Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to the author.


Five days had then passed through at a blink of an eye. Welcomed by the bright light over the gates, three elongated shadows began moving from the walkway in the centre of Konoha. Unlike those who walked around for a short business or leisure around the transforming village, the owners of the shadows had a different objective together.

"Let's get a burger before moving on, Sarada." Boruto requested.

He was then faced by a sour-faced Sarada "Boruto, we need to be at the station to get our Chunin Exams qualification sheets from Sarutobi-sensei by noon. Getting a burger's gonna slow us down!"

"Says who? A burger's what we all need before the big day." Boruto argues with his foot stomped as his guard against the unbreakable wall.

"And that burger's going to go into and turn you from a turtle to a slowpoke in our journey. And then we'll end up missing Konohamaru-sensei and the train at the station!"

"You're exaggerating, Sarada! It's just food. Even Chocho's quick on her foot!" Boruto tried to defend his side but only to sense a dark aura behind his back.

Having a hint from the distressed Sarada and Mitsuki in front, the blonde robotically turned to face the nonchalant Shikadai, worried Inojin and a very infuriated Chocho behind. Weight and food have become an unwritten taboo together among the peers for the sake of the sensitive Akimichi, if she is not the first to talk about it. If so, chaos and disaster would unleash on the poor victim. Realizing her presence, Boruto quickly stepped back in fear.

"What bout me and food, Boruto?" Chocho glared with such evil.

Those words had the Uzumaki shivering on his toes. As expected, Sarada and Mitsuki were just leaving the blonde at Chocho's mercy.

"Hm! Serve him right!" Sarada shrugged.

"Hm…it's going to be interesting…" Mitsuki kept his eyes at the 'interesting scene' in front.

"Ehm…Well…I…I'm…just saying that food's never at fault when it comes to…ehm…speed! That's it!" Boruto simply blurted all in his mind with a hope of escape.

Surprisingly, Chocho seemed content to those words and passed through Team Konohamaru while humming with chips. Sarada was shocked at her friend's blank action, Mitsuki being curious and Boruto grateful for the given mercy.

"What's wrong with Chocho?" Sarada asked, which Yamanaka Inojin stepped forth with her answer.

"Seems like she dreamt about losing her food supply during the exam."

"Hm, I would expect that."

"But…she's also worried about the exam."

"Heh?" Sarada uttered her surprise since Chocho is the least enthusiastic, after the next speaker in their team.

"Since we're going to be fighting in Suna, we'll be at the disadvantage for landscape and adaptation. Forget that, that cloaked guy with a puppet is going to participate probably." Shikadai spoke with his hands crossed under the tied spiky hair.

Sarada murmured with such sternness in her eyes "Puppet…His name is Shinki, right?"

Shinki… That aloof Suna shinobi in a dark cloak with a skeleton head sticking out. To the Konoha genins, he was one of the few to stand out in the previous exam who can turn his clock into sand and manipulate a skeleton-looking puppet. What surprised the group was him holding his ground against the mighty Metal Lee during the second round.

"Are you worried about the exam, Sarada?" Inojin asked.

Sarada snapped at his soft voice and replied quickly with her fists slammed together "N-No! Not at all! I just can't wait for the whole thing to start!"

Inojin sighed at the common reaction he has seen over the years but one sight caught his attention "Sarada, what's with the bandages around your arm?"

Sarada gasped. She should have kept her calm about the white bandage wrapped from her fingertips to her left shoulder, only to have the black arm-warmer to cover over most of it. Yet, it is hard to hide from a group of friends who happen to possess such sharp sight.

"Ah, it's just minor injuries from training. Nothing to be concerned of. Come on, Mitsuki, Boruto, we have to go!" Sarada tried to shrug the conversation away with a forceful smile but found only Mitsuki standing where he should be a minute ago. The yellow target appeared to be missing on sight, giving Sarada a sense of confusion.

Understanding Sarada's blankness, Mitsuki gave a short reply "He said he'll be back with Chocho and burgers for us too."

"Eh?" Sarada and Inojin murmured their shock but Shikadai sighed at such outcome.

"Baka Boruto…" Sarada muttered the name with fury enveloping her eyes and fists. The fiery aura had the three remaining boys stepping aside to leave Boruto at the next mercy.


"A…an…ta…"

A pair of mismatched eyes revealed his mind to a dark abyss. It was pure darkness with eeriness sustained in the black world. Only a light gasp echoed throughout the hollow but that did not stop Uchiha Sasuke from regaining a quick composure. A past experience in such hollow with a certain snake was the catalyst of that lack of fear he had while standing still in midst of the place.

"…ta…nata…"

The man turned around to see the weak voice echoing at his back. Within the dark, there laid a pink-haired woman sitting lifelessly on the floor with two bundles in her hands. What caught his attention was a bloody baby hand hanging over the wrapped bundle and tears continued rolling over her cheeks like waterfalls. Only then, the head rose slowly to show a tearful Sakura with a hint of disbelief and hatred in those emeralds.

"Why…? Why…?"

