It was still the early morning, the sky was a saturation of rosy pink and scarlet. She shut the small gate behind her as she crept to the front door of her home. Her mother was cooking breakfast, she could smell the miso broth and rice from the outside. Growling, her stomach demanded to go to the kitchen; she peaked behind the corner, noticing her mom was humming sweetly to herself. Something she only ever did when dad was home, which told Sarada that he was upstairs asleep.

"Good morning," she greeted as she sat at the table. She reached for the newspaper as she read began to skim the comics. Sakura turned and offered a small smile,

"Where were you last night? Your father didn't mention you had a mission." Unconsciously, her hands balled in fists with paled knuckles at the mention of him,

"I wouldn't expect him to," she responded with a tight lip. Sakura although a little concerned with where her daughter was last night, she made the temporary decision to let it go. Ladling some of the soup in a bowl with rice in another, she brought it to her daughter.

"Come on, I know when you're upset. Tell me, what's going on?" Sakura asked as she took the seat next to her. Sarada poured them both a cup of tea,

"It's nothing I can't handle."

"That may be the case, but just because you are seventeen doesn't mean you have to handle everything on your own. That's what I'm here for, you take that away from me and I wouldn't have a job." Sarada chuckled as the rice tickled her throat. Her mom wasn't just her mother, but also truthfully her best friend. Checking by the doorway and using her sharingans, she didn't detect that foul man. She returned her gaze to her mother,

"Dad completely embarrassed me in front of Naruto yesterday, and I just didn't feel like coming home to relive it over again." Sakura sat in attentive silence as her daughter regaled her story, offering a comment or a head nod at the appropriate intervals. There was no surprise in her mother's expression at the mention of her affection for Boruto. A mother's intuition was thrice fold the power and perception of a byakugan or sharingan.

"In any case," Sarada concluded as she took the last sip of her soup, "we will never be on the same team again, which I understand that being a rule. But…" Her mother took her hand,

"You've been on the same team with him since you both made genin at 11. You went through the Chunin exams together twice, the grueling nature of Anbu…it's alright to be upset. You and he are closing this chapter, only to possibly open a new one." Sarada smiled at the idea of a new chapter, which left just as quickly as it had come when thinking of him leaving the village for an unforeseen amount of time.

"In regards to your father," Sakura sighed, "I think he most definitely could have phrased his sentiments better. Your father has never been good at communication." Then why do you stay with him? Sarada desperately wanted to know, but never would she say something so hurtful to her mother. "I can only imagine, that he may be feeling a little overprotective over his only daughter being in her first relationship." Sarada laughed heartily, unbelieving,

"Are we talking about the same Sasuke Uchiha? Last time I checked, you had to be protective over your child before overprotective. In fact, you actually have to care first-" her mother's expression changed sadly. This conversation would only go around in circles, and lead them both down a path that never produced a good feeling.

"If only you could understand how much he does care," Sakura kissed Sarada's forehead as she stood to do the dishes. She washed as Sarada dried in companionable silence, that is until her mother gave her an accusing look as she put the pieces of the story together,

"So…where were you last night?" Craning her neck at a ridiculous angle to see the clock, it was time for Sarada's most elaborate performance to get out as soon as possible,

"Is it really that late already?! Wow! Good talk mom, I gotta get to the Hokage tower soon to see what I have for today! I'll see you later!" She did a half gallop/half sprint as the door shut behind her,

"We're not done with this conversation!" Sakura shouted over her shoulder.

"It's astounding how love can cloud judgement and perception," Sasuke spoke from upstairs, as he made his way to the kitchen.

"In what way?" Sakura asked in hopes that he was referring to her in a romantic sense.

"Did she mention the rest of that story? Besides me being the bad guy? About how Boruto's life is in danger?"

(Back at the hospital)

"For the LAST time!" Boruto practically shouted, much to his sister's and mother's mirthless smiles, "You both cannot use your byakugans when we are playing an innocent game of Hanafuda!" The gorgeously painted cards littered the bed; his sister adding up her numerous points with her stylus, grinning fiercely,

"You lose again, big brother with a sad total of 10! Mom you won with 205, and I came in second with 155!" Himawari giggled as she began shuffling the cards for another game, "And who said we were using our byakugans? You cannot blame your shortcomings at cards on others and their abilities." Boruto effortlessly flicked his cards as shurikens at her, as she dodged with ease,

"How I'd love to spar with you right now, little sister." He growled playfully. Hinata couldn't help but smile adoringly at her children.

"Too bad you're all bandaged up like an old man with a rash," she teased.

Again, he was reminded painfully the reason he was in the hospital as once more a strong spasm tunneled through his core, tightening his flow of chakra. Reaching desperately with his bandaged arm flailing around, he grabbed the leather belt by his bedside as he tore at it mercilessly with his teeth to keep his vocalizations at bay. His mother and sister watched helplessly, each of them wishing they could take the pain themselves instead of watching him suffer through it.

The 3 minutes that the convulsion lasted felt like 3 weeks to Boruto; his core eventually released the tension as he finally could relax breathlessly. A layer of sweat glistened upon his forehead as he lay his head back on the pillow,

"I didn't mean what I said," Himawari spoke sheepishly, and this only caused Boruto to laugh,

"Well that's a relief. I'm glad you don't think of me as a rashy old man just yet."

"Don't feel pressured to come to my Chunin ceremony on Saturday, I think you should just rest." She spoke with concern.

"Himawari," he spoke, "it would take a lot more than this for me not to come, believe it. I'm not missing it for the world. Besides, Lady Tsunade is letting me leave that morning." His sister jumped up and down with excitement,

"That's good, because I already told all of my friends you were coming! The girls think you're cute, and the guys think you're cool!"

"Is that so?" He asked as he couldn't help but roll his eyes dramatically, "I must see to my fans and admirers."

"What would Sarada say to that?" Hinata couldn't help it. Immediately Boruto blushed, a sun began to set on his cheeks,

"You know?"

"Of course we know!" Himawari squeaked, as she broke down in laughter, "You're an idiot sometimes you know that, big brother?"