"Are you ready to go, Mrs. Uchiha?" Hinata asked as Mikoto opened the door to their house.

"Of course! And just call me Mikoto, honey. We're going to be family soon anyways!" The older woman looped her arm through hers as they walked back to Hinata's vehicle.

"We'll be driving to my cousin's business in order to plan everything properly," Hinata said as they got in the car. "Also please don't hesitate to chime in on anything you'd think would be great for the wedding!"

After buckling in, they headed off. Her cousin's place wasn't too far away as the city they lived in wasn't too large and crowded, and they were pulling into the parking lot a few minutes later.

"This is a cute place," Mikoto said. She had been smiling ear-to-ear this whole time and Hinata found herself doing the same. There was a slight squeeze in her heart as a part of her felt that her mother should be doing this with them as well, but she was just thankful to have such a kind woman with her to help her through this process.

"My cousin, Haruka, is very proud of her establishment and worked very hard to make it cozy and not too overwhelming for couples," Hinata told her. "She gets very happy when people compliment it, so I'm sure she's going to love you." They shared a giggle as they went inside.

"There's my baby cousin!" Haruka had always been very fond of Hinata when they were growing up, despite Haruka being nearly five years older than her. She became somewhat of a mentor to the Hyuuga Heiress and even took her in for a moment of time after her father kicked her out.

"Haruka!" Hinata greeted. "This is my soon-to-be mother-in-law, Mikoto Uchiha. She'll be helping me with the plans." She watched as they shook hands and then Haruka's face lit up when Mikoto complimented her workplace.

"It's nice to meet you. So I have the budget from your father and we have quite a bit to work with. I'd say there's nothing really off limits," Haruka explained.

"Actually, Fugaku and I also wanted to help with the cost," Mikoto explained as she dug into her purse.

Hinata waved her hands. "That's not necessary at all!"

Mikoto pulled out a check and slid it over to Haruka. "Hinata, our son is also getting married and, as his parents, it is our duty to help pay for his wedding," she explained. "Let us do this, sweetheart."

Hinata hesitated for a moment before nodding. "I understand. Thank you so much."

Haruka tucked the check away in her wedding planner. "Okay, now definitely nothing is off limits," she chuckled. "So, let's get started!" Mikoto and Hinata both straightened up and Hinata pulled out some notes and printed photos of certain decorations and designs she liked while doing research.

"I'd like to have a fairytale wedding with purple pastel and cream as the main colors. What do you think?" Hinata said. She pulled out photos of the save-the-date invitations she liked as well as the actual wedding invitations. "And I was thinking this for the invitations. But with splashes of lavender in a watercolor style instead of the plain white."

"Hinata, those look so gorgeous!" Mikoto gushed. "I definitely love them. What do you think, Haruka?"

Her cousin smiled. "I think it's a terrific idea. The save-the-date style, is that the Little Prince or Beauty and the Beast?"

"I like to think it's the Little Prince," she replied.

"That's perfect for you. What did your fiancé think?" She asked. "I know you said he wasn't going to be present for many of our meetings, but I'd be more at ease if I knew he was aware of everything."

"I found these pretty late last night, so I didn't want to bother him," she chuckled sheepishly as she pulled out her phone. "I'll send him pictures right now."

[Photo(s) sent] What do you think about these invitations?

She didn't have to wait long for a reply, so she figured she must have caught him between engagements.

Those look fine. How is my mother doing?

She's doing well. She seems to be having fun. We're going to look at catering next.

Hinata pocketed her phone and gave a thumbs-up to her cousin. "He said they look fine, which I'm sure is high praise coming from him."

Mikoto laughed. "You understand him so well already." Hinata's smile widened and they continued.

Haruka took down some notes as they talked about the theme, what kind of venue they'd like to have for the wedding, and then the reception, music, and a photographer.

"I think I got everything I need for today. I'll do some research and get back to you within a day or so. I'll text you," her cousin said as they stood. "I think this wedding is going to come out beautifully!"

"Thank you," Hinata said, hugging her. "I'll talk to you soon!" They all said goodbye and Mikoto and Hinata left the building to look at different bakeries in town to see which was better.

"I hear Akimichi's is the best in the city, for both sweets and food," Mikoto said as they drove around. "I think they have a pretty good selection. Should we go check them out?"

Hinata nodded. "Sure, let's see what they have and if they're available on such short notice." She already felt guilty for bringing everyone together on such short notice, but she understood how difficult it was for businesses to complete such tasks for such a large number of people.

When they entered the restaurant, they were both quickly overwhelmed by the amount of people dining and waiting in line to be dined.

"Hi, welcome to Akimichi's! Seating time will be around an hour," the hostess said.

Hinata smiled. "Actually, we're here to inquire about catering. Is there someone we can talk to about it?" She asked.

"Yes, let me get someone for you! Please, wait here." Hinata and Mikoto took a couple of seats offered to them and waited patiently.

