Susanoo and Tora had been keeping up appearances for two months. Susanoo glanced down at his "girlfriend" who was smiling widely, and she looked up with her red eyes to see him staring at her. "What?" she asked. "Nothing," he said, smiling lightly. They were walking in the mall, wearing very bad disguises, since they wanted to get caught.
"This is ridiculous," Tora said, as she looked at herself in the mirror. They were just wearing glasses. Susanoo let out a chuckle before leaning close to Tora and kissing her cheek. "You look cute as a nerd."
Tora gasped playfully before wrapping her arms around his neck and looking up at him with a smile. "You like this nerd, though, huh?"
"Hm, I wouldn't say 'like'," he said, pulling her in closer before leaning into her ear. "The paparazzi are sitting at the table beside us."
Tora quickly glanced at the paparazzi before leaning in close to Susanoo's ear. "Let's give them something to write about," she whispered playfully. Susanoo smirked before lifting her chin and gazing into her eyes. "You sure?" he asked, his own lips curving into a mischievous smile. She knew she had to get used to them kissing, so she decided to let it go and accept it. Tora nodded with a grin, and without hesitation, Susanoo leaned in to capture her lips with his own.
As the flashes of the paparazzi's cameras died down, Tora looked up at Susanoo with a grin. She didn't care about the attention, all that mattered was the connection she felt with him. "I think we gave them quite the show," she said with a laugh.
---
Sakura let out a frustrated sigh as she looked at the cute photos of Susanoo and Tora trying on hats and laughing. "We never do stuff like this, Sasuke," she complained. "Why can't we be like them?" Sasuke didn't seem to care as he shrugged in response. "We're not them," he said simply before walking into another room. Sakura followed him, hoping to get him to show some enthusiasm for their relationship. "So, I was thinking...there's this new restaurant that just opened up and I wanted to try it," she hinted. But Sasuke continued to put away his laundry, only humming in response. Sakura's frustration grew. "Fine, I'll ask. Do you want to go to that restaurant?" she asked, hoping for a positive answer. But all she got was another non-committal hum. Giving up, she turned around and prepared to leave the room. She yelled over her shoulder, "Just answer me with your words, please!"
Sasuke finished folding his clothes and walked out of the room without saying a word. Sakura followed him, feeling frustrated and ignored. "Sasuke, can you at least listen to me?" she pleaded, grabbing his arm. He stopped and turned to face her, his expression unreadable. "What is it, Sakura?" he asked, his voice monotone.
Sakura took a deep breath and looked up at him. "I just want us to spend more time together," she said softly. "Like Naruto and Hinata, and Tora and Susanoo, they're always doing fun things together and I feel like we never do." Sasuke sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Look, Sakura, I know I'm not the most romantic guy out there, but that doesn't mean I don't care about you."
Sakura's heart softened at his words. "I know you do, Sasuke," she said, taking his hand. "But sometimes it's nice to do something special, you know?" Sasuke nodded, his eyes meeting hers. "Okay, we'll go to the restaurant," he said, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. Sakura beamed up at him, feeling a rush of happiness. "Thank you, Sasuke. I love you," she said, leaning in for a kiss. Sasuke met her halfway, their lips meeting in a sweet embrace.
---
A week later, Sakura and Sasuke dressed up for their date. Sakura looked stunning in a red dress that complemented her pink hair, while Sasuke wore a sharp suit and tie. As they entered the restaurant, Sasuke's phone kept buzzing with texts from his manager, but he ignored them. He was determined to show Sakura that she was his priority for the night.
Sakura smiled as they were escorted to their table, the candlelight casting a warm glow on her face. The waiter handed them the menu, and Sasuke finally checked his phone. His face fell as he read the messages from his manager. "What is it?" Sakura asked, noticing the change in his expression.
"It's just work stuff," Sasuke said, trying to brush it off. But Sakura could tell he was distracted. "You can check it if you need to," she said, reaching across the table to take his hand. "I want you to be able to enjoy our date without any worries." Sasuke decided to keep ignoring his phone.
They ordered their food and talked about their week. Sakura was laughing while Sasuke smirked and enjoyed each other's company. As they ate, Sasuke's phone buzzed again. He glanced at it and then looked up at Sakura apologetically. "Sakura. I have to take this."
Sakura nodded understandingly as Sasuke stepped away from the table to answer the call. As she waited, she sipped on her drink and looked around the restaurant. It was dimly lit with soft music playing in the background, creating a cozy atmosphere. She felt a sense of contentment wash over her, grateful to be there with Sasuke.
When Sasuke returned to the table, Sakura could see the tension in his face. "Everything okay?" she asked, concerned. Sasuke sighed and rubbed his temples. "I got to go."
Sakura's heart sank as Sasuke informed her that he had to leave early due to work. "Wait, can't we finish our meal and spend the day together?" she pleaded, but Sasuke's expression remained stern. "Sakura. My job is important," he replied.
Frustrated and hurt, Sakura slammed her hand on the table, causing heads to turn their way. "It's always work with you! When will it just be us?" she exclaimed, her voice rising with each word. Sasuke's glare only intensified. "We will talk about this later," he said coldly, tossing $200 onto the table before walking out.
