Behind the Scenes

Chapter 8

Naruto gazed out the sliding screen door at the endless expanse of the ocean beyond. He let out a deep, heavy sigh as he sank down onto the bed in his hotel room. The constant stream of messages and calls from Hinata were overwhelming him, but he couldn't bring himself to pick up the phone and answer.

The truth was, he felt neglected. He understood that Hinata's work was demanding, but lately it felt like she was prioritizing everything else above him. And the worst part? He couldn't shake off the nagging feeling that maybe, just maybe, she had met someone else.

The thought made Naruto's heart clench painfully in his chest. He loved Hinata more than anything in the world, and the mere idea of losing her was enough to make him feel sick.

Running his hand through his unruly hair, then rubbed at his tense neck as he tried to calm himself down. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't shake off the feeling of unease that had settled over him like a dark cloud

The room felt stuffy and oppressive, like it was closing in on him. Naruto sighed and got up from the bed, his muscles aching from the hours of activity. He felt restless and on edge, like he needed to do something to release the tension that had been building inside him.

As he paced back and forth, his mind kept drifting back to Hinata. He wondered what she was doing, who she was with. He wondered if she was thinking about him, or if she had already moved on.

Naruto was lost in his thoughts when he heard a sound coming from the other side of the bed. He froze, his heart pounding in his chest. He strained to listen, trying to discern what the noise was.

That's when he heard the groans of a woman waking up, followed by her voice saying, "Are you okay, Naruto?"

---

After two months of Naruto ghosting her, Hinata looked at herself in the mirror with red, puffy eyes from crying yet again this week. She missed him terribly, and without him, she felt so lost. She splashed her face with cold water to calm herself before putting on her red contacts and all her piercings.

Tora stood inside the recording booth, staring intently at the microphone as the music played through her earpiece. On the other side of the glass, Susanoo watched her quietly, taking in her every move. The producer had informed them that this song was unlike anything Tora had ever done before - it was a slow and melancholic melody, quite different from her usual upbeat tracks.

(I'm with you by: Avirl Lavigne)

I'm standing on a bridge

I'm waitin' in the dark

I thought that you'd be here by now

There's nothing but the rain

No footsteps on the ground

I'm listening but there's no sound

Isn't anyone tryin' to find me?

Won't somebody come take me home?

It's a damn cold night

Trying to figure out this life

Won't you take me by the hand?

Take me somewhere new

I don't know who you are

But I, I'm with you

I'm with you

I'm looking for a place

I'm searching for a face

Is anybody here I know

'Cause nothing's going right

And everything's a mess