Summary: Satoko learns more fuuinjutsu. Neji is in a bad mood. Something about fried rice, maybe?

BANG BANG BANG.

"-toko!"

BANG BANG BANG.

"Hey! Satoko!"

I cracked my eyes open, unable to process the meaning of the noise around me. My mouth was dry and there was something stuck to my face. I couldn't feel my legs.

"SATOKO!" BANG!"WAKE UP!"

I jerked up, lifting my head from the low table and knocking a bunch of scrolls over in the process.

"Ah, shit-" I tried to get up, but my legs were asleep and I immediately collapsed back onto the table, sending papers and ink flying. "Ah, shit!"

"Satoko?"

"One second!" I shouted, haphazardly using one of the papers to wipe the excess ink off my shirt before it could drip everywhere.

I hobbled my way over to the front door, clinging to furniture for support until I finally made it to the door and unlocked it.

"What're you doing here?" I asked, clutching the door for support.

My teammates looked immensely unimpressed.

"What a loser…" Sasuke muttered, yanking the piece of paper that was stuck to my face.

"You're late for training!" Sakura scolded.

"Gai-sensei told us to see what happened, but clearly you just slept in like an idiot," Sasuke said, looking exasperated.

"Honestly." Sakura crossed her arms. "We're using our lunch break to come get you, you know!"

"Sorry, sorry!" I bowed my head as much as I could without falling over. "I was up all night practicing my calligraphy. Who knew so much of sealing depended so much on penmanship, right?"

"Everyone knew that," Sakura said. "More importantly, hurry up and get ready! It's already past noon!"

My eyes went wide. "Oh, shit! Okay, okay- just lemme-" I looked behind me at the mess on the table and sheepishly looked back at my teammates. "Actually…could you guys gimme a hand? There's ink everywhere ."

Sasuke and Sakura exchanged weary glances, agreeing with a sigh.

"You're a lost cause," Sakura said, shaking her head and toeing her sandals off. "Fine, but only because you're already so late. You have five minutes to wash up before I drag you out the door as is!"

"This is why we never come to your place," Sasuke muttered as he brushed past me.

I closed the door behind me and shouted after him, "Not all of us are blessed with a furnished balcony and internal cooling!"

And not everybody's parents had time to leave anything to their kid besides a parasitic chakra demon before getting brutally murdered.

An air-conditioner would've been nice is all I'm saying.

While Sasuke and Sakura cleaned the mess I'd made, I rushed through my shower in exactly three minutes and got dressed in two. When I came out, the ink had been wiped clean and the papers were stacked on the table. My teammates were in the middle of tidying up the scrolls.

"Geez, how late did you stay up?" Sakura examined the scrolls as she piled them up. "This is more than what we've learned with Tenten-senpai."

"It's more than what I thought you'd be able to understand," Sasuke jabbed, rolling up a scroll that had unraveled halfway across the room.

I threw my used towel at him, which he immediately whipped back at me. I dodged it and made a face at him. "I would've paid way more attention in the Academy if this is what they taught - it's actually interesting!"

And it aligned surprisingly well with the linguistics major I was studying before I was transported here. It was basically like programming, but solely with words. Certain characters would make the seal perform different actions, which had to be written in a specific order for it to work properly. Most importantly, they had to be written properly, otherwise I might create something that had a risk of blowing up in my face.

Not that it hasn't happened once or twice already.

There were even different writing systems used for different seals. The basic ones used the modern writing systems that combined kanji, hiragana, and katakana, but more complex seals even require the use of archaic characters that more closely resembled ancient Chinese scripts used for oracle bones and stamped seals.

Those complex seals required equally complex structures that involved combinations. Some involved functions that were basically the equivalent of truth values. If a certain character was used, it meant the seal absolutely had to perform a certain action. Others would combine several functions into one seal in order to create a multi-purpose seal, or to create something new altogether.

The efficiency of the seal depended on how the characters are used, too. It was similar to hand seals in that regard, where experienced users could use, say, three seals to achieve the same result as a beginner using ten seals.

"It's weird to see you studying so seriously… You're really into it, huh," Sakura said thoughtfully, scrutinizing my work. "Your calligraphy still sucks though, so don't use any of these seals until they're legible."

"That's fair," I agreed. I pointedly did not mention the time a seal I made had rejected a kunai and nearly took my ear off. "Anyway, thanks for helping me clean up! I owe you guys one."

"Lunch is on you then," Sasuke said, setting the last scroll down. "Let's go."

"Oh, good idea!" Sakura grinned.

"H-Hey! As long as it's not too expensive!" I said hurriedly.

"Fine, we'll just order kobe beef for ourselves then," Sakura said, skipping to the door.

"Aw, c'mon!"

As promised, I bought lunch for Sasuke and Sakura on our way to the training field and grabbed myself a few of onigiri and a bento box for breakfast. Thankfully they didn't actually order anything exceedingly pricey - my finances were in a much better state after we got paid for the caravan mission, but seeing as I probably wouldn't be getting paid for another A-Rank anytime soon, I wanted to stretch out those funds.

When we finally arrived, the first thing I noticed was how beat up the training field was. There were weapons strewn about, as well as a few small craters with holes in the middle. What caught my attention the most were the two large patches of dirt where the grass had been uprooted. Team Gai was shuffling around them, picking up their weapons. Gai himself was nowhere to be seen.

He used the kaiten, I thought, making an effort not to look at Neji.

I didn't want to get my hopes up, but I'd spend the last week trying to get one of his teammates to tell me more about the kaiten to no avail. They'd always deflect the question or change the subject. Even Gai managed to brush it off, although he wasn't very subtle about it - at one point he frantically claimed that Neji didn't know any techniques beyond the Byakugan.

I didn't buy it, much to his dismay.

The current state of the field finally presented me with the perfect opportunity to ask more about it, however, and I sure as hell wasn't about to let the chance slip by.

"Whoa! What happened here?" I asked loudly as we approached.

The three of them looked up. Tenten and Lee greeted us with a smile. Neji silently resumed gathering the weapons.

"We were just reviewing some of our secret techniques," Tenten teased, sealing away a pile of weapons.

I cocked my brow, looking between her and the field. "Geez, I'd hate to get caught in the middle of whatever caused these tracks. What kind of move makes that kind of mark? Looks like something was spinning super fast," I said, pointing at the two large circles of dirt.

Her shoulders tensed as she laughed. "Maybe one day you'll find out if you're unlucky enough!"

I hummed thoughtfully, feigning ignorance as I gasped and said, "D'you have tornadoes sealed in your scrolls, too?!"

Tenten relaxed. "Ha! I wish. It takes a lot of chakra and some damn good fuuinjutsu to seal a natural phenomenon."

Why does she say it like she's tried before?

