote! Thank you!
ミ コ ト • Mikoto
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