Chapter 3

The scent of tonkatsu and miso filled the air as the three of them sat in their usual booth at the cafeteria. Lunch was unusually unhurried that day—a rare break from their demanding schedules.

Hinata stirred her rice absentmindedly, her chopsticks hovering over the bowl as she lost herself in thought. Finally, she glanced up, her voice as gentle as the afternoon sunlight filtering through the glass window.

"By the way," she said softly, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear, "Professor Hatake is holding a symposium at the University of Konoha this Saturday. Would anyone be interested in going?"

Kiba, mid-bite, raised an eyebrow. "Are you a fan, Hinata?"

Hinata smiled, a soft pink brushing her cheeks. "I guess you could say that," she admitted, her voice warming with nostalgia. "I changed courses after visiting the museum he designed in Suna. It was the first time I ever felt a visceral reaction to a building."

Kiba let out a low chuckle, shaking his head in amusement. "Wow, you're such a nerd, Hinata," he teased. "You'd probably lose your mind if you knew he used to teach us in first-year design."

Hinata's chopsticks froze mid-air. "He what?" she gasped, her eyes widening in disbelief. "Professor Hatake was your teacher? How was he?"

Kiba smirked, leaning back against the booth. "Always late," he said with a laugh. "Like, impressively late. Sometimes, we'd wonder if he forgot he was supposed to be teaching. But somehow, despite that, he was one of the best professors we had."

Shino adjusted his glasses, nodding thoughtfully. "Even with his seemingly lackadaisical attitude, he had a way of bringing out the best in his students. His critiques were sharp but fair, and he never forced anyone into a rigid style. He knew how to bring out the best in his students.."

Kiba grinned at the memory. "And he was so chill. He let us call him just Kakashi. No 'Professor Hatake' nonsense. Said it made him feel old."

Hinata felt a pang of wistfulness settle in her chest, her fingers tightening slightly around her chopsticks. "I'm so jealous," she murmured, almost too softly to be heard. She imagined what it must have been like—sitting in a sunlit studio, working over design concepts while being mentored by someone whose work had greatly inspired her.

"You'd die with envy if you found out about this," Kiba said, his eyes glinting mischievously as he elbowed Sasuke, who had been quietly eating beside them. "Guess who was Kakashi's favorite student?"

Hinata turned to Sasuke in surprise, but he only continued eating, seemingly unbothered by the claim.

"And," Kiba continued dramatically, dragging out the suspense, "even before we finished our first semester of Design, he got offered an apprenticeship."

Hinata's lips parted slightly in awe as she looked at Sasuke, who still showed no reaction. "That's incredible," she breathed.

Sasuke merely shrugged. "It was nothing special."

Kiba scoffed. "Oh, shut up. You know damn well it was."

"It must be nice, working together since college." Hinata laughed softly, resting her chin on her palm as she imagined it. "I can imagine you three—spending late nights in the studio, cramming for your deadlines, struggling through your thesis together, and then after all that, applying for the same firm after graduation. It's like a shounen manga."

Kiba choked on his drink and shook his head. "Okay, no, no. Don't romanticize it. We weren't friends with Sasuke in college." He shot a glare at the Uchiha. "If he's a bitch now, he was even worse back then."

Sasuke barely looked up from his meal. "Tch."

Shino adjusted his glasses. "He kept to himself. Always above the class."

"Yeah," Kiba snorted. "And while he was off being a prodigy, I was two points away from failing my Utilities Class."

Hinata blinked. "Oh no."

Shino nodded. "It was concerning. I think that's why he befriended me—he needed my notes to pass."

Kiba groaned. "Okay, no need to bring that up."

Hinata bit her lip, clearly reevaluating the picture she had in her mind. "So… you didn't plan to work at the same firm?"

"Not even close," Kiba said, shaking his head. "Total coincidence."

"We applied together," Shino added, gesturing between himself and Kiba. "Since Kiba just always copies what I do."

"Scuse me?" Kiba scowls, "You wouldn't survive college without my social skills, Shino. Who got us into the good group projects? Who defended our thesis when you were a stumbling mess? Who talked you up to our classmates, so they wouldn't fail you in the peer evaluation?"

Shino hummed. "Fair enough."

Kiba turned to Hinata, gesturing vaguely at Shino. "He's just as aloof as Sasuke—just with slightly fewer brain cells."

Shino straightened. "For the record, I made the Dean's list."

Kiba snorted. "Just once. First semester. Barely."

Hinata stifled a giggle as Shino exhaled in mild exasperation.

