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Anthropology from a Pragmatic Point of View
Chapter Two: Observation vs. Assumption

"All our knowledge begins with the senses, proceeds then to the understanding, and ends with reason. There is nothing higher than reason."
― Immanuel Kant, Critique of Pure Reason

Hinata told Neji he didn't have to help her move, but he insisted. Shortly after his first visit to Konoha West, he realized how little time he spent with his cousin, and how much she wanted to spend that time with him. To his even greater surprise, the feeling was mutual. He rediscovered how much he enjoyed Hinata's company, whether it was chatting over a cup of tea, or sharing a trip for groceries. He had arrived at his Uncle's home expecting to have to help her pack, but was surprised to find the work mostly done.

"You've been busy," he eyed his cousin and her friends.

"We have," Sakura smiled up at him, as she looped an arm around Hinata. "It helps that Hinata is so neat and organized!"

"Another reason she will be an amazing housemate," Ino added, neatly labeling a box.

"Wait until she makes you cookies," Hanabi grinned from her place on Hinata's still-made bed. "You might never want to let her leave."

"I am betting you'd fight us for custody," Sakura laughed.

"Guess that means you'll have to visit," Ino added, checking her phone. "Now you are sure we don't need to grab anything else?"

"No," Hinata shook her head. "I'm all packed."

Neji frowned. "What about your furniture?"

"This set is staying here," she nodded to her bed and dresser. "It was my mother's. It wouldn't feel right to take it with me."

"It's also stupidly heavy," Hanabi snorted. "Hinata's been saving up for a new set since she was twelve."

"There is that," Hinata smiled crookedly. "But mostly because I like the idea of having this to come home to."

"Well, do you have furniture ordered?" his frown deepened.

"It arrived at East this morning," Sakura piped up. "The guys were going to haul it up to her room so we can put it together."

"Put it together?" Neji's eyebrows shot toward his hairline. The horrors of assembling ready-made furniture flooded his imagination, complete with the frustration of time spent navigating poor directions and missing parts only to arrive at the anticlimactic, ultimately pyrrhic victory of creating a shoddy piece or workmanship valued more for the effort invested than the quality of the result.

"It will be fine, Neji," Hinata laughed gently, recognizing his distinctly Hyūga reaction. "I'll have help."

"Well, if that is everything," Ino capped her marker, "we should head back to East and get Hinata settled in. Hanabi? Are you coming with us?"

"I wish I could," her smile fell. "But I have training, and I can't compete if I miss. We'll still get together tomorrow, right?" she looked at Hinata who smiled.

"Of course."

"Well, then," Hanabi bounced off Hinata's bed. "Let's get your stuff out!"

Each of them took one of the remaining boxes, and added it to the rest of Hinata's things in the back of the small moving van parked outside of the Hyūga home. Once everything was loaded up, Neji agreed to follow the van to Konoha East. He was understandably perplexed when Ino walked with him to the car.

"I'm riding with you," she said without ceremony. "The cab is a tight squeeze for three passengers, and Sakura will go the back way. It will be easier if you have a navigator."

She didn't give Neji time to object, but he suspected that even if she had, the outcome would be no different.

He buckled his seatbelt and tossed Ino a sidelong glance as she sent a quick message and then tucked her phone away.

"I'm guessing you aren't one for small talk?" she watched Sakura pull out ahead of them.

"I can't say I enjoy it," he admitted, giving Sakura some space before following.

"So, shall I spare you the trouble and tell you what I know?"

"About?"

"You."

"Me?" he chuckled. "What could you possibly know about me?"

"Not much," she sat back in her seat. "Just that you are a highly structured individual who likes to be in charge of his surroundings. You're organized, neat, and punctual, dislike having your time wasted, and strive for efficiency. You are fastidious with your personal upkeep, and I suspect at least a little bit vain about your good looks and, in particular, your hair, which is amazing by the way. You appreciate and can afford the finer things, but you take good care of your possessions and do not take them for granted. This shows a respect for the labor that goes into securing the possessions, which tells me you work hard. You are also proud of your family, and standoffish. Definitely have a personal space bubble and don't-bother-me vibe going on. Family can get closer – Hinata is important to you. Speaking of, you aren't completely on board with Hinata's choice to live at East, but you trust her enough to overlook your misgivings. You are also not thrilled about Naruto, but you believe he cares enough about Hinata to put her first – which means you are giving him a chance to earn your trust or get pummeled. You are not interested in romantic attachments or anything that takes time from your studies, and we wouldn't be speaking at all if it wasn't for Hinata. You hate pumpkin, but love Bach cello suites, so we can listen to one for the rest of the ride, because I am betting one is in your CD player right now."

Neji blinked at the road, reached over to his consul, and hit 'play.'

As the sounds of Bach's Cello Suite No 1 in G Major filled the car, Ino sat back with a triumphant smile.

It was several moments before Neji asked, "Did Hinata tell you all of that?"

"She told me about the pumpkin and Bach, but honestly, I would have guessed the second part. You seem like one who would appreciate Baroque strings and Romantic piano."

