"That's enough for today, Hinata," Shinho Aburame said, taking a step back.
Hinata Hyuga's body relaxed instantly. She gasped for breath, her warm exhalations turning into mist in the cold air. Sweat rolled down her forehead, dripping along her cheeks and neck, down to her collarbone. Her black bangs stuck to her flushed, pale skin.
Shinho observed her with a slightly distant expression, replaying the sparring session in his mind. Hinata's issue was her personality—specifically, the immense external pressure she was under. Her only sparring partners growing up were Hiashi Hyuga, the head of the Hyuga clan and a top-level Jonin, and Neji Hyuga, a rare genius with immense talent and skill. Against those two, Hinata had been completely suppressed, never winning even once. How could she possibly have developed any self-confidence?
After years of constant defeat, it was only natural that her personality would become what it was today. The solution, as Shinho saw it, was to help her break through those mental barriers. He had been working on that gradually.
"Ah… Sh-Shinho-kun…"
Hinata snapped out of her thoughts, realizing that Shinho had been watching her closely the whole time.
Is something wrong with me?
Suddenly feeling self-conscious, she quickly lowered her head and started trying to fix her damp bangs, which were sticking to her face.
Oh no, I must look so ugly!
Hinata internally panicked.
"Let's go inside and rest for a while," Shinho smiled as he watched her struggle. Her frantic attempt to tidy her hair only made her bangs look even more uneven, like they had been cut by a dog. Even cuter now.
"O-okay," Hinata replied, following him into the cabin.
"Have some water," Shinho said, setting a cup on the table.
"Thank you." Hinata held the cup with both hands, taking small sips, much like a kitten lapping at milk.
If only she used her tongue, she would have looked even more like a kitten, Shinho thought with amusement.
"How are you feeling after today?" Shinho asked.
"V-very good!" Hinata nodded eagerly, like a little woodpecker.
"Is everything I say 'very good' to you?" Shinho teased, unable to resist.
"Eh?" Hinata hadn't expected such a question, and her mind went blank.
"I-I… N-no, it's… uh…" she stammered, completely flustered, before giving up and lowering her head again, steam practically rising from her as her "CPU" overheated.
Shinho chuckled, enjoying her adorable reaction. Hinata's such fun to tease.
"I'll take you home, once you've rested," Shinho said, deciding to give her a break before she fully short-circuited.
Hinata, still dazed, barely registered what he said. It took her a good ten minutes to fully recover.
"Let's go," Shinho said, standing up.
Hinata put down her cup and quickly followed him outside. As they left the courtyard, Shinho overheard an intense conversation.
"Sasuke! Come on, keep moving!" Naruto Uzumaki shouted energetically, "Are you out of gas already?"
"Shut up!" Sasuke Uchiha snapped, clearly exhausted.
Shinho turned and saw Naruto running backward while encouraging Sasuke, who was drenched in sweat and sitting on the ground, clearly out of breath.
It seems Sasuke really can't keep up with Naruto's stamina.
Sasuke glared at Naruto, clearly baffled. How does this dead-last loser have so much energy?
Without interrupting them, Shinho and Hinata continued on their way, soon reaching the gates of the Hyuga clan's estate.
"Um… Sh-Shinho-kun," Hinata hesitated, gathering her courage, "Would you like to stay for dinner?"
She immediately regretted her offer. Ever since Shinho had discovered her large appetite, she had been able to eat enough at home. There was no longer a need for Shinho to "feed" her anymore.
"Next time," Shinho said, smiling as he reached out to ruffle her hair before gently pushing her toward the entrance. "See you tomorrow."
Before she could react, he had already turned and walked away.
Hinata watched his back, biting her lip gently as she felt her heart flutter.
Shinho returned to the Senju residence, his mind replaying the sparring session with Hinata. He realized that his current approach to training, while effective, was too slow for him. He needed to devote some time to properly improve his taijutsu skills.
It wasn't that he was worried about losing to Neji Hyuga—he was confident that with his Gu insects and enhanced strength, he would have no problem winning. The issue was that, if he went all out, he might accidentally kill Neji.
As for who could teach him, Shinho thought of Tsunade. He couldn't imagine learning from Might Guy—he wanted nothing to do with the green jumpsuit and "youthful spirit."
"Sensei, I want to learn taijutsu," Shinho said directly when he found Tsunade lounging on the couch.
"Taijutsu?" Tsunade glanced at him, raising an eyebrow, a small smirk tugging at her lips. "Are you sure you can handle it?"
"Just the basics," Shinho clarified.
Taijutsu, compared to the vast variety of ninjutsu, wasn't as versatile. The only real exception was the Eight Gates, which remained relevant even in the final battles. With his Gu abilities, Shinho didn't need to dive deep into taijutsu. He just needed to master the basics and gain some battle experience.
"Alright, after dinner," Tsunade said, her eyes gleaming as she raised a finger. "But you owe me an extra bottle of honey wine every day."
"No deal," Shinho immediately refused. "You already agreed to limit your drinking—you can't back out now."
When dealing with women, Shinho had learned never to give ground. If he did, they would push further.
"Fine!" Tsunade ground her teeth, each word dripping with irritation. "But you better be ready for tonight!"
Shinho shivered. Oh no, this personal training might turn into a grudge match. He wasn't sure his small frame would survive the ordeal.
"I'm back!" Shizune called out as the door opened, stepping inside.
Shinho raised an eyebrow. Shizune was wearing a white nurse's uniform today, her bright smile adding a touch of warmth. She had a comforting, big-sister vibe.
"Shizune-neesan," Shinho greeted.
"Go cook dinner," Tsunade ordered with a smile, though her clenched fist hinted at her suppressed irritation. "I'm teaching Shinho taijutsu after dinner."
Though Tsunade seemed calm, Shinho could feel the ominous aura surrounding him. Please, no, Tsunade-sensei!
Shizune, oblivious to the tension, cheerfully headed to the kitchen. Before she entered, she remembered she was still in her nurse's uniform. She quickly took it off, revealing a tight-fitting tank top underneath that showed off her toned midriff and exposed her belly button. She slipped on an apron and disappeared into the kitchen.
An hour later, outside the cabin.
"There's nothing much to teach about basic taijutsu," Tsunade said casually. "You'll learn as you fight more."
Shinho nodded, satisfied. This was exactly what he wanted.
"Let's begin," Tsunade said as she stepped forward and lifted her leg, aiming a kick at Shinho. Shinho barely dodged out of the way, eyeing her high-heeled sandals nervously.
If that had hit, I'd be sore for days.
"Not bad," Tsunade remarked. Though she wasn't using her full strength, the fact that he could react so quickly was impressive for someone his age.
However, that wasn't enough to cool the fire inside her. Shinho had been the first person to ever limit her drinking, and that left her in a bad mood.
"Sensei," Shinho suggested cautiously, "Could you please take off your shoes?"
"Why? Afraid already?" Tsunade asked, a smug grin spreading across her face.
Weren't you acting quite arrogant earlier?
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