Hinata woke up early, at 3AM on the dot. She got out of the bed, shaking herself loose and began to do yoga stretches, making sure she was properly nimble for whatever laid ahead.
She had this feverish excitement that was bubbling up that wouldn't settle, no matter how much she tried.
Naturally, as a Hyūga, she had been brought up to be composed, reserved. Besides being a "shinobi" clan, the Hyūga were businessmen and women at heart. And sure they had some shinobi among them, but the rest had their hands in various business ventures as well as being merchants themselves - and you had to have a strong poker face.
"Sharks lurk at every corner sniffing for blood, you need to show not a single wound." Her father had instructed then fully believing at the time she'd be his heir to the firm, and while not in business, she thought the principal made sense to apply to being a kunoichi.
But she just couldn't wipe the bright grin from her face.
Her first day as a kunoichi. Not only that, under what seemed to be a competent shinobi.
'What more could I possibly ask for?' She thought, stepping out of the bath and wrapping herself in a cotton towel.
Becoming a kunoichi hadn't been easy - forget the academy, she was talking about her father. He was a businessman who owned a logistics firm, with dozens of wagons, equal proportions of horses, several warehouses and contracts with the capital of Hi no Kuni. His eldest daughter becoming a shinobi hadn't been in the plans.
So, being the businessman he was, he made her a deal. She could join the academy, but if, for any reason at all, her grades deviated from the leaderboard she'd rescind from being a kunoichi and go to the capital to actually learn the "important" stuff.
As she tied her combat boots and adjusted her knee padding, she gave a final glance to the clock. 03:49.
If she jogged, she'd still have more than enough time to get over to Midori District.
Just as she was about to leave the house, she found her father sitting in the dining room, a fresh pot of herbal tea already brewed. The dining room was open plan, and near the entrance of the house, there was no way she would exit without seeing or speaking to the man.
"Oto-sama, good morning, I wasn't expecting to see you up so early." She said, giving a light bow.
"I have a lot of responsibilities that need tending, and they don't much care what time of day I tend to them." He replied patiently, "Today is your first day, correct?" He asked.
"Hai." She just barely managed to control the twitch in her face that threatened a smile.
"... I see." He was quiet for a moment, sipping his tea before continuing. "I hope you have not forgotten our wager."
Her brow lifted, her heart skipping the slightest of beats. "Wager, oto-sama?" She inquired, her eyes trying to find even the smallest micro-expression on her fathers face.
He simply continued to sip his tea, placing the cup down onto the saucer. "Don't tell me you've forgotten already... Maintain a high performance record or rescind yourself as kunoichi, after all, if you want to pursue your hearts desires, you best prove to be the pinnacle of your field, no?" He asked, though she knew the question had been rhetorical.
She couldn't help her eyes widening, she took a step forward, placing a hand over her chest, "But, I've... oto-sama I've already qualified as a kunoichi!" She hadn't meant to yell, but her surprise made her unable to suppress her reaction.
"You are one because I permit it!" He snapped shortly, "Never forget that! I am your father, more so I am your clan head, and I will personally see to your shinobi ID revoked if you don't aim for the top position. Did you think you could now coast because you graduated the academy? No, now is the time - especially - where you should live up to the Hyūga name. Am I understood?" He asked, though his tone of voice made his question feel more like a demand for confirmation than anything.
After a beat, she'd stepped back, lowering her head, "Hai, Clan Head" She whispered bitterly.
She looked at the clock that was in the living room across the dining room - 04:19.
Without saying goodbye, she'd made way to the exit. If she'd ran, she could still make it by the skin of her teeth. She couldn't focus, she just had to move.
Shoya sat casually on the porch, looking out at his yard, it was several acres of well maintained grass and one large tree in the corner.
He placed a menthol cigarette between his lips, and holding a small flame to it. Inhaling the toxic smoke and letting it marinate in his lungs before releasing it in a slow exhale.
"Kami dude, seriously?" A female voice asked, stepping out onto the porch. "The sun's not even up yet and you're already tryna smoke me out." She sounded annoyed, plopping down next to him wearing nothing but an oversized shirt and a pair of boxers.
"..." He had a flat expression on his face, "I'm sorry, who got kicked out of their apartment and needs a place to crash?"
She looked offended, huffing as she turned her back to him, her purple-ish hair wild. "Way to throw it back in my face Sho-chan, and here I thought our bond meant something."
Shoya rubbed his forehead with his non-dominant hand as he gave an exasperated sigh, "Anko, we're twenty-seven now, at which point are you gonna leave that nickname behind?" He questioned. "And our bond did mean something until you decided to bring back your little boy toy and clear out half my sake collection."
She gave a sheepish grin, hand scratching the back of her head, "I said sorry about that, and which boy toy are we even talking about?"
"How do you not even know which boy toy? You drank half a bottle of my smoked maple, that costs thirty thousand Ryo per bottle, with him!"
She grabbed his carton of cigarettes, placing one in her mouth, "Excuse me for having an active sex life, besides it's your fault, who spends that much money on liquor - are you a fucking noble?"
"Sue me for wanting to have quality things." He looked at her, mouth slightly agape in disbelief at her audacity. "How and why am I friends with you?" He said, putting his head in his hands.
She grabbed his light cigarette, using it as an impromptu lighter before placing it back between his two fingers. Patting his back, she responded, "Because I'm awesome. It's okay, everybody eventually falls for my charms."
He flicked his cigarette, standing up. "Well I've got some genin coming over, so why don't you make yourself scarce."
She gave a mock wounded expression, "What, am I not allowed to meet your cute little genin?"
"Not in hell, I've already set the standard and they don't need to see me being undermined so soon."
She gave a thoughtful nod, "Fair enough. Ugh, I'll go kick it at Kuranai's place." She said, stretching as she stood, her hand coming up her stomach to scratch herself while she took the last few puffs from the cigarette.
"Don't you have work? Aren't you supposed to be Vice of T&I, isn't there paperwork and shit for you to do?"
Everyday for the past week she'd been off. Which wouldn't have been unusual if not for her position. Sure shinobi's can get time off, weeks at a time even. But Vice Commanders of the Torture and Interrogation Department? He'd been around enough middle-managers to know how much paperwork they dealt with.
She gave a shark like grin, which was further illustrated by her pointy tooth, "It's called shirking responsibilities onto your assistant." She rushed it, trying to make it one word as she gave a peace sign.
Shoya had a flat expression, deciding it wise to just go inside and freshen up until he's genin arrived.