"Good afternoon, Satoko-san! Welcome back, Sakura-chan and Sasuke-kun!" Lee exclaimed, rushing up next to Tenten. His jumpsuit looked more tattered than usual and he was rewrapping his bandages. I looked back at the craters and concluded that he must've been practicing the Front Lotus. "I am most relieved to see that you are well. Gai-sensei wishes for us to train together this week so that we may hone our taijutsu together!"

"Sounds like fun," I said wearily.

After seeing Sakura train with him for the first week and Sasuke train with him for the second, I knew exactly what to expect and knew exactly how not fun it was going to be. I didn't like getting bruised, let alone repeatedly for every day of the week.

"About time," Neji said from behind his teammates, looking very unimpressed by my tardiness.

"Sorry, sorry!" I rubbed the back of my neck and averted my gaze. Considering how training started at sunrise with Team Gai, it was almost shameful to show up after noon.

"Are you feeling okay?" Tenten asked, scanning me from head to toe. "Training can take a toll if you don't rest well. Gai-sensei won't mind if you need to take the day off."

"I'm fine! I just slept through my alarm," I said apologetically.

"In that case, you have a lot to catch up on," she grinned, patting my shoulder.

"Shouldn't be a problem since you're so well-rested," Neji said pointedly.

I slumped over. "Aw, man! Gimme a break, I was up all night practicing my seals."

Tenten's eyes lit up. "Really?! That's awesome, show me after training today! You've gotten way better since we started, but we've still only covered the basics so far. There's way more that goes into a seal than just handwriting, like the coarseness of the paper and the ink's consistency-"

"You can continue your conversation after you help us clean the field," Neji interrupted, tossing a bundle of kunai at Tenten. "Gai-sensei will be back soon."

"I said I was sorry," I whined, but got to work before Sakura could scold me for whining. It was the least I could do for holding up training.

It didn't take long for all six of us to finish gathering the weapons and covering up some of the damage done to the field. I'd learned early on that shinobi rotated between training fields while others were restored. It was no wonder there were over a hundred of them - they got beat up pretty easily.

Once we were done, Sasuke and Sakura quickly ate their lunch while I finally had the chance to eat my breakfast. Gai showed up not too long afterwards, presenting himself with a boisterous entrance. I noticed that he looked out of breath, as if he'd been running around. Then again, that wasn't so unusual when it came to Gai.

"Good afternoon, Satoko! I am most relieved to see that you are well!" he said, flashing me a big smile that I returned in kind. "Now that we have all returned, let us resume our training!"

I was hoping to get more opportunities to pry information about the kaiten out of Team Gai while we were still training together. Unfortunately, it was hard to get a word in about anything. Sakura was working on her weaponry skills with Tenten, Sasuke was working on agility with Neji, and I was too busy getting my ass handed to me by Green Beast Jr. for a full five hours. I had built up my pain tolerance after suffering at the hands of Neji and Tenten, but Lee was on a whole new level of Fucking Ow.

"You are familiar with the hold that Sakura-chan used on Neji, yes?" he asked when we finally finished our one hundred push-ups and sit-ups. It was an understatement to say that I couldn't feel my arms.

"Yeah, the tate-something or other, right?"

"Yes! Tate shiho gatame hold," Lee said with an enthusiastic nod. "Today I will be teaching it to you as well, in addition to other basic grappling techniques. Let us begin, Satoko-san!"

I got into a kneeling position with a heavy sigh and shook out my arms. "Alright, but I'm warning you now - I'm not gonna put up an impressive fight."

It went just about as well as I'd predicted. I seriously couldn't feel my arms. At least Lee was a good teacher. I learned a lot while having my body repeatedly twisted over itself.

After a short break during which I downed a whole water bottle and checked my pulse just in case I was already dead, Lee taught me some combos. He started by showing me how to go from a shoulder throw to an arm hold. He of course demonstrated the technique on myself, and even though I knew how to land safely, the hardened dirt with pebbles strewn about was hardly a pleasant surface to land on.

We ended the day with a few rounds of grappling. My arms were barely responsive and Lee flipped me effortlessly, thought I still managed to get in a few good holds.

"Anchor your feet!" he always said. No matter how much he reassured me that strength didn't matter as long as I had good technique, the way he lifted me without breaking a sweat convinced me otherwise.

Finally, Gai announced that we were done for the day. Lee and I dusted ourselves off and made a Seal of Reconciliation.

"Excellent work today, Satoko-san!" Lee said with a wide grin. "I look forward to further strengthening our bodies and our minds tomorrow as well!"

"Likewise," I said, mustering up a tired smile. "Now if you don't mind me, I'm gonna go home and glue my arms back on."

Lee rushed off to do his additional hundred laps around the village because he failed to knock me down ten times. It only took one fall for my butt to start aching, so either way it sucked for me.

"Tomorrow is your day off, so be sure to rest well!" Gai said as we got ready to leave. "We will resume training the day after as usual."

"Finally," Sakura sighed to herself. "Sasuke-kun~! Are you busy tomorrow?"

As Sakura went off to get rejected by our less-than-pleasant teammate, Tenten jogged up to me.

"Yo, Satoko! Show me what you've got," she said, holding her hands out.

We'd made it a routine now, where I'd show her the seals I was working on so she could give me pointers. I happily pulled out a small bundle and let her take a look.

"Wow, you're really coming along!" she exclaimed. "You could make a functioning seal if you write like this for sure."

"Really?!" I beamed, bouncing my leg. "Oh man, this is gonna be so awesome! You think it'll work this time?"

Tenten nodded enthusiastically. "It'll at least be your best shot yet! You picked up on the structures pretty quickly. The only problem was that your calligraphy was messy. I was surprised, actually! Usually it's the other way around."

I rubbed my neck and grinned. "Something about it just made sense, I guess."

"Right?!" Tenten was beaming. "A lot of people get put off by fuuinjutsu because it requires a lot of detailed work. It takes a certain kind of person to be interested in that sort of thing."

"Yeah, I wish the Academy taught more of it! It's totally up my alley," I agreed fondly.

"I'll show you some new stuff once you've successfully made a basic seal," Tenten said, handing the papers back to me. "Keep it up! You're doing great."

I smiled brightly in return. "Thanks!"

After promising to show her my seals again next time and saying goodbye to the others, I headed for the marketplace. Between a full day of training and all the studying I've been doing, I haven't had time to restock the fridge.I had just finished grabbing the last of my groceries when I spotted a familiar face in the distance.

Nice, perfect timing.

"Yo, Shino!" I called out to him. I waved my hand when he turned around and rushed over to him.

"Good evening, Satoko-san," he said politely. He gave me a once-over and said, "Kurenai-sensei mentioned that you're training with our senpai. It looks like you're working hard. Why? Because despite your energetic nature, your clothes are worn out and you have multiple fresh wounds."

