𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙐𝙕𝙐𝙈𝘼𝙆𝙄 𝙁𝘼𝙈𝙄𝙇𝙔

Part 14

As they reached home, suddenly Himawari came shouting out of nowhere, startling Boruto and Sarada a little.

"Sarada-nee!!" Himawari yelled, rushing toward Sarada to hug her tightly.

Despite Sarada being a year older than Himawari, she was still smaller in both height and build, so Himawari's hug was practically squeezing her. Sarada laughed softly as she returned the hug.

"Hima, you look so happy today, what's the matter?" Sarada asked, chuckling as Himawari clung to her like an excited puppy.

"I have a surprise just for you!" Himawari said, jumping in place, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

Before Sarada could respond, Himawari grabbed her hand and started dragging her toward the kitchen. Boruto, watching the scene unfold, couldn’t help but chuckle at the sight of his sister and wife, thinking how adorable they looked together.

Once they entered the kitchen, Himawari gestured toward a plate of freshly baked cookies on the counter. "I made these just for you, Sarada-nee!" she said proudly, beaming with joy.

Sarada’s eyes widened in surprise. "You made these yourself, Hima? That’s amazing!" she said with genuine admiration.

Himawari nodded enthusiastically. "It’s my first time baking! I hope you like them!" she added, her smile brighter than ever.

Sarada reached for a cookie, but as soon as she took a bite, she realized something was off. The cookie wasn’t sweet—it was incredibly salty. Her taste buds were assaulted by the overwhelming saltiness, but Sarada, being Sarada, kept her expression calm and smiled warmly at Himawari.

"Wow, Hima, these are... really good!" Sarada said, forcing a cheerful tone, not wanting to hurt her feelings. She could tell how much effort Himawari had put into baking them, and the last thing she wanted was to see her sad.

Himawari's face lit up even more at Sarada's praise. "I’m so glad you like them!" she said, practically glowing with happiness.

As Sarada continued nibbling on the salty cookie, Boruto, who had been watching from the doorway, walked over and tried to grab one for himself. Sarada, knowing exactly what was about to happen, quickly tried to stop him.

"Uh, Boruto, maybe you shouldn’t—" she started, but it was too late.

Boruto managed to grab a cookie and took a big bite. As soon as the salt hit his tongue, his eyes widened in shock, and he immediately spat the cookie out. "What the—? Hima, these are so salty!"

Himawari’s smile vanished, and she quickly grabbed a cookie herself to taste it. As soon as she took a bite, she realized how bad it was. Her face fell in disappointment.

"Oh no... I must have added salt instead of sugar," Himawari said, her voice filled with guilt.

Boruto looked at Sarada, confused. "Wait... you ate these? Why didn’t you say anything?"

Sarada smiled gently at Himawari, who was looking down at the floor, clearly upset. "Because I know how hard you worked on these, Hima. You tried your best, and that’s what matters. I didn’t want to make you feel bad after all your effort."

Himawari’s eyes softened, though she still looked concerned. "But Sarada-nee... they’re awful! Why did you eat them?"

Sarada placed a comforting hand on Himawari’s shoulder. "Because it’s not about how they taste. What’s important is that you put your heart into making them for me. That means more to me than anything."

Himawari’s expression brightened again, though she still looked a little embarrassed. "I’ll get it right next time, I promise!"

Boruto, still recovering from the salty assault on his taste buds, grinned and ruffled Himawari’s hair. "You’ll definitely get it right next time, Hima. Just maybe... a little less salt."

Sarada laughed softly, shaking her head. "Next time, I’ll help you measure the ingredients, okay?"

Himawari nodded eagerly, her spirits lifted once more. "Deal!"

As the three of them shared a lighthearted moment in the kitchen, Sarada couldn’t help but feel grateful for these simple, joyful moments with her family. Even something as small as a baking mishap brought them closer, reminding her of the love and care they all shared.