Kiba turned back to her, arms crossed. "Anyway, so Shino and I got in as interns together, and guess who was already there, sitting pretty as a junior architect?"

Hinata glanced at Sasuke. "Oh..."

"The guy was already leagues ahead of us in school, and then he had to go and land a spot with Kakashi right after graduation." Kiba leaned forward, jabbing a finger in Sasuke's direction. "Even our seniors looked up to him. Our seniors, Hinata."

Hinata's eyes widened, awe written all over her face. "You're amazing, Uchiha-san."

At her words, Sasuke froze mid-chew, glancing at her with mild surprise.

"Get in line, Hinata." Kiba smirked. "There's a string of fangirls you have to get through first. Sasuke was quite popular."

Hinata straightened so fast she almost knocked over her drink. "I wasn't—I mean, I just—" She took a deep breath, pressing her hands together. "Uchiha-san, may I ask you a favor?"

Sasuke, still chewing, raised an eyebrow.

Hinata hesitated but then spoke earnestly. "If given the chance… would you introduce me to your sensei?"

Sasuke leaned back against the booth, studying her with a mix of curiosity and mild amusement. "Are you sure, Hinata? They say you shouldn't meet your heroes."

"Oh, come on, Sasuke," Kiba groaned. "Give her a chance. That's her Design Hero. What kind of heartless jerk would you be to deny her that?"

Sasuke sighed, the faintest trace of a smirk on his lips. "Fine. We'll go."

Excitement flickered in Hinata's eyes as she clasped her hands together. Kiba, grinning, leaned back in his seat. "Looks like we've got plans for Saturday then. This is our first excursion outside of work, Well, except for Shino."

Hinata tilted her head. "Oh? He's not coming?"

Kiba scoffed. "Shino? On a Saturday? No way. He goes hiking with his dad—y'know, the bug guy. They spend their weekends crawling through jungles looking for insects." He shook his head in mock disbelief. "His idea of fun."

Shino adjusted his glasses. "Apologies, Hinata. But I hope you find Kakashi-sensei's talk worthwhile. Just be prepared—his jokes can be... questionable at best."

Sasuke didn't think much of the plan at first. He had agreed without hesitation—there was no reason not to. It was a simple favor.

Sasuke was just about to head out when his phone buzzed.

Kiba: "Akamaru's sick. Taking him to the vet. Sorry, can't make it. Good luck!"

Sasuke stared at the message, irritation flickering in his chest before something else settled beneath it. He exhaled slowly, rubbing his thumb over the screen. So it's just the two of us. Again.

Then his eyes lingered on Kiba's last words. Good luck.

Sasuke could hear the teasing lilt in Kiba's voice, could picture that infuriating, knowing smirk stretching across his face. What the hell does he mean by that? It was just a symposium. Just an event. What was there to need luck for? He's not even the one speaking. His fingers twitched, tempted to fire back a response, but he decided against it. Kiba would only double down.

A strange sort of nervousness bubbled up—one he hadn't expected. It wasn't that he minded spending time alone with Hinata, but the shift in dynamic threw him off. Kiba had been an easy buffer, keeping the atmosphere light. Without him, the weight of conversation would rest between just the two of them.

He shook off the thought, pocketing his phone before heading out. When he arrived at the university gate, he spotted Hinata immediately. She was bundled up against the cold, her scarf tucked neatly around her, a soft smile forming as she caught sight of him.

"Kiba's out," Sasuke said, sliding his hands into his coat pockets. "Guess it's just us."

Hinata smiled despite herself. "Thank you for still coming, Sasuke."

And with that, they stepped inside, the warmth of the bustling symposium wrapping around them.

The topic was something Sasuke had heard Kakashi speak on several times before. He leaned back in his seat, half-listening, but beside him, Hinata sat with undivided attention, scribbling notes with an almost sharp-laser focus, absorbing Kakashi's every word as if it were divine revelations.

If only she knew.

Although Kakashi was undoubtedly brilliant, he was infuriatingly unserious, prone to embellishments, playful deceit, and an almost pathological love for satire. Working under him had trained Sasuke to approach his words with skepticism, to sift through the superfluities for the rare gems of wisdom hidden within. He was, without a doubt, a genius—but one who delighted in making others question whether he was saying something profound or just messing with them for his own amusement.

After the symposium, they made their way toward the stage, where Kakashi was engaged in a lazy conversation with one of the panelists. He looked up as they approached, his visible eye crinkling with surprise before settling into his usual unreadable expression.

"Sasuke," he greeted, voice as languid as ever, though there was a teasing lilt to it. "Didn't expect to see you here. Finally decided to broaden your horizons?"

