Chapter One: Lingering Questions and Overwhelming Uncertainty

Hinata was standing a couple steps behind her father as she watched him converse with someone who would most likely be taking care of her from now on.

"It has been quite awhile since we last spoke to each other." The man politely said with a sort of smile that was neither warm nor cold.

It was the kind of facial expression that she couldn't quite read.

"It has." Her father returns with the same look of seriousness that he uses with everyone, even with members of his own family.

The brown-haired man looked over at her, which immediately made her flinch at the direct eye contact as she grabbed onto the bottom of her hoodie.

He was dressed somewhat strange…almost like he was a doctor of some sort…

He gave her a rather kind smile before it faded once he met her father's eyes. "Are you sure about all of this? I understand the reason for all of this…but even so. It'll be really hard for her to adapt to."

"It's the only way." His words were cold, which always made it seem like he had no problem with any of this at all. "I've done all I can for it. What she needs right now is something that I can't offer."

He was quiet for a moment before he sighed. "Right… I understand. I'll make sure no harm comes to her."

Her father gave him a solemn nod before turning his attention over to his eldest daughter.

That gaze alone…told her enough.

This was goodbye.

Then he made his way out of the apartment without another word.

As always…her father was just as callous as ever.

It wasn't like that for long, however, as the man crouched down until he was at eye level with her.

"Hey." He gives her a smile.

It looked kind. The same sort of smile that her mother would give her…except…different.

It was too much…

She looked down towards the ground, away from his kind gaze. "…Hello…"

"It's nice to meet you, Hinata. I'll be taking care of you from now. My name is Shinra Kishitani."

Shinra… That name…wasn't really familiar to her at all.

So which kinda begs the question on how her father knew him…

"Uhm… Where do I put my stuff, Mister Kishitani?" She tried not to pay too much attention on him and on her surroundings instead.

Although…she didn't really get the change to observe her surroundings when Shinra began lightly ruffling her hair.

"Aw, you don't have to be so formal with me, Hinata! You can just call me Shinra!"

She didn't say anything to that as she thought about the rather affectionate gesture that Shinra had just displayed to her.

No one…has ever really touched her head like that before.

Because of the sort of influential family that she came from…she was always treated with either respect…or with disdain.

And yet… Shinra had treated her as if she was just a kid and nothing more.

It was strange…but it wasn't exactly a bad thing.

"How about I make us both something to eat?" Shinra says as he stands up straight before making his way over to the kitchen.

Hinata was hesitant to join him as she stared at her belongings.

"Oh, and you can put your stuff over there." He pointed over into another room, which was behind a set of transparent glass windows. "I'll help you get situated sometime later after we eat."

"Okay…" She picked up her backpack first as she placed it over by the wall in the office before quickly doing the same thing with her suitcase.

Once she was done with that, she made her way over to the dining room table.

"So what would you like to eat, Hinata?" Shinra inquiries as he turns around to face her. "I can make you almost anything you want! Well, as long as I follow the recipe for it."

Hinata was hesitant for a moment as she began to play with her hoodie. "Would it be all right…if I had some cinnamon rolls?"

She knew that it was more of a snack than a meal…but she hasn't really had one in some time.

"Of course! I should have some somewhere around here…" He opened the refrigerator before peaking over his shoulder to look at her. "Do you like homemade or are you fine with store brand?"

"I'm fine with either…" She didn't really have a preference…

"Alright then! Store brand it is!"

Hinata couldn't help but slightly smile at Shinra's enthusiasm.

It was somewhat different to how most people usually conversed with her.

"Say, Hinata… How about I tell you a little bit about myself?"

She looked up at him rather inquisitively, which he didn't seem to pay any attention to whatsoever.

"I'm about twenty-four years old and I'm a doctor." Then he paused for a moment as he places a finger up to his chin in contemplation as a certain thought came to mind. "Oh right. I don't work in hospitals or in a clinic like most of them do. Usually, someone has to call me for it to be considered a job."

What exactly does that mean?

Did that mean he was unlicensed? Or did he just simply work whenever it was necessary?

"Oh, and it isn't just me here. I have a roommate, too." Shinra turned around to face her with a wide smile on his face. "Her name's Celty. She's a transporter, so she isn't here as often as I would have liked, but she's a really nice person. I'm sure you two will get along quite well!"

…A transporter.

That…should mean something, right?

But…she doesn't really know anyone with that sort of job to know what exactly it entails.

And as much as she wanted to…she couldn't very well ask him to elaborate on either subject.

That…and the oven's timer went off.

"Oh, it's done!" She watched him as he quickly pulled the cinnamon rolls out of the oven before turned it off. "And they look so good, too!"

Once he was done applying the icing, he quickly placed the cinnamon rolls onto a plate before making his way over to her. "Here you go, Hinata!"

"Th-Thank you…" She ducks her head somewhat shyly before reaching over to grab the sugary treat as she took a small bite from it.

She likes all sorts of sweets, but cinnamon rolls will always hold a special place for her.

"Don't mention it." Shinra smiles before he looks over at the window to see how late it was. "Celty should be coming back sometime soon…" Then he turns his attention over to the young girl, only to find a couple pieces of crumbs from the cinnamon rolls now being left off on her face, which only served to make him smile nonetheless.

