Chapter 22: Graduation Exam

Chapter 22: Graduation Exam

“Didn’t I already tell you yesterday the exam would be quick? No need to bring me lunch.”

Izayoi deactivated his Byakugan and stepped out of his room. Sitting at the dining table was Hinata Hyūga, surrounded by several neatly packed lunchboxes. Without hesitation, he sat down and began eating the breakfast she’d prepared.

“I wasn’t going to cook,” Hinata said, resting her hands on the table. “But I forgot to remind Hanabi about the exam. She woke up even earlier than me today and made this special lunch for you.”

“I see. Hanabi really thought ahead,” Izayoi murmured, spotting a rice ball shaped with shredded radish—an old symbol of success—tucked inside one of the boxes. His appetite sharpened. Years of spoiling my sister-in-law haven’t gone to waste, he mused.

“Have some too,” he added, nodding at Hinata. “I can’t eat all this alone.”

“I’ve already eaten,” she declined with a smile, rising to fetch milk from the fridge.

Her movements were effortless—from waking him up to pouring their drinks. There was no awkwardness, no hesitation. She moved like this was her home, which, truthfully, it was.

It had been years since Izayoi and Hinata last met their team at the old training grounds. Though Izayoi had never once visited the Hyūga compound, Hinata and Hanabi had long treated his apartment as their second home. Both kept spare keys, and whenever they had free time, they’d drop by unannounced. They stocked the fridge, cooked meals, and handled chores—either together or as a trio. For Izayoi and Hinata, this rhythm of life felt utterly natural.

After breakfast, they washed the dishes and left for the Academy. The pair drew glances as they walked—a striking contrast of elegance and charm. Six years had transformed Izayoi into a handsome teenager standing five foot four. In Konoha, where his peers averaged around four foot eleven, he towered over his classmates. Hinata, too, stood out at five foot one, towering six centimeters above most girls her age. Her figure, shaped by years of rigorous training and a bottomless appetite for growth, had matured impressively. Even in her loose white coat, her silhouette hinted at curves that could steal a second glance—or a third.

“Good morning, Izayoi-kun, Hinata.”

“Morning, Minako.”

“Still inseparable, huh? You two really not dating?”

March 21 marked the graduation exam day for sixth-year students. The lower grades had completed their annual finals yesterday, leaving the campus unusually quiet. Parents clustered at the gates—uncommon sights, as most clan heirs required no such ceremony. For them, headbands were guaranteed; even failure wouldn’t bar them from becoming special-class shinobi through family privileges.

As Izayoi and Hinata walked, classmates greeted them. Some teased their relationship, earning only a quiet chuckle from Izayoi and a faint blush from Hinata. Though he was top of the class, Izayoi never gained as much popularity as Uchiha Sasuke. The reason? Hinata. Since first grade, they’d been inseparable. Girls who once vied for Izayoi’s attention quickly gave up after realizing his warmth toward Hinata was unmatched. And with Hinata’s status—Hyūga heiress, top-three student, and the taijutsu dueling “pressure point queen”—no one dared challenge her. Those who’d felt her paralyzing strikes firsthand knew better than to provoke her.

Even Uzumaki Naruto, infamous for vandalizing the Hokage Monument and triggering surprise transformation tests, sat quietly today. In the classroom, students buzzed with nervous energy. Some whispered in hushed tones; others clenched fists, staring blankly at their desks.

Izayoi and Hinata exchanged quiet conversation, their calm drawing envious stares from a girl seated nearby. Of course Honors Students have that luxury, she thought. Unlike her, they didn’t spend last night lying awake, stomach churning with dread.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end