Chapter 6: Freedom of Speech!
The park at the heart of Konoha was a paradise for children who hadn't yet enrolled in the Ninja Academy.
At this age, they had plenty of free time, and meeting up at the park to play with kids their own age was something they looked forward to every single day.
It wasn't just ordinary kids who came here—children from prominent clans like the Akimichi, Yamanaka, and Nara families could also be found laughing and playing together.
The only exception was the Uchiha clan. Proud and reserved, no children from their family ever showed up here to mingle with the others.
At this moment, several groups of children were scattered around the park in clusters of three or four.
But the most eye-catching group was gathered in the center of the park.
The reason? Two girls from the group were sitting on the shoulders of a statue modeled after the Third Hokage—an act that was considered blatantly disrespectful.
"Shikamaru! Do something, I'm so bored…"
Yamanaka Ino sighed in frustration as she sat on the statue's left shoulder. "I finally got a break from helping out at the flower shop. Don't wanna just sit around all afternoon doing nothing."
Nara Shikamaru, lying lazily on the grass nearby, let out a yawn. "Get Sakura to hang out with you. I don't get what you girls like to do anyway."
"You're the lazy one here," Ino rolled her eyes, then turned toward the pink-haired girl on the statue's right shoulder. "Sakura, let's go find something fun."
"Um… I don't really know what to play," Haruno Sakura replied softly, eyes lowered.
Sitting on the Hokage's statue made her feel like she was breaking the rules—and that thrill stirred something inside her.
But she didn't dare show it. Her mother always told her she had to be a good girl if she wanted others to like her.
At that moment, Akimichi Choji, seated beside Shikamaru and munching on potato chips, suddenly muttered, "That kid's here again."
"Which kid?" Shikamaru sat up, following his friend's gaze. Then, his expression shifted to one of surprise.
The eldest daughter of the Hyuga clan—Hinata—was slowly walking toward a familiar group of kids.
They were the same ones who often bullied her.
Ino, squinting from her seat on the statue, turned to Shikamaru. "Should I go over and help her?"
Beside her, Sakura's gaze held a flicker of concern. A trace of sympathy lingered in her eyes.
She remembered those days—being picked on for her looks and her big forehead. If Ino hadn't stepped in and pulled her into this little group, she might've stopped coming to the park altogether.
"No," Shikamaru replied with a shake of his head. "She's the Hyuga clan's heiress. Getting involved with her could bring trouble."
This wasn't the first time they'd seen Hinata get bullied. And unlike Sakura, the three of them weren't ordinary kids—they were the future Ino-Shika-Cho trio.
The Hyuga clan was one of the most powerful families in Konoha. Being too closely associated with them might stir up problems they didn't understand yet.
Shikamaru was smart for his age, but even he couldn't predict the full extent of the consequences. All he knew was that it could complicate things.
"Looks like she's learned her lesson this time—brought two guards with her," he observed as two Hyuga clan members walked in behind Hinata.
But then his gaze shifted.
Another Hyuga kid, about the same age as Hinata, stood at the park's edge. He didn't seem like a guard.
Even from a distance, Shikamaru noticed the boy observing them—and then, surprisingly, the boy gave him a friendly nod.
Shikamaru hesitated for a second, then returned the nod out of politeness.
Pig, Deer, and Butterfly, huh?
Hyuga Ryosuke smiled to himself.
He hadn't activated his Byakugan, but his eyesight was sharp enough to recognize the four figures gathered in the center of the park.
The Nara, Akimichi, Yamanaka… and Haruno Sakura.
Too bad… still no sign of the blond-haired boy.
He felt a bit disappointed—but only slightly. This was still good enough.
Hinata's performance today would be witnessed by these future key figures. That was more than enough.
His eyes shifted toward a familiar figure in the distance.
---
"Hello."
Calm and steady, Hinata's voice broke the silence as she approached the three children in front of her. Her tone was polite and composed.
Standing in the sunlight, she looked them directly in the eye.
She wasn't sure when she'd gained the strength to do this. Maybe it started the first time she saw her father's disappointed eyes…
Or maybe it began when she stopped shrinking back and started moving forward.
But what stood out most was the warmth of Ryosuke's voice still echoing in her heart. It gave her courage. His presence felt like a reassuring hand at her back, pushing her gently forward.
A normal person… should at least be able to look someone in the eye. Not bow their head and submit.
Her inner voice repeated that thought over and over as she stood firm.
The three kids turned, visibly annoyed by the interruption. One of them—someone she recognized from the restaurant earlier—glared at her.
"Hey! White-eyed monst—"
The insult froze in his throat as he spotted the two Hyuga guards standing behind her.
His expression shifted instantly. He backed away a step, eyes darting between the two men. "W-What do you want? You two adults aren't seriously gonna pick on kids, are you?"
The commotion drew attention. A crowd of children turned to watch.
Everyone knew these three—they were infamous for bullying others. Many of the onlookers had been their victims.
And as for Hinata… they knew her too. Some of them had bullied her in the past. But now? Now she had backup.
"Apologize."
Hinata stood tall in front of her guards, her voice steady.
"They won't touch you. They're just here to protect me. But I need you to apologize—for everything you said before. It hurt me deeply."
"Apologize?" the boys scoffed, exchanging glances.
When they realized the guards wouldn't act, their fear faded.
"Why should we apologize? We were just telling the truth. You're ugly," one of them sneered.
"Yeah," another chimed in. "You think dragging people along with you makes you someone important? You're not the Hokage. What gives you the right to make us say sorry?"
They stood a bit taller, looking down at Hinata with smug expressions.
Behind her, Hyuga Souji and Hyuga Hoshisai both narrowed their eyes. Their hands twitched slightly—but they didn't move.
As long as the children didn't cross a certain line, they couldn't act. The Hyuga clan wouldn't stoop to bullying kids. That would be shameful.
---
"Interesting…"
Outside the park, Ryosuke watched with keen eyes as the three bullies regained their confidence.
"The kids in this world are bolder—and more cunning—than I thought."
The guards clearly weren't enough to intimidate them. They'd tested their limits and found them.
Still, this was exactly what he hoped would happen.
If Hinata was going to change how people saw her, it had to start now. Not tomorrow. Not next week. Today.
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