Bound by Kindness

"Alright, as you all know, today is graduation day," Iruka began, his voice steady as he paced in front of the class. "Those who pass the exams will become official Konohagakure Genin."

He handed out papers to each student, and the room filled with a quiet rustling as the students took their exam sheets.

"First, we'll start with the literature exam," Iruka continued, addressing the class. "This includes questions on history, jutsu theory, trap planning, and battle formations. Remember, this test is to assess not only what you know but how you can think critically under pressure."

Iruka paused to give them a moment to settle into the test, then added, "Once you're done with the written portion, you'll be reporting outside for the Taijutsu exam. Mizuki-sensei will be handling that, so make sure you're prepared. While some of you are testing with Mizuki-sensei, others will come back here to take the Jutsu Application exam with me."

Hinata glanced down at the test paper handed to her, her brow furrowing slightly. The questions were surprisingly straightforward—nothing like she had anticipated.

"Who founded Konohagakure?"

"What betrayal did Orochimaru commit?"

"What is the role of a ninja in maintaining the balance of power between villages?"

She blinked at the simplicity of the questions. These are the kind of things they teach us in basic academy classes, she thought, her mind wandering for a moment. The weight of the test didn't feel like the challenge she expected it to be.

Her gaze swept over the page again, noting that some of the questions also asked about jutsu theory, like the principles of chakra control and the basic differences between ninjutsu, genjutsu, and taijutsu. I've practiced this every day for years, she mused. This should be easy.

Her hand moved mechanically, quickly scribbling down answers she had memorized from the countless times Iruka had gone over the material. As she answered, her thoughts occasionally drifted—mainly to the other exams waiting for her classmates outside, and how they might feel about their own preparations.

Hinata caught herself thinking back to her early days in the academy, when she had been too shy to even speak up in class. Now, she had the answers in front of her, and yet, something felt different. She had come to accept the position she held, though she had always questioned if she was truly ready. The questions before her seemed trivial, but in reality, her true test lay elsewhere, beyond these pages—within her ability to lead, to live up to the expectations of the Hyuga clan.

As her pencil moved swiftly across the paper, she tried not to focus on her nerves. She was still aware of the subtle glance Kiba had sent her earlier, his awkwardness still lingering. But the more she focused on the test, the more she found herself slipping into a comfortable rhythm. The marks of her past life felt distant—fading as she embraced this new version of herself.

Iruka walked around the room, observing his students with a practiced eye, ensuring they were on task and calm. The occasional rustle of paper filled the room as students worked through their test. Iruka's eyes briefly met Hinata's, giving her a nod of reassurance as she worked quickly.

Soon enough, Hinata was finished with the written portion of the exam. She turned in her paper with a quiet exhale, the weight of it lifted off her shoulders. She hadn't been challenged—at least not by the material on the test. But her real test was still to come.

Iruka nodded at her as she stood up, signaling her to head outside. "Hinata, go ahead and join the others for the Taijutsu exam with Mizuki-sensei."

"Yes, Iruka-sensei," Hinata replied softly, rising from her seat and making her way to the door.

The warmth of the spring sun greeted her as she stepped outside. The academy grounds were buzzing with activity as students gathered in small groups, some heading toward the training grounds where Mizuki was waiting. The trees around the academy swayed gently, the leaves rustling in the breeze.

Hinata walked toward the training field, her heart beating a little faster now. She wasn't nervous, but she was conscious of how her taijutsu would be judged. In the quiet of her thoughts, she had practiced her moves countless times. It was the way of the Hyuga clan—elegant, precise, and effective.

As she approached the area where the other students were gathering, she saw Mizuki standing in the middle of the field, his trademark grin plastered on his face. She couldn't shake the feeling that there was something fake about his smile, something that always unsettled her whenever they interacted. He wasn't like Iruka, whose smiles were warm and genuine—no, Mizuki's smile always felt like a façade, like he was hiding something behind it. And though she hadn't known the details, the events in the original Naruto story had only confirmed her discomfort around him.

"Ah, Hinata! Glad you could join us!" Mizuki called out with exaggerated enthusiasm, his smile stretching wider as she stepped onto the training field.

She nodded quietly, keeping her eyes lowered as her gaze swept over the area. "I'm ready, Mizuki-sensei."

"Good, good! Let's see how well you've been practicing," he said with a wink. "We'll start with the basics—just a simple warm-up to see your form. Don't hold back."

Hinata wasn't one to boast, but she knew the Gentle Fist technique was her strength. Her movements were fluid, graceful—her strikes precise, meant to target chakra points with deadly accuracy. She had trained for years, and she was confident in her abilities.

