Chapter 7: Chapter 7
Disclaimer: Endgame is SasuHina and GaaSaku.
A happy ending is coming!
Thanks for reading!
~
-Sasuke's POV-
After getting advice from Kakashi, we had Ino hire a lawyer to help us prepare our case against Fugaku, Hiashi, and the rest of those involved. The three of us and the CEO are likely being watched. If our statements show transactions with legal counsel, it may tip them off and ruin everything.
The first thing the lawyer told us to do was to begin preparing ourselves in the event the photos were released. Sakura contacted Konoha's largest charity for abused women and started working out a contract with them. Luckily, she remembered the name of the woman who took the photos at the hospital. She'll be included in our case, so hopefully, she'll also pay for what she did. Sakura's irritating, but her strength in the face of something we all know terrifies her is admirable.
Gaara admitted to having already contacted those he hurt before Prestige even debuted, so there wasn't much else he could do to prepare for that.
And then there's me. What can I possibly do to prepare for explicit photos of Hinata and me to be leaked? As much as I love the idea of having a few for my personal enjoyment, neither of us even considered it because it's too dangerous for those things to exist. Besides, we were under the impression we could see the real thing any time we wanted.
The best I can do is avoid alcohol and paparazzi. If I succumb to the stress, I could fuck everything up. Hinata needs us; she needs me to be strong right now.
What will it be like to see her on Monday? We have a concert debriefing with Kakashi first thing in the morning. No matter how hard it is, I must pretend nothing's wrong. Acting selfish and heartbroken around Hinata will only make her feel worse, and I know she's hurting badly. God, it pisses me off that she's going to suffer the entire time we're preparing all of this.
Itachi told me she had a new phone. Her number hasn't changed, but not one of us has even received a text message. Undoubtedly, she's worried her phone is bugged. It's not an irrational concern. I just wish she'd at least tell me she's okay. I need to know that Toneri hasn't hurt her, that no one's laid a finger on her.
When the three of us got home from another meeting with the lawyers on Friday evening, we realized Hinata either came home or sent someone in her place because most of her belongings were gone from her room. Her keyboard was also taken from the studio downstairs.
Sakura was the only one who visually reacted, bursting into tears as we stood in a half-empty bedroom. She was also the only one to say something, "She's not gone forever. We just have to wait a little longer."
I don't know if she was trying to comfort me or herself, but it didn't work either way.
In an attempt to keep my cool, I let the others drag me along to whatever they wanted on Saturday. Sakura and Ino decided I'd be their chauffeur while they spent the day shopping. In their own words, it was "retail therapy" to help them deal with the stress.
I visited the restroom while the girls ordered lunch at the food court.
On my way out, I nearly ran right into someone. Stepping to the side, I glanced at them, "My bad-" Icy blue eyes widened, making me do a double-take. I turned to face the smug white-haired man fully, "You've got to be fucking kidding me."
Toneri grinned sheepishly, "Small world."
Every atom of my being was ready to genuinely murder him, but I clenched my teeth and fists to keep my composure.
The slightly-shorter man moved to stand against the wall across the hall, eyes dancing over my appearance, "I'm surprised you're not jumping at the chance to hurt me."
I stood across from him, holding his gaze with a firm glare, "Hinata asked me not to interfere. If it were up to me, I'd knock your teeth out."
"Ah, about that. From one man to another, I'm going to need you to keep your distance from my fiancee."
Fire flooded my veins. Fuck, I want to strangle him until that smug grin disappears and he can't speak anymore. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath before reopening them, "Why? Feeling threatened? She'll never love someone like you, even if I back off."
Toneri's eyes shined with excitement. It threw me off because it was the opposite reaction from what I expected. With his hands in his pockets, he tilted his head at me and grinned wider, "I wouldn't be so sure about that."
The angry heat in my body turned to ice, "What's that supposed to mean?"
