bubblegum princess

chapter thirty three

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the end of the beginning:
TAKING A DETOUR !
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HER FOOTSTEPS hurriedly led her to the first stalls that caught her eye, twinkling in delight as she held up a seashell accessory that the shop owner couldn't help but brighten up in a smile after seeing Seiren complimenting his shop. "Look, look! Oneechan, seashells!" she took one from the display and held it, showing it towards Sarada, who nodded."Hm!"

In a swift motion, she rummaged through her tote bag, producing a precious item: a camera bestowed upon her by Ino for her 11th birthday. With excitement coursing through her, she began capturing the beauty of her surroundings in quick snapshots before turning her attention to a figure nearby.

Sensing the lens aimed in their direction, the person playfully struck a pose, prompting Shikadai to join in with a mischievous grin. As they both made silly faces, Shikadai suddenly grabbed his shoulder, adding to the comedic moment and sending Seiren into fits of laughter. Boruto smiled triumphantly and joined Denki as he led him to a nearby shop selling exclusive cards.

Seiren noticed Shino standing solo, and she approached him with a smile. "Sensei!" she called out, and the man looked at her. She gestured for him to smile on the camera that was now steadying in his direction. The man chuckled and waved.

Snap!

"I'll definitely print this out," she mumbled with a soft smile, looking over to the pictures she had captured before pausing to a certain photo that nearly took her breath away. Boruto smiled so widely in her direction before Shikadai showed up beside him.

Loud noises caught her attention and Seiren took a glimpse of Namida fuming in Boruto's direction as he was currently having conversations with Kagura, nudging his Kagura's shoulder as he and seemingly joking about something that led Kagura to blush embarrassingly.

Seiren muffled a giggle and happily approached them. "You guys aren't making Kagura-san uncomfortable, right?" she asked, stopping beside Shikadai who held Denki hostage in his arms as Denki tried to buy off a key chain that was a limited deal for Kagemasa fans as she held her camera, eyebrow raising as she tested their waters.

Boruto straightened his posture with a sudden burst of energy. "Sei!" his laughter echoing awkwardly in the tense."W-We're not!" he exclaimed, trying to diffuse the seriousness of the situation with his usual charm. But the laughter quickly faded as he realized someone was missing. "Where's Iwabe?"

A chill ran up Seiren's spine, causing her to shiver involuntarily. "GAH! He ran off?!" she shrieked in panic, her eyes darting frantically in search of their missing classmate. Amidst the bustling crowd, there was no sign of the slightly built, tanned, tall boy with a mean look that characterized Iwabe.

Shikadai's smile twitched with concern as Boruto held her shoulder, eventually leading her to calm down, which Kagura was able to notice.

"I'll go find him," Denki volunteered, his voice determined. Seiren looked at him with worry etched on her features. "You must have someone to go with you—"

"Don't worry," Boruto interjected, his tone reassuring as he flashed a reassuring smile at Seiren. "He won't be alone. I'll go with him." His words carried a sense of confidence."I am also the field trip leader, Sei. You don't have to worry about a thing!" his eyes then moved to Shikadai."Watch over Sei!" he ran off with Denki before Seiren would even utter a retort.