Chapter 8

Disclaimer: This story will have a happy SASUHINA ending!

Thanks for reading!

~

-Sasuke's POV-

I gently brushed Hinata's hair away from her face as she lay by my side, asleep. Yesterday, I convinced her to sneak away from Toneri to meet me. She wants to cut things off so badly; I can see it each time she's in my presence. It's because she pities me. I'll have to see her with another man.

The hardest part is not telling her about our plan to free her from the marriage contract. She doesn't know this issue isn't going to last.

My heartbeat quickened as my gaze danced down to her neck. She's tried to hide it with makeup for two days now, but I noticed the giant hickey yesterday during dance practice. It's the entire reason I asked her to talk to me afterward. I had to know for sure if Toneri had forced himself on her. I honestly would've murdered him if that was the case.

What actually happened isn't much better, honestly. Hinata lied very poorly. I know her mind and how she thinks so well. The only reason she'd willingly sleep with that man is if something worse would happen if she didn't. He almost definitely threatened her.

I want to be angry. My initial response is to get unbearably pissed off, but I can't because it's honestly not her fault. Toneri is the one I hate.

After just days apart, I can tell the difference in the soft-spoken woman regarding how she responds. She flinched when I first arrived at this hotel room and kissed her. Hinata fucking flinched as though I would hurt her. I almost backed off when things went further, and she could barely lay a finger on me without trembling, but she insisted on continuing.

Sure, Toneri received permission before touching her, but it was abundantly clear Hinata loathed the experience. As much as I want to be relieved she didn't allow another man to make her happy, I'd honestly rather her have enjoyed it. That'd be better than this. I'd take the knowledge that she gained experience outside of me over the chance that she'll be permanently affected by awful sex.

I forced myself to bring my eyes back to her face, distracting myself from the thought of Toneri seeing this invaluable view. She should return before anyone notices her absence, but I can't bring myself to wake her when I know she's exhausted. Just a little longer. I'll let her rest.

As I watched her sleeping face, I couldn't help but reflect on the long road that's led us here. We were colleagues first, then friends, then something a little more, before finally coming clean about our feelings. Ever since that day, I've noticed the change in her and myself as individuals and a couple.

When we first met, I didn't like her. I thought her appearance was otherworldly, but her spineless personality irritated me to no end. The first time I wondered if I was wrong about her was when I was introduced to Karin and her parents. Sakura had been acting weird, and I thought it was funny because I wasn't aware of the reason.

When she noticed, Hinata elbowed me. As annoyed as I was that she dared to try and correct my behavior, I was taken aback because it had to be important if it was enough to make her act. Then I realized it was because Sakura had been bullied by Karin. The entire night, the Hyuuga woman put herself between the other two, so her friend wouldn't be uncomfortable.

That much hasn't changed. Hinata's still ready and willing to throw herself on the knife if it means someone else won't have to. It's what she's doing now, putting herself in this awful situation.

The next thing that made me rethink my opinion was the night Suigetsu broke in. By that time, I'd deduced her anxiety issues likely stemmed from being raised by a man incredibly similar to my father. That realization allowed me to relate to her quickly without speaking about it. It's probably why I felt sick when I saw her on the floor, holding her head in her hands while it bled and trying not to faint.

I've never really had friendships that are more than skin-deep because an outsider is likely to view me as spoiled and whiny if I come clean about how hard it was growing up under the watchful eye of Fugaku Uchiha. That wasn't an issue with Hinata; I knew so even then. The only reason I hadn't acted impulsively to befriend her was that I wasn't sure I could trust her, or anybody, yet.

Only when I saw her in that short, black, laughable excuse of a dress the night we went to Masquerade was I reminded of her intimidating visuals. And, fuck, she turned into a firecracker after a few drinks. I didn't know what to do.

Having to dance with her day after day just made it worse because we'd become actual friends, and it was wrong to think of her that way. It just felt so nice to touch her without needing an excuse. Tsunade's choreography was sexy and heavy with partner work. It's my job to handle the curves of a gorgeous woman, to have her touch me.

And her voice is the hardest part of all. The first time I heard Hinata sing, she took my breath away. How such a soft-spoken woman can produce emotional, solid vocals astounds me to this day. The more we practiced, the better we got, especially when working together. It's like the universe was trying to make it difficult for me. That's around when I began entertaining the idea of finding a distraction.