Shaking his head to himself, the Otsutsuki man pulled his phone out of his pocket and casually unlocked it, "What's your number? Actually, never mind. I'll get it from Hinata's phone when I get home."
Go find Sakura and Ino.
Get away from him before you do something that'll ruin everything, Sasuke.
Don't kill him.
I stepped away from Toneri, unable to tear my glare from his stupid face.
"And here I thought you were in love with her."
Without another word, I turned and left him standing there with that cocky smile. He'll get what's coming to him. I just have to grin and bear it until that time comes.
-Hinata's POV-
I spent most of Saturday unpacking my things at Toneri's condo. True to his word, he prepared a room for me. If I didn't know who owned the place, I'd say it was actually nice, modern, and comfortable. Since that's not the case, I took solace in the fact that the man left me alone to run errands by himself. I noticed immediately upon arriving that security cameras littered the place. That's why he felt confident enough that I wouldn't run away.
By the time I finished unpacking, it was already dark outside, and Toneri still hadn't returned. Tomorrow's bound to be just as taxing as today, so I bathed and climbed into my new bed, hoping to rest properly. It took a while to fall asleep, but I eventually did, only to be awoken by a half-naked man slipping under the covers beside me.
I turned my back to him, complaining sleepily, "You said I could have my own room, so go sleep in yours."
His arm snaked around my waist when he moved to lay behind me, pressing his body against mine. I thought maybe he just wanted to cuddle and forced the discomfort to the back of my mind so I could fall asleep again. My eyes shot open when his hand slid between my legs.
"T-Toneri, no. Not tonight."
"Why not?"
"Because I-I don't want to."
Long fingers slid beneath my underwear to massage me intimately, making me squirm, "S-Stop it!"
"You say that, but you're wet. I prefer honest women, Hinata." His other arm slid beneath me to grope my chest.
I squeezed my eyes closed as I felt him press against my bottom, "I-I don't care what kind of woman you prefer!"
The amused tug at his voice disappeared, replaced with an almost threatening one, "Hinata." I froze, giving up the fight with tears in my eyes.
My clothes were worked off of me. Then I lay on my back with my legs over Toneri's hips as he sat on his knees, looking down as he rubbed against me and glanced at my face occasionally.
"We had so much fun last time, remember? You came, what, twice? Three times?"
My chin quivered as I averted my gaze, turning my head to the side to stare into the room's darkness, "Th-That doesn't mean I wanted it. I was drunk."
"How many times do you think it'll take for you to fall for me?" A gasp passed my lips when he suddenly pressed himself inside.
The alcohol had done way more than I thought because I was too disgusted and afraid of the man moving between my legs to try imagining it was someone else in an attempt to feel good instead.
When I woke the following day, I was relieved to find the other side of my bed missing Toneri. I winced when I climbed out of bed.
He vowed not to give up until I climaxed at least once. I thought he was bluffing, so I remained still and tried to ignore him, but he backed up his statement. Rather than be stuck in an unwanted situation for hours, I gave in and let it happen. Luckily, he also stuck to that part of his word and ended things soon after.
My thighs hurt from him holding them so firmly.
To my horror, when I freshened up, I realized he'd left a dark, unrealistically large hickey on my neck. I put a bandage over it for today, but I can't do so tomorrow. Everyone will immediately know what's beneath it. No, I'll have to wake up early and try to hide it with makeup.
Toneri was typing away on his laptop on the sofa, the television turned on but muted. Ice-colored eyes glanced at me before returning to the screen, "Good morning."
My throat tightened instantly at the sight of him. Whenever I'm in his presence, it's hard not to cry. How long will it take for me to become numb to the situation, I wonder. I hope it's soon.
After procuring a cup of coffee from the kitchen, I frowned at my keyboard. It was set up in the family room next to the bookcase. I sat down my mug and knelt down to unplug it, intent on taking the instrument to my room so I could work in peace.
