"Think more about Yue." Hyuga Yue's father sighed deeply. His hand returned to his wife's cheek, and he spoke slowly. "Think of the smile on her face today. Could you really bear to do it?"
"Besides, I think Hizashi is actually quite decent. He should be able to secure some rights for our Branch Family and improve everyone's circumstances," he continued.
"Lord Hiashi may be young, but he's a pretty good person too. He's changing things little by little. I think we'll get to see that day."
"You're always like this, thinking everything will get better." Hyuga Yue's mother shook her head. "Hiashi only improved the Branch Family's treatment a little because his younger brother became its Clan Head."
"As for Yue..." She turned her head. Her gaze passed through Uchiha Jie and Hyuga Hinata, who stood behind them, then through the firmly shut door and settled on the small figure in red inside.
"She's exactly like I was as a child. Exactly..." For the first time, her voice trembled, and emotion crept into it.
"So I can't stand by and watch her become like you." For the first time, the man's voice was steady. He clasped his wife's hand tightly and stared straight into her eyes.
Hyuga Yue's mother smiled. Bathed in moonlight, her smile was dazzling; even Hinata couldn't help staring in a daze.
Her husband was no exception. Ever since he had met his wife, he had never seen her smile. Now, he was seeing such a beautiful sight.
"Aki..." he murmured, then collapsed into his wife's arms.
"Ah!"
Hinata suddenly cried out. She saw that Hyuga Yue's mother had opened her Byakugan at some point. In an instant, she struck her husband with a chakra-charged finger.
How could a ninja collapse because of someone's beauty? Especially when it was only the smile of the wife he saw every day and slept beside. He had simply been ambushed by the person he trusted most.
"I'm sorry." Hyuga Yue's mother sighed softly and pushed open the door again. Only then did Uchiha Jie and Hyuga Hinata notice that little Hyuga Yue had somehow fainted at the dining table.
She dragged her husband inside, then lifted her daughter with one hand and leaped onto the roof. She scanned both sides with her Byakugan, then sprang away.
"Hinata, quick!" Seeing the colors around them fade once more, Uchiha Jie hurriedly grabbed Hinata's hand and leaped high into the air, chasing after Hyuga Yue's mother.
Hyuga Hinata was still completely bewildered by the events that had just unfolded. Her little head couldn't yet make sense of what had happened in Sister Yue's family.
Uchiha Jie, however, had a bad feeling. Sure enough, Hyuga Yue's mother had only leaped twice and just reached the wall around the Hyuga Clan compound when she toppled over, just like her husband had.
But Hinata and Uchiha Jie saw clearly what happened next. Several Hyuga Clan members in white robes appeared out of nowhere and hurried over to Hyuga Yue's family, who lay unconscious on the ground.
"Elder, what should we do next?" someone asked the person in charge.
"Kill them..." His voice held not a trace of warmth, making even those around him shudder.
The words frightened Hinata too. She let out a cry and hurriedly covered her mouth.
"I—I know him." She cautiously pointed at the leading "Elder" and whispered to Uchiha Jie.
"He's an Elder of the family. He never comes out, and he lives in the room at the very back of the compound. I only get to see him once a year, during New Year."
"Even Father respects him a lot. Whenever I see him, I think he's a very kind..."
But the little old man before them looked nothing like someone kind. He ordered the other Hyuga Clan members to carry Hyuga Yue's family and hurried toward the house where he lived.
When they reached an empty courtyard, the Hyuga Clan Elder stopped and motioned for the others to lay Hyuga Yue's family on the ground.
"Elder, are we really going to kill them?" Someone's voice trembled slightly. He hid behind the others, his restless hands repeatedly feeling at his Konoha Forehead Protector.
"They intended to betray the Hyuga Clan. Do you think they deserve to die?" The Elder's sharp gaze swept over the Hyuga ninjas. He gave a cold snort, and every one of them grew tense.
"They deserve it. They deserve it," they all said, one after another.
"And what about Young Master Hiashi...?" someone added.
The Elder paused, then said, "I'll explain things to Hiashi."
But before he could explain, the young Hyuga Hiashi suddenly pushed open the door and strode into the quiet courtyard, stopping in front of the Elder.
"What's going on?" Hyuga Hiashi asked with a frown.
"Clan Head, these two were plotting a rebellion."
The Hyuga Elder kicked Hyuga Yue's family, still lying on the ground. Hyuga Yue had taken sleeping pills and was fast asleep. Fine traces of blood seeped from the corners of the other two's tightly shut eyes, making them look pitiful.
"Plotting a rebellion?" Hyuga Hiashi lowered his head, his voice full of confusion and disbelief. "Those two? And they had a child with them who hasn't even graduated from the Ninja Academy?"
As he spoke, more people entered the courtyard. Young Hyuga Hizashi led them, taking his place beside his older brother, while the others lined up behind the brothers.
Hyuga Hizashi gave the Elder a complicated look, then lowered his head and stood quietly beside his brother.
"Today was the day Hyuga Yue was to receive the Curse Mark, but the couple wanted to take her out of the clan. Judging by the direction they fled, who knows if they were headed outside the village or... to the Uchiha Clan?" The Hyuga Elder glared at Hyuga Hizashi and the group he had brought, his voice low.
"Is that what happened?" Hyuga Hiashi shifted his gaze to the Hyuga Clan members behind the Elder and asked quietly.
"Uh, y-yes..." The man who had been questioned saw the Elder glare at him and hurriedly nodded. Pointing at Hyuga Yue's mother, he explained, "It was her. She carried her husband and daughter out of the house and suddenly ran toward the edge of the clan compound."
"I want to question the people involved..." Hyuga Hiashi crouched down and only then noticed the blood beside Hyuga Yue's father's eye. Frowning, he lifted the man's eyelid. His once-clear Byakugan had grown murky. Hiashi then reached out to check for a breath.
He sprang to his feet and shouted, "You activated the Caged Bird?"
"Hmph. I only activated it a little, and I still left their bodies intact." The Hyuga Elder gave a cold snort, then continued, "Traitors deserve this. Leaving them with their corpses intact is already the greatest mercy the clan could grant them."