23 Let's go, Haku-chan

In just a few seconds, Haku lost everything—his father, his mother; everyone was dead. He was alone in this cruel world.

*Munch*

"Oh… poor boy… worry not; you haven't lost everything yet," I chuckled while biting into an apple and savoring its juicy and delicious taste.

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The sight before me was very gruesome—tens of people were dead, icicles impaled through their backs and exiting through their chests. A man was hung in the air as the icicles passed through his chin and exited through his head, lifting him into the air.

The once peaceful home transformed into a haunting scene within moments.

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Haku, looking at the carnage, stood up with shaky legs and trembling hands, wiping away his sorrowful tears.

As his mother said, 'Run,' he fled from the back of the house in the presence of a crescent moon, which illuminated his small body.

He didn't want to die, so he ran from his small village to the sole town of the island.

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"Let's go," I jumped from the tree, while my eyes were locked on Haku. Both of them stood behind me and started to follow me.

"Lady Hinata, why did you let him run? We could have easily picked him up the moment he exited his home," Ren asked, following me.

"You don't understand, Ren. Let him firsthandly experience how cruel this world could be. How hard it is to live alone in this world without someone else's hand over your head. And when he is at his breaking point, when nobody cares about him, when he is treated even lower than a human being, then I will show him what kindness is. When he sees the light of rays in this pit of darkness, he will willingly walk towards it, and then I will extend my hand to him, making him completely mine…."

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Ren was speechless for a while, then he bowed slightly. "You are very wise, Lady Hinata," he said in admiration and awe.

"That's enough flattering, Ren. You know me very well, so why always ask these obvious questions?" I said with a chuckle.

Ren laughed. "It is very pleasant to hear all this from you; it has its uniqueness," he said truthfully.

"Hmmm… that's right," I admitted that his words were true.

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I looked at Haku, who had been running for four hours and had finally reached the town. He looked around; everything felt unfamiliar to him, and people who were still awake didn't pay any attention to him.

Dawn was near, so the town was just starting to bustle. More and more people started to appear, opening their shops and starting the new day.

Haku, who was exhausted and hungry, looked at sweets, fruits, and other foods. He started to walk on the streets; his clothes were messy, and his slightly long brown hair was disheveled, so people took him as a beggar and avoided him.

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He just walked aimlessly until it was noon, and his hunger became more dominant. Putting his hand on his belly, he walked towards a shop, hoping to get something.

"What do you want, kid?" the shopkeeper asked when he saw him in front of his shop.

Haku pointed to a bunch of fruits.

"Do you have any money…" the shopkeeper squinted his eyes.

Haku shook his head in denial, indicating that he had nothing.

"Then why are you here if you don't have any money? Get out of here and don't show your face if you don't have any money," the shopkeeper said in a threatening voice.

Haku's smile and hope shattered, and with a dejected look on his face, he proceeded towards another shop, just to receive the same treatment from everyone.

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"That's harsh, man…" I commented while looking at him from a tree.

"Indeed…" Ren said.

"Konoha or Kiri people are the same, selfish and greedy," Ritsu said.

I nodded to him; he was right.

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Then, tilting my head, I looked at Haku, who sat in the corner of an alley. When night started to descend, the temperature increased, and snow began to fall. Lamps lit up in the town, illuminating it.

Haku stood up; his body was shivering due to the cold. Even though he had the kekkei genkai, he was still too young to utilize it.

Moving across the streets, he started searching for food in the dumpsters. After searching for a while, he exclaimed, "Finally, I found something to eat," holding a rotten fruit and half-grilled fish, he smiled.

But when he was about to take a bite, a street dog jumped on him.

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Haku tried to move and defend himself, but what could he do? In the end, his messy clothes were torn apart, leaving big holes in them; the dog had snatched his fish.

His eyes welled up when he saw that his hours of searching were snatched away like this, and by none other than a random street dog.

He quickly gulped down the rotten fruit in fear of someone snatching it from him.

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After searching for another hour, he found some leftovers. Eating them, he emptied a dustbin and fitted himself into it for the night's sleep.

When the sun rose in the sky, he looked even more like a beggar than yesterday, thanks to that dog.

People now didn't let him near, not wanting to get dirty. And just like this, many days passed. He wasn't given any food; he even started to beg from people, and what he got from them was a disdainful glare or hurtful words—they showed him how unnecessary he was.

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At night, he searched for every dustbin to fill his stomach. He had to fight with street dogs to preserve his food.

But when the cold became too unbearable for him, he started to sit on a bridge under the lamp to get some warmth from it.

He looked at passing people with a smile and hoped they would give him something to eat.

And just like this, many days passed.

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I watched everything, and when I felt the time was right, I jumped from the tree. "Let's go. We are leaving, and change back to your original appearance," I walked towards the bridge."

It was around 3 am, and the snow was still falling. Everyone was sleeping.

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A happy smile appeared on my face as I approached the bridge, and I was asking Ren random things, behaving like a little girl on a trip.

*Step* *step*

My excited steps woke up Haku, who was half asleep. He looked at me with hope, but all of us ignored him as if he wasn't there.

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When we passed by him, all of his hopes vanished, just like everyone else; we also didn't notice him.

