The following day her boss was in a sour mood. The director hadn't said much the night before. He asked for his last report, didn't ask about her work, just dismissed her.

After a long day of his usual snap orders and a bad meeting, he called her in. "Where are you with Sasuke's event?"

Hinata took a deep breath. "It will be a public event on the 5th day after his plane is scheduled to land. It is going to be at the Uchiha ballroom." She relayed quickly.

His eyes narrowed on her. "How did you decide all this?"

Hinata swallowed. "I didn't. Itachi-sama came by last night and asked if he could plan his brother's party. He messaged me the details and asked me to book the caterer and music he picked out."

"You're passing the work I assigned to you off?" Fugaku asked her pointedly.

"No, sir. He wanted to plan it. That's what he told me." Hinata felt like she was making excuses.

The director huffed. "Anything else he asked of you?"

"He asked me to forward some projects that were under his department." She explained. Had she been wrong in thinking she wouldn't want to be bothered with this information?

His jaw set. "That's all."

"Yes, sir." She bowed her head and let herself into her office. Maybe it was her she was mad at.

Itachi sat back in his chair and smiled at his email.

This girl was interesting, but what was more interesting was his father's reaction to her. He had chosen the least qualified, the youngest girl of the bunch. His father wasn't so spiteful of his son he would gamble his work. He had something against this girl, and he was going to find out what.

Itachi looked her up. She was from a non-descript family, the daughter of a man that owned a small business outside the city, A/B student in university from a lesser school. She was largely uninteresting at first glance. Itachi remembered seeing her before her interview and didn't look like that before. She stuck out with her modest makeup and common haircut among all the other girls that walked through the door. It's the only reason she had caught his attention that day.

His father had gone through the trouble to dress her up. It didn't take long for Kisame to find out that his father had demanded she get a full makeover to 'look the part.' He had gone a lot further than 'look the part.'

His father was dedicated to this, and he didn't want him to know, which of course, made it all the more interesting.

His father was playing games with this girl.

And he was on her side.

She was oddly getting used to her days. She was up at 5, showered, and ready with coffee in hand and her designer bag and meals in hand. She was picked up and in the office by 6. She gave the morning report and received cold snapped orders. She ate her breakfast at her desk while reviewing emails.

Hinata wrote emails and made sure what needed to happen was told the right people. She did this at all hours. She was constantly typing on her phone or laptop. She spent a large portion of her time in meetings, multitasking. One window opened for her notes, the other opened for her email. She simply couldn't get to it all if she didn't.

When lunch came around was usually her first time to breathe, sometimes it was just ordering food for her boss, and sometimes he would leave for a business meeting. Either way, it was usually a portion of the day that was calm as no one was sending her new emails or handing her paperwork.

Hinata had started packing her dinner as well. He would usually again order or be gone for only an hour. She began to frequent the coffee bar on the floor to ensure that she didn't run out of energy until after he did. What she found she enjoyed the most was after five, when the emails stopped pouring in, and people left for the day. She didn't, though. They went home around eight most nights.

She was dropped off, she would make her way to the convenience store to pick up groceries, and she would make herself meals for the next day while on the phone with her sister, then it would start all over again.

She was getting used to her new boss, but she wasn't sure he would ever get used to her. She could understand what it was, but she had the feeling that he was constantly testing her. Of course, she should expect that being a new employee, but for some reason, it was always like he was trying to make it harder than it had to be.

Maybe he was just cruel.

Itachi knocked on Hinata's office door. She called him in.

Upon seeing him, she straightened and looked confused, looking down at her phone, probably looking for a missed appointment.

"Don't worry. I'm not here for my father." Itachi waved his hands, closing the door behind him.

"Oh..." Hinata tried to hide her relief.

"Is he giving you a hard time?" He asked, amused, sitting down across from her desk.

Hinata opened her mouth, looking over at the door to his father's office and back. "No." She lied.

Cute.

Itachi leaned on the arm of the chair in front of her desk.

"What can I help you with, Uchiha-sama?" She asked.

"I was just curious if my father ever gave you a day off and what you would be doing?" He asked.

She inductively looked down at her schedule before realizing he had asked about her day off, not work. "Uh… well, I do have the weekend, assuming I am not called in." She said sheepishly. "I worked on reports last weekend." She admitted.

Did she do anything but work? Itachi was wondering if she was made for his father. "Could you spare your Saturday to help me pick out a gift for my brother?"

Hinata gaped at him. "I…" She flickered around unsurely. "I've never met your brother. I'm not sure what help I would be."

Very cute.

"You two are about the same age. I just need a second pair of eyes." Itachi pressed, knowing that she wasn't going to say no.

