SS011
As it would have only exacerbated things if he stayed, Seikun abdicated from his position as a provisional Custodian and departed the Hyuga Clan Compound the following day, returning to his tiny apartment. Had he been an actual Custodian, he would have suffered sanctions for abandoning his post and duty. Instead, likely by design, he faced no consequences other than being forced to face the reality he had been used as a tool by Hiashi to promote Hinata's growth and facilitate her maturity into a proper heir to the Hyuga Clan...
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Though he had intended to spend the day lazing about, absentmindedly bouncing a ball off his wall, Seikun quickly grew bored of doing nothing. He was also pissed, so instead of moping around; he vented his excess energy and frustration by running a full lap around the village, a distance exceeding two hundred kilometers. The frigid temperature made running for long periods easier, but by the time he completed the circuit, he was utterly exhausted, having sprinted the full way.
"Feeling better...?" asked a familiar, grandfatherly voice, emanating from behind Seikun as he stood hunched over, panting on the street in front of his apartment complex.
Looking back, Seikun's expression and tone were full of disbelief as he intoned, "Lord Third?" before frowning as he added, "Please don't tell me you're here to try and console me..."
Exhaling an amused chuckle, Hiruzen gave Seikun a gentle push and said, "Weather like this isn't kind to us old folks. Let's get you inside, for both of our sakes. We can speak while these old bones of mine thaw out."
Without waiting for Seikun's response, Hiruzen did something the former wasn't quite sure how to explain. All he felt was a faint tugging sensation, and he was suddenly in front of the door to his apartment. Then, despite the door being locked when Seikun departed for his run, Hiruzen opened it as casually as if it were his own front door...
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Since it would be rude not to, Seikun prepared tea for himself and Hiruzen while the latter reclined in his desk chair, sporting a peaceful smile as he relaxed with his hands on his stomach, bereft his usual wide-brimmed hat.
"Here..." said Seikun, presenting a ceramic plate and cup to Hiruzen as he excused, "The quality is probably worse than what you're used to, but it's the only tea I have in stock..."
"I'm sure it's fine..." replied Hiruzen, smiling reassuringly as he accepted the tea. When he smelled its aroma, however, his smile cramped a bit as he could tell it would be exceptionally bitter and earthy.
Forcing down the tea in a single gulp, Hiruzen exhaled a pretend sigh of contentedness before setting the plate and cup to the side, returning his hands to his stomach, and saying, "Now, then...I received a report from Lord Hiashi about what transpired between you and Hinata. I'm sorry you had to experience something like that, Seikun..."
Closing his eyes, Seikun calmly asserted, "It was the natural result of my inexperience, ineptitude, and wishful thinking. I do not blame anyone but myself for what happened..."
Nodding sagely, Hiruzen raised his right hand to his chin, caressing his beard as he muttered, "Then I will leave it at that and instead ask you a question..."
"What question...?" asked Seikun.
"It was my recommendation that students remain at the Academy for at least four years, but given your results and the fact you appear to have a grasp of the entire curriculum, I'm considering allowing you to graduate early..." explained Hiruzen, staring intently into Seikun's eyes as he asked, "What do you think?"
"It would certainly spare me some discomfort..." conceded Seikun, a wry smile adorning his face as he explained, "But it would also cost me the opportunity to form meaningful bonds and connections with those of my age group. There are times when I wish I could fast-forward to the future or make time go faster, but if I were given the power or opportunity to do so, I would refuse it without hesitation..."
"You are remarkably wise for your age..." remarked Hiruzen, his expression showing genuine appreciation. Hiashi was the one who proposed allowing Seikun to graduate prematurely, reasoning that he was too talented not to nurture but that it would be heartless to leave him and Hinata in the same class. Hiruzen agreed with this at the time, but now he was curious to see how far Seikun would go to distinguish himself and make Hiashi rue using and letting him go...
"Let's forget this conversation ever happened," said Hiruzen, rising to his feet and ruffling Seikun's hair. Then, stepping around him and heading for the front door, he added, "You have immense potential, Seikun. If you can push past this, I believe you can become both a great Ninja and a greater man. Take care of yourself."
Instead of leaving through the door normally, Hiruzen's body flickered out of existence the moment he finished speaking. Seikun couldn't even begin to fathom how he was able to get out without opening the door or at least cracking a window, but since there were far stranger things in the world of Naruto, he shook his head, smiled, and whispered, "Thank you for coming to check on me..." to the void. He didn't feel that he needed consoling, but he appreciated it nonetheless...
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With the Winter Break invariably ending, Seikun arrived at the Academy a few minutes earlier than usual. A few days of reflection and a bit of soul-searching had done him a lot of good, but it had also led him to question whether he was really in the Infinite Tsukuyomi. The penultimate Genjutsu was supposed to reflect his desires, and while he undoubtedly had some issues to work out, Seikun was absolutely certain he hadn't desired what transpired at the Hyuga Clan Compound...
