Destiny Ninja : Hyuga ( Chapter 2 )

Destiny Ninja : Hyuga

<< chapter 2  >>

I couldn't utter a word with his hand covering my mouth. I had no fully dressed yet, so i hastily hid my naked breasts with the clothes

Kazemasa : "i heard your conversation with Enya. It's unnatural that a princess of a noble family knows a lot 

                  about battles and politics. you have been hired by Heishi and you're trying to get close to us,

                  aren't you?"

(he's suspecting me..) i stared wide-eyed at Hanzo, then..

Hyuga : "you're an idiot"

Yuki   : "hyuga! let go of her, Kazemasa"

Hyuga continued in a calm tone

Hyuga       : "you can tell by her reactionn that she is not an assassin"

Kazemasa : "..."

Hyuga       : "if by any chance she were a real assassin, she would rather be acting like a noble princess,

                   don't you think?"

Kazemasa : "but it's true that there's something fishy!"

Hyuga       : "maybe she is a man dressing up like a woman. she is not a daughter but a son of a noble family, 

                   and the parent taught him this and that to have him serve in the palace someday"

Kazemasa : "stupid"

Hyuga       : "yeah, this is not a body of a man, indeed"

Feeling Hyuga looking at my body, I blushed and hid myself with the clothes

Hyuga       : "look at her. do you still insist she's an assassin? to me, she doesn't look like she's acting"

Kazemasa : "...."

Hyuga       : "anyway, get out of the room now"

At hyuga's words, Hanzo quietly left the room

Yuki   : "....."

Hyuga : "hurry up and get dressed"

i tried to tie my belt in a hurry but my body was shaking and my fingers didn't work properly

Hyuga : "what are you shaking for?"

Yuki    : "...."

Hyuga : "i know you were a surprised, but he didn't mean to attack you. he just tried to threaten you to see

             who you really were"

Yuki : "yes.."

i replied but my voice was shaking just like my body

Hyuga : "gee, you're hopeless"

Hyuga sighed and grabbed the belt of my clothes

Yuki   : "oh!"

Hyuga : "don't scream! you cna't tie the belt by yourself, can you?"

saying so, Hyuga knelt in front of me and tied the belt skillfully

Hyuga : "this would look as if i undid your belt, wouldn't i?"

Yuki    : "i'm sorry"

Hyuga : "ok. its done"

After tying the belt, Hyuga looked straight at me

Hyuga : "kazemasa is suspicious, but it means he is faithful to his duty. but i wont let him touch you again"

Yuki    : "...."
Hyuga : "don't get me wrong, i'm saying this because Yoshitsune ordered me to protect you"
Yuki   : "but.."
Hyuga : "what?"

Question : 
no, its nothing
i have to protect myself by myself

Yuki    : "yesterday, you told me that i had to protect myself by myself..."
Hyuga : "stop being so picky about everything. if anything happened to you, i would be blamed by
             Yoshitsune eventually"
Yuki    : "...."

Hyuga was speaking bluntly, but strangely, his voice gradually calmed me down

Hyuga : "you've finally stopped shaking"
Yuki   : "thank you. o owe it to you, Hyuga"

i said so with a little smile, but Hyuga gave me a glare

Hyuga : "huh, you were nearly crying like a kid a few minutes ago"
Yuki    : "...."
Hyuga : "actually, you are a kid that has never known a man, aren't you?"

(why does he always have to say mean things?) then, i heard Ofuku calling me from a distance

Ofuku : "Yuki, have you changed your clothes, all right?"
Hyuga : "say, why were you changing your clothes?"
Yuki : "i asked Ofuku to let me help her"

Ofuku : "so, could you help me prepare lunch?"
Yuki : "sure! shall i start cutting these vegetables first?"
Hyuga : "can a noble princess do any kitchen work?"
Ofuku : "Hyuga, why are you here?"
Hyuga : "Yoshitsune ordered me to babysit this kid"
Ofuku : "oh don't call her a kid, she's pretty young lady"
Hyuga : "would this be pretty?"

(somehow, i've become used to Hyuga's bad mouth) i concentrated on cutting the vegetables quickly without saying anything

Ofuku : "dear me!"
Hyuga : "he, you're really good"
Ofuku : "really! you're skillfull. i'm surprised. you might be more skillful than us servants"

(i even surprised myself..) my hand was moving spontaneously handling the knife as if i had known how to

hyuga : "are you really a princess of nobility? though your hands look as if they've never held a knife"
Yuki : "huh!"