Toneri, of course, stopped me, "You can work out here. It won't bother me." He worded it reassuringly, but he really meant that I didn't have a choice in the matter.
A sprinkle of my missing defiance returned, and I huffed as I retrieved my music folder from my room. If he thinks for one second that he's going to put a damper on the short time I have left of living my dream, he's wrong. I have six months left before I have to walk away from my life's goal. I'll do so well that it'll be impossible for anyone to forget about my music career. I hope people still mention it years from now, so I can smile at Toneri. It's a small victory, but a victory nonetheless.
If I can perform in front of sixty thousand people, I can keep it together in front of one man. Feeling self-assured, I sat at the keyboard and set the folder up so I could read my notes and lyrics. At first, I was hyper-aware of Toneri's presence. He didn't even look my way, though. Eventually, I became so engrossed in my work that everything disappeared.
Both of the songs I'm working on mean a lot to me. After the terrifying experience of fainting onstage, I decided to use the guilt to fuel my creativity. One song is about my weight problems, and the other is simply about my self-hate.
As of yet, I haven't publicly commented on what happened at the concert. The time will likely come soon, but this is my only outlet until then.
Hours passed.
A tap on my shoulder snapped my focus and made me jump. I turned my head, fingers letting up on the keys, to see the white-haired man.
"Join me for lunch."
I looked outside the large windows in the room, shocked by the sun's position. It was well past noon already. When I joined Toneri at the dining table, sitting across from him, he smiled. I didn't return it. Wordlessly, I nibbled on the sandwich before me, avoiding his eye contact.
When he tapped my shoulder a moment ago, something was different about his expression. Obviously, he has something he wants to say, but I don't care. He'll either say it or he won't.
"Hinata, I'm not sure if I've told you before, but you have a beautiful voice." I nodded absently, feeling awkward. The room became silent as we ate.
A couple minutes later, he tried again, "I couldn't help but notice the lyrics of your songs. Did you write them about yourself?"
My eyes shakily danced up to meet his, a blush warming my face as I nodded. There wasn't a cocky glint in his gaze like usual. Instead, he frowned. If I didn't know him, I'd venture to say he even appeared concerned.
"My opinion likely means nothing, but you're wasting energy worrying about your appearance."
I averted my gaze to the table.
"You're gorgeous, Hinata; stunning. And your body…. Why do you think those Uchihas were fighting for the chance to be a marriage candidate?"
The heat in my face rose higher to the point that I had to escape. I stood up and picked up my half-empty plate to dispose of it in the kitchen, "You're right. Your opinion means nothing to me."
Toneri didn't say another word.
-Sasuke's POV-
Seven more days. That's what I kept telling myself as I drove to the agency early Monday morning. There are only seven days after today that we have to wait before finally getting Hinata out of trouble.
Life has been embarrassingly hard over the past week. I feel like one of those tragic women that can't live without having a boyfriend. Somehow, I came to rely on Hinata for so many little things. The most notable difference is the amount of speaking I do. I never realized it before, but I didn't talk much before she and I began sleeping in one another's rooms. There were dozens of times in the last week that I'd open my mouth to tell her something, only to look over at the blank space beside me and shut it once more.
My entire routine has been disrupted. I roll over each morning to pull her closer, but she's not there. I step out of the shower and stop myself from calling her name to let her know it's her turn. Fuck, I even got coffee once and absently ordered one for her, too.
Each day since the last time I saw her leaves me more angry than the previous. As I pulled into the agency's parking lot, I felt the most minor thing would set me off.
I was the first one there, so I sat silently in front of Kakashi in his office while we waited for the others to arrive. My gaze dazed over on the floor. I'm tired.
"I mean no offense, Sasuke, but if Hinata sees you looking like this…." I nodded absently at Kakashi's tentative statement.
When the door opened behind me, signaling that someone else had arrived, I straightened my spine and forced a more energized version of a neutral expression onto my face.
"-settling in okay? You've been eating properly, right?" Sakura was fretting over Hinata.
