CHAPTER ONE

A Match Made in Konoha

Timeline: Six months after the end of the war.

"All the details you'll need are inside," said Kakashi, handing over a red folder to the man cloaked in a dark fabric.

Uchiha Sasuke accepted it without a word, flipping the cover open with his thumb. His onyx eyes scanned the contents, and though Kakashi watched him closely for signs of a reaction, Sasuke's face remained impassive, unreadable as always. When he snapped the folder shut, it was as if he'd just finished reading a grocery list.

"Any questions?" Kakashi asked, his tone deceptively casual.

"… Why me?" Sasuke replied, his voice low but edged with skepticism.

"Well, for one, you're my favorite student, so naturally, I'd entrust this critical mission to you. Who else could I possibly rely on?" Kakashi's lone visible eye curved in mirth above his mask.

"Don't give me that crap," Sasuke growled, his patience wearing thin.

"Ah, but it's true!" Kakashi teased, holding up his hands in mock surrender.

Sasuke turned on his heel, heading for the door.

"Wait, wait!" Kakashi called out hastily, his teasing tone shifting to something more serious. "No need to storm off. Let's get to the point."

Sasuke paused, glancing back. "Then speak."

Kakashi cleared his throat. "There's no one else available. The war left us short-handed, and the council was desperate enough to allow you back on the mission roster. But don't worry," he added with a conspiratorial wink, "you won't be going alone. It's the Land of Waves, after all. Sending you there solo would be cruel—honeymoon-land without a honey? Tragic."

Sasuke's jaw clenched. He had forgotten just how insufferable Kakashi could be given that in the past five years, their interactions had always been serious, Kakashi trying to 'save' him and he trying to kill his previous sensei.

Sasuke's eyes flicked back to the mission folder. The mission was to take down a growing criminal syndicate in the Land of Waves, a place known for its idyllic beaches and warm weather. The syndicate had grown bold, infiltrating the local government and threatening the stability of the Five Nations. As part of the Five Nations' peacekeeping efforts, Konoha was given the dubious honor to dismantle the syndicate. The mission was simple enough; send two operatives undercover as newlyweds on their honeymoon to infiltrate and dismantle the organization from within.

"I don't need a partner for this," Sasuke said flatly, tossing the folder onto Kakashi's desk.

"Ahh, but you will." Kakashi leaned back in his chair, his tone maddeningly calm. "The syndicate is becoming a little cautious these days, especially with the heavy presence of peacekeepers throughout the region. They know they're a thorn in the Five Nations' plans, so they've tightened security. No one gets in without a thorough background check. A solo traveler is too suspicious."

"And sending me makes sense how, exactly?" Sasuke asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm. He, the infamous Uchiha Sasuke, was supposed to just waltz through the gates of a paranoid crime organization?

Kakashi's visible eye twinkled. "The irony is, no one there knows what you look like. You would think they'd know, what with your name being plastered all around the world through the bingo book. But strangely enough, our intel indicates that they don't. You'll go under an alias, and your lovely bride too."

Sasuke's brow twitched. Lovely bride? He mentally ran through the kunoichi he could imagine Kakashi assigning to this mission. Sakura? Unlikely—she was touring the Five Nations, handling medical emergencies and giving medical trainings. The Yamanaka girl was also busy with some mission in the Hidden Sound. That left…what was her name again? The girl with the buns. The thought irritated him; she didn't strike him as particularly competent.

"I don't need a babysitter," Sasuke muttered.

"Of course not! Your wife will be your babymaker!" Kakashi chirped.

The silence that followed was deafening. Sasuke glared at his former teacher, wondering what on earth possessed the man to be this playful with him. The room grew heavy with an oppressive aura. Kakashi wisely dropped the playful act, his grin melting into something more serious.

"Listen," Kakashi said, resting his elbows on the desk and lacing his fingers. "You've got talent, Sasuke, and we need it. But let's not kid ourselves—there are still people here who lost family and friends because of your choices. Trust is earned. This mission is a step toward that."

Sasuke's expression didn't change. "Then they shouldn't have let me out of prison."

"That's not fair though," Kakashi replied. "You're not that man anymore, Sasuke. nd with the state of Konoha now, we need your talents here more than ever. Your sentence, if you will, is best served here outside."

A soft pair of taps on the door interrupted their conversation. Shortly after, Hyuuga Hinata stepped into the room, bowing slightly as she entered. When Sasuke saw her, he remembered that there had been some Hyuuga children in his class back in the Academy. He remembered the boy with long hair and blank eyes… Neji was it? He had been one of the least annoying, as well as one of the stronger members of his year. But the one who had arrived… he barely remembered her. Was she going to get in his way?

"Ah, Hinata," Kakashi said, his tone brightening again. "No need for formalities. I appreciate you coming so quickly. I hope I'm not disrupting your wedding preparations. Are you sure you're up for this?"

Hinata flushed slightly but nodded. "The clan is handling the preparations, Hokage-sama. I would like to be of service to the village in the meantime."

"Excellent," Kakashi said, handing her a scroll identical to Sasuke's.

Sasuke observed her from the corner of his eye while she went over the mission details. She seemed flustered, her face growing redder as she read the mission details. When she finally glanced at him, her blush deepened to an almost comical shade. She snapped her gaze downward, looking ready to faint.

Great, Sasuke thought bitterly. This shy, blushing mess of a kunoichi was supposed to pose as his wife? He could already tell she'd be a liability. What was Kakashi thinking?

"A-ano, Hokage-sama…" Hinata stammered, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Yes, Hinata?" Kakashi prompted.

"It says here that I'll be… pretending to be…" She trailed off, mortified.

"My wife," Sasuke snapped, his voice sharp with irritation.

Hinata looked as though she might pass out.

-End-