Hinata, Stop Pretending

Hinata suddenly revealed a radiant smile. "Hanabi, no matter what happens in the future, your sister will protect you."

Hanabi said nothing. She suddenly felt that her sister seemed different from before, but that only made her heart feel warmer.

Hinata was naturally no longer the Hinata of the past. In her previous life, she had always been alone from childhood to adulthood. Having never experienced familial affection, she had suddenly found herself with a family in this world amid her confusion.

After learning that she now had a younger sister, even though she was a transmigrator, having inherited all of Hinata's memories—and being more mature than the former Hinata—she...

When facing this younger sister, she felt an instinctive desire, deep in her bones, to protect her. That obsession had already been imprinted in the deepest part of her heart.

It was this feeling that made her understand: this was what family felt like!

The night passed without incident. Early the next morning, Hinata began her morning training. Only after panting heavily and sweating all over did she finally finish the day's practice.

After taking a nice hot bath, she changed into a white-and-purple hoodie and a pair of black pants, wrapping her body up tightly.

She had always thought her younger sister Hanabi had baby fat on her face, but she had never noticed that her own face was the same. Fresh from the hot bath, her little face was still rosy red.

Like a freshly ripened red apple, making people unable to resist taking a bite.

After tidying up a little more at home, she left the house and headed for the Ninja Academy. Following the route in her memories, she left the Hyuga Clan's residential area and wound through the streets of ordinary Konoha villagers.

She ended up directly in a dead end. Looking at it, she let out an "Eh?" and muttered, "Wasn't it this way?"

But after thinking carefully, she was sure that Hinata's memories said to go this way! After wandering around the area again, she seemed to realize that she had gotten lost.

In the anime she had watched, hadn't Hinata been bullied by a group of children after getting lost, only to be saved by the Protagonist? Then, because of that small incident, she had set off down the path to becoming the Protagonist's wife and never looked back.

But with the current Hinata, making her become the Protagonist's wife was impossible—unless the moon fell from the sky. But remembering the Otsutsuki Toneri incident... well, even if the moon fell, it would still be impossible.

Perhaps Hinata was now like Kakashi, having lost her way on the road toward her life's goal. She did not know about Kakashi, but there was no doubt that she really was lost.

Just then, Hinata heard someone calling from afar, "Hinata!" The voice was crisp and pleasant. Such a lovely voice definitely did not belong to a boy.

Hinata hurriedly looked toward the source of the voice and saw a girl with short pink hair, wearing a pink dress and revealing half of her slender...

This person was none other than the famous Sakura, who would one day become a tyrant of Konoha.

If Hinata's outward impression was that of a pitiful, sickly-yandere girl, then Sakura was a masculine girl brimming with manly spirit.

That was obvious from the tiger-like strides she took as she walked toward Hinata.

Hinata did not move, and Sakura reached her in just a few steps. Sakura's little face looked equally adorable, but she now wore an expression of utter exasperation.

Sakura rubbed her forehead. "Honestly, Hinata, how many times has this been? Forget other people—even I've run into you more than three times."

"When are you going to fix this habit of getting lost? Luckily, I left home a little later than usual today. Otherwise, the teachers at school would have had more work to do again."

Hinata immediately lowered her head. The index fingers of both hands lightly bumped against each other again and again as she spoke in a voice as faint as a mosquito's buzz. "I'm sorry. It won't happen again next time."

It was as though Sakura had transformed into a hungry wolf, glaring greedily at an injured little white rabbit.

Hinata complained inwardly, "System, are you saying that you'll only be satisfied if I act like this?"

Because just as Sakura had walked toward her, the Mature System had reminded her: "Since the host has chosen the Playing the Pig to Eat the Tiger Style growth path, the host must make every effort to appear before everyone as a..."

"Weak, helpless, pitiful, timid, inconspicuous passerby. If the host reveals her true personality, she will receive punishment. The punishment is unknown. Please consider carefully."

What was there to consider? Pretending to be weak was still better than being punished, which was why she had assumed this posture now.