"So, this is goodbye."
Sarada tried to control the hurt in her tone by disguising it as anger, but her voice faltered and her disguise as well.
At seventeen, Boruto, now stood a foot or more taller than his closest friend, and well.. not exactly... his girlfriend. The relationship was not official due to an array of complicated feelings and stubborn denial on both ends of the spectrum— but that never stopped the fierce protectiveness and worst kept secret of adoration they each held for one another.
Boruto peered down to Sarada who had her arms folded and beautiful black eyes that were piercing through him.
"You make it sound like I'm never coming back." Boruto tried to joke to lighten her mood, but he sensed a dangerous spike in Sarada's chakra that he knew better than to test.
"That's not the point." Sarada bit back angry words.
If this was her last time seeing Boruto for two years, then she knew she'd regret it if she were mean to him. God forbid, something happen to him and their last encounter was a bad one. But... he should have at least told her. Boruto had known for months, while she had only found out a week ago from an overheard conversation between her Papa and the Seventh.
In fact, everyone around her knew that Boruto would be leaving with Sasuke for (an overdue) extreme and serious training and yet everyone failed to inform her of this. When Sarada had accidentally lost her temper upon overhearing the private chat between the Hokage and her father, she was coldly told that "it had nothing to do to with her", before she stormed off into the night. When Boruto heard the news of Sarada's adverse, but expected reaction he went after her. There was no more time for him to come up with a way to tell her , all that was left for him to do was clean up the mess he felt personally responsible for making— even if that wasn't completely true.
"It's like I told you. Don't worry about me. I'll be fine. I'm not that stupid anymore. I won't be reckless." He tried to smirk but failed due to the sadness welling up in his chest. "Plus, you'll have Konohamaru-sensei, Mitsuki, and even ChoCho. You won't miss me."
Sarada continued stare into Boruto's ocean blue eyes that overtime became her favorite color. When would she see them again? Two years felt like an unfathomable amount of time.
"Is two years really necessary?" She ignored his words choosing to ask the same question she'd asked the night she found out.
Boruto bowed his head, yellow locs covering his face, looking to the ground. "Sarada... it c.. it can't be helped." He toed the dirt beneath his shoe.
Over to the side, stood Sakura, Hinata, Naruto and Sasuke. Their parents tried to act as if they were busy saying their farewells and didn't see what was going on, but each and everyone on of them nervously eavesdropped as closely as they could without disrupting their privacy.
All the others, Himawari and their friends and sensei, had seen Boruto off yesterday with a celebratory going away party and said their heartfelt goodbyes and well wishes then. Everyone except, Sarada. She felt too hurt and betrayed to attend. She didn't want to ruin the good mood for the others sake and couldn't face Boruto knowing he would vanish the next day.
"But.. but.." Sarada's fist had balled up and her eyes clenched shut. "Boruto, no!" She shouted loudly.
Nearby birds in trees were disturbed and flew away and she gained the attention of their parents, but she didn't care. The thought was just too much to bare and seeing him all packed up and ready as if he didn't care about leaving his team behind— as if he didn't care about her... drove her crazy.
Her sudden outburst forced Boruto to quickly shift his gaze and acknowledge her. Sarada's face was tinged red and a soft stream of tears were now falling from behind her glasses. Boruto took in a sharp breath as if the sight before him physically pained him. It truly did.
"Sarada.." Boruto reached his hand out and placed it under her chin. Sparks went flying through his body, but he continued. "Sarada, look at me, ya know. It's not that I don't want stay with you..." His face turned red and Boruto swallowed the lump in his throat, "Team seven, but..." Boruto corrected himself and tried to explain that he understood what she must be thinking, but was cut off.
"But what?!" Sarada lifted her head atop Boruto's hand underneath her chin and her eyes fluttered open with a blazing Sharingan unintentionally activated.
Boruto longingly looked into Sarada's sharingan and willed himself not to start looking weak. Not because he was afraid of her, but because he felt her emotions too.
"Hn, let me guess. It has nothing to do with me?!" She sadly repeated the words that stung like knives the first time she'd ever heard them.
Back over near the gates, Sakura fought back her own tears and Hinata was in need of comfort from watching the drama between their children unfold. Usually, those two were far too embarrassed to be this close when others were around, especially their fathers. Oddly enough neither Boruto or Sarada seemed to care. Naruto gave Sasuke a worried glance, while the reminisce of Sakura and himself were almost too much for Sasuke to accept.
"Do you think we should do something?" Hinata squeezed Naruto's bandaged hand.
He didn't have an answer.