"Haa, is it that obvious?" I laughed sheepishly, glancing down at my battered self. "Lee wiped the floor with my ass today, but it's nothing I can't sleep off! How about you? What's it like training with your team?"

"I will choose not to answer this question in detail. Why? Because although we are comrades and friends, it would be unwise to speak of our strategies this close to the Chuunin Exams."

Ah, shit. It's coming up real soon, isn't it?

I scoffed. "Fair enough. Actually, I wanted to ask you something."

"I will do my best to provide a sufficient answer," Shino said, neutral as ever.

"What's your team's schedule like? I had a few questions for Hinata about the Byakugan," I explained, trying to come off as well-intentioned as possible. "I've been training with Neji for two weeks now and I'm curious about how it works, but he isn't exactly approachable, y'know? I was hoping she'd be able to answer my questions instead!"

"I see," he said simply, his expression indiscernible with those shades and collar in the way. "I'm able to share this information with you. However," he added firmly, "I advise you to refrain from speaking with her carelessly. Why? Because I do not want her to get in trouble with her elders."

Don't need to tell me twice.

I nodded. "You got it!"

Shino nodded in return. "Tomorrow happens to be our day off. We have agreed to have dinner together, but you should be able to meet her at the Hyuuga manor before then."

"Perfect! We've got the day off, too. Thanks a bunch, Shino!"

"You're welcome," he said, adjusting his shades. "You appear to be quite busy, and I have taken up enough of your time, so I'll be going now. I hope your conversation with Hinata goes well."

"And I hope you guys have a nice dinner," I said. "Thanks again for your help, Shino. See ya around!"

He waved once before heading on his way. It was about time I got home, too. I had a couple of clones working on seals all day and needed to redelegate them to cooking dinner while I finally washed up. Most importantly, I had to plan out my questions carefully so Hinata would tell me what I wanted to hear.

I spent all evening planning out exactly how I was going to approach the topic of the kaiten. Not only did I have to be careful about drawing suspicion to myself, I had to make sure Hinata didn't figure out Neji had learned it.

Need to make sure nobody eavesdrops on the conversation, either, I thought grimly. The last thing I needed was a fucking nark to ruin the whole plan.

The sun was rising by the time I finalized what I was going to do and how I was going to say it. I slept just a few hours before I set out in the morning, hoping to catch Hinata before she might leave to run errands or do whatever else she does in her spare time.

I felt a bit like I was trying to stalk her, but I had to account for as much as my prepubescent brain could think of. I even prepared at least five scenarios for how the line of questioning might play out and three contingencies in case something went wrong. It felt excessive, but I had to be more than ready if I was going to survive walking into the lion's den.

I reviewed my game plan one last time as I walked towards the manor:

Step one, ask about the Byakugan so it's less suspect when I ask about other techniques. Step two, mention the tracks in the field that were obviously left by the kaiten so she'll think about the kaiten. Step three, pretend I don't know anything when Hinata tells me about the kaiten. Step four, use the kaiten as proof that Neji is resisting the destiny that he believes is decided for him. Step five, have Neji perform a cathartic monologue so he's less likely to try and kill Hinata during the Chuunin Exams. Step six, hug it out.

Step six was unlikely, but a girl can dream.

As I approached the manor, I quickly realized that I might have to leave and come back a bit later. I didn't really have expectations for who I'd see at the gate; I figured it would've been some random branch member. Instead, of all people, it was none other than Hinata's younger sister, Hanabi.

I saw her from a distance at first. It looked like she was waiting for someone. She was definitely Hinata's sister - the resemblance was almost uncanny - but their expression was what set them apart. Even from a distance I could tell she had a serious look on her face. Unfortunately, before I had a chance to turn around, we made eye contact. It was hard to look away from those blank eyes, even if the eyes belonged to a child.

I sucked it up and kept marching forward.

"Good morning! Is Hinata-chan home?" I asked.

Hanabi looked me up and down. "Who's asking?"

I did my best to maintain my smile without faltering. "I'm Satoko! I was her classmate in the Academy."

Her eyes turned cold. "I see. So you're Satoko-san."

I faltered.

I took into account that I might run into Hanabi. What I did not account for was that she'd have already mastered the Hyuuga Glare.

I forced myself to maintain a smile. "T-That's right! Is, ah, Hinata-chan available-?"

"She isn't," Hanabi answered immediately. "Neesama and I are going out today. She doesn't have time for the likes of you."

The corner of my mouth wavered. I definitely didn't account for her to be so hostile, either.

This isn't because I'm the jinchuuriki, is it?

I was used to the civilians treating me badly for whatever misguided reason, but as far as I knew the shinobi either didn't care or didn't even know who I was. If anything, they'd give me the stinkeye for the horrible track record I inherited from Protagonist.

"A-Ah… Um, I'll be quick-" I tried again, but to no avail.

"Don't you have somewhere to be? " Hanabi snapped, crossing her arms defiantly. "Someone like you shouldn't be skipping out on training."

"I-I have the day off!" I said, holding my hands up in defense. "I heard from Shino that his team had the day off, too, so I-"

"So now you're trying to pick on her at home, too?!"

I paused. What?

"What?"

"Don't play dumb! I know you-"

"Hanabi-chan?" A soft voice came from within the gates. It creaked open, and Hinata's head poked through. "Is there someone at the- AH!"

We locked eyes, and within a heartbeat her face was beet red.

"S-S-S-S-Sa-Sa-Sa-!"

And just like that, she keeled over.

"Hinata-chan!"

"Neesama!"

Hanabi and I both instinctively reached out to catch her, but she fell into my arms first because I was taller.

"Wh-What just happened?!" I cried, looking at Hanabi for answers.

"What does it look like?! She fainted, idiot! Bring her inside!"

I lifted Hinata so I was carrying her bridal style - as much as I hated Team Gai's training style, I was definitely getting stronger - and brought her inside while Hanabi propped the gates open.

"Put her down there," she said, pointing at the bed of grass that went around the inner walls surrounding the manor.

"Shouldn't we bring her to her room?"

"It only takes a few minutes for her to wake up," Hanabi said knowingly.

I nodded and gently laid her on the grass. While Hanabi fussed over picking Hinata's bangs out of her eyes, I folded up my vest and tucked it under her head to use as a pillow.

Hanabi paused and looked up at me curiously, as if I'd done something she didn't expect me to do. I sat down on the other side of Hinata and returned the puzzled look.

"What?"

Hanabi quickly glanced away and shook her head. "It's nothing. And don't sit so close to her! She'll faint again if you're the first thing she sees when she wakes up."

I wanted to argue, but she actually had a point.

Shit. I forgot to account for how big a mess Hinata is around me, too.

