When Hiashi left, he took most of the elite clan members with him, including Hizashi, whose mission was to be his personal bodyguard at all times.
The Hyuga compound suddenly became much quieter. The streets were mostly filled with the elderly, women, and children.
Not long after Hiashi left, Ayano came to visit.
"Lad–Sister Ayano?!" Shinji looked surprised to see Ayano standing outside his door.
She wore a long white dress, which made her look more youthful and innocent than usual. Her long hair was still meticulously styled in a bun, making her appear elegant and refined.
"Y-You... Why are you here?"
"Why, am I not welcome?" Ayano asked with a gentle smile, a paper bag in her hand.
"Wel- Of course, you're welcome! Please come in!"
Shinji stepped aside, letting Ayano into his room.
Ayano was relieved to see that the room wasn't the typical messy bedroom of a teenage boy she had imagined.
However, a dog suddenly dashing out from somewhere still startled her.
"Sister Ayano, this is Subi ." Shinji introduced.
"Your dog? He's so cute!" Ayano's face lit up with delight as she watched the white dog circling her. She bent down and picked it up in her arms.
"Right? Sister Ayari also likes him a lot. Please, have a seat."
Ayano sat down on the sofa and chuckled. "I didn't expect you to be such a caring person, Shinji."
"Not really, I'm just... a bit bored on my own." Shinji replied with an honest smile.
Ayano put the dog down and handed him the paper bag. "I brought you some food.
"I saw you like snacks, but those aren't good for you if you eat too many. So, I made some pastries and snacks myself."
Shinji took the bag and opened it. Inside were several neatly arranged boxes filled with snacks.
The packaging and presentation were quite exquisite, showing the effort she put in.
"Sister Ayano, this..." Shinji was touched.
"You're too kind to me!"
Ayano smiled. "Silly child, since you call me sister, I should naturally do what a sister should. You can keep these in the refrigerator and eat them whenever you want."
Shinji nodded and was about to put the food in the refrigerator.
Ayano laughed. "I didn't tell you to put them away now. You can try them first to see how they taste."
Shinji scratched his head and smiled sheepishly. "Anything Sister Ayano makes must be delicious. I have to savor them properly."
Ayano found Shinji's straightforwardness amusing. Her gaze fell upon a book on his desk.
"Were you reading?"
"Ah, just reading something since I have nothing to do."
It was a book about the human body's acupuncture points, a required course for the Hyuga before practicing the Gentle Fist. Memorizing the meridians and acupoints was essential for their technique.
Ayano glanced at it but didn't pay much attention, assuming he was just reviewing.
"Shinji, there's something I need to tell you."
"Please, tell me, Sister Ayano."
"It's about your eyes."
Shinji's expression immediately became tense at her words, a change that Ayano didn't miss.
She spoke slowly. "The hospital suddenly said that the Byakugan that was previously compatible with you has been found to have some problems after examination."
Shinji asked in confusion, "What... what does that mean?"
"It means that the Byakugan to be transplanted to you needs to be re-selected. But Hiashi is at the front lines now, and without the clan head, the surgery can't be performed easily. Do you understand?"
Shinji stood there in a daze for a while, his eyes downcast.
"The war situation is tense now, Hiashi has to go..."
"I understand!" Shinji suddenly interrupted Ayano.
"I understand, Sister Ayano. I'm just a Chunin. How can Lord Hiashi be delayed because of me?"
His voice was filled with disappointment, but he seemed to be trying to put on a brave face.
Ayano nodded. "It's best that you think this way."
She then comforted him, "When the war is over and Hiashi returns, he will definitely arrange for a new pair of Byakugan for you!"
Hope flickered in Shinji's eyes. "Yes! I understand!"
Seeing his expression, Ayano smiled inwardly.
Young people were so easy to coax.
She then chatted with Shinji about everyday things, expressing her concern for him before getting up to leave.
"Take care, Sister Ayano."
Ayano hadn't gone far when she noticed a short white hair stuck to her sleeve, from the dog. She frowned slightly but didn't touch it.
She looked back and saw Shinji still standing at the door, watching her. Ayano gave him a gentle smile and waved.
Shinji returned to his room, no longer reading but lying down on his bed.
Subi jumped onto the bed as well, lying on his stomach.
The first step was more or less accomplished.
Hiashi wouldn't kill him.
If he died under the current circumstances, it would undoubtedly point all the blame at the main family.
However, without the shackles on him, it was like having a spotlight shone on him. Everything he did would attract extra attention.
After a war, there would likely be casualties in the Hyuga, which meant that Hiashi might bring back a pair of Byakugan from the battlefield.
This reedom wasn't permanent.
In the afternoon.
