Hey my lovelies! So, this is it. The last chapter of this story. This is the longest chapter that I've ever written and finished it a while ago, so yeah, I'm definitely looking forward to your feedback!
Please enjoy the chapter ahead.

Chapter 10

She is Beautiful

When Sasuke and Sakura entered the house, they didn't expect to see two pairs of sandals at the doorstep. Their daughter's was obvious and the other one was Boruto's. But it was quite unsettling to have the two of them together in the same house with so much silence. They exchanged a look of concern before heading to the living room where they could sense the younger duo were.

And the sight they come to...was not what they were expecting at all. Sarada was kneeling in front of Boruto, who was on the couch, their hands intertwined together. As curious as they were of the scene, their apprehension grew when they realised that both of the kids have been crying. They both had slightly swollen eyes, and prominent tear tracks on their cheeks. They were also...beat up. And then their eyes fall on the large fresh bandage on Boruto's arm and a bloodied handkerchief nearby.

"Sarada? ...Boruto?"

Sakura whispered, prompting both the kids to whip their heads in their direction. Sakura immediately took a few quick steps towards them.

"What happened?"

Boruto immediately stood up, mindful of Sarada's position and bowed down to Sakura in a swift move.

"I'm sorry Aunt Sakura! I'll just leave. I was leaving anyway…"

He tried to scramble away but before Sakura could stop him from doing so, Sasuke was already blocking the exit. He placed his hand on the boy's shoulder.

"Boruto. What happened?"

Maybe it was the strength in Sasuke's voice or perhaps it was the respect that Boruto held for the man but he couldn't move from there. He spoke up.

…

"Boruto's not home yet?"

Naruto asked, surprised, wondering why his son was away at this time of the night. Sure, Boruto did stay out longer at times but it was primarily because he was either training with Konohamaru or Sasuke. And the last time Naruto had found his son away from home so late night, he was at the Uchiha residence.

At Hinata's distressed nod, Naruto yelled, "Wait. I'll make some shadow clones and search for him."

But before he could create the seal, Himawari came running down the hallway.

"Mom! Dad! Aunt Sakura called!" The young girl screamed.

"She said that Onii-chan was at their home and that they would send him home after dinner!"

Both him and Hinata took a simultaneous sigh of relief but Naruto did wonder.

How do you always end up there, Boruto?

…

"They did what?!"

Sarada and Boruto had been trying to answer the barrage of questions that Sakura and Sasuke threw at them and would have to do their best to calm the two adults down when the things went too far.

"...Do you remember what they looked like?"

Sasuke was the first one of break the silence after the kids told them of how the guy had almost killed Sarada. Sensing the growing rage in her parents, Sarada spoke up immediately to diffuse the situation.

"Papa, calm down please! I'm okay. Boruto saved me."

"Yes, sweetie. You're safe but Boruto's hurt, isn't he? And they deserve punishment. Just...not what Sasuke-kun is planning."

Sarada giggled at the sour face her father made at her mother's remark. And Boruto smirked too. Sakura was healing the gash as much as she could combined with the burn that had still not properly healed yet. She rebandaged Boruto's arm before smiling at him with melancholy.

"Boruto, I know you think that things you've done are wrong, and yes, they were but that doesn't give the right to others to put you down. Especially when you're doing your best to make things right! Do you understand kid?"

Satisfied with Boruto's firm nod as an answer, Sakura felt relieved. She grabbed him by the shoulders and looked him dead in the eyes.

"Listen Boruto, even though I can officially put it down in your medical report that the drug they injected in you was not toxic and only temporarily paralyzing, but I will not! No godson of mine will have some weird drug flowing in his body. That is why you'll accompany me to the hospital tomorrow. I have to make a through check up."

Boruto gulped audibly but Sakura continued, "I'll also go and talk to Naruto about these new stupid inventions and them getting in wrong hands. One of these days, those scientific weapons he and the council has been funding on might end up hurting his own kid."

Sakura fumed in herself as the other three watched her with various degrees of terror and awe.

You're incredible Mama!

Sarada looked up at the woman who gave her a grin in return.