It was starting to feel like I should just leave and try again another day.

"Why're you still here?" Hanabi grumbled.

I huffed.

Never mind. I refuse to let myself get beaten by a literal child.

"I wanna make sure she's okay," I answered smoothly.

Hanabi pursed her lips, but seemed to accept my answer and halted her attacks for now. I sighed in relief and avoided eye-contact, instead taking the time to examine the place.

The Hyuuga manor was as elegant as I'd expected. There was a seemingly never-ending outdoor balcony that stretched all around the main building and connected to the others. The estate was huge, but it looked like only the main family were permanent residents. The connecting buildings were likely meeting and dining halls, and whatever other room an ancient traditional clan would have.

I bet there's a hallway with scary portraits of all the past clan heads , I thought idly. I bet they all have the exact same grumpy face.

I risked a glance at Hanabi and tried to imagine her growing into someone like her father. Even though she wore a scowl, she was still an adorable little girl with big eyes and ears that she had yet to grow into. It was hard to imagine that she was already training to be the next clan head.

I quickly looked away when she noticed me staring and went back to examining the manor.

The sliding doors were screened with rice paper and framed with intricate wooden patterns. Even the training ground was gorgeous, despite being obviously worn down. There were plants along the perimeter that were sectioned off with decorative rocks and trees, and a small pond with one of those bamboo things that hit a rock when it got filled with water.

I'd expected more people to be walking around, but there wasn't a single soul in sight.

I guess they're all busy with whatever stuff a Hyuuga does during the day. Like skulking around the compound, probably.

The sound of Hinata stirring drew my attention back to her. Her brows furrowed, but her eyes remained closed. I felt bad, even though it wasn't exactly my fault.

"This is your fault," Hanabi said.

Can her Byakugan see into my mind too or what?

"I didn't do anything!" I said.

"Don't lie to me! Hinata-neesama always gets so nervous when she talks about you, and she can never approach you even though you've been classmates for years! It can only mean one thing." Hanabi glared ice cold daggers at me, and suddenly an image of Neji flashed before me. "You're bullying her!"

My mouth fell open. "What?! No!" But I guess when you put it that way… "I'm not the bully; I'm the one who gets bullied!"

"Yeah, I know," Hanabi said to my surprise. "Because you're the kyuubi's vessel, right?"

I froze. "Uh…yeah. How'd you know that?"

Was it more common knowledge than I thought? I knew Kakashi knew, but he was my sensei so that was to be expected. Civilians definitely didn't understand that I was just a host and not Kurama himself, but it was hard to say if any other shinobi were fully aware of what it meant to be a jinchuuriki.

"I saw you getting scorned by the villagers once. They called you a monster," Hanabi said indifferently. "It didn't make sense to me at the time since you just looked like a regular kid, but when I got older I learned about the Kyuubi attack and remembered what I saw. It wasn't that hard to figure it out after that."

"You're pretty sharp, huh," I said with an airy laugh. I just hoped it wouldn't bite me in the ass later. "Does your sister know?"

Hanabi shook her head. "It's only something that clan leaders would need to know. I'm not going to go around telling everybody, if that's what you're worried about," she said, giving me a look.

"I-I wasn't thinking that!" I said quickly, waving my hands in front of me. "But thanks, Hanabi-chan. I'd appreciate that."

Hanabi scoffed. "It's nothing." She quickly got back to business. "More importantly, it's because you get bullied that you take it out on someone you think is weaker than you, like Hinata-neesama!"

God damn it, give me a break!

"That's not what it is!"

"What else could it be? She fainted just from the mere sight of you - she's terrified!"

"Agh!" I had no time for misunderstandings, especially not the kind that tarnished my reputation, so I decided to take the direct approach and clear things up once and for all. "She likes me!"

Unfortunately, such tactics only worked on those who are actually willing to listen.

"That's impossible!" Hanabi denied immediately. "Neesama always says she's too scared to look you in the eye because of how strong you are!"

"She's scared because she's shy . She can't look anybody in the eye!" I tried to explain, desperate to get her to understand what the hell it meant to have a crush. Clan heir or not, she was still a child after all.

"You're wrong! Hinata-neesama is strong and brave," Hanabi insisted. "I know she gets nervous, but you're the only one who makes her faint like this, and people only faint when they're scared!"

I tried not to laugh. Ah…She must be the kind of sheltered kid who gets most of her social education from stuff like comic books.

"Hanabi-chan," I said gently, "you like your sister, right?"

She nodded.

I gave a soft smile. "Can you tell me why?"

Hanabi looked hesitant to answer, but went along with it. "Well… she's strong, and she always tries her best, even when things are difficult for her." She looked away and added quietly, "Even when otousama doesn't believe in her."

I pushed my way past the tension of that last comment and continued. "I like those things about your sister, too," I answered honestly. "Do you ever see her training at home?"

She nodded again, this time looking brighter. "Yeah! Sometimes I'll watch her from the other room, so I don't bother her. She… She looks so cool when she's training," she said, blushing somewhat as she looked away. "I can't help but watch…"

"See, right there!" I exclaimed, pointing at her face. "You're getting shy, aren't you, Hanabi-chan!"

Hanabi snapped her head up and held her cheeks. "What?! N-No I'm not!"

"It's normal to get shy when you talk about someone you like," I reassured with a smile.

She responded with a huff.

"Do you get it now? It's the same with Hinata-chan. She gets shy when she talks about the people she likes, too. The only difference is that your sister has a harder time controlling that feeling, so it keeps building up and up until she can't handle anymore, and then-" I paused for effect, gesturing with my hands in the air, "-she faints!" I said, dropping my arms for emphasis.

Hanabi was quiet as she visibly processed my attempt at an explanation. "Hinata-neesama only gets like that when she talks about you, though," she said, brows furrowed in thought. "She doesn't get like that when she talks about me or her teammates, or even her sensei."

I laughed sheepishly. "Ah…The way she likes you and her team is different from the way she likes me, I think…" It felt almost arrogant to try and convince Hanabi that her sister had a crush on me, but it's not like Hinata was going to say so herself. "Anyway, does it make sense now?"

Hanabi didn't look entirely convinced, but she seemed less ready to fight me to the death on behalf of her sister, so I counted it as a success. "I guess," she finally murmured. "I just don't see what neesama likes about someone like you."

I huffed. "Hey! Maybe I've just got a little something that only she can see!"

Hinata stirred again, and this time she actually woke up. Maybe all the yelling helped.

I'm surprised nobody's come to see what's going on yet.

"Neesama!" Hanabi gasped, helping her sister sit up. "How are you feeling?"

Hinata held her head and blinked a few times. "Ah, Hanabi-chan… What happened? I thought I saw Sa…" We locked eyes, and once again her face turned red. "S-S-Satoko-chan-!"