"They're very popular. I'm afraid I've never been here though," Hinata said. "I don't really eat out. I prefer cooking."

Mikoto patted her arm. "Trust me, it's amazing. Itachi makes it a point to stop by every time he comes into the city to visit, and he's rather particular," she assured her. "And the owners are really nice. I think they have a son about yours and Sasuke's age."

Just then, a rather heavy man with long auburn hair came up to them. "Hiya, I'm Chouza Akimichi! I hear y'all are interested in our catering service," he said cheerfully. It was clear to Hinata and Mikoto that this man genuinely loved his profession and it made Hinata relax.

She stood up and took his hand in a firm handshake. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Akimichi. I'm Hinata Hyuuga and this is Mikoto Uchiha," she said, gesturing to her future mother-in-law.

He pointed behind him. "Let's go talk in my office. It's pretty hectic out here," he chuckled. They followed him to the very back of the establishment and Hinata, despite feeling exposed as they walked through all the tables, managed to look completely calm. "Go ahead and take a seat."

Hinata waited for Mikoto to take a seat before taking hers. His office was small but seemed well organized. There were no filing cabinets, but stacks and stacks of files. She smiled warmly. She was the same way. She hated filing cabinets.

Chouza took the seat behind his desk and pulled out a thick binder. "This is filled with different kinds of options to choose from. If you want a simple order, then the packages are in the very front. If you'd like a very particular menu for your guests, however, those are all in the back," he explained.

"Before we get started, I do want to tell you that it would be for a wedding hosted on November 15th. I apologize for the short notice," she said sincerely, bowing her head. "I'd hate to cause anyone here any trouble!"

Chouza laughed. "That's perfectly fine! We can do that no problem." He took out his planner and flipped to the date. "Okay, yes, there's nothing scheduled for that day, so I'd say that's pretty lucky!"

Hinata smiled brightly. "That's such a relief to hear. We've heard nothing but good things." She opened the binder and she and Mikoto went through it slowly to make sure everything sounded good and that there were substitutes for those with certain sensitivities. They asked Chouza many questions, Hinata and the man both taking notes vigorously.

"Thankfully, Sasuke doesn't have any food allergies or sensitivities. Although he does have a huge disdain for anything sweet," Mikoto sighed. "The plus side to that is that he'll never eat any of your sweets, honey." Hinata giggled and made sure to make a note of that.

"My family is a stickler for tradition, so I hope he won't mind at least taking a bite of the wedding cake," she replied. "All in all, I think we'll go with the fifth package, Mr. Akimichi!"

"Great! I'll make sure to make a note of the sensitivities and allergies we discussed. We'll do our very best to make sure everyone has a wonderful time eating our food," he assured. After, he pulled out another binder that held their assortment of sweets and, once again, they asked questions and for his opinion before settling on a cake and a multitude of other sweets to offer on top of the cake. "I appreciate you choosing us to cater your wedding, Ms. Hyuuga."

"You're very kind. I know you will probably be busy for the duration of the wedding, but I'd like to invite you to sit with us after everything has been served. You and your family," she insisted. Chouza looked like he wanted to protest. "Please join us. It's the least we could do to show our gratitude."

With a sheepish chuckle, he nodded. "Well, I can't exactly turn down such a request, can I? We'll be there!"

Hinata and Mikoto stood up. "Wonderful!" She chirped. "We'll send a formal invitation soon. Please send our invoice to this address." She pulled out her cousin's business card and handed it to him.

Chouza stood with them and took the card. "Thank you so much for coming! We look forward to your wedding." They shook hands again and left the building.

"You're so kind, Hinata," Mikoto said, her tone soft and kind. It made Hinata's face heat up. "Aw, you're blushing!"

Hinata covered her cheeks and hurriedly got into her vehicle, Mikoto following after her with an amused chuckle. "I'll send Sasuke a message about our progress. I took photos of everything we chose." She opened her phone to see a message from Sasuke, in response from earlier.

Okay. Let me know how it goes.

"I'm sure he'll appreciate the updates. It's a shame he can't be here doing this with you. You must miss him," his mother sighed.

Hinata looked up at her away from her phone. "I know how dedicated Sasuke is to his work, and it's one of the things I enjoy about him. I'm just as dedicated to my work; mine is just a bit more flexible than his," she assured her.

"I'm so very happy to know you understand him so well. I know it's completely fair to want your husband all to yourself for every minute of the day, especially as newlyweds, but my boys have always been different. I'm grateful he met you, Hinata."

Hinata felt warm at the motherly feeling she was getting from the woman sitting next to her. "I don't… It's—Thank you, Mikoto," she said quietly. She had forgotten what it felt like to have a mother. She forgot what it felt like to have people love you without stipulations. Sure, she was getting married to Sasuke, but they knew her mother from long ago and they had loved her too. It was all that mattered.