The four of us were so busy after the debut that no one had time to think about those things, but that all changed when I saw her with Kiba. That was the night the hypothetical switch flipped, at least in me. I think it did for her, too, because she assured me nothing happened the following day, and she seemed just as confused to be doing so as I was to hear it.

At the time, I thought she hated the idea of seeing me in any light other than friendship. That was, until the night of the Masquerade Ball. I thought everyone was asleep, Hinata included, and was trying to do so as well when she surprised me by touching my face. When I opened my eyes, she was obviously still drunk and in a daze, but she was touching my lips. I was too stunned to say or do anything.

Then, the hypothetical nail in the coffin occurred: The Halloween Party. Until that night, I was set on keeping my urges in check. Not only did Hinata make it clear that she sees me as a man, but she was also freshly single, so it wasn't quite as bad to feel happy about it.

Things got a bit crazy around Christmas because, after realizing my mistake of not knowing her birthday, things turned from just lust to something more. It wasn't until then that I let myself believe I wanted more than physical affection from her.

We began dating in January while filming Top Tier. At first, she was too nervous to relax around me like before, and I'd never been in a relationship I intended to make last, so things were slow-moving for a while. The unease faded for us both as time passed, and now we're here.

I ran my hand over the soft skin of her stomach, watching her chest rise and fall as she slept.

First and foremost, Hinata's my closest friend. I think that's why I was able to change for her. It's why I'm willing to make her hate me if it means she'll be safe.

Her warmth against my palm brought heat to my stomach. I remember the time before I'd touched her skin for the first time. It's still just as exhilarating.

I'm not saying that people like Sakura, who're exceedingly comfortable in their skin and don't hesitate to show physical affection, are bad, but the fact that Hinata doesn't allow anyone else to touch her like this makes me feel privileged.

I'll get her out of that contract if it's the last thing I do. I won't let her ruin her life for the sake of another, especially mine.

-Hinata's POV-

I could only hear my breath as I snuck back into the condo. Luckily, Toneri didn't decide to sleep in my room tonight, so I could visit Sasuke. It makes me equally as happy as it does guilty to be sneaking around with him. I'm eager to be with him, but it's not fair that we have to hide it.

If my fiancee reviews the security tapes from overnight, I'll just lie and say I went for a walk because I couldn't sleep.

After changing back into my pajamas, I climbed back into bed, wrapping my arms around myself with a sigh. It's just not the same sleeping without Sasuke.

If I'm being honest, the only real reason I'm going along with Sasuke's requests is because I know him so well. There's no way he's capable of keeping this charade up, and he shouldn't have to. He's a jealous and possessive man, something he's obviously worked on since we began dating. Were I in his place, I'd do the same; I'm not angry at him. So, I'll take what I can from him. I'll cherish every granted moment until he cuts it off. I just hope he doesn't hate me when that time comes.

The next three days, Wednesday through Friday, passed in a stressful, uncomfortable blur. I was delighted on Wednesday morning when Toneri announced during breakfast that he'd be on a business trip with Fugaku until Friday afternoon. So, as I returned to the condo each night, the weight on my shoulders wasn't quite as heavy.

I focused on my work every waking moment. It paid off because by Friday, my assigned day to show Kakashi, Naruto, and Shikamaru my music, both the songs were complete.

It turns out that most of the pieces Prestige came up with for our third album were ballads or at least slower in tempo. Luckily, Kakashi thought it fit and even seemed excited by the idea. In his words, this album seemed more raw and genuine than the others. He was eager to hear the final recordings and to witness our fans' reactions.

After receiving that news, I was curious about what the others had produced. No matter the stress, I'm always excited to see what my friends create. We all seem to thrive on encouraging one another's endeavors. I miss that already, and I'm not technically gone yet.

Friday night, Prestige had its first group outing since the end of the tour. It was a simple red-carpet event for the premier of one of Shino Aburame's new movies. He primarily opts for dramatic action movies, and this one is no exception.

Sakura wore a deep red dress with a black corset-style belt, the skirt ending mid-thigh. Sasuke was styled to match her, wearing black slacks with a deep red blazer. Boldly, he didn't argue when the designer requested he not wear a shirt beneath it. Movie premiers are looser in dress code, so no one thought poorly of him for baring his torso for the world to see. In fact, it seemed to excite any and all who witnessed it. I know I struggled not to stare, and I've had the pleasure of touching and tasting his abs.

