*thud*
My body hit the ground with a thud, indicating that I was completely physically exhausted. Beside me, Neji's condition was even worse than mine.
After returning home, my taijutsu training regained its previous rhythm—8 to 9 hours daily.
It's been the second day since I returned, and everything was as usual; nothing had changed.
Before leaving, I had asked my father to do some things for me. I hope he did them.
.
Dusting off my clothes, I stood up. Extending my hand, I pulled Neji up with a smirk. It's my win again. "Big brother, are you ready to do as I say?"
Our bet was still on: the winner could ask anything, and the other had to do that thing.
"We practiced the same thing and ate the same things, so why do you always win?" he grumbled.
.
"Hehe… don't worry, big brother; you will win someday," I said encouragingly while patting his back like a good sister.
"You always say that." "Well, whatever. I will win soon. Now, tell me what you want me to do," he asked skeptically, as if I was about to ask something bad.
"Don't be like this, big brother. You just have to be my target practice, just like we did some years ago with balloons," I told him excitedly.
A frown appeared on his face. "But we have a dummy for this. Why do you need me?"
"Because you are my brother," I said with a smile.
.
"You're being unreasonable again."
"Hmph… If you don't want to do this, then fine," I said and walked away from him.
Seeing me like this, he spoke, "Fine… I will do it."
A sweet smile graced my lips. "That's my big brother."
.
I grabbed his hand and rushed towards home; it was time to fill our bellies with a good and delicious meal made by my sweet mother, whom I was going to bully some more.
I quickly took a bath, and soon the four of us were sitting around the dining table.
"Did you win, Neji?" my father asked him.
Neji looked away. "Not today, but I will win someday."
"That's the spirit, son," my father encouraged him.
.
"How's your day, sweetie?" my mother sat down on the chair after serving the food and asked me with a smile, which I completely ignored.
Instead, I looked at my father and asked, "Father, the thing I told you about, where is it?"
"The weapon you designed was very unique and interesting. Your father asked the best weapon shop to make it, and here it is," he said excitedly, about to open the scroll.
But my mother glared at him. "Let us eat peacefully. You can show her after dinner," she said.
.
"Why do we need weapons?" Neji asked curiously. The clan was very proud of its fighting style, and their ego wouldn't allow them to use any weapons.
"It's just for fun. Imagine us defeating someone with random weapons, without using our gentle fist. Wouldn't it hurt their pride that we didn't consider them strong enough to use our main fighting style?" I enlightened my foolish brother.
.
From time to time, I taught him how to destroy someone completely, be it verbally, physically, mentally, or psychologically.
.
My father looked at me and Neji. "I know you are talented and powerful, but don't let your arrogance carry you away," he said.
"Yes, Father," I nodded as if I had learned something valuable.
With some random chatter, we finished our dinner. My father and Neji went outside of the house, waiting for me to receive the weapon I had asked for.
My mother and I were alone in the dining room. She looked at me, her eyes asking for forgiveness. Usually, I talk and play with her a lot, but after that incident, I hadn't said anything to her.
"Sweetie, are you still angry with me?" she asked.
I didn't say anything to her, utterly ignoring her as if she didn't even exist.
"Say something," her voice became pleading.
'Child abuse, what is it? I am gonna do parent abuse.'
.
Chuckling inwardly, I started to walk away from the room, shattering her fragile heart even more. 'Don't worry, Mother, I will fix you with a sweet smile of mine. I know you can't resist me, so let me break you some more.
From next time, you shouldn't do that, even if that was part of my plan. I want you to go against my plans and show me how much you love me, even if it goes against me and my plans.'
When I was about to exit the room, I heard her voice, "WAIT, Hinata, talk to Mommy."
.
Tilting my head, I directly looked at her. My vision started to become blurry, and my cheeks felt wet. With a sniff, I spoke, "Y-You are not my mommy. You hit me in front of others, 'sob'. I didn't do anything wrong, a-and you didn't even ask me. You're a heartless woman who didn't love me. Just go and talk to those children. I am not your daughter." At the end, my tears flowed like a broken dam, and I was crying like a child.
My tears and hurtful words pierced her soft heart; they were sharper than any arrows. How could she not be hurt? Her eyes started to tear up as well.
"I am sorry; I won't do that again," she said, hugging me.
'What a bitch I am, making my mother cry.'
.
I raised teary eyes towards her face, and a panicked look appeared on my face. How could I make my mother cry? So, as a dutiful daughter, I spoke.
"M-Mom, why are you crying, 'sob'? Did I hurt you?" I started to wipe her tears away with my little hand.
"S-sorry, Mom. I will never do that. Even if you slap me, I don't want you to cry. I am sorry. I am sorry," I kept repeating my words with a shaky voice while wiping her tears.
Slowly, a sweet smile started to appear on her crying face, which was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. "I am sorry too. I will never do that again. Now, don't cry, baby," she hugged me tightly, her smile becoming even brighter when I forgave her.
"Did you forgive your mommy?" she sweetly asked, to which I nodded with my most beautiful and sincere smile, melting her heart.
For the next 10 minutes, she hugged me, patted my back, ruffled my hair, and kissed me from time to time with all of her care and love, and I just behaved like a spoiled princess.
'That's the mother I want.'
.
I smiled at her and asked with excitement, as if I had forgotten that I was even angry at her, "Mom, you and Dad look so happy, and Dad was talking about a surprise. What is it? What is it?" I said my words excitedly.
"Do you want to know?" she asked mysteriously.
I nodded continuously.
She raised her hand and put it on her belly. "There is a baby in there. So, what do you want, a brother or sister?" she smiled at me.
An excited and surprised look appeared on my face. "Woah, there is a baby in Mama's tummy!" I exclaimed.
.
"Can I touch? Can I touch?" I asked.
She nodded to me, and raising my hand, I put it on her belly.
"Haha… don't be so excited. In five to six months, you could hear and feel it," my mom said with a laugh.
"Ok."
"So what do you want, a brother or sister?" she asked.
"Hmm… I don't know, maybe both," I said cutely, to which she just laughed and ruffled my hair.
"Umm… Mom… how does the baby come to your belly?" I curiously asked her like a little child.
.
I could see her face turning red. "I will tell you when you are young, and did you forget that Neji and your Father are waiting for you?" she skillfully dodged the question.
"I forgot about that," and just like a child, I ran out of the house, too excited to ask her anything else.
.
.
.
end of the chapter. how do you like it? tell your thoughts in the comments...
and add the book to your library...