"Come on Sarada! Help me cook dinner."

Sarada gave her an enthusiastic nod and ran towards the kitchen but halted in midway when Boruto's voice reached her ears.

"I think I should leave now, Aunt Sakura."

Sarada stopped in her tracks. To be honest, she didn't want him to leave yet but was not sure if he wanted to stay more here. They both needed a little loosening up after today's events. The day's events were too much for both of them.

"Nonsense! You will stay here and have dinner with us Boruto!"

"But Mom would worry-"

"I'll call Hinata. Don't worry about such trivial things." Sakura emphasized with a convincing smile and Boruto resigned to the older woman.

As she grabbed the phone to dial Hinata, Boruto and Sasuke were already helping Sarada gather up the ingredients. A while later, Sakura returned, telling them that information has been relayed to Himawari. The ladies flitted around the kitchen cooking stuff and men helped them by bringing necessities and arranging the table.

Later, the four of them occupied the table. Miso soup, rice and several other side dishes were served. It was funny how Boruto squirmed in his seat. He wasn't used to having dinner with anyone else other than his family.

"Rice?"

Sarada's voice broke him out of his musings. He realised that she was gesturing at his empty bowl, so Boruto stretched it towards her for a second helping.

"And Boruto, do not worry" Sakura declared, "we'll be dropping you home after dinner.

"W-What?!"

Boruto gawked, slightly grateful that the chopsticks hadn't slipped off his fingers. He stared at Sakura, gaping.

"But Aunt! I can go home myself-"

"No way!"

This time it was Sarada who objected, elbowing him on the arm and narrowing her eyes.

"Last time you tried going home alone you were ambushed, drugged and almost killed! Not taking chances again! Right Mama?"

She nodded in the direction of her mother for agreement.

"Right!"

Boruto heaved out a large sigh and smiled in defeat.

"Fine, fine."

His antics made both Sarada and Sakura giggle. He launched into another tirade of recent events, exclaiming how Sarada punched the hell out of those criminals and how he was cheering for her all the way.

Sasuke smiled.

He had seen enough of both of his daughter and student to notice that Boruto was much more livelier than he had been for days and Sarada was much more relaxed.

So you two made up, hn.

He closed his eyes for a second, relishing bliss of home, of the ambience and presence of his loved ones.

"Sasuke-kun? Are you tired?"

Sakura's sudden question snapped him out of the trance as he blinked at her.

"What? No-"

"Papa. Are you sleepy?"

He shook his head when Boruto exclaimed.

"He totally is! See, that's what I was saying! You guys shouldn't worry about me -ttebasa! I can go home on my own!"

"Boruto...don't even go there." Sasuke warned.

"Alright, alright! I give up!"

He raised his both hands in surrender and then attacked the food, stuffing it into his mouth in embarrassment. Sarada rolled her eyes at him but allowed a fond exasperated smile to grace her lips.

…

After dinner and doing dishes, which Boruto had volunteered to help with, the group of four of them left for the Uzumaki residence. They were halfway down the busy road when Sasuke suddenly requested for a private audience with Boruto, prompting Sakura and Sarada to move ahead.

"After your fight with Momoshiki? Did something weird happen?"

Sasuke was direct to the point. His brows raised when the boy flinched and looked at him with wide eyes.

"You saw him?! Really? Does that mean I wasn't hallucinating? It was real?"

Sasuke gave him a cautious nod and asked something that had bothered him for a while.

"...He talked to you? Didn't he? Personally."

Boruto tilted his head in agreement and Sasuke could detect turmoil in his clear blue eyes as the boy described the moment.

"It was... something, like a vision. I don't know what it was and he was definitely saying some creepy stuff along with that."

"Creepy stuff?"

"Yeah. He talked about how people who defeat gods are not ordinary people anymore and some stuff about destiny and things like that. I thought...it was all in my head but you saw it. So it's gotta be true!"