I wore a dark gray leather mini skirt with a flowy, long-sleeved white shirt tucked into it. Gaara matched me with a dark gray tuxedo, his shirt akin to mine.

The night started well, or as well as it could with my current situation. It all came crashing down when someone grabbed my hand halfway down the red carpet and intertwined our fingers. The crowd's and dozens of paparazzi chatter amped up excitedly. I jumped in shock, making the other three members of Prestige look back to see what was happening.

To my disdain, Toneri stood in a classic black tuxedo with a grin. He whispered through his teeth, appearing to continue smiling so no one could read his lips, "Play your part, Hinata."

My subdued pulling against his hold ceased as I recognized the threatening glint in his eye. Subtly, I nodded and squeezed his hand, forcing my body to appear relaxed as I fell into step at his side.

Sakura shot the man a warning glare before facing forward and continuing. Gaara and Sasuke didn't look at him, instead choosing to act nonchalantly about the new arrival.

"What are you doing here? I thought you wouldn't be back until later tonight," I hissed at the man.

He squeezed my hand with fake affection, musing in a flirty voice, "I didn't want my beautiful new fiancee to feel lonely, so I took an earlier flight."

When a few entertainment news channels tried to flag us down so they could ask questions, I pretended not to notice. Toneri had other plans. Blush rose to my face as I allowed him to pull me along. This is humiliating. No one except my friends knows that this marriage is something I very much don't want, but having to act subservient to such a terrible man will never sit well with me.

"It's Konoha's newest couple: Toneri and Hinata! How are you doing tonight?" The peppy woman held the microphone toward us so we could respond. I simply smiled because if Toneri wanted to be seen in public together, he'd have to do all the talking. The man didn't seem to mind.

"We're great!"

He glanced at me, expertly placing an adoring smile on his lips as he released my hand to wrap an arm around my waist, "I think Hinata's a little nervous since this is our first official appearance together." Disgusted with him and myself, I did my best to mirror his expression, nodding again. If I speak, my voice may betray me, so I'm trying to avoid it.

"That's understandable. Oh! The rest of Prestige is also here! Were you surprised by Hinata's decision to make her engagement public?"

I glanced over to see my friends doing their best to remain composed. Gaara managed it the best, smiling softly, "We support Hinata no matter what. As long as she's happy, we're happy."

The woman's smile was blinding, "Aw, that's sweet! So, Hinata, are you happy?"

The arm around my waist tightened slightly, causing me to answer more quickly, "Y-Yes! I'm glad to be here."

She quickly asked another question, sensing that it was nearly time for us to move on, "Real quick, Toneri, I noticed your fiancee doesn't have a ring on her fourth finger. Surely you proposed with one."

The white-haired man smoothly replied, "I've been searching for the perfect one for months, but I couldn't wait any longer and ended up asking. Can you really blame me? I mean, look at her!"

I looked between him and the white-teethed woman nervously, wondering where he was going with this. A slight sound of shock left my lips when Toneri suddenly grabbed my jaw and guided my chin up so I'd be forced to meet his eye. The nearby crowd cheered. I held my breath, searching his blue eyes panickedly.

An odd emotion filled them, and his voice was slightly airy with a dreamy tone, "She's just so beautiful. Not just any ring will do. It has to be just right, the perfect ring for a perfect woman."

To my disbelief, he kissed me right there in front of hundreds of cameras and people. He kissed me while Sasuke stood barely an arm's length away.

When Toneri pulled away and wordlessly bid the interviewer adieu, I had to slide my hand up to grip his arm lest I faint in front of everyone. A cloudy, unclear haze drifted over my thoughts and vision as I did everything in my power not to cry. It took immense concentration just to walk, one step and then another. The white-haired man seemed only too eager to aid me.

Finally, the five of us made it inside the giant event building. Luckily, we scored seats near the back, where we wouldn't garner much attention. It was intensely awkward while we waited in silence for the rest of the hundreds of attendees to arrive and find seats. Gaara was on one side of me, being the most composed of my three friends and acting as a buffer between them and Toneri.

"You know, I wasn't lying about the ring, Hina. Should we go shopping tomorrow and pick one out together? I've had trouble deciding on my own."