Mikoto simply smiled in return and turned to look out the window to let Hinata continue sending her message to Sasuke.

[Pictures sent] This is what we chose for the food and the cake/other sweets. We're going to go get the save-the-date cards quickly made and sent off by the end of the day. I'll show you the finished product.

Akimichi's? My brother is obsessed with their food. The package you chose is fine. I'll call you later and get the rest of the details.

Hinata took that as a sign to not message him again and to wait for his call. She giggled at his bluntness that could've been considered rude because she found it funny instead. Sasuke being so straightforward was going to come in handy. If he ever had a problem with anything she was doing, he was just going to come out and tell her and she was delighted about it.

She put her phone down and turned to Mikoto with a smile. "Let's go get those cards made so we can mail them off. Afterward, how about we stop for some lunch?"

"That sounds great! I'm really craving a burger."

"Me too! I love seasoned fries," Hinata gushed as she pulled out of the crowded parking lot of Akimichi's.

"Those are the best!" Mikoto sighed. "My stomach growls just thinking about it."

Hinata had been working on her novel for around two hours when her phone rang. She rubbed her tired eyes and looked at the time, sighing when she saw it was around midnight.

"Hello?"

"I apologize if I woke you," Sasuke said, his own voice tired but still aloof. Hinata didn't think he was actually sorry, just polite as part of his job.

"No, I was still working," she assured him. "I had a wonderful time with your mother today."

"That's good to hear. The cards were sent out today?"

"Yes. We got them there just in time and in great quality. I didn't think I was going to be so particular about it, but the quality is also a reflection of our families and I didn't want to do a sub-par job."

"That's true. Do you have an estimate as to how much it's going to be yet?" He asked.

Hinata hummed. "My cousin is going to give us that number tomorrow or the day after. Right now, she's doing research for the kind of wedding style we decided on. Your parents also gave her a good amount of money as well. Between what our families put in, she assured me that it was going to be more than enough for what she had in mind considering our theme."

"Are there any days I should set aside?"

"I think it would be better to work around any days you have available. Text me which ones work better for you and at what times. I think that'll be easier than asking you to move things around," she replied.

"I agree. I'll let you know." Then he sighed. "I think this is going much smoother than I imagined it going."

Hinata laughed. "I expect it'll turn into a nightmare for our parents the closer the date is, which will make it troublesome for us."

"You're probably right. I guess we better enjoy this smooth sailing while it lasts."

"Mhm, I'm with you there. Your friends are coming in this week, right? Do you know what day specifically?"

"They'll be here Wednesday," he said.

"Maybe we can get our friends together that day and formally introduce them. They'll be seeing a lot of each other and it would be better to see how well they work together and with who. What do you think?"

"I think that'd be best too. My friends can be a bit…much and loud," he admitted. "Very loud."

"My friend Kiba is a bit like that, but he means well. He's very protective, so I apologize in advance if he's a bit rude at the beginning. But I think he'll be better about it if he sees how close we are."

"You're saying to fake it."

Hinata laughed. "Exactly. It's not like I can't act as a lovey-dovey girlfriend, it's you I'm worried about."

Sasuke scoffed. "I can act, I'll have you know. Lovey-dovey boyfriend? Easy. It's my friends who won't believe that for a second."

"My friends have seen me in love once before, so they know what to expect. I'll have to be a bit more touchy, but that's about it," she stated.

"Touchy how?"

"Holding your hand every chance I get, holding onto your arm if your hand isn't available," she listed. "Things like that. But I think I can get away with not doing it a lot since I was a senior when they last saw me behave like that."

"I can handle that. Whatever makes it convincing, but no kissing in public. It's unbecoming," he said firmly.

Hinata hummed again. "I agree. However, there's also no reason for us to kiss in private," she laughed. Sasuke grew silent and assumed he might have become embarrassed, but she said nothing about it.

"That's true," he eventually replied. "It's a bit late, so I'll be going to sleep now. Let me know what your cousin says, and what your friends think about meeting on Wednesday."

"I will. Have a good night, Sasuke." She ended the call and set her phone down, a smile plastered on her face at the thought of seeing her friends' faces when they met her fiancé. They were definitely going to be surprised and have questions, but they'd respect her choice at the end of the day.

Hi! Sorry to update late, but I hope y'all enjoy this chapter :) Not too much and tons of dialogue, but the juicy stuff is coming up! I originally thought that maybe it was too much, but r3d insisted it was good and kept him sucked into the story, haha, so that counts for something. Let us know what you thought of this chapter and maybe any predictions for upcoming ones. To the guest who is passionate about this being a naruhina fic, I'm sorry but it is tagged sasuhina and will end as such. I'm hoping to write a naruhina soon though!

-hina
NEXT UPDATE: 10/18/24

PS: I wanted to add that more wedding invitations will be sent out right after this is uploaded! Thank you again to everyone participating :))