Fugaku Uchiha's latest failed assistant brought him a stack of folders holding candidates for his replacement. Given the option of being fired or looking for his own replacement and transfer departments, he made the choice that would save his career. "These are the most qualified young candidates."

"Why young?" Fugaku flipped open the first folder.

"I only selected applicants with less than ten years of experience. Your eldest son suggested someone young enough to keep up with you,' sir." He didn't look him in the eye as he muttered, good.

Fugaku dropped the first in the trash, then the next, then the next almost slipped out of his hand before he caught sight of the name. "Hyuga?"

"Oh! Sorry, she wasn't qualified." The assistant moved to snatch the folder, but Fugaku pulled it out of his reach. The assistant retracted, dipping his head. "She has a good GPA, but her school is unimpressive, and she's only two years out of university, all temp work. She comes from a bland background, no family connections. I considered including her because she has the highest university scores out of the lot, but nothing else impressive. I meant to take her out."

Fugaku barely heard him. He was transported to the past, just looking at her face. A woman smiled in his memory with those eyes and the roundness of her cheeks, but another memory's cheekbones. His eyebrows furrowed at sour memories. "Bring her in." He tossed the folder.

His assistant scooped up the other folders. "Are you sure, sir?" Fugaku shifted his glare from up to him, and the man simply bowed and left. Fugaku knitted his fingers together. If this girl was who he thought she was. He was going to make her life a living hell.


Hinata straightened her blazer. She knew she didn't have a chance of being selected to interview when she applied, but she applied anyway to bring up her hopes of having something better than temp jobs for the rest of her life. So when she was called, she was mortified to find that she applied for the wrong position. Instead of being a manager's assistant, Hinata applied to be the executive assistant to the company's director.

Hinata wanted to decline and admit that it was a mistake, but something in the back of her mind told her she should at least try. If only experience an interview in one of the hardest markets. If she was rejected at the highest level, at least she tried, right? You could only go up from that.

Knowing the outcome didn't take away all the nerves. She needed to learn the process and find herself a good job. Hanabi shouldn't worry about money for university, Hinata had to pay off her own college, and her father would need care eventually.

Hinata needed a good job. Everything she had worked hard for was in service of that.

"Hyuga Hinata?" Hinata stood up straight, following the man. He took her into a conference room, which was already occupied by a man in an office chair turned away from them.

The interview was grilling. Challenging questions, scenarios Hinata never heard of needing to be solved. She answered to the best of her ability, asking questions only that she thought were relevant. He grilled her on schooling, why she had picked a cheap school, and why she had no extracurriculars, which were the ones she found the hardest to answer, even if the answer was simple. She was working two part-time jobs. She hadn't had the time.

That was why Hinata didn't understand being selected. People who got jobs high in a company's infrastructure young were from wealthy families. People with connections. Why was she chosen when she so clearly came from a family with no connections?

"Why have you come like this today." Her interviewer glanced down at her clothes.

Hinata looked down, feeling very self-conscious. She wore her best conservative pencil dress and a blazer. They weren't expensive and a little too big, but surely she didn't look that bad? "My clothes shouldn't be the reason to hire me."

He shook his head. "You would be representing the company poorly in that." Hinata tried to keep a straight face. She felt thoroughly embarrassed, and she wasn't even sure why. "I think we are done. You are excused."

Hinata stood, bowed politely, glancing at the back of the chair, still yet to turn around or say a word. It was rude, and she had already been insulted enough. Hinata bowed to the chair and walked out of the room, missing the surprised face of the interviewer.


A knock came on her door, making Hinata look up from her phone. Hanabi eyed her. Hinata was still dressed for the interview, minus her heels. She pulled her hair down on the bus to hide her face. "That bad?"

"I wasn't qualified, but I wanted the experience anyway. It doesn't make it hurt less." Hinata set her phone down.

"You'll get there," Hanabi assured her. "I finished my homework. Come watch a movie with me."

"I should get to bed. I have to be in the office tomorrow by five." Hinata was tired. She took a bus and a long train ride to the interview and back.

"That place is awful," Hanabi whined. "It's 8 o'clock."

"It's temporary." Hopefully. Hinata's phone rang in her hand. "Hello?"

"Hyuga Hinata?"

"Yes?" Hinata wondered.

"I am from Uchiha Industries. You had an interview with me."

Hinata's breath caught. They don't call you for rejections. "Yes," Hanabi dove to press her ear on the other side to listen.

"We are offering you the position. We need you tomorrow at 6 am sharp." He told her.

"I… Yes, sir." Hinata agreed.

"Goodnight." He hung up.

Hinata didn't even take the phone from her ear until Hanabi shook her arm excitedly. "You got the job!"

"How…?" Hinata wondered aloud.

"Who cares!" Hanabi hung herself over her sister. "It doesn't matter if you keep this job for a month. Passing an interview at a big company will get you a job anywhere!" Hinata never told her what the company name. Hanabi never asked. Hinata was too embarrassed that she put her resume into the biggest company in the city.

"Yeah," Hinata wasn't sure she would even last a day.