But Ren abruptly stopped, tilted his head, and looked at the skinny boy in a mess.

"Lady Hinata, look, there is someone," he exclaimed in surprise as if he was seeing something for the first time. And I could see a glimmer of hope in Haku's eyes.

"Ohh… what is it, Ren?" I asked.

"Lady Hinata, this is none of our business," Ritsu said sternly, shattering the poor boy's hope.

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"Don't be like Ritsu, let me see," I ignored him and walked towards Haku with an excited smile as if seeing something amazing. This gave the poor boy some hope.

From our lavish clothes, he could feel we were some big shots.

I squatted down and looked directly into his eyes and asked, "What is your name... Boy?"

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This was the first time someone had shown some interest in him, so he smiled brightly, "Haku."

'So desperate, so eager, and certainly so kind-hearted.'

"So, Haku-chan, what are you doing here? Where are your parents?" I asked the most obvious thing, making him sad.

For a moment, he didn't say anything.

"They are dead," he said in a very low voice.

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"I see, so you are homeless," I said in my most apologetic tone, which touched his heart. He nodded with sadness.

"Do you want to eat something?" I asked him, and I could see the eagerness in his eyes.

'Why did I feel this happened before?'

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"Ok… let me give you something," I said while pulling out a box from my pocket. "Do you like cookies?" I asked him, handing him the box.

He eagerly nodded, "Yes, I like them, and thank you very much."

I looked at how hungry he ate the cookies. He had no hopes for anything. Due to all these circumstances, he felt unnecessary; he just wanted to feel useful.

That's why he was so loyal to a guy like Zabuza. Only Zabuza didn't show Haku love; he treated him with the same philosophy that was beaten into him as a child — to use him as a tool and nothing more.

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Even if Zabuza loved him, he didn't show him any affection. There was a difference between caring for someone secretly and not showing it and openly expressing affection. Even after this, he stayed loyal to Zabuza, eager to be useful to him.

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But this time, I will show him care, give him what he needs, and not force him to do anything without his will.

'Well, he will do it of his own will, as I say.'

And I knew, in return, he would give me everything he had, including himself.

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This boy in front of me could take a Chidori in his heart just to save the person he cared for.

'His loyalty was unmatched, and this time it will belong to me.'

"Why are you looking at me like this?" he curiously asked me.

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"Ahh... nothing… So, Haku-chan, would you like to become a dedicated shinobi to me? You don't have to live on these streets begging for food. If you accept me, you will always be beside me, and you can protect me," I extended my hand towards him.

Basically, I was asking him to be my tool, but in a different way — the way he sees me as the most generous person in the world.

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And I could see the fire in his eyes, so I started to whisper in his ear, "You just have to accept me. Don't you want to become a shinobi who can do cool jutsus?" I extended my hand, and a water ball appeared on my palm.

"You have the same power, don't you? I can see it in you," I said in a honey-dripping voice.

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"You can learn how to control these powers. I will teach you, but," I said.

"But what?" he asked anxiously.

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"But you have to do as I say. If I say kill someone, you will do it. If I say steal something, you have to do it. And protect me at all costs… and in return, I will teach you anything you want and give you anything you want." I extended my hand towards him.

I knew the moment I asked him to be my dedicated shinobi, he was already in my palm.

Before now, he had no purpose, but now I had given him a purpose—the purpose to protect me, the purpose to only be useful to me. And with time, it will only grow stronger and stronger.

He extended his hand and grabbed mine tightly.

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"Lady Hinata, you can't take him with you; your father won't allow it," Ritsu spoke, shattering all hopes for Haku.

But when Haku was about to retract his hand, I held it tightly.

"No, I will take him with me, and I will deal with my father," I said in a firm tone.

To Haku, I was going against my father just for him; this would only strengthen his resolve. And just like this, he would go against everyone just for me.

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"But first, let me introduce myself. My name is Hinata Hyuga."

"This is Ren Hyuga, and this is Ritsu Hyuga, my two trusted bodyguards," I said, introducing them and myself.

He slightly bowed to me in gratitude; I could see the tears of happiness in his eyes.

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'Oh... boy... I just saved another poor soul. From this act alone, I could be considered a good person, right?'

Even I myself didn't believe this. Musing to myself, I raised my hand, and countless silk-like chakra threads started mending with each other, making a perfect mask for Haku.

He looked at me curiously and asked, "Why have you raised your hand?"

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"I forgot that you couldn't see it," I said. Chakra is ordinarily not visible to the unaided eye unless it is highly concentrated or manifested in large amounts.

"From now on, you are one of us. If someone asks for your name, tell them, 'Haku Hyuga,'" I said and put the invisible mask on his face.

The threads connected to every tenketsu of his face; his chakra flowed to the mask I put on and changed his appearance. His facial features were the same, but his eyes were just like ours.

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From now on, everyone would consider him a member of my clan.

"So, Haku-chan, how do you like it?" I asked him while showing him his reflection in a kunai.

"It's beautiful," he murmured.

I patted his head with a smile on my face. "Let's go, Haku-chan."

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End of the chapter. how do you like it? tell your thoughts in the comments... 

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