"Sakura…why are you here? And those…" The disbelieved Uchiha questioned without a stutter.

"Why…?" The emeralds continued to glare, throwing blame to the other side, without any doubt in her words. "I love you so much…and yet…"

"Sa…" His call was eventually overwhelmed by the rough cries of blame.

"HOW COULD YOU DO IT!?"


A sharp ache in the head forced Sasuke to immediately rise from the bed with his sole hand reaching out for the emerging sweat on his forehead. The dilated onyx was filled with disbelief, while continuous gasps echoed in the master bedroom. As he slowly regulated his breath, Sasuke stared at his hand while recalling the nightmare of a teary Sakura with bloody bundles in her hand.

Including the dreadful scene, the sorrowful cries were the worst he has ever seen from her. The dark sight was so painful that the Uchiha actually felt a slight fear of watching the nightmare turning into a future truth. Nevertheless, it would never come true. He knew it as impossibility with his desire to retain the peaceful present.

The sound of ceramic plates chinking and water rushing out of an opening was enough to drown his worries. They were his energy to bring him off the bed and left the room to see the lively matriarch wiping her hands with the long apron. Such a sight was captivating to the Uchiha.

To see that soft glints in her sea green eyes and smooth pink locks falling out her ears were enough for him to forget about the nightmare. However, being Uchiha Sasuke means being oblivious on the outside.

But that was what Sakura used to over the years throughout her feelings for him.

Feeling a familiar presence, Sakura looked up to see her husband and greeted him brightly "Ah, ohaiyo, anata. Did you have a good rest?"

"Ah." He nodded with a white lie as he approached the dining table and Sakura preparing his breakfast meal on the table. Once she finished filling a bowl of soup, Sasuke immediately took it away and did the same with the other dishes from her hands to the table.

Sakura then pouted "I could have done that, you know."

"And let you panic like that day? It's better to leave them to me, and that includes washing." Sasuke calmly spoke before sipping in the warm soup. Sakura sighed at her equally stubborn husband, even though she was secretly happy of the reduced chores.

"Where's Sarada?"

"She already left the house to Sunagakure."

"This early?" He was shocked at his daughter being a better early bird than himself.

"She said that it's better to be early than late. She just has a feeling that something might cause them to be late. That's why she left early with Mitsuki-kun."

The unexpected name had Sasuke to slightly choke at the soup, and that amused Sakura further.

"That…teammate of hers, you say, was here?"

"Mhm. I asked him to join us for breakfast, and he did. By the way, he is called Mitsuki."

"Sakura…shouldn't you at least be more aware of him since he is Orochimaru's son?"

"Well, you should know that Mitsuki-kun is not that person. As much as I would think of him as a possible spy or clone, the boy is still a separate human being and I can't be treating him differently as if they are the same."

That was generosity in Sasuke's dictionary. Hearing the Uchiha Shin's purpose for the reformed Akatsuki with his clones from Sakura had Sasuke to learn one more thing about her personality. And that is her ability to treat others indiscriminately. Whether if they were former enemies or allies, Sakura is turning to be a certain pacifist who cherishes life and former enemies are included as well. To hear her distaste of Shin's inhumane uses of his clones was anew to him.

But having Orochimaru to be part of it was also anew to him. The Uchiha knew that Sakura could never forgive the Sannin for his past deeds and he expected the same to his son. However, it was never true to begin with, by the looks of the situation now.

"Hn. That's not going to change a thing for me." Sasuke stood on his ground while having the last bite. He was not pleased at all by the fact that Sarada openly refused his offer to train her and that she has been training with Mitsuki all the time. The little thought of separating the two by force was not based on the feelings of wary, but the fatherly feelings to protect his precious daughter.

Unfortunately, that was what Uchiha Sasuke was unaware of.

Sakura, instead, was having a lifetime of amusement to hear her husband being uncomfortable with a boy next to Sarada.

"That's for sure. He's not happy that Sarada rather trains with Mitsuki-kun than him." Sakura giggled as she placed a final rice ball into a lunchbox.


With a click of a button, the pregnant kunoichi passed over a bento wrapped with a blue cloth to the Uchiha with a pleased smile. Sasuke noticed it and began questioning at the smile.

"What?"

"Nothing. It's just…I don't think I'll get used to this at all."

He knew the true meaning of those words. Sakura is a woman who flourishes one with love and also craves for love actively. Twenty years ago, he would be ignoring her open 'flirting' but now, Sasuke simply accepts them as he wishes.

While being filled with bliss to fulfil her role as a wife, Sakura then felt two points of pressure on her forehead. She lifted her head in surprise, only to see the man's back as he walked towards the door. With one hand on the heated forehead and the other on the enlarged belly, Sakura responded happily with a smile.

"Itterasshai, anata."

"Ittekimasu." Sasuke muttered with a hidden pleasure, before walking off to the Hokage office.


With a quick recall, Naruto had finally rearranged his whole thoughts after a great deal of meetings with the leaders of the search, interrogation and barrier team. The matter on Jashin became more serious after learning of the massacre Sasuke and also two more in the last five days.