"I have Vivaldi, Liszt, and Chopin as well," he admitted.

"Paganini?"

"Naturally."

"Ah," her eyes sparkled. "A thing for prodigies, then?"

"Perhaps."

"Why am I not surprised?"

"So if not for Hinata," he checked his mirrors as he switched lanes. "how did you come to all of these conclusions?"

"I'm good at reading people," she shrugged. "It is part of why I decided to study psychology."

"You will go into counseling?"

"Unless I follow after dad."

"And he is?"

Her grin was wicked.

"A criminal profiler."

He half smiled. "You would be good at the job."

"I'm also a good friend," she said, her tone a bit more serious. "And I make it a point to never let anyone treat my friends poorly. I just want you to know I am good at seeing beyond the motivations of others, and I will keep an eye out for Hinata. We all will."

"That is… reassuring to hear."

The rest of the ride was spent in companionable silence, and Neji thanked her when they pulled up to Konoha East.

"I am glad to know that Hinata has someone else watching out for her," he admitted. "Now. How are you at assembling furniture?"

"Don't worry about that," she grinned as they crossed to the van. "I have a feeling we won't be needed."

Sakura insisted they all go inside before they unpack the van, and they brought Hinata up to her room. She startled on the stairs when they heard a loud voice from inside her room.

"Yeah, yeah!" a male voice groaned. "Right there. Ugggh - SO TIGHT!"

"Kankurō," a voice sighed. "Will you just stop."

Sakura poked her head in the door. "He up to his usual routine?"

"Of course," Tenten opened the door fully. "Ignore him, Hinata," she rolled her eyes.

"Aw, c'mon!" Kankurō stood up with a wrench in hand. "That never gets old!"

Hinata blinked widely as she looked past them.

"You… you put together my furniture," she whispered in awe.

"Piece of cake," Kankurō shrugged, tucking his wrench into his hoodie pocket. "Figured this way, you guys could just focus on getting your room together. We just finished the dresser. Bed's already put together. Wasn't sure which sheets, so we just put on your mattress protector. And…, hey," his eyes widened. "Are you… are you crying?" Absolute panic washed over Kankurō's face as he turned to Tenten. "She's crying. Is this a happy thing? She's happy, right?"

Hinata wiped her eyes with a smile. "Thank you so much," she beamed. "This was so nice of you!"

Kankurō exhaled in relief. "Take it easy, 'Ro" Tenten elbowed him. "Pick up your tools, and we'll go get the boxes."

"Right," he moved quickly, clearly unnerved by the Hinata's tears. "I'll go get boxes," he gave a half wave as he slipped by and jogged down the hall.

Tenten patted Hinata's shoulder. "Don't mind him. That reaction will make much more sense once you meet his sister. So?" she pulled her into the room. "What do you think?"

Hinata's face was damp with tears, but her smile was brilliant. "It's perfect!"

"Is everything where you want it?" Tenten asked, eyeing the furniture. "It will be much harder to move once the dresser has clothes in it.

Hinata insisted everything was fine, but Tenten put sliders under the furniture in case she changed her mind. Kankurō came back up the stairs, followed by Naruto, Kiba, Chōji, and Shikamaru. Inside of fifteen minutes, all of Hinata's belongings were out of the van, and into her room. Within the next hour and a bit, the girls had gotten her all moved in, and Chōji finished making dinner for everyone.

Neji accepted the invitation to stay for dinner, and joined Hinata and her friends as they pulled several tables together in the large dining hall. As he looked around the table, he was struck by how genuinely happy Hinata was, and how much the other residents seemed to like her.

"She'll do well here, you know," Ino said quietly at his side. "This will be good for her."

"You are not the first person to mention that," he allowed, his eyes skating to Tenten, who was deep in conversation with Kiba. "In nearly those exact words."

Ino's eyes followed his, and she nodded. "We all think so," she agreed. "And you don't know us all enough to know it yet, but if Tenten says things will be alright, you can pretty much bank on it."

"Oh?"

Ino nodded. "She doesn't usually offer her opinions unless asked. If she goes out of her way to tell you something, it must be nothing less than the truth. And I am doubly sure since I am of the same opinion," her smile danced. "So, it is practically a certainty!"

"So, I see," Neji's tone was amused. "I would say that I hope you are right, but I see that you are actively taking steps to make it so… and for that, I thank you."

"Careful, Neji," Ino's smile was teasing. "If you ever dropped that complicated syntax, a girl might notice how charming you can be."

"I'll bear that in mind."

Soon enough, the evening was over.

As Konoha East disappeared in his rear-view mirror, Neji's mind began to wander. His interactions with Ino had left him pleasantly surprised; he had assumed she would be more… what? Self-centered? Shallow? Ruefully, he admitted his assumptions had been preemptive and unfounded. It seemed that there were lessons to be learned from the residents of the Hidden Leaf, than how to survive a party.

Perhaps - just perhaps - this new social exposure would have redeeming qualities after all.

*Yes, Neji's car still has a multi-CD player. He does not want to have his ability to listen to music affected by the whims of data coverage. He's a bit old-mannish that way.