-Hinata's POV-
Soon after the filming of our pre-debut interview was complete, we were ushered back into the waiting area to watch and review the recording of it. The four of us squeezed onto one sofa so we could huddle around one of LMC's fancy tablets. Tenten and Kakashi stood nearby with amused looks on their faces.
The first thing I noticed was that Konan looked amazing on camera and appeared as though she knew that. I tried to put myself in the shoes of someone who hasn't met any of us. Sakura came off as a bit talkative but still likable, I came off as quiet and polite, Gaara came off as sweet and bashful, and Sasuke came off as a cocky bad boy.
There was a section under the video where live comments were being posted and the majority of them were people fawning over the boys. I couldn't blame them. There are still times when I catch myself staring at either of them, and even sometimes Sakura, in awe of their attractive appearances.
"Hinata, you have to start telling people you're the visual when discussing group roles! Be more confident!"
My face warmed at my roommate's professional instruction, brow furrowing when the boys both made sounds of agreement. Luckily, no one expected me to vocally respond so I did my best to put my unease on the backburner.
Tenten cackled as she watched Sakura's face turn red when Konan offered to talk her up to Sasori, "I know Sasori, too, by the way. If you're really interested in him, let me know."
The girl shot the brunette woman a dirty look but ultimately didn't object. Tenten and I shared a brief look of surprise, but didn't say anything further on the topic. Without hesitation, Tenten whipped her cellphone out to, I assume, text Sasori about Sakura and see if he's interested.
I refocused on the tablet and felt a frown start to slowly form on my lips. It was hard not to think negatively when it was clear, to me at least, that I didn't shine quite as brightly as my bandmates. I fought to hide my sad expression by putting a hand casually over my mouth as I leaned over to get a better view. For almost the entirety of the interview, I kind of sank into the background. Even when I was speaking, it was easy to look at any of the others. The rest of Prestige talked plenty and had moments that drew a lot of attention, but it felt like I was exceptionally average compared to them.
The video soon ended and Sakura started scrolling down through the comments to read a few, "Oh, you guys already have fangirls and we haven't even performed yet!"
Sasuke snatched the tablet out of her hands to read a few of the comments before scoffing and handing it to Gaara, "That's to be expected in this line of work. You two have some fans commenting, too."
Everyone gave him a look of annoyance. He could be so pompous sometimes.
I continued to silently peek at the screen as the other three scrolled down, my chin resting on Sakura's shoulder. With a deep breath, I steeled my nerves and refused to let my negative thoughts consume me. Maybe I hadn't stood out much during our interview, but I can still go above and beyond during our performance to make up for it.
Once we finished browsing the comments on our interview, Tenten and Kakashi treated us to lunch at a fancy steakhouse. While waiting for our food to arrive, Kakashi cleared his throat to draw attention to himself.
"I'm very proud of how you handled yourselves during the interview. As CEO of Evolution Entertainment, I feel as though you positively represented the company and made a fantastic first impression."
"Also as your CEO, I want to give you some words of encouragement as the time for your debut nears. Don't be satisfied with a 'good' performance. I want you to give it everything you've got tonight. It's perfectly acceptable to be emotional about the step you're taking toward your future and I want you to make the most of it for yourselves. Regardless of how popular Prestige ends up becoming, you need to be able to look back on your debut with fondness."
Tears stung the corners of my eyes and I fought to push them back as his kind words pulled up emotions that I'd been feeling almost non-stop since my acceptance into the company. He was a smart man and knew just what to say to inspire others. I could feel the anxiety melting away, only to be replaced with adrenaline. Our food arrived before anyone could respond and he seemed just fine with not receiving a vocal reply. Our performance would be enough of an answer.
Once our meal was finished, it was nearly three in the evening and we had to quickly head back to the station to change into our stage clothing so we could have our hair and makeup redone in time for our show.
My outfit was a short white romper with a grecian neckline, a forest green jacket that was almost long enough to reach the end of my shorts, and chunky black high-heeled boots. A subdue red belt was placed around my waist to pull the outfit together and I was given a few pieces of shiny gold jewelry to accessorize. The stylist wanted to have me wear a fashionable beret as well, but it would undoubtedly fly off my head because of our dances so we agreed to just keep my hair loose, long, and straight. Sakura was wearing high-waisted white shorts, a black crop top, a red bomber jacket, and a pair of black, white, and red athletic shoes. The stylist gave her a white baseball cap because her long hair was pulled back into a ponytail that'd be able to keep it atop her head while she danced.
