Note: This chapter is not proofread. I am currently looking for beta readers for my fics so if you're interested, please DM me on Twitter (mikawritesss) or Tumblr (connectedfeelings).

Obnoxious

you and sakura seem to be talking a lot yesterday
did she give ya an earful?
Obnoxious

No. Why would she when she got her job back.
Me

i know!
But damn i just wanted to see her yell at you lol
BUT
ive never seen ya hold a conversation with a woman that long
Obnoxious

What are you insinuating?
Me

NOTHING
im just saying geeezzz
Obnoxious

I've attended a few weddings. More for appearances rather than my relationship with the bride and groom. This is the first where my presence isn't due to my position or family name. Despite his tendency to be a pain in the ass, Naruto is a friend. My oldest one.

I don't know much about his bride aside from the fact that she's a Hyuuga. What I do know is that her family must be happy to be connected to the Uzumakis. In circles like ours, connections are important, marriage being the most powerful one.

And weddings like these are meant to show what an alliance like this can bring: More.

The extravagance, the influence, status.

Powerful families will always want more. And mine isn't any different.

Not to state that I think this partnership is a farce. Having known Naruto for as long as I have, he's not one to be swayed by other people's opinions. He stands firm in what he wants and believes in. And based on the lovesick look on his face every time he even glances at his now wife, his decision to marry her is solely his.

The couple have their first dance, most of the guests watching them from their seats as the lights dim. The rest are busy looking around, choosing who they will try to talk to once the dance ends. A union between powerful families brings in guests equally as influential. Weddings are not meant to only be celebrations. It's also a networking opportunity.

My eyes roam over the reception hall, catching a few setting their sights on me. I spot the nearest exit, readying an excuse to leave once my presence here is no longer needed. The music swells then slows, and the couple beams at each other as applause rouses.

People take to the dance floor, others dig into the food, and the rest start making conversations amongst themselves. I stand, straightening my suit jacket as I do. Before I could even attempt to leave, Naruto intercepts my table, grinning ear to ear.

"Don't think I didn't know you were going to bounce, Teme." With two glasses of wine, Naruto hands one to me. "The night's still young! Live a little!"

"I have approximately 3 minutes before I get hounded by mothers with single sons and daughters or greedy businessmen."

"Aren't you a greedy businessman?"

I glare at the idiot, and he has the nerve to laugh.

"Besides, I already thought of a way to get people away from you."

Doubtful, I raise a brow.

"Dance with someone!"

As if that would really deter these people. "If it were that simple, don't you think I'd have done that by now."

"I don't think you even know how to dance, honestly." He drinks. "Thanks again."

"For what?"

"For coming. I know you're basically attached to your desk these days, but you really should take a breather every now and then."

I sigh and take a sip of my drink. "I can handle it."

"Didn't say you couldn't." Naruto shakes his head. "And thanks for getting Sakura her job back."

"Hm." I look at him, suspicion in my gaze. "Did you tell her you basically burst into my office and demanded me to?"

"Are you crazy? Of course, I didn't! She'd murder me, revive me, then murder me again."

It's not hard to imagine she would.

"Besides, she would have found a way to do it herself. I just helped speed up the process." He shrugs. "And honestly, now that you two have properly met, I can have someone look after her when I'm gone for my honeymoon."

"And when did I agree to this?"

"Uh, now..?" Sheepishly, he rubs a hand behind his neck. "Look, she's like a sister to Hinata and I."

"She's also a grown woman. She can handle herself." And his honeymoon is only for two weeks. I highly doubt she needs someone to watch over her. Truthfully, it's hard to picture. My run-ins with the woman is enough to tell me she doesn't need coddling, and that it would only offend her to think that she'd need it.

"Who can handle herself?" A light, familiar voice interrupts us right before Naruto speaks again. His mouth shuts quickly.

Sakura Haruno walks up to us, glass of champagne in hand. "Because if you're talking about me, then yes."

Naruto lets out a nervous laugh. "Who says we were talking about you?"

"That." She motions to Naruto's sudden clamminess. "That tells me all I need to know."

Turning to me, she folds an arm above her waist. "Am I right?"

I find the corners of my lips lifting at her indignation.

