Sarada sat alone at the oak conference table, her anxious knee bouncing nonstop. She was so nervous that she got to the layout meeting way too early. They would be reviewing her issue in a matter of minutes, and she wasn't sure if her fragile heart could endure the expected criticism.
In the top corner of her notebook, Sarada doodled a few little, scribbly storm clouds, trying to distract her mind and pass the time. She hated the way even the bolts of lightning reminded her of him.
While drafting her new cover story and going through the editing process over the past week, all she did was think about her feelings for Boruto. And his feelings (or lack thereof) for her. An anxious feeling knotted in her stomach as Sarada wondered what he'll think when he finally reads her article.
If he reads her article.
She sighed at the thought. Surely he would read it, right?
Her doubtful musings were interrupted as her colleagues began filing into the conference room and claiming their seats. She schooled her features into a smile, hoping it didn't look too forced.
Karin took her seat at the head of the table and a moment later the cover of that week's issue flashed up on the big projector screen. All eyes in the room looked at the handsome portrait of Boruto with the words "Lovestruck by Bolt" printed boldly beside him.
It wasn't the first time Sarada had seen the cover, but she could feel her heart rate accelerating in nervous anticipation as Karin asked for last-minute comments on her cover story. She braced herself for the judgment or snickers from her colleagues, but they never came.
She was praised for the non-traditional angle of her article, her thoughtful writing style, and the overarching narrative. Even so, Sarada exhaled a sigh of relief when they finally moved on and it was like any other layout meeting.
A soft squeeze on her arm had Sarada turning to the side. With all her anxiety consuming her thoughts, she hadn't noticed Mitsuki was sitting beside her. "I hope he likes it," he whispered, offering her a soft smile.
"Me too."
When the meeting concluded, the usual chatter picked up between her colleagues. A few of them wished her congratulations on getting through her first cover story as they stepped out of the conference room. But even with their approval, Sarada lingered in her chair, watching as Karin packed up.
Once they were the only two left in the room, she pushed herself up to stand. Her boss glanced up at her, observing her obvious hesitation.
"Do you really think my article was okay?" Sarada asked sheepishly, searching for one last confirmation.
"I certainly wouldn't put it in my magazine if it wasn't good," Karin affirmed. She straightened up a stack of papers before returning her gaze to Sarada's. "But are you okay? I realize now why it took you so long to produce the other article if this is how you felt... I apologize if you felt I pushed you in that direction."
"No, no, it's alright," Sarada replied with a shake of her head. "I think I wasn't being honest with myself for some time, but I should've vocalized that I was uncomfortable much sooner, that was my fault."
Karin nodded as she pushed up her glasses. "So, have you scheduled your meeting with Tsunade Senju at The Times?"
"Oh," Sarada mumbled as squeezed her notebook tighter to her chest. "I didn't think she'd be interested in an article like this. I imagine she was expecting something more…" she trailed off, unsure of what Tsunade actually even expected of her cover story.
"Well, maybe just reach out to her when you get back from Kumo. She told me she would keep an eye out for your article and she's always true to her word."
"Okay," she mumbled, unsure what good that would do her.
The following morning, Sarada was up bright and early, zipping through Konoha's Central Station to catch the first train out to Kumogakure that morning. Other travelers and the daily commuters littered the halls, the coffee shops, and the newsstands.
Sarada couldn't help the way her dark eyes gravitated to every person with a copy of Athletics Illustrated in their hands as she made her way toward the platform. Maybe it was the fact that Boruto's face was on the cover and she already couldn't escape thoughts of him, or maybe it was the possibility that they were reading her cover story at that very moment.
It was a weird cocktail of emotions, both excited that the readers seemed intrigued enough to buy this week's issue, but she simultaneously felt embarrassed and exposed because she laid her heart out for anyone and everyone to see (and judge).
She considered asking one of her colleagues to trade her stories this week so she could avoid covering the Kumogakure Invitational, but at the same time, Sarada acknowledged that this was maybe her one opportunity to see Boruto again and ask what he thought about the article.
That was if she could confront him… which at that current moment Sarada was unsure if she'd be able to muster up the courage. She dreaded the prospect that he might look at her again with that same disdainful look in his blue eyes.
The train ride was smooth and uneventful, though she couldn't resist picking up a copy of Athletics Illustrated just to read her own article in print. It really was good, if she did say so herself, but honestly, all Sarada wanted to know was what Boruto thought.
