The Fourth Wall

Afterward

At 7:25 pm, Boruto was in Kaminari burger, talking to Mitsuki about taking on a new mission. It was, however, no longer 7:25 pm, for in the anime, it was midafternoon.

The author sighed and watched from behind the screen of her own laptop. Welp. At least he completed it in time, she thought, watching glumly as the characters interacted just as they had always done. Ino-Shika-Cho made an entrance, and the perspective shifted over to them. Is this going to be another filler episode without team seven? I guess I'll make some cereal while I watch this.

But just before she got off the couch to grab some milk and a bowl, something caught the corner of her eye. She paused the episode, rewound it 15 seconds, and peered into the blurred background. Zooming in as much as possible, her eyes widened. Boruto was looking at Sarada. And his cheeks were pink.

The scene was only on the screen for a split second. But it was enough to make the author wonder if maybe her mission had an effect on the characters, enough so that they would remember bits and pieces in the shadow.

Maybe I'll write another sometime, she thought, propping up her phone as she pushed her red glasses up onto the bridge of her nose and threw her blonde hair up into a sloppy bun. Maybe in a few years, after the time skip. I could even have them remember this part of the story, since I wrote it.

With that thought in mind, the author left the sofa and poured herself a bowl of Lucky Charms.