Chapter 3: The Hyuga Compound and the Soup Catapult part-1
He was staring at my chest. I was staring at his horrified face.
"I... I..." Naruto stammered. "I am so sorry! I am cursed! I swear I am cursed!"
My face went from pale to red to nuclear meltdown in three seconds.
[Ding!]
[Wet T-Shirt Event triggered. Comedy Gold achieved.]
[Reward: 200 Shy Points.]
I let out a high-pitched squeak that sounded like a teakettle boiling over, dropped the milk carton, and ran. I ran faster than I had ever run in my entire life, leaving a confused and blushing Naruto standing in the middle of the street.
(I hate this world! I hate this System!)
[System Note: You are welcome, Host. Don't forget to wash that shirt.]
The walk back to the Hyuga Compound was an exercise in stealth that would have made a specialized ANBU operative proud. I stuck to the shadows, moving from alleyway to alleyway, desperately trying to hide the fact that my mesh armor was plastered to my skin with sticky strawberry milk.
(This is humiliating. This is the definition of humiliation. I am the heiress of the noble Hyuga clan, and I smell like a dairy farm exploded on me.)
Every time a villager walked by, I dove behind a trash can or flattened myself against a wall. My heart was hammering against my ribs like a trapped bird.
[System Note: Your stealth proficiency is increasing. Currently, you look less like a ninja and more like a raccoon foraging for garbage, but the effort is noted.]
(Be quiet! You are the reason I am in this mess!)
[Correction: I am the reason you are interesting. Without me, you would just be walking home normally. How boring.]
I finally reached the massive wooden gates of the Hyuga estate. The guards were posted at the front, their white eyes scanning the perimeter. I could not go in through the front door. If they saw me like this, the rumors would spread instantly.
(I have to use the side entrance near the servant quarters. It is usually unguarded at this hour.)
I crept around the perimeter wall, found the loose plank that I remembered from the anime (or maybe it was my new memories?), and squeezed through. I landed softly on the manicured grass of the inner garden.
"Lady Hinata?"
I froze. My blood turned to ice.
Standing directly in front of me, holding a basket of laundry, was Ko. He was my personal caretaker and bodyguard. He was a kind man, but he took his job very seriously.
"You are late," Ko said, stepping forward. "Lord Hiashi has been expecting you for—" He stopped. He sniffed the air. "Why do you smell like... strawberries?"
I panicked. I could not let him see my front. I immediately crossed my arms over my chest and bowed deeply, staring at his sandals.
"I... I am sorry, Ko-san!" I squeaked. "I fell! Into... a puddle! Of milk!"
Ko blinked. "A puddle of milk?"
"It was a very large puddle," I insisted, my face burning. "I must go cleanse myself before Father sees me!"
I tried to sidestep him. I really tried. I calculated the distance. I looked at the grass. It was perfectly dry. It was safe.
But the System had other calculations.
[Ding!]
[Opportunity Detected. Target: Ko Hyuga. Relation: Caretaker. Rito Effect Level 1 activating.]
(No! Not Ko! He is like a big brother!)
As I stepped to the right, my foot landed on a smooth, round pebble hidden in the grass. My ankle twisted with cartoonish violence.
"Wah!"
I pitched forward. My arms flailed out instinctively to catch my fall. My hands found purchase on the only object available: the waistband of Ko's trousers.
Gravity did the rest.
I fell to my knees. As I went down, my grip on his waistband held firm.
Riiiiiip.
The sound of fabric tearing echoed through the quiet garden.
I landed on the ground on my hands and knees. In my hands, I was clutching a piece of blue fabric. I looked up.
Ko was standing there. His trousers were now around his ankles. He was wearing white boxer shorts with small patterns of shuriken on them.
Silence descended upon the garden. A cricket chirped somewhere in the distance.
Ko looked down at his boxers. Then he looked at me. His face, usually so composed, turned a brilliant shade of crimson.
"L-Lady Hinata?" he whispered, his voice trembling.
[Ding!]
[Achievement Unlocked: "Pantsing the Help." You have successfully debagged your bodyguard.]
[Reward: 300 Shy Points.]
[Remark: Nice boxers.]
I let out a sound that was half-scream, half-whimper. I scrambled to my feet, covered my eyes, and bolted toward my room.
"I am sorry! I am so sorry! I did not mean to! Forgive me!" I wailed as I ran down the wooden corridor, leaving a mortified Ko to pull up his trousers in the garden.
......................................
Thirty minutes later, I was scrubbed clean, smelling of lavender soap, and wearing a fresh set of traditional robes. I sat on my futon, hugging my knees to my chest.
(I cannot do this. I cannot live like this. I am going to be known as the "Hyuga Stripper" before I even become a Genin.)
"System," I whispered. "Show me my status."
A semi-transparent blue screen appeared in front of my vision. It did not look like a spreadsheet; it looked more like a chat window.
[USER PROFILE]
Name: Hinata HyugaRole: The Lucky Pervert / The Shy KunoichiChakra Level: Low (Academy Student)Taijutsu: Average (Hyuga Style)Special Ability: The Rito Effect (Uncontrollable passive)Current Status: MortifiedShy Points: 1,050
[SHOP HIGHLIGHTS]
Iron Skirt Technique: Prevents your skirt from flipping up during combat. (Cost: 2,000 Points)The Dignity Saver: A passive aura that makes people forget your embarrassment after 24 hours. (Cost: 5,000 Points)Skill: Trip Immunity (Level 1): Reduces the chance of falling by 10 percent. (Cost: 1,500 Points)Item: Super Glue: For keeping clothes attached. (Cost: 100 Points)