**Note: I changed the tenses in the first and second chapter. Much love to PianoCoat who helped me puzzle over this. I apologize for any confusion this might cause.

My gratitude to these people for reviewing: km987001, bloodberrylicious, LB Cat, 1, Athena, Tristan (I'm glad you like Small Doses too, Tristan), LaCrazyWriter, a Guest, Feroza, and Bear2022.

oOo

THEN

They sent him the wrong Hyuga.

Shisui inspected the female Hyuga with a slight bit of confusion and a lot of suspicion. Her long hair cascaded unbound down her back. Her milky white eyes held a lavender tint. She appeared a bit younger than the rest of her new team. Her forehead protector rested around her neck, leaving her forehead exposed.

A seal did not adorn her skin.

Ah. Shisui recognized her now. He remembered her briefly from the times he picked Sasuke up from the Academy. The woman that stood before him was a far cry from the tiny pre-genin he remembered.

She bowed and held out a mission scroll to Shisui.

"My brother Neji sends his apologies," she said in a soft voice. "His last mission went long, and he returned injured. Lady Tsunade sent me instead."

He took the offered scroll and carefully read the updated instructions. Nothing other than Hinata's presence was new. He rerolled it and tucked it into his mission pack.

"That's fine," Shisui said. "You're a chunin?"

She nodded.

"Neji was supposed to track the fugitive from a distance. Does your Byakugan have a similar range?"

"Yes." Then she elaborated before he could ask. "I see slightly farther than he does. Up to twenty kilometers if needed."

Shisui blinked in shock. He exchanged a long look with the Nara female who was the third and final part of their team. Neji's eight-hundred-meter range came nowhere close to twenty kilometers.

"That…" he said slowly. "Changes things."

Nara Hakuto shifted, resting a hand on her hip. She was thin and even through her clothes, one could see the corded muscles of her body. Her head tilted to the side, making her shoulder length black hair slide down into the collar of her vest.

Shisui did not intend to be crass. Yet, he noted the differences in the two women's figures all the same. Rail thin and wiry, Hakuto held the build of a long-range fighter. Skilled in combat, but not as a specialty. Hinata on the other hand had the slightly stockier body of the Hyuga. She was built to excel in hand-to-hand combat and to take hard hits.

He mentally readjusted his plan.

Hakuto spoke while he thought. "We're intending on tracking a spy. We just don't know who he's aligned with. Once he joins his comrades, we'll detain him."

Hinata nodded. "Just him? Not his comrades?"

Shisui shrugged. "The intel he has is faulty. He has information on a few of our safehouses. We can change those at any time."

"But with your range," Hakuto addressed Hinata, "we can give him even more space than anticipated. He won't be able to sense us."

Hinata smiled a bit, her cheeks dimpling. Shisui blinked for a moment, thrown by how cute he found the expression.

"I'm glad I can help," she said.

oOo

NOW

Shisui chooses a spot deep within Nara territory to inspect Hinata's mission paperwork. The Nara are very blasé about who comes onto their land as long as they do not bother the deer. And ever since his mission with Hakuto, Shisui is a Nara ally.

They owe him.

Today, he finally takes advantage of their hospitality. Itachi and Sasuke will not find him here. He needs to be alone while he does this.

Shisui opens the first file to see a copy of Hinata's personnel report. Pinned to the top page is a photograph of her. Her face sends a wave of longing through him. He realizes how much he misses seeing her. Asking for a picture before she left might have been a bit much. But now he wishes he had.

He skims through information he already knows. Closing that file, he moves onto the next one. The word 'CLASSIFIED' is stamped on the front in red ink. He ignores it. Seeing as Tsunade handed it to him herself; it does not matter.

The file reveals a different picture of Hinata in her mission disguise. It is printed in color. He observes that her eyes are ice blue, and her hair is dyed auburn. Her smile is the same, though. He takes care to memorize her like this. She might be dressed up in a kimono and hairpins in an elaborate updo when he sees her next. He does not want to risk missing her.

The dye should be growing out. But she can upkeep it and her eye color with a low-level transformation jutsu.

The brief itself is nothing shocking. Hinata is in Lightning to infiltrate the court, just like Neji said. It is a straightforward mission, if a dangerous one. She is supposed to be a servant from a minor lord's house in the country, now staying with cousins to make money to send back home.

He sighs and closes that file. Soon, he needs to return it to the Tower. Before he does, he pulls out a letter from a pocket in his vest. Not one of Neji or Hanabi's. But one of his own.

It is in code, but he can translate it while reading.

Dear Shisui,

When you asked me to write to you, I was a little surprised. I know you said you wanted to talk to me more. That you were interested in learning about me.

Now that I have a chance to tell you about myself, I don't really know what to say. I am just, me. Hinata.

I'm sorry I don't have anything better to say.

Tell me about you. Tell me, do you read books? If so, what kind? Do you like animals? I like dogs. And insects. I'm very predictable in that way.

I remember how you carried Haruko back when she was injured. You were very gentle with her. I haven't been able to get the sight of it out of my head.

You were a good team leader. Everyone knows that about you. But not everyone realizes how kind you can be. I am honored to have this knowledge.

Do you think of me?

You don't have to answer that. Don't answer that. I can't believe I asked.

I have my initiation into the court tomorrow. I'm going to be a handmaiden to a new concubine. I'm hoping my new mistress will not be too cruel. Or too young. If she misses home and is distraught, I don't know if I'll be able to handle it.

Sincerely,

Hinata

oOo

Coming up: Shisui talks to his cousins and uncle.