A/N: Ever have that overwhelming feeling, with too many things to deal with. I thought I'd take a breather finally and treat myself to writing a bit. That's so selfish. Haha. But it's you readers that make my day, thanks for reading and reviewing.

"Oww...sorry, Ba-chan.."

The landlady let go of his cheeks and boxed his ears instead.

Naruto backed away down the corridor.

"That baba...", he muttered clutching his red ears.

"What did you say?" She yelled.

"I won't drop pigeons on anyone ever again..."

"Hmmph. Certainly not."

"So it's okay to drop something else?"

"WHAT WAS THAT?"

Naruto stopped grinning foolishly as a long handled broom loomed menacing closer.

Smack.

"Oww, it was a joke..Ba chan!", he protested rubbing his sore bottom.

He retreated hastily to the yard. Ba chan threw the broom out the door after him, ordering him not to show his face inside till the yard was swept clean. He was used to cleaning out the yard as punishment.

By the time he was finished, the sun had already set and it was cold out. Naruto tossed the broom aside and slumped down near the stairs leading to the backyard.

"That baba can't take a joke...", he pouted.

He wondered what Hinata was doing right now. Tomorrow he would look for her again. The thought brightened him up. He turned to head inside. A large handled broom blocked the door and attached to it was a tall, thin fellow.

"You can't run away this time", he croaked out.

He was part of the gang that liked to torment him. He was shuffling from foot to foot, looking around nervously. The boy grabbed for Naruto's money just as the door banged open. Shocked, Naruto let him go without a scuffle. The boy was quick to dash away tossing the broom aside.

Ba chan stood in the doorway stiffly. She did not look pleased with the broom in her face.

"Eek", Naruto managed.

Ba chan had chased him around the yard for ages.

"Tch, I told her too that it wasn't me..."

"Baka. Why do you come back? No one wants you...", he sighed to himself. Sometimes, he felt like running away and leaving everything behind. Sometimes, he wished he had a house instead of a room, and a mother instead of the landlady and a father instead of old uncle ichiraku. His stomach gave a low rumble at the thought of ichiraku's. Naruto blinked at the sudden light coming from the kitchen window. Someone had whipped the curtains aside. The banging of pots was heard before all was quiet again. He looked in cautiously and saw hot food steaming on a plate waiting for him.

Ba chan. She wasn't so bad after all.

"I'm home...", announced Naruto with a flourish throwing open the door, his previous melancholy forgotten.

Hinata was having a quiet dinner. This would be normal, except for about four pairs of eyes staring at her intently. As Hinata looked up, Neji and Hanabi coughed in unison, completing failing in their attempt at nonchalance. Neji was hacking violently now, having swallowed some sushi the wrong way.

Hiashi grunted in annoyance.

"Have you forgotten how to chew now? It does not befit the future protector of the main line heir to be this relaxed in his duties."

'Main line heir', thought Hinata. Father never called her the heir unless necessary. But why was he picking on Neji today?

She almost spoke up but Hanabi beat her to it.

"Father, you needn't be angry at Neji when Hinata née chan is the one at fault"

Hinata was too surprised to say anything, not that it occurred to her that she wasn't at fault. She assumed it must be, because it generally was. Why did she have to be born into such a complicated family? She clapped her hand to her mouth loudly at the traitorous thought. The serving maid was trying really hard not to smile. Everyone was looking at her. Hiashi dismissed the maid curtly and fixed his glacial look on his first born, Hinata.

"Where were you this morning?", Hiashi asked.

Hinata looked down twiddling her thumbs.

"Out?"

There was a sharp intake of breath from the other three Hyugas.

They looked at each other with disbelief.

"That's enough. The fault is mine. You will train harder. Neji, you will oversee Hinata's progress. That is all", said Hiashi getting up as the three children bowed their heads.

Hanabi dug into her plate unaffected by their father's sudden exit.

"That really makes one work up an appetite, eh?", she smirked at the silent pair. Hinata looked with wide eyes at her stoic cousin, sitting with hands fisted upon his knees. He excused himself, smoothly leaving without a backward glance.

"It's scary, how alike they can be", exclaimed Hanabi afterwards, echoing Hinata's own thoughts.

Neji was perfect, at everything. He was a Hyuga prodigy. He was her cousin. Although he was a year older, he was not from the main branch of the family, which meant no matter how talented he was he would never succeed Hiashi as clan head.

Hiashi and Neji's father had been twins. As the older of the twins, by Hyuga law, Hiashi was chosen as the clan head, while Neji and his father had their powers sealed. The seal allowed the main branch control over the branch family members. The seal brought death and pain to dissenters and traitors. The Hyuga tradition clipped the powers of the remaining branches of the family to prevent power struggles that destroyed many other clans from within. The branch family served the main branch who lead the clan in all things. Hiashi's word was law within the Hyuga clan. His successor would have to lead with the same iron fist as all the Hyugas before him. The unchanging traditions of the clan had kept them together, where others like the Uchicha had all but destroyed themselves.

Successor. The word sent a shiver up Hinata's spine. She wasn't sure what Neji thought of it all. Many times she wished, perhaps he would have been the rightful one to succeed father.

She started, remembering Naruto and her promise to train with him.

"Now, what do I do?", she said aloud.

Hanabi shrugged. Hinata was slow after all, did she only just realize how terrifying Neji was to train with. Tomorrow was going to be interesting too, thought Hanabi with glee.