Sasuke was wearing a red, thin, and loose-fitting button up shirt with black pants and shoes. He had on a thin black choker and the first couple buttons of his shirt were undone, making his stylish outfit seem incredibly sexy since he'd likely show at least a glimpse of skin when dancing. Gaara was wearing black hip hop pants, a red t-shirt, a black and white checkered bomber jacket, and white athletic shoes.
Sakura's mirror was next to mine and the boys' were on the opposite wall so we could see each other in the reflection of our mirrors. My hair was being straightened and I glanced over to see Sasuke meet my gaze. He, too, was having his hair straightened so his messy hair would seem even fuller. He gave me a flirty wink and I rolled my eyes, unable to wipe the smile from my lips. He seemed completely unbothered by our debut, but I knew that deep down he was nervous. The fingers on his right hand were tapping the arm of his chair absently, a habit he's never shown until today so I had an inkling he was more anxious than he let on.
I pulled my eyes from his teasing ones and glanced over at Sakura to see her looking absolutely petrified as she stared down at her balled up fists in her lap. Her green eyes were wide and her mouth was in a thin line. She did nothing to hide her nerves. Anyone who looked at her could tell she was struggling.
Sasuke and I were familiar with being in front of many people because of our families, but Gaara and Sakura were completely new to the concept. I've never been a fan of public attention because up until now it meant I was being looked at as a representative of my father's company. This time around the eyes looking in my direction will be thinking about me, not the newest smartphone model.
I glanced in my mirror to catch a glimpse of Gaara. His sister had come from Lee's salon to do his hair and makeup. LMC's provided artist hadn't taken too kindly to having her job stolen and sat on one of the benches nearby with a pout and her arms crossed angrily. Gaara seemed a bit nervous, but having his big sister near seemed to help him cope.
I won't lie and say that I'm not anxious because I am, but for some reason the adrenaline starting to rise in my blood was doing a bang up job of keeping me calm. Like a mantra, I kept repeating Kakashi's encouraging words from lunch in my head.
"Move the hell outta my way! Those are my friends in there!" A familiar voice floated into the room from the door and everyone turned to see Ino pushing past two bodyguards.
Tenten quickly ran over to shoo the guards and let our blond friend in, "Ino! You made it!"
My hair and makeup were finally finished and I walked over to accept Ino's waiting hug. She squeezed me tightly, "There's no way I'd miss this!"
Sakura was quick to join in on the hug, squeezing Ino as tight as she could to get a rise out of the supermodel. Ino pushed us back and held Sakura at an arm's length, "Damn, girl! Lee did a good job on you!"
Sakura smacked the girl's hands away and pretended to model a few poses for her, "Ooh, thanks babe."
The boys waved from their places in their chairs. Ino was quick to greet Gaara and Temari, but ultimately passed them to stand behind Sasuke, who'd been finished for a bit but had yet to get out of his seat. She snaked her arms down his front to cross them over his chest. You could tell she was just teasing him, but he couldn't hide the slight red tint on his cheeks. She stared deeply into his eyes in the mirror, "You're looking fine, as always, Sasuke. When are you gonna take me out? I gave you my number already so why haven't you texted?"
The young man pretended to check his watch before speaking calmly, "How about tonight?"
Ino planted a big kiss on his cheek before removing her arms from him and messing up his hair, "As if, babe. Besides, I've got my eyes on a little somebody right now anyway."
Sakura and Tenten were quick to bite onto her bait, "Really! Who?"
She wagged her finger at us with a cocky grin, "I'll only give one hint!" She whirled around and pointed the same finger at Gaara, "You know him very well!"
The redhead deadpanned, "Not Kankuro." He said it as a statement, but meant it as a question.
She shrugged with a guilty smile, "What can I say? I have a thing for tall guys."
With that she headed back toward the exit she'd come in from, "Well, I'll be in the front row! Break a leg!"
Sakura's assistant, who was the only male makeup artist in the room, clamped his mouth shut as the model's slim figure left his sight. She snickered at him, patting his back as though she understood what he was going through. He shook his head, "She's so beautiful..."
Sakura nodded, "I know, buddy. I know."
The door to our waiting room once again opened a few moments later and this time it was a decent sized group of visitors. I caught sight of familiar long dark hair and realized that these people must be our friends and family. Tears nearly rose to my eyes at the sight of Neji. Even while he was away at college we hadn't gone more than a few days without at least texting and it'd been over a week since we last spoke.