Boruto looked disturbed now and Sasuke couldn't blame him at all. At the end of the day, he was just a kid. He watched monsters who claimed to be gods attack his village, capture his father and almost kill him. And then after defeating the monster, he's left with that creepy indecipherable message about his destiny, his future being cursed. Sasuke eyed the way his fists clenched and eyes clouded with apprehension.

"You know, I should have told you this sooner."

His grave voice immediately attracted Boruto's attention. At the boy's curious stare, Sasuke looked forward, speaking from his heart.

"No one knows what the future holds. Remember that. If you live in fear of the future, you'll never be able to live the present. And I'm telling you this because you have a long way to go before you reach the desired future."

Sasuke looked down back again, peering into his blue eyes, he spoke as honestly as he could.

"So don't think about what is to come, rather prepare yourself to battle everything and anything that destiny throws on your face."

Sasuke genuinely smiled at the awed grin that Boruto offered him, a nostalgic scene from some corner of his conscience resurfaced.

…

"Do you think he caused some trouble again?"

Hinata's question made Naruto look up at her, she was sitting right across him on the chair, with a tense frown marring her beautiful features.

"Why would you think that? Hinata?"

He asked, lightly stroking Himawari's hair who had fallen asleep on the sofa waiting for her big brother. Hinata fiddled her fingers together, a nervous habit that she had grown out of a long time ago, but an anomaly that would occasionally reappear when she is extremely anxious about something.

"I-I don't know? He's been causing a lot of problems lately. Doing things that he shouldn't be doing. Sometimes... I feel like...it's my fault. Like if I have failed him as his mother-"

"Stop right there!"

Naruto's strong voice made Hinata flinch. But Naruto was having none of it. He stood up from his seat and approached his wife in a few strong strides. He crouched down to her level and gripped her shoulders firmly.

"Listen to me, Hinata. And listen to me good. You have never failed Boruto or anyone for any matter! Do you understand? You're an amazing mother, an awesome daughter and an incredible friend. And also the best love I could have ever wished for. So I will not accept you putting yourself down!"

Hinata opened her mouth to say anything but the words felt clogged in her throat. So rather than trying to bring forth what her feelings enclosed, she decided to act on them and buried her face in his chest. He circled his arms around her shoulders, holding her in his protective embrace.

Although the trance was broken when Himawari let out a tiny whine. Both parents breathed out a sigh of relief realising that she was still sleeping.

"I'm surprised that she's still asleep after all the yelling you did." Hinata teased.

Naruto rubbed the back of his head and laughed nervously before running to tuck their daughter away in the bed.

…

Naruto was climbing down the stairs when the front door slipped open and Boruto appeared, followed by the Uchiha family.

Naruto's surprised yell of 'Boruto' caused Hinata to rush out of the door to greet their son. The marks on his face and the fresh bandage on his arm alarmed them almost immediately.

"What happened?" They exclaimed in unison.

All the four of the newcomers shared a look before letting out a collective sigh.

"It's a long story."

…

"I'll dispatch a squad of Anbu to track down those criminals immediately!" Naruto stood up from his place, his anger flaring up, "And we also need to keep an close eye on the manufacture of those ninja tools."

The people in the room had watched Naruto pacing the room repeatedly in agitation for ten minutes before Sasuke spoke up.

"You don't even need Anbu. I can do all that work myself. I just need permission."

He side eyed Sakura who immediately retorted with a firm 'No'.

"Dad. Not today please." Boruto's tired voice interrupted in between, "If I've to end up telling that incident one more time, I swear I'll go and ask hell if they're having an exchange program."

All the adults gave him a 'what?' look but Sarada just exhaled, having gotten used to his weird antics.

"Sarada. Boruto. We need you to leave this room." Sasuke's sudden request made everyone look up at him "-uh, adult talk, you see?" He offered a lame explanation making the three adults in the room stare at him in incredulity while the younglings simply rolled their eyes, already used Sasuke's poor attempts when dealing with kids.

"I and Sarada are by the swings then." Boruto supplied before exiting the room with Sarada beside him.

…

"What do you think they could be talking about?" Boruto asked, leaning against the pole of the swing which Sarada occupied at the current moment.