True to what he thought, she nodded slightly.

Itachi smiled. "Good, I'll pick you up at 10, and we'll spend the day." He left before she could protest.

Hinata tugged at her blouse. She stood on the sidewalk early, dressed in her office attire because she didn't have anything nice to wear that wasn't office attire. She didn't want to offend him with her normal clothes, but when Itachi pulled up, she was even more embarrassed to see him dressed down. He seemed to notice her discomfort as he got out of the car and leaned on it. "Why don't you change into something more comfortable. I wouldn't want you to be on your feet in heels walking around a mall."

Hinata ducked her head and ran back upstairs, changing in her nicest old clothes. A sweater her sister bought for her birthday but bought in size too big to purposely give it to her and a pair of fitted jeans she had gotten at a discount store. With the hair, makeup, and designer flat shoes, she could call the outfit intentional, right?

Itachi seemed satisfied. He opened the door for her as she came out.

Hinata stayed painfully silent on the drive to the mall. She didn't know what to say. Would her boss be upset with her? She didn't tell him. It didn't come up. She didn't want to bring it up. She wasn't even sure why Itachi had asked.

Itachi was nice. He saved her from the painful silence once they had made it into their first store. The mall he brought her to was massive. Endless stores. He pointed out things while she trailed behind him. He talked about his brother.

He said he hadn't seen it in over a year now, but he was sure that he was the same. He lovingly described his younger brother as a grumpy teenager with a rebellious streak and a competitive complex, but kind and helpful if he knew no one would point it out. He poured out how he had wished he was around more because he was too busy for him when they were young.

Hinata listened to all of it, but she wondered why he was so open with this information. Certainly, he wasn't this open about everything to everyone?

What she did gather was that his brother was spoiled but still not particularly materialistic. Jewelry or watches were not something he would bat an eye at, and Itachi said he wanted his coming home gift to be special.

They spent a few hours in stores before her eye caught something in the window. A winter coat, it would be getting cold soon, and Hanabi outgrew hers. "She doesn't have a warm coat." She muttered to herself. Maybe she could buy her a good winter coat that wouldn't go thread bear in a year or two with this job. Hanabi was her height now. It wasn't likely she would grow much taller, so she wouldn't grow out of it. She hadn't even realized she stopped until Itachi came back to stand beside her.

"A nice coat would be a good gift." Itachi seemed to read her mind.

Hinata blinked at him. Surely a boy with so much money would be able to buy a coat.

Itachi smiled at her with that oddly knowing smile that she couldn't figure out. "Keeps him warm, right?"

She was so confused by this man.

They left with two bags. Itachi insisted on getting the women's coat she had seen initially. He didn't even explain why he knew she wanted it, but she couldn't keep him from buying it, and he had no use for a women's coat. She glanced at the back seat of his car. She was happy that her sister would have a warm coat. She would be going to university soon, and the school she was hoping for was a train ride and a walk away.

Hinata wore a lot of layers in college and could still remember the cold that would go through your bones, walking to classes early in the morning.

"I think I will need to get him a good scarf for Christmas to go with the coat. What do you think?" Itachi told her.

Hinata blushed. He had noticed she was spaced out. "That would be nice."

"Will you come with me then too?" Itachi asked.

Did he want to have another outing with her?

"Uh, if I am still with the company, I don't see why not." Hinata hummed.

"Are you planning on leaving?" Itachi asked with a tilt of his head, but his eyes stayed on the road.

Hinata shook her head. "I know that this position is likely temporary." There was no need for her to hide it. She was sure he knew that his father's secretaries didn't stay for long.

"I don't know about that. I think dad likes you." Itachi told her as he parked his car outside her building and smiled at her.

Hinata made a face but tried to drop it just as quickly, but she wasn't quick enough.

He laughed. "I know it doesn't seem like it, but that's just how he is. He seems to take more interest in you than the assistants that he's had before. And you certainly have been keeping up with him."

Hinata shrugged. She didn't know what to think. She didn't need him to like her as long as he didn't hate her. She just wanted to keep this job as long as she could, then maybe like the last person who held the position, she could be moved to another department. It wouldn't make her father happy that she was demoted, but at least he wouldn't have the shame of her getting fired. Not that he had any pride in her anymore.

"Hey, I didn't mean to upset you." Itachi tilted his head down to her.

She must have let that last part show to her face. She waved her hand and smiled. "I'm fine. I had a lovely day."

"Well, that's good. I'll see you Monday." He got up out of that car and opened her door, giving her the designer bag with his sister's coat in it. "Thank you for helping me."

Hinata watched him drive off with a wave. What a strange man.