章節 13: Get Attached To Them.

I want you to so when I kill the cast, you cry.

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The Uzumaki household buzzed with activity as Boruto and his friends busied themselves with the final preparations for Himawari's birthday party. The living room, usually a quiet space, was now filled with a mess of colorful decorations, balloons, and various party supplies scattered everywhere.

"Inojin! Hand me the thingy!" Boruto called out, his hands full as he struggled to hang up decorations.

Inojin, the son of Sai and Ino, rolled his eyes and sighed dramatically before handing Boruto the requested item. "It's called a party streamer, Boruto. You should really know your decorations by now." His dry tone made it clear he wasn't too thrilled to be roped into this, but he was here nonetheless, helping his friends.

As Boruto fumbled with the streamer, Sarada Uchiha carefully slid the birthday cake into the freezer. "Alright, guys, I've finished the cake!" she announced, her tone proud but also slightly anxious. She closed the freezer door with exaggerated care, making sure not to disturb the beautifully frosted confection she'd spent hours perfecting.

"Great job, Sarada!" Boruto called over his shoulder, still wrestling with the party streamer. "I didn't know you were such a cake expert."

"Well, I am good at everything," Sarada replied with a smirk, adjusting her glasses as she turned to inspect the rest of the room.

Meanwhile, Mitsuki strolled into the living room, carrying an oversized stuffed pinata shaped like a donkey. He carefully hung it in the center of the room, stepping back to admire his work. "I have finished making the victim," he said, his voice calm and collected as always. "Stuffed and ready for entertainment."

Cho-Cho, who was lounging on the couch with a bag of chips, raised an eyebrow at Mitsuki's choice of words. "Why'd you call it 'the victim'?" she asked between munches.

Mitsuki didn't hesitate, his expression as neutral as ever. "Because we'll be beating it to death for entertainment."

"Oh." Cho-Cho shrugged, accepting his answer with casual indifference. She crunched another chip, her attention already shifting back to the snack in her hand.

Shikadai Nara entered next, carrying several bags of party supplies, looking as bored as ever. "Alright, guys," he said, dropping the bags onto the floor. "Feel free to grab whatever and start decorating. The sooner we finish, the sooner I can stop doing this troublesome stuff."

As Boruto scanned the room, his eyes landed on Metal Lee, who was lying comatose under a blanket in the corner. Metal's body twitched slightly, making him look like a strange party decoration himself. Boruto sighed heavily, pointing toward him. "What happened to Metal Lee?"

Shikadai shrugged nonchalantly. "We were on a bridge, and he looked down. Fear of heights, dude."

Boruto shook his head, running a hand through his hair. "One of the strongest guys in our class, and he's knocked out by a bridge... Go figure."

Sarada gave a light chuckle, while Mitsuki leaned over to poke Metal's side, watching as the twitching intensified slightly.

"Well, that's fine!" Boruto said, clapping his hands together as he surveyed the room. "We're almost done anyway. It's coming together."

Just then, Sumire walked in, balancing a large platter of pizza on her hands. She carefully set it down on the table, her usual bright smile lighting up the room. "Pizza's here!" she announced cheerfully, wiping her hands on her apron.

"Nice! Pizza!" Boruto exclaimed, momentarily distracted by the arrival of food. "Wait..." A thought crossed his mind, and he turned to Sumire. "Where's the birthday girl, anyway?"

Shikadai, who was rummaging through one of the supply bags, looked up. "Yeah, Boruto. Where's Himawari?"

Boruto paused, his face scrunching in confusion. "Uh... I told Mitsuki to handle it."

All eyes turned to Mitsuki, who gave a small wave in response. "I asked Cho-Cho," he said, as if this explained everything.

Cho-Cho, still lazily lounging, pointed a finger at Sarada. "I told Sarada to do it."

Sarada blinked, looking sheepish as she raised a hand. "And I asked Sumire."

Sumire, beaming with her usual cheerfulness, placed her hands behind her back and bounced slightly on her heels. "And I told Arsene to bring her!"

The room fell silent.

A collective groan echoed through the house, and the tension thickened instantly.

"Why would you ask him?!" Boruto nearly shouted, running a hand down his face in exasperation. "Of all people, why would you send Arsene to get my sister?!"