When Himawari was quite young, Uzumakis had a small swing set installed at their backyard. Boruto and Sarada have a lot of childhood memories related to this swing so it felt oddly nostalgic for both of them to be here at the moment. But neither mentioned anything.

"I don't know? Maybe how to deal with our attackers or maybe about the take of action against SNWT?"

"Yup, probably."

A light breeze blew, tossing Sarada's dark locks in rhythm. She closed her eyes to feel it, cherish it and letting that calm wash over her nerves. Suddenly, a gentle push on her back made the swing move forward. She swiveled her head around to find Boruto behind her, smiling gently. As the swing returned, he caught her and pushed her again. Sarada giggled, relishing the momentum and the feeling of wind whipping her face.

As the comfortable silence continued, Sarada felt her heart ease up and shed some light on the questions she had been scared to ask herself. The swinging motion was so incredibly soothing that her lips turned upwards into a smile. Back and forth. It was astonishing how a childhood fun activity defined their bond so well. How they would push one another towards their goals but would also be there to catch when the other stumbles behind.

And suddenly everything became so crystal clear.

"Do you want to swing too?" She asked turning to look at him as she was softly pushed away again.

"Nahhh." He grinned.

"You know? I want you to remember what Mama said. Just because you made a mistake that you're repenting for, gives nobody else the right to insult you. Don't let people do that again Boruto."

It took him a moment to reply.

"I know. I understand it now. Better late than never, right?"

"Right!" she laughed happily, relieved on inside to see the light shining in his eyes once again.

"But yeah, thank you Sarada."

His gratitude out of nowhere made her whip her head in his direction.

"What? What are you thanking me for? You're the one who...saved me?"

Boruto shook his head at her confusion.

"I wanted to thank you for everything. For being so understanding after the mess I created with the others. Then coming to save my loser self from those attackers. Then taking care of my wounds before your own. And also for... making me see things that I was deliberately ignoring. I just don't know what I'd do without you."

His voice was so thick with emotions that Sarada half suspected that he might be crying again, so she tightly refrained from the urge to look back at him. Because she knew it better than anyone else about how much he hated showing tears. She had seen him crying today already. He wouldn't like it if it happens a second time. After a while, she whispered.

"Welcome. You know, you can count on me. Always."

"You can count on me too! Always!" He replied without missing a beat. They both were secretly elated, happy and appeased. The tensions that have been taking hold of their relationship slowly seemed to fade away.

"Sarada!"

Sakura's voice floated over to the two of them as they saw their parents standing on the porch.

"Come on! Let's go home!"

"Yes. Coming!" Sarada replied, jumping off the swing after Boruto slowed it down. As Sarada was about to follow her parents out of the Uzumaki residence, she stopped all of sudden. She slowly turned to him and Boruto was not sure if it was an illusion of anything, but her cheeks appeared a little pinker than usual.

"Um," her eyes darted all over the place, "-you see, I, care about you a lot."

Instantly, that nervous fiddling around vanished, replaced by a surge of confidence that astounded him.

"And you're my friend! That is why!"

What about you?

He had asked, and this was her answer.

The bright grin she offered him was so overwhelming, so bright and blinding that Boruto failed to utter out a single word as she raced back to her parents. He stood there, still staring at her back, enchanted, as he added one more fact in the list of those he was exclusively sure about her.

Yes .

With that smile etching itself deep in his memories, he knew, that there wasn't any sense in denying anymore.

Yes .

He now knew.

Yes.

She is Beautiful.

Aaaaaahhhhh! I know it's an open ended story but since Boruto and Sarada are still quite young here, I felt that the most important factor in this story would be their relationship development based on their friendship. And also has a lot of character development here as well.

And at the last, the story ended where it started, so yes, a full circle? AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

I had so much fun WRITING it, and had so many up and downs irl during the span. It was amazing journey shared with you all.

Unfortunately, I won't be uploading new stories here anymore. I have been harrassed by a certain someone for a while now, so I refuse to bear it any longer.

With the above message, I conclude my first multichapter story ever!

Thank you everyone for reading this story and supporting it!

See you again.