Chapter 39: Hinata, Hyūga
Uzumaki Naruto returned home exhausted, covered in sweat and grime.
Today, he had been the only one truly working in what was supposed to be Team 7 under Kakashi.
Whether it was catching cats, weeding gardens, or picking up trash from the river, Naruto had done it all alone.
He was beyond tired—he felt utterly miserable.
...
Looking at the bustling, neon-lit streets of Konoha, Naruto couldn't help but sigh internally.
'The gap between Sasuke and me seems to be growing wider.'
Naruto felt even worse.
Even though he had accepted the fact that Sakura was with Sasuke, thinking about how happy they were together made him feel utterly dejected.
Just then!
He ran into Shikamaru, who noticed Naruto's exhausted state and greeted him. "Naruto, why are you heading home so late?"
Naruto looked at Shikamaru, too drained to speak energetically. "Kakashi-sensei plays favorites. He let Sasuke and Sakura go enjoy themselves while leaving me to do all the grunt work alone."
Shikamaru chuckled. "Don't you like being a ninja and taking on missions?"
Naruto complained. "That depends on the mission!"
"It's all pointless tasks like weeding, catching cats, and picking up trash. Kakashi won't let Sasuke or Sakura do them, only me. It's so unfair."
Shikamaru hadn't realized just how pitiful Naruto's situation was!
Naruto's crush on Sakura wasn't exactly a secret.
Now, not only was Sakura officially Sasuke's girlfriend, but she also got to enjoy time off with him while Naruto was stuck working overtime alone.
Shikamaru sympathetically patted Naruto on the shoulder. Then he said, "Actually, during our Team 10 dinner tonight, Sasuke showed up…"
"Sasuke? Why was he at your Team 10 gathering?" Naruto was puzzled. Shouldn't he have been with Sakura?
Shikamaru explained, "Our Team 10 is led by Asuma-sensei. My teammates are Chōji and Ino."
"Ino?"
Naruto immediately sighed bitterly. "I get it now."
"That bastard Sasuke! He's unbelievable—eating from one bowl while eyeing another."
"He's dating so many girls at once—how does he even keep up?"
Naruto felt even more bitter!
Shikamaru sighed as well. "I have to hand it to Sasuke. He probably sweet-talked Sakura first, then went straight to Ino afterward."
"That way, neither Sakura nor Ino would have any complaints."
"Only someone like Sasuke, who doesn't mind the hassle, could juggle multiple relationships so flawlessly."
"If it were me, I'd find the whole thing exhausting just thinking about it."
Shikamaru was a straight-up guy. He didn't have Sasuke's insatiable thirst for women or his limitless ambition in that regard.
Even if given the chance, Shikamaru would find it too much trouble.
"Oh, by the way, Sasuke is quite generous."
Shikamaru suddenly praised Sasuke. He told Naruto, "When Sasuke came looking for Ino, we happened to be eating barbecue. To let Ino eat first, Sasuke joined us for dinner."
"But when we went to pay, the restaurant owner told us that Sasuke had already covered the bill in advance."
Shikamaru was impressed.
"Sasuke is not only good-looking and a genius, but also incredibly generous. Honestly, if I were a girl, I might fall for him too."
Sasuke hadn't used Ino's connections to get a free meal. Instead, he had taken the initiative to pay first, showing real class.
That move alone won him a ton of respect!
Even Chōji and Asuma had high praise for Sasuke.
Sasuke handled things in a way that pleased everyone.
Even though people gossiped about him having multiple girlfriends, his other actions set him apart from others his age.
"…"
Hearing all this, Naruto's emotions grew even more complicated.
"Alright, enough of this. I'm heading home."
"Naruto, you should rest early too."
Naruto nodded.
He and Shikamaru weren't especially close, but they could still chat when they met.
Now, thanks to Sasuke, Naruto and Shikamaru had even more to talk about.
After Shikamaru left—
Naruto felt even more exhausted, and his stomach was growling.
He pulled out the money Sasuke had given him earlier that day.
Initially, Naruto had refused to spend Sasuke's money out of pride. He had planned to eat his expired cup noodles at home instead.
But then he thought about what Shikamaru had just said.
Sasuke's generosity wasn't just for Naruto alone. He even paid for Team 10's meal when eating with Ino.
That meant Sasuke was generous with people he respected.
If that was the case—
Since Sakura was completely out of reach for Naruto in this lifetime, there was no point in rejecting Sasuke's money anymore.
'As long as I can eat Ichiraku Ramen, that's all that matters.'
With that, Naruto made up his mind and headed to Ichiraku Ramen.
"Teuchi-san, I'll have a large bowl of ramen…"
...
Naruto, indulging in the delicious Ichiraku Ramen, finally felt a little better.
When a person is weak and exhausted, even a good meal can bring happiness and comfort.
...
"Naruto-kun…"
Naruto had no idea that every move he made was being secretly watched from the shadows by Hyūga Hinata.
After being tainted by Sasuke before—not entirely, as he had only kissed and touched her without going all the way—Hinata knew she was no longer worthy of Naruto.
Even though Sasuke had forcefully entered her heart, leaving an indelible mark—
It wasn't easy for her to completely let go of her years-long crush on Naruto.
Now, Hinata no longer dared to have any romantic expectations for Naruto.
But she still couldn't help but care about him.
Even if only as a friend!
...
Just then, Sasuke happened to spot Hinata spying on Naruto.