Sasuke's expression remained flat. "Nothing new that I haven't heard before."

Kakashi chuckled, clearly amused, before his gaze flicked curiously to Hinata. He opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, Sasuke cut in smoothly. "This is my colleague. She's a fan."

Hinata straightened, bowing politely before extending a hand. "Hyuga Hinata, sir. It's an honor to meet you, Professor Hatake. Your works have been a huge inspiration to me."

Kakashi hummed, his visible eye curving in amusement. "Ah, I see. A woman of refined taste.." His gaze flicked back to Sasuke, and before Sasuke could react, Kakashi wrapped an arm around his shoulders, leaning in to whisper, "Didn't think you'd start bringing dates to my lectures. Impressive."

Sasuke stiffened. "It's not—"

Kakashi ignored him, his voice dropping lower. "Watching my lectures as foreplay? Bold choice. The concept of Architectural Phenomenology can be titillating."

Sasuke twitched, a muscle in his jaw ticking. His fingers flexed at his side as he debated whether elbowing Kakashi in the ribs would be worth the effort.

"Sensei," he gritted out, voice edged with warning, "I will actually hit you."

Kakashi chuckled, releasing him just as Hinata glanced between them, completely oblivious to the undercurrent of their exchange.

"You two seem very close," she observed, tilting her head slightly.

Sasuke scowled. "Not really."

Kakashi countered at the exact same moment, his voice brimming with false fondness. "Of course."

Hinata blinked, looking between them as if unsure who to believe.

Kakashi smoothly pivoted. "Is this your first lecture with me?"

"Yes, sir," she answered with a polite nod. "I hope I get to attend more of your lectures in the future."

Kakashi's eye crinkled, clearly pleased. "Oh, I'm sure Sasuke will arrange that. He's always been such a generous guy."

Sasuke exhaled sharply, his patience thinning. This was a mistake. He should have known better than to let Kakashi drag him into his games.

Before he could make an excuse to leave, Kakashi clapped his hands together, his expression turning thoughtful. "Since we're all here, how about dinner? I have to meet some professors first, but let's meet in an hour."

Hinata brightened. "That sounds wonderful."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes, already sensing a trap.

Kakashi nodded, then turned to Sasuke with an all-too-innocent look that immediately put him on edge. "You should give Hinata a tour of the campus while you wait. Maybe swing by the gallery? I hear it's... atmospheric."

As they walked through the arcaded corridors of the university, Hinata took everything with quiet admiration. The campus had an air of prestige—sleek, modern elements woven into the old, arcaded structure of the original university building. Sasuke led the way, hands in his pocket, as if he had strolled through these corridors a thousand times before.

They stepped into the library, and Hinata's breath hitched. Towering bookshelves stretched toward the high vaulted ceilings, packed with books she could only dream of accessing at her own school. Softly lit reading alcoves lined the walls by the window, each occupied by students immersed in their research.

Against one wall, a long row of extended drawers housed an archive of blueprints that the university collected from their famous alumni. Hinata stole a glance at a group of students, their gloved hands carefully pulling out a delicate timeworn prints.

Next, they arrived at the design studio—a vast, open space that felt like a fusion of a workshop and a sanctuary. High clerestory windows basked the room with natural light, highlighting the industrial elements of exposed beams and polished concrete floors. The space buzzed with curious intensity, filled with large drafting tables, desks cluttered with pinned-up drawings, scattered prints, and half-finished scale models in varying stages of completion.

Students were hunched over their workstations, eyes glued to their laptop screens, fingers deftly adjusting digital renderings. Chatters from group discussions between teams fill the atmosphere. There are others who are propped on beanbags, stealing moments of rests between all-nighters.

"This is where upper-year students spend most of their time," Sasuke said, gesturing around. "It's open twenty-four hours."

Hinata turned to him, eyes wide in disbelief. "Wait—you can stay here all night?"

Sasuke nodded. "A lot of us did."

She sighed wistfully, running her fingers along the edge of a well-worn drafting table. "We don't have anything like this. Our studio hours are limited, and we always have to fight for space."

Then, they arrived at the design laboratory. Hinata gasped audibly when she saw the rows of state-of-the-art machineries, cutters and printers. A few students worked nearby, adjusting settings and carefully moving freshly cut materials around the machines.

Hinata practically vibrated with excitement. "This is amazing! You can just—just come here and use them?"

Sasuke arched an eyebrow, amused by her enthusiasm. "With permission, yes."

"In my school, we either have to visit outside facilities or do everything by hand," she said, her voice tinged with both admiration and envy. "The level of precision you can achieve with these…" She trailed off, staring at a laser cutter as if it were some kind of sacred artifact.

