bubblegum princess

chapter fifty one

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the end of the beginning:
A BIT OF A TWIST !
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SEIREN carefully tied her hair into a ponytail, her fingers lingering on the silken strands as she secured the band. Her eyes had been throbbing intermittently, a dull ache she tried to ignore as her focus shifted to the lively chatter around her.

Across the room, Iwabe's voice boomed with exaggerated enthusiasm, his tone carrying a triumphant edge. "You did it, Denki! You saved my butt!" He grinned broadly, throwing a thumbs-up toward his smaller friend, whose face lit up with a mix of pride and embarrassment.

Denki's eyes sparkled with pride as he puffed out his chest. "If you hadn't distracted sensei, I wouldn't have been able to sneak in and grab the test questions so easily!" His enthusiasm was contagious, and his words spilt out with unrestrained excitement.

Seiren pressed her lips together, trying to stifle a giggle, a small smile forming on her lips as she watched their antics. Despite the ache in her eyes, the lighthearted exchange was a welcome distraction. Not far away, Inojin leaned back lazily in his seat, his head propped up on his hand. A knowing smirk curved his lips as he added, "Security was lax, but there's always someone in the teacher's lounge." His tone was smug, as though stating the obvious.

Boruto's frown deepened as he crossed his arms, his eyes narrowing at the group. "Is that what you guys were up to?" he asked, a note of disapproval lacing his voice. "Isn't that cheating?"

Sarada rolled her eyes, her tone sharp as she interjected, "Are you serious?" She turned to Boruto, narrowing her gaze as if scolding a clueless child. "A week ago, Shino-sensei told us to figure out our strategy."

Her voice trailed off as her memory conjured the scene from last week. Shino stood at the front of the classroom, his voice steady and deliberate as he instructed, "Check the exam questions and figure out your strategy."

"—to do exactly that!" Sarada finished, her tone sharp as she threw her hands up in frustration.

Shikadai yawned, his tone as dry and detached as ever. "Yeah, he basically told us to break into the teacher's lounge and get the questions. It's a test of ninja skills—intel gathering, y'know? Though honestly, it's such a drag..."

Boruto's eyes widened as realization dawned on him, his expression morphing into one of pure dismay. "That's what he meant?!" he exclaimed, his voice filled with disbelief. "I wasn't paying attention at all!" His hand flew to head in frustration.

Sarada let out an exaggerated sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose in frustration. "Big surprise," she muttered before waving him off. "You're lucky Seirem memorized everything and made a reviewer for you. Otherwise, you'd flunk for sure." Her words were curt, but the small smile she sent her sister was filled with pride.

Seiren's cheeks flushed at the unexpected praise, and she ducked her head, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "I-It wasn't that much," she mumbled, her voice barely audible as she fiddled nervously with the edge of her sleeve.

Sumire looked worried, her brows furrowing as she glanced at Boruto. "Are you going to be okay, Boruto?"

Before Boruto could answer, Inojin cut in with a dismissive wave of his hand. "He's fine. Like Sarada said, Seiren basically tutored him. He didn't even have to lift a finger."

Boruto's frown instantly flipped into a bright grin as he spun around in his seat to face Seiren. His blue eyes practically sparkled with gratitude, his lips formed like a childlike grin, his earlier frustration forgotten. "You're the best, Sei!" he declared, his voice filled with genuine warmth.