My eyes narrowed into an irritated glare before I could stop it, and I swiftly forced them to relax into a neutral expression. Rather than answer his question, I offered a polite smile and rose to my feet, "E-Excuse me. I need to use the ladies' room before the movie starts."

When Toneri allowed me to walk away without additional comments, I sighed in relief. I needed a break from his overbearing presence, even for a few minutes.

I ran into Konan in the bathroom, a necessity for every event, it seems. The blue-haired woman was washing her hands when I entered, so I smiled with a wordless greeting before locking myself in a stall and allowing my composed facade to drop. To my surprise, the rock star was still there when I re-emerged. As I washed my hands, I pointedly ignored her blunt expression.

"So, you're getting married then? Congrats."

I sighed softly before gluing a grin on my lips to mask my annoyance with the subject, "Thanks."

When I turned to leave, she spoke again, "Your fiance isn't really your type. I mean, he's the exact opposite of Sasuke, so why'd you choose him?"

I made a panicked sound, waving my hands frantically to shush her as I glanced around to verify if anyone else was present. They weren't. We were alone in the room.

"Th-That's…!" Konan's orange eyes narrowed with a dare to lie to her face, making me slump my shoulders in defeat, "How d-do you know about that?"

She sighed but surprised me with a genuine smile, "Yahiko told me at Tenten's party. Apparently, the Uchiha drunkenly admitted it to him and a few of the others that night."

By "others", she likely meant the men in Akatsuki and her band because the group of us are often at the same events and parties.

My face must've clearly emoted my disbelief because she continued, her eyes softening further, "Look, I know you sent him my way that night. He told me. I just wanted to thank you. I've been trying to figure out how to break the ice with him for the better part of a decade now."

I brought my hands to my mouth in shock, an excited grin tugging at my lips as I lowered my voice to a whisper, "W-Wait, so you two-" Blush dusted Konan's cheeks as her blunt facade appeared, but it wasn't fooling me, "We hooked up, and now we're dating. I don't like being in debt to anyone, so I want to repay you somehow. What do you want?"

"I-I'm so happy for you, Konan! Congratulations!" I grabbed her hands in my own, ignoring her irritated frown. At least she didn't pull away.

Instead, she nodded with her blush darkening in hue, "Tell me what you want so I can get out of here. Your personality exhausts me."

Still grinning, I shook my head and released her hands, "I-I don't need anything. The fact that you two are finally together is thanks enough. It's n-nice to see you looking so happy." And Konan does look happy. There's a healthy glow about her skin and a brighter aura about her disposition that wasn't there before.

"I'll just think of something on my own, then. Let's get out of here before people start to wonder where we're at."

Konan unlocked the door, shooting a threatening glare at the long line of ladies waiting outside before disappearing toward the main hall. I took my time returning to my group and Toneri. The news that Yahiko and Konan are finally together lifted my spirits, and I want to prepare myself to hold onto the feeling.

Just before I reached the main hall entryway, a hand wrapped around my wrist, and I was pulled to the side and out of the steady flow of traffic. A bit scared by the sudden act, I yanked my arm away and turned to see who'd touched me so casually, only to gasp when a familiar face met my eyes: Kiba Inuzuka. I shouldn't be surprised to see him because Shino is his best friend. It's just been so long since we last spoke, almost an entire year.

"Sorry, Hina; didn't mean to scare you," the Inuzuka man smiled his usual, wolfish grin.

I accepted his offered hug before stepping back, "H-How are you? You look nice." It was true. Kiba looked healthy and happy, as though he's been thriving. Even though things ended badly between us, I wished him the best.

"I've been good, actually. How about you? I heard you recently got engaged," he glanced around before leaning slightly towards me and lowering his voice, "I'm surprised it's not to Sasuke. You two got together after we broke up, right? You looked really happy. I was glad to see you doing well."

Rather than blush, I felt my face pale. I thought there'd be at least a slight lingering bitterness on the topic of my leaving Kiba because of my feelings for Sasuke, but I was wrong. Kiba really is a great guy. It's very on-brand for him to care about my happiness despite our dating and breaking up. Though, I suppose I'm equally as guilty. I want my friend to experience good things regardless of what happened between us.

"Oh, something happened. What is it, Hina?"

