Chapter 154: First Date with Hinata

Uchiha Akira and the meticulously dressed Hinata Hyuga walked down the streets of Konoha together. Akira seemed calm and composed, while Hinata, on the other hand, was a bundle of nerves. She walked with her head down, tightly gripping the hem of her dress, following closely behind Akira.

Akira was naturally handsome, and with the addition of his distinctive dragon horns, he drew attention wherever he went. This only made Hinata more self-conscious, as she felt the weight of every gaze on her.

Hinata had always been somewhat of an invisible figure, both at home in the Hyuga clan and at the academy. But now, it felt as if she were the center of everyone's attention, which made her incredibly uncomfortable. She felt like a puppet on strings, her body moving stiffly as she tried to keep up with Akira.

"Hinata, weren't you supposed to be showing me around Konoha, pointing out how the village has changed over the years? It feels like we've swapped roles here," Akira said with a light-hearted tone, noticing how quiet she had been.

"Huh? I-I'm sorry, Akira-kun! I'll start explaining right away…" Hinata stammered, snapping out of her thoughts. Realizing she had been doing a poor job as a guide, she quickly moved to his side, feeling embarrassed.

"This is a dango shop," she pointed out shyly.

"And over here is a tavern."

"And this… is the hot springs."

Hinata's attempts at explaining were clumsy and endearing, so much so that Akira couldn't help but laugh. It was the first time in both of his lives that he had encountered such an adorably awkward girl.

Hinata, hearing his laughter, turned even redder. She realized her explanations were lacking and wasn't sure if she should continue.

"Hinata, there's no need to be so tense. We're just out for a walk, enjoying ourselves and chatting," Akira reassured her, noticing how nervous she was.

While her shyness was amusing, Akira knew it was his responsibility to make sure Hinata enjoyed their time together. After all, it was a date, and as the man, he should ensure she had a good experience.

"Oh, okay," Hinata replied softly, taking a deep breath to calm herself.

Yes, this was just a date—strolling around, having some fun, and maybe eating together. The official reason was to show Akira how Konoha had changed over the past seven years, but really, they spent the entire morning just enjoying each other's company.

They went shopping, tried some street food, and watched street performers. At first, Hinata was very nervous, but with Akira's encouragement, she slowly began to relax.

"Ugh, I just can't seem to catch any of these fish! This shopkeeper must be a con artist!" Akira exclaimed in frustration as he tried to scoop a goldfish with a paper-thin net. On his third attempt, the paper tore again, and the fish slipped away. He tossed the net aside in annoyance, ready to give up.

He turned to Hinata and joked, "What do you think, should I have this guy's shop shut down?"

Given his position as the head of the Anbu, closing down a single shop was well within his power.

"Actually, Akira-kun, this game isn't just about speed and reflexes—it's more about using a gentle touch," Hinata explained, sensing that Akira was half-joking but still wanting to help. She stepped forward, picked up a small net, and gently dipped it into the water.

Her movements were fluid and graceful, almost as if she were performing a dance. The goldfish, seemingly unaware, was scooped up with ease.

"Wow, that's amazing!" Akira said, genuinely impressed, giving her a thumbs-up.

"Maybe it's because we Hyuga practice Gentle Fist. This kind of delicate control is something I'm good at," Hinata replied with a shy smile, happy to receive his praise.

In her family and at the academy, Hinata often felt invisible, so receiving genuine praise from Akira was a rare and joyful experience.

"Alright, come on, show me how it's done. Help me out here," Akira said, extending his hand for her to guide him.

"This…" Hinata hesitated for a moment, unsure.

"What's the matter? You don't want to help me?" Akira asked, pretending to pout.

"No, it's not that!" Hinata quickly replied. She couldn't bring herself to refuse. Slowly, she reached out and gently took his hand, guiding him with a soft touch.

Her hand was warm and soft, like holding a delicate piece of silk. Together, they managed to scoop up a goldfish on the first try.

