A mutual understanding.

Hinata hated the very words. They meant she couldn't call back on her words. They meant she was saying goodbye forever. They meant no more passionate sex at the office, after hours, during hours or at her house. They meant she was to address him as "Uchiha-san" or to keep what they used to have "Sasuke". No "kun", no "Sasu-chan", no nothing. Just "Uchiha" or "Sasuke."

She dropped her head on her desk, the pen falling from her hand. Everything had become so . . . boring. Everything was going according to plan. Russia and Canada had signed; America was still mulling it over but was definitely in their immediate favor. Nothing needed to be done. Memos were basically the same. Every meeting had everyone leaving with a smiling face and hopes of bigger raises.

Everyone except for her.

Without Sasuke, she had no one to go home with, no one to wake up with, no one at all. She had liked the way things were, even if it was just sex. At least they had sex. She knew Neji was practically salivating for TenTen, but he wouldn't do it because he was either

A. was too chicken

B. TenTen was prolonging it

C. was waiting for the right time

A sigh escaped her poppy-red-glossed lips before she sat up. In a black sleeveless top and gray pencil skirt, she looked the same. It wasn't as if she had changed any, not even when they were . . . Hell, she didn't even know what to call it. Maybe the word would be an affair. Maybe it would be called nothing but a desire; lust.

How could she be so stupid?! Asking him what he thought! Of course he didn't love her! Its just sex! He did it all the time! With any woman he desired! She wasn't the only sex-crazed woman out there! There were probably tens of thousands of women much more advanced than she!

But, for a moment, she had actually believed . . .

Abruptly, she turned her thoughts off. There was no need to muse it over. What was done was done. She may regret it for the rest of her life, but she'd get over it. Sasuke was nothing but old history. Stuff she didn't need to get into now or possibly even later. Close the door and throw away the key.

"Hyuga," Sasuke walked through the door with the ease of a man who had everything going for him. And he did, but what about her? What about what they had? Didn't that mean anything? Anything at all? Or maybe . . .

It was just a game for him.

"Ano, Uchiha-san?" Hinata cocked her head, swiveling her chair to the right. She didn't want to face him head on, not when her heart was shattering all over again, not when her mind was replaying what happened in the last two weeks. The no contact, the no direct-eyeing, the no obvious-flirting. The no sex.

Her heart skipped a bet and she turned to the document on her computer screen. She wanted to jump him, fuck him mercilessly, but that wasn't going to be happening anytime soon. She had a duty to this company and now, she was back to her late nights and home made dinners. There was no going home with Sasuke, or possibly doing it here. It was all copiers, papers and crudy, over-protective Managers.

"Are you listening?" he snapped and she grimaced. He never used to snap at her when they were together. He just sighed impatiently and waited as she regained whatever sense she had lost. But now, it was just like before. Fights didn't turn into exceedingly delicious kisses, glances weren't telling of how long they hated to wait, and sighs were definitly not coming from pleasure.

"I-I'm sorry," she mumbled, turning back to him. "What is you were saying?"

"I said, do you want to send a rep to the states or should we go?"

GO! TELL HIM YOU WANT TO GO! TELL HIM NOW!

"We'll send somebody," she answered, fighting back her brutal mind. She saw him for nine and half hours already, another thirty-six was going to make her crack and rape him.

"Okay," he said, eyeing her curiously. "Do you have anyone in mind?"

"You," she said, turning back to the computer. "I can stay here and take care of things while you go."

"Alright, I'll have Yuki book me a flight. Good day, Hyuga."

She swallowed back tears as she stared at the screen. "Goodbye, Uchiha."

-

"No." Fuguka glared across the table to Hinata and Sasuke. "If one goes, then both go. This is our company in the first place; we can handle it just fine."

Hinata nibbled her lip, two parts of her cheering and one part of her howling for another vote. Sasuke seemed unfazed, and it was obvious he wasn't apposed the idea. It was certainly going against the idea of the "mutual understanding". They weren't supposed to have contact outside of work. They weren't friends, because let's face it; relationships can never turn into friendships.

"M-maybe it would be for the best?" Hinata inquired weakly. "I think it would be more productive if we had just one go. One of us could stay behind to make sure nothing goes amiss and the other can-,"

"Hinata," Hiashi snapped, interrupting her. "Do you believe I am incapable of running my own company?"

"N-no sir," she mumbled, her eyes landing on the table. "I just believe that to make this company work, we need everyone and-,"

"Spare us, princess," Fuguka glared from her to Sasuke. "If you two have some kind of issue, I suggest you fix it. Now. Both of you are getting on a private plane straight to the states. In a week. Whether you like it or not."

Sasuke leaned back in his chair, seemingly unaware of all that was around him. Hinata felt her eyes fill with tears of anguish. For after this week, she'd be gone for a whole week, away from Shino and Kiba. Away from the two most comforting people in the world. Away from the one place where she could cry her eyes out and no one but the three of them knew, while she was the only one who knew why.

"You are dismissed," Hiashi said and Hinata stood abruptly, rushing out of the room. While the others were confused about her sudden leaving, there was only one who actually knew why she was running.

Unfortunately, he felt like running too.

-

"Way to go, Hina-chan!" Kiba grinned as he swept her up in a bear hug. "We're proud of our little COO!"

Hinata pushed away from him and dropped into the red leather booth, her eyes focused on the gleaming cherry wood table. "Thank you for the victory dinner. Though, we've done nothing to earn it."

"Yes you have." Shino gave her a warm smile. "Russia and Canada rarely agree to anything outside their states. You've managed to get tens of millions into your company's treasury, and you're going to America for a week. I don't see what has you so down."

The one man that I actually love, Hinata thought, but said, "Sasuke is going as well and we just don't get along."

"What?" Kiba looked over his menu at her. "Even after three and half months? Seriously, Hina!"

Hinata's eyes widened. Three months and half, seriously? Only that long since she met Sasuke? It felt like years, ages even. And she never noticed, not even when she was marking her calendar. Hell, when was the last time she even looked at a calendar?

She nibbled her glossed lip as the waiter approached. She wanted to desperately back out, rewind time and say how much she wanted to get out of this. She couldn't handle not seeing him every night, every hour after work. She couldn't handle seeing him during the day, at work. She just couldn't be content.

On one hand, she wanted to be with him. Watch the sun go down from her porch, looking over the bay. Another part of her wanted to forget him, forget what they ever had, and forget what she ever wanted. And they were clashing. She wanted him so badly. She so desperately wanted to get rid of him.

A warm hand rubbed her back soothingly and she turned to face a concerned Shino. "Are you okay, Hinata?"

She nodded and smiled warmly at the waiter, who looked a bit confused. "I'm just fine. A cheeseburger will suit me just fine. With a beer, if you have it."

He nodded and scribbled it down before scurrying off.

Kiba gave her a wide grin. "So you're finally shedding your fake little shell! Good job Hina! I wanna see that burger gone by the end of tonight!"

She smiled, sliding off her silver letter jacket. "Yes, Kiba-kun. I believe I deserve a little temptation tonight. Just for tonight though."

Just for tonight though . . .

I have nothing to say. Because that end was just too perfect.