Chapter 6

The Three members of Senju family left home without their pig, much to Hoshiro disappointment

"Hello Tsunade-sama, my name is Tokuma, and I am here to guide the guests inside, would you kindly follow me, please." The boy said giving them a warm smile.

The group followed Tokuma to the building where the party was taking place, and he directed them to a big area where most adults were sitting on cushions laid on the tatami floor. The boy pointed to a stage a few centimeters above the ground where one could see the Hyuuga Clan Head, his pregnant wife and in between them a little girl with straight dark blue short hair and white eyes that had tinges of lavender on them.

"Tsunade-sama I am sure Hiashi-Sama would love to greet you, so would you please go to the stage?", Tokuma asked

They all went on top of the stage and walked in the direction of the Hyuuga Clan Head and his family.

"Ah, Tsunade-san it is good to see you!" Hiashi remarked courtly, "And, I assume, you must be the rumored, Last Senju Male"

"It's good to see you Hiashi Sama", Hoshiro politely down with a smile

"It is good to see you too Hiashi! Hana-san!" Tsunade said looking first at the Clan Head and then at his wife. "And yes this is my Nephew, and the Rumored Last Senju, Male," She said pointing her hand at the Hoshiro, "If I am not wrong this is Hinata-chan, your daughter, right?"

"Indeed! Hinata, say hello to the guests!" Hiashi said looking at the girl that had her head down.

"H-Hello T-Tsunade-sama, S-Shizune-s-san, a-a-and H-Hoshiro-kun," Stuttered the girl sheepishly after slowly lifting her head but avoiding eye contact.

Hoshiro lifted his eyebrow, as he thought 'why the hell is she so nervous?'

Hiashi, on the other hand, was although not showing it on his face, he was getting angry, his very own daughter is blowing his prestige

Each of Senju's family members took out a gift and gave it to the little girl after saying a few words, Hinata then opened it and thanked them after seeing what it was until it was his turn.

"Hello Hinata-chan, this is my gift to you, and I hope you like it," Hoshiro said handing her the wrapped box that he had under his arm.

When Hinata opened the box, she saw a hairpin and thought it looked adorable but her attention directed instantly to the paper note that laid in the corner of the little box and the girl grabbed it to read it.

'The absence of fear does not equal courage, which is only formed, by the will to overcome, one's nightmares.'

Hinata was instantly shocked after reading those words and stopped to think about what Hoshiro meant to say with that message.

"Wise words, young man!" Hiashi said looking suspiciously at Hoshiro.

"Hai Hiashi-sama! Shizune-nee taught me that phrase, and I wanted to share it with Hinata-chan. I hope you don't mind." Hoshiro answered with a soft smiled on his face.

After hearing that the words came from an adult and not a child, Hiashi was convinced but not very pleased that his daughter lack of courage had already become widespread knowledge.

-------

After a while, Hinata and Hoshiro, went inside together, for Hoshiro to see Hyuga compound, though it was usually done by done a branch member or some lower level main clan member, but this was the first time, that a clan heir was showing through the house to another person, this was a great honor, but it could be seen that it was the ruse of Hiashi to get Hinata friends with Senju future head, while Tsunade let it happen after all as a prestigious clan heir, it was Hoshiro's duty to socialize with others, to get his clan some backing, and it's not like they are adults who are marrying, they are mere kids, if things work out they will be friends and that would be great, for the clan will have the backing of Hyuuga's, but even if it didn't, it would not matter.

While inside, Hoshiro stopped and turned to look at Hinata who was just merely following him, with her head down

"Alright, let's get one thing straight, I do not want to be your friend, your father, he is just pushing us to be friends so to create social standing, It's a forced friendship with gaining and losing, I Don't want such relationship"

"Y-Y-Yes", said Hinata with near tears in her eyes, it's not like she has any friends, who will want to be her friend when she is nothing but a useless, lucky girl, who can't do anything

"Second, Why the hell are you so nervous, it's not like I am gonna eat you or anything", he was nearly ticking off by this shy girl

"I-I-I am Sorry", her head was even lower than it was before

"..."

"..."

"Alright, show me where your back garden is", said Hoshiro in a Demanding tone

"Y-Y-Yes", she shyly leads the way towards the back garden

Her garden wasn't that different to his own but it was always nice to spot the small differences and appreciate the beauty of nature. But nature could be dirty, just as it is beautiful

Hinata looked back in shock as Hoshiro pushed her down, she never expected him to be a bully and thought he might have accidentally pushed her over. Instead, he declared to her in these very words, "Listen here Shy Girl, you might be wealthier than others, but since I'm a noble, which means I'm richer and better than you, so you'll have to listen to me!"

She couldn't believe before then, she had wanted to be friends with him.

