Fugaku looked at the notification on his phone. His son's flight had landed an hour ago. Of course, the brat hadn't called or messaged him.
He was in a foul mood. He had already had a good scolding to his assistant as she allowed the marketing department to push back their deadline AGAIN. She took it with a flat face but, as usual, finched it when he smacked his hand down on his desk.
He barked at the person who dared come to his office door to come in, but the tall man seemed to be happy to come in and put a report on his desk. "These are the reports from Sales you asked for."
"I gave these to Hinata." He glared at the man. "Who are you?"
"Rock Lee, sir! Hinata Hyuga's assistant." He cheerfully saluted him.
Fugaku looked again. The loud shirt should have been a sign. He was in a respectable suit today. Even if the shirt was a bright color, his hair was still silly, but it had been styled differently. Hinata must have given him a make-over.
Smart girl.
"Where is Hinata?" Fugaku snapped.
"On her lunch, she took it with Hoshigaki." Lee relayed. "She'll be back before 1."
"Dismissed." He snapped.
The tall man practically bounced out of the room.
Fugaku rubbed his temples and looked at his lunch. He was getting tired of this new diet. He was getting tired of his assistant. He was getting tired of his son's meddling.
He was just getting tired.
Hinata waved at Kisame as she left the elevator. He was a strange man, huge with a booming voice to match, but he was quite funny. Over lunch, he was able to help with her dilemma with the marketing department.
She waved at Lee as she came in, and he bounced up. "I gave the director the report, ma'am. He asked about you."
"Oh?" She looked back at her boss's office. "Maybe when he's in a foul mood, you should wait for me to give it to him, or at least wait until after his lunch, but thank you. You look nice today."
"Thank you for the styling!" Lee said, proudly strike a pose.
Hinata giggled.
What a funny man.
Hinata headed to her office and put down her purse. She looked at the door between their offices and wondered if she should check in on him. She had been gone an hour, and it didn't look like he finished his lunch.
"Hinata." He snapped through her phone.
She guessed that would decide for her.
Hinata headed to his office.
"Sasuke's plane has landed." He started.
"Yes, sir, his driver reported that he and the friend he brought with him have gotten to his hotel safely." She relayed.
"He brought a friend?" He asked.
Hinata nodded. "He requested tickets in his email when I booked the flight and hotel, a man named Naruto Uzumaki. He's the heir to Uzumaki."
He let out a frustrated sigh. "Oh yes, those two are always together. What have you got for the marketing fiasco."
"I think I have a solution to that." Hinata folded her hands in front of her. "There is another team that is at the end of a project the was meant to be held off until after this release. If we release that in place, there will be a product announcement at the end of the month as promised. All we would have to do is ensure we have enough prototypes in time, and after speaking with Kisame from sales, I think we can arrange for enough to fill the gap."
The director paused for a moment, thoughtfully. He nodded.
She smiled. That was the best she could get from him.
"Sasuke event?" He asked.
"All preparations are in place. The staff has been hired. Your gift is in my office. I have the guest list and will have a list with faces so I can remind you of names." The last was an odd request, but she was sure it was far more embarrassing to forget someone's name when you were respected.
"Keep your shadow out of my office." He added.
Hinata nodded. "I apologize. I have informed him to wait for me in the future."
Fugaku huffed. "Dismissed."
Hinata bowed, but before she could disappear through the door, she noticed his uneaten lunch in the trash. "Should I chose another place for lunch tomorrow?" She asked hesitantly.
He glared at his half-eaten lunch. "Get something that doesn't taste like cardboard."
She ducked her head again before she left.
Hinata sighed, looking at the list of foods he was allowed to eat, the available restaurant in the area, and the list of things he wouldn't eat in her guide. There wasn't a lot to choose from. Takeout was already not healthy, but it was much harder to select on his restricted diet, and she had already called some of these places to see if there was more in his diet option.
When she was at home, she cooked most of the meals, even for holidays.
Hinata wondered for a moment if she should just make a second bento. Well, she would have to make another two for lunch and dinner. She stopped herself. The likelihood that he would eat her cooking was low. She could, however, make something to ease the discomfort. She looked at the clock so she could still make it to the store tonight.
