Before she knew it, the school day was over. As agreed, Hime was to go to the clan's compound to train with her three grandfathers.
After school, Chiri naturally approached Hime.
It looked like he wanted to go home together, but the Uchiha clan's compound was in the opposite direction from Hime's home.
This situation was not right.
Looking at the gentle and natural expression on Chiri's face, Hime glanced at the boy following not far behind Chiri, who looked timid and eager to approach but also fearful of her.
Uchiha Yashiro.
She couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.
Today's young girls really had impressive methods.
"Hime, shall we go home together?"
"It's not on the way," Hime refused.
Hime didn't want to do that kind of thing where girls were good enough friends to hold hands and go to the bathroom together.
"It is on the way," Chiri said with a smile.
"Terrifying," Hime said, "Suit yourself."
There was nothing to pack; textbooks and everything were left in the desk. Hime simply stood up and left.
Chiri followed, and the two walked out of the Ninja Academy together, with Uchiha Yashiro trailing behind.
Without even looking back, Hime knew that boy was sneaking around.
It wasn't the attitude of a challenger.
It was more like a young boy experiencing his first crush.
He was being used.
Hime didn't mind such trivial matters.
She didn't say much to Chiri along the way.
It was Chiri, however, who eventually offered an explanation.
After Uchiha Yashiro had followed them for a few blocks and then left.
Chiri said, "Yashiro isn't a bad person, it's just that he's been pestering me a bit too much."
"Hmm, that's right," Hime said, "His mistake is being ugly."
"I don't like him; he's too childish and naive," Chiri said, "I hope he'll give up when he realizes the difficulty. I'll have to rely on you in the future, Hime."
"You can make him give up without resorting to this method," Hime said.
"What method do you have?" Chiri asked, "We can't be too cruel to him."
"Sometimes cruelty is kindness," Hime said, "In this situation, both he and you are uncomfortable."
"So?" Chiri asked.
"Just tell him clearly, 'You're too ugly, we're not a good match,'" Hime said.
He might even be provoked into awakening his Sharingan.
That would be a great thing.
"Only you," Chiri said with a helpless, bitter smile, "If only things were that simple."
"Otherwise, what can you do? Keep walking extra distance with me? What if he gets the idea and hope that you looked at him, that you smiled at him, that you have feelings for him, and never gives up?"
"Ah!" Chiri clearly hadn't thought that far. After all, she was young and lacked such life experience.
"Would that happen?" Chiri asked.
"Generally speaking, that's usually the case," Hime said, "Just like you think we're friends right now."
After hearing this, Chiri showed no embarrassment on her face and laughed, "Aren't we friends?"
"Are we?" Hime countered.
"You haven't rejected me," Chiri said, "So I assume you don't dislike me."
"See, that boy Yashiro thinks the same way," Hime said blandly.
"You have a point," Chiri nodded.
"Hime," Chiri then said, "Do you really dislike me?"
Hime didn't want to answer such a boring question.
"Do you really dislike me?" Chiri pressed.
"Do you really, really dislike me?" Chiri pressed further.
"As expected, Hime is very gentle."
A crisp laugh rang in Hime's ears.
"Aren't you going back? I'm going to train," Hime said.
"Train?" Chiri asked, "Does a genius like Hime also need to train hard?"
"Isn't that obvious? No one is born knowing everything," Hime said.
"Is that so?" Chiri said, "I always feel like Hime was born knowing everything."
To some extent, that was indeed true.
"Aren't you training?" Hime asked.
Chiri shook her head and said, "There's nothing much to practice. I learn it just by looking."
Oh, this... Sharingan is just too willful.
Hime still hadn't figured out how to use the three Earth Release she'd acquired yesterday, even after a whole night.
The situation was basically like this:
Brain: Ah, I got it.
Hand: No, you don't.
"Only you," Hime said.
"Is there anything you don't understand, like shuriken? I can teach you," Chiri said, "Do you want to learn how to throw curved shuriken?"
"Such a technique that sounds incredibly difficult, I think I'll pass," Hime said.
It's hilarious, she'd never learn it.
"Is there anything troubling you then?" Chiri asked.
"No, not at all," Hime replied.
She'd learn it with practice; the learning of Ninjutsu itself was an accumulation of experience.
In contrast to Hime's situation, with the cheat of Sharingan, the situation should be like this:
Brain: Ah, I don't seem to know this yet.
Hand: No, you do.
Hime didn't think Chiri could teach her anything.
"Honestly, let me repay you," Chiri said.
"No need," Hime said indifferently.
"How about I treat you to some food?"
Hime stopped walking.
"Are you rich?"
