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.

I was the only person on the road for another ten minutes, and the sun was already setting. Dense forest covered both sides of the long and winding road, and I unconsciously acknowledged that it was beautiful: the sun and nature.

That was until I noticed a big dark truck in my rearview mirror, and it was approaching fast. My brow furrowed as I frowned and made sure I wasn't speeding so they could pass easily and not think I was trying to prevent them from doing so. To my complete and utter terror, it didn't even try and simply kept getting closer and closer to my bumper, making me speed up in an attempt not to be rear-ended.

My eyes danced frantically between my rearview mirror and the winding road ahead as I gripped the steering wheel tightly with both hands. Then, the unending trees parted long enough for light to shine through the tinted windows of the truck and illuminate none other than Hidan with an angry expression on his face.

"Fuck. Fuck. Fuck." I muttered to myself as I fumbled to grab my phone with a shaky hand and dialed the police.

When I hit the call button, my entire car jerked forward, and the device fell from my hand and into the floorboard. He actually hit me! I swerved a bit before regaining control, tears falling steadily down my face as I tried to go even faster so he couldn't do it again.

The police answered the phone, and their voice played through my speakers' Bluetooth, "What is your emergency?"

"S-Someone's trying to run me off the road!"

"Please stay calm, Ma'am. What street are you currently on?"

I looked around but didn't recognize this road because we were out in the middle of nowhere, and I couldn't check my GPS because my phone was out of reach on the floorboard, "I-I-I don't know. It's a turn-off east of Konoha Main." Another slam jerked my car, and a cry of terror mixed with a sob left my lips when it made me swerve even more dangerously than the first time.

"We're tracking your mobile device. Can you tell me your name?"

"Hinata Hyuga."

There was a pause before the woman responded, "Help is on the way, Hinata. Just try to hold on until it arrives. I'll stay on the line with you." I didn't reply because then Hidan turned his truck into the opposite lane and sped up to hit the left side of the back end of my car, making it swivel and spin.

My heart rose in my throat, and I became so scared that I couldn't breathe much less scream. To the best of my ability, I maneuvered the steering wheel to prevent the vehicle from flipping, and it made my tires squeal loudly against the pavement. Maybe twenty seconds later, such a short amount of time feeling like hours in my terror, I could bring my poor, dented car to a stop.

"Are you alright, Hinata? Respond if you're able."

Every single piece of my body was shaking almost violently with fear.

"I-I-!" Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a black shape in the distance and turned my head to see Hidan's truck approaching me, accelerating with the explicit intention of killing me. My car had stopped sideways on the road so he would hit the driver-side door before anything else.

Some kind of scream or gasp sucked the air from my lungs, and I fumbled to hit the gas, but my car made a churning noise and just rolled forward a few inches before stopping, smoke rising from under the hood. On instinct, I unbuckled my seatbelt and climbed to the passenger seat just in time for impact.

Then everything went black.

When I awoke, my body felt stiff, and I realized that my car had flipped over. The scent of smoke and gasoline burnt my lungs, and I weakly forced my eyes open. My body's all cut up and likely bruised to hell, but it doesn't feel like any bones are broken, which comes as an unbelievable surprise. Sirens were blazing in the distance, steadily getting closer. That's when I realized I hadn't passed out for long, just enough not to witness the vehicle flipping.

Panting for breath in my wrecked car's humid and thick air, I hissed as I tried to reach the smashed door closest to me. Since I didn't have time to put my seatbelt on when the flipping stopped, my body fell facedown on the shattered front window. Glass crunched under me as I struggled, only to be surprised by the door I was trying to reach opening without me laying a finger on it.

A hand reached down to grab onto mine, and they pulled me quickly from the wreckage. My vision swirled and fluctuated when I tried to stand and couldn't, falling to my hands and knees when my arm was released. Everything hurts so much. I think I have a concussion.

"Still alive, Hinata? That's too bad."

A sob shook my entire body as I squeezed my eyes closed. It's Hidan. He's still here, trying to finish the job.

Expecting the kick to my ribs didn't make it hurt any less, and I choked as I fell to my side, clutching my stomach weakly as I tried to inhale and couldn't.

"You ruined my fucking life, you bitch!" Another kick.

The sirens became so loud that I couldn't hear anything other than them, and the only thing I could see was the blurry flashing of their vehicle's lights. I…I can't move. He's going to kill me. I want to fight back and yell and tell him it's his own damn fault his life is ruined because he's the one who committed the crime, but it's hard to talk when I can't even breathe.

A third kick rocked my body, and I swear I felt something snap or crack, a sharp pain shooting up my midsection. Sounds of a struggle then came from where Hidan was standing over me, and I slowly blinked, trying to clear my vision, but ended up passing out before I could verify if I'd been rescued.

