2 Chapter 2

Hanabi entered the dining hall and felt the heavy tension inside the room. Her grandfather is sitting down on his usual seat, where he could see everyone. Her grandmother is sitting beside him.

An empty seat is reserved for her beside her mother. She simply sat down and got the grasp of the situation. She cleared her throat and spoke.

"What is there to be discussed?" she asked.

No one spoke, everyone simply ate their meal. She thought hard to know what is really going on. She knows that it isn't the death anniversary of her father. It is not also the time for war since their place has been peaceful.

"Is it about the festival at the Shadow Sect village?" she asked as she takes a spoonful of food.

Her mother flinched which confirmed that she is right. She let out a sigh before holding her mother's hand.

"Don't worry, everything will be fine," she assured her. "Grandpa will be there as well as my cousins. It will go well, we will come home safe and sound."

"Easy said than done," her mother retorted. "Your father said that as well ten years ago."

"Mom, I am already 20 , not ten," she said. "Plus, there has been no chaotic news coming from the Shadow Sect for the past years. Grandfather had come back and forth for 5 years but there has not been assassination."

"Even if I protest or not, you'd still go anyway," her mom said with a soft voice.

"Don't worry," Haru butted in, Hanabi's cousin. "We will escort her and make sure not a single scratch will mark her."

"Ok, ok," Hanabi's mother said.

The family ate in silence after that. The heavy tension is still around the room but Hanabi simply ignored it. Her nightmare is still outweighing her worries. She is not so sure if she could be fine if she goes back to the place where her father had been assassinated.

Hanabi finished her meal and went in her room to pack her things. She grabbed some of her clothes and squeezed it into her baggage. She is trembling. She couldn't stop thinking of the her father's dead body. She couldn't forget the smell of blood. It agitates her.

She grabbed her kunais and headed to the training hall. She breathes in before lunging towards the straw dummy and hits it with 3 kunais. One landed on the neck, one on the chest and one on the forehead. She draws another kunai and slashed the straw hand of the dummy.

She did this over and over again until she felt tired. She was heaving after destroying all the dummies.

"Want to try your Higanbana?" Haru asked who was watching her. The Higanbana is the forbidden weapon that the Scarlet sect has been passing down to their descendants. It will be owned by the chosen Scarlet who will seek the Shadow ninja who had killed the Scarlet sect's leader.

"Not now," Hanabi replied, almost our of breath. "I have to prepare for our travel tomorrow."

Haru pats his cousin's head which made Hanabi feel safe and made her believe that everything will go fine.

"Thanks, Haru," she said before leaving the training hall. Haru watched her until she disappeared from his sight.

"She is spreading a dreadful vibe," he said before heading to his own room.

Hanabi laid down on her bed and tried to relax but failed to do so. She couldn't stay still. The memory of her father's death still continues to haunt her and she has no idea how to move on from it. She could only think of revenge but where would she find that ninja who had killed her father?

She got back to her senses when a soft knock was heard on her door. She turned her head to see who had opened her sliding door and saw her mother who looks gloomy.

"Hanabi," she called out as she sits beside her.

"You don't really have to go to the Shadow sect village," her mother started. "I know it has been a tradition to go and meet with them every year of this day but you don't have to go.

"Mom, if I keep on avoiding this, when will I be able to forget these nightmares?" she replied. "And I want to seek the ninja who had killed father."

"But if you do that, it might be also the end of you," her mother retorted. "I can't let them take you away from me permanently. I don't want you to take the path that your father had taken. It's too dangerous."

Hanabi replied, "Mom, who will take over the clan if I reject my duties?"

Her mother couldn't give a response to that. She knew very well that her daughter will soon inherit that job of her father being the chief village.

"You won't be able to take over the clan unless you're married," her mom said which made Hanabi felt disgusted.

"Ew," she blurted out. "I can do my duties without a husband."

"It would be hard to go against the tradition, Hanabi," her mother reminded her.

"It may be hard but it ain't impossible," Hanabi insisted. She shifted her position and faced her mother.

"You know what, mom? I ain't going to marry anyone unless I am on the verge of death," she said which made her mother smile weakly.

"But it would also mean that our clan is on the verge of extinction," her mom commented which hit her hard. "I was once from the Shadow sect and I got to marry your father who is from the Scarlet sect. It was not a bad combination. And marriage between the two sects ensures the peace of the two villages."

"I know, mom," Hanabi replied. "But I get the feeling that I would be in a loveless marriage. It's kind of worrying."

Their conversation was interrupted by Hanabi's grandfather.

"Get your things. We are going earlier to the Shadow Sect village," he announced. "A sudden notice had come."

Hanabi simply nodded in response. She kissed her mom on the forehead and gave her a confident smile.

"I will come back home. Safe and sound," she gave her a tight hug before grabbing her things and heads to the door.

"I will be waiting," her mom said.

"The wait won't be long," she said before running out of the house and seeing her grandfather and her cousins all set up.

"Let's go," Haru called out, giving Hanabi the sign that they'll be in the same carriage.

Hanabi puts her baggage at the back and hops in.

"What's up with the hurry?" she asked her grandfather.

"The Shadow sect will present their best ninja as well," her grandfather replied. "They suggested to plan the marriage ahead of time."

Hanabi's brow raised in a what-the-fuck-did-he-just-say manner. Her face twitched in disgust and Haru noticed her messed up state.

"You look like a pig," he blurted out.

"Shut up," Hanabi retorted. "Grandfather, Haru is more suitable to become the next chief of the sect, he should be the one getting a fiancee."

"The Shadow sect will surely present a male ninja so you are the one who will be married off, not the other way around," her grandfather explained calmly.

"So I have the chance of becoming a part of the Shadow sect?" Hanabi asked in disbelief. She scoffed which made Haru pinch her so she would behave.

"Exaclty," her grandfather simply replied.

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"The world must be fucked up. I should probably become a traveller rather than be married to a guy I do not even know about."