SasuHina: Beyond The Camera

Chapter 35-Christmas Part 1

-Hinata's POV-

After such a dramatic Halloween, the four of us threw ourselves at our work. Before we knew it, a month and a half had passed. The music for our second album was completely written and recorded, way ahead of schedule, by the end of the first week of December.

I was surprised by Kakashi and Tenten's decision not to let us hear one another's solo songs until the album is released to the public. It also made me a bit jittery and nervous. I put my heart and soul into that song. If, for some reason, my feelings don't shine through to my three bandmates, I'm not sure what I'll do. All I know for sure is I'll be broken-hearted and discouraged.

Smack in the middle of November, Akatsuki finally made their big debut and proved to be even more popular with the ladies than anticipated. Since each of its members have jarringly different personalities and appearances, it's not hard to see why. There's something for everyone to love. Deidara and Yahiko are proving to be the more popular of the two, but Hidan and Kisame still have their fair share of crazy fans.

After admitting to me that she suspects him of cheating, Sakura fought with Sasori more than ever, but still hasn't dumped him. According to her, she wants to try and make things work until she's one hundred percent certain of his disloyalty.

She mentioned to me one night while we were preparing dinner that she thinks she might be ready to go all the way with him and that it may be what they need to get over this argumentative hump. I love her and support her, but I couldn't stop myself from cautiously telling her I don't think you should have sex to fix something. She didn't get offended, but also didn't heed my opinion.

To all of our surprise, especially hers, Sasori invited her on a couple's get-a-way trip the week of Christmas. After accepting, she confided in Ino and I that she plans to do it then. My only hope is that all of the bad things we've thought about him have been misunderstandings and he doesn't take advantage of her naivety.

Speaking of Christmas, everyone except me has plans.

Gaara's going to go home for the week to spend time with his siblings. Sasuke's family throws an annual holiday party that all the big business names attend and the Uchiha man himself is expected to be there for its entirety.

Up until this year, I've gone to it myself every year without fail, but after leaving home in the manner I had, it's unspoken that my invitation has been withdrawn. Again, it makes me wonder how Sasuke and I haven't ever met before signing with the agency. There have been dozens of close encounters over the years, undoubtedly. Maybe we did meet sometime in the past and it was either too brief or too long ago for either of us to remember. Either way, I won't be attending the holiday party with or without him so it doesn't matter.

The closer Christmas comes, the more depressed and anxious I feel. Not only will I be spending arguably the biggest holiday of the year alone in a big empty house, but my birthday is just two days after it and I'll be alone for that, too.

It's not like I've ever had a birthday party with friends and family to support me and wish me well, but I've never spent the entire day completely alone. Neji and Hanabi usually take me out to dinner or something, at the least. The maids would prepare a cake for me as well. This year I won't even have that. I don't want to worry my bandmates or have them feel obligated to cut their holidays short for my sake, so I've just kept quiet about it all and avoid the topic of Christmas plans when it arises.

With no audio recording needing done, Prestige has been spending most of their time practicing with Tsunade to keep our dance skills honed. To all of our surprise, the woman announced that Evolution would be bringing in an outside choreographer for the entirety of our second album, but refused to spill the beans on who it'll be. She did, though, hint that they're very famous and sought after, which threw both Gaara and Sakura into the deep end trying to figure out their identity.