Chapter 24 : Always The Second One.

1 AM. Naruto's Old Apartment.

Sarada was alone in the living room. She was breastfeeding her baby on the sofa while watching TV. Suddenly, there was a sound of crashed window followed with a big stone destroying the floor of the apartment. Karuto was more than six months already. But, Sarada kept breastfeeding the baby anyway.

The event shocked Sarada and her baby immediately cried. Then when Sarada was trying to calm her baby, another stone, smaller one was thrown to her room from the window, creating another hole of the window.

Sarada immediately ran outside the apartment with her crying baby with her cellphone and called her husband. It took her so many times to reach her husband.

Naruto was exhausted that day. He was deeply asleep when Sarada called her so many times. It was Hinata who woke up first and saw Sarada's name on his phone. Hinata who was still pissed ignored the calls from Sarada on her husband's cellphone.

It took Sarada 10 missed calls before Naruto accepted her calls. "Hello?" He answered Sarada while being half awake.

"Darling, would you please come here?! There's someone throwing stones at the apartment and i don't know who they are! I'm so scared and Karuto won't stop crying!" Sarada cried and Naruto could her his crying baby in the background.

When he heard that. Naruto immediately sat up and left the bed. He dressed up in a white t-shirt and orange jogger. Hinata was also awake and she also sat up on the bed, looking at her husband with resentment in her eyes.

"Naruto-kun, what are you doing going to her place out of all sudden?" Hinata asked him. "Someone's throwing rocks to the windows of apartment," Naruto didn't say much, he immediately took his orange jacket and went to the apartment. Leaving Hinata alone on their bed.

When he arrived on the place, he saw Sarada looking frightened right outside their apartment, right on the hallway with Karuto in her arm. She was already wearing her sleeping pyjama in pink.

Naruto immediately ran into her and hugged her tight along with their baby. "Sshhh ... i'm here now," Naruto said to Sarada before kissing her forehead. They were waiting for fifteen minutes outside before coming back in.

Naruto could see that four rocks were thrown to the window, shattering it and also causing damage to the floor. In one of the rocks , there was a piece of paper with the words "GET OUT OF KONOHA,YOU SLUT!" on it.

"It must be those people who see you as a the villain in between me and Hinata," Naruto said while squatting to look even closer to the paper.

"You and Karuto can sleep in my house for tonight, let's pack your things and go while i text Sai to investigate what's going on right now," Naruto then picked his cellphone to text Sai about the incident.

Uzumaki Residence. 8 PM.

The dinner at Uzumaki's was awfully quiet. There were six people dining at the table. Four adults, one teenager and one child.

Karuto was sitting on Boruto's and Himawari's old baby table. The child was wearing an orange onesie with apron on his neck. Sarada was feeding the baby.

Hinata and Boruto couldn't stop gazing at Sarada feeding Karuto using their old baby-chair. Their eyes were filled with hatred. First, because Karuto and Sarada were staying in their house. Second, it was because Karuto was using his old baby-chair.

Naruto couldn't help but to sit beside Karuto, with Sarada in front of him. He was so happy to see his youngest child to be close to him and Karuto was easy to be fed.

The Uzumaki family were eating salmon steaks that were cooked by Hinata. Sarada had offered to help but Hinata rejected her. She couldn't stand being close to the girl who fucked her husband.

Hinata was eating her salmon steak while staring at her husband and Karuto. She's jealous of Sarada and Karuto. She's especially jealous on how Naruto treated Karuto. It's like all of his attention was focused on that child.

Hinata quickly finished her foods and cleaned her plate. She then left the dining table without saying anything. Boruto also followed his mother's footstep by finishing his foods quickly. Himawari was the only one who actually liked Karuto. She thought that why should she hate a child. It's not like he was born because he wanted to. Himawari scooted closer after she finished eating dinner.

"Dad, can i feed Karuto as well?" Himawari smiled. The question made Naruto smiled too. He's happy that at least one of his children didn't hate Karuto. "Yes, you can," Naruto said while giving the spoon to his daughter. Though, Himawari and Sarada didn't talk much, she actually enjoyed feeding with Karuto.