"I have a little bit, I guess," Chiri said.
"Let's go."
Training could be done anytime.
Seize the day was Hime's motto.
Moreover, Hime never actively asked Yumi for money. Yumi would give Hime pocket money and New Year's money, but it was the normal amount for a child.
Hime's spending habits were far from normal, so she was often short on cash.
Hime turned and walked away.
Chiri followed with a smile.
Insect Sister, who was herding insects in the woods, was sent by Hime to wait at the clan's compound.
The three old men waited and waited, but Hime didn't show up. Before long, they started raging.
It was mainly the hot-tempered Shiyū old man who was throwing a tantrum.
On the other side, Hime and Chiri sat side by side on the riverbank, leisurely watching the sunset.
Each held a grilled river fish, with a bowl of Anko soup beside them.
Far away, a white-haired boy was catching fish in the river.
It was Jiraiya.
"This is what life is about. Ninja Academy and all that, it's exhausting."
Gnawing on the grilled river fish, Hime nodded at the remark.
"Aren't you going to take off your mask, Hime?" Chiri asked curiously.
"Never," Hime only lifted her mask to reveal her mouth. She looked at Chiri's cute, flushed cheeks in the sunset and said, "Appearance is irrelevant."
"What a shame," Chiri said, "It's rare to make a friend, but not knowing what she looks like, don't you find that strange?"
Hime raised her sleeve to wipe her mouth and said, "I'm starting to not want to make troublesome friends like you."
"I'm troublesome?" Chiri asked curiously.
"Yes, extremely troublesome, mainly because your surname is Uchiha," Hime said meaningfully.
"Everyone in the Village dislikes the Uchiha," Chiri said with a hint of sadness, "Even though I like everyone so much."
"You'll understand later," Hime said, "Some people aren't worth liking."
"Hime is definitely worth liking," Chiri said, "You have the same eyes as me."
"I don't have a Sharingan."
"No, not those kind of eyes."
"It's eyes that like everyone."
"Your eyesight is very good?" Hime said, "You can see something like that?"
"I can see it. You don't dislike Hiruko, nor Jiraiya," Chiri said, "Everyone in class dislikes them."
"I think there's something wrong with your eyes."
Hiruko was truly miserable. Because he was too cute, boys disliked him for being effeminate, and girls hated him for being cuter than them.
Jiraiya, on the other hand, was purely a troublemaker by nature.
Being an orphan, he craved attention due to loneliness, and thus would do thoughtless, annoying things.
Such as pulling girls' hair.
However, Jiraiya wasn't stupid. Getting beaten by Tsunade was painful but pleasurable; getting beaten by Hime was just painful with no pleasure.
Although Jiraiya had never tried to tease Hime, he always kept his distance from her.
In the distance, Jiraiya saw the two girls by the river. After hesitating for a moment, he abandoned his fish-catching and turned to run ashore and escape.
That boy.
Hime had never beaten him, so why was he afraid?
Gnawing on the grilled fish, Hime's lips curled into a smile.
But, liking everyone?
Hime simply cherished her childhood memories.
So, she would silently watch.
Sitting on the riverbank, Hime dangled her short legs.
The two chatted idly, on and off.
"Let's call it a day."
Hime finished the last of her grilled fish in a few bites, sucked her fingers, and put her mask back on.
"Let's play together next time," Chiri suggested for next time.
"Depends on the situation," Hime said.
"Then it's a date," Chiri said with a gentle smile.
This guy didn't listen to what people said.
She seemed gentle and soft, but she was quite strong-willed deep down.
Hime glanced at Chiri, neither refusing nor answering, and waved goodbye before leaving.
Chiri smiled and waved back.
The old men must be stomping their feet in impatience by now.
On the way, Hime thought of this but wasn't in a hurry.
She glanced at a Shinobi uncle on the roadside, holding an injured large dog and looking anxious.
"Taro! How did you get hurt!? Who did this!? Damn it!"
Ah, it was someone from the Inuzuka Clan.
This dog looked a little familiar.
"Woof woof~" The big dog whimpered pitifully.
Hime walked past, ignoring them.
I don't know anything.
As Hime passed, the big dog nervously tucked its tail between its legs.
It whimpered even more softly and pitifully.
"Taro! What's wrong with you! Taro!"
Insect Sister had her scent on her, so the dog must have smelled it.
Walking behind the Shinobi uncle, Hime turned, looked at the nervous big dog, and made a throat-slitting gesture of threat.
The big dog quieted, lay down, and lowered its head, not daring to look at Hime.
Seeing this, Hime nodded in satisfaction and turned to leave.
What a pleasant and peaceful day it was.