You're Not Trying to Sword-Fight Me, Are You?

Takasaki could learn the Three Body Technique through hard work.

Hinata could use hard work to last three minutes against him.

Then, could he change his Caged Bird-like fate through hard work?

Neji had no time to think about that.

Right now, apologizing to Takasaki was what mattered.

Since Hinata could grow stronger after Takasaki encouraged her, then surely he could, too. Staying on good terms with Takasaki was important.

Neji arrived at Takasaki's front door and was about to knock when he suddenly felt something was off.

He was there to apologize, but showing up empty-handed seemed insincere.

Having grown up in the Hyuga Branch Family, Neji had been surrounded by his elders' teachings and naturally understood some of the ways of the world.

At that moment,

Takasaki had collapsed onto the floor, drenched in sweat.

The chakra in his body was depleted, and he had used up more than half his stamina.

He checked his Clone Technique proficiency. It had already risen to 45/500.

"Being able to see my ninjutsu proficiency is convenient. I get feedback every time I train."

Takasaki went to the bathroom, turned on the faucet, wet a towel with tap water, and washed his face.

Hard work paid off. As long as he kept at it like this, he would soon raise the Clone Technique to level three.

But he was terribly hungry.

He couldn't bring himself to shamelessly ask Hinata for a meal. Even if she agreed, Neji would probably throw him out.

He'd just have to bear with it and eat a cup of instant noodles that had expired a few days ago.

He had just torn open the package when someone suddenly knocked on the door.

"Who is it?"

As Takasaki got up to open the door, he smelled the tempting aroma of grilled skewers wafting in through the crack.

He opened the door and saw Neji standing there.

Takasaki's first reaction was wariness. The two of them had fought at the Hyuga Estate earlier, and Takasaki had messed with him three times.

Was Neji here to beat him up?

When he saw Neji holding a large bundle of grilled skewers wrapped in foil, Takasaki was confused. "Neji, what are you doing? Did you come all the way here to get revenge by eating skewers in front of me while I'm starving?"

"Takasaki, I'm here to apologize to you!"

Neji didn't step inside. He stood with his head lowered in front of Takasaki's wooden door, his pale eyes full of remorse. "I shouldn't have been so rude to you at my house. You were clearly encouraging Hinata to improve. Hinata is the heiress of the Hyuga Clan, so helping her is helping our whole clan. But I misjudged you maliciously. I was wrong to do that, and I feel guilty about my behavior. I'm sorry, Takasaki!"

Takasaki froze, utterly bewildered.

The Hyuga Clan's usually arrogant genius, who clearly couldn't stand him, had come all the way to his humble home late at night to apologize?

What was going on?

Takasaki was completely caught off guard, though he could tell there was something to it.

Neji said he had helped Hinata improve. That seemed to be the main reason.

The thing was, Takasaki had no idea how he'd helped Hinata.

If anything, Hinata should be the one who had helped him. Without her teaching him like a private tutor, he wouldn't have improved his chakra control for the Clone Technique, Substitution Technique, and Transformation Technique so easily.

What's more, before leaving the Hyuga Estate, he had messed with Neji three times. By rights, Neji should have been the last person to come to his door and apologize.

Something felt off to Takasaki. "Neji, I don't understand what you mean."

He said that, but—

He couldn't help staring at the dozens of foil-wrapped skewers in Neji's hands.

The fragrance of peppercorns and cumin rode the night breeze into Takasaki's nose, stimulating his brain and making it release dopamine.

Already hungry, he found the temptation hard to resist. He pointed at the skewers. "Neji, what's all this about?"

He reached both hands out. "Th-this is my apology."

"You're treating me?"

"Of course! If it's not enough, I'll go buy more."

The dozens of skewers wrapped in foil were piping hot, burning Neji's palms until they tingled. He didn't care. He was more worried that Takasaki wouldn't accept his apology.

"That's plenty. Come on in. I forgive you." Takasaki opened the wooden door wide and smiled warmly.

It didn't matter that he didn't know exactly why Neji was apologizing. He could ask later.

Neji was the cousin of the girl Takasaki planned to marry someday, after all. He could at least give him that much.

The most important thing right now was to fill his stomach.

He'd mooched dinner off Hinata and was now mooching a midnight snack off Neji. He hadn't spent a single coin. What more could he ask for?