Luckily for Naruto, nothing happened during dinner between his two wives. He thought that Hinata and Sarada would at least say mean things to each other. He sighed in relief.

That night, Naruto slept with Hinata. He wouldn't want to anger her by sleeping with Sarada in their house. He knew that Hinata was irritated deep inside. The dark haired Hyuga didn't say a word to him until they both on their bed. Naruto spooned his wife that night with him being the big spoon. "When will Sarada and Karuto get out of the house?" Hinata suddenly asked him, she didn't even face her husband. "I don't know when ... Depends on Sai's investigation on who did it," Naruto said. The man closed his eyes, he was sleepy already. "What?!" Hinata suddenly sat up, facing her husband who was still lying on bed. "You promised me that i would never have to share a house with that slut! As if it's not enough sharing my husband to her?!" Hinata snapped. "Hinata, please ... i beg you ... Sarada is a mother of my child and Karuto lives with her ... i can't endanger their lives by letting them to stay inside a dangerous place," Naruto sat up and begged his wife, he held his wife's shoulder with his hands and looked at her into her eyes. There was a moment of silence between the two of them. Hinata gazed at her husband, it was the same blonde hair and blue eyes she loved but it felt as if it's a different person compared to the Naruto she had fell in love with since she was a child.

"You changed ... you changed so much," Hinata started to cry. She shrugged Naruto's hands off of her shoulder. "I don't want to live in the same house with Sarada and Karuto, if you still love me, you will make them leave immediately," Hinata said. Naruto was silent.

"Let me think of what i can do to keep them safe without having to stay in our house," Naruto said. "If you don't kick her out of this house immediately, i will be the one who will tell her to get out of this house," Hinata said with her lavender eyes glaring at his.

That night, Naruto went inside Sarada's bedroom or the guest bedroom. He immediately turned on the lamp. Waking the young woman up.

"What is it, darling?" Sarada rubbed her eyes and put on her glasses. The black haired beauty rose up from the bed. Her body was covered with a soft blue t-shirt and a comfortable blue-white legging. Naruto pulled the girl's arm down to sit on the bed as he sat beside her. She knew that he was going to talk to her some stuff that perhaps would disappoint her.

"Sarada-chan, do you mind if we move back to the apartment in few days if i renovate the apartment's windows with bulletproof windows and trellis?" Naruto gulped. "Is that it?" Sarada asked her man. "Yes," Naruto nodded. But, it still made the girl felt uneasy.

"Do you ask me this in the middle of the night because Hinata asked you to?" Sarada ousted her uneasiness. Naruto stayed silent. He didn't even look Sarada in the eyes.

"Oh i see," Sarada said. Naruto realized that Sarada knew the answer of the question. He immediately hugged the young girl, tight. He knew that she loved to be embraced the most.

"It is okay, i understand, this is supposed to be her house after all," Sarada was holding back her tears. Pretending that she was alright with Naruto following Hinata's order. As a warning sign for her, that she could still influence Naruto anytime she wanted to.

"I love you, Sarada-chan," Naruto whispered to her ear while hugging her tightly. He then kissed her lips before he left the room and turned off the lamp.

That night, she cried again to sleep.

The next morning, the Uzumaki family had a breakfast together.

Boruto, Himawari, Hinata, Sarada, Karuto and Naruto were eating at the same table.

Hinata cooked her children and her husband mackarel miso set with rice. She served them their foods except for Sarada. Sarada could only eat cereal that morning. She wasn't allowed to touch Hinata's kitchen, except the refrigerator.

They were quiet. But, when Boruto opened his mouth, it all ended. "Dad, when will my step mother leave this house?" The blonde boy scoffed. He smirked at her with the intent of putting her down, his gaze that made Sarada felt very inferior. "Maybe after the renovation," Naruto said. Hinata immediately side-eyed her husband, without her realizing, those veins surrounding her eyes started to protrude. "Maybe?" She dissed her husband. Sarada could feel the tension between them already.

They all hated her there.

