After making two consecutive misjudgments, Shisui didn't dare approach Hyuga Kei again so easily.
That suited Kei just fine, it meant, at the very least, he'd earned himself a brief moment of peace.
Unfortunately, peace never lasted long.
Kei soon sensed someone else watching him in the shadows.
Even though Kakashi had disguised himself with a Transformation Jutsu, changed his appearance, and stationed himself far away, blending in as an ordinary vegetable vendor, Kei still picked up on him the moment he started probing near the clinic.
There was no helping it. Kei's sensory abilities had grown utterly absurd ever since losing his sight.
Still, Kei pretended not to notice. He figured this was likely another test from the Third Hokage.
Apparently, despite his fiery "Will of Fire" performance in front of Kakashi last time, it hadn't been convincing enough.
So be it.
If the Third wanted to send Kakashi to monitor him, that was fine. Kei welcomed it. After all, Kakashi was the successor to the Will of Fire, what was there to be afraid of?
In fact, Kei would have preferred if Kakashi had simply walked in and observed him face-to-face. That would've given him a perfect excuse to conduct a psychological consultation, and collect a reward from the system.
But sadly, Kakashi clearly thought his disguise was flawless.
He continued lurking silently, watching from afar.
That evening, the last patient left the clinic. Business for the day was winding down.
Typically, visitors after sunset were rare. Still, Kei kept the doors open into the night since he had nothing better to do.
And since he stayed, his assistant Haru also had to stay till the end.
But just as the sun dipped below the horizon, well before closing time, Haru suddenly said, "I have something to take care of. I need to step out."
"If you've got something to do, go ahead," Kei replied without missing a beat.
Haru nodded, placed the logbook and pen back on the desk, and left without another word.
Kei didn't think much of it. People had things come up, it was normal.
So, as usual, he kept the clinic open and waited.
Just as he was about to take a short break, the smell of alcohol drifted in from outside. It was followed by the slow, unsteady steps of someone approaching.
Kei's senses sharpened instantly.
The visitor was... special.
Why? Because they were a Hyuga.
It was the first time one of his own clan members had come in as a patient.
And judging by the heavy scent of alcohol and the sighs echoing faintly down the street, this particular clan member was not in a good place emotionally.
The picture quickly formed in Kei's mind: a middle-aged man, drinking away his frustrations, stumbling his way to the clinic in quiet misery.
Sure enough, the man entered, footsteps unsteady.
Kei welcomed him with his usual warm smile.
"Good evening. Do you need help with something?"
"It's you, Kei, right? They said you'd opened a clinic here…" the man muttered, struggling to stay upright.
"That's me. Uncle Mei, isn't it?" Kei said, offering an apologetic smile. "Sorry, I can only recognize people by their voices now."
"No problem," Hyuga Mei waved him off. "Word is you're some kind of genius psychologist. So I figured I'd come see for myself."
"Feeling troubled lately?" Kei picked up his logbook and pen, ready to jot down notes.
Mei shook his head slowly, trying to shake off the drunken haze. "Yeah… things haven't been great. My mood's been all over the place."
"What happened? Sometimes just talking it out can help. From a psychological standpoint, expressing your feelings is one of the best forms of release."
"Don't even get me started," Mei grumbled. "I don't know what's going on lately, but the main house decided to punish me…"
As Kei listened, the story became clear.
Apparently, years ago, Mei had voiced some dissatisfaction with the clan's main family. Those comments had resurfaced recently, and the main house had locked him up in confinement for it. Now, finally released, he'd turned to drink.
Kei noted the connection. It was likely tied to his own theory, the "Tall Poppy" principle he'd once proposed.
But… was that really all there was to it?
Kei wasn't convinced. He held off judgment and remained cautious.
"I'm sorry to hear that, Uncle Mei," he said after a pause. "But don't let it eat away at you. No hardship lasts forever."