Interrupting Seikun's solitude, Ino, wearing a beige winter coat with a fur hem and collar, entered the classroom along with Sakura. The latter also had on a winter coat, bright red and at least two sizes too large, but since she was more susceptible to the cold than Ino, she also had on mittens, a flannel-pattern scarf, and earmuffs.
Noticing Seikun the moment she entered the room, Ino raised her brows and remarked, "Seriously? Don't tell me you've changed things up and are now arriving a full hour early."
"Nah..." replied Seikun, leaving out the part where he got tired of sitting alone in his apartment, waiting to depart at his usual time. Unfortunately, his attempt to sound nonchalant apparently wasn't convincing as Sakura immediately asked, "Did something happen while you were staying at the Hyuga Clan Compound...?" with a look of concern.
"A lot..." conceded Seikun, shrugging as he added, "But I'd rather not get into it, so let's talk about something else. How was your Winter Break? Did the two of you spend a lot of time together...?"
Getting the impression something was seriously amiss, Ino concluded it was probably not a good idea to tease Seikun about how spineless he had been when they played the King's Game. Instead, she made her way over and took a seat next to him, dropping her bag in the aisle before crossing her arms atop the desk, leaning forward with her head down, and staring at him from the side as she asked, "Are you sure you don't need someone to talk to, Seikun? I'm a pretty good listener when I want to be. If you don't believe me, just ask Sakura. She's constant-"
"Ino..." muttered Sakura, her tone firm but her expression full of worry as she looked to Seikun and answered his previous question, revealing, "The two of us spent the night at each other's houses a few times. We planned to go shopping on New Year's, but since it snowed the previous night, we stayed inside and made scrapbooks called herbariums. It's when you take flowers, press, and vacuum seal them to preserve their appearance."
"I learned something new..." mused Seikun, exhaling a soft chuckle that caused Ino and Sakura to appear even more concerned. They didn't need the specifics to understand something must have happened between him and Hinata, so after a bit of thinking, Ino caused Sakura's eyes to widen to their limits as she asked, "Hey, Seikun...do you want to kiss me? I read in a magazine that it releases chemicals in the brain that make people feel happy."
Instead of rejecting Ino's proposal outright, Seikun closed his eyes, shook his head, and responded, "Even if I wanted to, we're too young for things like that. There are chemicals other than the ones you're talking about that can cause all kinds of issues for pre and post-pubescent juveniles. It's best to hold off on that kind of thing until the latter stages of puberty..."
"What, are you reading medical texts now...?" asked Ino, her expression a mix of incredulity with a hint of frustration. She didn't believe Seikun was making things up to avoid kissing her, but since she was relatively certain it was normal for kids their age to have an interest in such things, a part of her wanted to crack his head open to see if it was wired properly...
Before Seikun could respond with a retort, Sakura surprised both him and Ino by tentatively asking, "What about hugs? Whenever I feel sad, lonely, or frightened, I always feel better when my mom or dad-"
Recalling that Seikun was an orphan, Sakura startled and began to panic, raising and waving her hands from side to side as she stammered, "I-It's nothing! Forget I said anything...!"
Finding Sakura's reaction and concern endearing, a faint but genuine smile adorned Seikun's face. Ino noticed this immediately. Then, with a smile of her own, she asked, "Feeling better now? It's still not too late if you want to try kissing. I've never tried it myself, but I'm a fast learner."
Understanding that Ino was mostly joking, Seikun exhaled a soft laugh and shook his head. The duo's presence really did make him feel better, but he didn't want to take advantage of their kindness or do something stupid during a moment of weakness. Thus, while he felt that he could use a hug, he politely refused Sakura's suggestion and transitioned back to discussing what the two had done over the break...
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As she was the last to arrive, Hinata's expression blanched somewhat as she looked to where Seikun was seated with his head and cheek resting on his left hand. Her usual seat was the only one still available, so after a moment of hesitation, she made her way over and sat down, her hesitant steps and obvious apprehension garnering the curious gazes of nearly the entire class.
Never one to read the mood, Naruto didn't hesitate to lean closer to Sakura, holding his hand up to hide his mouth as he asked, "Hey...what's going on between Hinata and Seikun? Weren't they, like, all lovey-dovey before the break...?"
"It's none of our business..." responded Sakura, frowning in response to Naruto invading her personal space but maintaining the expression as she watched Hinata take her usual seat. She didn't know who was at fault for whatever transpired, but since Seikun appeared hurt while Hinata actively avoided glancing at or speaking to him, Sakura was almost positive it was the latter who had done something.
All but confirming Sakura's suspicions, one of the first things Iruka did when he arrived was have Seikun switch seats with Shino. This seemed like a fair arrangement, as it placed him next to Kiba, but since Hinata was the last to arrive and Seikun had been there for at least half an hour, both Sakura and Ino frowned disprovingly...
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