A voice I've missed more than I care to admit responded softly, "I-I'm fine. Please d-d-don't worry." My teeth gritted stressfully. She sounds almost as timid as the first day we met. She's not fine at all.
Kakashi interrupted their catching up, "Have a seat, you three, so we can start debriefing." I forced my gaze to remain straight ahead as my bandmates sat on either side of me.
The smell of Hinata's shampoo met my senses, making my brow furrow slightly, but I couldn't bring myself to look at her. If there's even a hair out of place, I might lose my cool. After seeing Toneri at the mall, I expected some kind of contact from him because he asked about my phone number. I never received anything, but it made me worry that there was something he could send to torment me at all.
"Let's get started! First and foremost, I'd like to reassure everyone that the incident during the last concert hasn't significantly affected sales or reviews. We were able to edit the recordings, and the videos from fans that were leaked aren't receiving backlash."
The CEO's dark eyes swept over the four of us before landing on Hinata, "I'm sure you don't want to talk about it, so I'll keep it short, but I don't want you to worry about what anyone says about the engagement. Whatever happens, happens. All I care about is that you're safe and healthy. Don't stress yourself out worrying about publicity. Evolution is happy to take care of things."
She nodded silently, so the man moved on.
"All in all, the tour was an overwhelming success. There isn't much to discuss in that regard, so let's move on to our next topic."
Kakashi grinned politely, "Your third album. I trust each of you has prepared music like I asked. Shizune should've contacted you to schedule individual studio time. If you have any issues, reach out to either of us."
He stood, gesturing for the door, "That'll be all for now. Jiraiya is waiting in practice room seven for your vocal lesson. You have about fifteen minutes to kill. Thank you, Prestige, for your continued hard work. May this third album be even more successful than the first two."
When I turned to leave, I finally laid eyes on Hinata. It was only the back of her head as she, too, turned to exit the room, but it still felt significant. Once the four of us were in the hall, I almost reached out to grab her arm, but Sakura beat me to it, "Hey, come to the bathroom with me real quick?" The pink-haired woman gave me a warning look before turning away to pull the Hyuuga woman along.
Gaara spoke quietly as we headed for the elevators, "I know this sucks, man, but you have to keep it together. Just…. Just be her friend like before, when she was dating Kiba."
"Friends."
Yeah, even back then, we were a little more than friends. I distracted myself with women, and Hinata distracted herself with the Inuzuka man, but we both knew something was happening. We can't go back to that now. What we have to be is coworkers. I can't be her friend, not if it means I'll have to look her in the eye and pretend not to want her.
-Hinata's POV-
Sasuke smells so familiar and comforting. I selfishly allowed the scent to calm my nerves as Kakashi talked about the tour. I miss him. He's so close that if I move my arm a few inches, it'll brush against his, but he's never felt so far away. Maybe it's just me feeling this way, though. It might be me subconsciously avoiding him so I don't have to admit I had sex with another man. I think he'll know as soon as he meets my eye. He's always been able to see right through me from the very beginning.
When the briefing concluded, I was surprised by Sakura dragging me with her away from the boys and into the ladies' room. I jumped slightly when she bolted the door shut behind us. Nervously, I averted my gaze as she walked around to stand in front of me. Neither of us moved or said anything for a long pause.
When Sakura finally broke the silence, her voice cracked emotionally, "Can I fix the makeup on your neck?" I met her gaze in shock, tears welling as I nodded.
She pulled a small carry-on makeup bag from her purse and retrieved some concealer. I tilted my head to the side so she could see the area more clearly. She worked with a severe expression, "Did he…?"
My breath hitched, and I squeezed my eyes closed while shaking my head, denying her accusation.
"You're an awful liar."
I let out a shaky breath, the tears overflowing slowly as I gave in, "N-No. I-I-I let him do it."
