The Hokage's office was silent, save for the soft sound of the pipe burning. Hiruzen Sarutobi kept his eyes half-closed, watching the smoke rise in slow spirals, while the mission report lay open on his desk.
"Several deaths in a single escort..." he murmured, his fingers lightly touching the paper. His eyes lifted and fixed on the young Hyuuga before him.
Neji stood erect, his posture impeccable, his gaze calm and impassive. Beside him, Rock Lee and Tenten waited tensely, and further back, Gai maintained a neutral expression, though his rigid body betrayed concern.
The Third Hokage closed the report with a slow movement.
"Mission completed in record time, with no civilian or crew casualties. Good job."
He leaned back in his chair, exhaling a cloud of smoke.
"Neji, Gai... stay. The rest can retreat."
Lee opened his mouth as if to protest, but held back. Tenten merely nodded, giving Neji a worried look before leaving. The sound of the door closing sounded too heavy for the hearts of the two remaining.
Hiruzen stared at the boy.
"Neji, tell me... how do you feel?"
The silence lasted for a few seconds. Neji took a deep breath, keeping his face serene.
"I do remember things, Lord Hokage. But it's like I don't remember what I looked like. Like something's blocking it."
The old man narrowed his eyes, attentive to every nuance.
"So, to you, your memories seem messed up?"
"Yes. But I don't feel like it's a problem with the mission. I just... I can't remember how I used to react."
Hiruzen took a drag on his pipe, releasing more smoke.
'He speaks naturally, without hesitation. The problem isn't forgetting... it's transformation.'
Li Shang, inwardly, just watched.
'It's better that they're suspicious. Then I know they're watching me. As long as I don't do anything that threatens the village, they'll have no reason to act against me. After all... Neji is already dead.'
The Hokage dropped the pipe onto the wooden stand and shook his head slowly.
"Okay, you can leave."
Neji bowed his head slightly in reverence and left the room in silence.
The sound of his footsteps faded into the hallway, and only Gai remained.
The old Hokage turned to face him.
"Now, tell me exactly what happened."
Gai took a deep breath before answering.
"During the mission, Neji... killed several enemies without hesitation. The coldness was... disturbing, Lord Hokage. He showed no emotion. It was as if he had done this a thousand times before."
"I see..." Hiruzen muttered, exhaling smoke through his nose. His tired eyes stared into space, as if searching for a distant memory.
"The trauma buried Neji's emotions. It's a natural defense of the mind... to eliminate the chance of feeling that pain again."
He closed his eyes for a moment.
"Kakashi was the same. When he lost his comrades, he killed his own emotions to keep living."
The silence between them was heavy. Gai looked away, his heart heavy.
Hiruzen broke the stillness.
"Do you intend to recommend your team for the Chunin Exams?"
The sensei looked up, conflicted.
"Lord Hokage... I already postponed it once. It wouldn't be fair to Rock Lee and Tenten."
His fists clenched slightly.
"Besides... I think Neji is the only one who isn't at risk in this exam. He's very strong."
Hiruzen watched him in silence for long seconds.
"I see. I would recommend your team anyway. Maybe keeping Neji busy is the best way to help him forget... or at least learn to live with his problems."
The smoke dissipated into the air. Gai simply tilted his head, but inside, doubt remained.
'Did this change really come from the trauma? Or did something much deeper happen to him?'
The sun had just set behind the Konoha walls, tinting the sky purple. The streetlights were beginning to light up, and the flow of people was dispersing.
Neji walked aimlessly, his hands in his pockets.
'I don't feel like doing another report, it's boring. That's enough for today.'
Each clan member had to record their activities upon their return, but Li Shang had no patience for bureaucracy. He preferred to spend that time wandering around the village.
[Fungada.]
He stopped suddenly.
"What a good smell..."
The aroma guided him to a small wooden restaurant, lit by torches at the entrance. The sound of pots and pans and low conversations came from inside. Without hesitation, he entered.
He sat on one of the stools at the end of the counter. The atmosphere was simple but cozy. An old man was cooking behind the counter, skillfully handling a steaming pot.
"Please, the most popular dish," Neji said, raising a hand.
"One moment," the old man replied with a cordial smile.
As he waited, Li Shang lost himself in his own thoughts. The village seemed peaceful outside. It was an interesting world, even if limited.
Suddenly, a scream echoed through the entrance.
"Old man! Can I pay tomorrow? I think I lost my ticket!"
A boy with spiky blond hair walked in with the same momentum as his own voice. He smiled broadly and plopped down on one of the stools in the middle of the counter.
"Naruto, you still owe me from last week." The old man fixed him with a firm look, but the smile on his face revealed that he wasn't refusing the request.
"Old man, I just got back from a mission! An S-Rank ninja showed up, but the mission was still a success! I want to eat to celebrate!"
The old man's eyes widened in concern.
"An S-Rank ninja? Naruto, you..."
"It's okay, I'll pay."
Li Shang, who had been watching silently, blurted out his words, puzzled.
"As payment, you tell me about this mission. It's Naruto, right?"
Naruto turned around instantly, his smile disappearing.
"I don't need you to pay me anything."
Irritated, he stood up, ready to leave.
Neji sighed internally.
'The truth is, Neji didn't have a good relationship with the academy's young men. To this boy, I'm just another arrogant member of the clan.'
Before Naruto reached the door, Li Shang spoke, forcing a smile.
"Have I ever offended you? If so, I apologize."
Naruto stopped in disbelief.
"What did you say? Is this some kind of joke?"
His blue eyes gleamed with fury and confusion. Even though they were from different classes, he knew the Hyuuga genius's temper. How many times had he heard stories of Neji humiliating his classmates? Furthermore, his only friend, Hinata, was constantly treated with contempt by her cousin.
Li Shang raised his hand, scratching his head almost awkwardly.
"I don't remember many things that happened in the past. I recently had an accident."
Naruto kept his gaze fixed, suspicious.
Li Shang didn't care much for the boy, but there was something he couldn't ignore. From the moment Naruto entered, his body emanated a different energy, vibrant, intense, as if something dormant was roaring within him.
'This boy... his energy is unusual. It's as if he's hiding a beast inside his body.'
A faint smile appeared on Li Shang's lips.
'Interesting. Maybe approaching him isn't a waste of time.'
[Author's Note: Li Shang/Neji has access to all of Neji's memories, but he has to want it, so it might seem strange that sometimes he doesn't remember something basic at first. This story was originally written in Portuguese, so there may be some translation errors. If you notice any, please let me know so I can fix them. Thank you for reading!]