Sarada couldn't even have the guts to look at them, she diverted her focus to Karuto. The young girl kept on feeding her baby with the food puree. Naruto could sense Sarada's discomfort. He could only look at her with pity. But, he knew that Hinata would certainly leave him, with all of his assets too, if he didn't comply to her. He couldn't lose Hinata.

After they finished their breakfast, Himawari left the house and Boruto went upstair because he had left something there, while Hinata was cleaning their dishes(except Sarada's and Karuto's), Naruto pulled Sarada's arm to find a corner in his house and talked to the girl. "Sarada-chan, is it okay if you and Karuto stay at the hotel first during the renovation?" Naruto asked Sarada. It was obvious in Sarada's gaze that she felt sad, uncomfortable, that Naruto would still agree with his first wife that old woman's request. Sarada pulled her arm away from Naruto, she fixed her glasses and told him "You don't have to worry, i'll get out of this house today, i'll find a place to live by my own."

"Sarada-chan, i'm still your husband, it is my duty to take care of you and Karuto," Naruto said to the young girl. She didn't reply. Instead she carried Karuto with her to the guest room and locked the door. Naruto was chasing her but the girl was already inside the bedroom, locked there with their son. "I'll book you a hotel, alright? So, tonight we can sleep there," Naruto said from right outside the guest room.

Aesthetic Clinic of Konoha. 11 AM.

It was a fairly dimmed room with the view of a mini fountain in a mini garden outside the big window. Sakura was leaning down on a bed and on top of her there's a towel that covers her body and only exposed her clavicles and her neck and her face.

A woman in her fifties came inside the room. She was wearing an all soft blue costume. Her body was plump and her skin was really pale and smooth.

She turned on the lamp to inspect Sakura's skin. "Sakura sensei your skin is so dry lately, have you been drinking so much alcohol lately?" The aesthetician said. "Ah ... yes," Sakura confessed. "That is a bad habit, sensei," the aesthetician told her. "I will try to reduce my consumption," Sakura replied while she closed her eyes, enjoying her massage.

She needed the massage so badly. Her life felt like she's being pulled down in the harshest way. Alcohol was always her way to cope with stress but at that point, even she herself didn't think that alcohol would help her in numbing the emotional pain she's experiencing with her daughter marrying Naruto and being hated by the whole village and Sasuke being incredibly angry at Sarada.

She cared for Sarada. She also cared for Karuto, her grandchild. She wanted to help her raising him. Sarada's a mere teenager. What does she know about raising a baby?

But, at the same time, she ought to agree with Sasuke. Sasuke thought that it was a punishment for Sarada for having an affair with a married man, their best friend, a popular figure in Shinobi world, and then ended up having his child. Sure, he had married her. But, what would happen to Sarada's future? She's only his second wife.

She was disappointed, very disappointed at Naruto. She trusted him. They trusted him. Including the moment when Sakura and Sasuke let Sarada to become the his assistant, to let him train their little girl. Instead, he slept with her, a teenager, a child. They were angry at him. When she heard the news, she wished she could break Naruto's neck but when Sarada revealed that she was pregnant, the wish disappeared. Knowing how headstrong her daughter was, she knew that Sarada would never abort the baby. She couldn't let her daughter be a single mother. She knew how hard it was raising a child alone and she was a married woman. She couldn't imagine how hard it would be for Sarada to raise a baby as a teenager alone, along with the stigma of her being "the slut who ruined Nanadaime's marriage".

Sakura remembered all the years she had gone through raising Sarada. She always questioned if there's something wrong with her that caused her daughter to be like that? Didn't she forget to tell her that it was never right to covet a person who already belongs to someone? She remembered she told her that it was never right to steal or snatch anything that didn't belong to her. She was always a good child, an obedient one, she was never a rebellious child, she was a straight A student, why could this happen to her life? Why?

But, she still loved her daughter, very much and she is actually against what her husband thought that it's the right treatment for Sarada.

"Sensei, your phone keeps on ringing," Sakura's aesthetician woke Sakura up. The pink haired woman opened her eyes and reached her phone, still with bandana on her head, exposing all of her face.

