"Hinata... regarding the proposal made by Lord Kaoru..."
In the entryway of the main family's estate, Hiashi Hyūga and Hinata sat facing each other on the floor.
Between them sat two cups of steaming hot tea. Through the rising warmth, Hiashi gazed steadily at his daughter and spoke in a serious tone.
"Hinata... have you thought it through thoroughly?!"
"Father... I..."
Hearing her father bring up the subject again specifically, Hinata — naturally shy and reserved by nature — lowered her head deeply, her face nearly pressing against the voluminous curves of her chest, a figure that had now grown to rival even Tsunade's.
Seen through the mist rising from the tea, Hinata — now sixteen or seventeen years old — had blossomed into a graceful and beautiful young woman.
Her long, lustrous black hair, tinged with hints of violet, was cut with straight, even bangs.
Combined with her clear, white eyes, she appeared serene and lovely — though the overly developed fullness of her chest stood in stark contrast to her pure, innocent face.
"Hinata... since Lord Kaoru himself has made this request, there is simply no room left for refusal..."
Looking at his daughter with her head bowed in silence, Hiashi sighed softly to himself and continued gravely.
"You must understand... on one hand, Lord Kaoru is now the sovereign of the entire shinobi world... a being who has surpassed even the Sage of Six Paths..."
"On the other hand... the Hyūga lineage is in need of great strengthening. Lord Kaoru is a member of the Uchiha clan, a wielder of the Mangekyō Sharingan, and moreover, he has awakened the Rinne Sharingan as well..."
His own white eyes fixed intently on his eldest daughter, who remained silent, Hiashi explained earnestly and deliberately.
"You were once the heir of the main family... if there is a chance for you to unite with him... naturally, there could be nothing better. I am certain you would bear a powerful heir to carry on the Hyūga legacy..."
"And what is most rare and honorable... is that Lord Kaoru himself personally came to us to propose this union..."
Taking a gentle sip from his teacup, Hiashi continued his persuasion.
"Lord Kaoru stands as the supreme ruler of the shinobi world... a great being the likes of which has never appeared in shinobi history..."
"To put it in the simplest terms... for the sake of the entire Hyūga clan... Hinata, you absolutely must agree to this marriage..."
Seeing his daughter still sitting quietly with her head bowed, Hiashi began to feel a slight headache, though his gaze remained full of expectation.
"And so... Hinata, you must..."
"N-no... that is not it..."
Suddenly, Hinata — who had remained silent all this time — spoke up, her voice faint as a whisper, cutting off her father's words.
"I understand what you mean, Father... and I... I truly admire Lord Kaoru. After all, he was once my teacher. Truth be told, I have loved and looked up to him ever since I was a little girl. But Lord Kaoru... he..."
A shy blush spread across Hinata's originally fair and flawless cheeks. Her voice was so soft that Hiashi, sitting right across from her, could barely hear it.
"But... will he ever come to love someone like me...? I am so useless... and I have absolutely no talent as a shinobi..."
By the time she finished speaking, her voice had grown so quiet that even she could hardly hear herself.
As she spoke, she kept her head low, nervously touching the tips of her fingers together just above her chest, looking both hesitant and deeply anxious.
"Eh?!"
Seeing her display of insecurity, Hiashi was taken aback for a moment — before bursting into a warm, amused laugh.
"So this is what you have been worrying about all along..."
"Rest assured... if Lord Kaoru was willing to come to me personally with a proposal, it proves that you have always been in his heart, you silly girl..."
Looking at his still timid and soft-spoken daughter, Hiashi knew she had admired and idolized Kaoru since childhood.
He had been her teacher, and during the Chūnin Exams, he had shown her great care and kindness.
Yet, deep down, she was plagued by a lack of confidence and was never good at expressing herself.
"Anyone with eyes could see how much he cares for you..."
"Is it really true...? Does Lord Kaoru truly have feelings for me...?"
Hearing her father's answer, Hinata lowered her head even further, nervously twisting her fingers together without even realizing it.
Just imagining the possibility of being together with Kaoru caused her face to flush so red it almost seemed to steam from the heat of her embarrassment.
"Excellent! Then it is decided! Tomorrow I shall travel to Lord Kaoru's palace to discuss the formal arrangements for this union!"
Feeling as though a heavy weight had finally lifted from his shoulders, Hiashi beamed with delight and was filled with renewed energy, as if he himself had successfully secured a happy marriage.
Just then, the voice of a Hyūga clansman sounded from outside the room.
"Head of the Clan! Lord Kaoru has arrived for a visit!"
"What?! Lord Kaoru is here?! Truly, there is no better time than now! Show him in immediately!!!"
At the announcement, Hiashi stood up in a flurry of excitement and nervousness.
Meanwhile, hearing that Kaoru was near, Hinata's face turned a shade redder still, and she buried her face deeper into her hands, hiding it against her chest.
...
"Lord Kaoru... I was not informed of your grand arrival beforehand, and as head of the Hyūga clan, I failed to receive you promptly. It is entirely my fault..."
In the dignified reception room, Kaoru Uchiha, Hiashi Hyūga, and Hinata sat facing one another. Hiashi spoke with extreme caution and respect.
"Please, do not stand on ceremony. Treat me simply as an ordinary man." Kaoru replied, waving his hand slightly, a gentle smile on his face.
Hinata, however, kept her head bowed low, remaining silent.
"I was unaware that you would be gracing our humble home with your presence today..." Hiashi asked, his expression full of confusion and curiosity.
"Actually, I came here specifically to see Hinata." Kaoru said warmly, shifting his gaze to rest upon her.
"I see... in that case, I shall leave you two to speak privately..."
Understanding the meaning behind his words, Hiashi nodded with a knowing smile and stood up.
"Hinata... you must stay here and make sure Lord Kaoru feels welcome and comfortable."
With those instructions, Hiashi wisely excused himself and left the reception room.
As the door closed behind him, only Kaoru and Hinata remained in the room.
"Lord Kaoru..." Hinata finally spoke, nervously twisting her fingers as her father had just left.
"Please drop the formal title 'Lord'. Just call me by my name — Kaoru." Kaoru replied with a wry smile.
Ever since he had become the sovereign of the world, Hinata had seemed to grow more distant from him rather than closer.
"Kaoru..." Hinata complied softly, nodding, her voice barely audible.
"Um... regarding... regarding what you proposed earlier... truth is... I..."
Her face burning with extreme embarrassment, Hinata tried to answer him about the marriage proposal, yet she lacked the courage to speak clearly, stammering hesitantly.
"Now, now... you do not need to give me your answer just yet." Kaoru said calmly, his eyes fixed casually on the ceiling.
"Actually, I came here today because I want to give you a gift... and at the same time, remove a threat that looms over your future..."
"A gift...? A threat to my future...?"
Hinata was completely bewildered, unable to understand what he meant.
"Do not worry — you will understand soon enough. Right now, I am going to take you somewhere."
With that, Kaoru stood up and, acting like a true gentleman, extended his hand toward her.
Hinata nodded slowly and gently placed her hand in his palm.
In the next instant, a brilliant light flashed around both of them. Their figures dissolved into radiance and vanished completely, leaving the room instantly empty and quiet.
...
The autumn wind swept across the land, and fallen leaves piled high like a vast sea.
Deep within a forest located dozens of kilometers away from the Village Hidden in the Leaves, in the Land of Fire...
____________________
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