"Love"

Upon arriving at the Hyuga Clan compound, Uzumaki Mito did not wait for the clan head or the elders to express their thoughts. She had merely come to notify them, and she sat there quietly, savoring the pastries and tea brought by a servant.

The high-ranking members of the Hyuga Clan were left bewildered, yet none dared to disturb her. This was a heavyweight figure, and they all simultaneously sensed the evil power within Uzumaki Mito, which stirred fear in their hearts.

Uzumaki Mito was long accustomed to such situations; she remained indifferent, sipping her tea in silence while waiting for Hyuga Shinichi.

I am about to leave this room that has accompanied me for three years. I'll actually miss it a little.

Hyuga Shinichi stood in the center of the room, staring blankly at everything inside. In truth, he had very little, and his things had been packed long ago; aside from a few clothes and the gifts he received on his birthday, there was nothing else.

"Shinichi, have you really become the apprentice of Uzumaki Mito?"

Hearing a familiar voice from the doorway, Hyuga Shinichi turned his head.

"Ah, it's Hiashi and Hizashi. Sorry, I forgot to say goodbye to you both. Hiashi, it's true, I have become the apprentice of Mito."

"Will you come back?"

"If I'm not too busy, I'll come back to see you both."

As Hyuga Shinichi replied to Hyuga Hiashi, Hyuga Hizashi, who had been standing to the side in silence, spoke up.

"That must be very exhausting. Although she is the wife of the First Hokage, we can all sense the terrifying chakra within her. Shinichi, you don't have to push yourself so hard; you're only three years old..."

Hyuga Shinichi looked at the worried expressions on the two brothers' faces and couldn't help but laugh.

"Pfft, hahahaha! Don't worry, Hiashi, Hizashi. Mito is a very kind person, it's fine. But you two need to put more effort into yourselves, or you'll be left in the dust by me!"

Hyuga Shinichi lowered his head and stepped forward to hug the two brothers.

"Thank you both."

Hyuga Hiashi and Hyuga Hizashi exchanged a glance. It was rare for their young clansman to be this affectionate; he was usually quite reserved. They both smiled and hugged Hyuga Shinichi back.

The two brothers helped carry his luggage, while he picked up the chest armor gifted by Tsunade. After one last look at the room, he headed downstairs to the main hall.

"Mito, my luggage is all ready."

"Mm, then let's go."

Hyuga Shinichi hesitated for a moment, then finally turned to face all the Hyuga clansmen in the hall and bowed deeply.

"Thank you for everything over these past three years. Clan Head, elders, and this guard brother—and Hiashi, Hizashi, I'm sorry about last time. I was impulsive."

The elder who had wanted to lecture him at the time spoke up.

"It's fine. It's normal for young people to have spirit."

The others, including the guard he had called "brother," said nothing, merely shaking their heads with smiles.

During the previous meeting, he had unconsciously released his Byakugan pressure upon them, and he had never found the right opportunity to apologize until now.

He straightened up and prepared to leave with Mito, but then the Clan Head, Hyuga Nimitsu, spoke.

"Wait, Shinichi. There is something I haven't given you yet."

Hyuga Nimitsu reached into his sleeve and pulled out a bracelet made of a red cord strung with a single white jade bead.

"This was a gift your parents intended to give you for your third birthday. It should have been given to you yesterday."

(The author personally feels that the third birthday of the Hyuga Main House is a very important day, as it is also the day when the fates of their peers in the Branch House are decided.)

Hyuga Shinichi stood there in a daze, his eyes fixed on the bracelet in Hyuga Nimitsu's palm.

"This bracelet was made from a piece of raw jade your parents sought out at the Fire Temple when they first conceived you, and it was carved by your father. As for this red cord, your mother braided it herself. They hoped this bracelet would protect you."

Hyuga Shinichi stood rooted to the spot, unable to regain his composure; his heart was in total chaos.

He had previously thought that the only things his parents left him were an endless inheritance, much like in his past life. As their child, inheriting the family estate seemed perfectly normal to him.

In truth, he knew very well that this was merely his own one-sided perspective.

He felt his parents hadn't given him "love," yet he dared not think: if they hadn't had "love" for him, would he even have been born?

They had simply left this world before they could show him their "love."

In reality, he had never resented them for leaving him alone. Because he felt he had never received "love," he still longed for it deeply.

He was afraid that if he resented them, they wouldn't watch over him anymore.

In his past life, no one cared for him, and here in the clan, no one really cared for him either. But the people in the clan had never treated him poorly, and he had originally thought that was enough—at least he wasn't lonely now, as he had clansmen and companions.

But upon seeing that bracelet and understanding its meaning, his heart trembled. He could feel his parents' intent to protect him and their unconditional "love."

His vision gradually blurred, and he felt a warmth flowing down his cheeks. Are these tears? It's truly embarrassing to cry in front of so many people.

Yet he couldn't stop; he could only close his eyes and continue to weep. (You can refer to the way Sasuke cried when he learned the truth about Itachi.)

Everyone present was caught off guard by this scene; only Uzumaki Mito could sense the "love" that Hyuga Shinichi's heart craved.

Just like when she became the Nine-Tails jinchuriki, a jinchuriki could live happily as long as they were filled with "love." It was Hashirama who gave her "love," and now, Hyuga Shinichi was feeling the "love" his parents had for him.

Uzumaki Mito stepped forward and hugged Hyuga Shinichi.

"Mito... so... my parents always loved... loved me. I wasn't... left behind... all alone."

"Mm, you have always been loved by your parents, and you still have me and Nawaki and the others. You are not alone."

Hyuga Nimitsu also stepped forward, reached out to pat Hyuga Shinichi's head, and handed him the bracelet.

"Taihe and Kaoru were both looking forward to your birth, and they would often talk to me about what they would do once you arrived. It is a pity that things did not go as planned.

I am sorry, Hyuga Shinichi. I failed to sense your emotions; I should have given this to you much sooner, rather than waiting until you were three years old."

After crying for a while, Hyuga Shinichi managed to compose himself. He took the bracelet, clutched it tightly in both hands against his forehead, and began to cry again.

Only this time, there was a smile on his lips; he was crying tears of happiness.

After saying his goodbyes to the clan members, Hyuga Shinichi shouldered his luggage and walked toward the Senju compound alongside Uzumaki Mito, his free left hand held high.

The bracelet was fastened around his left wrist, and under the moonlight, the white jade bead shone like a second moon.

The red cord used to string and secure the white jade bead had been woven with great care; the knots were complex yet possessed a delicate, refined beauty.

Hyuga Shinichi could not stop smiling as he looked at the bracelet, for this was the first time he had ever felt "love" from his parents.

Beside him, Uzumaki Mito watched Hyuga Shinichi and couldn't help but think that while the boy usually acted carefree and cheeky when playing with Nawaki and the others, he had simply buried his longing for "love" deep inside, hidden from everyone's sight.

Then, seeing the hairpin she had previously gifted him tucked into his tied-up hair, and noticing the gifts from Nawaki and the others securely packed in his luggage, Uzumaki Mito smiled knowingly.

This child had always cherished everything around him.

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