The man in question pulled me from my thoughts; he appeared to fully understand that something was wrong without my saying a word. Before I could respond, an arm snaked around my waist. In response, I jumped and looked over to see Toneri standing there with a grin. It didn't meet his eyes.

"Kiba Inuzuka, right? My name's Toneri Otsutsuki. It's a pleasure to meet one of Hinata's oldest friends."

Understanding crossed Kiba's face in the snap of the fingers, and he smoothly covered it with a mirrored expression, "Likewise. Please take good care of her. She's very important to me and many others."

The two shook hands. The Inuzuka man's facade was fading fast, so I bit the bullet for his sake and leaned into Toneri's side, causing him to look down at me in surprise, "W-W-We should find our seats," I met Kiba's gaze once more, forcing a smile, "It was g-great to see you again."

Taking my irritating fiance's hand into my own, I pulled him through the crowd. When we sat down, he refused to release my hand. He intertwined our fingers and held them in his lap with a warm expression, "I like it when you take the lead. You should do it more often, Babe." He brought our hands to his mouth, kissing the back of mine before allowing them to fall back into his lap.

I didn't respond because the room began to darken, and the massive screen at the head of the room turned on, signaling the movie was about to begin. A few minutes into the film, I barely held back a physical response when Gaara's fingers brushed against my arm. When I looked at him, he offered me a subtle encouraging look as though trying to give me the strength to get through this uncomfortable event.

Tears welled in my eyes at his caring gesture, and I smiled gratefully, nodding. It reminded me of the reason behind all this. I'm doing it for Gaara, Sakura, and Sasuke. I love them. I'll protect them with everything I have because they're so dear to me.

-Sasuke's POV-

When Hinata was out of earshot, Toneri turned to the rest of us with a smug grin, "She looks gorgeous tonight, don't you think?"

I opened my mouth to bite back, but Sakura surprised us all by cutting me off, "Why are you here? No one likes you, not even Hinata."

Before the white-haired man could respond, I added, "Why'd you have to come and ruin her night?"

Gaara gave us both a warning look, nervously glancing around to verify if anyone was eavesdropping. His girlfriend ignored him, and so did I. Toneri should consider himself lucky that the redhead wasn't also losing his temper because he's dangerous when he does. A tiny part of me hopes to see it happen, but I know it'd be awful for everyone involved.

"My fiance's well-being is no longer your concern," Toneri seemed irritated for a moment, but then his expression perked up, "But if you can't help yourself, I can always send you proof that I can make her happy." My eyebrow twitched angrily, and even Gaara shot the man a glare this time. It was apparent what he was threatening to do.

Sakura's voice dripped with malice, "She hates you, and you know it."

Other than the obvious, one of the things that irritates me the most about this man is his ability to ignore insults. He grinned casually, "Maybe she does now, but we have the rest of our lives to fall in love, so I'm not concerned."

After checking his watch, he got to his feet perfectly calm, "If you'll excuse me, I'm going to see what's taking her so long."

"God, he has such a punchable face," Sakura grumbled under her breath, crossing her arms unhappily.

"I know you two are angry, I am too, but we have to keep it together for Hinata's sake. If you can't play nice with Toneri, just don't talk to him. You could ruin everything," Gaara scolded us quietly so no one would overhear.

It's easy to agree with his advice when the white-haired menace isn't right in front of us, but I nodded nonetheless.

Moments later, they returned, Hinata looking angry as she pulled him along. I averted my gaze before either of them could catch me staring. It's an odd satisfaction to see proof of her distaste for him because it also means she's uncomfortable in his presence. There are just two full days between now and Monday, meaning her suffering will soon end. Silently, I tried to mentally send strength to Hinata. She just needs to hold it out a little longer.

-Hinata's POV-

About halfway through the lengthy film, Toneri excused himself to take a phone call. He was gone for nearly half an hour. When he returned, he held my hand but didn't glance in my direction. A definite change had come over his aura. There was no way to address it in our current setting, so I just bit my tongue and pretended not to notice.

At the end of the event, I joined the rest of Prestige to say our goodbyes to any and all that we ran into on our slow journey outside to the end of the red carpet, where we were to be picked up by our driver.

I don't know why because I should've known better, but it still surprised me when Toneri stopped me from joining them in the dark SUV. He smiled tensely, "Let's go home together, Babe."

