SS017

Though Ino tried to get permission for him to attend a sleepover at her place, Seikun returned to his apartment following a celebratory all-he-could-eat feast at the Akamichi Clan's flagship restaurant, Yakiniku Q. 

"It's been a while since I had premium meat and barbeque..." remarked Seikun, absentmindedly caressing his stomach while lying atop his bed. He had no doubt things would get complicated for him in the future, but for that fleeting moment, he was perfectly content.

tok tok tok

'That was fast...' thought Seikun, rising to a seated position and then getting up from his bed to see who was at the door. He wasn't sure what consequences his actions during the practical would have, but since he couldn't keep his power concealed forever, he felt it was best to exhibit it in a setting where Hiruzen was present.

Opening his front door, Seikun found himself at a complete and utter loss for words as he realized his visitor was the same Hyuga branch clansman who had visited him in the past.

"Lord Hiashi has summoned you..." revealed the Chunin, towering over Seikun at nearly twice his height.

Though he had experienced the Hyuga Clan's shamelessness first-hand, Seikun never imagined they would be the first to approach him, especially after he forfeited his provisional Custodianship. And since the Hyuga were legitimate nobility of the Land of Fire, the law prohibited him from refusing a direct summons without cause...

"I understand..." responded Seikun, his expression and tone flat. He had no idea what Hiashi was planning, but after what happened previously, his fondness for the Hyuga had diminished greatly. If they tried to fuck him a second time, he might just leave the village...

"Good. Then let us depart," said the Chunin, forming his hands into a Ram Seal before vanishing from the balcony using the Body Flicker Technique. Unfortunately, while Seikun had previously learned the D-Rank Technique, he couldn't explain how he could use it presently. Thus, after slumping his shoulders and breathing a tired sigh, he locked the door to his apartment and raced to catch up with the showboating Chunin...

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Staring at Seikun, seated in seiza with an impassive expression, Hiashi remarked, "I don't expect your forgiveness, nor shall I apologize for the past. I did what was best for my daughter and the Hyuga Clan. I believe you are capable of understanding that."

Nodding, Seikun responded, "I have never once blamed Lord Hiashi or the Hyuga Clan for what happened. It was my own naivete that was at fault. I have since learned from it..."

"I see..." muttered Hiashi, narrowing his eyes as he said, "Then I shall get straight to the point. For these next forty days, I want you to serve as a training assistant for my daughters and Neji. As this is an official request, you will be paid accordingly, and it will be added to your service record as a D-Rank Mission."

'So, that's his plan...' thought Seikun, his brows creasing slightly. Hiashi likely knew he was planning to get a part-time over the break to cover the cost of his food and art supplies since he was required to file the request with the Center for Foreign and Domestic Affairs. And since completing a request issued by a noble clan offered far greater rewards than a typical D-Rank, he was highly incentivized to accept. The question then became, what was more important to him? His pride? Or cold, hard cash?

As pride couldn't satisfy his ever-increasing appetite, Seikun responded, "I am inclined to accept but would like to see the contract first. If we can reach an agreement that benefits both sides, I will happily assist with the training of your children and nephew..."

Nodding approvingly, Hiashi remarked, "It's wise to want to see the terms and conditions you will be working under. I will have someone prepare the documents, but it will take time. In the meantime, there is another request I would have you satisfy."

"So long as it is within my capabilities and the pay is sufficient..." affirmed Seikun, a faint smile adorning his face as he felt like he and Hiashi were on equal footing for the first time.

Nodding a second time, Hiashi explained, "My youngest daughter, Hanabi, has been enchanted by the portraits you drew of Hinata and my late wife. She has petitioned me several times to have you create a portrait for her, so I would have her perform a sitting while you wait for the contract to be prepared. The compensation will be 50,000 Ryo."

Not expecting such an outrageous offer, Seikun was unable to prevent his eyes from widening slightly. 50,000 Ryo was the equivalent of completing ten D-Rank Missions, so he was anticipating compensation in the ballpark of three, maybe five thousand.

Adopting a faint, almost imperceptible smile, Hiashi explained, "Fine art is one of the keystones of noble society. If your skills with a pencil can be translated to a brush, it isn't inconceivable that you would become one of the Land of Fire's most preeminent artists. Consider these 50,000 Ryo an investment toward that potentiality..."

'This guy really knows how to butter up to people when he wants to take advantage of them...' thought Seikun, outwardly bowing respectfully as he accepted Hiashi's compliment and request. He had absolutely no intention of becoming a renowned artist, but if Hiashi was willing to line his pockets on the possibility he might, he had no reason to refuse...

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After waiting a few minutes in a room typically reserved for calligraphy, Seikun's brows and ears perked when Hanabi entered wearing a bright orange kimono with a fireworks pattern, smiling as she said, "It's good to see you again, big brother."

"Big brother...?" parroted Seikun, a hint of incredulity in his expression and tone.

Nodding, Hanabi explained, "Father said that I would be in your care a lot from now on, so I should call you big brother."

"I see..." muttered Seikun, a slight frown marring his face but only briefly as he gestured to the stool prepared for the sitting. "Go ahead and take a seat. And don't worry about moving around. As long as I can see you, the portrait should come out fine."

"So I don't need to sit with my back straight...?" asked Hanabi, taking her place atop the stool.

"Sit however you like..." replied Seikun, preparing the various pencils that had been provided at his request. Some had softer lead and broader tips, making them good for texturing and shading, while others were sharp and hard, perfect for adding details and doing line work. His forte was actually using fountain pens with Copic markers, but while proxies for both existed in the world of Naruto, they were difficult to come by.

