At the same time, she shouted, "One palm, two palms… One hundred and twenty-eight palms!"
Her palms moved so fast they blurred into afterimages, slicing past the simulated bullets.
Snap! Bang!
With the final strike, the entire training dummy—coated in iron—exploded into pieces and scattered across the ground under Hinata's relentless assault.
She took a breath, then shifted smoothly into the next routine—practicing the physical techniques that Kaito had taught her.
Kaito stood nearby, watching with concern as she pushed herself with fierce determination. What worried him most was the heavy weights strapped to her arms and legs.
He recognized them immediately—he'd worn the same kind before.
He stepped forward and suddenly appeared in front of her, pulling Hinata gently into his arms.
Startled by the movement, Hinata instinctively tensed. The chakra in her abdomen surged, spreading rapidly through her chakra points, her body ready to activate at a moment's notice.
"Don't worry, it's me," said Kaito softly.
The familiar voice instantly calmed her. Her tense muscles relaxed and the chakra flow dissipated.
Hinata stood there dazed, letting him hold her without resistance.
The warmth, the scent, the heartbeat—it was all unmistakably Kaito. Overwhelmed, pearl-like tears welled in her eyes and fell silently.
"You're back…" she whispered through a sob.
"Yeah… I'm back," Kaito replied, nodding gently.
Hearing those words, Hinata clung to him tightly, her body trembling.
Unlike Ino, she hadn't tried to guess what had happened that night—she had seen it all with her Byakugan.
She had just finished fending off an attack by two rogue ninjas when the sky in the distance had lit up with intense lightning. She knew immediately who it had to be. Lightning Release was Kaito's specialty.
She had sprinted toward the battlefield without hesitation, heart pounding with dread.
By the time she arrived, however, Kaito was already gone.
She didn't understand why he'd vanished like that—but she was certain it had to do with the two who ambushed.
From that night on, Hinata left Kurenai's squad and returned home to train—alone and obsessively.
She knew she wasn't strong enough to help Kaito then, so all she could do was push herself until she was.
She had sworn to leave the village to find him once she was strong enough.
She never imagined he would appear before her again just over a month later.
Shocked, overjoyed, and overwhelmed didn't even begin to cover it.
"When… when did you get back?" Hinata asked softly, still clinging to him.
"Just now. Let's go home. Ino's already waiting for us," Kaito said, pressing a light kiss to her forehead.
"Mm!" Hinata nodded, blushing deeply.
"But before that, take off the weights. You don't need to push yourself so hard anymore" Kaito said, frowning.
"No," Hinata said quietly but firmly. "I'm used to it."
It was a rare moment of defiance. Kaito looked into her serious eyes and realized how deeply his absence had affected her—and Ino.
"…Alright. Keep them on if you want," he said with a gentle smile, brushing his hand through her lavender hair.
He took her hand. "Let's go."
This time, he didn't sneak her out. He left openly.
The Hyuga clan was known for its sharp senses and surveillance skills. Kaito was sure they'd detected him the moment he stepped onto the compound grounds.
The fact that Hiashi didn't intervene meant only one thing—he had tacitly approved their relationship.
And he was right. As Kaito led Hinata out by the hand, several Hyuga clan members watched quietly. Some whispered. Others pretended not to see. No one stopped them.
Hinata clung tightly to Kaito's arm, her head lowered like a shy bird. It was as if she had become his little wife.
By the time the two returned home, it was nearly 10 PM.
Later, Kaito took both Hinata and Ino out to the market. They bought plenty of vegetables and fresh meat before returning home to prepare lunch together.
Lunch was a feast. Kaito cooked braised lion's head meatballs and soybean paste noodles—Ino's favorite—as well as sweet and sour spareribs for Hinata. Hinata added a few of her own dishes too.
The table was packed.
After eating and cleaning up, Kaito laid down on the tatami floor with an arm around each girl, soaking in the peace and warmth.
Soon after, the sound of gentle snoring filled the air.
A trace of guilt crossed Kaito's face.
He knew the past two months had been rough on them both.
Quietly, he made a silent promise: he wouldn't let either of them suffer again.
His eyes slowly closed. Aside from the soft snoring and the occasional buzz of a mosquito, the house fell into peaceful silence.
---
Hokage's Office.
Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, looked over the three jōnin—Asuma, Kurenai, and Kakashi—who had come to submit their team recommendations for the upcoming Chūnin Exams.
"Are you certain about this?" Hiruzen asked gravely. "This Chūnin Exam will be much stricter—and more dangerous—than usual."
"I believe Team 8 is ready," Kurenai said firmly.
Asuma and Kakashi added their confirmations.
Hiruzen nodded and opened his drawer, pulling out nine registration forms. "Very well. These are your team's forms. Take them."
Then he reached back into the drawer and pulled out a tenth form.
"This one's for Kaito. Deliver it to him when you can," he said, handing it to Kakashi.
"Kaito?" Kakashi blinked in surprise.
Noticing his confusion, Hiruzen added, "I informed Tsunade a few days ago. Kaito was asked to return—and he arrived in Konoha today."
"He should be at home. Give that to him later," he added, his tone unreadable.
"…Understood," Kakashi nodded.
---
The sun began to set, dyeing the clouds red like spilled blood.
Kaito woke slowly from his nap, stretching slightly to see Ino and Hinata watching him with quiet stares.
---
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