Triple the Love, Triple the Trouble

Chapter 12

Breaking news today, the former Heir of Hyuga Industry, Hinata Hyuga, found herself caught in a whirlwind of engagements. According to sources, Hinata was initially betrothed to Sasuke Uchiha, but due to a lack of evidence, her father, Hiashi Hyuga, orchestrated her engagement to Toneri Ōtsutsuki, the future CEO of Ōtsutsuki Corporation. The television broadcast of this news elicited gasps throughout the room. As Hinata was busy cooking, she rushed to the TV to catch the latest updates.

"I empathize with Hinata. She must have been thrilled about being with Sasuke. But ladies, it seems our charming bachelor is single once again!" announced the female host of the show, prompting a frenzied reaction from the audience. Hinata rolled her eyes in annoyance, finding the shallow nature of the news disheartening.

The program continued, stating, "According to sources, Hinata and Sasuke have been in an 'engagement' for some time, or at least that's what they claim. So it turns out our charming bachelor wasn't as unattached as we thought."

Meanwhile, Hinata's phone incessantly rang with missed calls and text messages from her concerned friends. Panic set in as she realized they must have heard the news and assumed something was amiss. They already believed she was dating Naruto, and now they would jump to the conclusion that she was engaged to Sasuke and subsequently Toneri. Nervously biting her nails, Hinata pondered how she would explain the situation to her friends.

The front door creaked open, revealing Naruto and Sasuke entering the room. "Did you guys see the news?" Naruto asked, rubbing his forehead.

Turning to face them, her heart racing with anxiety, Hinata replied, her voice slightly trembling, "Yes, I saw it."

As the TV show continued in the background, the host announced, "Oh my god, did you guys hear? Hinata was also with Naruto while she was engaged to Sasuke! The drama is insane. Maybe Hinata isn't the 'innocent' girl we all thought she was."

Internally groaning, Hinata felt a headache coming on. "I don't know how they found out. Only Ino and Sakura knew about me dating Naruto. This is a disaster."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow, looking at Hinata with concern. "Are you okay?"

Shaking her head, tears welling up in her eyes, she replied, "No, I'm not okay. Everyone thinks I'm engaged to Toneri now. My friends probably think I'm a cheater."

Naruto placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Hey, don't worry about it. We know the truth. That's all that matters." Sasuke nodded in agreement.

"This is so complicated. How do we set the record straight?" Hinata asked, still nervously biting her nails.

"We could simply tell the truth," Sasuke shrugged. Naruto and Hinata both raised their eyebrows in surprise.

"Do you really think revealing the truth would help this situation? They would probably think Hinata is selfish for wanting two men in her life," Naruto said, shaking Sasuke's shoulders.

Sasuke pushed him off and crossed his arms. "It's better than them thinking she's a cheater," he retorted.

Naruto pondered it for a moment. "I mean, that might be better, but I wouldn't want any negative publicity for Hinata," he stated honestly.

"There are many people in polyamorous relationships. Besides, if we tell the truth, it would demonstrate our support for it," Sasuke argued.

"No, let's just wait for this to blow over. Perhaps it will disappear," Hinata suggested, beginning to pace the room.

Sasuke leaned against the wall, wearing a contemplative expression. "I don't think it's going to fade away so easily," he remarked, his eyes scanning the room. "The media thrives on scandals, and this one is just too enticing to ignore."

Naruto nodded in agreement. "He's right, Hinata. We need to take action before things spiral out of control."

Hinata stopped pacing and faced them. "What do you propose we do?"

Sasuke uncrossed his arms and walked over to her. Placing a hand on her shoulder, he said, "As I said, we tell the truth. We come forward and disclose that Hinata is in a polyamorous relationship with both of us, and that we are all content with this arrangement."

Frowning, Hinata voiced her concerns, "I'm not sure if that's a good idea. People will judge us."

Sasuke's hand tightened on her shoulder. "They will judge us regardless. By being honest, we can control the narrative."

Naruto chimed in, "He's right, Hinata. We can't let the media twist this into something it's not."

Sighing, knowing they made valid points, Hinata reluctantly agreed, "Okay, let's do it. But we need to be prepared for the backlash."

Sasuke smirked. "I think we can handle it."

Naruto grinned. "Yeah, we're a pretty badass team."

Unable to suppress a smile, Hinata responded, "Okay, let's do this."

Sasuke pulled out his phone and initiated a live stream. The viewer count rapidly increased from a few hundred to millions. Adjusting the camera, he ensured that all three of them were in frame. "Hello, everyone!" Naruto greeted, wrapping an arm around both Hinata and Sasuke. "We wanted to address some rumors that have been circulating and set the record straight. Hinata and I are in a relationship, but I am also involved with Sasuke, and Sasuke is involved with Hinata. We are in a polyamorous relationship," he explained.

The comment section of the live stream exploded with activity as viewers hurriedly typed, attempting to keep up with the shocking revelation. "Regrettably, Hinata's father arranged her engagement with Toneri, which led Sasuke to devise a plan to put an end to it," Naruto added.

Naruto looked into the camera with a serious expression. "We want to make it abundantly clear that Hinata was never unfaithful to anyone. We entered this relationship with consent, love, and respect for one another. Regarding the engagement, we are doing everything in our power to prevent it. Hinata deserves to be with the people she loves, not someone she was forced to marry."

The comment section continued to flood with both support and criticism. While some people were pleased to see a healthy representation and defense of a polyamorous relationship, others condemned the trio for their choices.

As Hinata's phone rang once more, she excused herself from the room and retreated to her own space. Answering the call, she heard Sakura's voice on the other end. "Hello?" Hinata stuttered, but Sakura interrupted with anger. "So, when were you planning on telling me??" she demanded. "Sak-" Hinata tried to interject, but Sakura refused to listen. "Don't. I don't want to hear some lame excuse. You know I had feelings for him! You knew, yet you were secretly involved with him behind my back," Sakura yelled.