Sakura's spine straightened as she offered a look of genuine shock. I wanted to be sick. "H-He's my fiance. I have a d-duty to-" "Hinata." She only said my name, but it was enough to shut me up. There's no point in trying to convince her that I wanted it. She knows better than that.
My fingers trembled as I wiped at my wet cheeks. Defeated, I lowered my voice, "P-Please don't tell S-S-Sasuke. He'll hate me."
Sakura returned to hiding the hickey on my neck, but her tone was firm and unyielding, "He won't, I promise you that. It'll piss him off and probably break his heart, but no one will blame you, not even him."
When I didn't respond, she sighed, "I won't say anything if that's what you want, but you don't have to keep these things to yourself. You can talk to me about anything. I still love you. I don't want you to get hurt."
Once the blemish was successfully hidden, she touched up my makeup, stating it was apparent how exhausted I was. It's true, at least, that I was half awake when I was getting dressed this morning. Afterward, we hurried through the building, into the elevator, and to the practice rooms.
"How nice of you ladies to join us. I trust everything is alright?" Jiraiya teased as we hurried over to stand next to the boys.
Somehow, I managed to keep my eyes straight ahead for the entirety of the lesson. The trouble was that I kept messing up when any of us would sing simultaneously.
It's such a wonderful feeling, making art with people I know love and appreciate the act just as much as I do. In six months, I won't be allowed to do this anymore. This light-hearted, genuinely happy feeling has been a highlight of my life since signing with Evolution. My dream came true that day, and now I must walk away.
Everyone, Jiraiya included, kept quiet each time I'd mess up and have to start over, but I knew they could tell I was barely hanging onto my composure. The exact second the lesson was finished, I rushed out of the room so no one would have a chance to say something.
Don't cry, Hinata. You can do this. You have to do this. Keep it together. Shut the emotions out.
My heart rose into my throat as I walked briskly through the crowded hallway. I ducked my head, losing the battle and letting a few tears run down my cheeks.
But I love my life so much. I love my job, the music. I love my friends and colleagues. I love him. Why can't I keep at least one? Is there a reason I can't have anything that makes me happy?
It all comes back to Hiashi Hyuuga. Sure, Fugaku is also to blame, but he never would've put his sights on me if my father hadn't conspired with him. After locking myself in one of the first-floor bathrooms, I texted the man in question requesting a one-on-one meeting. To my surprise, he responded within a few minutes with a confirmation for this evening, right after my dance lesson ended.
If he's going to ruin my life, the least he can do is tell me why. I won't leave him alone until he explains himself. Hiashi Hyuuga is going to look me in the eye and finally say why he has such a disregard for my well-being.
There was a two-hour window between the vocal and dance lessons, so I borrowed an agency car to grab a small lunch before returning and heading upstairs. It makes me sick eating when I'm so distraught, but I promised everyone to take care of myself. I'm already lying to them about why I'm quitting. I don't want to add another fib to that list.
I was the last one to arrive, as I'd hoped. After a quick warm-up, Sai had us take our places to run the choreography for Slow Dance. My fingers trembled anxiously as I faced Sasuke, allowing him to take my waist and hold one of my hands. I kept my gaze on his chest, unable to look at his face lest I fall to pieces in front of everyone.
The gorgeous Uchiha man didn't say a word until the music started, and we began moving with studied steps. He spoke under his breath so no one would hear but me, "Tell me you're okay." My lips thinned stressfully as I gritted my teeth. I nodded, dropping my gaze a few inches more because I'd almost looked up at his handsome face.
Sai made us run the choreography a whopping three times, dark eyes studying the four of us closely. Then he made us run the last half of the song another four times before running the entire piece twice to ensure the corrections he'd made were stuck.
Being surrounded by Sasuke's warmth, his comforting scent, for so long actually managed to calm me down. I wonder if he knows how much he's doing for me just by being near. Likely, he doesn't realize the extent, even if he has suspicions.
"Meet me after this. At my car."
