Time-Twisted Melody (Boruto - Twinkling Watermelon AU)

Chapter 22

Third Person POV

Naruto sat alone in the dimly lit diner, his gaze fixed on the letter Hinata had left behind. The paper felt fragile in his hands like it might crumble under the weight of his regret. He unfolded it slowly, the delicate handwriting revealing itself with each careful motion. As his eyes scanned the words, a sinking feeling settled in his chest.

Dear Naruto,

I hope this letter finds you well. There's something I've been wanting to tell you for a while now, but I've never had the courage to say it in person. So, I'm writing it here instead.

First of all, I want to thank you. When you saved me in the storage room, it meant more to me than I can express. I wish I could have told you this face-to-face, but there's something you need to know about me—I can't speak. I wasn't ignoring you, and I'm so sorry if it felt that way. It's just that my voice doesn't come out like everyone else's. I didn't want you to think I was rude or didn't appreciate what you did for me. Please believe me when I say that your kindness is something I will never forget.

Secondly, I need to apologize for the misunderstanding with the letter. The other day, I dropped the wrong one, and by the time I realized my mistake, it was too late. I wanted to take it back before you saw it, but I was too slow. I never meant to deceive you or make you feel embarrassed. I'm so, so sorry for any trouble it caused you. I've been worrying about it ever since, and I'm sorry if it hurt you in any way.

I hope you can forgive me for everything. I never wanted to make things difficult for you. I just wanted to find a way to thank you properly and let you know that I appreciate everything you've done.

Please, don't hate me for what happened. I'm truly sorry, and I hope you can understand.

Sincerely,

The girl you saved.

The realization hit Naruto like a punch to the gut. Naruto felt his heart tighten with each line he read. The lovely, careful handwriting only made it worse, as if she had poured every ounce of her feelings into this letter, hoping he would understand. But all he could think about was how wrong he had been, how he had let his frustration and anger blind him to the truth.

"Damn it!" He clenched the paper in his hand, the edges crumbling beneath his grip. A curse slipped from his lips, raw and filled with self-loathing.

How could he have been so blind, so quick to judge? The thought of how he had treated her made his stomach churn with guilt.

Without another thought, Naruto ripped off his apron and tossed it aside, the cloth fluttering to the ground as he bolted from the diner.

"Hey, Naruto, where are you going?!" He didn't care that he was in the middle of his shift. He didn't care about anything except finding Hinata. His feet pounded against the pavement as he dashed out into the night, the letter still clutched tightly in his hand.

He had to find her. He had to make things right.

★・・・・・・★・・・・・・★・・・・・・★

Sakura walked slowly through the rain, her pink umbrella shielding her from the steady downpour. The rhythmic patter of raindrops against the fabric brought back memories, tugging at her heartstrings. As she walked, her mind drifted back to that disastrous first date with Sasuke. He hadn't shown up, leaving her waiting in the rain with nothing but disappointment.

But then, her thoughts softened, and a small smile crept onto her lips. Later that night, Sasuke wrapped his arms around her in an unexpected embrace. It had been a simple gesture, but one that had meant the world to her. She still didn't know what to call their relationship—were they together, or just two people dancing around the edges of something more?