Only Time Can Tell

AUNT NEJI

CHAPTER 8

AUNT NEJI

BORUTO UZUMAKI

I didn't dream anything. It was just darkness. I wonder, can I dream in the past? It was the warmth that woke me up. And as I looked to investigate, I saw that Sarada had fallen asleep on my shoulder. I blushed but then breathed deeply.

"Sarada...." Nothing. "Sarada...." I said louder. "Sarada..."

"Mhgn..." She moaned, leaning into my chest...I repeatedly slapped myself on the forehead. Oh God, please, Sarada freaking wake up!

"Damn it, Sarada!" I shouted finally.

"Uh!" She finally woke, fumbling almost falling out of her chair. "Boruto." She said sleepily, wiping her eyes, blinking slowly.

"Don't you think you should check on your mom?" I said, clearing my throat, rubbing my still warm shoulder. It wasn't unpleasantly warm...it was almost nice.

"Oh...right." Sarada stood, brushing herself off. She left, closing the door behind her. It was dark outside. Probably the middle of the night. Was Inojin still here? I looked over at my dad.

"You better not stop breathing while I'm gone, you asshole." I said pointing at him. I stood and followed Sarada out into the hall. I went into Sai's room. The door was barely open. I stepped in quietly, not knowing what I would find in there.

I turned and saw something that almost broke my heart. Inojin had crawled into bed with his dad, his head pressed into his chest, listening to his dad's heartbeat even while sleeping. I pulled up a chair silently and sat down. I would much rather sit in here than in the same room as my shitty old man.

As soon as I sat down I heard a knock at the door. I turned. "Hey." Someone said. I got up, as quietly as I could. Probably Shikadai or something. I opened the door.

Instead there was a girl. Her hair was long and partially hung over her headband. She had crutches, and her eyes were almost white purple. "Who are you guys? The nurses have been freaking out for the last hour about what to do."

"Oh. I'm Boruto." I said, slicking back my hair. After all, she was a pretty girl.

"What happened to you guys?"

"Don't really know, must have been a seizure or something, freak accident." The girl nodded slowly.

"Are they shinobi?"

"Yeah."

"They weren't in battle were they?"

"No. Like I said...freak accident." The girl readjusted her crutches. "So...what's your name?"

"Neji Hyuga. I'm a chunin."

"Huh." What a weird name....wait...Hyuga.... "Um...." I said looking closer, squinting at her face... "Are you a girl?"

"What?" She said, her eyes widening. "No! I'm Neji Hyuga, and I'm a guy!"

"Oh...I'm sorry...it's just you look..." I know that last name. It's my mom's maiden name. His first name sounds familiar too... "Do you know a girl named Hinata?"

"Well duh. She's of the Hyuga clan too, you dumbass. She's my cousin." He rolled his eyes. "Your incompetence might explain this...freak accident."

I could barely control my smile. I had to cover my mouth with my hand to keep from grinning freakishly. I knew that I knew him. He's the hero from all of my mom's stories. He's our Uncle Neji, he's the hero of all our bedtime stories. He's a legend to me. He has the byakugan like my mom, and he taught her how to be a ninja. He's like my idol except in the flesh.

"Comere!" I said grabbing his arm, pulling him inside the room despite his crutches.

"Wah!" He shouted as I pulled him inside. I shut the door behind him. "What are you doing, you hooligan?!" He said struggling against my hold with his crutches. "Let go of me!"

"Dude. Chill." I said shushing him. "I've got something to tell you, and it's going to sound crazy, but I need you to believe me."

"Why should I?" Neji said raising an eyebrow like he was being asked to join a strange cult.

"Just please?" I begged him.

"Fine. Whatever." Neji sighed rolling his eyes. "Say what you've got to say already."

"My mother is Hinata Hyuga. I'm from the future, and you're my uncle. I...you're my idol...Uncle Neji."

Neji's face scrunched up. "You've got to be kidding me, bean sprout."

"No really!" I said protesting.

"That makes no sense. Time doesn't go backwards!"

"There was this scroll and we-"

"You're crazy. You're in this hospital for a reason." Neji scoffed.

"Please?" Then I had an idea. "Please, just follow me and I can prove it."

Neji rolled his eyes. But I could tell that he was secretly intrigued. He followed me out into the hall and into another room. Into my mother's room. She was still in a coma too. I just hoped that he could recognize her. Neji walked in.

"So?"

"This is my mom, Hinata Hyuga Uzumaki."

"Wait-UZUMAKI?!!!"

"Yeah...?"

"THERE'S NO WAY!"

"JUST LOOK AT HER WOULD YOU, ASSHOLE!!!"

Neji turned quiet and hobbled up to her bed, looking over at her. There was silence, and I saw his Byakugan activate. He squinted at her. Then his eyes grew wide. He was silent. "Hinata..." He whispered.

"Told you." I said smugly.

"There's still no way this could happen!"

"But it did."

"There's no concrete proof!"

"C'mon Uncle Neji, just admit it...I'm your nephew."