After watching Gua go inside, Neji stood outside a little longer. Once he realized Gua really was not just teasing him, he cast a stubborn glance at Gua's room, then turned away in dejection.
Could it be that I can't earn Gua's approval?
Neji unconsciously clenched his fists.
More than two months had passed since Gua had beaten him. During those two months, he had been depressed, fired up, suicidal, determined to change and start over...
Until he finally worked up the courage to come find Gua.
He wanted a fresh start.
He wanted to find a path forward. Even if he truly did not deserve to be called a genius, even if he could never escape the constraints of the Caged Bird Seal, so what? None of that could stop him from growing stronger.
Yet the moment he arrived at Gua's house, he had been rejected.
Neji was stubborn. He could not bring himself to swallow his pride and follow Gua into his room to beg, so he had to leave.
His precarious pride hung high above him.
Neji felt wronged.
And Neji felt hurt.
Creak!
The Hyuga Clan's heavy front gate swung open.
Hizashi sat in a corner of the courtyard, watching Neji return looking utterly lost. Little Hinata huddled beside Hizashi, studying Neji cautiously.
"Uncle Hizashi..."
Little Hinata could tell Neji was unhappy too. She spoke tentatively, looking at Hizashi beside her.
Hizashi gave Hinata a kindly smile, then stood and turned toward Neji, his expression growing solemn again.
"Neji."
Only when he heard his name did Neji snap out of his daze. He looked up to find his father standing there, with little Hinata hiding behind him.
But Neji was in no mood to pay attention to any of that.
He merely answered softly,
"Yes."
"Come