Sakura then checked on her phone. It was text messages and missed calls from Sarada.

Mama, my apartment was being terrorized and these people threw rocks at my apartment with papers that have SLUT written on them. So, i had to move to Naruto's house. There were Hinata and Boruto and Himawari too there and i couldn't bear how they treat me. I need to move out from here. Can i and Karuto sleep at my own bedroom?

Sarada's text immediately caused Sakura to go to toilet and called Sarada.

"Yes, Sarada, you can stay in our house," Sakura said, ignoring Sasuke's wish to keep their daughter away from them, as a lesson for her.

The aesthetician was gazing at Sakura with judgment in her eyes. That's what you get for snatching someone's wife. She thought that Sarada, this famous husband snatcher was being kicked out by the Hokage, or at least she was having a fight with him.

Sakura kept on nodding and said "Yes" before ending the phone-call. After she ended her phone-call, the aesthetician interrupted her.

"Maam, are you ready to continue your facial?" She asked with a smile on her face. "Yes," the pink haired medic nin replied.

Uchiha Residence. 8 PM.

Sarada had already moved to her parents' house. She felt so relaxed there. She felt like she could be the girl she was. On the couch, she could watch the TV while Sakura being the one who took care of Karuto. Sakura couldn't stop playing with Karuto. She found her grandchild to be really cute. She played peek a boo and the child would giddily smile at her.

"Oh how i miss you, my little baby," Sakura then carried the baby and sang a lullaby while she was rocking him to sleep. "What the hell?" Sasuke's voice surprised the ladies and the baby too. The man had just come home from in-town investigation. He was shocked when he saw Sarada and Karuto inside his house.

Sasuke immediately pulled Sarada's arm, causing the girl to stand up from the sofa. "What are you doing here?! You have your own place now! You shouldn't be here!" He yelled at her. "Sasuke!" Sakura was the one who grabbed Sasuke's wrist, tightly, very tightly, will all of her energy, until Sasuke let go of Sarada's arm. It left bluish-red mark on Sarada's arm and Sasuke's wrist. It was silence between the adults but Karuto kept on crying. Sarada immediately picked crying Karuto from Sakura's arm and rocked her body.

"We had a deal that we wouldn't let Sarada sleep in our house!" Sasuke yelled to Sakura. "Are you crazy? Are you even her father?" Sakura pointed her finger to his face. "Do you know what happened to her? Do you even care about what happened to our child and our grandchild?" Sakura yelled at Sasuke. "People were throwing rocks at her apartment! And she can't even stay at Naruto's house because Hinata and her children were harassing her and that shit of a Hokage of course defended his first wife!" With Sakura yelling and screaming frantically at Sasuke, Sasuke eventually stayed silent. "Do you want our daughter and our grandchild get hurt? For God's sake! She's a teenager with a baby!" Sakura continued. "Alright," Sasuke calmed down, while looking at his wife's heavy breathing. "She can stay here until she can live somewhere safer," Sasuke said.

Uchiha Residence. 6 AM.

The next morning, Sarada prepared breakfast for her parents and Karuto. Sakura certainly looked happy with Sarada's breakfast while Sasuke didn't say anything. They enjoyed the complete set of rice and fish she had provided for them. Then, the young girl joined her parents' breakfast while feeding Karuto as well. Sakura had such nice mood, but, not until Sasuke asked a very weird question.

He was putting rice with his chopstick to his mouth at the same time when he was glaring at Sarada while asking her "Was it you yourself who made it looked like people threw stones inside your apartment?" Both Sarada and Sakura were surprised when he asked that.'

"You know you can't lie to me, i immediately talked to Sai yesterday," Sasuke said.

Author's Note :

Not exactly a chapter with a punchline though, i have to apologise for that.

To answer the question, Hinata was angry at both Naruto and Sarada. Not only Sarada though. Writing this pathway is harder for me than writing the other pathway. Actually, i really want to write the other pathway instead, since i'm completely done with the whole storyline and i had written the ending too... I will probably write it down ... if i have the time.

Thank you for the comments! I wish that you'd review/comment some more so i can have more motivation to continue this fiction.