Karin opened her mouth, wanting to argue.
Then she realized she had nothing to say.
She shut her mouth and bit her lip.
In her heart, she cursed Teizawa eight hundred times over, but her body did not dare move.
Orochimaru had given her to this man.
She belonged to him now.
She had no right to refuse.
Hinata huddled on Teizawa's other side, her eyes squeezed tightly shut, her lashes trembling hard.
She wanted to push him away. She wanted to run back to her own bed.
But her hands felt pinned in place by something unseen. She could not lift them at all.
It was not fear. It was something vague and impossible to put into words…
Even she did not know what it was.
The room fell silent.
Only the breathing of three people wove together, rising and falling in the dark.
Teizawa opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling.
Hinata and Karin both thought he had fallen asleep.
He had not.
He was thinking…
Obito. White Zetsu. Edo Tensei. The Akatsuki.
And the Zetsu hidden in the shadows.
Tonight, he had captured one White Zetsu.
Obito would definitely notice.
How would he react?
Would he send someone to rescue it?
Or would he come himself?
Whichever it was, Teizawa needed to be ready.
A faint breath brushed against him. Teizawa lowered his head.
Hinata's face was right there.
Moonlight squeezed through the gap in the curtains and spilled across her face.
That pale little face looked especially soft beneath the moonlight.
Her long lashes curled slightly, like butterfly wings.
A delicate nose, rosy lips.
Her brow had relaxed, and the corners of her mouth were lifted ever so slightly.
It was as if she were having a good dream.
Teizawa's gaze lingered on her face for a few seconds.
Then he looked away, turning toward Karin on his other side.
Karin was not asleep. Behind her glasses, her eyes were wide open as she stared up at the ceiling, lost in thought.
The blush on her face had not fully faded.
Even the tips of her ears were still faintly pink.
"Can't sleep?"
Teizawa's voice was very soft.
Karin's body stiffened slightly.
"N-No…"
Her voice sounded a little unsteady.
"Then what are you thinking about?"
"Nothing."
Karin's voice grew even softer, soft enough to sound like sleep talking.
Teizawa did not press her.
He reached out and drew Karin a little closer.
Then he tightened the arm around Hinata and closed his eyes.
"Sleep. We have a lot to do tomorrow."
Karin said nothing.
She leaned against him, listening to the steady, powerful beat of his heart, and her eyes slowly drifted shut.
She had thought she would not be able to sleep.
She had thought she would be so nervous that she would stay awake all night.
But for some reason, as she listened to that heartbeat, her eyelids grew heavier and heavier.
Her consciousness blurred.
Soon, she sank into deep sleep.
The room fell completely quiet.
Moonlight slipped in through the gap in the curtains and fell over the three of them, casting a blurred shadow across the floor.
A night breeze squeezed through the crack of the window.
It stirred the curtains and brushed past, carrying the faint sound of a sword sheath.
That night, Teizawa slept well.
No nightmares. No insomnia.
None of the things that had been troubling him.
Only the two warm bodies in his arms, and the calm rhythm of their breathing.
The next morning, when Teizawa woke up, Hinata was already awake.
She was curled beneath the blanket, with only her eyes showing.
She was secretly watching him.
When she saw his eyes open, she jolted in fright.
Then she hurriedly buried her face in the blanket.
Teizawa smiled.
"Morning."
His voice was a little hoarse, carrying the laziness of someone who had just woken up.
Hinata did not answer. She only buried her face deeper.
Teizawa did not mind.
He sat up and stretched.
Karin was still asleep, curled beside him like a little shrimp.
Her glasses had been placed on the bedside table. Without them, her face looked even younger than usual.
Her lips were slightly pursed, and she was sleeping sweetly.
Who knew what she was dreaming about?
Teizawa watched her for a few seconds.
Then he gently lifted the blanket and got out of bed.
Hinata poked her head out from under the blanket.
She watched his back, her lips moving slightly.
She wanted to say something.
But in the end, she swallowed it back down.
Teizawa walked to the door and stopped without turning around.
"Hinata…"
"Y-Yes!"
Hinata's voice came out soft and hurried, and she almost bit her own tongue.
"Come out with me today."
Hinata froze.
"W-Where are we going?"
"You'll know when we get there."
Teizawa pushed the door open and walked out.
The door closed softly behind him.
Hinata lay on the bed and stared up at the ceiling, her heart pounding like a drum.
Why did he want to take her out?
Where were they going?
What were they going to do?
Countless questions churned through her mind.
But not one of them had an answer.
She took a deep breath.
Then she sat up and began changing clothes.
No matter where they were going, being with him was enough.
Karin rolled over, mumbled something under her breath, and fell back into deep sleep.
Sunlight squeezed in through the gap in the curtains.
It fell across her face.
It shone on the pair of glasses resting on the bedside table.
A new day had begun.
…
Teizawa led Hinata through the training grounds on the eastern side of Sunagakure, heading toward the ANBU compound.
Morning light had just spread across the earth.
Golden sunlight spilled over the newly built structures, coating the entire village in a warm glow.
Hinata followed behind him with her head lowered.
Her fingers twisted the hem of her clothes.
Her heart was all over the place.
She had no idea where he was taking her.
After walking for about fifteen minutes, they stopped at the edge of the training grounds.
Ahead was a flat, open field.
Several ANBU were training there…
Taijutsu sparring, kunai throwing, ninjutsu practice. The field was alive with activity.
Neji stood in the middle of the training area.
He wore a black ANBU uniform.
His white branch-family attire had been tucked away in a cabinet.
His movements were sharp and precise.
Every taijutsu motion was clean and decisive.
Teizawa leaned against a wooden post at the edge of the field, arms folded.
He watched as Neji knocked his opponents down again and again.
Hinata stood beside Teizawa.
She secretly glanced at the side of his face.
Then quickly lowered her head again.
Neji-onii-san was in Sunagakure's ANBU.
This was the first time she had learned that.
She did not know why Teizawa had brought her here.
The training session came to an end.
Neji walked out from the field.
Sweat slid down his cheeks, and his breathing was still a little uneven.
But the moment he saw Teizawa, his gaze clearly darkened.
He came to a stop in front of him, first glancing at Hinata, then at Teizawa.
"Kazekage-sama."
His voice was cool and controlled, revealing no emotion.
Teizawa leaned against the wooden post and did not waste words.
"Have you thought it over?"
Neji's lashes trembled slightly.
Of course he knew what Teizawa was asking.
He knew what Teizawa was thinking.
He knew what Teizawa was waiting for.
Ever since the day he had left Konoha, this man had been waiting for his answer.
"You're trying to destroy the Hyūga clan."
His voice was very soft, soft enough to sound like a sigh.
But every word carried a heavy weight.
(End of Chapter)
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