Sakura sat back down in her chair, her hands clenching the napkin tightly. She felt a mix of anger and sadness as tears threatened to spill over. She knew Sasuke's career was important, but she couldn't help feeling neglected and unimportant in his life.
---
Susanoo turned to his manager with a frown. "Couldn't this wait? I have things to sort out with my girlfriend," he said, irritation clear in his voice. The manager shook her head. "I'm sorry, but this is a big opportunity. We can't let it slip away," she replied. Susanoo sighed, realizing that he had no choice but to go. He glanced at Tora, who seemed to understand his predicament.
Susanoo let out a sigh and turned to Tora. She looked like she had been in the middle of something important too before she had to leave. He caught a glimpse of her reflection in the mirror and noticed how much she resembled Hinata, but quickly shook the thought away. He got into the car that their manager had arranged, with Tora by his side. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders, and she looked up at him with a small smile on her lips.
"Ready, babe?" Susanoo smirked.
"Always, honey," Tora replied with a smile.
Susanoo and Tora arrived at the television studio where the interview was going to be held. As they stepped out of the car, the paparazzi swarmed around them, trying to get a glimpse of the couple. Susanoo shielded Tora with his body as they made their way inside.
As they were called onto the set, the host greeted them warmly, congratulating them on their upcoming album. "So, tell me, how did you two meet?"
Susanoo looked over at Tora, a smile spreading across his face. "We actually met in the studio where we both work. I had always admired Tora's talent and work ethic, but it wasn't until recently that we started seeing each other in a different light."
Tora blushed, feeling her heart swell with affection for him. "Yeah, we just clicked. We have similar tastes in music and share a passion for creating something new and exciting."
The host nodded, impressed. "And how has it been working together as a couple?"
Susanoo and Tora shared a knowing look before Susanoo spoke. "Honestly, it's been amazing. We understand each other on a deeper level now, and our creative process has become even more fulfilling. We bounce ideas off each other, and our music has really evolved as a result."
The host smiled. "I can't wait to hear your album. Can you give us a sneak peek of what to expect?"
Tora grinned. "Well, we have a lot of different genres on the album, but it's all tied together with our signature sound. We wanted to create something that would appeal to a wide range of listeners, but still feel authentic to us."
Susanoo nodded in agreement. "Exactly. We have some catchy pop tracks, some soulful ballads, and even some experimental pieces. But at the end of the day, it's all about telling our story through our music."
As the interview came to a close, Susanoo and Tora thanked the host and the crew before walking off set. Tora turned to Susanoo, a glint in her eye. "So, what do you say we celebrate our interview with some sushi?"
Susanoo grinned, pulling her in for a kiss. "Sounds perfect to me," he said, and they walked off hand in hand. Once they arrived at the restaurant, they ordered a private room and were shown to their seats. They sat down across from each other.
---
Hinata walked back into the dorm with a heavy sigh. "You're back," Naruto's voice greeted her, still sounding upset about their earlier argument. Hinata jumped a little, surprised to find him sitting on the couch. "We need to talk," he said, looking at her with a serious expression. Hinata nodded and took a seat next to him.
Naruto let out a sigh and rubbed the back of his neck. "Hinata, it feels like your work is taking you away more often, and at the worst times," he said, frustration clear in his voice. Hinata looked down, feeling guilty. "I know, Naruto. I'm sorry," she said softly, leaning over to kiss his cheek.
"But it's like, we were in the middle of being intimate when you had to leave. It's frustrating, you know?" Naruto added, his tone still tense. Hinata felt her cheeks flush with embarrassment. "I know, and I feel terrible about it," she said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I promise I'll try to make it up to you."
"Hinata, you've said that five times already. And every time you leave, it's in the middle of something important, whether it's a date or our intimacy. I'm just getting sick of it. Lately, it feels like you're going to work more and more. Are you cheating on me?" Naruto's voice was heavy with concern as he confronted Hinata. Her eyes widened in shock. "No, I'm not baby. It's just that work has been short-staffed lately," Hinata replied.
"That's the other thing. You've never told me where you work. We've been dating for over a year now, and I don't know anything about that side of your life," Naruto added. Hinata let out a sigh. "I promise you, Naruto, I have a reason to hide what I'm doing, but I can't tell you," she said carefully.
Naruto looked away, trying to control his anger. "I don't know if I can forgive you this time, Hinata. It feels like you've been hiding something from me all this time. And now you're saying you can't tell me? It's not fair to me or our relationship." He stood up and started pacing back and forth.
Hinata sat there quietly, tears forming in her eyes. She knew she had messed up and had hurt Naruto. She didn't want to lose him, but she didn't know how to fix things either.
"Naruto, please, let me explain," she said, reaching out to touch his arm.
But he pulled away from her. "No, Hinata. I need some time to think about all of this. I can't just pretend like everything's okay when it's not."
Hinata watched as he grabbed his coat and headed towards the door. "Naruto, please," she pleaded, but he didn't turn back.
She slumped back on the couch, feeling lost and alone. She didn't want to lose Naruto, but she didn't know how to make things right either. She wished she could tell him about her job, but it was too risky. She had promised to keep it a secret and she couldn't break that promise. "Naruto." She whispered as tears fell down her face.