I bravely pulled him into a hug once he was close enough to reach. He awkwardly patted my back. Neji never was one who showed a lot of physical affection, but I couldn't help but to express my gratitude for the fact that he'd shown up for me. When I pulled away, I immediately took notice of Tenten dipping out of the room so he wouldn't see her. The poor woman was likely still too embarrassed and ashamed to have been dumped by him. Not only that, but she still likes him, too. If I were in her shoes, I'd avoid him as well.
I looked up at Neji's stern face and smiled, "Thank you for coming. It means a lot to me."
He seemed more annoyed than usual and I gave him a questioning look. He muttered out in a bothered voice, "Someone insisted on coming along."
For some reason, I only then realized he hadn't come alone. Familiar messy brown hair and a wolfish grin met my eyes and my face immediately went bright red. "K-Kiba! Long time no see! How've you b-b-b-been?"
The surgeon in training looked a bit different than the last time I'd seen him. Not only had he bulked up a bit, but his mischievous personality seemed to have settled down. If I didn't know him personally, I'd think he was a personal trainer or something. He opened his arms for a hug with a friendly smile. I'd never admit out loud that I was more than happy to accept his invitation, but I did think it quite easily as the feel of his muscular torso against my chest brought butterflies to my stomach.
He pulled away and gestured to the cellphone in his hand to wordlessly ask for a photo together. I smiled brightly and when we were finished he laughed, "I've been alright, Hinata, just studying and working. I'd ask, but you've clearly been doing well! I saw your interview earlier and couldn't help myself from asking Neji if I could tag along. We haven't seen each other in what, a year or so?"
I nodded and could feel my blush deepening, "I-I'm sorry about that. I panicked." I was hoping to reach out and apologize in advance for using him as a cop-out for my celebrity crush, but he'd acted too quickly. Honestly, I've never thought about him that way since my eyes have always been on Naruto. Now that I'd been officially rejected and in the process of moving on, I could see that Kiba does have some very nice qualities.
"No worries! I figured as much. I still wanted to come and tease you about it, though."
Before I could reply to him, Sakura started pulling me away by my arm. I managed to give Neji and Kiba an apologetic smile before allowing myself to be dragged away. Secretly, I was happy to have been saved from the awkward situation.
When we came to a stop, I was facing a stern looking blond woman who could only be her mother. Her eyes were the same pretty green as her daughter's, but if that didn't give it away then the "Team Sakura" t-shirt she was wearing did. I smiled and shook the woman's hand, "My name's Hinata. It's nice to finally meet you!"
The woman smiled brightly, reaching over to ruffle Sakura's hair with nothing but adoration on her face, "I'm so happy my child has such a polite friend."
Sakura hugged her mother tightly. I could tell that she'd missed her a lot. She told me that even after transferring away from my school, she struggled to avoid being bullied and never really made any friends, so her mother's emotional reaction to meeting me didn't seem all that odd. The moment seemed personal and I was tempted to back away to give them some space, but the two pulled apart before I could act on that urge.
Two very tall and built men standing to the side of the pair suddenly drew my attention. They were so physically imposing that it was a wonder how I hadn't noticed them before. The first was obviously a soldier just by the way he carried himself. Once our eyes met, he greeted me with a firm handshake and a small smile, "Nice to meet you, Miss Hinata. Take good care of our girl, will ya?"
This had to be Sam, her mom's new boyfriend. His country accent gave it away instantly that he was a foreigner, but he seemed to have adjusted to living in Konoha in every other way than that. I nodded, "Of course!"
I turned to the last person, who could only be Garrett, the main reason for Sakura's questionable actions the past few weeks. He was decently handsome, being physically fit and blonde, but knowing what he was really like ruined everything. I gingerly shook his hand. "The name's Garrett, Sweetheart."
My blood started boiling and before I knew it, Sakura was laughing awkwardly and pulling me away from her family, "Well, we've got a few others to meet! Thanks for coming guys! I'll see you later!"
I blindly ran into someone and took a step back to apologize only to come face to face with the one and only Itachi Uchiha, "A-ah! Sorry!"
Inwardly, I was cursing and screaming. I'd intended to avoid him if he ended up being the one coming to support Sasuke, but instead I ran right into him. The older Uchiha brother smiled calmly, taking my hand and kissing it lightly, "Miss Hinata Hyuga, it's always a pleasure to see you."
It took me by surprise that he remembered who I was so quickly. Yes, we've met on many occasions at our families' business functions, but our latest encounter was nearly two years ago and I'm not sure we spoke other than to greet one another then.
I politely pulled my hand away from the extremely handsome man. If he kept hold of it, I'd surely be overwhelmed by my anxiety.
