Hyuga Clan compound.
Hinata gently straightened her clothes, took a deep breath, and prepared to leave.
When she returned last night, her father, Hyuga Hiashi, had reacted in a way she had not expected. There had been none of the harsh scolding she had anticipated, but neither had there been any encouragement or support.
Before returning to his room, he had merely asked in an even tone how far things had progressed between her and Naruto Uzumaki.
That unusual calm only made Hinata feel even more uneasy, unable to guess what her father was truly thinking.
But no matter what, she still intended to find Naruto today.
Konoha had many training grounds and practice fields. The one where the conflict had erupted last night was merely one of them.
And there were many other places where Naruto, Sasuke, and the others often spent their time.
Such as Training Ground Three.
Just as Hinata pulled open the main gate and was about to step out of the Hyuga Clan compound, a figure stood quietly ahead, as though he had been waiting for quite some time.
Hinata paused slightly and softly said, "Brother Neji..."
Hyuga Neji turned around. His expression was somewhat complicated, lacking his usual indifference, with a trace of hesitation and awkwardness in his eyes that was difficult to detect.
He cleared his throat and looked to the side, seemingly too embarrassed to meet Hinata's gaze directly. "Lady Hinata, are you... going to see Naruto Uzumaki?"
"Y-yes."
Hinata answered honestly, though she was somewhat puzzled as to why Neji cared about this.
After receiving her confirmation, Neji fell silent for a moment. It was as if he had made some important decision before turning back to Hinata, his tone carrying a hint of earnestness. "If possible... could you take me