SasuHina: Beyond The Camera

Chapter 58

-Hinata's POV-

For the entirety of the next week, I was bombarded with gifts from Kisame. If I were at the agency, he'd pay the flower or chocolate deliverers extra to keep it a secret from all that asked who they were from so word wouldn't get out what he was trying to do, mainly to make sure Kakashi wouldn't find out. He didn't bother hiding it if I was at home and even sent little love letters.

Prestige's house was beginning to run out of places to put the pretty vases of roses and tulips. Each time the security buzzer at our fence's gate rings, Sakura and Gaara find it hilarious, and I have to trudge outside with my head hung low in embarrassment.

Sasuke, on the other hand, doesn't find it funny in the slightest. Instead, each gift makes him that much more irritated. He even asked if I would get mad at him if he tried to fight the man, which I obviously forbid him from doing. By the time Friday came around, I also was becoming a bit annoyed by his persistence.

On Tuesday, when I realized he wouldn't falter in his efforts, I called him and asked if he could stop, and he didn't take me seriously. The final straw was when he not so vaguely described the situation during a live interview after being asked if he has a celebrity crush. Then, I had to confront him and clarify that I wasn't interested in him that way.

He was disappointed but apologized for making me uncomfortable and agreed to remain friends. I was genuinely worried he'd be so offended that things would be awkward, but he expressed wanting to take some time to get himself together and promised not to be weird afterward.

With that entire debacle officially handled, I could focus on Sasuke, my friends, my work, and Hidan's upcoming trial. It's in less than two weeks, ten days to be exact. The closer it gets, the more anxious I become. I know I should be relieved that not one of us, Matsuri included, has heard a peep from the awful man, but it's making me more uncomfortable than if he was attempting to make contact somehow.

"Filming will begin October twentieth, and the plan is for performance day to be no more than five days later."

Sasuke and I nodded wordlessly to Shirogane, True Talent's producer and host, as he explained the details of the next season of his top-rated show. In truth, something like that, where I have to write and compose a song within just a few days, all while being recorded, and then perform it live right after... makes me almost overwhelmingly nervous because I've always struggled with songwriting.

"So, if you're both interested in competing, we'd be eager to have you."

I glanced at Sasuke, but he didn't look my way before nodding and reaching forward to shake the charismatic man's hand, "See you then." Shirogane then turned to look at me, and I grit my teeth but nodded as well, shaking his hand with as normal a smile as possible.

When I signed the contract with the agency, I told myself that I wouldn't let my anxiety scare me out of doing things I love, and I wasn't about to go back on that vow. Somehow, I'll have to make it work and do my best.

Once the meeting was finished, Sasuke and I shared a look before walking outside. Since I have a photo shoot to do next and he doesn't, we drove separately. He shot me a wink as he put his sunglasses on, and I bit back a smile, watching him from my front seat as he pulled out of the busy parking lot.

The photoshoot I'm about to drive to is for a popular idol-focused teen magazine. When they reached out and asked if I'd like to be on the cover of one of their monthly issues, I nearly fainted in disbelief. Sure, Prestige has been on the cover of many magazines and newspapers as a group, but this is the first time it'll be me and me alone.

Not wanting to be late for something so important, and because the address I was given is out of town in a secluded area, I pulled up the GPS app on my phone and set it up before heading out. For around half an hour, I drove calmly with the radio loud as I sang along absently. Then I finally turned off the main road, following the directions on my phone.