"It's okay, Hinata-neesama!" Hanabi grabbed her sister by the shoulders to keep her steady. "Just look at me!"

"Please don't faint again, Hinata-chan!" I pleaded. I'd been there for several minutes already and really didn't want to overstay my welcome in the Hyuuga Estate of all places. "I just wanted to ask you a few questions about the Byakugan!"

The sudden change in topic seemed to be enough for Hinata to snap out of her flustered daze and return her heart rate to normal. Hanabi eyed me curiously, perking up at the mere mention of her clan's dojutsu.

"The Byakugan…?" Hinata repeated. "I-I can try to answer y-your questions as much as I can… W-What do you want to know?"

I adjusted my position and sat up straight. Alright, it's go time!

"So, the Byakugan lets you see super far, right? And you can see through stuff, too?"

Hinata nodded.

I exaggerated my confusion and held my chin in thought. "Then… does it also let you guys do something…spinny?"

Hinata tilted her head. "S…Spinny…?"

"Yeah! Something that might leave tracks in the field that look like big circles." I explained with big hand gestures in an attempt to get my point across.

"Ah…! That sounds like the k-kaiten," Hinata said, much more quickly than I thought she would.

Nice!

"Kaiten?" I repeated, as if to make sure I'd gotten it right. "What's that?"

"I-It's a technique that's passed down only to the m-members of the main family," she explained. "I can't tell you the details, b-but it leaves the kind of t-track you described."

"Ohh," I hummed, nodding in understanding. "Thanks, Hinata-chan! That's all I wanted to know."

Hinata blinked in surprise. "O-Oh! I'm glad I was a-able to answer your questions," she said, fidgeting with her fingers as she looked away. "Uhm, w-why did you want to know?"

I flashed an innocent smile and shrugged. "I came across tracks that looked like this the other day and was just curious about what kind of technique would leave those kinds of marks. It must be super powerful if it clears entire patches of grass!"

"Y-Yes, it's considered to be an absolute defense," Hinata said.

"Anyway," I said, hopping onto my feet, "I should get going now. Thanks for answering my questions, Hinata-chan! It was nice meeting you, Hanabi-chan!"

Before I could even take a single step, however, Hanabi had me frozen with a single question.

"Where did you see those tracks?"

I looked back over my shoulder and smiled wearily. "Eh?"

Hinata looked surprised that her sister had spoken up, too. "Hanabi-chan?"

Hanabi ignored Hinata and stood up slowly, dusting herself off. "And how did you know that technique belongs to the Hyuuga clan?"

I gulped. Just like that, she went from being the naïve little sister to the upcoming heir of Konoha's top clan.

"Well, y'know! I just saw some of your clanmates training in the fields the other day, is all!" I lied in a panic, mustering up all the confidence I had to sound convincing.

Hanabi quirked her brow, and I instantly knew that I'd lost. "Members of the main family practice clan techniques within the manor," she countered simply.

Damn it, she's too sharp!

"W-What I meant was- Well, you see-!" I stammered, but she quickly hushed me with a raised hand.

She gestured at me to lower my voice and then said in a whisper, "It was Neji-niisan, wasn't it."

I couldn't help but freeze, eyes wide and sweat building at my hairline. Hanabi only needed to read my expression to know she got it right.

DAMN IT, THIS TOTALLY CAME BACK TO BITE ME IN THE ASS!

"W…Would that be bad?" I whispered despite knowing full well that it would be.

Even Hinata was starting to look her own brand of serious. "H-He could be seriously punished if someone found out…"

I gulped. "I-I mean, I never actually saw him use it, so it really could've been anybody… It might not have even been a Hyuuga! I could be mistaken!"

"Haven't you been training with Neji-niisan's team? You must've seen the tracks one day," Hanabi was in full interrogation mode. I stayed absolutely still, but my frozen posture and wide eyes were sure to be a dead giveaway that she was hitting the nail right on the head. "The kaiten is only passed down orally. This can only mean that Neji-niisan figured it out by himself."

"No way…" Hinata gasped, holding her hands up to her mouth.

Damn it, I forgot the kids in this world are all fucking geniuses.

Of all the things I was not prepared for, it was for Hinata's seven-year-old little sister to deduce the truth with just a few vague questions.

Hanabi turned to her sister with a serious look in her eyes. "We have to tell otousama."

Hinata's eyes went wide. She jumped onto her feet and grabbed Hanabi by the wrist. "No!" she said, voiced hushed but urgent. "He'll get in trouble!"

"We'll get in trouble too if otousama finds out we knew and didn't say anything!" Hanabi hissed back.

"You don't understand, Hanabi-chan." Hinata looked her sister in the eyes and practically begged her to listen. "Please, don't tell anybody. I don't want Neji-niisan to get hurt."

Her face was grim. I knew there was only one thing she could be talking about - the Caged Bird seal.

Does Hanabi not know what it does? She had to at least know the branch members were given a seal, but maybe she didn't know how severe it was.

Regardless of how much she knew about it, it seemed to be enough for Hanabi to back down. "…Okay. Only because you said so, Hinata-neesama."

"That's a promise," Hinata said firmly.

Hanabi gave a small smile and nodded. "Yeah, I promise."

I sighed in relief. Thank goodness Hanabi looked up to her sister.

"Ah, S-Satoko-san, that means you too…" Hinata added quietly, fidgeting again.

"Of course!" I gave a thumbs up. "It sounds serious, so I don't want to get anyone in trouble, either."

Whew. Dodged that bullet!

"Hanabi-sama! Hinata-sama!" We turned around to see a man entering from the main gates. "Are you two ready to leave- oh? Who's this?"

The young man looked at me curiously. I noticed that he didn't have anything covering his forehead that might suggest he had a cursed seal.

"Good morning, Kou-san," Hinata greeted with a short bow. "This is S-Satoko-san. She was my classmate in the Academy and is currently a member of Team 7."

"Ah, Satoko-san," he said, eyeing me knowingly. Whether it was because of Hinata or because I was the jinchuuriki was hard to say. Either way, he seemed indifferent, "It's nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too," I greeted simply.

"Sorry we kept you waiting, Kou-san," Hanabi said. " Someone paid an unexpected visit and made Hinata-neesama faint," she said, staring at me pointedly.

"Aha, yeah…sorry about that," I said sheepishly. "I should get going, anyway. Thanks for your help!"

The sisters and their caretaker waved goodbye as I saw myself out. Just as I closed the gate behind me, I heard a commotion as I left.

"Ne, Hinata-neesama, is it true that you like Satoko-san?"

"E…EHH?!"

Ah… Sorry, Hinata-chan. You might end up getting teased even more than usual for that one.