Sighing defeatedly, I turned to give the others an apologetic smile and weak wave, "I-I'll see you guys on Monday. Get home safe." Various goodbyes came from my friends before the attendee shut the door, and then they were gone.

Two suit-clad men with sunglasses and intimidating demeanors immediately approached. My grip on Toneri's hand tightened in fear, but he didn't respond. Instead, he wordlessly bowed to the men and began pulling me along as they turned to lead us across the street toward a dark blue car with tinted windows down the road. It seems he wasn't in the mood to wait for our ride to pick us up.

If Toneri is anything, it's a good actor, so when we finally reached the vehicle, he opened the door for me like a gentleman, entering to sit beside me once I was properly inside.

To my continued surprise, he released my hand when the door was closed. I clutched my small handbag on my lap and pointedly stared down at it. The odd vibe he gave off inside just became more evident. The white-haired man is obviously upset about something. He didn't say or do anything to inform me of what it was the entire hour-long drive back to his condo.

When we finally arrived, he immediately disappeared into his office without glancing at me.

I stood in the entryway, halfway through the process of taking off my tall heels, with wide, confused eyes. Something had to have happened, likely when he took that phone call during the movie. How he's suddenly acting makes me more fearful than the nights I was forced to share my bed with him. At least then, I knew what to expect.

Even after retreating to my bedroom, showering, and preparing for bed, Toneri hadn't shown his face. The condo was dark and quiet, eerie. Feeling as though I might regret it, I let my curiosity get the better of me and padded barefoot through the den and hallway before softly knocking on his office door. My instincts told me to find out what was happening because I may wake up at a disadvantage if I didn't. Toneri may corner me in my room and lose his temper.

"Come in."

After taking a calming breath, I entered the dimly lit office. The only light source was a small desk lamp and the glow of his laptop. His eyes didn't leave the screen, even as I stood before his desk with my hands clasped anxiously in front of my body.

"What do you need?" Toneri's voice wasn't necessarily angry, but it wasn't casual and flirty like I've grown used to hearing.

"You seemed upset, so I wanted to…." I trailed off, unsure how to word it so he didn't get the wrong idea.

Icy blue eyes darted over to lock onto mine. For a moment, neither of us spoke, but he eventually sat back in his seat, turning his body more toward me rather than the computer, "If only you were asking because you're worried about me and not yourself."

Inferring from his unyielding gaze that he wanted to converse, I awkwardly sat in the chair facing his desk, "So what is it? Did something happen I should be aware of?" Addressing his statement would only upset him further, so I avoided it.

Another long pause occurred before Toneri let out a loud, defeated sigh. His stern expression fell into an exhausted one, as did his tone, "Don't you ever get tired of this?" I gave him a confused look, and he frowned, "Hinata, I'll admit I wasn't happy to have been chosen as your fiance, but my opinion has changed now that we've spent some time together. I think we're compatible if we just allow ourselves to be."

My initial response was to snap at him, to bite his head off for how awful he's treated me in the past week, but I clenched my teeth and cut it off.

His brow furrowed almost desperately as he whispered, "Is there no part of you that wants to get along? To make this work, somehow?"

All I could do was stare in surprise.

How he's looking at me and talking is the most genuine he's seemed since the day we met. Is this him, or is it just another personality he uses? He switches up his persona so much that I jokingly thought to myself once amidst the past week that there's one upside to being engaged to him: I'll never grow bored because he's a new person each day.

"I'm sorry for how I approached you at the hotel and what I said. I was angry with my father and took it out on you. And I'm sorry for making you sleep with me when you weren't ready. How I've treated you has been unfair, but I want to start over. If we both go into this with open minds, maybe we can find happiness or comfort in each other."

Tears welled in my eyes as I searched his face. I don't know what to do. He seems sincere because, even if he's a great actor, I can't picture him admitting to having been in the wrong without some sort of slip in his character. So, I have to consider his words in two ways: if he's pretending and if he's not.

What is his endgame if he's putting on a show for me? What does he plan to do if I agree to start over? Everything I hold dear has already been taken from me, or at least will be six months from now. I can't think of a good reason for his change in attitude, though. The only real damage he can do further is to somehow make me quit my music prior to March, and I don't see that happening because the contract is legally binding.

