It's Not Really A Date, but is sort of kinda (Boruto x Sarada)

Part 21

[21:32; 4 Nights Later]

For the first time since the Cross-Cultural Festival began, Kawaki was feeling pretty pleased with himself.

With Yudoku and his cohorts behind bars, the Ninja Teen's role in investigating the Outers involvement in a supposed bomb plot in Konohagakure had officially come to an end. Meaning that he was now free to spend the night out with Lord 7th and the rest of the family. Excluding Boruto of course. He having been heavy-duty grounded after his Shadow-Clone disappeared right in front of Mrs. Uzumaki and Himawari on the first night when Lord 7th was off helping Kawaki, revealing he'd secretly snuck off on his own the whole time. Some might consider being grounded for almost the whole Festival unduly harsh, but Kawaki wasn't complaining.

He hadn't won much on the game stalls but what he had done was beyond value. A goldfish from a Goldfish Catch Tank, and a 'Kokuo' Plushie which he'd won at a Bouncy Ball-Fishing Stall, promptly gifted to Himawari. The Ninja Teen couldn't shake the feeling Lord 7th had 'subtly' assisted his victory with that last one using his Wind-Release. But when he saw the young girl's face light up upon receipt of the cuddly toy in the shape of the Legendary Five-Tailed Beast, he couldn't bring himself to argue about it. Finally everything was going good.

"LORD 7TH, SIR!!"

The Uzumaki family's attention was drawn to a smiling bespectacled youth amongst a group of familiar faces gathered by the side of a certain stage. The group besides Denki Kaminarimon consisting of Sumire and her Summoned Familiar Nue on her shoulder; along with Namida, Wasabi, Inojin, Shikadai, Iwabe, and Tsubaki. There to offer moral support to (or laugh at) their comrades in the make-shift arena dressed as Sumo Wrestlers in inflatable body suits. Both unrelenting in the heat of battle!

"GIVE IT UP METAL!! THOSE '10 FOR THE PRICE OF 2' MEAL VOUCHERS FOR THUNDER BURGER ARE MINE!!!" Chocho Akimitchi declared, pushing against her opponent with unsurprising force given her girth and years of training as a close-combat fighter. "NEVER CHOCHO!! I HAVE NEVER BACKED DOWN FROM A CHALLENGE AND I SHALL NOT START NOW!!!!" the exclusively Taijutsu-Style Shinobi Metal Lee declared back, pushing back with equally incredible force!

"Hi Denki. Everyone. It's nice to see so many of you altogether enjoying the games." Naruto addressed the group with a friendly smile. Denki stood tall and professional. "Thank you Sir! Although we are approaching the end of the Festival, we are still remaining vigilant for suspicious activity. Nothing to report as yet. But you can have faith in your forces to always be at the ready! Sir!"

Naruto and his wife smiled at the group nodding in agreement (besides the two Nin locked in an epic battle), deciding not to spoil their morale in informing them the culprits behind Konohagakure's latest threat had already been apprehended. The 7th Hokage put his hands behind his head in a lax manner. "Still, a pity really the Festival's almost over now."

"Yeah it's been fun while it lasted and all. But I reckon it's the right time for the fun to wind down. Get back to the Shinobi grind and all that, you know." Shikadai said importantly, trying to sound professional and mature. "I think I might call it quits early tonight myself and be fresh for tomorrow-"

"Pffff, sure thing Shikadai. You're just sour 'coz you've hardly won anything at the game stalls, 'sides that box of candies." Wasabi retorted with a snide grin, indicating the small prize under his arm. "You give up way too easy. What happened to the first of our class to make it to Chunin?", "Speaking of the exams..." Iwabe added, a snide grin stretching over his own face. "You're gonna have to try harder to win something more substantial if you wanna impress that Hidden Sand girl. UNLESS YOU DO LIKE CANDIES, HEY BLONDIE!?!?"

Shikadai frowned, then smiled snarkily. "Hah, Hah, hah.. (he laughed sarcastically).. Nice try Iwabe. Trying to trick me into thinking she's right behind me and freak out. Well, I've got nothing I need to prove an' nobody I need to impress. Yodo's got nothing on me-"

"I do like candies as a matter of fact."

