The Disappointing Heiress of the Main Family

Little Hinata noticed the cold disappointment in her father's eyes.

She could only lower her head in silence.

Little Hinata had never liked fighting.

Then one day, she realized no one was home.

At two years old, she carefully opened the door.

And ran outside.

Hinata had been so well protected that she had barely seen the world beyond her home.

Being sheltered so closely by Hyuga Hiashi had only made her want to see the outside world more.

But whenever Hinata tried to say what was in her heart,

her father's sternness stopped the words at her lips, time after time.

Little by little, she grew timid.

The scene sped up once more.

Before she knew it, Hinata had wandered into the forest where Naruto was.

Just then,

she spotted a blond little boy beside a stream.

Too frightened to approach Naruto, Hinata could not bring herself to say hello.

She hid behind a tree, peeking out now and then to watch him play by the stream.

Without realizing it, she watched for a long time.

After being away from home so long, Hinata began to feel hungry.

Her stomach rumbled.

The sound reminded her of her mother gently preparing a meal.

Her mother was always so gentle. Bit by bit, Hinata's thoughts returned to the present.

I hate martial arts. I don't want to become a ninja, Hinata thought.

I want to be like Mom—a gentle, quiet, sweet girl.

Not a tough girl who fights every day.

Lost in her daydream, Hinata had completely forgotten her situation.

She was lost...

Hinata kept walking in circles, unable to find her way home.

Panic set in. She crouched on the ground, too scared to move.

Suddenly, a figure appeared before her.

Naruto's soft voice reached her. "My name's Naruto. Don't be afraid."

"Are you lost?"

Hinata looked at him and nodded shyly.

She said nothing.

Naruto saw her Byakugan, the mark of the Hyuga.

He began to guess who the little girl was.

She must have something to do with the Hyuga Clan Compound.

Naruto held out his hand to Hinata and said gently, "I'll take you home, okay?"

She did not answer. She carefully took his hand instead.

The scene shifted again.

At last, Naruto and Hinata reached the outskirts of the Hyuga Clan Compound.

Hinata had not spoken the entire way.

But now she smiled inwardly. She knew where her home was.

Naruto sensed her happiness and asked carefully, "Can you tell me your name?"

Just as Hinata was about to speak...

A ninja from the Hyuga Branch Family finally found the young lady who had slipped out to play.

He saw that his clan's young lady was actually

"with the village's Nine-Tailed Fox—and holding his hand!"

Furious, the branch family ninja rushed up to Hinata before he could contain himself.

He slipped past her hand and shoved Naruto hard to the ground.

Naruto did not protest or make a fuss. He simply lay there in silence.

Hinata stared, stunned.

She wanted to explain that she had slipped out on her own and gotten lost.

It was this boy who had brought her back.

But when the words reached her lips, Hinata could not find the courage to say them.

The branch family ninja glared at Naruto where he lay, his eyes full of murderous intent. "If you ever come near our young lady again, I won't let you off."

Naruto looked up at the tall, middle-aged ninja's cold, murderous stare.

He lay perfectly still.

Naruto had seen that look more times than he could count.

But...

Again and again, nearly everyone in the village looked at him that way.

And it still cut deep into his heart.

The branch family ninja did not spare Naruto another glance as he lay on the ground.

The ninja carefully took Hinata's hand and led her back toward the Hyuga Main Family.

On the way, he told her patiently, "Young lady, if you see that boy again, stay far away from him."

Hinata remembered the dejected look in Naruto's eyes.

It was nothing like the way he had looked when they first met.

And the more she thought about how this clansman had attacked Naruto for no reason, the guiltier she felt.

At last, she gathered the courage to ask, "Um... could you tell me why?"

The Hyuga Branch Family ninja looked at the heiress of the Main Family, so timid before him.

She could very well inherit the position of Hyuga clan head, he thought.

The thought of this timid young lady becoming the future clan head filled him with resentment.

Just because she was born into the Main Family, while my child was born into the Branch Family...

My child will have to protect a clan head this weak and useless.

The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. A disgrace! This is the greatest disgrace of belonging to the Branch Family.

Hinata looked at the middle-aged man, who remained silent.

Just as she was about to give up, he answered impatiently, "Young lady, all you need to do is remember what I said."

"And another thing, young lady!"

"If you have time to sneak out and play, you'd be better off spending it training."

Hinata opened her mouth, then closed it. She could only lower her head in shame.

The ninja went on, "Instead of using your wits to sneak out, put some thought into how to grow stronger."

"Don't forget: because you're weak, we have no choice but to step forward and protect you."

Each sentence struck Hinata harder than the last, leaving her stunned.

The branch family ninja remained angry the entire way as he escorted her back to the Main Family.

Back home, Hinata faced the stern Hyuga Hiashi.

She knelt on the floor, her head bowed in fear.

Hiashi's severe voice rang out. "Why did you run away?"

Hinata trembled too hard to answer.

Only then did Hiashi realize just how timid his daughter was.

Furious, he barked, "Stand up and answer me!"

Hearing the anger in her father's voice, Hinata could bear it no longer.

Still kneeling, she began to cry, tears falling one after another.

Hiashi looked at his weeping daughter, utterly disappointed.

Hinata's mother was cooking outside when she heard her husband's raised voice.

She hurried in and found Hinata sobbing on the floor.

She rushed to her daughter and wrapped her in her arms.

Then she looked at her husband, pleading with her eyes.

With disappointment and coldness in his eyes, Hiashi turned and walked out.

Note: Thank you to Qingfeng Meng Ceng Jihe for the two bouquets of flowers and three boosts.

I'm truly touched. Thank you, Qingfeng.

And a special thank-you to everyone who sent boosts with love.