The weather was getting colder, a sign that winter was approaching.
Shinji couldn't help but put on an extra layer of clothing. What was particularly unfortunate was that Ayari no longer wore skirts, so he couldn't see her long legs anymore.
The two of them were shopping at the market together, with Shinji following behind her carrying bags and feeling contemplative.
"Shinji, do you know how to cook eggplant?"
"Yes."
"What about fish?"
"Yes."
"How do you know how to cook everything?"
Ayari suddenly turned around, holding an eggplant in one hand and a still-wriggling fish in the other.
"Then, shall we have these two for dinner tonight?" she asked with a smile.
"Sure," Shinji replied with a faint smile.
The fish vendor quickly cleaned the fish and put it in a bag. Shinji carried all the bags containing ingredients and seasonings.
Ayari was quite relaxed.
She ran to a street vendor and bought two cans of soda. She opened one for herself and took a drink, making a satisfied sound.
She tossed the other can to Shinji, forgetting that his hands were full and he couldn't catch it. By the time she realized this, the soda was already airborne.
"Shinji, watch out!"
The soda flew straight toward Shinji's head. A metal can full of liquid could easily leave a big bump if it hit.
But just as the can was about to hit his forehead, it seemed to encounter some invisible barrier and dropped straight down into the bag he was carrying.
Ayari was amazed at what she saw. "What just happened?"
Shinji explained, "Just some chakra control techniques. If you want to learn, call me sensei and I can teach you."
Ayari rolled her eyes at him. "In your dreams."
She turned around and continued walking ahead, holding her soda can contentedly.
Sometimes she would carefully step on the pavement tiles, sometimes she would skip and hop, humming a tune and spinning around as if dancing.
It was a shame she wasn't wearing a skirt, the sight would have been beautiful.
"Shinji."
"Hmm?"
"Do you know what it feels like to be married?"
"Ah, the mundane things of life."
Ayari chuckled. "You little brat, are you pretending to be an all knowing sage right now?"
Shinji didn't argue. He simply said, "If you knew I don't understand, why ask?"
Ayari smiled without saying anything further, her gaze fixed on the distant horizon as she walked slowly.
After thinking for a moment, Shinji asked, "Do you want to get married?"
Ayari turned to look at him again. "I'm getting married soon."
"To Lord Hizashi?"
Ayari laughed. "Who else could it be? You perhaps?"
Shinji nodded. "Sure, I wouldn't mind."
Ayari gave him a look of disdain. "As if a little brat like you could marry me."
Shinji continued, "Lord Hiashi and Lady Ayano aren't married yet."
Ayari replied, "That's why I need to get married before them, so that Hizashi's and my children can protect the future main family."
After saying this, she looked ahead again, seeming somewhat melancholic.
Shinji suddenly remembered what Hizashi had told him that day in the hospital.
The brothers Hizashi and Hiashi had grown up together with the sisters Ayari and Ayano. Although their fates were different, their bond should be quite deep.
"Do you want to get married?"
"Why are you asking the same question?" Ayari laughed.
"You didn't answer before."
"There's no question of wanting or not wanting. This was decided long ago."
Ayari continued walking as she spoke.
"Lord Takaguya suddenly told Hizashi and me yesterday that we should prepare for our wedding."
In the Hyuga clan, to maintain the purity of their bloodline, marriages were typically arranged within the clan.
For those of special status, marriage decisions were made directly by the clan.
Moreover, with the declining population in the Hyuga clan, there was an even greater need to produce offspring.
Ayari suddenly turned her head to look at Shinji, who was already watching her. She smiled and asked, "What's wrong?"
Shinji replied, "Nothing. I just don't want you to get married."
Ayari laughed, then fell silent for a moment before saying with a light chuckle, "I don't think Natsu has any interest in Kaito, so you still have a good chance. You should seize the opportunity."
"By the way, have you finished those books? If so, I can find more for you."
"Yes."
"Let's head home. I'm getting hungry. I want to taste your cooking again."
"Alright."
After finishing her soda, Ayari tossed the empty can into a nearby trash bin.
Walking ahead, she began to feel uncomfortable, sensing that Shinji was watching her from behind, though she hadn't felt this way earlier.
Yet whenever she glanced back from the corner of her eye, she found Shinji's gaze fixed quietly on the setting sun in the distance.
…
Nightfall.
Shinji had finished dinner and was preparing to rest when Hizashi arrived at his door.
"Lord Hizashi, what brings you here so late?"
Since their conversation at the hospital, Shinji had stopped pretending to be respectful toward Hizashi in private.
Subi, sitting on the sofa, was also watching this unfamiliar man.
"Ayari and I are getting married soon," Hizashi said.
"I know."
"My marriage was arranged long ago. It's not something I can control," Hizashi continued.
"Did Lord Hizashi come specifically to explain something to me?" Shinji asked with a faint smile. "I'm truly flattered."
Hizashi frowned slightly and said, "That day... I really am grateful for what you said to me."
"Grateful that I let you stay in your cage?"
"Being in this cage... is still better than being a stray dog," Hizashi said slowly. This self-deprecating attitude caught Shinji somewhat by surprise.
Shinji walked to the sofa and sat down, gesturing to the space beside him.
Hizashi sat down and watched as the young man poured him some water.
He couldn't help but ask, "Shinji, do you hate this system?"
Shinji placed the tea in front of Hizashi and replied indifferently, "Did I ever say that?"
Hizashi frowned. "Don't you want to break free from these shackles?"
"I already have."
"You've only escaped from one cursed seal, but the main family still exists. Sooner or later, they'll brand you with the Caged Bird seal again!"
"When that time comes, I'll have my own methods."
"You..."
Seeing Hizashi struggling for words, Shinji asked in return, "Does Lord Hizashi hate this system?"
Hizashi replied without hesitation, "Of course I..."
But after uttering just a few words, he stopped abruptly. If he truly hated the system, why had he previously coveted the position in the main family so eagerly?
Saying such things in front of Shinji now would only make him seem ridiculous.
He sat there in silence for a long while, then suddenly picked up the cup and drank all the water in one go.
Hizashi let out a heavy sigh and said, "Shinji, you see right through me."
"I hate my father. Despite my brother and I being born from the same mother, he gave everything to my brother.
"I hate my brother. He has no brotherly affection in his heart! He's perfectly content to treat me as his servant!
"I don't hate the system itself. I only hate that I have no freedom! If I were in the main family's position, I truly wouldn't change anything.
"But the reality is that I'm not in the main family. I'm from the branch family, so I must find ways to change everything!"
By the end of his speech, Hizashi's expression had become somewhat ferocious.
Shinji listened calmly and replied, "That's a surprising answer, Lord Hizashi."
To speak so openly about his dark thoughts and desires…this, this was an act of surrender.
Or rather, it was submission to Orochimaru, who would soon succeed as Hokage, standing behind Shinji.
Hizashi, however, didn't want to waste time on useless talk and said directly, "Shinji, I know you have great ambitions. You definitely want to change everything, don't you? You definitely want to reorganize this clan, don't you?
"Shinji, let's do this together! I can help in whatever you and Lord Orochimaru want to do.
"As long as I can break free from these shackles, whether it's Ayari or Natsu, or the position in the main family—everything is yours!"
Shinji remained unmoved by this offer and even thought Hizashi was being foolish.
Even without Hizashi saying so, what belonged to Shinji will always belong to him.
"Since Lord Hizashi is so sincere, why not prove your loyalty first?"