Triple the Love, Triple the Trouble

Chapter 8

Hinata sat on her brand-new bed, a gift from Naruto, accompanied by Sakura and Ino. Ino's voice burst out with excitement, "I knew it! I knew you guys were more than just a 'Bumble hookup'!"

A sudden chill ran through Hinata's veins, and she nervously laughed, "Y-you caught us," she stammered.

Curiosity gleaming in her eyes, Sakura inquired, "Does Sasuke know? I bet he'd leave you two alone more often." She added a playful wink, suggesting a mischievous thought.

Hinata started to perspire. "Y-yes, Sasuke knows, but Naruto and I don't mind," she replied, fidgeting with her hair and avoiding direct eye contact.

"Oh my gosh! So all those rumors from college and high school were true! People always claimed they saw Naruto sneaking into your room," Ino exclaimed. Hinata couldn't help but sweat-drop, acknowledging Naruto's lack of stealth. What people didn't know was that most of the time, if not all those times, Sasuke was with him.

Clearing her throat, Hinata asserted, "N-Naruto and I just wanted our relationship to remain private." Ino playfully smacked Hinata's shoulder.

"Girl, you need to keep your man in check. He flirts with anyone who has legs," Ino teased. Another nervous laugh escaped Hinata's lips. "Y-yes, he does that sometimes." Sakura chimed in, shaking her head, "All the time."

Taking a deep breath, Hinata looked at her friends with determination. "Listen, guys. Naruto and I are in a serious relationship, and we would appreciate it if you could keep it between us," she firmly requested, hoping they would respect their privacy.

"Of course, Hinata. We won't breathe a word," Sakura replied with a reassuring smile.

"Yeah, we're your friends. We just want you to be happy," Ino added. Relief and gratitude washed over Hinata as she felt their understanding.

"Thank you, guys. It means a lot to us," Hinata expressed, feeling the tension in her body gradually dissipate.

"But you know, I can't resist teasing you a bit," Ino remarked with a mischievous smirk. Hinata rolled her eyes, fully aware of Ino's fondness for playful banter.

"Oh, Ino. Some things never change," she laughed, acknowledging her friend's mischievous nature. As a knock echoed through the house, Hinata rose from her bed and made her way to the front door to answer it.

After attending to the visitor, Hinata returned to the room, accompanied by Sasuke and Naruto. Naruto, ever the joker, quipped, "Is it a party in here? Shall we all get naked?" His remark earned him a smack from Sasuke, prompting Naruto to rub his head and laugh.

Sakura didn't find Naruto's comment amusing. "Naruto, seriously? Flirting in front of your girlfriend? Show some decency," she scolded.

Naruto appeared momentarily confused. "Girlfriend?"

Hinata approached Naruto, squeezing his arm gently. "Y-yes, remember, honey..."

"Oh yeah," he chuckled. "You finally found out." He wrapped his arm around Hinata's waist, earning an annoyed "Tsk" from Sasuke, who averted his gaze, clearly irritated by the situation.

Hinata observed the unfolding scene as Sakura took advantage of the moment to make a move on Sasuke. "You know, Sasuke, if you ever need someone to talk to or just hang out with, I'm free," she said, twirling a strand of hair behind her ear.

In response, Ino couldn't resist mocking Sakura's flirtatious gesture, bursting into laughter. However, Sakura quickly silenced her with a stern glare.

Sasuke let out an exasperated sigh before turning to Naruto and Hinata. Naruto, ever cheerful, pulled Sasuke closer, wrapping his arm around him. "Aw, come on, sourpuss," Naruto teased. "Why the sour face?"

With a dismissive "Tsk," Sasuke shrugged off the question. Hinata decided to divert the conversation, curious about their sudden appearance. "So, what brings you guys here anyway?" she inquired.

Grinning mischievously, Naruto leaned in to give Hinata a kiss on the cheek. "We heard there might be a party here. We couldn't resist checking it out."

Sasuke rolled his eyes at Naruto's exaggeration. "Naruto's overplaying it. We just wanted to hang out."

"Well, we're glad you guys came," Hinata responded with a warm smile. "But I don't think we have enough alcohol for a real party," she added, contemplating the two bottles of alcohol in her possession.

"We don't need alcohol to have a good time," Sakura interjected, her gaze still fixed on Sasuke.

In agreement, Ino chimed in. "Absolutely."

Naruto laughed, diverting the conversation away from the awkward tension. "So, what should we do then? Play some video games?"

"Sounds good to me," Hinata replied, relieved that the focus was shifting. As they settled in for a gaming session, the atmosphere gradually relaxed, and they all began to enjoy each other's company. However, Sakura couldn't resist constantly touching Sasuke, making him visibly uncomfortable.

"I think I'm going to head out," Sasuke announced abruptly.

"Aw, already?" Naruto expressed his disappointment.

Seizing the opportunity, Sakura stood up promptly. "I'll walk you out," she said, her smile directed at Sasuke.

As they left the room, Ino turned to Hinata, curiosity piqued. "Do you think Sasuke is into Sakura?" she asked.

Hinata responded honestly, unsure of the dynamics between them. "I don't know. But it's clear he's not comfortable with all the attention she's giving him."

Naruto chuckled, aware of Sasuke's aversion to public displays of affection. "Yeah, he's not one for PDA."

"Good thing you are," Hinata playfully remarked, lightly punching Naruto.

They continued their video game session, laughing and joking with each other. It was a delightful evening, yet Hinata couldn't help but wonder what was truly transpiring between Sasuke and Sakura.