Yasu was sleeping comfortably when he suddenly felt a tiny hand repeatedly smacking his cheek.
"...Can't a guy get some sleep?!"
He roared on instinct—then immediately regretted every decibel.
Because right in front of him was a small face.A very small face.With very large, very round pair of Byakugan.
And those big pale eyes were already misting over—clearly because of his earlier yelling.
"Y-You! Who are you?! And why are you in my sister's room?!"
Yasu froze.
Ah.
Right.
This little one was Hyūga Hinata's younger sister—Hyūga Hanabi.
Hinata may have been overshadowed by her younger sister after losing to her in a match, but the two sisters were actually pretty close.
[Ding! Hyuga Hanabi detected! Affection 49 points! Warning!]
[Affection 50 points unlocked: Gentle Fist!]
...
[Affection 100 points unlocked: Byakugan Bloodline! Obtain "Big Brother, Don't!" Activate Infinite Sign-in Mode (Interval: 7 days!)]
"I'm your future instructor, Mawari Yasu."
Hanabi didn't relax. If anything, she grew even more suspicious.
Hanabi glared up at Yasu, fists balled.
"I don't need a teacher! Father already trains me!"
She leaned closer, voice dropping to a whisper.
"And why were you sleeping in my sister's room…?" Her cheeks puffed. "Everyone says only married people do that!"
She narrowed her Byakugan-bright eyes.
Thud!
Yasu didn't even get to explain before a crashing sound came from behind them.
Hinata had tripped—face red as a beet—then scrambled to Hanabi, clamping a hand over her sister's mouth.
"Y-Yasu-kun! P-Please… d-don't listen to her!"Hinata hurried forward, cheeks burning as she waved her other hand nervously."Hanabi's still small—she doesn't understand w-what she's saying!"
Hanabi tore free and shouted, "I'm NOT small! I understand plenty! Uncle said only married people can—mmph!"
Hinata's face turned even redder. She couldn't look at Yasu at all. Her hands were flailing everywhere, unsure what to do.
Her embarrassment was so contagious that Yasu's sleepiness vanished completely.
"…Since we're up, I might as well head out."
"R-Right! G-Guy-sensei is with Father in the storage hall… I-I'll take you there!"Hinata's eyes lit up for the first time, relief and excitement mingling as she finally found a way to escape the awkwardness.
"Let me take him!" Hanabi rushed over. "I—"
Hinata shot her a single look.
Hanabi froze solid.
A wave of pure shock went through her tiny body—something she had never once felt from her sister.
"…I-I think it's better if you take him."
"G-Good."
[Ding! Hiashi Hanabi affection decreased by 1! Current affection: 48 points! Warning!]
Yasu wondered, Why am I taking friendly fire from the sisters' argument?
He followed Hinata through the long corridors.
Walking behind her, he couldn't help observing.
Hinata and Sakura were actually similar—girls who relentlessly chased the person they like. The only difference was that Hinata hid her feelings deep inside, and Sakura was… very straightforward.
But Yasu wasn't thinking about romance right now.
Not when he didn't yet have the strength to protect anyone. Otherwise one day someone could just drop an "Shinra tensei"—and he'd be dead on the spot.
It's better to shape your own fate than to let it shape you.
After several minutes, they reached the storage hall.
Might Guy was grinning ear to ear. Hiashi looked like he wanted to strangle him.
"Hiashi-dono! If you insist on giving this to me… then I humbly accept!"
"Get! Out! Take it and GET OUT!" Hiashi roared. Then quickly added, "If yesterday's incident spreads… you know the consequences."
"Relax! My mouth is tight! But if your daughter or Yasu says anything… I can't help that."
Yasu choked, coughing violently.
He had just arrived and couldn't believe the nerve of what was said.
And he didn't even get a chance to respond.
"Yasu! Good timing! Let's go!"
"Yes, Guy-sensei"
As they left, Hiashi called out, "Boy. Remember the two choices I gave you. You don't need to decide immediately."
Yasu's eyes twitched.
He really wasn't kidding… this man was obsessed with marrying off his daughter. Hinata was only twelve, and he was already pushing her like it was nothing.
Leaving the Hyūga estate, Yasu followed Guy to Team 3's usual meeting spot.
The three were already waiting there.
"Lee! Look what gift I brought you today!" Guy proudly lifted two massive ankle weights.
Rock Lee's eyes sparkled. He sprinted over—but ran right past Guy and grabbed Yasus's hands.
"Yasu-kun!! Teach me kenjutsu! Pleeeease... teach me kenjutsu!!"
He even pulled out a wooden practice sword from who-knows-where.
Guy was frozen. Then shaking with rage.
"Lee… take off your current weights. Put THESE on!"
Guy tossed the new weights at him.
Lee caught them—and immediately got sent skidding backwards like he'd been hit by a truck, carving long brake marks into the dirt.
Yasu winced hard.
Guy's training methods were insane. Lee surviving them was nothing short of miraculous.
"Yasu, stop staring. Take Lee's old weights. Put them on!"
"…HUH?! Me?!"
While Yasu was trying to figure out how to strap on the terrifying weights, Tenten walked over, cheeks pink, holding a bamboo lunch basket.
"Yasu-kun… you haven't eaten yet, right? I, um… brought extra."
Yasu's eyes lit up.
He opened the basket—Inside were rice balls shaped like kunai.
"Tenten… you absolute genius."