Sasuke had already spent time with both Sakura and Ino today, making them incredibly happy.
He felt immensely satisfied with himself.
Managing a harem was complicated, yet he was handling it flawlessly.
'I'm really amazing!'
But just as he was heading home feeling triumphant, he noticed Hinata secretly watching Naruto.
Immediately, his expression changed.
"Hinata, what are you doing?"
"I want to go home..."
Hinata knew that now that Sasuke had entangled her, escaping his grasp might be impossible for the rest of her life.
"Alright, I'll take you back."
With Sakura and Ino settled for the night, and Ayame and Tsubaki left for another time, Sasuke decided tonight would be entirely dedicated to Hinata.
He was going to make her completely his.
...
Sasuke moved swiftly—his sparring with Kakashi earlier had sharpened his taijutsu even further.
Whether it was ninjutsu or taijutsu, Sasuke saw them only as tools to make his romantic pursuits more convenient.
He wouldn't let them take priority over his real goals!
Activating his Byakugan, he scanned the Hyūga clan's guards, reading their positions clearly.
Then, without hesitation, he lifted Hinata into a princess carry and brought her straight into her bedroom.
Hinata clenched her fists, her emotions a mess. She didn't know whether to yell at Sasuke or to simply accept him.
However, Hinata was someone Sasuke truly desired.
Compared to Sakura, Sasuke had an even stronger preference for Hinata. So after gently wiping her face, he whispered,
"..."
Holding her close, Sasuke murmured sweetly, "Don't worry. I may be a flirt, but I do have my limits."
"At the very least, with you, Hinata, I have boundaries."
"I'll stay by your side until the day you accept me willingly."
Sasuke helped her settle into bed, and this time, he didn't leave.
Instead, he playfully took one of Hinata's nightgowns and slipped it on himself before lying beside her, holding her in his arms.
Thump, thump, thump.
Hinata's heartbeat raced—she could feel Sasuke's breath right next to her ear.
As the atmosphere grew increasingly intimate, enveloping both of them, Hinata became incredibly anxious.
Suddenly!
Knock, knock, knock!
The unexpected knocking startled her.
"..."
Honestly, even Sasuke was caught off guard.
Hinata was nervous about their relationship being exposed.
Sasuke, on the other hand, worried that Hinata might panic and try to push him away.
He didn't want to handle her the same way he had dealt with Tsubaki.
He wanted Hinata to truly fall for him—willingly and completely.
So he held her carefully, avoiding sudden movements.
But an unexpected knock at such a moment was enough to make anyone panic.
"Sister, are you awake?"
A young girl's voice came from outside. Sasuke immediately recognized it.
Hinata did too.
"Hanabi, don't come in! I'm… not feeling well tonight…"
As a child, Hanabi had been very attached to her older sister, often sleeping in the same bed with her.
But as the burdens of the Hyūga clan became heavier, things changed.
As the eldest daughter of the main house, Hinata was expected to inherit the role of clan head.
With her lacking talent, she had to train tirelessly every day.
Later, as Hanabi's potential became evident, she chose to take her sister's place as the future leader.
The responsibility and pressure Hinata had struggled with now fell on Hanabi instead.
From then on, the clan shifted its focus to training Hanabi, leaving Hinata somewhat cast aside.
This change meant that Hanabi no longer slept beside Hinata often, but their sisterly bond remained strong.
Hearing the discomfort in Hinata's voice, Hanabi grew concerned. "What's wrong, sister? Are you sick?"
Though Hinata told her not to enter, Hanabi's worry got the better of her.
She pushed the door open and stepped inside.
"..."
Hinata panicked instantly, frantically pushing at Sasuke. "You have to leave! Now!"
Sasuke's mind raced.
Hanabi would eventually become part of his harem, but she was still too young for now.
"I'm not leaving. You belong to me, Hinata. Why should I run away?"
Before they could argue further, Hanabi had already entered the room.
What she saw next was the most shocking sight of her life.
A man—inside her sister's room.
"Sister… who is he?!"
"Why is there a man in your bedroom?!"
Hanabi was utterly dumbfounded.
Hinata's face burned red, unable to find a proper explanation.
Sasuke, however, shamelessly pulled Hinata closer and grinned. "Aren't you going to say 'brother-in-law' yet?"
"But it's still too early for the Hyūga clan to find out about us."
"Hanabi, close the door first. If you have questions, I'll answer them all."
Brother-in-law?!
Hanabi couldn't process this.
Her sister—Hinata—had a boyfriend?
"..."
Hinata was overwhelmed. As an introverted girl, this situation was beyond her ability to handle.
"Come on, hurry up and close the door! What are you waiting for?"
Sasuke remained the most composed of the three.
"You wouldn't want the entire Hyūga clan finding out about this, would you?"
"Oh!"
Wearing loose-fitting pajamas, Hanabi hesitated briefly but then turned and shut the door.
However, the moment she did, something seemed to awaken within her—the instinct to protect her sister.
She swiftly pulled out a kunai and pointed it at Sasuke, her face fierce despite her small frame.
"I don't care who you are! I won't let you bully my sister!"
Sasuke chuckled. "Hanabi, do you even know who you're pointing that weapon at?"
"You're playing with fire, you realize that, don't you?"
Hinata knew Sasuke's strength.
She also knew Hanabi wouldn't stand a chance against him.
Desperately, she tried to diffuse the situation.
"Sasuke, don't hurt my sister."
"Hanabi, put down the kunai…"