This is not a penguin that would survive in the wild.
Zensai – Japanese equivalent of hors d'oeuvre
53 keeping a secret
It's an unavoidable fact of life. Kimiko, and her father, no matter how much of a farce, are nobility, so it's only natural they get to rub elbows with their peers. Hanabi's only thing is that disinfecting one's elbow is kind of tricky to do at the dinner table. At least the odious little family aren't stepping foot in the Hyuuga compound.
Picky things didn't even bother hiding their distaste at the idea of 'local flavors'. Kimono would be warmer and more comfortable, but this is not that kind of restaurant. They have a table with chairs, and Hanabi bangs her knee into when she sees who takes a seat next to her sister.
"What are you doing here, Uchiha?" she hisses so that only the ninja in question and maybe Hinata can hear. Kimiko, like the good daughter she is, is looking for potential husbands among the males that don't need to work for their money, and isn't paying them any attention.
"Hanabi!" her sister reproaches, going so far as to pinch her forearm through the silk blouse.
"He's neither landed nor titled, so it's not my mistake, he shouldn't be here," she argues almost inaudibly back.
"Do your research, brat," mutters Sasuke across her sister's plate.
"Sasuke-dono is a valuable shinobi and to reward him for his loyalty to Konoha, and the Land of Fire, the daimyo himself granted him the ownership of all the Uchiha estate," Hinata explains. Like she actually believes that's what happened.
Hanabi takes her sister's words and translates them less than quietly.
"You defected. Everything you own should have been confiscated. But because you're you, and everyone wants to tap that, the daimyo made Konoha take you back and even sweetened the deal for you. Tsch. Seems even stray dogs have a favorite pile of trash."
"Your attempt at blending in with the other guests is failing miserably. Whoever trained you is crap." He sounds bored, and not keeping it a secret, as if baiting Hanabi is only slightly more interesting than engaging in social pleasantries.
"I thought eating good food was supposed to bring harmony to the table," murmurs Hinata to her plate.
"Like hell this foreign stuff is good food," retorts Hanabi, puckering slightly at the flavors fighting for dominance in her mouth. Zensai should only be light enough to hold one over to dinner. And you shouldn't be able to taste the damn thing a week later either. Polite company sucks.
His knuckles brushed against her wrist when they reached, and she can feel her face heating up, almost as badly as it did when she was twelve. Now though, it has more maiden comeliness than before. She takes a sip of the water she almost dropped hastily, and thinks this will be a very long evening.
They have to move out of the way to let the waiter refill the tumblers. When they shift back, he nearly puts his chair on her foot. The sudden surge of chakra makes the fine hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. The split second pause is enough for her to reposition, crossing her ankles demurely, safely out of the way of Uchiha Sasuke and any other hazardous furniture.
Hanabi is mouthing things at him, positive he can read lips easily, even though he is acting ignorant. She knows she's right when she says real ninja don't almost lame other guests and a tic starts in his left eye.
Hinata has to fight to keep her sister from sniping Sasuke with her cutlery when he asks if the Hyuuga family knows animals, especially wild ones, were not allowed in the restaurant. He brushes the salad fork away like there is nothing at all out of the ordinary. Knowing Hanabi, trying to throw things with her feet because someone has her hands pinned probably isn't.
"She'll make a wonderful wife someday," mutters Sasuke to Hinata seriously. "And when that day arrives, you should be among the first to congratulate the widower."
Hinata only barely stops the blush from being addressed directly from spreading over her face. It takes some precise use of chakra to slow the blood flow in her cheeks, but she manages it. Unfortunately, Hanabi still sees the goopy little grin that starts, and at her expense no less, before her sister fully realizes what has just been said, and the smile slides off her face, fighting for every millimeter as it goes.