What if he's honestly extending an olive branch? Whether either of us wants it, we're going to be married. A contractual marriage is nearly impossible to end, meaning divorce won't be an easy option. There will always be the fear that my friends' info will be leaked, too, so I won't be able to consider it, even if Toneri wanted out, as well.

I don't like him, not at all. Despite that, he has a point. If we keep butting heads and struggling to overpower one another, both of us will be miserable.

My heart felt as though it was actively breaking in my chest. If I agree, I'll have to cut Sasuke off completely. There'll be no more sneaking around with one another. The man I love doesn't deserve to be treated like that. It'll hurt so badly for us both at first, but I know, eventually, the pain will numb. As much as I want to believe I'm the only one for Sasuke Uchiha, that'd be incredibly selfish. He deserves to be happy. He deserves to love and be loved without having to hide it.

The slightest bit of genuine acceptance began to ease its way in for the first time since being forced to sign that contract.

Sasuke will find someone else somewhere down the road. It'll be a beautiful, confident woman who'll give it all up in a heartbeat just to be with him. She'll be everything I'm not, and I pray he falls for her so hard that he completely forgets about the girl who wouldn't give up her music career so they could go public.

That's all I want in the end: for Sasuke, Sakura, and Gaara to be happy.

"Please, Hinata. All I'm asking is for you to give me a chance. I don't want to live the rest of my life like this."

That's when I realized tears were flowing freely down my cheeks. I hiccuped, finally pulling my gaze from Toneri's to wipe at my eyes. Begrudgingly, I lifted a hand to the desk, feeling as though I was sacrificing who I really am just for a chance I won't be sad forever.

"Is…. Is this a yes?"

With a furrowed brow, I lifted my gaze to him, "I-I'll never forgive you for not trying to stop our parents, but…." Toneri looked stunned but waited patiently as he reached across his desk to hold my outreached hand. I allowed my facade to drop, showing him how defeated I really was. My voice was breathy and emotional, "I'm exhausted."

The man's fingers gently tightened around mine, his jaw flexing. I continued, wiping more fervently at my eyes as my tears fell more heavily, "I can't keep pretending my pride hasn't been destroyed. I-I-I've lost."

Taking a slow, deep breath, I straightened my spine to compose myself, "We should m-make some rules."

"What kind of rules?"

"If either of us breaks them, this truce will end, and we'll go back to being enemies."

Toneri slowly nodded, seeming a little unsure, "Okay. What did you have in mind?"

"We're equals and will treat one another with respect, even w-when we're arguing." I didn't say it out loud but gave the man a stern look to warn him not to threaten or insult me the next time he feels I've wronged him. He seemed to understand.

"If we're in public, we should act like this isn't a contractual marriage," he added.

Nodding, I continued, "Even if we don't love each other, we won't cheat."

Toneri's brow raised, as I expected it would, "I mean this in the most respectful way possible, but if I have a sexless marriage, I will find other sources." His tone was hesitant, as though he was trying not to offend me.

Feeling more than a little disgusted with myself, I nodded, "That brings me to the next rule. I-I'll perform marital duties without complaint, but only on the condition that you allow me to decide when that starts. Until I'm sure I can trust you, I-I don't want you to even bring it up."

There was a very long pause before the man asked, "You won't make me wait until March, will you?"

Irritation gathered in the pit of my stomach, "If it takes that long for you to prove you're trustworthy, then, yes, I will."

Toneri seemed unhappy, but after a moment, he spoke, "I'll agree to this if you agree that marital duties will be done a minimum of once weekly."

Warmth rose to my face, but I squeezed his hand more firmly. If we're going to make this work, we both need to compromise. He'll give up his bachelor lifestyle, and I'll withstand some discomfort once a week. That way, neither of us has to give up on the act, but we'll also know there's no risk for STIs or public relations issues.

"Fine."

A slight grin met his lips, "Is there anything else?"

I didn't return his smile. Instead, I released his hand and stood, smoothing out my pajamas, "Not at the moment. Have Danzo type up an open-ended contract so we can add to it in the future."

My fiance's lips twitched, "You actually want to-" "If you really want to try and make this work, yes."

So, in the middle of that very same night, I snuck out to the motel and called Sasuke. This time, I have to stay strong. I can't let those deep, dark eyes sway me. It's genuinely for his sake that I'm doing this, even if he'll never see it that way.

I was about to do what I should've done the moment Itachi took me to the house after talking to Kakashi. It's no one's fault but my own that I chickened out that day.

