Chapter 9: The Elegant Neji
In the lazy summer days, the cicadas chirped incessantly, and the water flowed gently under the stone arch bridge, creating ripples that shimmered under the sunlight.
Today, Matsumoto Nana wore a light pink dress adorned with delicate lace at the neckline. Walking along the riverbank, the shadows of the trees reflected in the water, blending with the blue sky and white clouds, creating a mesmerizing scene.
As she walked, lost in thought about how to enhance her Byakugan, her eyes casually glanced at the pool of water.
In that fleeting glance, she thought she saw a figure. She stopped, rubbed her eyes in disbelief, and looked again.
It really seemed like a person, a beautiful woman with long black hair. Nana's feet moved on their own, sneaking towards the pool and hiding in the grass.
How did she not know there was a hot spring here? She looked around, seeing no one else. Was it newly built? But the surroundings didn't look new. Nana pondered, scratching her chin.
"Who's there!" The person in the pool suddenly sensed something, standing up abruptly. The person frowned, activating the Byakugan and glaring at Nana in the grass.
"Oh my! It's a guy!" The Byakugan's residual wave hit Nana, startling her. She slipped and fell into the pool with a splash.
Water splashed everywhere, droplets landing on Hyuga Neji's head and face. The boy, with a cold expression, clenched his fists and looked indifferently at the struggling girl.
As Nana fell into the water, her mind went blank. She flailed in panic, feeling an overwhelming fear of water. The cold sensation in her chest spread rapidly.
She could feel the pool wasn't deep, but she couldn't stand up. Bubbles escaped her mouth uncontrollably, making her feel suffocated and helpless.
Just as she was about to despair, she felt strong arms pulling her out of the water. Gasping for air, her face pale, she trembled uncontrollably, tears streaming down her face.
"Why is it so cold! I thought I was going to die." Nana clung tightly to the boy who had pulled her up.
"Let go." Neji's voice was cool and slightly husky. He looked down at the girl clinging to him, impatiently pushing her forehead with his palm, trying to separate them.
"No, no, I'm scared!" Nana kept her eyes tightly shut, her slightly parted lips pale from fear, her delicate body trembling in his arms.
"Sigh..." Neji sighed in resignation. He held her thin shoulders with one hand and scooped her legs with the other, carrying her to the shore.
Nana wiped the water from her face and finally opened her eyes, looking at the boy holding her.
He had white eyes with a hint of purple, a cold gaze with a touch of arrogance, and long, wet black hair draped over his shoulders—a perfect image of a handsome man emerging from the water.
It was indeed Neji, Nana thought. She had guessed it was him when their Byakugan met before she fell, but the distance made her unsure. Now she was certain.
Neji could feel the girl's overly soft skin. Glancing down, he saw her long eyelashes trembling, her eyes filled with water, and her wet, soft beige hair clinging to her fair forehead.
She must be a well-protected young lady from a prominent family, he thought.
He had to admit she was beautiful, but girls like her didn't need to make any effort. Many would protect her and die for her because of fate.
His brows furrowed, feeling the suffocating weight of fate again.
The words that often warned him echoed in his mind: A person's fate is predetermined and unchangeable.
His grip tightened with his emotions, causing Nana's shoulder to ache. She frowned and looked at him.
"It hurts!"
Her soft cry snapped Neji back to reality. Her thin shoulders trembled, her bitten lips releasing whimpers, and the faint red marks on her shoulder pained him.
"Sorry..." Neji apologized for his unstable emotions, his voice softer, his grip loosening.
He carried her to a wooden stump, gently placing her down, then put on his shirt and shoes, moving away from the pool to gather firewood.
Nana watched him busy himself, not intending to talk to her.
"Why were you bathing in cold water? I thought it was a new hot spring, but I was wrong." Nana couldn't stand the silence and started a conversation.
"...I was training, controlling chakra in cold water." Bathing and hot springs? Neji's face darkened at her words.
He had thought a ninja was attacking, activating his Byakugan and preparing to use Eight Trigrams Palm, only to see someone fall into the water and struggle to swim.
As he mocked the ninja's foolishness, he realized he might have misunderstood. After rescuing her, he found she was just a passing young lady.
Nana watched Neji's changing expressions, finding it amusing. What was he thinking?
Meeting Neji here might be a chance. If he could teach her the Hyuga clan's Eight Trigrams Palm, she would have a means of self-defense. She pondered, narrowing her eyes.