Chapter 7 – Am I Good Looking?
Panic and Helplessness.
Hinata stood frozen in place, panic rising in her chest as she faced the three boys before her.
This isn't how Ryosuke said it would go...
She had followed his advice exactly, but the boys hadn't apologized. Not even close.
Her heart tightened as fear and hesitation crept in again, threatening to swallow the fragile courage she'd gathered. Sweat rolled down her back. Instinctively, she tried to lower her head—only to realize she couldn't.
Instead, her voice came out calm, clear, and steady.
"Indeed, you're right," she said.
Hinata blinked in surprise. She hadn't even meant to speak—but there it was. Her voice didn't tremble. It carried no sign of fear.
"It is freeing to express your opinions—about people, about anything really. But just because it feels good doesn't make it right. Especially when you're pointing out someone's so-called flaws... right in front of them."
Her pale eyes met theirs—three boys, each taller and stronger-looking than her. Yet she stared at them with a calm, almost indifferent expression. Gone was her usual nervousness. Though her tone remained soft, it carried a quiet sharpness that pierced through the air.
There was an aura around her now—one she hadn't possessed before.
The boys, who moments ago were laughing mockingly, now stared at her in confusion, unsure of how to respond.
But Hinata didn't stop there.
"At first, I thought this was just something between us kids," she continued. "So I came here hoping you'd apologize and we could all pretend it never happened."
Her voice never wavered.
"But now I realize reasoning with you doesn't work."
She took a small step forward.
"So, I'll be visiting your homes soon. I'll explain everything to your families. I'm sure your parents would be more than happy to encourage you to apologize."
"Y-You—!" one of them stammered.
They had been stunned by Hinata's sudden change, but now they were starting to panic. The idea of this getting back to their families—especially their fathers—had clearly rattled them.
One of the boys clenched his fists and took a step forward.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Hinata said coolly. "That strength you're so proud of? It won't help you here. The two men behind me are real Chūnin."
Her voice was like ice.
"They won't move unless you attack first. We Hyūga don't bully children. But that doesn't mean we'll let you off easy either."
As if on cue, the two men behind her—Hyuga Sōuji and Hyuga Hoshisai—finally remembered their role. Until now, they had stood in silent confusion, just as shocked by their young lady's behavior as the boys were. But now, they stepped forward.
Their killing intent poured into the air like a winter wind, chilling the boys to their core.
But even more terrifying than the two Chūnin behind her... was the small figure standing in front of them.
The girl who used to lower her head and whisper apologies—was now looking down at them without fear.
The first to bow was the same boy Hinata had seen earlier at the restaurant. He seemed close to his father, but also terrified of what his dad would do if he found out about this.
"I'm sorry. We were wrong."
The other two boys followed suit, mumbling apologies one after the other.
Just like that, the moment passed.
And Hinata... deflated.
"I... I accept your apologies," she said in a soft, panicked voice, waving her hands clumsily. The strength from earlier had vanished, replaced by her usual gentle tone.
She didn't understand what had just happened. Not really.
She knew what she had said and done—but it felt like watching from the outside. Like her body had acted on its own, standing up and confronting them with a boldness she didn't recognize.
And yet... the boys had apologized. One by one, they had bowed before her.
Did I really do that...?
Once the three boys had turned and fled the park, Hinata slowly raised her hand and stared at her palm in confusion.
Not far away, just outside the park, Ryosuke stood hidden, the veins around his eyes slowly receding as he deactivated his Byakugan.
Of course, he hadn't expected Hinata to pull this off alone. That was never the plan.
From the beginning, he knew she wouldn't be able to make them apologize with just words.
Change never happens overnight.
If someone wants to change their character, it takes time—a gradual process of growth and self-reflection. One act of encouragement or a single moment of bravery isn't enough to truly change someone.
All the words Hinata had just spoken weren't entirely her own. Unbeknownst to her, Ryosuke had used the illusion ability of his Byakugan to subtly guide her consciousness.