"You just don't get it, Kei," Mei replied bitterly. He took another swig from his bottle. "The main house really went overboard this time. I just made one little complaint. Was that worth locking me up for so long?"
Before Kei could respond, Mei rambled on.
"You have no idea how many people got punished. Even young Master Neji almost got dragged into it. If the clan head hadn't stepped in, the elder might've gone through with it."
It was a string of intense, drunken complaints, typical of someone disillusioned with authority.
And yet, Kei remained calm. His expression didn't change; he offered no agreement and no commentary.
Instead, he gently tapped his cane and asked, "If I remember right, Uncle Mei, your son is Kō, isn't he? I heard he's about to graduate from the Academy. Doing quite well, too."
"…He is." Mei blinked, caught off guard by the sudden shift in topic. "How'd you know that?"
"Oh, I overheard some of the aunts and uncles talking. They said he's a diligent student," Kei replied, all smiles.
"Tch, that boy's nothing special," Mei grunted, then quickly shifted the subject. "But what about you? If anything's bothering you, just say the word. I'll speak up for you."
"I'm doing fine, really." Kei shook his head and deliberately raised his voice a little.
"Even though I have this issue with my eyes, the clan has treated me very well."
"You wouldn't believe it, Uncle. The elder even gave me some money to help with living expenses. Said I could go to him if I ever needed anything. Can you imagine that?"
"So really, Uncle, you shouldn't be so hard on the clan. We should focus on what we can do for them, not what they've done to us."
"After all, without the clan's protection, how would we have such a peaceful life?" Kei tilted his head and smiled. "Wouldn't you agree?"
Mei opened his mouth to respond, but before he could speak, Kei added:
"It's getting late. Maybe lay off the drinking and head home? Your family's probably worried."
Watching Kei's beaming face, Mei's hand trembled. The bottle nearly slipped from his grip.
"You little brat," he muttered, forcing a chuckle. Then, without another word, he stood and staggered out, disappearing around the corner.
The moment Kei confirmed he was gone, his smile vanished.
That had been close.
Hyuga Kō, Mei's son, wasn't a major figure in the original story, but he had one very important role: he was Hinata's personal bodyguard. During the Pain invasion, he stayed by her side and tried to stop her from charging into danger.
So for his father to suddenly show up at the clinic, claiming to be depressed and drunk?
The meaning was clear.
This had been a test, an obvious one, in hindsight, orchestrated by the main house.
If Kei had agreed with Mei's complaints and voiced any discontent with the clan, those words would've made their way to the elder's ears in no time.
Now even more alert, Kei made a mental note:
The elder, Hyuga Taihiro, clearly hadn't stopped monitoring him. Sending Haru wasn't enough, they were testing him through other means now.
And the timing of Haru's sudden "errand"?
Too convenient.
Clearly, she had been sent away deliberately. If she had been in the room, he never would've lowered his guard around Mei.
Just as Kei was thinking about Haru, she returned.
"Got everything done?" he asked with a calm tone
"Yes. All taken care of," she replied, moving to resume her duties without another word.
Kei yawned lazily.
"Mind making me a cup of tea? You really do have the best touch for it."
Haru hesitated, then silently walked to the side, made the tea, and handed it to him.
She was about to return to her usual spot when Kei's voice came again.
"Haru, my shoulder's been stiff lately. Could you give it a massage?"
Haru drew in a sharp breath. Her fists clenched.
"You're pushing it," she said through gritted teeth.
Kei feigned confusion. "Why are you so upset? Didn't you do this kind of thing back at the elder's estate?"
Her breathing grew heavier, but she didn't respond.
Kei smiled faintly.
"Now it's just a change of master, right? And in the future, you might serve even more people. Will you act like this with all of them too?"
"That's enough."
Her voice had lost its usual calm.
"Don't you dare use your so-called psychology on me. It won't work."
"I'm just making conversation," Kei said lightly. "As my assistant, communication is essential between us."
"Shut up!!!"
<150 P.S = 1 Extra Chapter>