Facing Naruto again, she huffs. "I thought I told you the big brother act was never cute."

"I'm always cute." Naruto defends himself, huffing.

I scoff at this, earning me a blue-eyed glare.

"Not the point." She sighs. "Why would you even think I need looking after? Need I remind you I was basically making sure you were alive all throughout college."

"I'm inclined to believe you might still have to."

"Hey! Don't encourage his bastard-ness!" He points at her, then me. "And at least stay and dance with someone before you leave!"

Ms. Haruno looks up at me, eyes narrowing. "Leaving so soon?"

"I've done my part. I have things to attend to."

"Even during your best friend's wedding reception? On a Saturday night?"

"Yes."

"Did you choose not to reschedule?"

"If that were an option, I could have."

"Aren't you the boss?"

"Careful, Ms. Haruno," I warn. "There's a limit to how much one's curiosity can be tolerated."

"Having known me in the short time we've corresponded with one another, you should know I can be pretty stubborn." Her smile is mischievous. "There are a few eligible singles in the room. I'm surprised you're not schmoozing."

"I'm not one to schmooze."

"Because you don't need to?"

"Having known me in the short time we've corresponded," I throw her words back at her. "I doubt that's a surprise."

"Concerning you? No, it isn't. Concerning your career choice? It is."

"Was that an insult or a compliment?"

"You can decide which."

"You didn't speak this formally yesterday."

"Yeah, but you're still my superior in the workplace."

"This is a private conversation out of work hours."

"Is it ever not work hours for you?" She raises a brow, challenging. "Am I being given permission to speak more comfortably?"

I ignore her first question. "The forced formality doesn't suit you. It's annoying."

Naruto, whose presence I've momentarily forgotten, interjects, "Damn, I swear watching you two go at it is making my head hurt. I'm going back to my wife."

He motions to hug Ms. Haruno, waiting a moment before she walks into his outstretched arm. "You're just as bad as he is with work, you know? You need to get on the dancefloor or something, too."

"Again, enough with the big brother act. I'm older than you."

"By a few months!" Their embrace ends, and he focuses his attention on me. "You know what? I'll let you leave if you two go and share a dance. You both need to let loose."

Right as the words leave his mouth, he dashes away, his mischievous laughter lingering.

It's remarkable, really, how he just says whatever is on his mind without a care. Though, that's to be expected from him. I don't believe he knows a different way to live. He's lucky I consider him a friend.

I expect more questions from my remaining companion, only to find her regarding me with a dissecting eye. She says nothing, not even as I watch her. It's as if she's trying to look through me, as if I'm a puzzle she can't solve. I'm not one for her to solve.

"Looking for anything specific?"

She only squints. "Yes."

"Are you going to tell me what?"

She smiles. "No."

"You're just as bad as he is."

"And yet, he's your best friend."

I raise a brow at her.

Her cheeks flush, the first I've seen her reaction to a fumble in person. "Not that I'm saying," she stops herself. "Not that I think I'd be friends with my boss."

"You don't work directly under me."

"Semantics." She waves a hand. Her eyes trail after Naruto briefly. "He's not being very subtle, is he?"

That is true. Whatever preconceived ideas he has about Ms. Haruno and I won't come to fruition. I have no time for romance, nor do I have the desire to welcome that complexity into my life. And it would seem, if we're as similar as Naruto claims, it would be the same for her.

"When has subtlety been his strong suit?"

"Exactly." She laughs. "Anyway, if you still plan on leaving, I'd go about now. Naruto's distracted, and it's only a matter of time before someone cuts in on our conversation because they're tired of waiting."

"Getting rid of me already?"

She rolls her eyes. "You've been itching to leave. And clearly, you're not a big fan of crowds of people."

Clearly?

I must be staring at her because she tilts her head at me, intrigued. "What? I thought that was public knowledge."

"It should be."

"You'd think it was obvious. You're always so tense."

"'Always' implies you've been looking me up."

"So what if I have?" She shrugs, but there's that flush again, coloring her cheeks with the same hue of her hair. "I did a background check on my company's head, what's wrong with that?"

"Shouldn't that be the other way around?"

"You did it. Why can't I?"

