Shinichi did not receive notice of Hyuga Hiashi's visit until the following afternoon.
The notification method was very Hyuga—not a messenger bearing a letter, nor a ninja hawk carrying a message, but a Hyuga branch family guard waiting in person at the entrance to the Ninja Academy. The guard wore the standard white Hyuga Clan kimono, with the branch family crest embroidered on his cuffs. He stood beneath the great camphor tree by the school gate, his back straight as a sword planted in the ground. When the dismissal bell rang, every student pouring out of the gates instinctively detoured around him by half a meter. Even Naruto Uzumaki, who normally never watched where he was going, unconsciously avoided him.
"Lord Senju Shinichi, the Hyuga Clan Head requests your presence at the main household for a discussion." The guard gave Shinichi a slight bow, respectful but not servile.
The title "Lord Senju Shinichi" made Ino's brows shoot up. Shikamaru Nara exposed half an eye from beneath his jacket, looked for three seconds, then tucked it away again. Naruto did not care about the form of address; he cared about something else. "The Hyuga Clan? Hinata's family? Why didn't she come to class today?" Sasuke walked past with his ninja tool bag on his back. His gaze paused briefly on the Hyuga guard, but he said nothing and continued away. Shinichi handed his schoolbag to Naruto to take back to the orphanage, then followed the guard.
The Hyuga main household estate was more imposing than the Yamanaka Clan's. The Yamanaka Clan possessed the understated luxury of a scholarly family; the Hyuga Clan had the solemn severity of a great clan that had endured for centuries. White walls and gray tiles enclosed a courtyard spread with fine sand bleached pale from washing.