Sasuke smirked slightly. Watching Hinata marvel at their facilities, he realized for the first time how lucky they truly were.

Finally, he took her to the gallery.

The space was quiet with warm light illuminating various models and framed architectural drawings. There are models displayed on pedestals, encased with glass, and conceptual art pieces along the walls. Each piece had a brass plaque with the student's name and achievement.

Hinata moved through the exhibits slowly, absorbing the level of craftsmanship in each project. Then, she stopped abruptly, catching the eye of something that seemed important.

Sasuke follows her line of sight.

It was his final thesis project proposal.

Hinata turned to Sasuke, then back to the model. "This is yours?"

She stepped closer, eyes tracing every line, every carefully crafted curve. She was taking her time, studying it with an intensity that made his skin itch. Sasuke shifted uncomfortably. She was looking at it all wrong—seeing it all wrong.

Because all he saw were its flaws.

The facade—he hated how it was angled. It was supposed to create tension, a dynamic contrast between weight and airiness, but instead, it felt off-balance, unrefined. The circulation inside the museum was flawed. His professors had missed it, but he knew better—some pathways bottlenecked, some exhibits were awkwardly placed. And the fenestrations—too deep. He had miscalculated the sun's angles during certain months of the year, meaning that the carefully planned lighting design failed exactly when it mattered most.

His jaw tightened. He hated looking at it. Hated that it stood there, encased in glass and glorified, when all he saw was everything it failed to be.

He thought of Kakashi, a slow realization creeping in. Is this why he brought us here? To humiliate him?

Sasuke exhaled sharply. "It's shitty."

Hinata turned to him, startled. "What are you talking about, Sasuke?"

There was no hesitation in her voice, no doubt in her expression. Only admiration. Pure, unfiltered. The kind that unsettled him more than he cared to admit.

Sasuke looked away, arms crossing over his chest. For the first time in a long time, he felt flustered.

Kakashi met up with them in front of the theater, for once arriving on time.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "You're not late."

Kakashi chuckled, slipping his hands into the pockets of his coat. "I didn't want to make a bad impression on a fan." His visible eye crinkled in amusement as he glanced at Hinata.

She smiled politely, but Sasuke just exhaled, unimpressed. "Hn."

Kakashi led them to a yakiniku restaurant just a short walk from the university. The place had a warm, familiar scent of sizzling meat and seasoned charcoal, and the faint chatter of other diners filled the air. As they settled into their booth, Kakashi pulled out his wallet with an exaggerated flair and set it on the table.

"Tonight, my treat," he declared, sounding far too pleased with himself.

Hinata, always gracious, bowed slightly in thanks. "That's very generous of you, Professor Hatake."

Sasuke merely leaned back, unimpressed. He already knew this place well—Kakashi had been bringing him here since college. And he also knew, without a doubt, that professors got a discount here.

For all his accolades, Kakashi was still ridiculously cheap. It wasn't that he couldn't afford a pricier place—he just enjoyed the loophole, the smug satisfaction of getting a good deal. Typical.

Still, Sasuke didn't complain. The food was good.

He picked up the menu anyway, scanning it out of habit.

Soon, the table filled with plates of marinated beef, pork belly, and fresh vegetables. Kakashi flipped a few pieces over the grill with practiced ease before, as expected, he steered the conversation toward Sasuke

"So, what did you think of Sasuke's thesis project?" he asked, feigning casual interest as he flipped his meat.

Hinata, still entranced by the memory of his model, answered earnestly. "I thought it was compelling. The way he integrated the sharp angles with the fluid curves—I imagine that was difficult to pull off."

Sasuke let out a sharp exhale, stabbing at his rice with his chopsticks. "It was a disaster. The circulation was off."

Kakashi tilted his head, unconvinced. "I recall your professors not noticing that."

"They should have."

Hinata paused, considering. "I mean… if no one noticed, did it really matter?"

Sasuke turned to her, eyes narrowing slightly, like she had just spoken complete nonsense. "Of course it matters."

Kakashi chuckled, expertly flipping a strip of meat onto Sasuke's plate. "And this, my dear Hinata, is why Sasuke never lets himself be happy with anything he makes."

Sasuke shot him a glare, but Kakashi remained completely unfazed, picking up a perfectly grilled piece of pork belly like he hadn't just thrown a grenade into the conversation.

Hinata glanced between them, intrigued.

"Perfectionism isn't inherently bad," she mused, then turned to Sasuke. "In fact, I think it's one of Uchiha-san's greatest strengths."

