In the Name of Beauty

[Prologue]

"Personally, I don't see the point of paying someone to pluck your eyebrows when you can do it yourself. It's cheaper, and plucking your eyebrows isn't that painful to begin with, anyway."

"I know, but I'm not just talking about plucking somebody's eyebrows, but … things like nails as well. Look at you, for example! Why do you get your nails done by a beautician? Like you said, it's cheaper to do it yourself!"

"The difference is what you're asking about, then. Eyebrows aren't nails, Izuna. I like having mine done professionally because I don't really have time, in my house at least, to do them. The beauty parlour I go to can do them quite quickly, whereas I can take over an hour just doing one hand because of all the calls I have to make and all the writing I have to finish. If I go to a parlour, it's over in nearly thirty minutes. I'm sure for a majority of career-minded women, they share the same reason."

Izuna sighed, thinking. "I know, but … why? What's the point in it?"

The woman, a peer of Izuna's in fact, simply replied, "Different things have different values for different people, Izuna. That's the only way I'm probably going to be capable of explaining it to you. After all, men don't understand women, and that's scientifically proven."

Behind the door, Madara sighed, rubbing his left temple, waiting for their mindless chit-chat to finally subside so he could enter.

For the first time in a while, his day had started normally; his younger brother was coming home from the town he'd gone to university (despite finishing over a year ago, he'd had to stay due to business arrangements), bringing along his PA, but Izuna had failed to mention a woman during their last phone call. In fact, he hadn't mentioned a woman in any of their phone calls. By the time it got to meeting his brother, Madara stumbled onto this conversation – a conversation about beauty treatments. Between Izuna and a mysterious woman, no less.

Never once had Madara suspected that Izuna was 'of that persuasion', as he could only politely put it. In all honesty, it actually surprised Madara.

However, such things that to be overlooked in this light, as Madara reminded himself, because if he pondered on this particular thought too long, he would find himself late for his own brother's scheduled (yet early) arrival.

He knocked on the door once. "Come in," Izuna answered, cutting off from a conversation about waxing eyebrows instead of using tweezers to pluck. When Madara opened the door, Izuna smiled serenely. "Madara!" He got on his feet, crossed the room and embraced Madara wholeheartedly.

Whilst hugging Izuna, Madara caught a glimpse of a brunette woman sitting beside Izuna's office desk. From what he perceived, she looked slender and smart-looking, but he knew better than to judge from first appearances. Senju Hashirama had taught him that.

Izuna let go of Madara, still smiling, and went to introduce the woman behind him. "Madara, this is Kizuka. Kizuka, this is my brother, Madara."

Kizuka stood up and held out her hand, smiling politely. "It's good to meet you, sir. Izuna has told me a lot about you."

"Hmm," Madara spared Izuna a glance and instead shook Kizuka's hand. "I wish I could say the same. Unfortunately, squirt hasn't told me anything about a woman coming with him."

"I told you—"

"He didn't mention me?" Kizuka looked at Izuna, confused. "I thought you said that you'd told him about the arrangement?"

"I did," mumbled Izuna, looking directly at Madara. "He's assuming things, however, and so I cannot be at fault."

"How am I assuming things, Izuna?" snapped Madara, frowning, as he crossed his arms over his chest, keeping his eyes focused on Izuna.

"Kizuka and I aren't together. She's my PA."

Kizuka looked like she had suddenly became fed up; Madara didn't say anything; and Izuna watched his brother for another moment before turning away and picking his jacket off the coat-stand. "Kizuka," he said to her. "Let's go down to Ai-Risa's before it's fully booked." He looked at Madara. "Coming, brother?"

"You go on," Madara answered coolly, recomposed from his earlier error in judgement. "I have work to finish."

"Don't you have a personal assistant?" asked Izuna, stuffing his hands into his jacket pockets. Kizuka had her navy parka folded over her arm and watched the two brothers silently.

"No, I don't have the time to interview anyone and I doubt they'll be any help, anyway. They would probably annoy me like you do, Izuna."

"That's a bit harsh," commented Kizuka lightly.

Izuna sent her a friendly smile. "Don't worry about it. Madara's said worse." Then he turned, resolute-looking, to Madara. "Come on, you could do with a break. You look shattered, Madara."

"I said no, Izuna."

"Madara, listen to me. I'm your little brother." whined Izuna.

"Yes, you are little, aren't you?"

Izuna pouted. "That's mean." he pointed out.

"I'm your big brother, I'm supposed to be mean to you."

"Yeah, right. You know that's a lie."

Kizuka simply watched as each brother replied to the other with an insult or point of their own, often sounding very much like children in a playground; she found it hard to stay professional when Izuna said that Madara was "like an old, grumpy man who had lost his whiskey" and Madara looked so affronted. With that aside, however, she knew that if this carried on, they would miss their reservation.

"Izuna," she said, but neither brother heard her. "Izuna!" she called over their bickering.

Both stopped and looked at her.

"We're going to be late." she told him. Izuna sighed and looked sadly at Madara, so Kizuka turned to him as well and said, "Madara, I know I'm a stranger, but wouldn't this be a good time to catch up with your brother? Work will always be there, but your brother won't be. None of us will."

Madara stared at her with narrowed eyes. "Why do you care?" he asked.

Kizuka sighed. "Does everything have to be an argument? Not everyone has an ulterior motive, you must realise that."

Quietly, Madara scoffed, but before he could say anything, Izuna cut across. "It's all right, Madara. If you have work to do, that's fine. We'll rearrange it another time."

"Izuna …" Kizuka mumbled as he took her hand and led her to the door.

Behind them, Madara exhaled and muttered, "Fine, all right. I'll take the night off."

Izuna smiled, looking back at his brother. "All right, then. Hurry up. The reservation is for four o'clock, so we need to be quick. We're running a little late."

Madara rolled his eyes, a smile of his own creeping onto his face. "Don't push it, Izuna. I've just said I'm coming, don't make me re-think my options." At Izuna's pout, he chuckled quietly. "You never change."

"You wouldn't want me to," retorted Izuna lightly, smiling.

Kizuka rolled her eyes. "I'll never understand you. Either of you, in fact." Izuna sent her a cheeky smile and turned back to the office door, opening it.

"Let's go, ho!"

"OI!"

"I didn't mean it in an offensive way! It just rhymes!" Izuna cried as Kizuka raised her hand, and he ran off down the corridor. Behind the two, Madara sighed and rolled his eyes. His brother was an idiot at times, calling women such things, but he rarely ever meant to be offensive in all truth.

Hi, this is just a little project of mine. I will try to finish it, but I'm more concerned about my other story at the moment. Ciao. Thanks for reading! :) Don't be scared to tell me what you think.