When the Uchiha man arrived, I anxiously paced in the room while trying to piece together what I would say. He seemed to pick up on my heightened nervousness because he quietly closed the door behind him, "...What happened?"

I faced him fully, motioning slightly with my hands as I tried to get my lips to move, but the words just wouldn't come out. Then I was frustrated and crying. Sasuke approached, likely to comfort me, but I lifted my palms to stop him, "N-No, don't. I-I-I need to do this now."

Realization shined on his beautiful face, and he shook his head, "Don't-" "I-I can't keep doing this to you. I won't." Hurt and anger lit his eyes like a fire, and he was obviously putting in a lot of effort to remain cool-headed, "Hinata, you can't-" "Sasuke, I said no!"

His mouth shut in disbelief. Finally, I managed to speak, "I-I love you. I'm so in love with you that it hurts, Sasuke, I swear it. I'll never love someone more than I love you, b-but it's selfish to keep stringing you along like this."

Tears were in his eyes, but he said nothing because he knew I wasn't done.

My voice wavered and cracked as I continued while heavily crying, "I'm sorry this happened to us. If I-I'd known…. We can't be together anymore. I-I-I'm so sorry. It's dangerous, and it's not fair to you. Please promise me you won't-"

Sasuke's voice was barely intelligible due to his restraint on his emotions, "Is that what you really want? For me to give up on you?"

I wanted to say no so severely, but instead, I nodded.

He didn't say or do anything. He stood there, staring at me with tears in his eyes and his hands in fists.

There aren't any words in the world that can comfort him now, and trying to find them would only make things worse, so I left. Sasuke didn't try to stop me.

I was light-headed and seconds away from fainting when I finally arrived back in my bedroom at the condo. After changing into my pajamas again, I curled into a tiny ball under the covers and let it all out. My chest was so tight that it felt like something was attempting to claw its way out from the inside. The cloudy haze in my mind got thicker and thicker until I suddenly wasn't conscious anymore.

The following morning, when I awoke, my head was pounding, and my throat hurt from sobbing so hard the night before. Groaning, I tried to rub my eyes, but something cold tugged at both wrists and prevented the movement. That's when I realized my arms were above my head.

My eyes shot open because I realized what was going on.

The grogginess disappeared in a heartbeat. My breaths came in tiny gasps as I tugged on the bindings, pulling myself upright so my back was against the wall. I was right. Metal handcuffs bound my wrists to either side of the headboard. Already, the skin around them was red and felt raw. I tugged and twisted at them, even though it hurt, but nothing happened, and I had to close my eyes and take deep breaths lest I faint like I had last night.

"Finally awake, I see. Good morning." Toneri stood in the room's open doorway, which I only just realized wasn't my own, with a glare on his face.

I tried to pull my wrists free again, despite knowing it was useless, "T-T-Toneri, what's going on? Let me go! Th-This isn't funny!"

The man further entered the room, the angry expression not falling from his features, "Unfortunately, I can't do that, or you'll disappear to go see your beloved Sasuke again."

My struggling ceased, the air leaving my body as I met his gaze like a deer caught in headlights.

He sneered, coming to sit at the foot of the bed, "I know you were sneaking around with him while I was gone. If you refused my offer last night, I was going to keep you here like this until you agreed to behave. I thought I finally got through to you that we'd respect one another from now on, but no. You ran off to meet him the moment you could."

I desperately tried to explain, "N-No, you're misunderstanding-"

"You lied right to my fucking face!" The man's voice rose with each word, so he was yelling by the end of his accusation. My blood ran colder, somehow. Toneri held my gaze with a hateful glare before rising to his feet.

He was much quieter when he said, walking toward the door, "You'll remain here until I decide what to do with you."

I could only stare as he left, terrified to the bone. I knew he had a temper because he didn't hide it well, but I never thought he'd do something like this. I tugged softly at the cuffs on my wrists, wincing at the sting it brought to my raw skin before giving up.

What's his goal here? Surely he won't hurt me. No, our engagement is very public, meaning he's the first person everyone will suspect if I disappear. We're still in his condo, too, so it wouldn't take long to find us. He won't lay a finger on me. He won't.

That's what I tried telling myself, but I couldn't bring myself to actually believe it.

He's going to kill me, isn't he?