She stood up and was ready to leave, but instead, he pushed her back, she was calm as sea, as she got pushed 3 times in a row wearing a new attire that she got just yesterday.

Fury coursed inside her at that time and to show that she was not one who deserved such treatment, got up and pushed him back.

!!!

Hoshiro looked up in shock, Hinata looked him in shock, and suddenly.....

"I-I am sorry", she bowed again and again that she was sorry

'what a kind-hearted girl', he smiled at her apologizing for doing what she should have done in the first place, but he was not done yet.

She turned away from him and thought that was it. They would go back to the party and she would tell her father that they couldn't become friends as he expected them to be, He would be angry, but what can she do, Senju Hoshiro does not wish to be friends with her

But then She felt mud being thrown at the back of her head and she gasped at him again. But without caring a bit he threw it again, She managed to dodge it, after all, she was training since she was little, how could such lowly throw hit her, but he did it again and this time, it hit her right in the face, She had enough at this point of time, So despite how un-lady like it was, She scooped up a handful of mud as well and threw it at him in retaliation.

He didn't even bother to dodge, as he grins, since his plan, worked quite wonderfully...

She was surprised that it hit him, right in the face and she couldn't contain a giggle. His shocked look beneath the covered mud only made her laugh more. Then his demeanor changed instantly. To her surprise he was smiling, his eyes glinting in mischief and challenge.

And so the mud war began. They ran, They laughed, They screamed, and threw mud at each other until the rose garden became a mess.

This was a first time, she acted like a child she was supposed to be, she was not some garbage heir, he was not some noble clan heir either, they were kids, the kids that were supposed to cry laugh and do mischieve, What a pity, Hiashi never gets to see his daughter like that ever.

He patted her head, "As I said before, What are you so afraid of, You are a kind girl Hinata, But Kindness does not means, that you are weak, despite what you think about yourself, you are one hella strong girl, and even if that is not the case, and I am the wrong one here...It does not matter, how slowly you go, as long as you do not stop. One day, you will be the strongest female Kunoichi in our Generation, who will definitely protect me, And till you become strong enough to protect me, I will be the one who will protect you"

She gasps and she looked at him, no one ever called her strong before, her father calls her garbage, her brother call her weak, and her mother, perhaps she was the only person she could find peace with....they called her everything, she didn't even have friends, but never ever anyone called her strong...It was quite nice to hear.

[What Kind of a father, calls his daughter garbage, no wonder Hinata grew up with major confidence issue]

"SENJU HOSHIRO", came the voice of angry Tsunade alongside Angry Hiashi who looked at Hinata with disappointed eyes, but she looked at Hoshiro again who looked back at her grinning

She smiled as her confidence backed up, as she resolutely looked at her father, shocking Hiashi for the first time

"You sure have the guts to grin after making such a mess huh?" Tsunade pinched his cheeks

"OW OW OW I am sowwy anwy"

"Lady Tsunade, If you don't mind I would like to offer, my son Neji clothes to your Nephew, I think they should fit quite nicely, after all, they are of the same age."

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Hoshiro and Hinata are back at the party, with Hinata accepting the gifts from all the prestigious clan members coming to celebrate her birthday, and Hoshiro doing nothing but eating like a starving person.

Tsunade has asked him to be friends with many kids, but she also said that it's alright, if he couldn't. He does not need the backing of clans for some convenience, he needs friend, real friend, and he thought that he made one...The Hyuga princess Hyuga Hinata.

The Hyugas are a sad bunch in a way. Their entire clan is divided into main and branch family. Those from the branch family are branded with a special type of curse seal related to their brain and eyes. If they try to rebel against the main family or are somehow compromised to enemies, the curse seal on their bodies are activated, turning their brain to mush, destroys their Byakugan, the most valuable possession of a Hyuga and kills them. The branch families have always carried a slight hatred for the main family because of the very reason. They are slaves to their very family. In fact, the Current-Head and the man standing behind him that looks exactly like him are Twin brothers. But since Hiashi was chosen to ascend as clan head, Hizashi was branded the cursed seal by the family and sent to branch family. To be fair, Hiashi did protest against it, but it's said his voice was overruled by the council of elders in the clan as Clan Head must be unchallenged. And then Neji was born to Hizashi, a born genius by their clan standards. But since Hizashi is from branch family, Neji was branded as soon as he was born too. Now all the father and son do is curse their fate as they serve the main family, mainly Hiashi and his daughters. And in the middle of all this, this pure natured child Hinata is born, such a tragedy for her.

But Perhaps because of this very Kindheartedness of hers, Hiazhi melts, for the pure Hinata won his heart, for the love for his brother, Overpowered him, and that's why even though he was nothing but a slave, He still made a choice to sacrifice himself, to save Hiashi, and to liberate Neji.

*Oops, My bad, That's still in the future for you