"Haha, we did it! Let's keep going!" Akira laughed, clearly enjoying himself.

With that small success, Hinata's nervousness seemed to ease, and the two continued playing the game together.

One fish, two fish, three fish… Before long, they had caught more than a dozen.

Satisfied with their fun, Akira and Hinata finally left the stall, continuing their walk hand in hand. Hinata instinctively tried to pull away at first, but Akira held her hand firmly.

Realizing she couldn't break free, she blushed deeply but didn't resist further.

"It's much easier to hold hands after what we've just been through," Akira thought to himself with a grin, feeling pleased with how things were progressing.

As they continued their date, it was already midday. They stopped for lunch, and afterward, Akira spotted a movie theater and decided to take Hinata to see a film.

Yes, the world of Naruto had movie theaters, as seen in the "Princess Fuun" movie arc with Koyuki Kazahana, the famous actress.

In fact, Akira had spent time in the Land of Snow during one of his life simulations, so he was familiar with the setting.

The theater was dark, which allowed Akira to hold Hinata's hand the entire time. Over the course of the two-hour movie, they weren't just holding hands.

Akira occasionally ran his fingers through her silky hair, deepening their bond. After all, a new relationship progresses not just through shared meals or outings but through these small, intimate gestures.

Holding hands was a significant step, and once that barrier was crossed, the rest followed naturally—an arm around the waist, a kiss, and so on…

This was the best way to accelerate their growing connection.

After the movie, they wandered around Konoha some more. By now, holding hands felt completely natural to both of them.

They had dinner together and then took a walk through some of the quieter, more scenic parts of the village.

Eventually, they arrived at a lakeside as the sun was setting. The view was beautiful, and they sat down on the grassy shore to enjoy it.

Akira gently put his arm around Hinata's shoulders, pulling her closer. She tensed up briefly but soon relaxed, leaning into him.

A young couple, in a romantic setting, everything felt just right.

"Well, looks like I've unlocked a new level. From now on, hugs and cuddles should be no problem," Akira thought to himself, proud of his progress.

"Akira-kun, you're so accomplished. You defeated the Third Tsuchikage in battle, and your name is known throughout the ninja world. But I… I'm just a girl from the Hyuga clan, with nothing special about me," Hinata said quietly, resting her head on his shoulder.

Even though she was technically a princess of the Hyuga clan, Hinata couldn't help but feel a bit inadequate next to Akira. He was just too exceptional.

She had grown up hearing stories of his feats, and now, even as she sat beside him, it all felt a little surreal.

"No, Hinata, you're far from ordinary," Akira responded gently. "In fact, when it comes to the purity of your Byakugan, your bloodline is the most powerful in the entire Hyuga clan."

"The reason your abilities seem unremarkable is because you're too kind-hearted to harm others."

"But if you're with me, your talent or strength doesn't matter. It's my job, as a man, to protect you from the world."

"Women don't need to stand beside me in battle. That's my role, and it would be a failure on my part if I needed you to do that."

Akira's words were sincere, and they came from the heart.

What did it matter if the Akatsuki came, or if Madara Uchiha or the Ōtsutsuki clan showed up? He would be the one to stand in front and face them.

If he ever needed Hinata to fight alongside him, that would mean he had failed to protect her.

"Alright, let's get you home," Akira said, finally standing up as the moon began to rise.

"Mm," Hinata replied with a sweet smile, naturally taking his hand as they walked back toward the Hyuga compound.

Hand in hand, they left the lakeside and headed home, the day's memories lingering between them.

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Thank you, everyone, for the encouragement to continue. I'm not great at making speeches, so I'll leave it at that. As for why Hinata seems not in love with Naruto, there's an explanation for it, but you'll have to wait for that reveal. If you want a guaranteed 2 chapters a day, like on my Patreon, help me reach the top 5 in Power Stone rankings!

Note: If you are interested, you can read up to chapter 201 at patreon.com/Emik01.

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