日向導 - A Hyūga's Guide

Chapter Twenty Three: You're...

Despite the initial thoughts about his lack of attention and care when it came to his son, Fugaku truly worried about Sasuke. From the day that he went missing, to his return, and his skittish feelings when he was seen walking around the Palace, Fugaku has been extremely aware of his son's emotions.

When Sasuke proposed the idea of two specific women being brought to the Palace, his first reaction was curiosity, but he did as he was asked. Seeing Sakura and Hinata in his office on the day of his arrival, he was extremely skeptical as to why exactly Sasuke wanted them, and which of the two women was he actually interested in. So, he sent out Kakashi to find out for him.

The first news that he received was that Naruto and Sakura seemed to be extremely interested in each other, which meant that Sasuke was not after the oldest of the two women at all. What was even more perplexing was the lack of bonding between Hinata and his son. Why exactly would Sasuke ask for her if the two of them avoided each other like the plague?

His mind would often wander back to his initial relationship with his wife, Mikoto. She too was hard to understand and approach on many occasions before she began to open up to him and return his feelings. Was Sasuke experiencing the same thing?

Fugaku was a smart man, that became increasingly obvious the more he remained silent and chose to observe rather than say anything. Hinata walking into his office filled him with such familiarity, it was hard to completely ignore. He recognized her; it would be stupid of him not to.

Nodding in gratitude as one of the maids opened the door for him, Fugaku lifted the fabric of his heavy robes to carefully step into the room.

"What might I do for you, Lord Uchiha?" Shizune walked around the room, tending to multiple things as she put her medical kit together in case of any emergencies. Today was restock day, and she would take it very seriously even if the Emperor was waiting to be attended to.

"We need to talk." He sat down on one of the many cushions surrounding a small table.

"I suppose it's an emergency since you've decided to visit instead of fetching for me." She heated up some water and made some tea. Taking her place in front of him, she poured him a glass and folded her hands comfortably on her lap. "What is it?"

"It has to do with Sasuke." He thanked her, taking a small whiff of the hot beverage before taking a sip.

"I assume it's about his eyes; did he activate them again?"

Fugaku nodded, "don't worry, he's alright at the moment — he should be asleep in his room."

"Okay, that's good. Was he able to turn it off on his own? I'm quite surprised that I was not called for in such a state of emergency." She poured herself a glass after some time, yet she made no move to drink it.

"Do you remember what we discussed a few years ago? With Tsunade?"

It had been some time since the lady's name had been muttered amongst them. Senju Tsunade was a household name across the country; a renowned physician that was leagues better than multiple doctors combined. She was Shizune's mentor. Despite all of that, the woman chose to remain anonymous, refusing to settle in one place for too long. She was the Palace's physician for some time, but ultimately chose to leave Shizune in her stead whilst she continued roaming the country.

"Concerning Sasuke?"

He nodded.

"His vision can return with extra care. Everyone knows this." She raised her eyebrow, "we talk about this a few times, don't we?"

"It's not just that." He thanked her again when she refilled his cup.

Trying to recall the brief conversation she had with her teacher about Sasuke, Shizune really was confused as to what Fugaku meant. "His chakra pathways to his eyes are severely damaged, with enough healing, he can regain control of it and his eyesight."