-Sasuke's POV-

A smile tugged at my lips as I pulled into the garage an hour or two later. I stopped to run a quick errand or two on my way home. Getting to compete on True Talent has been a mini-dream of mine ever since the show began airing, and now I'm being given a chance to fulfill it. Not only that, but I get to do it with Hinata. Yes, she's hot as hell, and I like her a lot more than any other woman I've met, but she's also an incredibly talented artist. I'm kind of eager to see what she comes up with, too.

"So what's the verdict? Did they make an offer?" Sakura chimed the moment I walked through the door and began kicking my shoes off by the door.

She's watching some stupid soapy drama show while Gaara at least appears to be working on songwriting with his notebook in his lap and a pencil in his hand. I don't know how he works on stuff like that when other things are happening around him, but I don't see how he does many of the things he does.

It was hard not to grin with pride, but I managed, "Of course they did."

She squealed happily, making her boyfriend look up from his work with a wince at the sharp sound. "When's it being filmed? Soon?"

I shook my head, heading into the kitchen to grab a bottle of water from the fridge, "October."

"After the tour, then. This is so exciting! Gaara and I are definitely gonna come support you guys. Right, Babe?" I didn't bother looking because the redhead would agree to almost anything she said without thinking twice.

Taking a sip of water, I came around to lean against the island with my vision dazing out as I tried to picture what kind of song I should work on for the competition. It's so far away still. March is a couple of days away, so it's seven months away. Part of me wants to brainstorm beforehand, which is severely discouraged by the showrunners, but a more significant part wants to see what I'm capable of when racing the clock.

Sakura's phone began ringing loudly, and she paused the television to answer it, confusion in her voice, "Tenten, what's up? I thought you were at-" She suddenly stopped talking, making Gaara and I look up at her. Her eyes were wide with surprise, and her mouth was open slightly as she listened to our mentor talk.

After a moment, she replied, and just by how she sounded, I knew something terrible had happened, "A-Are you…? You're… Are you being serious, Tenten?" I came over to stand in front of her, a bit worried, and Gaara sat his things down on the table and leaned forward a bit so he could see her face.

"We're on our way right now."

The phone was tossed onto the table loudly, and Sakura burst into tears as she got up and hurried to put her shoes on, somehow managing to speak, "I-It's Hinata. She was in an accident!"

Blood iced in my veins as my heart sank into the pit of my stomach. She…what…?

"Hurry up; we need to go!" Sakura's shrill voice broke my disbelief, and I pulled my shoes on quickly before following her and Gaara out to his jeep. While he drove, Sakura gave him directions, and I sat in a daze.

Is she…?

I want so badly to ask, but I can't even finish the thought, so there's no way for me to say it out loud. Hinata…I just saw her a couple of hours ago! What is this tightness in my chest? …it hurts… For the first time in a very long time, it feels like I'm one step away from having a panic attack.

When we arrived, the hospital was in the process of being bombarded by a large crowd at each entrance. A couple of officers escorted us through it and inside. The moment we were past the front doors, Tenten and Kakashi began leading us, seeming to have arrived just moments ago.

"How the fuck did word get out about this?" Our mentor's pissed, a rare sight.

One of the officers responded, "The dispatcher sold a recording of the call. She has since been relieved of her position, and our department will happily aid anyone who would like to press charges."

Kakashi nodded with a serious look, "We'll be in contact."

Everything going on around me, even that short exchange, doesn't feel real at all. The fluorescent lights in these long hallways feel like something out of a horror movie.

Sakura's hand grasped onto mine as we approached the emergency room area, and I completely ignored it. Instead, my eyes darted around for any sign of Hinata. We were taken to one of two rooms with guards outside it.

Kakashi spoke professionally to the security guard sanctioned by the hospital, "What's her condition?"

"Other than some broken ribs, she has mild lacerations and bruising to her entire body. She hasn't woken up yet, but the doctors aren't worried about that, so you shouldn't be either."

Tenten barked out, and I could tell she was trying not to cry without even seeing her face, "Can we see her? Are we allowed inside?"

The guard's eyes traveled up to behind all of us, and we turned to see a woman with dark hair and eyes; obviously, the doctor was approaching, "Normally, we only allow two people to visit at a time, but this isn't a normal situation, is it?"

We moved out of her way when she got closer, and she swiped her ID to unlock the door. That's when I realized that this woman's related to Kiba somehow. Her badge says "Doctor Inuzuka". I didn't, and couldn't, dwell on that with everything else going on, so I did my best to appear as normal as possible outwardly so everyone else doesn't realize how fucking shaken up I was. The doctor led us inside, a slight warning on her face when she glanced back.