Hyuga suddenly grabbed my hand. startled, i swung my arm

Hyuga : "hey, thats dangerous!"
Yuki : "i'm sorry"
Hyuga : "it seems certain that you are slow in maturing"
Ofuku : "anyway, she's a big help to us! since Yoshitsune dislikes extravagance, this residence has few servants"
Yuki : "is that so? the Heishi residence is completely different"
Hyuga : "that's because the needlessly expansive Heishi residence swarms with elegantly dressed court ladies. you really know a lot of different things. who are you actually?"

(i dont know that myself.. really, who am i and where am i from? why did i lose consciousness in the middle of a battle?)

Ofuku : "if you know a lot of things, teach me about how to season dishes"
Yuki   : "yes! if you are sure want me to.."

Everyone gathered in the large room and had lunch

Yoshitsune : "oh, this is delicious. This flavor brings back memories to me"

While eating the dish, Yoshitsune nodded in appreciation

Ofuku       : "yes! from now on. i'll have Yuki teach us various things. because during battle, you have to eat a
                   lot  to keep up your strength!"
Yoshitsune : "Ofuku, we're not saying that we don't like the seasoning of your cooking"
Ofuku        : "Ha ha! dont be so nice to servant like me, please"

(said by enya..)
Enya : "He always treat people warmly regardless of their rank. even among great samurai, theres nobody
           who can do the same things as Yoshitsune"

(i understand well the meaning of those words. Yoshitsune is a really kind person)

Hyosuke : "this is really delicious! Give me more!!"
Enya       : "Don't be so greedy. You're such a kid"
Hyosuke : "You're eating more than i am!"

I watched this exchange with a happy feeling ( i want to repay their kindness even a little by helping with the cooking and housework)

Hyuga : "maybe the sophisticated seasoning of Yuki's cooking suits Yoshitsune taste"

Saying so in a tone completely different from his usual tone, Hyuga sitting next to me gently narrowed his eyes

Yoshitsune  : "Though i'm called a son of a great family. I was placed in the Kuramadera temple at an
                     early age. I have never lived like my older brothers"
Enya           : "that's why you come up with strategies that ordinary samurai cannot think of"

(Enya seems to really adore Yoshitsune)

Yoshitsune : "thats nice to hear, but..from now, the battle will become much harder. we have joined with the
                    army of my elder cousin Yoshinaka Kiso. we are now facing the Heishi army, As of now,
                    we are pushing back the Heishi army without any problem, However..i have a strong hunch
                    that the cornered and desperate Heishi army is planning something"
Enya            : "Yoshitsune's hunches ofter turn out to be right..shall i sneak into the Heishi residence to
                      find out?"
Yoshitsune : "how can you sneak into such a well-guarded residence?"

then, Hanzo sharply interrupted

Kazemasa : "is it alright to talk like this in fron of this girl?"

(Oh..)

Enya : "Hey, are you still suspicious that Yuki is an assassin?"

Saying that, Enya squeezed my shoulder and pulled me

Yuki : "what are you doing..."
Enya : "an innocent girl like this couldn't possibly be an assassin, right?"

Since Enya brought his face so close to me, i blushed and looked down

Enya          : "you really aren't immune to men"
Yoshitsune : "Enya, that's enough! good grief.. i'm sorry everyone here is so wild"

Yoshitsune looked at me and gently narrowed his eyes

Yoshitsune  :"the meal was delicious, thank you"
Yuki           : "not at all, please don't mention it"
Yoshitsune : "Don't be so modest. So, has Hyuga been good to you?"
Yuki          : "Ouch!!"

Hyuga pinched my thigh under the table

Yoshitsune : "what's the matter?"
Yuki           : "No, nothing! He's been really nice, really"

Hyuga continued eating innocently. ( He really is a double-faced person)

When i was taking in the laundry in the yard, Hyosuke spoke to me

Hyosuke : "you're a hard worker"
Yuki       : "no,.. this is about all i can do"
Hyosuke : "but, it's unfortunate for you that you have to be looked after by Hyuga"
Yuki       : "...he's really two-sided, don't you think?"

Question :
y..yes
no, i didnt mean..

Yuki       : "no, i didn't mean.."
Hyosuke : "be honest! he shows his true nature in front of us. I can't change my attitude cleverly like him"

At the tone of his voice, i chuckled despite myself

Hyosuke : "what?"
Yuki       : "excuse me, sir. I just had a feeling that you're a really frank person"
Hyosuke : "you don't have to say 'sir' to me. You're a princes of a noble family, right? you don't have to
                 be so polite to a ninja like me"
Yuki        : "no, i didn't mean..."
Hyosuke : "when there are only the two of us, just call me Hyosuke"
Yuki       : "..."
Hyosuke : "besides, aren't you older than me?if you speak to me so politely, i don't feel comfortable"
Yuki       : "Ok, is Hyosuke alright?"
Hyosuke : "yeah, and don't use polite language, either!"

