Understanding Big Sister

Hinata Hyuga was slightly taken aback, then lowered her head, seemingly lost in deep thought.

Sunlight spilled onto her pale lavender hair, gilding it with a soft halo, while her pure white eyes reflected the bluestone path beneath her feet.

Under the surprised gazes of Ino Yamanaka and Sakura Haruno, she stood there quietly, completely immersed in her own reflections.

The question sounded simple, yet she found herself unable to answer it immediately. From the time she could first remember, her life had been filled by the arrangements of her father.

As the eldest daughter of the Hyuga Clan, she needed to train, to grow stronger, and to become a qualified heir. These were things she "had to do," rather than things she "liked to do."

What did she like?

Ino liked fashion and art, and she knew how to dress herself up. When she spoke of these things, her eyes sparkled with genuine joy and pride.

Sakura liked reading, history, and the theory of ninjutsu. When she spoke of these, her entire being radiated the passion and satisfaction of acquiring new knowledge.

And what about her?

Hinata tried hard to recall her daily routine. Waking up early to practice taijutsu, studying the Gentle Fist Technique, receiving her father's guidance... these things occupied almost all of her time. Even after obtaining that magical Life Simulator, her daily life, generally speaking, remained the same as always.

Did she like these things?

She wasn't sure.

Did she hate them?

She wasn't sure about that either.

Training was exhausting, and her father's requirements were high; she could never quite reach his expectations, and frustration and self-doubt were her constant companions.

However... she remembered those moments after training. When she finally mastered a new technique after constant practice; when she felt she had improved just a little bit more than yesterday; when her father's rare praise finally arrived... that sense of achievement and satisfaction was equally real and joyful.

"Hinata?"

Ino's voice startled her out of her thoughts.

Hinata looked up, meeting their gazes, which were filled with concern and curiosity.

"What's wrong? What are you thinking about?"

She shook her head, signaling that she was fine: "I... I suppose I like training."

"Training?" Ino tilted her head, looking a bit puzzled. "You mean studying ninjutsu?"

"Yes," Hinata's voice remained soft and gentle. "Although the process of training is very hard and I encounter many difficulties, when I put in the effort and feel even a tiny bit of progress or feedback, I truly feel very happy."

She lifted her face slightly, a faint curve appearing at the corners of her lips: "So, I suppose I do like training. I like the feeling of gaining something after putting in the effort."

Ino blinked, examining Hinata carefully, as if she had seen through something.

"Hinata, besides training, what else do you usually do?" she asked suddenly.

Hinata was stunned: "What?"

"I mean... do you go out to play with friends?" Ino explained further. "Like shopping, eating, chatting, things like that."

"I spend most of my time training, so I rarely go out. Occasionally... I go for a walk with Kiyonari." Her voice grew even softer, and her fingers unconsciously twisted the hem of her clothes.

As soon as she finished speaking, Ino's expression immediately turned sympathetic.

She stepped forward and grabbed Hinata's hand: "That won't do at all!"

"Eh?" Hinata was startled by her sudden movement.

"How can a girl's life be nothing but ninjutsu and training?" Ino said righteously. "Knowing only how to train all day is so boring! There are so many wonderful things in life besides training!"

As she spoke, she turned to look at her companion beside her: "Right, Sakura!"

Sakura nodded in firm agreement: "Ino is right. Balancing work and rest is very important. Even for me, if I only read books I'm interested in, I still get exhausted."

"Exactly," Ino nodded vigorously, turning her gaze back to Hinata. "Hinata, how about we take you out to have some real fun today?"

"Eh... like this?"

"Don't hesitate anymore, why are you just like Sakura?" Ino pulled her hand and started walking forward. "Let's go! I'll take you to see all the fun places in Konoha!"

Although Hinata was forced to move, she did not refuse, only glancing back at Kiyonari halfway, her eyes filled with a hint of inquiry.

Kiyonari nodded, signaling her to go ahead without worry.

He walked at the very back, watching the backs of the three girls, and couldn't help but sigh that Ino had arrived at just the right time.

Although she appeared carefree, loved gossip, and had a strong personality... in reality, she was very concerned about those around her, especially skilled at observing others' emotions.

She could see through Sakura's inferiority and its cause at a glance, solving the problem with a red headband; she could see that Hinata rarely had time to relax, and immediately dragged her out to shop.

She was truly the famous, thoughtful big sister from the original story; this consideration and enthusiasm were indeed impressive.

Sometimes, girls' problems really should be left to girls to solve.

Up ahead, Ino was enthusiastically introducing the shops on both sides of the street to Hinata.

"This one sells dango, their three-colored dango is super delicious! This one sells ninja tools, they have a huge variety! And that clothing store over there, their main branch is in the capital, and they often have new arrivals..."

Hinata listened intently, nodding from time to time. Sakura walked beside them, occasionally interjecting a word or two.

"There's an accessory shop over here, their hairpins are especially beautiful!" Ino pointed to a small, exquisitely decorated shop on the right. "I bought a hairpin I loved there last time, it's super pretty! Let's go in and look around, you'll definitely like it!"

Hinata looked in the direction she pointed, and through the display window, she could see all kinds of exquisite accessories on display; a white jade flower comb caught her eye.

"You girls go ahead and take a look; I'll wander around outside."

Kiyonari had no interest in the accessory shops that the girls liked, so he politely declined their invitation to join them.

As he stood by the entrance looking around, his gaze was suddenly drawn to a particular building.

It was a large factory-style structure about two stories high, its exterior walls tightly covered by thick wooden boards and canvas, clearly undergoing large-scale renovations.

Several workers were busy outside, some hauling materials while others mixed paint. From behind the canvas came the sounds of hammering, sawing, and workers chatting, all blending together into a cacophony.

Just as Kiyonari was observing the building, a middle-aged man walked quickly out from within the fenced-off area.

He had a somewhat sturdy build and skin tanned dark by the sun, but his features were those of a native of the Land of Fire.

When he saw Kiyonari, his eyes lit up, and an excited smile immediately bloomed across his face.

"Benefactor, we meet again!"

His voice was loud and resonant as he greeted him with enthusiasm and hurried forward to meet him.