Xue Ge reached the lakeside and happened to run straight into Xia, who was heading the other way.
Thump!
Xue Ge watched as Xia rammed headfirst into him and toppled backward, sending something flying to the ground as well.
"Oww-" Xia clutched her head, but the moment she saw Xue Ge, her voice filled with delight. "Teacher! You're back!"
"Mm." Xue Ge picked up the object from the ground. It was a little fox mask carved with blue patterns.
"What's this?"
"Your teacher gave it to me!" Xia stood up and planted her hands on her hips as she told him, "It was your teacher's birthday the day before yesterday!"
"-Huh?" Xue Ge froze for a moment.
Was it? Why hadn't Iris Moon ever mentioned it?
He handed the fox mask back to Xia, who hung it at her waist.
"She gave you a present on her birthday?"
"Yep! She made lots of masks, and they're all really pretty! There's one for you too, Teacher!"
"..." Xue Ge raised an eyebrow.
After their brief greetings, his questions quickly shifted into teacher mode. "Finished training?"
"Yep! Your teacher supervised me. I finished everything."
Xia huffed. "I'm a Hyuga, after all!"
"All right, all right." Xue Ge patted Xia's head, instantly turning her into a cat with its fur standing on end.
Members of both the Uchiha and Hyuga clans had a certain pride in their own clans.
Shaking off Xue Ge's hand, Xia made a face at him and ran off.
"I'm off to play! Bye~"
"-Get home early."
Never mind. She was only a few years old. Let her be.
Xue Ge shook his head and continued toward the lake.
Walking up to Iris Moon, who was sleeping with half her body submerged in the lake, he covered his face.