Saying so, Hyosuke stroked my hair

Hyosuke : "Opps! i shouldn't touch a princess of a noble family so friendly"
Yuki       : "ha ha. Hyosuke. don't care about me like that"
Hyosuke : "ok, i'll do that. i'm no good at caring about people"

(i've been nervous since i came here. I feel relaxed in front of Hyosuke) i smiled and looked at Hyosuke

Hyosuke : "be careful, you.."
Yuki       : "be careful of what?"
Hyosuke : "if you show such an innocent smile, Enya will stalk you as prey"

(Prey..)

Hyosuke : "because he's a giant lady killer"

(Enya is well-known as a lady killer)

Hyosuke : "but, i'm OK. i'm not interested in women"
Yuki       : "you're not interested in women?"
Hyosuke : "hey, don't get me wrong! it doesn't mean that i like men. it's just now i'm ony thinking about
                my duty in defeating the Heishi. Because i'm risking my life for this duty"

Duty. For a ninja. it has an absolute meaning

*enya : "Risk your life to carry out your employer's orders. That's the law of the ninja"

Enya said the same thing yesterday

Yuki        : "Hyosuke, it's amazing that you've been selected as an aide to Yoshitsune. You're so young"
Hyosuke : "that's because i'm the best ninja of the water village"
Yuki       : "so, you are from the water village"
Hyosuke : "yes, skilled ninja from all over the country have gathered around Yoshitsune. Enya and Hyuga
                from the fire village, Kazemasa from Kaze-no-sato and me from the water village. these four have
                been selected as aides to support Yoshitsune by his aide. I think i'm fortunate to work for
                Yoshitsune. because there is no one as magnificent as him
Yuki        : "yes. i feel the same way even though i've just met him"
Hyosuke : "he is always thinking about us seriously. He never puts on a grand air, and i can tell him anything
                 honestly. In my heart, i think of him as an elder brother"
Yuki        : "is that so?..."
Hyosuke : "unlike me, Hyuga acts like a really nice person in front of Yoshitsune. Such double-dealing that
                 he does makes me sick"
Yuki       : "Hyosuke, do you hate Hyuga?"
Hyosuke : "i don't hate him. I recognize that he has great capabilities. They say he is a self-made man,
                 unlike Enya"
Yuki       : "self-made man?"
Hyosuke : "you know Enya is a chief's son. He was orginally born to a good family, but Hyuga was one
                of many low-ranking ninja. He rose up on his own merit. I don't know any details about his family"
Hyuga     : "you talk too much, boy"

we panicked when Hyuga suddenly appeared with a frowning face. (Hyuga!)

Hyosuke : "oh no"
Hyuga     : "oh no or not, you've probably ben talking your head off"
Hyosuke : "no really, i haven't said anything bad"
Hyuga     : "it doesn't matter. Stop talking about me"

Hyuga glared at Hyosuke with cold eyes

Hyuga    : "if you want to talk to this girl so much. how about you babysitting her? then i can say goodbye to
                an annoying burden on me"
Hyosuke : "hey! don't talk like that. Yuki has lost her memory and doesn't even know where her home is!"
Hyuga     : "hmph.. she probably ran away from home tired of living luxurious life as a princess of a noble
                 family, then, she fell on an unfamiliar mountain road and hit her head.. maybe that;s what
                 happened"
Hyosuke : "yuki, let's go"

Hyosuke grabbed my arm and started to walk away

Hyosuke : "don't mind what he says
Yuki       : "yes, thank you

I looked up at Hyosuke with a big smile

Hyosuke : "you're strong. A pricness of a noble family would have been sobbingh"
Yuki       : "there's no use crying, besides, i don't want to cause you trouble"
Hyosuke : "you never cause me trouble"

Hyosuke pulled me into the crook of his arm. From his strong arm, i felt the warmth of Hyosuke's heart

Hyosuke : "don't misunderstand me. i'm not after you like Enya"
Yuki       : "ha ha i understand. you are risking your life for your duty, right?"

(For that reason, having suddenly appeared in the midst of a battle for their lives, i've been causing them confusion)

Hyosuke : "anyway, don't push youself too hard. i'm here if you need a shoulder to cry on"
Yuki       : "yes, thank you very much"

(to not cause anyone further trouble, i have to recover my memory as soon as possible, but how if i can't even remember where i'm from..)