I spent the rest of the day trying to make a perfect storage seal while hoping that no angry Hyuugas would come crashing through my door. Thankfully the day remained peaceful, so I decided it was safe to assume that all was well.

I really should've known better.

I knew from the moment I arrived on the training field the next morning that it was going to be a hard day. There was a chill in the air, and it wasn't just because it had rained at night, leaving the grass cold and dewy. The atmosphere was tense. One look at Neji told me everything.

His eyes were colder than usual - hostile, even. He gave no response when his teammates greeted him. In fact, he made it a point to brush past them and straight for the farthest training post.

"What should we do, Sensei?" Tenten asked quietly.

"I believe it would be best to give him some space. He may simply need some time to himself for now," Gai said. "I will speak to him once he has calmed down. The rest of you shall continue training as usual."

Tenten and Lee didn't look satisfied, but they nodded and did as he said. Sakura and I paired up with Tenten and Lee again. Sasuke was ready to go off on his own until Gai stopped him.

"Hold it right there, Sasuke-kun!"

Sasuke froze. Even from behind, I could tell that his face went blank.

Ohhh, I can't wait to see where this goes.

"Y…Yes?" he asked, hesitantly turning around.

"Until Neji has rekindled his flames of youth, I will be your partner for today!"

The colour drained from Sasuke's face. "Ah…N-No, I'm fine. I can train on my own."

"Nonsense!" Gai had already won the battle, but it sure was a treat to see Sasuke try and resist. "It would be cruel of me to leave you alone while your teammates get to test their abilities against each other!"

Sasuke's interest was piqued at the mention of testing abilities. He was hesitant, but eventually he conceded. "Hmph, fine. I've been wanting to see how well I'd do against a jounin."

"Splendid!" Gai exclaimed. "But first, we must ensure that we are properly warmed up. Let us begin with partner stretches!"

TIME TAKEN FOR SASUKE TO REGRET HIS DECISION:
0.2 SECONDS

"Oh, hell no- AGH!"

Gai wasted no time in hooking his arms with Sasuke's and pulled him onto his back.

"Tenten! Sakura! Lee! Satoko! Watch carefully and do as we do!" Sasuke made an undignified noise as he helplessly kicked his legs about. "Relax your shoulders, Sasuke-kun! Can you feel the knots in your muscles becoming undone?!"

"I feel like I'm gonna puke-!"

"You're being too rough, Sensei," Tenten sighed. "Here, Sakura-chan." She hooked their arms together and began to stretch in a much less chaotic manner.

"Whoa-!" Sakura gasped as Tenten leaned forward, lifting Sakura's feet off the ground. "I-I'm not too heavy, am I?"

Tenten rolled her eyes. "I have weapons that weigh more than you," she answered simply.

"Let us begin as well, Satoko-san!" Lee said, already in position. I sighed and went along without complaint. Lee was overbearing, but at least he was still manageable.

Plus, I still got to laugh at Sasuke as he did his best not to tap out.

"This is the best day of my life," I said quite honestly while Gai tried to pull Sasuke's leg over his head.

Waa, his face is so red.

"I agree! With the support of a partner, not only do our stretches become more invigorating, but we are able to develop our bonds through skinship!" Lee proclaimed.

Sasuke practically choked, but it was hard to tell whether it was because of what Lee said, or if it was from Gai pushing him into a way-too-deep straddle stretch.

Hang in there, Sasuke… Hang in there.

I was in the middle of helping Lee stretch his legs when suddenly, an explosive sound snapped through the air.

Kr-KRACK!

All heads turned towards the sudden noise, to Neji standing before an obliterated training post. His shoulders heaved as he gasped for air and deactivated his Byakugan. Angry didn't even begin to describe the aura radiating from him.

The atmosphere turned heavy. Gai carefully put Sasuke back on his feet after having held him upside down for who knows what reason and rushed over.

I exchanged looks with everyone else. Sasuke was too busy draining the blood from his head to pay attention to his surroundings, but Sakura looked just as stunned and concerned as I was. Tenten and Lee seemed to exchange a silent message before Tenten spoke.

"Let's start our training," she said quietly. "Gai-sensei will handle it."

The rest of us paired off. I was about to get into position, but indiscernible yelling coming from Neji caught my attention. I looked back and saw him slap Gai away as he reached out.

"This is your fault!" Neji shouted. He pushed his way past and stormed off the training field.

My stomach sank.

No, it isn't.

Gai was about to go after him, but instead he looked on with a deeply furrowed brow and worrisome eyes. There were no ways to describe his expression as anything other than completely shattered. He took a deep breath to recover and returned to the rest of us with a half-hearted smile.

He gathered all of us and said, "It would be best if we ended training early today. You have all worked very hard today, so you deserve a break."

"Is Neji-san okay?" Sakura asked. Her eyes flickered towards the broken training post, which remained obliterated in a pile of splinters.

"I will have a chat with him," Gai reassured.

"We'll come too!" Tenten said.

Lee nodded enthusiastically. "Yosh! As his teammates and friends, we must be there to support him!"

Gai smiled, but shook his head. "Your compassion towards your fellow shinobi warms my heart, Tenten, Lee, but for now it would be best for me to talk to him alone." He clapped his hands together, ending the discussion there. "You are dismissed!"

Despite the tension, everyone did as they were told. I waited until the others were out of earshot until I approached Gai.

"Gai-sensei… Would it be possible if maybe…I could go talk to him?" I said quietly, averting my gaze.

Gai smiled the same smile as before. "Your concern is most welcome, Satoko-san, but as I stated previously-"

"I think it's my fault," I said quickly. Gai looked down at me, curious. I took a deep breath, pressing my thumb into the palm of my hand. "I went to the Hyuuga manor yesterday to ask Hinata-chan some questions."

It was the first time I'd seen Gai look so serious. "Questions about what?"

"About the Byakugan," I said, then added much more quietly, "and his secret technique."

Gai sucked in a sharp breath. "I see," he said. I had a feeling he was doing his best to remain calm in the face of my major fuck-up. I appreciated that. "And this is how the main family learned about Neji's kaiten."

I hung my head and nodded. "I'm sorry, Sensei. I just wanted to know more about him. I didn't know how serious it was."

I briefly explained how the conversation went down - only the parts that mattered, of course - and how Hanabi was the one who deduced that Neji must've learned the kaiten by himself.

"Someone must have overheard the conversation and reported it to Hiashi-san," Gai said, his expression grim.

I clicked my tongue. That fucking caretaker!

"Thank you for your honesty, Satoko-san," he said sincerely, "but because it is such a personal matter, I should be the one to talk to him. He is my precious student, after all."

"Please, Gai-sensei!" I bowed deeply and kept my arms planted firmly at my sides. "I don't want to run away from my own mistakes. Most of all, I wouldn't be able to live with myself if someone else was blamed for something I did on my own accord."