Perhaps the news of Hiashi leaving the village had spread. The Hyuga had a visitor.
This person came specifically to see Shinji.
Shinji's eyes flickered as he watched Anko, brought to his door by a clan member.
She hesitantly began, "Um... I was wondering if you'd like to have dinner with me. How about barbecue?"
Shinji replied calmly, "Are you treating me?"
"Huh? Uh... Yeah! I'll pay!"
Shinji walked out of the room, casually closing the door behind him.
"Let's not have barbecue. Let's go eat dango."
"Eh?" Anko was slightly taken aback, then her face lit up.
"You like dango too?
"I just suddenly felt like eating some. Let's go."
The two walked out of the Hyuga compound, Anko leading the way through the streets. She said she knew which dango shop was the best.
However, Anko kept glancing back at Shinji along the way, looking like she wanted to say something but couldn't.
Children couldn't hide their thoughts. Shinji saw through her immediately, but he didn't take the initiative to ask, following her into a dango shop.
Seeing her favorite food, Anko's spirits lifted. She grabbed the menu and started ticking off items.
After all, she had money from Lord Orochimaru.
"Is there anything you want to eat?" Anko looked up to ask Shinji.
"You can just order whatever you like."
"The three-colored dango here is really good, and the red bean dango is also delicious. I'll order both for you."
Shinji sat opposite her, resting his chin in his hand, watching as she pondered over the menu with a small frown, seemingly feeling that she had ordered too much but reluctant to remove anything.
"Don't you worry about getting fat eating so many sweets?"
"I won't get fat!"
"No one will marry you If you become a big fatty, ."
Anko immediately got angry. "How can you say such rude things to a girl!"
Several plates of dango were brought up, instantly making Anko forget all her worries. She picked up a skewer in each hand and started to devour them.
There were few customers in the open-air shop, making him and Anko, the two youngins stand out even more.
There were very few people in ninja attire on the streets these days. Shinji was probably the only one who could be so leisurely during wartime.
He gently rubbed the teacup in his hand, his gaze wandering down the street to nowhere in particular.
"Shinji?"
"Are we close enough to call each other by our first names?"
"You can call me Anko too."
Shinji chuckled softly.
Looking at Anko with her mouth full of sweet sauce, he pulled out a tissue and handed it to her.
After wiping her mouth, Anko stopped eating dango and sat there hesitantly, as if she couldn't find a good reason to speak.
"Do you know who my teacher is?" she asked awkwardly.
Shinji's expression turned odd. "No."
Anko immediately perked up. "My teacher is one of the Three Legendary Sannin, Lord Orochimaru!"
Shinji responded perfunctorily, "Wow, that's amazing."
Anko: "..."
Anko frowned, feeling that this guy didn't seem to respect her teacher.
In her mind, Shinji should have looked at her with reverence after learning that she was Lord Orochimaru's disciple, and should have pestered her with questions about Lord Orochimaru's various deeds, ultimately asking if she could take him to meet Lord Orochimaru.
Reality was different from her imagination.
She had no choice but to continue asking, "Don't you want to meet Lord Orochimaru?"
Shinji countered, "Did Lord Orochimaru tell you to say that?"
Anko looked surprised. "How did you know?"
Shinji looked at Anko's innocent face and thought that it was much easier to deal with young people.
Beneath the naivete, there was only more naivete.
"Hurry up and eat your dango, they'll get cold soon."
"Oh! I forgot!"
After eating the dango, Shinji went with Anko to meet Orochimaru.
On the way, Anko kept talking about how amazing her teacher was and the glorious deeds of the Three Legendary Sannin.
Shinji just listened. Much of what Anko said, whether exaggerated or not, was new to him.
Orochimaru's residence was a relatively secluded courtyard, with few people on the street in front of it.
Anko didn't even knock on the door, she just trotted in, shouting as she went.
"Lord Orochimaru! I brought Shinji!"
Shinji wasn't as casual as her. After entering the living room, he just stood quietly.
After a while, a person slowly walked out from the inner room.
Shinji didn't look up immediately.
He only saw the person's black casual attire and slender figure.
The person stopped not far in front of Shinji, and Anko immediately leaned closer. The person's hand gently stroked Anko's head.
"Greetings, Lord Orochimaru," Shinji greeted.
"Hmm." A faint response, the voice slightly hoarse, like a thin thread passing through paper, making one's ears uncomfortable.
Anko was still somewhat excitable, as if showing off to Shinji, "See? Lord Orochimaru is the future Hokage!"
Shinji looked up in surprise. "Really? But I heard that the next Hokage is Lord Minato Namikaze?"
As soon as he said this, the room instantly fell silent.
A moment later, Shinji heard that hoarse voice again.
"Hyuga Shinji, is it?"