Naruto deepened his frown at the photos of the scene and fixated at the bloody Jashin mark on the ground. The mark was a simple circle with an inner triangle but the meaning behind it brought the chills to many of the shinobis on site, from what he heard.

"Damn you Jashin. Wait til we catch you!"

"Naruto."

The Hokage looked up and sighed at the Uchiha who miraculously appeared in the office without a sound. Yet, he was used to such entrance even since he first returned from his journey of redemption.

"Ohaiyo, Sasuke. As usual, you're early."

"Ah. Have they found any lead on the cult?" Sasuke went straight to the point, which Naruto appreciated.

"Chouji and his team found traces of a recent campsite 50km from the village you found yesterday. It seems that either they're moving on to their next targets or they are aware of us now."

Sasuke remained contemplated between the two options. The former seemed more plausible than the latter. For the cult to be in their madness in the open, hiding from the open would be contradicting their possible reasons.

"Still, we're continuing the search around Konoha and Gaara's tightening the security around the exams."

"I see."

"Is there something bothering you, Sasuke?" Naruto asked out of concern.

"No."

"Hmmm. Then, mind if I ask for your help?"

"For what?" It was a slight surprise as the blonde in front of him rarely asks for something, other than his daughter's hand in marriage as a joke, which the Uchiha did not appreciate very well.

"…Be a supervisor of the Chunin Exams."


At the final horn, the train began to move along the newly-build rails towards the west of Konoha. As the wind breezed through the train in such a mess, the rushness did not affect Uchiha Sarada at the edge of the train.

"Sarada? Sarada!"

The kunoichi was startled by the call and turned to the caller. "What, Boruto?"

The blonde nonchalantly held out a wrapped burger to her. Sarada frowned at the item, being the utter blame of the day.

"Come on, Sarada. It's not like the exam starts right after we reach there. We still have time until tomorrow morning." Boruto stated the fact without any thought behind Sarada's true intention.

"You really don't get it, don't know, baka Boruto?"

"Huh?!" The Uzumaki murmured his annoyance at the call.

Mitsuki, sitting next to the door of their cabin, stepped in "Boruto, it's necessary to adapt in Suna's weather and plan a strategy to overcome it even if it's a day."

Boruto frowned at the golden-eyed boy and his acclaims, much to his annoyance.

"Mitsuki's right, baka Boruto. If we missed this train, we'll have to wait til the evening train and reach Suna at night…"

"Mooo, alright, alright, I got it! I got it!" Boruto yelled out to shut their complaints. It really annoyed him to the bones when Sarada and especially Mitsuki join forces to speak on his troublesome acts. He then watched Mitsuki approaching Sarada who was disgusted by the presence of dark pickles in her burger and switched with his that had pickles removed earlier.

"Damn it, since when are they this close?...Did he remove them earlier on purpose?...What's that for dattebasa!?" Boruto glanced at the two, who were oblivious at it and continued eating their respective burgers.

"What is it, Boruto?" Mitsuki asked as Sarada looked at Boruto straight in the eye.

Boruto became flushed after being caught and began devouring his own burger, unknowingly in anger. However, that anger had the large chunk of food to be trapped in his throat, forcing the Uzumaki to be choking for his life and his other two teammates to rush for his help.

"BORUTO!"

As the two tried to help Boruto to relieve the tightness in his throat, the door of their cabin was pushed to the side and a small figure, much to the two's surprise, hit Boruto's nape with a force that can be heard immediately. The impact however pushed the chunk out of the mouth and Boruto kneeled forth with all his energy exhausted. While Sarada exhaled in relief, Mitsuki turned to the small figure.

The 'figure' is a delicate-looking girl with asymmetrical, maroon hair and large pink eyes. judging by the presence of arm gauntlets and packs around her waist, Mitsuki knew at instant that she is a kunoichi.

"That's formidable for her to hit precisely to remove the food."

As the girl stood out with a sigh of relief, Sarada did the same and spoke "Thank you for your help…ehm…"

The unknown girl realised her intrusion into a stranger's cabin and bowed deeply in a 90 degree form. As she lifted her out for Team Konohamaru's view, she finally spoke with such liveliness in her voice.

"I'm sorry for the intrusion though. My name is Yuuma."


Hey everyone!

Thank you for the wait and sorry for the delay. From now on, I can't guarantee that the story will be updated every week BUT it is still continuing.

Again, thanx for the favs, follows and reviews^^ really appreciates them at this time around.

U could put this chapter as the 'prologue' before the Chunin Exams next. Just little fresh air with SasuSaku & BoruSaraMitsu XD And an OC appearance finally on stage!

I need ur suggestions also, for two things!

1- Which name would you guys prefer for the twins (Suisen, Sagiso, Saida, Shinya, Sakuya, Satsuya)? Help, I can't decide!

2- Are any known sites to upload own novel or manga? Just curious here

Thanks so much to everyone who support the story n hope u will continue to do so like follows, favs or reviews^^

Enjoy!