Gai was hesitant, but eventually he patted my head, signaling me to stand up straight again. I looked up and was met with a bright smile.

"Okay!" he exclaimed, giving me a thumbs up. "It would be rude of me to deny my beloved rival's precious student the opportunity to learn!" He patted my shoulder and added more gently, "I will put my faith in you, Satoko-san."

I grinned, giving a thumbs up of my own. "I won't let you down, Gai-sensei!"

Finding Neji was fortunately pretty easy. He didn't get too far, and we were close enough to town that there were a few people I could ask who pointed me in the right direction. I eventually found him on one of the bridges that went over the many waterways and canals that stretched all over Konoha. He looked far from approachable, but I forced myself to keep walking towards him.

I made my presence known with loud footsteps and greeted him cautiously. "Neji?"

He turned to see who it was. His scowl was instantaneous.

"Why are you here?"

"W-Well, it looked like you were upset, so…"

Oh god. I knew this wouldn't be easy, but it's also so much harder than I thought it'd be!

Neji was, simply put, a terrifying twelve-year-old boy.

"What right do you have to follow me outside of training? You're not my teammate. You have no business talking to me unless-" he cut himself off and scanned me up and down.

I gulped.

On the bright side, if I die here I won't have to deal with Orochimaru. Hell, maybe dying is what sends me back home.

His rage flared within a split second and I had no time to brace myself. He grabbed me by the collar and slammed my back into the railing, teeth bared as he accused, "It was you! "

Before I could even try to answer, he pulled me back just to slam me into the railing again. I coughed on impact and tried not to think about how terrifyingly strong he was .

"How did you know?!"

Think, Satoko! Play your cards right - you've only got one shot at this!

"I-I didn't! It was an accident!" I stammered, closing my eyes and shielding my face in defense.

SLAM.

"An accident?! "

Wrong answer, try again!

"I-I was trying to get to know you better!" I corrected. I took a risk and peeked. He was furious, but at least now he was giving me a chance to talk. "Our teams have been training together for nearly a month now, but we've barely ever spoken! I just wanted to find something to talk to you about so we could be friends!"

Neji loosened his grip, but kept me firmly held against the railing. "How does one with the intention of befriending me 'accidentally' expose a secret to the very people I was keeping it from?" He was seething, his glare piercing and deadly.

"I…I made a mistake," I answered honestly. "I thought if I knew what techniques you were practicing that day with your team, I could use it as an ice breaker."

"You had no business asking about me."

"I was careless," I admitted, trying hard not to make it obvious that I was in pain. "I'm sorry, I really am!"

"'Careless' doesn't even begin to describe what you've done!" Neji growled. His anger was down to a simmer now, but it was still boiling right at the surface. I had to pick my words carefully if I wanted to avoid a thorough beating. "You made me think that-"

He cut himself off abruptly, and for just a moment there was a crack in his voice that was like an arrow through my heart. His eyes wavered, but he quickly regained his composure and pulled at my collar.

"They could've killed me for this!" he yelled instead.

"W-What…? Why would someone kill you?" The reality of the Hyuuga clan was already a hard pill to swallow, but having to talk about it out loud, to one of the people directly involved - it was damn near suffocating.

Neji scoffed. "I'm surprised no one told you. Fine then." He finally released me and took a step back, untying his headband. "Since you're so intent on knowing more about me, let me explain to you the legacy of my clan."

If talking about it was suffocating, actually hearing Neji himself explain the nature of the seal was like drowning in a sea of awful feelings.

"Hinata-sama's father is my uncle. He and my father were twins, but because my father was born just a few minutes later, he was made a member of the branch family…"

He told me with sorrowful eyes how his father's seal was once used to punish him. He recounted, with bitterness dripping from every word, the day of Hinata's kidnapping, and how his father was used as Hiashi's body double in order to protect him.

I bit the inside of my cheek, tempted to tell him the truth of what really happened.

"This cursed mark, the Caged Bird seal, was created to ensure that the branch family would live for one purpose only - to serve as sacrifices in order to protect the main family. The only escape from this seal is death." Neji averted his gaze. His hands were trembling, knuckles white as he gripped his headband far too tight. "Because of this seal, I'm destined to be at the main family's behest until the day I die."

He was silent for a long moment, and so was I. Finally, I mustered up the courage to speak.

"I didn't know how serious it was to keep it a secret," I lied. "If I did, I never would have brought it up."

I wasn't the biggest fan of lying to people when it wasn't a bluff, especially not after it totally backfired on me just the day before, but any mention of the true reason I pried for information was out of the question.

Sorry, Neji, but you're going to hurt Hinata if you keep going down this path.

And I wasn't about to just let it happen without at least trying to do something about it.

"I'm sorry," I said again, this time bowing properly. My back was throbbing, but it was a small price to pay.

His glare softened. I was on the right track, somehow, or maybe he was finally starting to calm down.

"They would've found out eventually," he murmured. "It's not like I expected to keep it a secret forever."

"Why did you try learning it in the first place?" I asked. He was quiet, so I continued. "You said that everyone's born with their fate already decided for them, so there's no point in trying to change. If you truly believed that, then why would you learn a technique that's forbidden to you, especially when the consequences are so high?"

He clenched his jaw and gave no response, as if he'd never really thought about the reason. I suspected it might be the case.

"Those aren't the actions of someone who thinks they're bound by fate," I concluded. "They're the actions of someone who's trying to defy the fate that was determined for them."

His glare returned. Now he was getting annoyed.

"Don't talk like you know me. What do you know about fate?" he glowered. "What would you know about being trapped by an inescapable curse?!"

I couldn't help but crack a smile.

Thought you'd never ask.

"You know about what happened to the kyuubi that attacked Konoha not too long ago, right?" I asked innocently.

Neji nodded skeptically. "Shinobi are generally aware that it was sealed into a suitable host, making them a jinchuuriki, although only those in positions of power like clan heads are aware of who that is."

My smile grew wider. "I'll give you one chance to guess who it is."

Neji narrowed his eyes at me. "Impossible. How could someone like you be..." He stared at me skeptically and shook his head. " Impossible. "

I rolled my eyes. "C'mon, it's not that unbelievable. Where d'you think my crazy stamina comes from? And how else would I not have any bruises after training with Lee?"

Neji looked off into the distance, as if his understanding of the world had been turned on itself. "The vessel for the chakra beast that attacked the village...is you ." He spoke as if saying out loud would help him accept it as truth.

I grinned. "Yep! Now will you take me seriously?" I asked half jokingly. I patted my belly where the kyuubi's seal was inscribed. "Just like it is with your cursed mark, the only way of escaping the kyuubi is death."

"…I didn't know," he said quietly.

"The seal and the kyuubi are just a facts of life," I said with a shrug, "but it doesn't mean we can't choose what to do with them."