Takasaki took the foil-wrapped skewers from Neji and put them on the wooden table. Neji still stood by the door, looking guilty.

Having been born into a wealthy family, Neji had no idea how tempting this barbecue was to Takasaki.

He spoke rather hesitantly. "Takasaki, have you really forgiven me?"

"I have. Come on in. We can talk while we eat." Takasaki waved him inside.

But Neji still didn't feel at ease.

Hyuga Hiashi had ordered him to apologize, and he'd come in a hurry, only stopping to buy a barbecue as a token of his sincerity.

In truth, the money he'd spent on it was nothing to him.

That was why Neji kept feeling his apology wasn't sincere enough.

"My place is a little rundown, so don't mind it. I'd like to move somewhere better, but I don't have the money yet." Takasaki brought out two low stools and set them beside the table, speaking casually, as though they were just chatting.

But Neji, who was already ill at ease, took those casual words seriously.

As he stepped inside, Neji glanced around Takasaki's home. The living conditions really were poor. Neji's bathroom was bigger than Takasaki's living room.

And the difference in their furnishings went without saying.

Neji's bathroom had a crystal chandelier on the ceiling, while Takasaki's living room had only a low-wattage screw-base bulb, and even the light was turned on with a pull cord.

Takasaki wanted to move somewhere better?

Hearing that made Neji feel a little more at ease.

Now he knew how to make his apology seem sincere.

"Come sit down, Neji."

Takasaki picked up a grilled gluten skewer and wolfed it down. The spicy peppercorns went straight to his head. "Eating barbecue together is the key to a lasting friendship."

"What? Barbecue without beer is a no-go?"

Neji, who had been lost in thought, stopped in his tracks. "Takasaki, wait here. I'll go buy some beer."

With that,

he turned and left.

Takasaki stared after him, dumbfounded. "What's up with Neji? He looks so preoccupied. I said our friendship should last forever, and he thought I wanted him to buy beer?"

"And the funny thing is, he actually went."

"Man, how guilty does he feel toward me?"

Takasaki sensed something was off. In the original story, Neji had strong principles and a clear sense of boundaries. He was usually so arrogant. Why was he acting so awkward?

He'd suddenly shown up at Takasaki's home to apologize. Maybe there was more to it than just an apology. There had to be another reason.

No matter.

They could talk it out later.

Takasaki thought Neji would be back soon. The night market street nearby had plenty of places selling beer.

But he waited a full half hour before Neji finally returned with a pack of beer. Takasaki was getting puzzled. "What took you so long? The skewers are going cold."

Takasaki couldn't be bothered with more small talk. He easily popped open a beer bottle with his chopsticks, poured himself a cup, then tipped his head back and gulped it down.

The icy, refreshing beer fizzed pleasantly in his mouth.

A free barbecue feast, and someone even brought him cold beer.

What a treat!

But Neji showed no sign of sitting down to eat.

He stood in front of Takasaki, pulled two front-door keys and a property deed for a house in the center of Konoha's commercial district from his pocket.

Neji had graduated from the Ninja Academy a year ago and had completed plenty of work for his clan. On top of that, he had savings from his commissioned missions. He could afford to buy a house.

He held out the property deed to Takasaki with both hands. "Takasaki, this is a gift for you, and a token of my sincerity. Please accept it."

What was going on?

Takasaki was completely caught off guard.

No wonder Neji had taken half an hour to buy beer. He'd gone and bought a house, too.

The key point was that the house was for him?!

Takasaki looked at Neji's earnest, apologetic expression, then at the property deed he was holding out, then at the disposable cup in Takasaki's own hand. "Have I had too much to drink?"

Could something this good really fall out of the sky?

No way!

Something felt off to Takasaki. Why had Neji suddenly become so nice to him?

So nice that it was starting to scare him.

What had he done to deserve this?

He'd only agreed to share some barbecue with Neji, and Neji had gone and given him a house.

Even a lovesick fool proposing to his goddess wouldn't rush things this fast.

As Takasaki studied Neji, something suddenly occurred to him.

In the original story, Neji hadn't seemed to have a girlfriend. He hadn't even shown the slightest interest in girls.

A chill ran through Takasaki. The question slipped out before he could stop himself. "Neji, you're not trying to sword-fight me, are you?"