"Kai-kun."
The young woman's cool voice came from behind him, and Uchiha Kai paused mid-motion.
"Rei? Your friend?"
The stammering Hyuga ninja stopped as well.
"Could you make an exception? I only want to see my friend. That doesn't violate the clan rules, does it?"
Dressed in somewhat oversized Hyuga Clan robes, Hyuga Rei walked gracefully toward the gate.
"Th-this..." One of the scrawny Hyuga ninjas scratched his head.
The other gave him a look, and the two silently stepped back half a pace.
At the same time, they shifted their gazes aside.
"Rei—"
Uchiha Kai turned around, and the first thing he saw was the young woman's slightly haggard expression.
Only then did he notice the stern-faced middle-aged man following behind her.
Uchiha Kai lowered his brows, his gaze turning sharp.
He knew the man behind the young woman.
Or rather, it would be more accurate to say—
The man's name and appearance were etched onto Uchiha Kai's blacklist.
He was the kind of person Kai would cut down with a single blade if the opportunity arose.
Hyuga Xun, Rei's father in name.
He bore the title of father, yet behaved like an old dog with a broken spine.
He was one of the few Hyuga Clan members Uchiha Kai had encountered.
He had practically confirmed and reinforced the boy's stereotype of the Hyuga Clan.
His gaze skipped right over Hyuga Xun, leaving only the young woman's weary face in his eyes.
"You've gotten thinner."
The boy brushed aside the loose strands before her eyes, his tone carrying a trace of reproach.
"Mm... I had no appetite when I was upset." Hyuga Rei avoided Uchiha Kai's gaze.
Her hands were clasped behind her back, and her eyes were fixed on the tips of her shoes.
The next second, a