"You're not going to get anywhere!"
Itsuki's voice came from behind Hinata, startling her.
Hinata immediately hid behind the wooden training post, quietly poking her head out to see who it was.
Itsuki wasn't wearing his Anbu mask today.
Instead, he was dressed casually—black undershirt, blue short-sleeved shirt layered on top, and cropped brown pants.
At first glance, he looked fresh, sunny, and handsome.
Whose handsome guy just wandered into the training ground?
"I-Itsuki-kun!" Hinata stammered, her face flushing pink as though she'd been caught doing something bad.
This girl was still so timid.
Itsuki spread his hands. "You don't have to be so scared of me, right? It's not like we just met yesterday."
"N-No, no! It's not that," Hinata quickly explained, her voice thin and shaky. "I… um… actually, I just… get nervous easily."
Especially when it came to being alone with the opposite sex. And when that person was someone like Itsuki? Forget it. Her heart couldn't keep up.
In this world, there were only two people who made Hinata feel like this.
Naruto… and now Itsuki.
Hinata knew she was a coward. Naruto's strength and unyielding character had always been something she admired from afar.
She wanted to be like him but never had the courage to take a step forward.
So she kept watching him silently. Until Itsuki appeared.
At Hinata's age, she didn't fully understand what love between men and women was. What she felt was closer to yearning.
Naruto represented strength. Itsuki represented power.
If she could stay close to Itsuki, maybe she could gain strength too—and change herself.
At least, that was what Hinata believed.
She didn't want to be a coward anymore.
"So," Itsuki tilted his head, "do you actually want to change this personality of yours?"
Hinata's shoulders trembled. She whispered nervously, but with expectation, "C-Can I?"
"If you listen to me, I can't promise you'll become some social butterfly, but at least you won't be hiding behind trees and posts forever." Itsuki smiled faintly. He already had some ideas.
"I-I believe you!" Hinata's face lit up—only to freeze again. "But… um… what do those things mean? Social… butterfly? Social… phobia?"
She had caught the words but not the meaning.
Itsuki gave her a quick, simple explanation, then said, "Alright, let's start small. First step—don't shrink back when something happens. Even if you instinctively want to, force yourself to correct it immediately. So now—walk out from behind that post, stand in front of me, and keep calm."
Hinata swallowed hard, then took tiny, hesitant steps forward until she was standing in front of him.
But calmness? That was easier said than done.
The instant she met Itsuki's eyes, her nerves spiked and she almost bolted.
But Itsuki caught her hand and held her in place.
"Deep breath. Empty your head. I'm not a monster—you don't have to be scared of me." His voice was steady, coaxing.
He wasn't sure why Hinata was reacting to him the same way she did to Naruto in the original timeline.
Still, while it was cute, he couldn't let her stay this skittish forever.
Hinata's face burned red as she was forced to stay put. Her brain felt like it was flooding with heat.
But she remembered her goal, and slowly followed Itsuki's guidance.
After a while, she managed to calm down.
She still felt shy when looking at Itsuki, but at least she wasn't about to sprint away anymore.
"See? Lots of things look impossible until you take the first step. Then you realize it's not so bad." Itsuki smiled, resting one hand on her shoulder while holding her gaze.
Hinata's eyes still flickered uncertainly, but she was holding it together.
"Y-Yes!" Hinata nodded, her voice soft but filled with joy.
She had noticed the difference too, so she asked quickly, "Then… what should I do next?"
Itsuki thought for a moment. "Let's start by changing the way you speak."
"M-My… way of speaking?" Hinata tilted her head in confusion.
"Yeah. Your voice is always too soft. Raise it by at least two levels. Don't pause mid-sentence. And stop using words like 'maybe,' 'possibly,' or 'should.' Say things directly."
Seeing how serious he was, Hinata got nervous again. "B-But, I—"
"Stop." Itsuki raised a brow. "What did I just say? Take a breath, then say what you mean in one go. And mind your volume."
Hinata clenched her little fists. She didn't understand why, but she had already promised to listen.
She squeezed her eyes shut and shouted.
The voice was louder, yes, but—
"Better, but keep your eyes open and look at the person you're talking to." Itsuki corrected her again.
Hinata took a deep breath. She opened her eyes, steeling herself.
But the pressure made her Byakugan flare on instinct. Her veins bulged at her temples as she accidentally glared at Itsuki.
Then she shouted in one breath:
"I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY YOU'RE MAKING ME DO THIS!"
Itsuki froze. For a moment, even he was startled.
Then he broke into a grin, patting her head. "Perfect. That's the spirit. Keep doing that, no matter who you're talking to. As for why—you'll understand soon enough. Oh, and maybe dial down the eyes. I'm not your enemy."
"H-Huh?" Hinata blinked, then realized she had accidentally activated her Byakugan.
She quickly retracted it, flustered. "S-Sorry…"
"You forgot again?" Itsuki gave her a look.
"S-Sorry! I won't mess up again!" Hinata straightened herself quickly.
"That's better." Itsuki's gaze swept over her with approval. "I'll let it slide this time. But if you slip up again, I'll have to think of a punishment… maybe something interesting."
The slightly wicked curve of his lips made Hinata shiver.
I-Is Itsuki-kun planning to make me do something weird?
For a moment, she questioned if agreeing to this "training" was too hasty.
"Hey! You're here early, Hinata! And—Itsuki? Why are you here too?"
Kiba arrived, his whole body wrapped in bandages, with Akamaru limping beside him in matching wrappings.
Itsuki raised an eyebrow. "You were messed up so badly yesterday, and you can walk around already?"
"Tch!" Kiba puffed his chest and waved his arm—only to wince. "Don't underestimate me. That little injury—ah, shit, that hurts!"
"You should've stayed in the hospital a few more days."
Shino appeared silently beside him, his voice as calm and sharp as always. "Do you want to know why? Because moving around will only slow your recovery."
Even Itsuki hadn't sensed him until he spoke, and Kiba almost jumped out of his skin.
"Stop nagging, Shino! I'm not that fragile!" Kiba bared his teeth in annoyance. "Besides, if you're all training here, how could I be the only one lying in bed?"
Deep down, he was furious.
Not only had he made multiple embarrassing mistakes on their last mission, but in the end, he was the only one who had to be hospitalized.
Unacceptable.
...
Author's Note
I've created a second Webnovel account under the name Shadow_demon_007A2.
So far, I've already posted 9 different fanfics, including works from:
High School DxD, Shin Chan, Dragon Ball, Marvel, Ben 10, Pokémon, and Versatile Mage, with more on the way.
If you enjoy my stories, please visit the new account, give your support, and add the novels to your library—it really helps a lot.
Thank you for reading and supporting my work!
— Shadow_demon_007