For a while after that, Shiraishi often saw Ayane living alone and isolated at school.
She suddenly lost her friends and her desire to live, her eyes vacant, like a walking corpse.
Perhaps this was the true life of a 'slave'.
It was likely she would never escape this shadow for the rest of her life.
Shiraishi didn't know what it felt like for a girl who yearned for freedom to be defined as a 'slave' by her closest kin.
But it must have been filled with unimaginable despair and pain.
After that day, Ayane's grades plummeted. Her homeroom teacher, Fujimura Taiga, didn't scold her; he could only offer her some insignificant comfort and encouragement, telling her to focus on her studies and not overthink anything.
Although he wanted to help his student, the traditions of the Hyuga clan would not be changed by a mere school teacher like him.
Fujimura Taiga understood this very well and knew that seeking help from the Third Hokage for such matters would also be fruitless.
These prominent families in Konoha Village were like small villages within the village.
Many of Konoha's rules did not apply to their internal affairs.
Shiraishi, however, saw things very clearly.
Words of comfort were useless to Ayane.
She needed guidance from another perspective.
Mental wounds could only be healed with mental medicine.
◎
Tormenting one's body with pain has always been a good remedy for mental numbness.
Only by using this physical pain could Ayane feel that she was truly alive now.
She was still a person, not 'livestock' raised by her family.
She didn't understand the meaning of her family's traditions, nor did she want to, nor was she willing to understand.
Even though the adults kept trying to explain to her that implanting the 'Caged Bird' cursed seal on her was for her own good and for the continuation of the family's legacy.
Her sacrifices were not meaningless; they were valuable.
If that were the case, why didn't the main family members make the sacrifices? Ayane's mind was constantly filled with such questions.
The more she thought this way, the more Ayane felt an overwhelming desire to destroy all dark emotions.
Her hatred also began to intensify.
Harboring such hatred and anger, her fair and gentle face became somewhat distorted, revealing a hint of ferocity, losing its former gentleness.
She attacked the wooden stake with the Hyuga clan's Gentle Fist. Gradually, as she struck, her Gentle Fist technique also changed, losing all the proper forms of Gentle Fist. Instead, she simply used her fists to vent her frustration on the stake, becoming fierce and rigid.
Even when her fists were bruised and bleeding, and the pain was relentless, she showed no sign of stopping.
Rather, using this pain to distract herself from her mental numbness was exactly what she wanted.
After a while, she stopped this self-destructive way of venting, squatted beside the wooden stake, hugged her knees, and bowed her head, her long black hair covering her face. Only faint sobs could be heard.
The sun was setting, and the forest was enveloped in twilight.
It was almost dark.
The air in the woods also grew colder.
Dark green leaves fell on Ayane's shoulders, but she continued to sob softly.
—Suddenly, at that moment, light, slow footsteps echoed through the dim forest, making her abruptly stop crying.
"So you were hiding here. But this place is indeed perfect for licking one's wounds alone."
Ayane was very familiar with this voice, which made her involuntarily look up at the person approaching.
It was her deskmate—Chiba Shiraishi.
A truly ordinary person.
A commoner, unremarkable grades, a middle-of-the-road student.
That was all he was.
Although their relationship had been relatively harmonious before, she was not in the mood to deal with an unrelated outsider like him now.
"Why are you here?"
She didn't address him with the gentle 'Shiraishi-kun' as she used to; instead, her voice became stiff and unfamiliar.
Ayane was confused as to why Shiraishi would be there, but she felt a sense of being spied upon, of having a secret discovered, which made her very angry.
"There are many reasons, but mostly I was drawn by the hatred and anger in your heart. I am actually just like you."
Shiraishi's face showed a meaningful smile.
"Just like me?"
Ayane was stunned, not understanding what Shiraishi was saying.
Shiraishi stepped out of the darkness, his calm black eyes carrying a faint smile:
"Yes, I am like you, a part of this twisted and unknowingly boring village. Even the most insignificant part, commonly known as a lowly being whose fate is controlled by others."
Ayane's breath hitched.
Shiraishi's ordinary image suddenly transformed into that of a stranger in her mind.
It was as if she was getting to know her deskmate all over again.
Was he expressing dissatisfaction and hostility towards the village?
Why would he think that?
But as Shiraishi said this, Ayane, for some reason, felt a sudden surge of resonant satisfaction in her heart.
"You're confused, aren't you?"
Shiraishi asked with another smile.
Confused?
Confused about what?
Facing Shiraishi's inexplicable question, Ayane frowned, a hint of wariness appearing in her pure white eyes.
"Are you already feeling inferior?"
As soon as Shiraishi uttered this sentence, Ayane's chest was instantly filled with a strong killing intent.
This sentence had stung her personality and self-esteem.
All the negative emotions surged into her heart, making Ayane lose her rationality in an instant. Her figure swiftly rushed towards Shiraishi, powerfully striking his body with her fist.
Shiraishi smiled slightly. Ayane, dominated by anger and having lost her composure, her attacks had become weak and easily subdued, completely without any proper form.
"There's no need to be on guard against this level of attack," Shiraishi thought to himself.
So, he caught Ayane's swinging fist, then counterattacked, pressing her entire body against a nearby tree, preventing her from moving an inch.
The situation was reversed in an instant.
Perhaps the defeat was too sudden, so Ayane was completely stunned.
She had not anticipated such a result at all.
"Have you been hiding your strength all this time? Why would you do that?"
Ayane, having recovered, asked this question.
"What could it be? But before we explore that question, how about we talk about your matters first?"
Shiraishi said unhurriedly with a gentle voice.
"Hmph, what would a commoner like you understand? Don't make me laugh."
Ayane said with a voice that sounded like she wanted to bite Shiraishi's throat.
What would a commoner, who was nothing, understand?
She had been branded with the 'Caged Bird' seal, and everything in her future life would be controlled and planned by those high-and-mighty main family members.
Her so-called freedom and dignity had been mercilessly stripped away from now on.
Whenever she saw the arrogant expressions of superiority on the faces of the main family members, she felt an urge to trample that arrogance underfoot.
To make them also experience the humiliation and despair of having their dignity and freedom toyed with.