Shikadai froze with a look of horror on his face. Then with an audible cranking sound turned around slowly, finding three young Sand Shinobi walking up to the group. Shinki the Iron Sand Jutsu Ninja and adoptive son of the 5th Kazekage Gaara; beside him his Team, Araya (the masked Puppet Master) and the very hair-whipping sonic boom blonde bombshell that was the source of the ponytailed Ninja's current consternation.

"What was that you were saying about impressing someone, Nara?" Yodo asked cooly (like she hadn't heard every word). Shikadai squeaked, cleared his throat, and opened his mouth, and nothing came out. Then, "HEYYODOYOULIKECANDIESTHESEAREFORYOUTHATOKOKANYWAYIGOTSOMEWHEREIGOTTAGOSEEYAAROUNDBYE!!!"

He thrust the box of candies into the speechless kunoichi's arms and promptly left without another word (coherent words anyway). And the remaining Shinobi tittered, chuckled or laughed out loud; besides the still speechless Yodo and her teammates, Kawaki who 'Tched' with annoyance at the 'lovey-doveyness' of the affair, and the two Nin still locked in battle! Naruto then addressed the young Sand Chunin directly. "A pleasure as always to welcome you back to our village Shinki. And your Team. You're here to enjoy the Festival with your father, amiright?"

Shinki inclined his head politely and his fellows followed suit. "That is correct in part Lord Hokage. My Team and I will be joining my father later. However while here I also wanted to see for myself your security measures in place during the Festival. From what I've seen so far of your village's Genin and Chunin, their performance is.... adequate.. surprisingly..."

The implications of the Sand Chunin Team Captain's words earned him a few dirty looks (mainly from Wasabi and Iwabe). Sumire it seemed wanted to avoid a quarrel. "Lord 7th.. Boruto isn't with you. Is everything okay with him?" The group around the purple-haired kunoichi offered some awkward looks as Naruto's lax smile became a serious frown. "There has been an incident I'd rather not talk about. Boruto is fine, but he's taking some time out to think about what he's done."

The following looks of awkwardness and sympathy for the blonde Genin soon soured Kawaki's good mood, but just as soon troubled him in confirming their attachment to Boruto. Particularly the look of disappointment on the purple-haired kunoichi's face, which the tiny beast on her shoulder nuzzled against. A look which Himawari noticed.

"Himawari?" Mrs. Uzumaki queried while the others looked puzzled at her daughter walking towards the older girl, and extending the Tailed-Beast plushie towards her. "This is for you Miss Sumire. It's a gift from Kawaki to cheer you up! He hopes you like it since it's fluffy and cute, just like Nue."

"Wha....But....I....You...Uhh...?!" the suddenly dumbfounded Kawaki fumbled over his words at Himawari's deviousness, and flustered over looking at the purple-haired girl. Naruto and Hinata just gave 'knowing' smiles while others of the group snickered, besides Shinki's Team who remained neutral. Sumire looked unsurely from the younger girl to the soft toy in her hands to Kawaki, and back to the plushie. Then accepted the gift graciously, holding the plushie tight in her arms. "Thank you so much Hima. And thank you very much for the gift Kawaki. It's beautiful." she answered with a small but sincere smile, and a light blush. "Nue" the Summoned Beast on her shoulder purred his approval. A speechless Kawaki looked off to the side, unable to correct the misunderstanding after seeing the delighted look on her face. "Umm... Y-Yeah... You're welcome..." He finally muttered, still not looking at her, and fighting against his face heating up. An awkward silence filled the void between them. But what he permitted himself to see of her smile, he very nearly allowed a small smile of his own.

"WASABI!!!"

The next thing the Cat-Style Kunoichi or anyone else knew, she was on her rump on the ground where Iwabe had pushed her. The hatted-Ninja himself a second later bowled over by a flying bowl-cut-haired Ninja Youth. The two crashed into a nearby wall and Iwabe was knocked out cold with swirls in his eyes, while Metal's eyes streamed. "...The.. Shame..." he whimpered in defeat, whilst a plump kunoichi stood proudly in the centre of the arena.

"VICTORYYYYYYY!!!!!" Chocho cried in triumph with her arms held high in the air.