Sumire's cheeks flushed slightly under the sudden attention. Being stared at by Boruto always made her nervous, though she tried to maintain her usual cheerful demeanor. "W-Well, he seemed available, and I thought it'd be fine," she said, her voice wavering slightly. The sight of Boruto's intense expression made her heart race in ways she wasn't prepared for.

Inojin, who had been silently observing the exchange, smirked and shook his head. "Talk about trust…"

Shikadai sat down on the couch beside Cho-Cho, rubbing his temples as if dealing with a massive headache. "Welp, that's it. We're screwed."

"Arsene..." Boruto muttered to himself, trying to process the situation. He clenched his fists in frustration. "Wait... You mean... the edge lord loser has my sister?!"

Sumire gave a serious nod, biting her lip as her blush deepened slightly. Why is he staring at me like that?

Boruto shot to his feet, his fists still clenched. "Not if I have anything to say about it!" he yelled, dashing toward the door with a newfound determination.

As the door slammed behind him, the remaining group watched in stunned silence.

Mitsuki tilted his head slightly, ever calm. "He doesn't know where they are."

A chorus of reactions followed.

"Meh," Shikadai said with a shrug, leaning back on the couch.

"Sounds like his problem," Inojin added, flipping through one of the party supply catalogs.

"Moron," Sarada muttered under her breath, adjusting her glasses with a sigh of resignation.

"What a shame..." Cho-Cho said, feigning sympathy, though her attention was still primarily on her bag of chips.

...

While Boruto raced through the streets of Konoha, frantic to find his sister, Arsene walked calmly down a quiet road, his usual black pants and sweater making him almost blend into the evening shadows. Himawari trotted alongside him, clutching a small bouquet of flowers in her tiny hands.

"Are we almost there, Mister Arsene?" Himawari asked in her soft, innocent voice, looking up at him with wide eyes.

Arsene glanced down at her briefly, his expression hidden behind his mask, but there was a hint of something soft in his otherwise cold demeanor. "We'll get there when we get there," he said bluntly, though not unkindly.

Himawari smiled, content with the answer. "Okay!"

Arsene walked on in silence, his mind momentarily drifting to the chaotic group of kids he'd left at the Uzumaki house. Boruto... the 'moron' of the century. He almost chuckled at the thought of Boruto running around in circles, trying to figure out where his sister was.

He looked at Himawari again. Despite his usual indifference to people, there was something about this little girl that was... tolerable. Maybe it was her quiet, gentle nature. Or maybe it was the fact, he's an edgy teen with a morbid lack of happiness in life...nah, that can't be it.

...

As Arsene continued walking down the quiet streets of Konoha with Himawari trotting happily beside him, his phone buzzed in his pocket. The sudden vibration drew his attention, and for a split second, the thought of destroying the phone flashed through his mind. He never wanted the thing in the first place. Communication was a nuisance to him, especially when it came from her.

He glanced down at the screen, the words "Stall For More Time" lighting up the display. His only contact. Sumire.

A wave of irritation surged through him, his grip tightening on the phone. The urge to crush it, to scream, to destroy something, was rising rapidly. Sumire's endless meddling and constant manipulation drove him insane, and now she was making demands on his time.

But then a soft, innocent voice snapped him out of his spiraling anger.

"Mister Arsene? Are you okay?" Himawari's big, round eyes blinked up at him, filled with concern. She held her small bouquet of flowers close to her chest, her tiny hands gripping the stems carefully.

Arsene paused, the fury draining from him in an instant. This was Naruto Uzumaki's precious daughter, the Hokage's child. He couldn't allow himself to lose control. Not here. Not with her. He may have been cold, distant, and indifferent to most, but he'd be damned if he ruined this little girl's day by tainting her childhood with his anger. If nothing else, he respected Naruto enough not to let that happen.

Clearing his throat, Arsene tried to muster some semblance of calm. "Me? I'm fine. I just..." he trailed off, not really wanting to lie to her, but not sure what else to say. He didn't need to explain himself to anyone, much less a child. But the longer he stayed silent, the more he realized how unnatural that felt. "I just need an excuse."

Himawari tilted her head curiously, not quite understanding what he meant, but she didn't press him further. Instead, her eyes lit up as she spotted something ahead.