Hinata was happy to see that the next morning he had eaten the breakfast she had sat on his desk without complaint. The brown bag she had put it in was crushed empty in the trash. It wasn't his normal buttery breakfast pastry, but a light breakfast bread with jam in the center would satisfy the craving without putting him off his new diet.
The week went on, he seemed to get increasingly irritated as the week went on, and she noticed that his other son had not come to see him once. He stayed his normal late hours, so unless he had gone to see him in the evening, Sasuke hadn't come to see his father since he landed.
Maybe he was busy entertaining his friend.
She wondered why they had chosen a hotel room. They both had parents who lived in the city. With as much as the director worked, Sasuke could have gone to bed early every day and slept in, and he would have missed him.
She just hoped this welcome home event went smoothly. She wasn't sure what more stress her boss could take, and he was meant to be watching his stress levels.
Itachi dropped by a few times, so he too was yet to see his brother. She was starting to wonder if he had shaved his head or something, and he was trying to hide it.
Hinata sat in the car quietly, watching the director check his phone again. He did so every hour at least, and he asked for his son's status at least twice a day.
Hinata held her tongue. It wasn't her place to tell him what to do.
"I need a sales report by tomorrow morning," Fugaku ordered.
Hinata checked the time, it was nearly the end of the day, but she sent the email anyway. He seemed far crueler when he was in this kind of mood.
"Order dinner, and make it something that I can actually taste." He added.
"Yes, sir," Hinata replied. "Should I schedule a lunch with Sasuke for tomorrow before his tailor appointment?"
Fugaku paused. Hinata wondered if she was a little too bold. She pressed her lips together tightly as she typed through her phone, waiting for an answer.
He sighed very harshly.
"It would fit in your schedule, sir." Hinata wasn't sure she was digging her grave deeper or helping him make a decision.
"Make the food eatable." Fugaku turned away from her and said nothing more.
Hinata let out a slow breath and set to work.
Hinata fidgeted her fingers along the edge of her phone. She hoped Sasuke wasn't late. The director was in a frightful mood. Itachi, upon hearing about the family meal, invited himself. She made sure Fugaku took his medication on time and checked on the time again. She checked on the car she sent's location again. It should be right on time but just barely.
When the food arrived, she set it out in front of the director and Itachi. "Sasuke-sama should be here a few minutes. Lee-san will meet him in the lobby and bring him up."
"Are you going to hide in your office?" Itachi wondered.
"I'm actually stealing your assistant for lunch," Hinata explained. "I bought some furniture, he's going to help me with it on my lunch break, and I'm making lunch to repay him." She only had the time because of this long lunch. She bowed to the director respectfully. "I will be available by phone if you need anything, and Lee-san will be at his desk, sir."
Fugaku seemed uninterested. He was stressed enough about this meal. She bowed one more time before heading for the door.
"You finally got furniture? That's great. Your apartment is so bare." Itachi exclaimed, looking back at her.
As the door closed, she could hear. "Why do you know what her apartment looks like?"
Hinata didn't want to know how that conversation ended.
Hinata headed down the elevator, double-checking her phone. Kisame requested a specific dish from his home she was going to attempt while he built her furniture. She wanted to make sure she bought everything right.
Hinata stepped out of the elevator and right into someone. Her phone clattered to the floor.
"Watch where you are going!" The person snapped. He stood her height in her heels, so their faces were way too close.
Hinata stepped back, putting her hands up to her chest and bowing her head. "Sorry."
"You should keep your eyes off your phone." He huffed as he reached down and snapped up her phone.
"Ah, are you alright!?" Lee popped up. She had nearly forgotten she had him wait in the lobby.
The man held out her phone. "Sorry." He grumbled, looking guilty for snapping at her. She didn't recognize him. He looked nervous. Probably high tension made him snippy.
"I'm fine, thank you." Hinata ducked her head again and went on her way toward the entrance. She hoped Sasuke arrived soon. She checked the car again. She must be just missing him.