Time-Twisted Melody (Boruto - Twinkling Watermelon AU)

Chapter 6

 Third person POV

The band room, usually alive with the vibrant energy of youthful creativity, now felt heavy with an unspoken tension. Shikadai sat slumped behind his drum kit, his shoulders drooping as if burdened by an invisible weight. He lazily tapped the cymbal with his drumsticks, each hit producing a dull, listless sound that echoed the gloom in the room.

Tang. Tang. Tang

Inojin, stationed behind his keyboard, absentmindedly played a series of random, disjointed notes. His fingers moved with a lack of enthusiasm, mirroring the disinterest etched on his face.

With a sarcastic edge to his voice, he broke the silence, "Our performance is only two days away, and we still don't have a guitarist or a singer. Fantastic."

Mitsuki stood by the window, his gaze fixed on the world outside. The light streaming in highlighted his serene features, though his eyes betrayed a deep contemplation. He seemed detached from the room, lost in thoughts that swirled like the clouds in the distant sky.

Inojin shot a glance at Mitsuki. "Oi, Mitsuki. Are you still waiting for him? We told you before, if he's not going to make it before the performance night, you're playing the lead."

Shikadai, still tapping the cymbal with lazy indifference, nodded in agreement. "Yeah, waiting for someone can be such a drag..."

However, Mitsuki's eyes never left the window. His voice was calm and unwavering as he replied, "Boruto will return."

Shikadai, curious and slightly skeptical, asked, "What makes you so sure?"

Mitsuki turned to face them, his usual serene smile in place, eyes closed as if in quiet confidence. "My instinct tells me he'll come back."

Slam!

Just then, the door to the band room swung open, revealing a panting Boruto, guitar case in hand. Gasping for breath, he managed to ask, "Is... Is the guitarist spot still vacant?"

Shikadai and Inojin stared in bewilderment, their surprise evident. Mitsuki, however, simply smiled, a knowing look in his eyes.

"Welcome back, Boruto."

★・・・・・・★・・・・・・★・・・・・・★

The midday sun cast a warm, inviting glow through the kitchen window as the Uzumaki family gathered around the dining table. Plates of food were spread out, but the atmosphere was subdued. It had been only a few days since Naruto had been discharged from the hospital after the incident that had left him with a broken arm. His presence at the table was a comfort, a silent reassurance that they were all together.

Naruto, with his bright blue eyes and warm smile, paused in his meal and raised his one good arm to sign, capturing everyone's attention.

"The diner needs more helping hands to clean up," he signed, his movements precise and gentle despite his injury. "The beating incident wrecked it quite a bit."

He turned to Boruto, his gaze soft but firm, signing, "Boruto, can you help?"

"Eh?"

"Uh... I have..." Boruto hesitated, the request hanging heavily in the air. He opened his mouth to respond, but the words caught in his throat, unable to escape. "Actually... I have..."

Slam!

Kawaki slammed his hand on the table after noticing Boruto's struggle, the sound reverberating through the room.

"Oi, quit bothering Boruto, will ya?" he signed, his gestures sharp and forceful. "He's tutoring someone tonight. So, I'll help you out at the diner."