After Naruto and the Third Hokage held their secret conversation at Training Ground Three for quite a while—departing at different times and in different directions to avoid suspicion—the sky had already turned to a deep night, with the full moon hanging high above.
'Come to think of it… that kid Sasuke probably went home already.'
Besides the Third Hokage, who had left first, Sasuke had also ended his water-walking training and spent enough time splashing around with Naruto's Shadow Clone Technique for fun. Not sensing anything out of the ordinary, he used Fire Style: Dragon Fire Jutsu to light a campfire and dry his clothes. Then, after casually bidding the clone goodbye, he headed home early to brag about his recent training achievements to his father and earn his approval.
Before Naruto realized it, he found himself alone again—back to how it was in the beginning. Having grown used to spending time with Sasuke over the past few days, he couldn't help but feel a little out of place.
'Is it just because I've spent so much time with that guy lately...? Heh, look at me getting all sentimental. It's not like this is the first time I've gone home alone. Why am I even making a big deal out of it?'
Shaking his head to rid himself of that strange feeling, Naruto let the good news of the day wash over him. First, he had accidentally forged a strong bond with Sasuke, and now he'd succeeded in convincing the Third Hokage to change his mind about the future. It gave Naruto more confidence in avoiding the coming tragedy. Buoyed by these two victories, he relaxed more than usual, his typical vigilance momentarily melting away.
Hands in his pockets, he bounced and skipped cheerfully down the alleys toward home, humming a carefree tune.
'…Huh? Am I seeing things? Is that… a kid?'
Just as Naruto reached his doorstep and was about to head upstairs to sleep off the day's fatigue, he caught a glimpse—under the soft glow of a nearby streetlamp—of a tiny, helpless figure pacing in circles. Startled, he stopped in his tracks and rubbed his eyes multiple times to make sure it wasn't just his imagination.
For someone like Naruto, who had been shunned since birth as the supposed embodiment of the Nine-Tails, it was a shock. Most villagers avoided even the streets near his home. So seeing someone else in this sparsely populated area at night? It felt like something straight out of a dream.
'This late at night? And someone's actually lingering near my house? That's rare… Looks like they need help?'
Naruto waited at the side of the road for a bit, observing the small figure. They made no move to leave; instead, they curled up and crouched down, trembling slightly as quiet sobs escaped. Naruto sighed and shrugged.
'Well, since I'm in a good mood today, I guess I'll help her out… Though I can already guess what'll happen—she'll see me, freak out at the "Nine-Tails," and cry even harder. Great, just great.'
Smiling wryly at himself, Naruto turned and walked toward her, deliberately slowing his steps so as not to startle her. Once he thought she could hear him clearly, he softened his voice, curved his eyes into a smile, and gently called out.
"Hey? What's wrong? Are you okay?"
"...Huh?"
With winter's arrival, the temperature had dropped steadily. Snow now drifted down like soft white feathers, gradually blanketing the prosperous Hidden Leaf Village in pure white.
Night had fallen. Streetlights flanking the roads clicked on one by one, their warm orange glow stretching shadows over the thick snow, casting flickering halos of comfort.
'I've been walking for so long, and I still can't find Uncle Hizashi… Is it because… like Father said… he's dead? If someone dies, they don't come back… is that why he's so hard to find?'
In an empty alleyway, little Hinata trudged forward step by step, her cheeks tinged purple from the cold. Her chubby hands were clasped in front of her mouth as she blew warm breaths onto them, whispering to herself softly.
"Uuuu… s-so cold… sniff… It wasn't this cold a few days ago…"
The plummeting temperature turned every breath into frosty mist, and the memory of warmer, sunnier days just days prior now seemed distant and unreachable. She rubbed her tiny hands together desperately, trying to stay warm, and glanced up at the barely starlit night sky.
Normally, Hinata would have been wrapped up in a warm, stylish winter coat, standing at the doorway of her home, happily identifying constellations. Or perhaps playing freely in the snowy courtyard of her spacious estate. But now, after experiencing this biting cold firsthand, she finally understood the hidden danger behind the snow-covered beauty she had once admired.
'Maybe… I should go home and ask Papa and Mama where to find Uncle Hizashi… and wear something warmer before coming back out?'
Even adult ninja—whose physical conditioning far surpassed that of normal people—would struggle to endure this level of cold. Let alone Hinata, a three-year-old not even qualified as a Genin. The cold pierced deeper and deeper, gradually sapping the last bit of will that had driven her out here.
Her steps slowed. Then came a bigger problem—one that made her forget all about choosing between going home or continuing the search.
'W-Wait… which way… is home again?'
Her bright, watery eyes blinked rapidly as she looked around. The more she looked, the more her panic grew.
As the Hyuga Clan Head's daughter, Hinata rarely left the house. After running around aimlessly for so long, she hadn't thought to memorize the path she took. Now, trying to turn back, she found herself in an unfamiliar place.
At this point, Hinata couldn't even remember where she came from, let alone where to go.
'Ah… when I came here… was it the left path? No, wait—was it the right…? Uuugh, what do I do? Everything looks the same—I can't tell anymore!'
To her frozen, disoriented eyes, the dim alleyways looked like the gaping jaws of wild beasts waiting to devour her. She spun in place, trying to orient herself, but failed to find any familiar route. At last, her innate fear of the unknown overwhelmed her.
'What should I do…? Papa… Mama… where are you…? Sniff…'
She slowly crouched down, covered her eyes with her hands, and buried her face in her knees. Her tiny shoulders trembled as she quietly cried.
"Hey? What's wrong? Are you okay?"
"...Huh?"
Just as Hinata began to drown in helplessness, a gentle young voice reached her ears. She looked up with tear-streaked cheeks, desperately trying to locate the source like a drowning child spotting a life preserver.
'This late… and she's still out here. Was she fighting with her family and ran away from home? Or maybe she got separated and couldn't find her way back?'
As the sound of approaching footsteps in the snow grew louder, so too did the warm, gentle voice. Beneath the streetlamp, Hinata slowly saw a boy her age emerge from the darkness—hands in his jacket pockets, eyes curved with a soft smile as he looked at her.
'Well, whatever the reason… with this weather, staying outside this late isn't safe. You'll catch a cold… Hey, do you remember where your house is?'
His brilliant blue eyes and golden hair—shining like the sun under the streetlight—somehow made him seem like a little sun himself, warm and full of hope. Step by careful step, the boy approached, clearly afraid of scaring her off. The warmth in his expression slowly melted Hinata's despair and fear.
"Don't cry anymore… There, there. Come on, take my hand. I'll walk you home."
"...Mm… o-okay."
Whether from the cold or embarrassment, Hinata's cheeks turned a faint pink. But influenced by the warmth in the boy's voice, she made no effort to resist the gentle hand reaching out. She let him hold her tiny hand, stood up obediently, and tilted her head to look at him with curiosity.
In that moment—though Hinata herself didn't realize it yet—
The image of the boy who had reached out to her with a gentle smile had already etched itself deeply into her young heart.
An image that would take root, endure, and never fade.