"Father… is it… is it really you?"
Neji's Byakugan were misted over with tears. His precocious nature made him hesitant to believe the surprise before him, fearing it was merely a fleeting dream that would only lead to greater disappointment upon waking.
If it was genjutsu… if it was a trap…
He tremblingly raised a finger, trying to recall the knowledge he'd been taught at home.
That… that hand sign… what was it again…
Barely managing to form the 'Ram' hand sign, Neji took a deep breath and, with a choked voice, whispered, "…Release!"
The jutsu activated, yet the scene before him remained unchanged. His father still knelt there, those eyes, usually stern, now filled with tenderness, even a hint of heartache.
It's not genjutsu… it's not genjutsu…
At this moment, the tears Neji had been holding back finally burst forth. The silent tears streaming down his face turned into a torrent, and the four-year-old could no longer maintain his facade of precocious maturity.
"…Father!"
The tearful cry escaped his lips, and his small body lunged forward. Hizashi opened his arms, catching his son steadily. Neji buried his face deep into his father's chest, his grievances and the joy of a reunion after loss turning into loud sobs that echoed in the quiet room for a long time.
Fortunately, the high-end hotel Naruto had chosen had excellent soundproofing.
Leaning against the wall, Naruto crossed his arms, a faint smile playing on his lips beneath the fox mask. This scene—a father-son reunion that could never have happened in the original timeline—was now unfolding before his eyes.
Hizashi didn't tell his son to "be strong" as he usually would; instead, he gently stroked Neji's trembling back, letting him vent his emotions in his arms.
Having changed the tragedy of the original story, Naruto felt very pleased watching the embracing father and son.
Neji's crying gradually subsided, leaving only occasional sniffles. Hizashi's palm gently caressed his son's damp cheeks, wiping away the glistening tear stains with his thumb. The only sounds left in the room were Neji's sniffling and the faint chirping of insects from outside the window.
"Father… you're really still alive…" Neji knelt before Hizashi, his small hands tightly clutching his father's sleeve, "I… I thought you were already…"
His voice grew softer and softer, the last few words almost squeezed through his teeth. Hizashi could feel the strength in his son's fingers.
"Neji, I'm sorry," he gently held his son's small hand. "I should have died, but someone gave me a second chance."
Hizashi slowly recounted the events of that day. He was about to be escorted to Hidden Cloud Village when the Masked Man suddenly appeared, attacked the Kumogakure convoy, and rescued him.
After speaking, Hizashi turned to the corner of the room and bowed deeply to the figure who had been leaning against the wall. It was then that Neji remembered there was a third person in the room. He followed his father's gaze and saw the mysterious Masked Man still standing with his arms crossed.
"You two keep talking; don't mind me." A nonchalant voice came from beneath the mask, accompanied by a casual wave of his hand.
Hizashi respectfully nodded and returned his gaze to his son.
"…Father," Neji's voice lowered. "This incident, is it really as others say… that because we are from the Branch Family, we are meant to die in place of the Main Family?"
Although his father's resurrection filled him with immense joy, the Branch Family's scapegoat plan during the Kumogakure Byakugan incident had still planted seeds of resentment in Neji's heart.
Hizashi was silent for a moment, then slowly nodded.
"Yes, the Main Family did intend for that. To prevent the Byakugan from falling into the wrong hands, I, as a member of the Branch Family… because I look almost identical to my brother, was chosen as a substitute to be handed over to Kumogakure."
"I see…"
Neji's voice suddenly turned cold. So, his ability to see his father again was purely by chance—if that mysterious Masked Man hadn't appeared, his father would now be…
"Father!" Neji suddenly looked up. "Is it really just because we're from the Branch Family… that we should be used like this?!"
Hizashi sighed deeply and gently placed a hand on his son's shoulder. "Neji, if I could… I wouldn't want you to hate them."
These words were like a bucket of cold water poured over Neji. He stared with disbelief, completely unable to understand his father's thoughts.
Not hate? Why? Even if they were pushed to death for no reason, should they not resent the Main Family?
Seeing his son's confused and angry expression, deep guilt flickered in Hizashi's eyes.
"I… I almost died. But at that moment, I understood something: hatred is easy, but it will only lead us into another Caged Bird Curse Mark."
Neji shook his head blankly; he couldn't grasp the deeper meaning of his father's words. But what Hizashi said next struck him like lightning.
"Neji… I'm truly sorry." Hizashi's voice was filled with unprecedented guilt. "Actually, that day… I chose to die myself."
"…Huh?"
Neji's expression froze; he couldn't understand the meaning of his father's words. If he didn't have to die, why would he actively choose death?
Hizashi continued to explain. "That day, the Main Family did propose the plan for me, as a member of the Branch Family, to die in place of my brother."
"But in the end, it was my brother… Hyuga Hiashi himself who rejected that proposal. As the clan head, if he didn't agree, the substitute plan couldn't be carried out."
Neji's mind went blank. So why…?
"My brother's plan was—to destroy his own Byakugan, then hand himself over to Kumogakure." Hizashi's tone deepened. "I hated the Main Family my entire life, and I still do. But at that moment… I voluntarily offered to die in his place."
Neji's pupils contracted violently.
"But I didn't do it to protect the Main Family." Hizashi's gaze softened. "It was to protect my brother… to die to protect a loved one. That was the first time I truly had the right to choose."
He gently pressed Neji's shoulder, his voice firm and gentle. "Neji, my son, I don't want you to be bound by hatred. Now I finally understand—as long as you grow up safely, that's more important than anything."
"So…"
"Don't believe that your life is meant to be lived for the Main Family. Not until you find what you truly want to protect."
Hizashi paused, a hint of reluctance flashing in his eyes.
"But if you ever truly encounter danger… I hope you survive to the very end. This is… a father's selfish wish, I suppose."
——————
In the time that followed, Hizashi and Neji's conversation became calm and warm. There were no Ninja World conflicts, no family grudges, only the most ordinary father-son chatter.
For example, remember to eat on time, don't be picky, and rest even if training is busy. Remember to wear warm clothes in winter.
If you encounter difficulties you can't solve, go to your uncle. Though strict, he will definitely help you.
Don't take out this incident on others. And don't put too much pressure on yourself.
When you start at the Ninja Academy, listen carefully to your teachers. But if someone bullies you, you don't have to just take it.
Neji kept his head down, but he firmly remembered every word his father said.
These admonitions were ordinary, trivial, even a bit nagging. But each one was imbued with his father's most simple concern. Neji listened quietly, collecting these ordinary warmth, little by little, deep in his heart.
Unbeknownst to them, the sky outside the window gradually lightened. The chirping of early morning birds came from the distant forest, their crisp calls breaking the silence of the night.
Dawn was breaking.