Hidden in the heart | Borusara

Chapter 1: A Quiet Afternoon

Konoha Village basked in the gentle warmth of the afternoon sun, its streets alive with the hum of daily life. The usual hustle of shinobi and villagers alike had softened into a more leisurely pace, as the day stretched lazily toward evening. Today was one of those rare, peaceful days when there were no missions, no training—just time to breathe.

Sarada Uchiha walked alongside her best friend Chocho Akimichi, the two of them weaving through the village streets, lost in conversation. The sunlight filtered through the trees, casting dappled shadows on the ground as they strolled, their footsteps syncing naturally with each other.

"Seriously, Sarada," Chocho said with a playful grin, "if you don’t loosen up, you’re going to turn into a full-fledged workaholic before you even make Chunin. You need to relax sometimes, you know?"

Sarada smirked, pushing her glasses up slightly. "I do relax," she replied, though her tone was laced with a hint of defensiveness. "Just... not as much as you do."

Chocho laughed, the sound rich and full of life, echoing down the nearly empty street. "That's because I'm an expert at balancing work and pleasure. You should take notes."

The two continued their leisurely walk, passing by familiar shops and stalls. The scent of grilled dango and freshly made ramen filled the air, mingling with the soft breeze. Sarada's thoughts drifted for a moment, considering Chocho's words. She knew her friend was right, in a way—she did tend to overthink things, always focusing on the next step in her journey to become Hokage. But today was different. Today, she was just Sarada, a sixteen-year-old girl spending time with her best friend.

As they walked, the iconic neon sign of Thunder Burger came into view, its familiar glow bright against the warm hues of the late afternoon. Chocho's eyes lit up instantly.

"Perfect timing!" Chocho exclaimed, already picking up her pace toward the entrance. "I could really go for a burger right about now."

Sarada chuckled, shaking her head at Chocho’s predictability, but followed her friend all the same. The idea of sitting down for a meal was actually pretty appealing.

Inside Thunder Burger, the atmosphere was lively but relaxed, filled with the sounds of sizzling grills and casual chatter. As they stepped through the door, Sarada’s dark eyes scanned the room automatically, a habit she had developed from years of shinobi training. And then, almost by instinct, her gaze settled on a familiar group seated at one of the larger booths.

There, surrounded by his usual entourage, was Boruto Uzumaki. His bright blond hair stood out even in the dim lighting of the burger joint, a shock of color that was impossible to miss. He was laughing about something, leaning back in his seat with that characteristic grin that seemed to light up the room. Mitsuki, always composed and observant, sat beside him, a small smile playing on his lips as he listened to Boruto's story. Shikadai was there too, leaning forward with an amused expression, and Inojin was gesturing animatedly, clearly engaged in whatever the conversation was about.

"Looks like the gang's all here," Chocho remarked with a knowing smirk as she nudged Sarada lightly. "You up for saying hi, or are we sneaking past?"

Sarada felt an inexplicable flutter in her chest as her eyes met Boruto's for the briefest moment across the room. She quickly looked away, trying to ignore the way her heart seemed to skip a beat. "We can say hi," she said casually, hoping Chocho didn’t notice the slight hesitation in her voice.

With that, the two girls headed toward the booth, the familiar smell of freshly grilled burgers making the whole place feel warm and inviting. As they approached, Boruto looked up and waved, his grin widening when he saw them.

"Hey, Sarada, Chocho!" Boruto called out, his voice carrying easily over the din. "You two hungry? Plenty of room here."

Sarada smiled back, her usual composure returning as she nodded in greeting. "We might take you up on that," she replied, her tone light and friendly, though she couldn’t quite shake the feeling that today was going to be different from the usual.

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I hope you liked this chapter