Just as the warm scent of incense lingered in the air and the tension from Hanabi's playful attitude slowly faded, a soft sound echoed through the wooden hallway.
Click.
The sliding door to the inner residence opened with a quiet whoosh, and two figures entered with composed elegance.
The first was Hiashi Hyuga—the Clan Leader of the esteemed Hyuga Clan. His sharp features were highlighted by the stoic expression permanently etched on his face. His posture was straight, his pale eyes observing everything with noble detachment.
Behind him walked a woman of stunning beauty and natural grace. Her presence brought a warmth that contrasted the cold elegance of her husband. Her long, silky hair framed her face with gentle curves, and her soft lavender eyes radiated kindness.
She was Hiashi's wife—the mother of Hinata and Hanabi.
Gojo's eyes immediately shifted to the pair. The moment he saw Hinata's mother, a knowing smile appeared on his lips.
Ah, he thought, so that's where Hinata and Hanabi got their looks from. Definitely not from that stern old man.
Hinata and Hanabi instantly straightened up and bowed deeply with practiced respect.
"Father. Mother," Hinata said gently.
Hanabi, despite her usual cheekiness, followed her sister's lead. "Good evening, Father. Mother."
Hiashi gave a small nod, his eyes already drifting toward Gojo.
He stood there, expecting—no, confidently predicting—that Gojo would step forward and bow to him with the utmost respect a clan leader deserves. After all, he was the head of the Hyuga clan. Even the most prideful children of noble clans showed respect before him.
He imagined it already: Gojo lowering his head, greeting him respectfully, and acknowledging his seniority.
However, reality had other plans.
Gojo moved.
But not toward Hiashi.
Instead, he walked right past him, not even sparing him a glance.
He stopped in front of Hinata's mother, bowed gently, and smiled.
"You look very beautiful today, Aunt," Gojo said warmly.
The woman laughed softly, clearly not expecting such direct praise.
"Gojo, stop flattering me," she said, her voice filled with gentle amusement.
Gojo, still smiling, replied in a perfectly earnest tone, "No, really. You look very beautiful. I guess Hinata really inherited her beauty from you, Aunt."
Hinata and Hanabi stood frozen in shock.
Hinata's cheeks flushed crimson while her fingers twitched nervously.
Hanabi, on the other hand, had her eyes wide open, and internally she was screaming.
No no no no no! What is this guy doing? she thought in panic. Is he... is he flirting with my mother?! Shameless! Completely shameless! Her little fists trembled.
Hiashi's expression stiffened instantly.
What... the... he thought. Did this brat just ignore me? Did he just walk right past me and then proceed to openly praise my wife in front of me?!
His pale eyes narrowed.
Is he trying to seduce my wife right before my eyes?!
Hiashi coughed, loudly, once.
Gojo, seemingly unfazed, continued to chat casually with Hinata's mother, complimenting her hair and elegance as though Hiashi didn't even exist.
Hiashi coughed again.
A second time. Louder.
Still no response.
Hiashi's brow twitched.
He was certain now. Gojo was doing this deliberately.
He was being ignored.
By a child.
By a silver-haired brat who dared flirt with his wife in front of him while treating him like air.
His jaw clenched subtly, but he maintained composure.
After the second cough, Gojo finally glanced in his direction. His tone was casual, even a bit irritated.
"Uncle, I think you need some cough syrup. Are you okay?"
Hiashi's lips twitched again, his fingers tightening slightly on the sleeve of his robe.
"I'm still here, Gojo," Hiashi said, voice cold and pointed.
Gojo chuckled lightly.
"Oh, right. Sorry, Uncle. I forgot you were standing there."
He gave a lazy nod.
Hiashi took a deep breath and then said flatly, "Let's forget everything. We should eat."
Finally, they all settled down for dinner.
Servants brought out elegant trays of traditional dishes—grilled fish, pickled vegetables, seasoned rice, and miso soup. The family sat around a low table in traditional fashion.
Gojo didn't hesitate. He picked up his chopsticks and began eating comfortably, without a hint of nervousness.
Hinata, by contrast, picked at her food carefully, taking small, delicate bites as if measuring each one.