Meanwhile,
"You're wrong." Boruto replied, determination in his voice. "It has everything to do with you." He admitted, pulling Sarada closer to his body.
"I..I don't understand." Sarada squeaked out— shocked from his words and losing focus from being so close to the man she could never admit she loved.
Of all the things he could have said, not even her Sharingan could have predicted this. Her heart began to palpitate and the heat on her cheeks began to spread to her ears and down to her neck.
"You're gonna become Hokage someday. I want to- no- I'm going to be strong enough to protect you. I made a promise to you, remember? I'm going to keep it." Boruto confessed boldly and passionately. "I just need sometime."
"Oh, Boruto..." Sarada had never felt more honored in her whole life. She wanted to protest that he didn't have to protect her, that she could do it on her own but...
She thought the words Boruto said were what left her speechless, but what came next was what did her in. Boruto's lips met with her lips slowly and powerfully. She felt electric rush through her body and she couldn't keep her eyes open as she too, kissed Boruto back. Sarada leaned in on her toes and wrapped her small arms around the nape of Boruto's neck, pulling him closer to herself. Letting go her regards.
"Hey over there!" Sasuke shouted with a warning tone, only to be shushed by both his wife and Hinata. "Boruto!" Sasuke frowned trying to keep his composure.
When Sarada and Boruto refused to unlink in what the rest of the adults thought was a reasonable time, they began to worry.
"Sarada-chan, honey... I- I think that's enough." Sakura blushed as she called out to her child. Sakura looked to Sasuke who was fuming and held on to his arm; infusing a bit of chakra just in case, to hold him in place.
Sarada ignored her mother and Boruto just couldn't seem to unglued his lips from Sarada. This had been the first time they intentionally kissed and the kiss spoke for all the times where they couldn't just outright say how they felt for one another. This would also be the last time for two years.
"Naruto.. do something." Hinata nudged her husband feeling the exact same as Sakura. Boruto was being awfully bold, especially in front of Sasuke for this long, Hinata thought to herself.
"Oi, Boruto..." Naruto said sheepishly. "I'm happy for you and all but I don't think Sasuke's going to let you get away with this." Naruto wisely held back any fatherly pride for his son and approached them.
At the mention of Sasuke, Sarada pulled back and caught her breath. Her chest was moving up and down from the adrenaline alone and she looked up to Boruto whose face seemed permanently red now.
Sarada reached for her glasses to wipe them clean and then her face. When she placed them back on and her eyes adjusted, she couldn't help the small smile that purses on her lips.
"Wait for me?" Boruto scratched the back of his neck attempting to control his blushing and to go back to normal. But things would never go back to normal— they both knew that.
Sarada was about to respond but chose to nod her head in agreement instead. Besides, their parents were now surrounding them and she's pretty sure that was quite the show for them to have witnessed. She decided to spare them the extras.
"Well, I'm really going to miss you, Boruto. I remember when I went away for training with the Pervy Sage. I felt the same way only I was a little younger and I didn't have a girlfriend to kiss goodbye." Naruto half joked, putting his arm around his oldest child.
"Dad..." Boruto huffed and Sarada looked away embarrassed.
"Sarada.. Boruto. I hope you two know that that will not be happening again until you two are married, do you hear me? I remember how it was with me and Sasuke-kun-" Sakura began to politely lecture but was cut off by two Uchiha groans.
"Eh, Sakura..." Sasuke shook his head still in a upheaval about it all but choosing to turn a blind eye this one time only. "Too much."
Soon after, with a tap to the forehead and eyes that spoke more volumes than his mouth ever could, Sasuke stoically bid his girls goodbye. Sarada couldn't help the tears that brimmed her eyes again, but she wouldn't protest again. This couldn't be help.
"Please write home often, Papa." She said softly.
"Whenever I can, Sarada." That was a promise.
Sasuke gave Naruto and Hinata a knowing look that expressed that he would protect Boruto with his life while training with him. In an unofficial exchange he knew that Naruto would always look out and protect Sakura and Sarada too.
Sasuke and Boruto began to make their way on their journey away from Konoha and into the world. Although feeling sadness because they were leaving was inevitable, at least Sarada was able to realize two things. First, Boruto was an amazing person who was training so that he could get stronger to protect her, not abandoning her. And secondly, Boruto Uzumaki was an amazing kisser.
Letting out one large breath, "Bye Boruto! Don't give my Papa a hard time! And don't do anything stupid, okay?" Sarada shouted to their backs.
Boruto looked back at Sarada from the distance, he waves back with a signature smile.
She would wait on him forever if she had too.