After she dropped her bags off at the hotel and picked up her press badge, Sarada made her way over to the competition which was being held at Kumo's massive outdoor stadium. It was an overcast day, cloudy and a bit humid, but that was typical for Kumo.
She wore a light cardigan, only realizing afterward it was the same one she wore upon her first meeting with Boruto when he said he liked her "sexy librarian thing". Though she was embarrassed at the time, the memory brought a smile to her face, that first interaction really felt so long ago now.
As she trekked through the grand corridor of the busy stadium, armed with her notebook and credentials, Sarada noticed the usual Boruto fangirls buzzing with excitement. But what stopped her in her tracks was the sight of many of them wearing homemade t-shirts or holding signs claiming they too were "lovestruck" by him.
An amused smile tugged at her lips. She thought her title was clever but she hadn't imagined she would coin a phrase that may follow him.
Sarada made her way into the press lounge, picking up a coffee and a light snack, and began to mingle with the other journalists and tv reporters to see if she could get some insight on what notable races they were anticipating.
But every time she introduced herself, she was met with comments like "oh! the lovestruck girl!" or "wait! the one that's in love with Bolt Uzumaki?!" And even though the comments were accompanied by praise for her article, Sarada realized she coined a phrase that may very well follow her too.
Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment as she slipped out of the press lounge to find a seat in the stands. It seemed that instead of hard-hitting journalistic brilliance, the name Sarada Uchiha would now be associated with the pathetic girl who publicly declared her love for a world-famous athlete who (probably) didn't even feel the same.
Great…
The excitement in the stadium was building with each race that passed and the athletes moving on to the finals were buzzing with triumph. Sarada tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear as she scribbled in her notebook, trying to find the right descriptors for the contagious feeling.
She was glad she had covered the Kirigakure Qualifier as it helped her become more familiar with some of the participating athletes as well as which events were the big crowd-pleasers. The distance events, the relays, and the hurdles all had their fair share of applause, but it seemed the sprints were always what got the crowd on the edge of their seats.
Sarada sat up a little straighter when Boruto's signature event was announced. The 100 meters. It was the shortest race, but it was reserved for the fastest of the fast. Her dark eyes flickered over the faces of the athletes as they began lining up for the first heat.
In lane four, stood Boruto, looking as handsome as ever, doing a few last-minute stretches. He flashed a brilliant smile up at the crowd eliciting several shrill screams of excited admiration from his fangirls.
Sarada wasn't sure how she would feel when she inevitably faced him again, but the mere sight of him made her heart flutter. She thought she might feel nervous or scared when she saw him, but it was more like longing. As the athletes readied themselves on the starting blocks, she realized after their fallout she longed to have one of his smiles directed at her again.
The next moment the starting gun fired and they were off. Boruto and the others sprinted down the track neck and neck. The top three all finished so close it was hard to distinguish the winner. Sarada's hopeful gaze darted over to the jumbo screen to see the final times.
She exhaled a sigh of relief at the sight of Bolt Uzumaki at the top of the list, just milliseconds above the rest. It was only the qualifier, but a smile stretched across her lips at the knowledge that Boruto would be happy he finished at the top of his heat.
As the cheering of the crowd began to simmer, Sarada's attention returned to her notebook and she began packing up her belongings. The humidity had her sweating despite sitting for the past few hours and she needed to freshen up before the party that evening.
But her hands suddenly froze at the sound of a reporter's voice over the loudspeaker. Dark eyes glanced up at the jumbo screen in time to watch a perky reporter approach Boruto. "You were really great out there, Bolt!"
"Thank you so much!" He was smiling but still slightly out of breath from his race, a sweat towel rested over his shoulders.
"With a win like that, how are you feeling going into the final round of competition tomorrow?"
Boruto ran a hand through his tousled blonde hair as the reporter held her microphone up to him. "Glad to have this first race done. I'm feeling prepared and feeling energized by all the fans' support. I'm definitely not letting off the gas and planning on turning in a great time in the finals."
"And we wish you the best of luck! Well, we know you have to move on, but I can't let you go until I get the answer to the question on everyone's minds!" the reporter smiled brightly.
Sarada unconsciously held her breath, knowing what was coming.
"This week's issue of Athletics Illustrated featured a cover story on you, but it reads more like a love letter. How do you feel about the author claiming she's lovestruck by you?"
A/N: eek! Sarada's cover story is finally out! how do you think Boruto will react?
we're getting into the final chapters of this fic! thank you so much for your continued support!