In the Hyuga Clan's meeting room, the sandalwood long table gleamed with a cold, hard light. The charcoal in the copper brazier in the corner burned half-heartedly, too lazy to even produce smoke.
The paper windows rattled under the assault of the cold wind, but couldn't disperse the heavy atmosphere inside the meeting room.
The shadows of the Main Family's elders were stretched askew by the oil lamps, plastered against the mottled shoji doors like a crumpled ink wash painting.
The Hyuga brothers knelt formally, the pressure from their knees on the floor almost leaving shallow impressions on the tatami.
A faint medicinal scent hung in the air, emanating from the head of the table. The Main Family's Great Elder had just been able to leave his bed.
Wrapped in a thick cloak, he still couldn't stop shivering. His withered hands were clenched into fists, knuckles as white as frost.
"That old thief Danzo is simply outrageous!"
The Great Elder's voice was like sandpaper, grating on everyone's eardrums, "Tormenting this old man's bones is one thing, but now he actually dares to set his sights on the Byakugan!"
As the words fell, his fist slammed heavily on the edge of the table. The water in the tea bowl sloshed, half of it spilling out, soaking into the wood grain with dark stains.
"When the Shodaime Hokage founded Konoha, he established the rule that the Konoha's leadership must not interfere in clan internal affairs. What does Shimura Danzo think he's doing?"
"Does he want to betray the Shodaime Hokage's will? Utterly lawless! If he succeeds, wouldn't he be cutting off the very roots of our Hyuga Clan?"
Hearing this, the faces of the others in the meeting room turned ashen. Their fingers unconsciously rubbed the clan emblems on their sleeves.
Over the past few days, Danzo had been coming to their Hyuga Clan's compound daily like a dog that had seen meat. His words, direct and indirect, all revealed his designs on the Byakugan.
Even though Konoha had just been attacked by Kumogakure, he still kept bringing up the matter of the Kumogakure's envoy leader dying in the Hyuga Clan's compound.
If Danzo didn't bring the entire Root with him every day he came, they would have long since taken him down.
Silence spread through the room. The oil lamp's flame suddenly flickered. The Main Family's Great Elder looked at everyone's taut jawlines and knew they couldn't afford to wait any longer.
Once the village resolved the Kumogakure's incident, if Danzo kept harping on the Kumogakure leader's death, this blame would be permanently stuck to him.
'The slightest misstep could mean death. I had to save myself.' Thinking this, the Main Family's Great Elder took a deep breath. His voice was as heavy as a frozen stone.
"Since Konoha can no longer accommodate our Hyuga Clan, there's no need to stay in this village!"
"We will lead our clansmen out of Konoha and rebuild the Hyuga's glory elsewhere!"
As the words fell, everyone present looked up simultaneously, their gazes towards the Great Elder looking at him as if he were a fool.
If their Hyuga Clan withdrew from Konoha now, they would be like a fresh delicacy labeled 'Byakugan'. Wouldn't every village in the Shinobi World pounce on them like hungry wolves?
By then, forget Hyuga's glory, they might very well share the same fate as the Uzumaki Clan of old.
Seeing no one respond, the Hyuga Clan's Great Elder looked up at the ceiling beams and sighed, his voice wrapped in the bleakness of impending doom.
"You all... have long lost the fighting spirit of the Hyuga Clan of old. If you won't leave, this old man will! Just like Uchiha Madara back in the day!"
He knew perfectly well that going out would mean being captured, but it was still better than being killed by Danzo.
If it were him decades ago, he would indeed have had the fighting spirit and feared no death. But the older he got, the more he cherished his life.
At worst, he'd be captured by another village to be a 'stud'. At his age, he wanted to enjoy a few more years if he could. He didn't want to die early.
Hearing this, the corners of everyone's mouths twitched uncontrollably.
They thought in unison, with indignation, 'You, comparing yourself to Uchiha Madara? He strode out the main gate back then. Besides Senju Hashirama, who dared stop him? Who dared call him a defector?'
'With the power of the Shinobi of the End Times, Uchiha Madara, he could thrive anywhere. Can you, Great Elder?'
'Even now, no one calls Uchiha Madara a Missing-nin. You, the moment you step out of Konoha's gates, would be declared a Missing-nin and captured or killed on sight.'
Hiashi rubbed his slightly throbbing temples, too tired to continue arguing with the Great Elder. He stood up, his geta grinding against the floor with a dull sound.
"Meeting adjourned!"
Walking back to his residence, the stone path was frozen stiff.
Hiashi looked towards the direction of the Hokage Rock, his brow furrowed into a tight knot.
He had been constantly thinking of a way to break this deadlock, to prevent Danzo from truly digging up the Hyuga Clan's roots.
He suddenly remembered Hinata and Makoto from that night, and couldn't help but think, 'If the Hyuga and Uchiha Clans were to join forces...'
At this thought, Hiashi's steps halted, 'Even if the entire Konoha wanted to move against us, they would have to think twice.'
In the small room in the Main Family's rear courtyard, the charcoal fire burned fiercely, warming the air comfortably.
Hinata knelt by the low table, a scarf in her hands, the yarn winding around her fingertips again and again.
The images from that night kept flashing into her mind… the warmth of Makoto's hand on her head, the temperature of his palm against her neck when he bent down to tie the scarf for her...
Thinking about it, a faint blush instantly spread across her cheeks. She quickly buried her face in the scarf. The fuzz tickled the tip of her nose, and a sweet feeling stirred in her heart.
'Makoto... why hasn't he come to find me? Is he busy...'
Hinata muttered softly, her fingers unconsciously picking at a loose thread on the scarf. The wind outside moaned, as if urging her to do something.
After hesitating for a long time, Hinata, clutching the scarf tightly, suddenly stood up, her small feet making a light sound on the floor.
She looked down at her feet.
White cotton socks enveloped her small toes, which had curled up nervously moments before, creasing the soles of the socks, like a startled little white rabbit.
Before, except for that one night, she would never have dared to go out alone. But now...
She gently bit her lower lip. A sparkle she had never had before flashed in her eyes. Her small hand reached for the doorknob, 'I'll go find him...'
The moment the thought emerged, her heart began to pound like a drum. Her cheeks felt hot enough to fry an egg. A moment later, she resolutely opened the door.
Cold wind, carrying snow particles, rushed in, making her eyelashes tremble. Hinata wrapped the scarf around her neck twice, covering half her face, leaving only her sparkling eyes visible.
She walked on tiptoe through the snow. The sound of her shoes sinking into the accumulation was like a small stone dropped into the lake of her heart.
A trail of shallow footprints extended from the Hyuga Clan's compound towards the Uchiha Clan's territory, like a crooked silver thread glittering with fine light in the snow.
She walked slowly, but didn't look back even once.
Hiashi watched from a distance as Hinata walked towards the Uchiha Clan's territory. He didn't stop her, instead arranging for Branch Family's guards to protect her.
At the same time, two other small figures were also heading towards the Uchiha Clan's territory through the heavy snow.