This time, I wasn't quick enough to stop from meeting his eye. Sasuke stole the breath from my body. He wasn't even trying to hide his emotions. Obviously, he was upset with himself for asking, but he wouldn't take it back, either.
Slowly, I shook my head. He frowned, obviously thinking I was rejecting him, but I whispered back, "We'll b-be seen if we go outside. …There's an empty office n-next door to Kakashi's. Let's meet there."
So, after a long and tedious dance lesson, we left the room separately so that no one would suspect anything. I arrived first and stood with my arms crossed against the wall near the door, where no one could see me from its small window. As awful as it is for me to meet Sasuke when there's no way we can be together, I can't help myself.
The man in question slipped into the room, locking the door behind him before standing before me. For a long time, we just stared into one another's eyes. He eventually broke the silence, whispering swiftly before pressing his lips firmly against mine, "Hinata…."
My arms tightened around myself as tears flowed down my cheeks, but I had to pull away, "N-No, Sasuke. We can't." I've missed kissing him so badly. I can't stand here and let him bare his heart when I betrayed him, though. The guilt's too strong.
His brow furrowed, but he didn't get angry. Instead, he cupped my jaw, brushing my tears with his thumb as he frowned and said something I didn't expect, "Tell me what happened."
My lips tugged into a grimace as I averted my gaze from his concerned face. Like I said before, he can read me so quickly. Despite my best efforts, he picked up on the fact that something's greatly shaken me. How am I supposed to say it, though? How can I look him in the eye and admit to allowing another man into my bed?
Sasuke softly kissed my forehead, pulling back to search my face when I raised my gaze again. My teeth gritted. It's been days since we last saw one another, and I made it clear that I wanted him to give up on me, but he's obviously not listening.
A sharp ache arose in my chest as I realized what I had to do. I have to tell him, or he's never going to move on. I must make him hate me, or he'll be miserable trying to stop loving me.
"W-We had sex."
The tension became almost palpable as the Uchiha man processed my admission. Slowly, the warmer glint in his eye became cold as ice, "What?"
I stepped around him, facing him so I was no longer against the wall. Tears still freely flowing, I nodded, "Toneri and I, w-we-" "I'll fucking kill him." The self-control he was showing was miles better than the day he found out about the engagement.
A sob shook my chest as I covered my mouth and shook my head again, "N-No, I let it h-happen. We're engaged."
Sasuke looked equally as angry as he was hurt, taking his time coming up with a response. Denial was heavy on his tone as he breathed out, "He threatened you, didn't he? Hinata, it's not your fault."
The Uchiha man hit the nail on the head, but this time I lied because I wanted to. It might never happen if I don't get through to Sasuke now. Bile rising in my throat, I averted my gaze to his chest, "Th-That's not true. We're going to be married, and I have to m-make sure h-h-he's happy."
The gorgeous man before me was stunned and silent. Before he could overcome it, I added, "We have to end this. I-I want you to move on."
My fingers anxiously fiddled with my necklace, a habit I'd yet to break. Sasuke's eyes danced down to my hand before realization met his features. Unbridled rage lit his eyes, but he exercised restraint, "If that were true, you wouldn't be wearing that."
I opened my mouth to ask what he was referring to but then realized it was the locket he gave me around my neck. To this day, it's my most frequented piece of jewelry. I let it fall against my chest again, my resolve crumbling, "S-Sasuke-" "Hinata, I'm sorry, but no. Even if we have to keep it secret, I want you."
Gentle tears became thick and hot. The man came forward to wrap his arms around me when I came forward and bursted into sobs. He doesn't need me to tell him how guilty just the thought of him accepting my marriage makes me feel because it's obvious. I also don't need him to reiterate that he's unwilling to hear arguments.
So, here we are, hiding away in a locked office so no one will see us together. I can't do this for the rest of my life; I simply can't. If Toneri ever finds out, Sasuke and I'll be in real danger, not to mention Sakura and Gaara. It's so unfair, especially to them. They don't even know how much dirt our families have gotten on them.
