Despite Iwao's attempts at making it sound like Hajime would have a choice, it really felt like there wasn't much choice to begin with. It was as if Iwao was waving a large amount of money in front of Hajime's face and then saying 'you're free to not take it'. It was just too stupid to not take the offer, even if Hajime didn't really feel like taking care of all that stuff. There was the moving, and apparently, the watching over Chihiro. “Hai, Iwao-sama. I will take your offer. And you can keep your money, because I am a branch member. It's my duty to follow your orders. ” Even if I'd rather not. He bowed again, deeply this time, and maintained that position to show his respect. He veered up again and waited for a moment, to see what else Iwao had to say. Likely he'd offer to give the money anyway, since Iwao was doing what he could to keep Chihiro away from Momoi apparently. Hajime could see why.
Chihiro wasn't exactly the perfect heir that someone like Hinata or Neji would've been, not in a long shot. Times had changed, but the visions of the Hyuga hadn't changed much. Fact remained it was not very possible to see people like Hinata or Neji again. The world was too modern, and values had taken the place of the values of those times. Values that Momoi seemed to hold dearly, and values that Chihiro as a result took over.
Hajime couldn't find a way to blame Chihiro. She was just doing her best in his eyes. But the main branch.. they did what they could to protect Chihiro from outsiders it seemed. An endeavour likely to fail if you'd ask Hajime. But nobody asked Hajime. He was a branch member and wasn't supposed to think, let alone be asked about things. He was supposed to do what he did - nod politely and bow, accepting whatever Iwao wanted of him. That was the way, the fate, of the branch members. “I assume you'll want me to find Chihiro and inform her of your decision to reinstate me as her protector, Iwao-sama?”
With the meeting over now, atleast so Hajime thought, he made his way out again and picked up his jacket when he passed through the hallway. Regardless of whether Iwao wanted him to find Chihiro or not, he'd go looking for her anyway. Despite the guard stating she wasn't here, it wouldn't harm to double check. He walked towards her room and knocked on her door, waiting a minute for an answer to see if perhaps she'd been sleeping or something. When it was affirmed that she wasn't there, Hajime sighed and looked at the ceiling. “Ksuuu.. Chihiro-sama making me go out in the rain again..”
His footsteps went down the hallway again headed for the main exit, exitting the building and going around the compound first, with his hood on and his jacket open once more because he couldn't close it in time to stop the rain. AFter circling the compound he wondered where Chihiro'd be.. He'd have to go all over the place just to look for her. Or.. he could use his byakugan. Hajime's byakugan had less range than that of most people, but it had a clearer vision when looking for chakra and tenketsu. Still, the range would be just enough to check nearby surroundings. Sighing once more because of the troubles, he formed the tiger seal. “Byakugan!” With the byakugan now active, he started searching around, looking for any sign of Chihiro.
The question was a bit surprising, for Saburo atleast. As he guided Uchiha Daiki to the top of the building again, he'd explain the process to him. “Many of us arrive from childhood, including me. We never knew anything like a shinobi training you underwent. We weren't taught about this shinobi code, and the nindo of some heroes of the past. We only heard about it in passing, to explain that we are different.” He'd enter the elevator that took them up, showing his pass quickly to a scanner to let Daiki through the mechanical gates.
“Some prominent figures are invited into the 11th by insiders. I myself have such privileges, but we always need to request permission from superiors and do extensive research. I once had permission to recruit Yamato, after giving a sizeable amount of research to the commander.” Saburo turned to Daiki as he pressed to button for the top floor, giving him the characteristical fake smile that Saburo was known for nowadays. “He said no. That is a possibility.” The elevator slowly slid up, but the mechanics had made sure to make the elevator as soundless as possible. Only the soft whirring of an engine was audible before the characteristical ping sounded again.
As they headed for the exit, Saburo wondered something to himself. It was visible on his face that he was questioning something, too. But the 11th corps never really accepted asking questions, and although this wasn't quite the same as important mission facts, it still irked him. Finally he gave in and just asked Daiki. “Why do you ask? I didn't take you for one who was interested in the 11th. We're not quite the most positively seen group in Konoha, especially after the misunderstanding of the coup.”
With the meeting concluded, Reijo lingered around for a moment more to ensure that people were all done speaking. It had seemed so. But then that annoying kid, Shin, always so full of himself in that annoying way of speech, assuming he was better just for being a cop. Tsk. However.. it'd seem it wasn't an accident, as Reijo felt a brief interaction between his pocket and Shin's hands. Hrng. Reijo's hand went into his pocket and grabbed the small piece of paper, taking it out and unfolding it before reading it. That was.. interesting. A possible ally in the form of the very same cop that wished to lock him up earlier those years? No, no. Reijo was thinking unreasonably. Perhaps it was a ploy to set up Reijo.
Regardless, there was only one way to find out. And given the recent demise of Kaito's employment, Reijo didn't have much to lose. He'd follow the letters orders, if anything just to see what Kaito wanted from him. He didn't look at Kaito, nor Shin, and just pocketed the letter again, pretending he had had it all along. Not that Reijo suspected anyone was there to see it - though ofcourse Reijo wasn't a shinobi like the others here, and thus couldn't feel the prying eyes of the 11th all around them. He returned his gaze to Yamato, who had stood up and waited for his father. There was a sense of anger in the air between them, though not visibly so.
Atleast, not visibly so until Reijo approached Yamato and grabbed his arm harshly, ordering him to come with him and head outside without words. Yamato was physically strong enough to withstand it if he wanted to, easily, but he didn't simply because he respected, and feared, his father. The two walked outside, in a fast pace to avoid getting stopped by anyone.
Once outside they turned a left corner, and Reijo attempted to be a bit more out of sight, although that didn't work quite well because of the shape of the building. If anyone wanted to, they could simply look over and see Yamato and Reijo, only slightly obscured by the building. Reijo spoke with a hushed tone, but that failed ultimately as he was quite angry. He somehow retained his facial features, looking only slightly angry, but Yamato could tell he was infuriated. “Don't you ever embarrass me like that again. You keep your arguments and fights with those low lifes outside of politics, you hear me?” Yamato didn't answer, only looking at his father in anger.
SLAP! Reijo's hand flew up and backhanded Yamato in the face, who'd seen the slap coming from a mile away but hadn't tried to stop it at all. Slowly the side of Yamato's face turned red. Reijo's hand remained in the air for a second before lowering it. “Do I make myself clear, you little shit? You're my heir, not some off spring of a far away cousin of mine. We leave the dirty arguments and fights to them, not ourselves.” Reijo said, letting go of Yamato's arm now. “Yes father.” was the answer he received, with Yamato's expression still being one of anger, not pain. He'd grown accustomed to the beatings and had learned early on that crying only meant you'd get beat harder the next time. Meeting the pain with no expression at all was the best way to go, and that he had learned to himself.
Reijo's hand went downwards and straightened out his suit, before nodding at Yamato. “Good. Go home.” he said, before leaving himself, passing by the Hojo and the Naito, only granting them a small bow in passing by. Yamato followed his father with his eyes, staring at him before turning around and heading home.
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