Chapter 2 - Kajihana Akai: A Boy with a Dream

Sensing the possibility of danger, Hinata quickly turned around, moving into an easy fighting stance. As she did, she saw a young man, no more than seventeen years old, throw up his arms quickly to show he meant no harm.
“I am sorry,” he said, “I did not mean to startle you.” Hinata could see now that he was no shinobi, as he carried no weapons, and his clothes were those of a simple civilian. He wore plain brown trousers and a khaki work tunic, and had apparently just gotten off from a busy evening of work. The wood shavings all over him suggested to Hinata that it was some kind of carpentry work, as did the protective boots on his feet. But more than anything else about him, it was the red lotus on the front of his tunic that caused Hinata to relax a bit.
“Why are you here?” asked Hinata, keeping her voice firm and her hands at the ready, “this is academy property.” She kept her byakugan trained on the young stranger to watch his response and look for any sign of treachery, as she had been trained to do. She would not allow an instinct to relax to take her off guard.
“Probably for the same reason you are,” the stranger responded, “to get away from the crowds. After six hours of working on your feet, one of the only things you want is some fresh air.” Like Izumi, this Kajihana left Hinata with an impression of calm and poise. The clan obviously prided itself on being courteous and kind. “If I am trespassing, I will gladly leave,” he added, motioning with his right arm toward the gate in the distance.
“No, that’s alright,” Hinata said back to him, “the academy is open to everyone, it’s just not often that any non-shinobi come here, especially after dark.” Now she was willing to relax and even deactivate her byakugan. She didn’t think there was anything to worry about. Besides, if anything did happen, she would be able to handle it. “What is your name?” she asked.
“Kajihana Akai, second son of Toramaru and Mina of the Kajihana Clan.” His response was quick and to the point, but Hinata could tell that he had also relaxed after she lowered her hands. “And you?”
“Hyuga Hinata, heir to the Hyuga clan main branch.”
“Hyuga? So you are a shinobi,” said Akai, excited. “I thought you might be.”
“Yes, I am,” she told him, surprisingly comfortable with answering his questions. “I am a chunin, and I specialize in tracking and defensive taijutsu.” She gave a proud smile as she said this. Then, curious, she asked, “What do you do with the Kajihana Clan, Akai?”
“Well,” he began slowly, “my older brother, Mikon, and my father run a woodworking business and my mother and sister, Izumi, run a soup shop. I usually help in either place when I am needed.” Sounding rather embarrassed to have said all of this to a ninja, he motioned toward his clothes to indicate the still clinging wood shavings. It was obvious where he had been that day.
“Do you mean,” asked Hinata quickly, realizing something, “that your family runs the Kajihana Soup Café?”
“Yes, my mother and older sister do,” Akai replied, confused. “Why, have you heard of it?”
“Actually, I was there just a while ago,” she informed him. “That’s where I got this,” she added, reaching into her pocket and pulling out the embroidered cotton napkin. As she did, her fortune slipped out as well and started to flutter toward the ground until Akai caught it.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” said Hinata when she realized she had dropped it.
“That is fine,” he said back, “we often have people who hang on to their napkins, but not many keep their fortunes. Is their any particular reason why?” he asked as he handed the slip of paper back to her.
“Well, actually, I was rather confused by the fortune, now that you mention it. It’s not a style I have ever seen.” She handed it back to him and showed him what she meant.
“That’s not surprising actually, Izumi came up with this style herself.” He held it up and showed her as he explained. “The fortune itself is supposed to be simple advice, wise words that it would be prudent to follow at any time, rather than some enigmatic parable that is supposed to apply to your near future. The three characters are symbolic of things that might, and I repeat, might affect you in the near future.”
“They are not meant to be absolute glimpses into what is to come,” he continued as he handed it back to her for the last time, “though customers have told me that they are occasionally quite accurate, believe it or not.”
“That’s very cool,” Hinata replied as she placed it and the napkin back in her pocket. “Your family is very nice, Akai. Your sister was very kind to me and you have been as well, politely asking your questions but also answering mine. Thank you.”
“Don’t worry about it, Hinata,” he said calmly, “you were nicer to me than I was to you, and I have not even asked everything I would like to yet.” He fell awkwardly silent for a moment as if waiting for permission to continue.
“Go ahead, then,” Hinata said, a happy smile on her face, “ask.”
“What is it like being a shinobi?” He once again had that embarrassed tone in his voice, as if he felt the question was too childish. Even Hinata was surprised by the unusual question.
“What do you mean?” she asked in return.
“I mean, I know you perform missions for your village. I know you protect your village and anyone that you are assigned to protect. I know you spend much of your free time training and getting better, but what is that like? How does it feel to be a ninja?” The energy in his voice was hard to miss and even without the perceptive powers of her byakugan, Hinata could hardly fail to see his passion for the issue.
“It’s a good life, I guess.” she told, slightly confused herself. “Why do you want to know?” He almost looked ashamed to answer.
“Because ever since I was six years old, that has been my dream. My entire clan is content to be merchants and craftsmen and travelers, and even I know the value of doing that and doing it well, but I have always wanted to be a shinobi.” The passion in his eyes was unmistakable as he said this, and was nearing the point of tears, but he stood tall none the less. “I am proud of my clan and what we do for everyone we meet. I am proud of the dedication we have for doing the best we can do, but that has not stopped me from learning everything I can about the ninja and their ways. That has not stopped me from doing research on tactics, spending hours a day talking to any traveling shinobi we meet on the road, asking them the same kinds of questions I would like to ask you. Questions that are becoming more and more difficult to ask as time goes by.” As he finished he turned away from Hinata, too proud to let her see his tears.
Hinata felt she understood what he was feeling. There had been times in the past when she had felt she didn’t want to be a shinobi, but being from a noble family with a long history in that field, she had had little choice. Akai’s situation was almost the opposite. Being from a traveling merchant family, with no ties to any shinobi village, he was the bird in the snowstorm looking into a warm house, where as she had been the caged bird looking out the window towards a distant freedom. Yes, she had eventually grown to enjoy the warmth but she could still understand how Akai was still cold. She wanted to help him, but the problem was that she didn’t know of any way she could. She placed a hand on his shoulder and he visibly shuddered before standing even taller and raising his hand to wipe away the tears that Hinata knew were likely there. When he turned around to face her again, there was little sign of his emotion.
“I am sorry, Hinata,” he said with only a mild quiver in his voice, “I did not mean to worry you with my troubles. It is just that the dream is still strong, even though I know I am far too old for it.” He paused for a moment to keep his composure. “Thank you for listening, though. I appreciate it.” He bowed to respectfully show his gratitude before turning and walking away. Hinata stood silently for a moment, herself bordering tears for the kind young man as he walked away.
After a few steps, though, Akai stopped. Hinata looked up to see as he turned around. A thoughtful look had appeared across his face, the furrowed brow clearly visible since his dark brown hair was rather close cut.
“If you are willing to follow me back to the market place, I have something I would like to give you.” The offer of a gift caught Hinata by surprise and she could not even think of refusing.
“Okay,” she said as she walked over to him, “what kind of gift?” She imagined that since his father and brother were carpenters it would be some kind of wooden trinket, but what he said next surprised her.
“I was thinking about making a jutsu for you.”

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