"Do you think you can slip away without him noticing? Maybe tonight or tomorrow?" I nodded, cursing myself inwardly. What am I doing! Why am I going along with this?
I gave him the address of Toneri's condo, and he said he'd keep a room in his name at the closest motel. If I can ever sneak out, I'll go there, call him from the room's phone, and then he'll come so we can be together.
Having an entire plan on how to cheat on my fiance makes me feel like such a slut. Truthfully, though, I don't care if Toneri gets hurt. He's already hurt me plenty, and it's only been a week.
After Sasuke and my's secret meeting, I had to hurry to my family home so as not to be late for the meeting I'd scheduled with Hiashi.
All the decorum I offered during my last visit was gone. I didn't bother knocking before entering the house and also walked into my father's office without pausing or announcing my arrival. The man was on the phone. He looked up, realized it was me, and motioned for me to sit while he finished. I shut the door behind me and did just that.
Unlike with Sasuke, I will not bend to this man's will. I won't leave here without answers.
Hiashi soon concluded his call, jotting some notes in a folder while greeting me, "I was surprised when you asked to meet. What brought this change?"
Until he's giving me his full attention, I'm not saying a word. So, I stared and waited for him to finish his work. He eventually noticed, looking up over his reading glasses. A smirk tugged at his mouth when he realized what I was doing. To my surprise, he wordlessly sat down his pen, closed the folder, and interlaced his fingers atop his desk to listen to what I had to say.
"Why did you do it?"
"I assume you're referring to your engagement. By the way, how is Toneri? I trust you've been keeping your word and behaving as a proper fiance."
"If I haven't, you'd know about it already. Answer the question."
Hiashi's smirk dropped, "You want to know why I helped my useless daughter find a respectable fiancee? Or do you want to know why I'm making you quit your music career? Surely you know the name "Hyuuga" is the only cause for your success."
I gritted my teeth, steeling my glare. I won't let him intimidate me this time.
The man sighed, taking off his glasses, "To put it simply, it's my right as your father and head of the company. I've given you everything needed to succeed all your life, yet you still turned out to be a failure. The only way for you to repay me is to marry well."
Anger boiled in my stomach, "Maybe our family name has something to do with my success, I don't know, but as for how you raised me, you most certainly did not give me everything I needed."
He sensed I wasn't done because he silently sat as I continued.
"I needed love! I-I needed support and encouragement, not money and clothes!" My voice cracked as my composure fell.
After calming down, I added, "I needed you to be my father."
Neither of us said or did anything for a moment, but Hiashi eventually sighed. I could tell my words weren't reaching him just by the sound of it. "Every other child raised the Hyuuga way has grown up to be a respectable, successful adult. Hanabi and Neji are thriving. I won't force you to admit that you're simply weak, but I will not take the blame for your lack of backbone."
"And I won't argue about how wrong you are. I came here for an explanation. If your saying it's because you feel I owe it to you is your final response; I have nothing else to say," I bit back.
Bowing respectfully out of spite, I got to my feet and intended to leave, but my father stopped me. "Hinata." When I turned to face him again, he was also standing but was much more composed than me, "You are nothing without me, without the Hyuuga name."
The man came around his desk to stand before me, a look of confidence about his regal features, "You're finished. You've lost. It's time to move on from that pipe dream of yours. Now, for once in your life, leave here and make me proud. Ensure Toneri has a happy life. Give him a home. Give him children. Give him everything he wants, or I will ruin the lives of those you hold dear."
Like that, my last candle of love for the awful man went out. Hiashi Hyuuga has been a horrible father, but I've always held some iota of affection for him because, at the end of the day, he's my dad. Not anymore.
"I pray I'm there to witness the day karma knocks at your door."
~
The songs referenced are:
L.O.V.E. Me by Syd Franklin
I Love Me by Demi Lovato
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone