Hyuga Hiashi's Tears

Hinata's mother watched her husband's cold figure.

Then she looked at their daughter, who was suffering behind her.

At that moment, Hinata's mother felt an unbearable ache in her heart.

As a member of the Hyuga Main Family and Hinata's mother, how could she not understand what lay behind it?

Holding her two-year-old daughter, Hinata's mother felt utterly powerless.

All she could do was hold little Hinata close.

The video changed once more.

Little Hinata, who was training in their courtyard, heard voices arguing inside the house.

The elders of the Hyuga Main Family kept pressuring Hiashi.

Each of them said, "Hiashi, you've seen it yourself. Your daughter simply can't become a Ninja."

"Never mind how timid she is. Her talent is poor, too. I think..."

Before the Hyuga's head elder could finish, Hyuga Hiashi cut him off. "Enough! I am the clan head."

"I'll teach my daughter myself."

Seeing Hiashi's stern expression, the elders could only back down.

But the head elder added, "If the young lady still hasn't shown any potential we can recognize by the time she turns twelve..."

"I will..."

Hyuga Hiashi cut him off again and said coldly, "If my daughter is still like this when that time comes, you elders won't need to say a word."

"I'll choose a new heir for the Main Family. I won't insist on her simply because she's my daughter."

"My daughter isn't the only one who can inherit the position of clan head. When the time comes, I'll give you an answer."

Once the Main Family elders had the answer they wanted, the meeting slowly came to an end.

They turned and left one by one.

After the elders had gone,

Hyuga Hiashi appeared before little Hinata, weariness in every step.

He watched her struggle with even the simplest forms of the Main Family Gentle Fist.

Thinking of the elders' pressure and his daughter's lack of progress, Hiashi grew frustrated and angry.

Hyuga Hiashi scolded her furiously. "How long has it been? Tell me, how long?"

"How long has it been?"

"Why can't you perform even the simplest Gentle Fist form after all this time?"

Little Hinata heard the anger in her father's questions.

Ashamed, she could only lower her head without a word.

Seeing his daughter fall silent yet again

only made Hyuga Hiashi angrier. "How did I end up with such a disappointing daughter?"

"Tell me. How did I end up with a daughter like you?"

Little Hinata knelt before Hiashi, her head bowed, not daring to move.

Hiashi's voice rose to a roar. "Lift your head and look at me!"

"Tell me why!"

Hinata could bear it no longer. She broke down sobbing.

Hyuga Hiashi watched his daughter cry so bitterly.

Then he remembered she was only a little over two years old.

I was too impulsive. She's only two years old.

Hiashi's heart ached for her.

But just as he reached out to comfort the sobbing little Hinata,

the elders' demands flashed through his mind again.

With great difficulty, Hyuga Hiashi drew his hand back.

Pain filled his eyes as he turned and walked away.

Snow began to fall, and the air grew colder.

From a distance, Hyuga Hiashi secretly watched little Hinata, who was still kneeling on a mound of snow outside their home, crying. The sight was more than he could bear.

He felt the biting cold and saw how thinly dressed his two-year-old daughter was.

Hiashi could no longer hold back his tears. They slid down his cheeks. "Forgive me, Hinata."

"How I wish you'd learn to stand up to your father, to be strong, and to cast aside your timidity."

The video froze on the image of tears sliding down Hyuga Hiashi's face.

Konoha

The Hyuga Clan Compound

Hizashi Hyuga saw the helplessness in his brother Hiashi's eyes.

At that moment, Hizashi realized he no longer hated his brother quite so much.

Beside him, a puzzled Neji Hyuga asked, "Father, why does the clan head treat his own child like that?"

"That girl Hinata is clearly miserable."

Neji kept asking questions. "And why does everyone in the village look at that boy Naruto

"with such hatred? I really don't understand, Father."

Hizashi Hyuga listened calmly to his son without answering.

When his father remained silent, Neji continued, "But that boy Naruto was protecting Hinata."

"I didn't sense any hostility from him, either."

Neji's voice was steady and mature. "I don't understand, Father. Can you explain it to me?"

Hizashi Hyuga bent down and affectionately stroked Neji's head. "Even I don't know the answers to those questions."

"But you know what?"

"Neji, when you're older and that boy Naruto comes along,

"go and get to know him. Become good friends with him."

Hearing his father say that made Neji very happy.

He had liked both little Naruto and little Hinata since they first appeared in the sky.

Now he had his father's blessing, too.

Neji smiled brightly and nodded. "I will, Father."

Hizashi Hyuga looked at his gifted son with satisfaction.

The Hokage's office

After finishing their discussion about little Naruto, everyone turned toward Hyuga Hiashi, who had remained silent.

Minato Namikaze could not help saying, "Clan Head Hyuga, being too strict isn't necessarily a good thing."

"She's only a little over two. Her body hasn't even developed yet."

When Hiashi still said nothing, Minato gave it more thought.

This was a Hyuga family matter, after all, and the video had shown the pressure Hiashi faced from the elders.

Only then did Minato realize he might not be in any position to lecture him.

Sensing the uneasy atmosphere, Hiruzen Sarutobi stayed quiet as well.

It was then that Minato and the others finally saw it clearly.

Hyuga Hiashi was crying...

Fugaku Uchiha noticed the traces of tears at Hiashi's eyes.

As a clan head himself, he understood.

Fugaku understood Hiashi's helplessness and pain.

What parent doesn't love their child? Fugaku thought.

Hyuga Hiashi noticed the strange looks everyone was giving him.

Only then did he realize there were tears at the corners of his eyes.

Embarrassed, he coughed.

It eased the awkward atmosphere.

Once he had collected himself, Hyuga Hiashi still could not make sense of it.

Hinata was not even two months old yet, and Hiashi treasured her more than anything.

How could I treat my precious daughter like that?

Yet after seeing his future self, Hiashi wondered, Why did I become like that?

Was it the pressure from the clan over those two years?

Did I take all my anger out on Hinata because I couldn't see any hope for my daughter?

The more he thought about it, the angrier Hiashi grew at his future self.

He said furiously, "The future me is utterly pathetic, dragging my innocent, adorable daughter into this."

Hiashi looked ahead and said apologetically, "Sorry, Third Hokage, Fourth Hokage. I need to go home."

Minato Namikaze and Hiruzen Sarutobi both nodded.

Hyuga Hiashi left the Hokage's office and hurried home.

At that moment, his precious daughter was all he could think about.

He could not wait to see her.

But!

As the Hyuga clan head, Hiashi dared show his most vulnerable side only when he was alone.

He usually kept a cold, stern face.

But!

This time, Hiashi wanted to start changing, little by little, for his daughter.

The Light Screen in the sky

began playing again.

Note: Thank you all for your support.

This new book is about to enter its review period. If you're enjoying it,

could you please leave a rating?

Thank you very much.