Chapter 43: Hinata's Resting Place
After Hiashi sat down, he didn't rush to order, but instead observed for a good while.
He discovered that his eldest daughter, who was usually timid and submissive, had changed ever since entering this place.
Although she was still shy, the tension that originated from her very bones had vanished.
When she secretly looked up at Haruko, the light in her eyes was bright—a look he had never seen at home.
"You are Haruko?" Hiashi initiated the conversation.
"Yes." Haruko replied neither humbly nor arrogantly, or perhaps it was more that he didn't really want to be bothered.
"Hinata comes here often." Hiashi was stating a fact, but it also sounded like an interrogation.
Haruko glanced at Hinata, who was so nervous she was practically smoking: "Yeah, a regular."
"Why?"
"Because..." Hinata interjected from the side, "Because the ramen here is delicious..."
Hiashi turned his head to stare into his daughter's eyes: "Just because the ramen is delicious?"
As the eldest daughter of the Hyuga main family, what hadn't she eaten? Why would she have a special fondness for this kind of commoner Ramen Shop?
Hinata lowered her head, blushing, but her eyes couldn't help but glance toward Haruko.
Hiashi turned to look at Haruko: "She comes here often because of you."
Haruko thought for a moment and replied: "Perhaps it's because I can let her eat her fill here."
"Eat her fill? What do you mean?" Hiashi frowned, emitting a dangerous aura, looking as if he wouldn't let this go unless it was explained clearly.
"Exactly what it sounds like." Haruko didn't care about Hiashi's pressure at all and turned to Hinata: "Hinata, the usual?"
Hinata cautiously glanced at her father and whispered: "Yes... four " ichiraku deluxe set meal's, and four bowls of miso ramen."
"How many?" Hiashi widened his eyes, looking at his daughter who wasn't even as tall as the stove. Although he didn't know what an ichiraku deluxe set meal was, he at least understood there were four bowls of ramen.
"Coming right up, four ichiraku deluxe set meals! Four miso bowls!"
Haruko called out, then explained to Hiashi while preparing the skewers:
"The ichiraku deluxe set meal is our shop's signature set, including a bowl of ramen, a serving of pan-fried dumplings, five skewers, and a cup of mung bean smoothie. Would you like one too, Lord Hiashi?"
"Just get me the same as hers..." Hiashi replied in a daze, seemingly not yet recovered from the shock.
"The usual is... she always...?" Hiashi turned his head stiffly to look at Hinata.
"Yeah. Sometimes when she's tired from training, she even adds a bit more."
Hinata buried her head even lower, her fingers almost shredding the corner of her clothes, but she didn't refute it.
"Hinata, you..."
"I-I'm sorry!" Hinata stood up abruptly and bowed deeply, "I-I didn't mean to hide it!"
Hiashi finally realized.
So his daughter had been pretending to have a normal appetite at home, but in reality, she was never eating her fill. No wonder she had always been so thin and weak.
And the reason her physical fitness had improved so quickly these past few years was because she was secretly supplementing her nutrition outside.
"You child..." Hiashi said, laughing bitterly, "Why don't you eat your fill at home?"
"Because, because..." Hinata stammered, unable to speak.
"Because the eldest daughter of the main family must maintain her etiquette." Haruko spoke for Hinata, "Eating too much would cause people to gossip."
Hiashi fell silent.
He suddenly realized that he, as a father, understood his daughter less than an outsider did.
"So, you come here often because he lets you eat your fill?"
Hinata nodded, her voice as small as a mosquito's: "Yun... Brother Haruko never laughs at me... and he even... helps me add more noodles..."
The set meal was quickly served.
In Hiashi's shocked gaze, Hinata pressed her hands together, said "I'm going to eat," and then began to feast.
There was no dining etiquette, nor was there her usual restraint. She ate with great gusto, her cheeks puffed out, her face overflowing with a pure sense of satisfaction.
That was the feeling of "being alive."
Hiashi suddenly understood.
His daughter's feelings for this person were not just as simple as getting a full meal.
Here, in front of this young man named Haruko, she was not the eldest daughter of the Hyuga main family, just a little girl with a slightly large appetite.
No need to pretend, no need to suppress, no need to care about the gazes of others.
So that was it.
The so-called "fullness" was not just of the stomach, but also of the heart.
Hiashi took a deep breath and looked at Haruko: "Thank you for taking care of Hinata."
"It's no trouble at all. Compared to that, it won't taste good once it gets cold. Lord Hiashi, you'd better eat while it's hot."
Hiashi's mouth twitched. This guy really didn't care about his status...
But perhaps it was precisely this indifferent attitude that made Hinata feel relaxed.
Hiashi silently finished the set meal in front of him.
The taste was good, and the portion was generous.
When leaving to pay the bill, Hiashi took a deep look at Haruko.
This Haruko, who looked like he was only in his teens, was neither humble nor arrogant toward him, and didn't even change his expression in the face of his pressure. He was destined for greatness in the future.
It was just this lazy demeanor... but that wasn't a big problem; once he took on responsibilities and had pressure, he would naturally change.
He was still better than his own eldest daughter.
Although Hinata was diligent, her personality was too soft, and her talent wasn't high. He even had thoughts of bypassing the eldest and establishing the younger one.
He looked again at Feng, who was cleaning up the bowls and chopsticks on the side; the other person had been watching with a smile from start to finish, with absolutely no intention of interrupting.
As for the clan leader candidate and the internal affairs of the Kaguya Clan, it wasn't his place as an outsider to interfere.
But Hinata's association with Haruko, giving his daughter a place where she could relax, was not a bad thing.
Even...
Sending off the father and daughter, Haruko glanced at the door and stretched: "Finally gone... When the Third Elder reads this intelligence, his expression will definitely be very interesting."
As soon as the two entered the door, an unremarkable man followed right behind them. When the two paid, the man also got up and left shortly after.
Even with his eyes closed, Haruko could tell he was here to monitor, but he didn't intend to do anything about it.
As long as they didn't cause trouble, he could still live his life.
As for what the Third Hokage thought or what Hiashi thought, it didn't stop him from lying flat; let them think what they wanted.
Hokage Office.
The Third Hokage looked at the intelligence report submitted by the Anbu, looking completely bewildered.
He recognized every word on it, but when put together, he couldn't understand it.
"What do you mean Hinata Hyuga doesn't get enough to eat at home? What do you mean Hiashi Hyuga only found out today that his daughter doesn't get enough to eat? Have you been hit by a genjutsu?"
It wasn't until the Anbu recited the conversation at the Ramen Shop word for word that the Third Hokage threw the report on the desk with a bitter smile.
"What kind of business is this... Forget it, continue monitoring. Also, keep today's matter to yourself."
"Yes!"
After the Anbu left, the Third Hokage looked at that bizarre report again.
Haruko, it's Haruko again. This name has been appearing frequently lately.
Uchiha, Hyuga, Nara, Akimichi, Jinchuriki, Kaguya Clan...
Although he is a commoner, he has already established good relationships with many clan heirs or important figures.
"Perhaps I should also see this child with my own eyes."
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