Hanabi, meanwhile, dove into her meal with enthusiasm. She chewed quickly, puffing her cheeks like a hamster storing food.
Hiashi and his wife ate with grace and dignity, like a noble couple hosting a formal banquet.
Then, in front of everyone, Gojo reached forward with his chopsticks and gently picked up a piece of grilled fish.
Without hesitation, he brought it toward Hinata.
"Say ah," he said nonchalantly.
Hinata's entire body tensed.
G-Gojo-kun is feeding me... In front of my parents... she thought, mortified and flushed all over.
But despite her embarrassment, she obediently opened her mouth and accepted the food.
Hiashi's hand froze mid-air, holding a piece of tofu.
His eye twitched again.
Did he just... feed... my daughter? In front of me?! Is this kid mocking me? Showing off?
He brought the tofu to his mouth and chewed slowly. It tasted bitter.
Hinata's mother, on the other hand, watched the scene with a gentle smile.
She looked pleased—almost emotional.
My little Hinata… being cared for like that. How adorable.
Hanabi, still chewing with puffed cheeks, stared at Gojo and Hinata.
Her lips slowly curled downward.
Hmph. Why does Hinata get all the attention again? This Gojo… he's way too bold.
Dinner continued with various exchanges, but the atmosphere remained subtly unbalanced.
Gojo's confidence contrasted against Hiashi's quiet frustration, Hinata's embarrassment, Hanabi's jealousy, and the calm amusement of their mother.
Eventually, the meal came to an end. The plates were cleared away. Tea was served.
Everyone shifted positions, now sitting more relaxed as the evening continued.
Hiashi took a long sip of tea. The air in the room grew quiet. A still tension rested gently among them.
Then, Hiashi placed his cup down slowly and looked directly at Gojo.
His voice was calm, but firm.
"Gojo," he said. "What are your future plans?"
Gojo blinked slowly, then leaned back with his usual lazy posture.
"My future plans?" he repeated.
He smiled.
"I'll become Hokage."
Hanabi burst into laughter.
"Bwahahaha! Do you think it's that easy to become Hokage?!"
Even Hiashi gave a small nod, his expression serious.
"If it were easy, members of the Hyuga clan would have been Hokage long ago."
Gojo shrugged, completely undeterred.
"You don't need to worry, Uncle. In a few years, that old dog—the Third Hokage—will abdicate."
Hiashi nearly choked on his tea.
He coughed again, his eyes narrowing.
Old dog?! This brat really doesn't hold back.
"And after him?" Hiashi asked cautiously. "Jiraiya, then?"
Gojo sneered.
"That old pervert? No way. He won't become Hokage."
There was silence.
Gojo continued.
"My Aunt Tsunade… she has the fame, the legacy, the power. She'll become Hokage with ease."
Hiashi was visibly surprised.
Tsunade… Yes, that's plausible.
Gojo leaned forward slightly, his eyes serious.
"And when the time comes, I'll be next. Either Sixth Hokage or Seventh. It's just a matter of time."
Hiashi stared at him.
He wasn't sure whether to laugh or acknowledge the possibility. But deep in his heart, he could feel that Gojo wasn't joking.
That confidence wasn't baseless.
Hiashi finally asked, "You're sure the Third Hokage will abdicate?"
"Yes," Gojo replied, with complete certainty.
"And when he does," Gojo added, "I'll ask for your support, Uncle, to help my aunt take the position."
Hiashi stared at him for a moment, then slowly nodded.
"…Very well."
Hiashi's solemn nod marked the end of the declaration. Gojo's certainty lingered in the air like the final note of a drumbeat—sharp, confident, and impossible to ignore.
The entire room felt the weight of his ambition. Not a boast, but a statement.
Gojo had spoken with the ease of someone who already stood on the peak, simply waiting for others to notice.
Hiashi looked down at his now-cold tea, the surface unmoving. He set it aside quietly.
Hanabi tilted her head, her previous laughter still fresh in her ears, but now uncertainty shadowed her expression.
Her gaze shifted between her father and Gojo.
"…You're really serious about this, huh?" she asked quietly.
Gojo didn't even look her way as he spoke.
"I don't say things unless I mean them."
