Lovestruck || borusara

VIII.

Sarada's dark gaze snapped up from her notebook to a shirtless, panting Boruto. She was observing his training again that day. He had just finished his warm-up laps when he said the last thing she expected.

"What are you up to after this? Do you want to go to an onsen with me?"

Her lips parted, but her muddled brain couldn't think of a single thing to say. Her cheeks began to warm as the sinful scene her imagination created the night before of his face buried between her trembling thighs flashed through her mind.

"Ya know, like a bathhouse?" Boruto elaborated with a raised brow, clearly interpreting her expression as confusion.

"Huh?!" she murmured, still struggling to find an intelligent response when she unreasonably felt like he somehow knew about her little fantasy.

"Hot water that you sit in."

Sarada shook her head to clear her mind of those impossible thoughts. "No, no! I know what an onsen is! But why did you say that?"

Boruto shrugged, seemingly unperturbed by her flustered behavior. "I go pretty often to relax and reset. I figured you would want to join since you're observing my life and habits and all that?"

"...Oh alright," she muttered and averted her gaze down to her feet, hoping he didn't notice her blushing cheeks. "I'll come with you... But only if we bathe separately."

He laughed, "that's usually how it works."

*****

A few hours later Boruto finished his training and the pair ventured across town to his favorite onsen. Sarada trailed behind him as Boruto approached the welcome desk. Her dark eyes wandered around, absorbing the tranquil surroundings. Soft bamboo floors and lush greenery made this luxurious onsen feel distant from the bustling city.

Her ears suddenly perked up at the sound of the receptionist confirming two appointments. She turned around and tugged on his sleeve.

"You booked a massage for me too?" Sarada mumbled as her brows pinched together.

"I thought you would want the full experience," Boruto smiled in reply.

"Yeah, but—"

"Don't worry about it," he insisted with a dismissive wave. "I already paid for it."

Sarada pushed her glasses up and pursed her lips in contemplation. There was really no point in turning down a free massage. "Okay."

The receptionist offered each of them a yukata to put on and told them where to meet their massage therapists before escorting them over to the changing rooms. Sarada slipped her arms into the wide sleeves of her cherry blossom patterned yukata. After tying her obi and pulling her hair into a bun, she smoothed her hands over the soft, pink cotton.

When she stepped out of the changing room, Boruto was waiting for her dressed in his own navy blue yukata, his was a more masculine geometric pattern. Within the common area, there was a space to relax and meditate as well as buy snacks or hot teas.

"I'm going to grab a quick bite and then go soak before the massage, you're welcome to join," he offered, nodding his head toward the stall that sold yakisoba buns.

Sarada considered it for a moment but shook her head. "Mmm, I think I'm just going to go straight to the baths."

"Alright," Boruto nodded. His blue eyes glanced over to the clock on the wall. "Massages are in an hour, so keep an eye on the time."

"I promise you, I won't be missing out on my free massage," she laughed before walking over toward the women's bath.

Inside, Sarada shed her yukata and rinsed off her body. It was a weekday, but still early enough in the evening that it wasn't very busy at all. She ventured toward the steaming baths and cautiously stepped into the hot water.