Mizuki raised an eyebrow, sensing her calm demeanor. "You're looking confident, huh? Let's see how long that lasts."

He formed a few hand seals in rapid succession, preparing to launch into his own taijutsu form. The two of them stood a short distance apart, the tension palpable as the fight was about to begin. His grin widened again, but Hinata wasn't fooled by it.

With a subtle nod, she prepared herself. She formed a quick hand seal and took her stance, her body tensing as she focused her chakra. Her movements were graceful, but they held power beneath their surface—each motion infused with the precise knowledge of her clan's techniques.

Mizuki lunged forward first, aiming a punch at her face. She dodged swiftly, her body moving like water around his strike, and closed the distance between them. With a sharp and fluid motion, she struck his shoulder with the edge of her palm—just as the Gentle Fist style dictated. The impact wasn't violent, but it disrupted his chakra flow, causing him to falter for a moment.

Mizuki recovered quickly, but Hinata didn't give him the chance to regain his posture. Her next strike hit his side, targeting another chakra point. He stumbled back slightly, his smirk faltering.

"Not bad, Hinata," Mizuki grunted, wiping the sweat from his brow. "But you'll need more than that if you want to win."

Hinata didn't reply. She didn't need to. She focused on her next move—swift and precise. Mizuki lunged at her again, but this time, she was ready. She evaded his punch and, in the blink of an eye, hit him in the chest with the palm of her hand, sending a pulse of chakra that disrupted his Chakra.

Mizuki gasped for breath, unable to move for a split second. The strike was enough. He staggered back, clutching his chest. Hinata's posture remained firm, her eyes steely with focus as she watched him, waiting for any sign of further movement.

"Looks like that's enough," Mizuki admitted, panting lightly. He looked less than pleased, though. "You've got some talent, Hinata."

She nodded quietly, her eyes meeting his briefly before she turned and stepped back,the byakugan slowly fading. A slight sense of satisfaction rising in her chest. She had shown her skill, and in the process, proved to herself that she could stand on her own. He was a chunin after all.

Mizuki straightened himself out, wiping his brow. "Alright, you can head back to Iruka-sensei now. Good job, Hinata."

As she turned to walk back toward the academy, Hinata couldn't shake the feeling that something was off with Mizuki. But that was a problem for another day. For now, she had passed the test, and that was enough.

As Hinata made her way back into the classroom, the hum of the remaining students still focused on their exams filled the air. The room seemed a little warmer now, a quiet tension hanging over it as everyone settled into their assigned spots.

Her eyes immediately went to Naruto, who was sitting in the back corner of the room, slumped forward in his chair. His usual fiery energy seemed drained, replaced by a downcast expression. She could almost feel the weight of his frustration from across the room. He hadn't done his best on the written portion, she could tell. Despite his usual bravado, it seemed like the test had gotten to him.

Sighing to herself, Hinata briefly thought about going over to offer some comfort, but she knew how stubborn he could be. He'd probably brush her off if she tried.

As she made her way back to her seat, her attention shifted to Sasuke, who was walking past her with his usual aloof expression. His steps were quick and purposeful, but when he brushed past her, his shoulder barely grazed hers. There was no apology or acknowledgment. Just the coldness she had come to expect from him.

Kiba, sitting a few rows over, noticed the interaction and stood up immediately, his expression turning red with anger. "Oi! Watch where you're going, Sasuke!" he snapped, fists clenched at his sides. His voice echoed through the classroom, drawing the attention of several students.

Sasuke didn't even look back. He kept walking toward the front of the room, his face set in a perpetual scowl. "Tch. Shut up, dog," he muttered, his voice barely audible but carrying an unmistakable disdain.

Kiba's face turned an even deeper shade of red, clearly frustrated by the lack of respect. "What's your problem, Sasuke?" he yelled. "Just because you think you're better than everyone doesn't mean you can treat people like garbage!"

Hinata winced slightly at the exchange. It wasn't like Kiba to get worked up, but Sasuke had that effect on people. She could tell that Kiba was on the verge of saying something worse when Iruka's voice cut through the tension.

"Kiba!" Iruka called sternly from the front of the classroom, his voice firm but calm. "That's enough. You're disrupting the exam and breaking everyone's concentration." His gaze was sharp, and there was no mistaking the authority in his tone.

Kiba immediately deflated, his arms dropping to his sides. "But Iruka-sensei, he—"

"I said that's enough, Kiba," Iruka interrupted, his voice leaving no room for argument. "We're still in the middle of the exam. If you want to get your headband today, I suggest you focus."

Kiba muttered an apology under his breath, returning to his seat with a defeated expression, his hands shoved in his pockets. He shot one last glare at Sasuke before sitting down, clearly holding back his frustration.

