Sasuke sat back across from his brother, but his brother's smile was pointed elsewhere.

"How was the director after we left?" Hinata asked, bringing Itachi a cup of coffee.

Itachi smiled and accepted it. "He brought a screaming match home with him last night, but that's a normal dinner for those two."

Hinata frowned as she sat beside him on the couch.

"Oh, don't worry about it. They have always been like this. It's really a good argument why you should marry two business tycoon heirs." Itachi added flippantly. "I'm sure they were at each other throats on their wedding day."

Sasuke would second that.

Hinata shook her head. "Do you think that your mother would force Sasuke-sama to marry someone?"

"She would certainly try whether or not she would succeed. It would probably have to do with dad and Sasuke." Itachi grinned at him.

Sasuke irritably drank his coffee.

Hinata's phone went off. "I'll be right back. I have to take this." She moved out of the room as she answered the phone, from the excessive use of the word 'sir.' He could deduce who had called.

"You know if you keep staring at her like that, mom's going to ship her off to a foreign country," Sasuke grumbled.

Itachi looked back with a smile. "You know you could probably solve two problems with mom if you married her."

Sasuke shook his head in disbelief. "What?"

"She can't marry you off, and she might never talk to you again." Itachi chuckled.

Sasuke was even more confused. "Where did you even get the idea?"

"She is cute." Itachi seemed to be determined to turn Sasuke's face purple.

"I have no idea what makes you think I am interested." Sasuke huffed.

"You did stay here last night." Itachi prodded.

"In the guest room." Sasuke corrected him.

"Well, don't tell mom that part." Itachi grinned from ear to ear. He was having too much fun. "Tell her that you had a couple of drinks first, though."

"Yeah, I'll tell her I stayed the night if you want Hinata to mysteriously vanish in a black car," But then where would he crash the next time he was hiding from his mother? Naruto's place was a no-go, his dad was so weird, and Naruto snored like a diesel truck.

Hinata came back with a sigh. "The director called to warn you that your mother is our looking for you. She showed up this morning to see if you came home but missed Itachi by a few minutes."

"What did he tell her?" Itachi wondered.

"He said you two were together but didn't tell her you didn't leave the house together," Hinata explained. "He didn't want to imply he stayed here but didn't want to be caught in a lie."

"Yeah, sounds like dad avoiding confrontation," Sasuke said.

Itachi got up, taking his cup to the kitchen. "I am going to use the restroom, then I think we should find somewhere else to hide. She just has to ask a driver to know where you live."

Itachi grinned with his hand in his pockets as he walked behind his two companions.

The tension between them could be cut with a knife. Sasuke side-eyed her, watching her movement for ulterior motives. Hinata looked on edge when he started talking, like she was ready for him to say something that would catch her off guard.

And yet, they seemed to move together. Sasuke was laid back but made subtle movements that told you where he wanted to go and what he wanted to do. Hinata read them without much to say and followed or led as needed.

Itachi wondered if this was what his father saw in Hinata's mother. Someone to mold to your mannerisms even when they're angry with you.

He was glad they were occupied with each other. Neither of them seemed to notice he felt worse than just a hangover. He shouldn't have drunk so much after taking his medication.

Hinata stopped looking back at him. He smiled at her. "Why isn't your mother trying to marry you off?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Because he's the perfect one. Mother always thought he could do no wrong when we were growing up."

Let's go with that.

"But why the younger brother when, the older one is single. It's not common to pressure the younger sibling to marry first." Hinata frowned. "Not that I think she should be doing it at all, but it seems out of order." She added.

"Your father didn't pressure you to get married," Sasuke grumbled.

"No, my father thought relationships were a waste of time, and I should work on my career," Hinata explained.

"That bit him in the ass, didn't it?" Sasuke commented smugly.

Hinata's face flattened, giving his brief glare.

Itachi chuckled.

Hinata tilted her head as something caught her eye on the bathroom floor. She picked it up, a tissue with blood on it. She tossed it away and washed her hands. The trash didn't seem to have anymore, but the location she found it seemed like it was meant to be flushed.

She wondered if either one of the boys got a cut and didn't tell her. They both knew where the kit was now, but it's odd they didn't mention it. It looked like more than a small cut to have that much blood.

Hinata tucked the thought away for another day as she dried her hands. It was probably nothing serious.

The director waved her into his office before she could even get her coat off. Hinata stepped into his office and bowed her head.

"I assume the boys kept you entertained yesterday." Fugaku smiled.

"They go to great lengths to avoid their mother, it would seem, sir," Hinata replied. She paused at her own tone. Maybe she should have more coffee before opening her mouth.

Fugaku chuckled. "Yes, about that, I have a new task for you. Mikoto has made it clear that she isn't going to give up with that girl, and she has also made it clear that she doesn't like you alone with Sasuke."

Hinata nodded slowly, not understanding where he was going with his line of reasoning.

"So I need you to escort him to social events from now on." Fugaku finished and looked over to his computer with a grin on his face.

Hinata gapped. "Sir, I don't think Sasuke-sama is going to like that very much."

"He'll like it better than his mother sending him with Miss Haruno." Fugaku countered.

Hinata grimaced but nodded as she headed to her office. She was going to need more coffee before she informed Sasuke of what his father had decided. There was another event at the end of the week, so the sooner he knew, the better.

Hinata didn't have much time to sip her coffee. She was surprised to hear the director's phone ring. She looked at the time. There was nothing on his schedule. It was near unheard of for someone to call his private line without her knowing. With a few clicks, Hinata was staring at the caller ID of the phone in the next room. A medical facility, not his doctor.

Hinata briefly panicked, but a search of the office revealed it wasn't a hospital but a specialty care clinic.

Hinata wasn't sure she should ask. When the light on her phone disappeared, she got up and presented herself in the director's office.

The grin that was on the director's face was gone. He frowned at the unfortunate document on his desk and slid it aside. He sat back and pressed his hands together on his chest. Stress and discomfort in his posture.

Hinata pressed her lips together and wondered if he was going to acknowledge her.

"You did not see that," Fugaku told her. "And any other call from that number. It goes to me, or it doesn't get answered. You understand?"

Hinata nodded slowly, wondering what it was that was suddenly so secretive.

"Status."