The fact that his Byakugan possessed genjutsu capabilities was a tightly guarded secret. The fewer people who knew, the better. That's why, when Hinata brought Hyuga Souji and Hoshisai into the park, Ryosuke didn't follow. Instead, he stayed just outside the park, carefully hiding himself from view.
"Very good, Hinata. You did great."
Without holding back his praise, Ryosuke strolled casually into the park and stopped in front of Hinata, who was still visibly dazed.
Flustered by his praise, Hinata leaned in close and whispered softly into his ear, "Ryosuke... Ryosuke-kun, did I really do that just now? You didn't... help me?"
"Of course it was you," Ryosuke replied with a chuckle. "Everyone saw it. You spoke up and made those three punks apologize. You were amazing."
Hyuga Souji, standing nearby, nodded with both surprise and pride. "Yes, Young Lady, you were impressive. For a moment, you reminded me of the clan head."
Hoshisai quickly added, "That's right! Back during clan meetings, the clan leader used to scold people just like that."
Their words were genuine—no flattery, no exaggeration. Hinata's performance had truly shocked them.
"I... I don't know..." Hinata stammered, her cheeks flushed red. She wanted to explain what had really happened, but the truth was... even she didn't fully understand it.
Before she could say anything more, Ryosuke gently placed a warm hand on her head.
"You really did a great job. See? You're much stronger than you think. You just need a little confidence," he said softly.
The doubts that had clouded her mind—the belief that it wasn't really her doing—started to fade.
Could it really have been me...?
Her thoughts began to spiral again, but they were quickly interrupted by the comforting warmth of Ryosuke's hand on her head. Her heart skipped.
"Don't lower your head," Ryosuke said gently. "As the future head of the Hyuga clan, you must always hold your head high and look everyone in the eye, no matter the situation."
He smiled as Hinata half-closed her eyes, clearly enjoying the moment. Then he withdrew his hand. "We should get going. Father's probably back from the meeting."
"...Okay," she answered, her voice slightly disappointed.
But for some reason, her heart felt warm. Excited.
She could feel it—something inside her was slowly changing.
As that thought crossed her mind, Hinata's gaze drifted toward the center of the park, where her classmates were still gathered—people who had always treated her kindly in the past.
They were watching her.
Shikamaru and the others gave her a friendly nod.
And for the first time, Hinata felt like she could do something she never had the courage to do before.
"Ryosuke-kun, wait for me for a second," she said suddenly, then jogged over toward Shikamaru and the others under Ryosuke's curious gaze.
"Hello," she greeted politely, just as she always had.
"Hey," they replied in kind, though a bit confused.
Hinata took a breath, cheeks already reddening. "Um... this might be rude, but it's something I've always wondered about..."
She hesitated, then asked in one breath, "Do you think I'm... ugly?"
The moment the words left her mouth, her face flushed even deeper. Her mind went blank.
She stood there, trembling slightly, cheeks burning, but forced herself to hold her ground and wait for an answer.
That was so embarrassing! Who just walks up and asks that? They're definitely going to think I'm weird... or worse, narcissistic!
But she couldn't help it. She had to know.
Ryosuke had praised her for being cute—but had he just said that to make her feel better? Those boys earlier claimed they were telling the truth, but... was it really? Or was it just like Ryosuke said—that they had no sense of aesthetics?
Sitting on the shoulder of the Third Hokage's statue, Ino burst out laughing. Her laughter echoed across the park—light, unrestrained, and utterly genuine.
Then, under Hinata's nervous gaze, she hopped down and landed gracefully.
Although Shikamaru had warned them not to get too close to Hinata, Ino couldn't hold back this time.
She walked up to Hinata, reached out, and ruffled her hair.
"You're beautiful—absolutely adorable and pretty," she said with a bright smile.
As she tousled Hinata's hair, she glanced over at Ryosuke and grinned. "Is that your future husband? You two look super sweet together."
She even mimicked Ryosuke's earlier gesture.
Ino had seen the entire scene from a distance, and something about it had warmed her heart—like watching a romance story come to life.
It shattered some of her previous ideas about love.
Like the boy and girl from a love story... standing right in front of her.
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