As she had been told to follow Seikun's instructions, Hanabi sat slightly slumped with her knees together, her feet spread and angled inward, and her elbows resting on her thighs. She would usually be preparing for bed around that time, but when she learned Seikun was visiting and that she would finally be receiving a portrait, her excitement dashed away all the fatigue she had accumulated through the day.

"Are you coming back to be my tutor...?" asked Hanabi, unable to remain silent since it was just her and Seikun in the room.

"Something like that..." replied Seikun, drawing a faint outline of Hanabi's face and body as he explained, "I'll mainly be assisting with your training, but if you have questions during our breaks, I'll try to answer them."

"Oh..." muttered Hanabi, looking a little glum as she asked, "Does that mean we won't be bathing together? It's never as fun when the maids wash me..."

Deciding not to ask for an explanation, Seikun calmly replied, "I'm not coming back as a provisional Custodian, so it's not likely..."

"But why did you leave, big brother?" asked Hanabi. "I asked my father and elder sister why, but they wouldn't tell me. Did you not like it here?"

"It's more that I realized I wasn't ready for the duty and responsibilities of a Custodian," explained Seikun, concealing the actual reason but in a way that wasn't steeped in falsehood. After all, with everything going on at the time, he had felt more than a little overwhelmed...

"Then, once you're ready, will you come back...?" asked Hanabi, her large eyes glistening with expectation and hope. The atmosphere of the main house was as oppressive as it was dreary, and since she had yet to start the Academy, she was seldom allowed outside. Seikun was the first non-Hyuga she had meaningful interactions with, and he was significantly less strict than her usual teachers. Thus, in the wake of his departure, she had asked her father at least once a week when he might return...

'Doubtful...' thought Seikun, outwardly responding, "It's not impossible. But there are people and things outside the Hyuga Clan I need to worry about, so I want to put those first..."

"People...?" repeated Hanabi, tilting her head and body curiously to the side. She remembered her father saying that Seikun was an orphan, so she couldn't help wondering who the people and things he was referring to were.

"I'll be sure to introduce you if you ever meet them," said Seikun, feeling it might be bad to mention he had not one but two girlfriends. Hanabi was a fairly clever girl, so it was only a matter of time before she understood the actual reason behind his departure. She was also a die-hard sis-con, so if she learned that her sister was sacrificing herself for his sake and that he was happily dating two girls while this was going on...she would definitely grow to resent him...

"You won't tell me their names...?" asked Hanabi, a pouty frown adorning her face as she puffed out her cheeks.

"Telling you their names would only make you want to ask more questions about them..." responded Seikun. "I'm a firm believer that a person's first impressions of someone should be in the moment. The more you learn in advance, the more judgments you'll form. That kind of thing leads to bias and misinformed determinations, so it's almost always better to meet and learn about people directly..."

"If you say so..." muttered Hanabi. She wasn't fully satisfied with Seikun's answer, but she didn't think he was lying since he spoke as confidently as during their lessons. She also had many other questions for him, so after a brief moment of silence and consideration, her pale eyes glistened as she asked the first of a nearly two-hour barrage of related questions, starting with, "What kind of girls do you like, big brother?"

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After what felt more like an interrogation than a drawing session, Seikun was reading over the contract provided by Hiashi as the latter sat across from him, patiently waiting for him to finish.

With a day's wage varying from 5,000~10,000 Ryo, depending on whether he participated in morning and afternoon training sessions, Seikun stood to gain a minimum of 200,000 Ryo by accepting Hiashi's request. When he was an active Genin, he would be lucky to earn 50,000 Ryo a month doing hard labor and construction work, so 200,000 Ryo as an Academy student was a fairly significant windfall. There was even a clause ensuring that the village wouldn't deduct its usual 40-60%, as the request was being issued directly to him, so Seikun would be lying if he said he wasn't tempted.

Setting the contract down, Seikun preempted Hiashi by declaring, "The terms of this contract are more than agreeable, but I'm afraid I'll have to refuse as they are..."

"Explain," said Hiashia, his expression and tone firm as the creases in his brows deepened.

"I have a prior arrangement with my girlfriends..." explained Seikun. "I promised them the three of us would train and study together over the break and also make time for recreation. This contract leaves little to no time for either..."

"I assume you have a suggestion...?" asked Hiashi.

Nodding, Seikun proposed, "Modify the contract to have Yamanaka Ino and Haruno Sakura added as assistants. Independently, I can only spar with Hinata, Hanabi, or Neji, leaving the other two unattended. With Ino and Sakura assisting me, we can spar with all three simultaneously. This is both more efficient and stops the training from becoming monotonous. Ino and Sakura are also-"

"That's enough," said Hiashi, raising his hand and silencing Seikun before he could point out that Sakura and Ino were respectively Ranked 3 and 5 in the class. Hinata had secured first among girls in the practical, but with Sakura securing third and getting a perfect score in the written exam, she supplanted the Hyuga heiress in the rankings.

Lowering his hand, Hiashi surprised Seikun by stating, "I am aware of your relationship with the two in question, but I will permit them to accompany you as they are also my daughter's friends and have proven to be suitable rivals. However, they may only participate in morning training sessions. If you choose to return in the afternoon, you will come alone."

"Then we have reached an accord," responded Seikun, adopting a faint smile as he lowered his head and stated, "It is, once again, my honor to serve the Hyuga Clan..."

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