Was she really Hiashi Hyuga's daughter? He had a hard time seeing it himself.

Honestly, it still somewhat surprises him that he went to Shinra of all people for help when he could have went to someone else.

Then again… It almost felt like he was pushing his eldest daughter's wellbeing onto someone else.

"Uhm…" Shinra blinked for a moment as he noticed Hinata holding a cinnamon roll out to him with a somewhat furrowed look of uncertainty in her eyes. "Do…you want some, too?"

"Really? You don't mind sharing?"

Hinata shook her head. It wasn't like she couldn't eat all of them herself…but she felt kinda bad eating it all in front of him even though he was now charged with taking care of her. "Do you…not like sweets?"

"That's not it at all!" He quickly reassures her before grabbing the sugary treat being offered to him…only to shove it down his throat.

Hinata's eyes widened in shock. "W-Wait, Shinra! You can't just swallow it down like that! You could choke on it!"

The apparent concern for his wellbeing, despite the fact that he was a stranger, was a bit comforting.

It meant that she hasn't lost the ability to care for other people…

It took a bit of effort, but he managed to swallow it all down as he gives her a smile that looks somewhat shaky. "I-I'm okay… R-Really…"

He didn't look okay.

"Hold on… I'll get you a glass of water!" She was basically going on autopilot as she pushed herself away from the table only to run over to the kitchen as she grabbed an empty glass, filling it up with water from the tap before returning to the table as she holds it out to him. "Here… Take small sips, okay?"

"Okay…" In some unexpected twist of fate, their roles had now been reversed.

And as comforting as it was currently…it was also a bit troubling.

She was only a little kid…and yet she had the capability to look after someone.

I suppose it makes sense… She did lose her mother at a relatively young age…and her sister was only a baby at the time. So she was responsible for her…

There was something a little bit wrong with that.

Children…shouldn't have to feel responsible for one another.

It was wrong…on so many levels.

Before he could ponder on it any further, the door to the front door suddenly opened, which made both Hinata and Shinra look up in the same exact direction.

Shinra's eyes immediately brightened up as he jumped out of his seat. "Celty! Welcome home!"

Hinata couldn't help but blink for a moment as she saw someone—a biker, most likely, as they were dressed almost entirely in black with the exception of a yellow and blue helmet that almost vaguely resembles a cat's head—appear from around the corner of the hallway.

The woman looked in Shinra's direction, most likely very used to his bizarre friendliness before she then took notice of the small child standing nearby.

She seemed to almost physically jolt for a moment before she pulled out her PDA. [Is she…?]

Shinra nodded as he gives her a smile.

Hinata watched as Shinra gave the woman's shoulder a light squeeze before she eventually came over to stand in front of her.

She crouched down in front of her so that they were at eye level with each other. She then typed up a message on her PDA before showing it to her.

Hinata looked at the woman for a moment before she looked down to read the message.

[Hello! It's nice to finally meet you, Hinata!]

She looked back up at her, indicating that she has read the message.

Celty quickly got rid of the message before she typed up a new one.

[All of this must seem really scary to you, but that's okay! Shinra and I will do our very best to take care of you.]

But what exactly does that mean?

…Even she doesn't really know the answer herself.

"Think of it this way." Shinra came over to her before he crouched down to meet her eye level as well. "I will be taking care of you as your official legal guardian now while Celty here will be protecting you from anyone who wants to harm you in any way. Kinda like a bodyguard of sorts."

…Protect her? From what?

She was quite aware that her depression has been getting worse as the years went by…but she had thought her father had sent her here was due to her own mental state.

And maybe that was the case…but was there more to it than that?

Maybe…but it wasn't like they were going to tell her the truth.

Because at the end of the day…she was just a child.

"…Okay."

Shinra's brows furrowed for a moment, almost as if he was perplexed by her response while Celty began typing on her PDA.

[How about we watch a movie together, Hinata? Shinra can bring your stuff to your room in the mean time.]

Hinata looked over at the doctor, almost as if she was asking if it was okay.

Shinra really didn't want to admit it, but that single stare was starting to bother him.

But he quickly pushes it to the back of his mind as he gives her a smile. "That's a great idea, Celty! But maybe we shouldn't keep her up late for too long? She does need to get some sleep before tomorrow."

[I know that! I just want to make her more comfortable here, that's all…]

"…Tomorrow?" Was something going on tomorrow that she wasn't aware of?

"It's nothing too big. I just figured that we should go shopping for some stuff since you'll be staying with us. You know, like clothes and school supplies."

"Oh…" Even though she had packed some of her clothes in her suitcase earlier…it probably wasn't enough since she would be staying here longterm.

Celty seemed to nod her helmet in understanding before she typed up another message. [I won't. Come on, Hinata. Let's watch a movie together.] She held out her gloved hand out to the young girl, who's eyes widened at the gesture itself.

Then she slowly placed her hand in Celty's as she looked up at the woman. "Okay…"


I decided to extend the chapter a little bit as well as to clarify the level of concern the two had. Right now, Hinata does have a firm understanding to a certain extent while Shinra can't help but wonder what is truly wrong with her. After all, isn't it a bit concerning that a young girl at Hinata's age knows how to take care of her little sister? Especially given the fact that losing her mother at the age of five would be quite traumatizing for her?

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.