Neji blinked, looking doubtful again. "What do you mean?"

I held my chin in thought and hummed to myself for a brief moment. Something clicked, and I dropped my fist into my palm. "Ah! It's like this..."

"Imagine you're trying to cook a dish. Someone gave you a bunch of ingredients and said, 'Make fried rice!' But maybe you don't wanna make fried rice. Maybe you want ramen!"

"You had better be going somewhere with this," Neji muttered, looking exceptionally unimpressed.

"Let me finish," I insisted, holding up a hand. "So you want to make ramen, but you look at your ingredients and you think, 'Ah…How am I going to make ramen if I only have rice?' So you lose hope, and you start to believe that your only option is to make rice in the end."

Neji stared at me in disbelief. "Are you comparing my cursed mark to fried rice?"

"I'm comparing your so-called fate of being a human sacrifice and my so-called fate of being a human weapon of mass destruction to fried rice," I corrected. "Anyway, so now you've given up and have accepted that your only option is to make rice. But here's the thing!"

I turned to Neji to make sure he was still following. He was, but he didn't look happy about it.

"What's stopping you from going out and buying your own noodles? Or from making noodles from scratch? Or from borrowing some from your neighbour? Who said you can't use the rice to make congee instead? Why does it have to be fried rice?"

I was really hoping that my point was coming across, because I didn't have anything else.

"Fried rice feels like the only option because it's the first option you were given, the easiest option to take, and because whoever gave you the ingredients only set you up for that one option."

I stared at my hands, as if I was holding all the options in front of me.

"Whether you throw out all the ingredients you were given and make something else from scratch, or if you use them to make something other than what you were told, or even if you make the fried rice after all - in the end, the choice is entirely up to you."

Neji stared at me for a long, long moment until he finally asked, "What the hell are you trying to say?"

I snorted. "What I'm saying is, fate doesn't mean jackshit so long as we have the power to choose."

He looked down at his feet, deep in thought.

"How could you possibly choose?" he finally said, keeping his eyes downcast. "Either you do what you're told, or you don't. And if you don't, you suffer the consequences."

"I never said it would be easy," I answered simply.

At least that much, I understood undeniably well.

Neji scoffed. "No, I suppose you didn't."

A gentle breeze rolled past, making me shudder from he chill. It carried the scent of this morning's rain and caused the leaves to flutter into the canal.

"What would you choose?" he suddenly asked, looking into the horizon. "If…you were told to make fried rice," he muttered hesitantly, "but wanted something else."

I hummed in thought. "Ah…"

I'd never really thought about it before, what I was going to do with this new life. I didn't want to accept that I'd be here permanently, but it was probably time to admit that I had no idea how I got here. I didn't even know where to begin searching for a way to get back. All I had time to care about so far was avoiding certain death and making sure my teammates didn't bring us to ruin.

What would I choose?

As a jinchuuriki, it seemed like the only option was to become a human weapon for the village, more so than any other shinobi. I could only imagine what that would mean for me and my future. Who knows how my power might be abused, and for what causes? I didn't want that to be any part of my reality at all.

As a shinobi, I was downright terrified. It had only been a few months, yet I've already witnessed numerous deaths and faced my own mortality more times than I cared to count. So long as I was put in the front lines, I'd have to experience more and more of a harsh reality that, quite frankly, I wasn't sure if I'd ever be able to accept.

The only thing so far that gave me peace of mind was studying fuuinjutsu. It was removed enough from combat that it didn't cause the same levels of stress, and it was grounded in concepts that I was already familiar with. Most importantly, it was the one thing that I'd been able to do with full confidence.

A rush of emotion overcame me all at once just then, and what I could only describe as a powerful driving force that pushed me towards my answer.

"I'd give the ingredients back," I finally answered, turning to Neji with a bright smile.

"I'm going to find a way to unseal the kyuubi." I declared it with such certainty that it didn't even sound like myself. "And once I've done that, I'll find a way to undo that seal of yours, too."

Neji stared at me, dumbfounded. And then he looked away to scoff. And then looked at me and scoffed again.

"What, don't think I can do it?" I challenged.

"I think you have high hopes for a mere rookie," Neji said, rolling his eyes. He added, quietly, "But…I wouldn't stop you if you tried."

I grinned. That was good enough for me.

For the first time since this morning, I felt a sense of calm in the air. Neji was quiet, but finally his eyes were relaxed and no long glaring at his feet. I couldn't say if our conversation would change anything for sure, but at least I could say that I tried. Most importantly, it didn't end with me getting hospitalized.

"By the way…" I started hesitantly, unsure of whether or not I should tell him what I was thinking of telling him. I ultimately decided it was better for him to know. "I know you might not believe it, but Hinata-chan is looking out for you."

Neji looked up with a spark of anger. "What?"

"The person I spoke to yesterday was Hinata-chan. Hanabi-chan was there, too. She was the one who figured out that you learned the kaiten, because of my careless line of questioning," I explained. "She wanted to tell her father, but Hinata-chan made her promise not to."

He kept quiet. The spark remained nothing more than a spark.

"I don't think Hanabi-chan fully understands what the seal is for, but Hinata-chan does. She said that she didn't want you to get hurt."

I held my breath as I waited for his response.

Don't make me regret this.

Neji exhaled slowly, deliberately controlling his breath. "I see." I could see his hands were clenched, but he soon relaxed them once again. "Thank you for telling me."

I flashed a smile. "No problem."

The sky was finally starting to clean, and the sun was right above us, now. It was getting close to our usual break time, and I was getting hungry.

"Let's get something to eat," I said, patting Neji's shoulder. I pushed myself off the railing and stretched my arms above my head. "Anything you want?"

Neji smiled despite himself. "Suddenly I'm craving ramen."

I arrived home just as the sun was setting with a bag of groceries and a belly full of ramen. I dropped my bag on the floor and immediately flopped into my bed. Despite having done little to know training, the day had been long.

Just as I was about to doze off, an unfamiliar voice echoed in my head.

"So...you want to unseal me, hm?"

After Credit Scene:

Gai entrusts the well-being of his student to Satoko. After all, he can always speak to Neji again tomorrow. Right now he has more pressing matters to attend to.

He arrives at Kakashi's apartment with some takeout in hand. He makes his presence known with jangly keys and loud footsteps. He sets the food on the table and approaches the bed.

The lump that has been there since this morning has not moved.

It pains him to see his beloved rival in such a state, but the springtime of youth cannot wait forever. There comes a time when one must go forth and take it for their own! So with great determination, Gai grabs the corners of the shuriken-patterned blanket and yanks them off with full force, revealing the disheveled Kakashi underneath.

There is no time to be sulking! His students have waited long enough; it's about time he gets back to work!