𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙐𝙕𝙐𝙈𝘼𝙆𝙄 𝙁𝘼𝙈𝙄𝙇𝙔

Part 3

The room was tense with anxiety when the doctor finally arrived. Boruto hadn’t let go of Sarada’s hand, his heart pounding as he watched the doctor check her condition. Naruto and Hinata stood nearby, their faces pale with worry, while Himawari fidgeted in guilt.

The doctor furrowed his brow as he carefully examined Sarada’s throat, noting the severity of the damage. He sighed and stood up, his expression serious as he addressed the family.

“Her throat is severely damaged,” the doctor began, glancing at Sarada, who sat weakly, leaning against Boruto. “She should avoid speaking as much as possible for the next few days, maybe even longer, to give it time to heal.”

Sarada nodded slightly, wincing as even that small movement caused discomfort.

“There’s also inflammation,” the doctor continued, “so it’s best if she sticks to liquids—soups, juices, nothing solid until her throat is better. Otherwise, she’ll risk worsening the injury.”

Boruto’s face was full of concern as he listened, squeezing Sarada’s hand gently. “I’ll make sure of it.”

The doctor then turned to Naruto and Hinata, his voice lowering with a more serious tone. “It also seems like she’s been under a lot of stress recently. Her body is exhausted, and if she doesn’t take it easy, it could lead to more serious health issues. I’d advise avoiding any kind of work for now.”

“Stress?” Naruto asked, his brows furrowing. “She’s the Hokage, of course there’s stress, but is it that bad?”

The doctor gave a slow nod. “Yes, Lord Seventh. It’s clear that, Hokage-sama has been overworking herself from quiet sometime now,& the stress has taken a toll on her physically. She needs to rest, both mentally and physically. No paperwork, no missions, no Hokage duties. She needs to relax, or her condition could worsen.”

Boruto’s heart sank further. He knew how hard Sarada pushed herself every day, and the idea of her stepping back from her duties, even temporarily, seemed impossible. She was so dedicated to her role that she often neglected her own health, and now it had caught up to her.

Sarada glanced at Boruto, guilt flickering in her eyes. She opened her mouth to speak, but the doctor quickly raised a hand. “No talking,” he reminded her softly. “It’ll only make things worse.”

Boruto gently placed a hand on Sarada’s shoulder, his voice soft but firm. “You heard the doctor, love. No more pushing yourself, okay?”

Sarada blinked, clearly frustrated, but she gave a small nod. She knew Boruto was right, but the thought of stepping away from her responsibilities as Hokage weighed heavily on her. Still, the pain in her throat and the blood she had coughed up earlier were undeniable signs that she couldn’t continue like this.

Hinata moved closer, her voice gentle as she reassured her daughter-in-law. “Don’t worry about anything, Sarada. We’ll take care of you. You just focus on getting better.”

Naruto, still in shock from everything that had happened, nodded in agreement. “We’ll figure things out in the village. Your health comes first.”

Boruto, ever the doting husband, wrapped his arm around her shoulder protectively. “I’ll take care of everything. I’ll make sure you rest. You’re not doing anything for the next few days except recovering.”

Sarada wanted to protest, but the stern look Boruto gave her left no room for argument. She sighed inwardly, realizing that her stubbornness had pushed her too far this time.

“I’ll make you soup,” Boruto added, a smirk playing on his lips, trying to lighten the mood. “But don’t worry, I’ll keep the spice out of it this time.”

Himawari, still feeling guilty, finally spoke up, her voice soft. “I’m so sorry, Sarada-nee. We didn’t mean to hurt you. We just thought it’d be a funny prank…”

Sarada offered her a small smile, even though her throat ached. She reached out and squeezed Himawari’s hand, silently forgiving her.

As the doctor packed up his things and prepared to leave, he gave them one final warning. “Take care of her. Make sure she rests and avoids any stress. If her condition worsens, call me immediately.”

Boruto nodded, his determination clear. “We will. Thank you.”

As the doctor left, the Uzumaki household felt a mix of relief and lingering tension. Boruto turned to Sarada, his expression softening as he looked into her tired eyes.

“You’re going to rest now,” he said firmly. “No arguments.”

Sarada sighed and nodded reluctantly, leaning her head against Boruto’s shoulder. She knew she had no choice but to listen this time. As much as she hated feeling weak, she couldn’t deny that her body was crying out for rest.

Boruto kissed the top of her head softly, his usual teasing tone replaced with genuine concern. “My princess is too tough for her own good.”

Sarada blushed faintly at the nickname, but this time, she didn’t have the energy to respond. She closed her eyes, letting herself relax in the warmth of Boruto’s embrace, silently thankful that she had a family that cared for her so deeply.

As the night went on, one thing was clear to everyone in the room: Sarada’s health would come first, no matter what.