𝐄𝐂𝐋𝐈𝐏𝐒𝐄 | madara uchiha

Chapter 9

"Hi, my name is Sakura. Sakura Haruno. And yours?"

"I'm Karin Uzumaki. It's nice to meet you."

Madara sat with his arms crossed as he and the other executive officers all sat with their four newest interns in their midst, in addition to some office workers who would be tasked with overseeing the four girls' training and support. While they waited for the big boss to begin the night, the four girls introduced themselves to each other and their new workmates.

"Ladies," said Madara, raising his voice. The group immediately silenced, and the Uchiha raised his glass in the air. "Congratulations on being selected to join our company. As you know, getting a job with us isn't an easy feat, so I commend you all on your intellect and talent that has allowed you to be here tonight. Sakura Haruno, Karin Uzumaki. I look forward to seeing you work under my department."

A smattering of polite applause arose from the other workers.

"Ino Yamanaka. Misaki Kudo. Izuna here will take good care of you while you're working under him. Isn't that right, Izuna?"

Madara raised an eyebrow as he elbowed his brother, who bowed at the new recruits with a bright smile.

"Of course!" reassured the younger Uchiha, smiling at the two women who would be working with him. Even he had to admit, the women they had hired were as beautiful as they were intelligent and charismatic. With her long, blonde hair and piercing blue eyes, Ino reminded Izuna of a glamourous actress of the West; while Misaki, with her jet black hair and dark eyes, reminded him of a timeless beauty of the East.

"Everyone, to our new recruits! To the interns!"

The room cheered as they raised their glasses to the four women.

"To the interns!"

As people began ordering more drinks and food for themselves, the four interns shyly began to interact with their colleagues.

"Sakura, Karin," said Madara, beckoning for the two girls at the table in front of his. "Please, do acquaint yourselves with my workers. Specifically so, Sasuke and Suigetsu. Sasuke, you'll look after these lovely ladies for me, won't you?"

Sasuke shot Madara a cold look.

"Sure."

"Well, I'm going over to talk to my girls," said Izuna, patting his brother on the back and walking over to the two new additions to his team. "Yamanaka-san! Kudo-san! Welcome to my team!"

Izuna wedged himself between the two, who both looked awkward at their new boss' arrival.

"Thank you for your kindness, Uchiha-sama," said Misaki breathlessly, bowing her head at Izuna. Ino followed suit, eliciting a loud laugh from him.

"Please, call me Izuna," chuckled the Uchiha, placing his glass of beer on the table before them. "There are at least ten Uchiha you'll be meeting and working alongside, so it's much easier if you just address me by my first name. If you were to call out to me in a crowded room and say "Uchiha-sama!", I can promise you, I would not look."

Misaki and Ino laughed at Izuna's comments, internally pleasing the Uchiha. He did not want them to feel too overwhelmed or intimidated by the mostly male workforce, and he wanted them to be able to speak to him freely and directly if they had any pressing matters they wanted to discuss. Unlike Madara, who retained complete professionalism at all times with all his workers, Izuna was the opposite.

"I feel like I've taken a big breath of relief now," admitted Ino, rubbing her chest as she smiled at Izuna. "You're much friendlier than I was expecting. I hadn't been counting on having such a lively boss like you."

"Just count yourself lucky that you didn't end up in my brother's area," snorted Izuna, prompting all three of them to look up at the executive table. Madara himself was barely talking to the other executive officers, let alone taking the time to familiarise himself with the new interns. "He's the big, scary boss. If anyone in his department does anything wrong, they answer straight to him. But luckily, you two answer to me, and I'll try not to pass it on to him."

"Is this a dream?" asked Misaki incredulously, turning back to face Izuna with her eyes set only on him. "Are you really our new boss?"

"Technically, yes. Anyway, that's enough of me- these people are the ones you'll be working with more. "Akimichi, Nara, introduce yourselves!"

The two men sitting across from Izuna and the two interns looked up at Izuna's words, nodding curtly.

"Hi," said one man dully, with black hair and sharp eyes. "I'm Shikamaru Nara."

"And I'm Choji Akimichi," said his comrade brightly, a chubby man with brown hair. "We'll be your immediate points of support, so that Izuna-sama isn't too bugged by your queries all the time!"

"That's one way to put it," chuckled Izuna, reaching for his beer and taking a sip. "Not that I find your questions annoying, of course. It's just that among all my other emails and responsibilities, it takes a load off of my shoulders if I palm off the smaller things to other staff. Right?"

"Naturally!"

"Of course. It must be a tough job for you, Izuna-sama."

"But if you do have any major issues, don't hesitate to call on me directly," assured Izuna. "Especially any cases of harassment or bullying. I want all my employees to feel like they belong, and I don't tolerate that kind of behaviour."

Misaki felt herself being drawn closer and closer to Izuna the more he talked.

Is this guy for real? Is he actually my new boss?

"Okay," she managed to breathe, feeling butterflies erupt in her stomach as she listened to the Uchiha. "I can do that."

Izuna smiled tenderly at Misaki, unsettling her belly even more.

"I'm going to have to head back to my brother, but don't forget that my door- and inbox!- is always open," he reminded, getting to his feet. "See you on Monday, bright and early! If you're on time, you're late!"

"Yes, Izuna-sama."

As soon as the Uchiha left, all four members collectively let out sighs of relief.

"As friendly as he is, I just can't bring myself to be so casual with him," said Ino, looking towards Shikamaru and Choji. "How do you do it?"

"Trust me, we don't," said Choji, glancing over at Izuna as he sat back next to Madara. "Madara-sama doesn't approve of it, so we try not to make it a habit."

The quartet all watched as Madara appeared to scold Izuna, who paid him no heed and continued to drink his beer, unbothered.

"Compared to Izuna-sama, Madara-sama seems like an old stick in the mud."

"Kudo-san, speaking ill of our president isn't a good way to start the night," said Ino warningly, shooting Misaki a disapproving look. "It's an honour that we were even selected for the interview process. We shouldn't bite the hand that feeds us."

"You're right. But that being said, I really am grateful that we have Izuna as our boss."

As she said that, Misaki made eye contact with Izuna. He shot her a small wink, further melting her heart.

Good looking on the inside and the outside. We've really hit the jackpot here.