I shake my head. The things that come out of this woman's mouth, I can never predict. With an introduction to her like I had received, it would be evident that she'd be nothing but trouble. Which means I should avoid her. Yet, for some inconceivable reason, I cannot seem to look away. It only makes her more of a mystery. She talks a lot yet doesn't reveal too much. When she does speak about herself, it's mainly regarding work, if anything at all. At least to a stranger like me, who just so happens to be her superior.

And yet.

Frowning, she says, "What?"

I've been staring. Doing exactly what she had been doing just moments ago.

"It's rude to stare."

I scoff. "That'd make you the same as me."

She doesn't even try to dispute that. "Aren't you Uchihas supposed to be all polite and formal?"

What is this prejudice? "Not all of us."

"I wouldn't know. You're the only one I've met."

My thoughts halt. "You've never met anyone in my family?"

"Uh, no." Her confusion is evident. "Why would I? I just got promoted to manager, and I've only ever seen Shisui Uchiha in passing, but I'd never spoken to him."

That's also odd. Considering her status as one of the more popular reporters of SNO, I'd have thought Shisui would have spoken with her, at least in a meeting. Unless, this is yet another thing of Jiji's planning.

"What made you think otherwise?"

"Nothing," I say. "It's time I leave."

"And I'll pretend to believe that for your sake." She gives me one more scrutinizing look. "At least get some rest. You do a good job of hiding your fatigue, but it's not great."

As I approach my car, my thoughts go back to the one mind scratching sentence on her employee records.

If she hadn't met any other Uchiha besides me, why did she get the rare personal approval from Madara Uchiha?

Something in the back of my mind tells me this won't be the last I see of Ms. Haruno. On the contrary, I think it will be the opposite. Only I don't know what that would entail.

Juugo

Has my grandfather returned?
Me

His assistant had notified me earlier today that he is due back tomorrow but is not taking any appointment requests at the moment.
Though she did have a message. Your grandfather says he'll come to you. As of now, he's "unavailable"
Juugo

Kakashi

Your grandfather's attendance to charity events in Ame is true, that I can confirm.
It's been a few nights of black-tie events.
He just left the hotel.
Seems like he's heading to the airport.
He's stopped for a late dinner.
There's a woman.
Kakashi

A woman?
Who is she?
Me

Just a moment. There are people covering them.
Guards.
And not just Madara's.
Kakashi

Sundays are no different from any other day. I had video call meetings lined up with international partners, reports to look over. But I have something else planned for today.

My grandfather's evasiveness isn't unheard of. If there's a man with more secrets than he does, I'd be surprised. But while our meetings are few and far between these days, I know nothing I do at the company goes by without him seeing. Partnerships I've made, deals I've pushed for, changes I've approved. He built the company, made it what it is now, so it could perhaps just be something akin to the overprotectiveness one has over their child, but at times, it does feel as if I don't hold the title that's been given to me.

Moreso now than before. It's been a year since I took over my brother, over a year since I've spoken to him or seen him in person. That empty feeling still lingers over his absence, and it grows heavier with every moment of uneasiness.

And now this.

Ms. Haruno appears not to know about my grandfather's part in her hiring, but that doesn't mean she's completely in the dark. But I don't think just asking her outright would be the best course of action. That would only make her ask more questions.

I check for a new message from Kakashi but find myself reading the same message he had sent last. It's taking him unusually long to identify someone.

My grandfather should have already made it back to the city by now. My first stop of the day was the family estate, only to find it empty. I'm heading to one of his apartment buildings next, when my phone rings.

It's my mother.

"Sasuke? I heard you stopped by the house."

"I was just looking for something," I say. It's not entirely a lie.

"Oh!" She sounds less concerned. I don't visit often these days, so she must have thought something was wrong. "Well, I'm sorry we missed you! Are you not working today?"

"Not today."

"Really?" She's happy. "Well, since you have the time, come have lunch with us! Your grandfather called and invited us. You should come with! I'm sure he'd be happy to see you."

It looks like I don't need to go to the apartment building after all. "Where are we meeting?"

Kakashi

We've identified the woman from last night.
It took a while, but we identified a guard and traced his employment record to her.
She was pretty covered up, definitely didn't want to be seen.
Kakashi

Out with it.
Me

Tsunade Senju.
Kakashi