At the same time, inside the Kamui space, Obito stood holding a tray of breakfast, staring speechlessly at Hinata.
She was squatting with her head tucked down, trembling behind his back like a frightened rabbit.
"…Am I really that scary?"
The moment he muttered that, Hinata flinched and shivered even harder.
Obito sighed. He'd had his fun with commentary and dramatic flair, but something felt off. Then it hit him...
Right. He had no audience. He should've brought Tobi and White Zetsu along. That would've made the whole thing way more entertaining.
"Tch. Forget it." He shook his head and set the tray down. "Here's breakfast. Eat it when you're hungry."
"Ah… h…"
Just as Obito turned to leave, a tiny, almost inaudible voice stopped him.
"Hm? What was that?" he asked, glancing back.
"I…"
Hinata's head remained low, her words fragile.
"I can't hear you. Speak up," Obito said casually.
Of course, with his ears, he had caught every word.
But he wanted her to use a proper voice... if they were going to be stuck together, communication was necessary.
"That… I mean… can you let me go home?"
This time her voice was a little louder, though still faint compared to anyone else's.
"Nope."
Obito shook his head firmly. "You were picked up by me. That means you're mine. No returning."
"It's not… I was just sleeping at home and then suddenly… I woke up here…"
Hinata finally lifted her head, her eyes wide and anxious.
"Doesn't matter. Still no." He shook his head again, unwavering.
"But… if I don't go back, my mother will be worried, and Father… he'll scold me…"
Her voice quivered, eyes welling with tears, her lips trembling as if she might burst out crying at any second.
"No means no." Obito's tone turned firm, his expression mock-serious.
"You belong to me now."
He knew exactly how scummy he sounded because he was playing it up on purpose.
A true shameless villain.
"Poof~"
The moment Obito dropped his shameless line, Hinata's face went crimson.
Nobody could tell if it was embarrassment, anger, or both but one thing was certain:
She didn't last two seconds.
Thud!
The poor girl fainted on the spot.
"H-Hey, seriously?!" Obito's eyes widened as he lunged forward, catching her before she hit the ground. The little loli collapsed into his arms, limp as a ragdoll.
"Can you actually faint from that?!"
He stared at her blank expression, utterly speechless.
When he used to watch anime, this kind of scene was just played for laughs. But now?
Seeing it happen to a real person right in front of him? He felt like a bugged NPC event had just triggered.
"…What the hell am I supposed to do with this?" he muttered, choking back a laugh and a sigh at the same time.
After a moment, Hinata's lashes fluttered. Her eyes opened slowly only to see a white mask staring straight back at her.
"Kyaah!" She jerked, startled half to death.
But it only got worse. Because she realized something else…
She wasn't lying on the floor. She was lying on him.
Her head was pillowed on his thigh.
In an instant her entire face turned bright red again, like steam might start hissing out of her ears.
"Oi, don't just faint again!" Obito shouted, waving a hand in panic.
"Do you think I carry smelling salts in my pocket dimension or something?!"
Looking at Hinata's misty eyes, Obito panicked for a second, half-expecting her to faint again.
"Oi, don't even think about it!" he barked.
Luckily, this time she held on. Hinata sat up quickly, scooting a little to the side.
Her cheeks burned red as she lowered her head, hands folded neatly in her lap.
She sat next to Obito in the most proper, upright posture imaginable, like a student in front of her teacher.
"…Forget it."
Obito shook his head and set the food box in front of her.
"Anyway, I'm not letting you go home."
"Mm…"
Hinata flinched, her small hands clutching tightly at the fabric of her clothes.
Her head bowed lower, her shoulders trembling, and her eyes turned red again, but she said nothing.
Obito sighed softly.
"Cry if you want. Just… when you're done, accept reality."
With that, his figure blurred and vanished, leaving the Kamui space behind.
The moment he disappeared, Hinata's tears finally spilled over, sliding down her cheeks.
"Uu… hnn…"
She sniffled, shoulders shaking. But then
Gurururu~
Her stomach gave a loud protest. The sound instantly cut her crying short. She froze, hiccuped, then wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, embarrassed even though no one was watching.
Her gaze fell on the large food box in front of her. For a long moment, she hesitated.
But in the end, she was only three years old. Hunger always won. With trembling fingers, she reached out and slowly lifted the lid.
Inside, layer upon layer of food filled the box to the brim. Hinata's tearful eyes blinked in confusion.
"…Th-this is breakfast?"
It looked more like a feast than a child's meal.
Meanwhile, in Konoha, the village was still in chaos after the events of the previous night.
Shinobi scoured the streets and rooftops, searching tirelessly.
On one quiet street, in front of a small apartment, a young woman with long red hair held the hand of a blonde, blue-eyed boy as she opened the door and stepped outside.
"Hurry, we don't have much time."
"B-but that kid..."
"Don't argue. We're going."
As the two moved into the street, the expressions of nearby residents shifted at once.
Whispers spread, and a commotion broke out as people noticed them.
The little boy glanced around, confused by the stares, but kept following as he was pulled along.
High up in a nearby tree, Obito sat casually on a thick branch, watching the scene unfold below.
"Oh… now that's interesting."
He smirked, an eyebrow raised, eyes glinting with amusement.
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