"Oh! Mister Arsene, look!" She pointed excitedly toward a brightly colored shop just a few steps away. It was a small, quaint candy shop, its windows lined with jars filled with sugary delights in every color imaginable.

Arsene followed her gaze, inwardly grateful for the distraction. Perfect. He could stall for time while making her happy. "Wanna go in?" he asked, his voice calm but carrying a hint of impatience.

Himawari hesitated for a moment, nervously tugging at her little bouquet. "C-Can I have one, Mister?" she asked shyly, her big eyes looking up at him expectantly.

Without a second thought, Arsene pulled out his wallet and handed her whatever cash he had on him. "Here. Get whatever you want."

Himawari beamed, taking the money with both hands and practically bouncing into the candy shop, her face glowing with excitement. Arsene waited outside, leaning against the wall and crossing his arms. He watched through the window as she darted from jar to jar, overwhelmed by the options. He couldn't help but feel a pang of amusement at how easily entertained she was by such simple things.

A few minutes later, Himawari emerged from the shop, carrying a bucketful of candy. Her small arms struggled under the weight, but she was smiling from ear to ear, her joy infectious.

"I also bought the bucket," Himawari said tentatively, as if she were worried she'd done something wrong. "Is that okay, Mister?"

Arsene glanced at the overflowing bucket and then back at Himawari. He shrugged. "Sure, kid. Go nuts."

Himawari giggled, her nervousness fading as she clutched the bucket happily. Before she could thank him again, Arsene knelt down, lifting her onto his back with surprising gentleness. "Here. Hold tight."

As he stood up, Himawari wrapped her arms around his neck, balancing the candy bucket with one hand. She leaned her head on his shoulder, feeling safe and content. "Thank you, Mister Arsene," she whispered.

Arsene didn't reply, but a small, imperceptible smirk formed under his mask. At least one Uzumaki isn't a pain in the neck.

Just as they started walking again, the peace of the moment was shattered by the sound of frantic footsteps. Boruto came barreling down the street, gasping for breath as he ran, his eyes wild with desperation. He was shaking a random civilian by the shoulders, his words coming out in frantic bursts. "Hey! Have you seen my sister?!"

The confused man shook his head, but before Boruto could argue, he was off again, sprinting past Arsene and Himawari without even noticing them.

Arsene paused for a moment, watching Boruto's chaotic search with a mix of amusement and disbelief. He shook his head, barely resisting the urge to laugh. The idiot didn't even notice.

Himawari, oblivious to her brother's frantic search, happily munched on a piece of candy, still holding tightly to Arsene as they continued their leisurely walk toward the Uzumaki house.

"Boruto's so silly," Himawari said with a giggle, licking a lollipop. "He's always running around."

"Yeah," Arsene muttered under his breath, smirking slightly. "Something like that." He then got another text, from her. Asking about the situation.

Meanwhile, back at the Uzumaki house, the rest of Boruto's friends continued decorating, though the energy had shifted somewhat since Boruto's chaotic departure.

Shikadai sighed as he finished hanging another streamer. "So… what's the over/under on Boruto finding his sister before the party starts?"

Inojin, now doodling on a napkin, didn't even look up. "I give him another twenty minutes of running around like a headless chicken before someone tells him where Himawari is."

Sarada crossed her arms, leaning against the wall. "He's going to freak out when he realizes he ran past her."

Sumire, sitting quietly on the couch, tried to suppress a smile. She felt a little guilty, knowing how much Boruto panicked over his sister, but the situation was too funny to ignore. She hadn't expected Arsene to be so good with Himawari, but it was a relief to know she was in safe hands—despite Arsene's usual standoffish demeanor.

Cho-Cho, already munching on another snack, shrugged. "Meh, it's Boruto's problem. He'll figure it out eventually."

Shikadai gave a lazy nod in agreement. "Yeah, let's just hope he doesn't wreck half the village looking for her."

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[Auther: Yo! Been a while, eh? And by the way, I truly do not hate Boruto. I say I do but to be honest...he's Naruto's son. And as a lover of that series, I always hold the hope, he can be a good character and no matter what he does, I can always sugarcoat it...unless something stupid like someone besides Naruto getting Kurama happens. But that'd be idiotic.]