"I-It's nice to see you again, too, Itachi. How have you been?"
The Uchiha heir smiled kindly, "Having the title of 'family menace' stolen, and by my younger brother no less, is a loss I have yet to accept." His tone was entirely relaxed to make it clear that he was joking, so I nervously giggled with a small blush.
"May I speak casually for a moment?"
My smile faltered and I slowly nodded, unsure of what he could possibly have to say that warranted such a question.
A warm look met his features and he tilted his head slightly as he studied my face, "I was relieved to learn you were my brother's peer. Every time I'd catch a glimpse of you through the years, you looked so unhappy. I think you made a fine choice, leaving your family's business like you did."
My face burnt with a wild heat at his exceedingly honest words and he continued with a slightly amused glint in his eye, "If I may add, freedom has allowed you to blossom. If you're half as talented as you are beautiful, Prestige will surely find outstanding success."
Sasuke scoffed suddenly from our right, interrupting whatever reply I was about to make a fool of myself trying to come up with, "You don't need to lay it on so thick, Bro. She's off limits."
Itachi let out a rumbling chuckle, playfully fixing his little brother's collar, "I was merely exchanging pleasantries with an old acquaintance. I've known her longer than you have, after all."
My mouth clamped shut and I looked between the two with wide eyes, noticing that Sakura was standing beside me doing the same.
"What does that have to do with anything?"
"The green of envy isn't a good color on you, baby brother."
Sakura was quick to try and muffle her laugh, but not quick enough that Sasuke didn't notice. He shot daggers at her before rolling his eyes, "Fine, exchange pleasantries all you want. You're wasting your time anyway. Hyuga's harder to flirt with than a brick wall."
The anger that was previously boiling in my blood came back just slightly as he left to return to his mirror so his stylist could fix his hair since Ino had messed it up. I didn't let him get to me. He was just nervous and didn't know how to properly convey that.
Sakura offered her hand to Itachi, "My name is Sakura. It is very much a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Uchiha."
I physically took a step back from her. The young woman was laying on the charm thicker than peanut butter.
The handsome man accepted her hand and planted a kiss on it the same way he had mine, picking up on her playful flirting and returning it without hesitation, "Wonderful to meet you, Sakura. I must apologize for my brother's behavior. Our parents raised us better than that, I can assure you."
He released her hand and she clasped both of hers in front of her, "Of course they did. Sasuke's ego is just so inflated that it's easy to bruise." The two shared a laugh and I backed away so as not to interrupt their conversation.
I headed over to meet Gaara's brother, who was named Kankuro if I recall, since he was the only one in the room I hadn't become acquainted with. When I approached, the man stood at a remarkable height and let out a wolfish grin, very similar to Kiba's, "You must be Hinata! Bring it in, family!"
He had a cast on one of his forearms and I was worried I'd bother his injury if I made him move, but I still nervously accepted the strange man's hug. When we parted, Temari slapped him on the side of his head as she suddenly appeared, "Don't creep on Gaara's friends. She's way too young for you, pervert!"
My face turned about fifty shades of red as the man sheepishly rubbed the back of his head that'd been hit, "Haha, well it can't hurt to try, can it?"
Gaara gave me an apologetic look and I shook my head at him forgivingly. Sakura soon joined us and Kankuro stood up to give her the same spiel he had me, but Temari and Gaara both stopped him, "No Kankuro!"
Sakura looked confused, but I just let out a small laugh. The man, who had to be at least in his late twenties, sat back down with a childish pout on his lips, "You guys are no fun."
Once introductions were finished and our friends and family were escorted back to their seats, a low pitched beep played throughout the whole station. That sound signaled to us all that we needed to get to our places because the show would be starting in ten minutes.
Sakura stopped us all before we could head backstage to be fitted with our microphones, "Hey guys, hold on a second. Let's group up real quick."
Sasuke sighed and rolled his eyes, but stayed anyway. She looked each of us in the eye as though she were memorizing everything about this moment, "Thank all three of you for putting up with me this far. I'm so happy that I'm in a group with you guys and not someone else."
A smile slid onto my lips and I didn't try to stifle it, "Yes, thank you guys for everything so far."
Gaara was quick to add onto our little love fest, "I'm grateful for the hard work you've all put in."
We all looked at Sasuke expectantly, but he just stared at us like we were stupid. Sakura let out a small laugh, "Let's just do our best, okay?"
We didn't honestly expect Sasuke to join something so cheesy, but we did feel like he'd truly come to like us. In the past two weeks, the four of us had gone from strangers to friends and now we were going to help one another get through our debut performance.