The entire room went silent when we all laid eyes on Hinata. There's nothing in my head. Every coherent thought disappeared the moment I saw the purple hue of her bruised skin and the dark red cuts that dusted so much of her body. She doesn't look….alive.

My thoughts and emotions returned a moment later when Sakura and Tenten both burst into tears, and the other two tried to mask their concern. Overwhelming worry almost disabled me, and my knees threatened to buckle under it all. Taking a shaky step backward, I pressed my palm flat against the wall in an attempt to stay grounded. This feels much too similar to when I found out that Mom…

"What happened? Do you know what caused the wreck?"

Tenten managed to ask the police officer that escorted us here, but she didn't take her eyes off Hinata for a second. I don't know how the man looked in response because I, too, can't tear my gaze off of the battered person in that bed, but he sounded hesitant when he spoke again.

"Mr. Hatake, Sir, I'm prepared to report everything we know since you're her primary emergency contact. Would you prefer I speak with you alone?"

Then Tenten looked away from Hinata to lock her gaze hard on Kakashi, the silent threat coming off louder than anything she could've said.

"No. Please proceed."

I want to go to the side of the bed to see her breathing more clearly, but I can't be the first to get over their shock and move. Not with the others around.

This feeling…I didn't know that I…

Hinata means more to me than I thought, and I accepted many months ago that I care about her a lot.

"We received an emergency call from Miss Hyuga, and she requested help because she believed someone was trying to cause her to crash. Once our officers arrived at the location of her mobile device, it was clear that a collision had occurred. Her vehicle was hit multiple times and flipped over."

Sakura's voice was weak as she interrupted, "W-What? Someone did this to her on purpose?" My heartbeat began quickening as the cold in my body started to fade.

The officer continued without directly responding to her, "An unidentified individual had pulled her the totaled vehicle by the time our officers arrived and was in the process of physically assaulting her."

My eyes darted over to the man's face in disbelief, and I wasn't the only one to bristle at his surprising news. I know who did it. Of course, I know who did it. They don't need to say his name. We all know it was Hidan. It had to be. He's about to go to prison, and he knows it, so he wanted to get his revenge on her while he still had a chance.

"This individual is in custody."

The room remained silent as we stared at him in disbelief. He didn't know what to do and tried to get someone to respond, "I…I also have a phone call recording if you would like us to send it along with our report." Kakashi seemed to snap out of it and excused himself from the room, gesturing for the officer to follow him so they could speak more privately in the hall, and they shut the door behind them.

The doctor, who's been silent until now, spoke reassuringly, "Hinata's very lucky. In a wreck like that, it's rare for someone to come out with minor injuries. She should fully physically recover in around six weeks."

Minor?

There's nothing minor about any of this! It's attempted murder!

Sakura and Tenten moved chairs up to the side of her bed, and Gaara came to stand behind Sakura. All three of them are crying, but I can't do anything but stare at her. It doesn't even look like Hinata. She's just so…hurt. The heat in my body rose to a temperature that made it hard to see straight.

"Sasuke, honey, calm down before you pass out. Come here, sit," Tenten's soft voice broke me from my stunned trance, and she grabbed my hand to try and guide me to a chair, but I tore it out of her grip and shook my head, jaw flexing as I continued to stare at Hinata.

I wish she'd just wake up already so I can see her eyes. Then I'll know her exact condition because I can read her expertly now.

A knock came at the door, and the doctor excused herself to answer it and left after allowing Neji to enter. Tenten quietly filled the man in on all we know as he came to stand at the foot of her bed with a completely stunned expression. Then the room was silent except for sniffling and the heart monitor's beeping.

Minutes passed, and Tenten whispered to him again, "Her father…?"

Neji shook his head, "He was notified before me." My hatred of Hiashi Hyuga continues to grow as I learn about him.

When the door opened again and Kakashi came back into the room, I caught a glimpse of the other room with guards and realized Hidan must be in there, handcuffed to the bed as his injuries were treated. They should've let him bleed out on the side of the road.

Anger had my hands shaking, and I tried to get myself to calm down, but things that usually work aren't. I want…I need Hinata to wake up and tell me no so I don't fuck up everything and get arrested trying to murder that asshole because she's the only one who…

I closed my eyes and sank to the floor, my elbows on my knees as I took slow, deep breaths.

"Sasuke! Are you alright?"

I waved a dismissive hand and glared down at the white linoleum floors. Keep it together until she wakes up. That's all I can focus on right now, or I'll completely lose my composure.