Death is cruel and unpredictable. It is part of nature. When someone passes away, a new born will be replaced. So the cycle goes on and on.
Not only that, grief is part of this deal. We grief because simply nature gave us this unique ability to feel our love ones after departing from us.
And grief will give individuals new perspectives for their future to challenge their rough road ahead of them.
But Hyuga Hiashi remained in the past. No, not physically. Far from it. His conscious travels every evening back to his late wife.
They met since they know how to take their first steps. From their first encounter due to family festivals, they disliked each other since then.
They quarrel every time they see each other, from their mansion all the way to the ninja academy. Not for once did they stop biting each others head off, literally. Fights often could be seen from time to time.
Unknowingly to them, the Hyuga elders made bets within the whole council, including the Branch Family members that they will be dating in the near future. They enjoyed watching the "flirts" they send to each other.
Fate had his own agenda just for the pair however. From every examination, they battle against each other. The academy exit to genin entrance exam, chunnin examination finals and even being paired up during the Jounin exam.
But once Hiashi had been promoted to hunter ninja and his rival to medical ninja, their encounters were slowly subtracting.
They never knew that the little things they do to each other when they were younger willhave such impact foreach other, not that they realized this fact.
Hyuaga Yumiko perceives the heir of Hyuga Main family as arrogant and a self-centered jerk. On the other hand, Hiashi thinks that she is cold hearted and hot headed tom boy.
But one magically evening was arranged by God itself.
Hisahi had twisted his ankle and first degree burn at his torso from his B-class mission. Their team leader brought him to the hospital to be healed.
While waiting in the lobby for a nurse to allow him to visit a medic to heal him, he felt uneasy. In pure instinct, he used his Byakugan to inspect the area. Someone caught his eye in a operating room immediately. His long term rival, a new medic, had grown into more womanly than ever. She was desperately trying to heal a genin ninja with blood covered all over his body. He saw determination, warmth and patience from her eyes and movements. Each healing technique she executed brought out love and devotion, trying to pull the poor boy's soul back from death's front door.
He did not even pay any attention to the nurse yelling beside his ear. He saw a different light at his old rival. He was mesmerized by this angel. At the very moment, Hyuaga Hiashi, a silent, prideful and powerful man fell totally in love with her.
And his eldest daughter is the exact replica of her diseased mother once Yumiko had open up to him while they were engaged. Kind, gentle, caring, patience, full of laughter, the shyness she hid under a tom boy mask, not that her daughter had one.
And what's frightening is her daughter inherited her mother's ferocious side. Once the tolerance thins out, she'll explode in the same manner as the Slug Sannin Tsunade. Oh, yes, he had witnessed her wrath when he was still a genin which was exactly twenty seven years ago. Oh yes, he still recall that particular memory vividly.
Being the exact replica of her mother pains him even more. On daily basis, whenever he sees her daughter, he sees his late wife. He was angry at himself for letting her go so easily. He should have spent all his funds on finding an antidote for her abnormal disease. He vents his own frustration at her simply oftheir resemblance, reminding him of his own incompetence. Oh he knows she is his daughter but he can not help himself.
In appearance, he seems to resent Hinata and favour her second daughter Hanabi. But in truth, it is the opposite. He can clearly see that Hanabi will be the female version of himself very soon. All he can say is that he is a little, sad man. He can already picture how his wife will berate him when he finally meets her in the realm of the dead. How he misses her.
He was extremely anxious after knowing her daughter had been nominated to take the Jounnin exam. It was always unpredictable and dangerous. What shocked him the most was her daughter's success in promoting into a high rank ninja when she returned with her team.
He wept. He wept silently to himself when she returned home safely. He thanked the heaven that she is well and alive.
He can clearly see her change abruptly in only three weeks' time. An air of confidence surrounding her with skills to back up her attitude with the mixture of kindness she still possesses. He never knew she has hidden all these skills up her sleeve. She is on a par even with Hyuaga Neji, the prodigy of the Hyuga Branch house.
She broke the ways of Hyuga and of all ninja techniques she picked the water element ninja arts! He was enraged at first but after witnessing her personal training in the dojo, he kept completely silent. Combination of the Jyuken and water techniques was only a dance of death. If she perfected her moves in the near future, she would be the deadliest Hyuga in history.
He confronted her after returning home. He was still using his mask of indifference at first. After telling the Head of the Hyuga Clan of her journey and success and everything related to her new found attitude and strength and how the Snake Sannin of Konoha indirectly applaud behind her efforts and potential, he broke and shed his tears in front of her daughter.
He confessed every thing to her afterwards as to why he mistreated her for all these years after her mother's death and favoured Hanabi.
In return, she totally forgave him for his mistakes. From that moment onwards, their daughter/father relationship was stronger than ever. No secrets were hidden between them anymore.
For the first time in eleven years, he smiled… a genuine smile which had been covered under the pain for eleven torturous years.
And all thanks to a young elite Jounin Uzumaki Naruto, son of the Snake Sannin Orochimaru.