Sasuke paused, chopsticks hovering mid-air, caught off guard by her sincerity.

Hinata continued, her voice steady but warm. "At work, I make a lot of mistakes—more than I'd like to admit—but Uchiha-san always catches them. And not just that," she hesitated for a moment, then pressed on, "he takes the time to explain what went wrong and how to fix it. He never just tells me to redo something without reason."

Sasuke's grip on his chopsticks tightened slightly, his gaze lowering to his plate.

"And he's patient," she added. "Even when I ask the same question twice. Or three times." A small smile formed at the corner of her lips. "Or when I mislabel something and have to redo an entire draft."

Kakashi let out an exaggerated hum of interest. "Sasuke? Patient?" He gave Sasuke a knowing look. "Well, that's new."

Hinata nodded. "It's true. He's been helping me adjust to the firm. He has taken me under his wing, even though I didn't belong to his team. I honestly don't know how I would've gotten through these past few months without his guidance."

Sasuke swallowed, his usual sharp retorts nowhere to be found. He looked away, clearly unaccustomed to such direct praise, the tips of his ears turning faintly red.

Kakashi, of course, caught every second of it. His visible eye gleamed with amusement as he set down his cup of tea.

"You know," Kakashi mused, ever the instigator, "Sasuke was quite a star back in college."

Hinata blinked, tilting her head slightly. "Oh? Kiba mentioned something about that."

Kakashi leaned in slightly, clearly enjoying himself. "Did he tell you about the students who followed his projects? Some even camped outside his studio critiques just to hear him speak." He chuckled, tapping a lazy finger against his chin. "And let's not forget the ones who sneaked into the design lab at night just to get a glimpse of his work."

Hinata's lips parted slightly in surprise, turning to Sasuke, who had now resigned himself to his fate. He picked at his food in silence, jaw tight.

"That's…" Hinata hesitated, then smiled. "…kind of impressive."

Kakashi smirked, sensing an opportunity to stir the pot further. "Is he still popular at work? What do the ladies say about him?"

Hinata blinked, visibly caught off guard. "Ahh—well…" She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, suddenly feeling self-conscious. "I don't really have many friends at work, but I do hear people gush about him."

Kakashi's smirk widened. "Oh? And what do they say?"

Hinata glanced at Sasuke, who was now glaring at his plate as if it had personally offended him. She shifted slightly in her seat. "That he's… competent. And really smart."

Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "And?"

Hinata's fingers curled slightly against the hem of her sleeve. She suddenly felt warm under the scrutiny. She knew she could stop there, but Kakashi's expectant look—and the way Sasuke's expression darkened—made her stumble forward with the truth.

"A-and that he's quite good-looking," she admitted, cheeks tinged pink.

Sasuke exhaled sharply, shaking his head. "Tch. That's annoying. That kind of thing just distracts from work." He set his chopsticks down with a click and finally turned to her, his dark eyes sharp. "You shouldn't be indulging in gossip, Hyuga. It's unprofessional and a waste of time."

Hinata straightened slightly at the reprimand, her embarrassment quickly shifting into something more resolute. She met his gaze, unfazed by his irritation. "I wasn't indulging, I swear," she said quickly, shaking her head. "I only heard it within earshot while using the ladies' room."

A nervous beat. Then, Hinata turned to Sasuke, her expression steady, resolve settling in her eyes. "But don't worry, Uchiha-san. I promise I won't be distracted. I'll focus on work and do my best."

Kakashi chuckled, his visible eye crinkling with amusement as he leaned back. "Oh, I'm not too worried about you, Hinata." He took a leisurely sip of his tea before glancing at Sasuke, his tone light but knowing. "It's someone else's focus I'd be more concerned about."

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

The first date, that was not really a date.

I was in this similar predicament, and trust me, the situation was fodder for my delusion for days.

In the blooming phase of romance...

In the space between the stars,

Oh Nebula, where stars are born.

And in this fragile infancy

A new light in me blooms.

Drawn by such curiosity,

Falling into your gravity

Tracing constellations of

Where your touch lingered

A million stars in one gaze,

A surge of butterflies, starbound in flight

In cosmic depths, where silence stays,

Your kindness fills the empty space.

Like telescopes, you open worlds

Filling my heart's open voids

An anchor to my turbulence

You are a gravity, I cannot avoid

How sweet it would be,

To dance in your orbit

Gravitating close, drifting wide

If only just to be by your side.

Suspended here, between the stars.

Yet this is a love cannot be consumed

I'll keep this love, in secret gloom

In the nebula, where it once bloomed.