The source of his confidence

This was the true source of his confidence.

The first semester drew to a close before he knew it. For Toru Kujyo, most of the past few months had been spent at the Ninja Academy by his shadow clone.

His real body, meanwhile, quietly pursued more advanced training in secluded places inside and outside the village. His goal was clear: before graduating from the Ninja Academy, he would obtain the "red traits" he had always dreamed of from Hinata Hyuga, Naruto Uzumaki, and Sasuke Uchiha.

His shadow clone performed solidly at school. He neither caused trouble like Naruto nor acted aloof and cold like Sasuke. His grades were excellent, his foundations in Taijutsu and Ninjutsu were firm, and his Chakra Control far surpassed that of his peers, earning Iruka-sensei's praise and his classmates' recognition.

Yet Toru Kujyo's shadow clone always maintained a polite distance. Whenever his classmates invited him to walk home together, eat dumplings, or go out and play, he gently declined in a calm voice. That mysterious, unapproachable air instead gave him a unique popularity in class, especially among the girls.

After school, when the shadow clone dispelled himself in some hidden corner, all his knowledge, experience, and chakra returned to the real body.

Toru Kujyo sat in his rented room, receiving the information his shadow clone brought back: Iruka-sensei's lessons, his classmates' daily interactions, and his sense of the class's overall atmosphere. He knew summer vacation was approaching. It was the perfect time to put his plans into motion.

On July 20, the day before summer vacation, Toru Kujyo decided to attend school in person.

He did not use the Transformation Technique, appearing in the classroom with his true face. Today, he wore clean, neat clothes. They were still plain, but rather than his shadow clone's deliberately low-key manner, he carried himself with a natural stillness.

Many of his classmates paused when he entered the classroom. Though he had the same body, his real self's presence differed subtly from his shadow clone's. He was more reserved, and more... real. Hinata, sitting by the window, noticed him immediately. She whispered something to Ino beside her, then turned and stole a glance at him.

As usual, Toru Kujyo walked over and sat beside Hinata. Ever since he had chosen to sit next to her that day and brought up their encounter at age three, their relationship had subtly changed.

Hinata no longer grew so nervous that she could not speak. Though she still blushed easily, she could now hold simple conversations with him.

She knew Toru Kujyo could create shadow clones, and she was deeply curious and impressed by that ability, often asking cautious questions about them. To her, Toru Kujyo was like a mysterious, powerful older brother. He said little, yet gave her a sense of security she had never known before.

At lunchtime, Toru Kujyo took a lunchbox from his schoolbag. It had two tiers and looked quite elegant. He set it on the desk and opened the upper tier, revealing a nicely balanced assortment of colorful food.

"Kujyo, did... did you bring lunch?" Hinata asked softly. Her lunch was usually rice balls prepared at home.

Toru Kujyo nodded, then pushed the lower tier of the lunchbox toward Hinata. "Let's eat together."

Hinata froze, her little face instantly turning red. She had never shared a lunchbox with a boy before. Flustered, she did not know what to do, but under Toru Kujyo's calm gaze, she gently accepted it. "Th-thank you..."

The two quietly ate lunch at their seats. Toru Kujyo ate slowly and calmly. Hinata was distracted, occasionally stealing a glance at him before quickly lowering her head again, a faint blush lingering on her cheeks.

After finishing lunch, Toru Kujyo wiped his mouth and looked at Hinata. "Summer vacation starts tomorrow."

"Mm..." Hinata replied.

"Do you have any plans for the break?" Toru Kujyo asked.

Hinata began nervously twisting her fingers together again. "I... I'll probably have to train at home... The clan has made arrangements..."

Toru Kujyo knew the Hyuga Clan was extremely strict about training the Main Family's direct descendants. Hinata could not play freely like ordinary children. "I'd like to invite you to train with me over the break," he said directly.

Hinata stiffened and abruptly looked up at him, surprise and a hint of anticipation in her eyes. But they soon dimmed again. "B-but... the clan's rules... I can't just leave the compound..."

Watching the light fade from her eyes, Toru Kujyo knew this was the obstacle he had expected. But since he had extended the invitation, he naturally had a way around it. He leaned forward slightly, drawing close to Hinata, and lowered his voice. "I have a way to get you out. You just need to cooperate with me."

He was too close. His warm breath brushed Hinata's ear. Her heartbeat instantly quickened, and heat rushed into her cheeks, turning her as red as a cooked shrimp. Her mind went completely blank. She failed to make out anything Toru Kujyo said; all she could hear was a buzzing in her ears.

"Wh-what did you say?" she asked softly, her voice trembling slightly.

Seeing her so nervous that her ears almost seemed ready to steam, Toru Kujyo felt a flicker of helplessness, but more than that, he felt the calm of having everything under control. He knew Hinata was introverted, but that very personality, combined with her trust in and dependence on him, made his plan easier to carry out.

He leaned close again, slowed his speech, and clearly repeated himself. "I said, I have a way to get you out. Tomorrow, I'll come find you outside the Hyuga Clan Compound. You need to cooperate with me and pretend to be... taken away by me."

He deliberately paused before saying "taken away," a barely perceptible implication in his tone.

Hinata heard him clearly this time, but his words left her even more shocked and embarrassed. Pretend to be taken away by him? Wh-what did that mean? Countless confused thoughts flashed through her mind, and her cheeks flushed so deeply they seemed ready to bleed. She could not imagine that scene at all, much less how she was supposed to cooperate.

Seeing her shocked expression, Toru Kujyo knew she understood. Without giving her much time to think, he continued his instructions. "Remember, cooperate with me. Don't resist, and don't make too much noise. Leave everything to me."

He paused, his voice returning to its usual calm, as though what he had just said were perfectly ordinary. "Tomorrow morning, I'll wait for you in the alley on the east side of the compound. Nine o'clock."

With that, he straightened and stopped looking at her. Hinata sat there as though she had been frozen in place, Toru Kujyo's words echoing endlessly in her mind, along with the flustered feeling his closeness had stirred in her. Pretend to be taken away... Together with Kujyo... Her heart was beating so fast she felt it might leap out of her chest.