Hinata couldn't help but feel a small twinge of sympathy for Kiba, though she knew Sasuke's attitude was nothing new. She turned her gaze back to Naruto, her heart aching for him. She knew that despite his tendency to act tough, moments like this were tough on him, and she could see it in his eyes—he wasn't going to let this day pass without some sort of effort, but he was carrying a heavy weight on his shoulders.

"Thank you, Kiba, but it's alright," Hinata said softly, offering him a small, appreciative smile. She didn't want him to feel bad, especially for something so trivial. Her eyes flickered toward Naruto, still slouched in his seat, and she gave him a quiet, understanding look. "I hope your test goes well," she added, her tone gentle, before heading toward the group of students who had already finished their written portion.

Kiba blinked a few times, clearly flustered by her kindness. His face turned a bright shade of red as he scratched the back of his head nervously. "Uh... yeah, thanks, Hinata," he muttered, his usual confidence faltering. As she walked away, he stared at her retreating figure for a moment, feeling a surge of inspiration and determination build up inside him. "I'll do my best, I won't let her down!" he thought to himself, a newfound determination in his heart.

Hinata glanced back toward Naruto, who was still hunched over in his seat, his eyes fixed on the desk. His hands were clenched tightly around the edge of the paper as if the words in front of him might change with enough pressure. She could sense his frustration, and her soft, comforting demeanor drew her back toward him.

"Naruto..." Hinata began gently as she approached his desk. "It's okay. The written exam can be difficult for everyone. You can still do your best in the next part."

Naruto's head shot up as he turned toward her, his expression a mix of annoyance and embarrassment. "Yeah, so what?" he said, his voice a little louder than usual. "I'll do better next time. This is just the beginning! I'm gonna be Hokage, so I can't let something like this stop me!"

Hinata smiled warmly, feeling encouraged by his words. "I know you will," she replied softly, her voice full of faith in him. "You always keep pushing forward, no matter what."

Naruto's eyes softened a little as he looked at her, his usual cocky grin slowly returning to his face. "Right! Thanks, Hinata! I'll show everyone what I'm made of!" With that, he stood up quickly, ready to move on to the next part of the test. "I'm gonna go ace the taijutsu exam!" he declared, his usual energy surging back.

Hinata couldn't help but chuckle softly, her heart lightened by his resolve. "Good luck, Naruto," she called after him as he headed for the door.

Naruto paused, looking back with a confident grin. "I don't need luck! I'm gonna make it happen!" he shouted, before running out of the classroom, his footsteps echoing in the hallway.

Hinata noticed Shikamaru sitting alone near the window, his gaze lazily drifting upward, his posture slouched in that trademark, relaxed way of his. She made her way toward him, her steps light as she approached his desk.

"Shikamaru...?" Hinata started, her voice soft as she leaned a little closer. "Why didn't you go for the taijutsu exam?"

Shikamaru turned his head slightly, giving her a side glance before letting out a long, dramatic sigh. "I didn't want to," he muttered, clearly uninterested in explaining further. "I can pass without it, no problem." He lazily shifted in his seat, letting his arms fall to his sides as if the very idea of getting up for the test was too much of an inconvenience. "It's too much work. I'd rather nap. The most I'll get is a scolding from my mom, and that's nothing new. Everyone in my clan's the same way—lazy, relaxed, and good at dodging things they don't care about." He gave a halfhearted shrug, clearly unconcerned.

Hinata couldn't help but smile at Shikamaru's nonchalant attitude, but there was something about his words that struck a chord with her. She looked down for a moment, fidgeting slightly, then spoke quietly, her voice tinged with something resembling longing. "I… I envy that," she admitted softly. "Being able to take it easy, not constantly worrying about meeting expectations. My clan... they're always pushing me, expecting more." She hesitated for a moment, almost as if she were unsure whether she should be saying these things aloud. "It feels like I'm always trying to be someone I'm not."

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow at her words, sensing the underlying tension. He didn't offer much in the way of sympathy but gave her a brief glance. "Eh, you'll figure it out. Everyone's got their own burdens, I guess." He yawned, stretching his arms out as if to emphasize his point. 

Hinata smiled weakly, though she couldn't shake the sense of envy for his laid-back attitude. "Maybe," she replied softly, 

Shikamaru didn't respond immediately, his expression unreadable, but he let out another yawn. "Yeah, well, thinking too hard about it isn't going to help," he said casually. "Take a nap, and you might feel better about it later."

Hinata let out a soft laugh, nodding to herself as she shifted her gaze toward the classroom door. "Maybe I will," she replied with a gentle smile, though her thoughts were still a little heavier than she let on.