Time-Twisted Melody (Boruto - Twinkling Watermelon AU)

Chapter 30

Third Person POV

Boruto's arms wrapped securely around Sarada as he carried her through the hallways, both of them drenched from head to toe after falling into the pool. The cold water clung to their clothes, her white shirt now transparent enough to reveal the bandages wrapped around her chest. He wasn't surprised; after all, she was impersonating Sasuke in his own school. Still, the sight made him sigh softly, shaking his head as he gently draped his dry blazer over her shoulders, covering her up.

'Thank god I took them off before jumping in to save her, ya know.'

Sarada's face was a bright shade of red, her blush vivid against her pale, wet skin. She glanced away from Boruto as they entered the empty changing room, clearly embarrassed but still managing to hold onto her usual annoyance.

"Why did you save me?" she asked, her voice sharp yet quieter than usual, as if the tension between them dampened her usual fire. "Wouldn't it be easier for everyone to know I'm not Sasuke? Isn't that what you wanted?"

Boruto's grip on her tightened briefly, a soft sigh escaping his lips. He lowered her carefully onto a nearby bench, his eyes briefly flicking to hers. The warmth from his blazer seemed to settle over her, though her flushed cheeks and dripping hair made it hard to focus. Without warning, he stepped closer, his presence overwhelming in the small space.

"Do you think impersonating Sasuke is easy?" he asked, his voice low as he leaned in slightly.

The closeness made Sarada shift back instinctively, her back pressing against the cold wall, and her heart raced faster. His piercing blue eyes locked onto her, and for the first time, she saw something serious in them—a sharpness she had never noticed in him before.

"I want you to stop, Sarada. You're going to get hurt."

"I didn't ask for your help!" The frustration in her voice echoed around the empty room, but even she could hear the faint tremor of uncertainty underneath it.

Boruto didn't flinch at her outburst. Instead, he leaned in even closer, his eyes never leaving hers. "I know you didn't," he murmured, his voice steady but soft. "But I still need to look out for you."

Sarada's breath hitched in her throat, and she blinked rapidly, trying to process his words. The intensity of his gaze, those vivid blue eyes staring right into her own onyx ones, made her speechless. For a moment, the room seemed to shrink, the air thick between them, her annoyance fading into something she couldn't quite name.

She swallowed hard, suddenly realizing just how blue his eyes were—lighter than any shade she had ever seen in anyone. Her heart pounded in her chest, and for the first time in a long while, Sarada found herself unable to speak, unable to argue.

Boruto's face suddenly leaned closer to Sarada's, so close that she could feel the warmth of his breath against her skin. Her heart leaped into her throat, and her eyes widened in shock, a faint blush rushing back to her cheeks.

"W-What are you doing?!" she stammered, her mind racing with a mixture of panic and disbelief.

'Is he a pervert?!'

"Hey--!"

But then his head dropped, not towards her lips, but onto her shoulder. Sarada froze, confusion flooding her mind as his weight pressed against her. She opened her mouth to protest again when she felt him clutch his chest, his body trembling.

"Boruto?" she called softly, her brow furrowing. Her confusion quickly turned to alarm. His breathing was ragged, and his face was contorted with pain. It was then that she saw it—through his soaked white shirt, the faint outline of a nasty bruise on his chest.