Toy's Maker Wish

4. The Bittersweet Lie

Sarada woke up on March 29th the next day. She checked the calendar to see the current year, too. That wasn't the past from three years ago anymore. She was stuck in an event that happened two years prior, during the same month instead.  

Would her confession from March 27th to Boruto affect the events she'd experience that day? Or was she stuck in the same past she knew without changing?

It turned out she'd soon find the answer to that question. She dialled Boruto's number to see if he'd remember the events so clearly playing out in her memory on repeat .

"Yo, Sarada, what's up?" he said, and her hope skyrocketed. Would he remember what they did?!

"About your birthday one year ago..." Sarada tried to come up with a solid excuse to fish out information she could use to deduce her next steps. Something entirely mixed her sense of time up with the thrill of possibly changing the past and fast-paced rhythm of her heartbeat.

"Do you still feel guilty about it? I told you it was fine, ya know. Don't beat up yourself for not giving me a present. You can make up for it this year."

She dropped to her knees, hearing Boruto's response. Resurfaced guilt that she somehow resolved by giving him that figurine hit her like a brick now. While interacting with the past, Sarada could change anything, but she couldn't guarantee that those changes would take effect. Did that mean he didn't remember her confession? Doesn't he share her memories of the night they spent together on his 19th birthday in his room? How does the toy maker's doll work? Was it only sending her to the past she regretted and once she moved on, it was like anything she changed didn't happen at all? Were there any consequences the things she changed would bring? Suddenly, the doll that was on the table in the living room felt more sinister than helpful.

"Sarada, are you okay?" Boruto said with a sense of urgency. Right. She probably should say something to him. But what? He doesn't remember the things they did together yesterday. More accurately, on March 27th, that happened only for her. The year and the date were different now enough to write it off as an amazing dream that would never come true.

"Y-yes... I'll talk to you later." She hung up on him before he could question her further.

She didn't want for him to cheer her up again and make her heart full, only for it to be crushed. Past Sarada would prevail and be stronger in the face of adversity, but her current self was too weak and pathetic to withstand this kind of pain. If she was stronger, then she could prevent everything before Boruto died.

Sarada glared at the doll, clenching her fists. What was the use of fulfilling her heart's desire when coming back to the past only played with her emotions? If she was the only one that could remember the changes she'd made, what was even the point?!

She let out a desperate laugh while getting up and trying to find her stock of wine she bought, but she couldn't drown her utter sense of defeat by drinking. Sarada from two years ago didn't have her hidden stash of wine. She only started drinking after Boruto's death. Her past self held disdain towards alcohol, yet the current one yearned for it to cope. Perhaps she still held disdain towards it, changing her into who she was today. A miserable drunkard.

"Are you giving up so soon? You wanted this, right?" An intrusive thought mocked her resolve.

Wasn't she doing it to bring Boruto back for real?! Her one and only love. She already faced one of her biggest regrets about not telling him her feelings, so one or two more regrets down the line shouldn't stop her.

Next to the doll was the familiar photo that always shone like the morning rays of sun in her jaded life and lit determination she nearly lost anew.

What was her regret on March 29th two years prior?