Hiashi closed his eyes briefly, and when he opened them, the sharp, analytical light of a clan leader returned to them.
Tsunade.
That woman—legendary Sannin, granddaughter of the First Hokage, and heiress of the Senju legacy—did indeed possess everything necessary.
Strength. Status. Influence. And now, political backing.
Hiashi had heard whispers, of course. Danzo maneuvering in the shadows. The Third Hokage's dwindling influence. The old man's hesitation to relinquish power was growing clearer by the day.
But Gojo… Gojo spoke like he knew the future.
Not in prediction.
In certainty.
"And you believe this will happen within a few years?" Hiashi asked once more, now less as a test and more as a confirmation.
"Yes," Gojo said without hesitation.
Hiashi sighed.
It was the sigh of a man caught between disbelief and reluctant acceptance.
Maybe… just maybe… he thought, this boy will really flip the future on its head.
There was silence again.
A rare, mutual silence that settled not from awkwardness but from the quiet mutual understanding of an important turning point.
Hinata sat with her hands folded in her lap, eyes lowered but ears wide open.
She had never seen her father so… silent before someone else's ambitions.
Her heart pounded softly.
She looked at Gojo, who now sat with his back relaxed, as if he were in the comfort of his own home.
Not intimidated. Not cautious. Not fearful.
Only composed.
Her mother, still smiling gently, looked at her husband, then back at Gojo.
"I suppose… our Hinata will need to stand tall too, if she is to walk alongside someone aiming for such heights," she said softly, her voice like silk brushing over stone.
Hinata's cheeks flushed, but she did not look away.
Hanabi, not wanting to be left out, piped up in a half-mocking tone.
"Hmph. Then I guess I'll be the Hokage after you. Don't go hogging the spotlight, Gojo!"
Gojo glanced at her with a smirk.
"We'll see if you can catch up first."
Hanabi's eyes narrowed in challenge.
Hiashi cleared his throat, attempting to regain a semblance of formality after everything that had been said.
"Well," he said, "should your predictions come true… I will consider giving my support to Lady Tsunade."
Gojo gave a brief nod of approval.
"And when that day comes," he added, "I'll remember this evening."
Hiashi leaned back slightly, eyes closed again.
That was as far as he would go—for now.
The air gradually shifted from its intense political charge to a softer, familial atmosphere.
Servants began quietly cleaning up the remaining dishes and folding the spare floor cushions.
Hinata's mother stood and gently gathered the empty teacups with elegance. Her movements were so graceful that even the subtle gestures looked choreographed.
Gojo watched her in silence for a moment before standing up as well.
"I think I'll take my leave now," he said casually.
Hiashi gave him a brief nod, his voice neutral. "Very well."
Hanabi folded her arms.
"You better not cause a scandal, Gojo."
Gojo chuckled.
"No promises."
Hinata stood as well, a small part of her wishing he would stay just a little longer. But she remained composed.
"Let me escort you to the gate," she offered.
Gojo nodded, and the two exited quietly.
Hiashi watched them go, his eyes still unreadable.
His wife came and stood beside him.
"…He's different," she said softly.
Hiashi remained quiet.
"…But he may very well change this village."
Hiashi finally responded, his voice low.
"If he does, I just hope he doesn't destroy it in the process."
---
Outside, the night air was still crisp, with a pale moon watching from above.
Gojo and Hinata walked slowly under the wooden arches of the Hyuga estate.
Neither said anything at first.
Then, Hinata finally gathered her courage.
"Gojo-kun…" she began, her voice barely a whisper.
He turned slightly, waiting.
"Thank you… for coming tonight."
Gojo looked at her, the side of his mouth lifting in a rare, sincere smile.
"I should be the one saying that."
They reached the gate.
Gojo stepped forward into the open street, then turned back slightly.
"Next time," he said, "I'll feed you again. But maybe not in front of your dad."
Hinata's face turned scarlet.
"O-Okay…"
And with that, Gojo disappeared into the night.
Hinata stood there for a while, her hand gently resting on the wooden gate.
Her heart was still racing.
And though the night had grown colder, a warm smile played on her lips.
---
End of Chapter
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