Chapter 9: Morning and Shadows
Although no one wanted it, morning had come faster than anyone expected. The sun timidly appeared in the sky, casting warm rays of light through the window. Boruto slowly opened his eyes, feeling an unusual warmth beside him. He realized he had something in his arms—something soft, warm, and breathing gently. When he turned his head, he saw the most beautiful sight in the world: Sumire, peacefully asleep, her delicate face relaxed and her lavender hair spread across the pillow. She was so beautiful that Boruto couldn't resist. He leaned in gently and kissed her.
Sumire, who had actually been pretending to sleep, was surprised by his gesture but instinctively responded to the kiss. Boruto, startled, broke the kiss and said:
— "Did I wake you? Sorry," he said, embarrassed, his cheeks slightly flushed.
Sumire smiled softly and replied:
— "It's nothing. I've been awake for a while."
Boruto, surprised, quickly turned to look at the clock. Seeing the time, he jumped out of bed.
— "Oh no! I'm late!"
Sumire laughed and said:
— "Yes, you're late. You'd better get ready quickly and go. I'm late too."
Boruto rushed to take a quick shower while Sumire went to the kitchen to prepare some sandwiches for him. When Boruto came out of the bathroom, ready to leave, he found Sumire eating a sandwich. He sat down at the table and began eating in silence.
— "I have to go on another mission today," Boruto said between bites. "I might be gone for two days."
Sumire looked at him and said calmly:
— "Alright, I'll wait for you at home."
In her mind, she thought of herself as a little wife waiting for her husband to return. Boruto, caught in the moment, accidentally blurted out:
— "Exactly what you were thinking."
Sumire's cheeks turned red, and Boruto, embarrassed, hurried to put on his shoes and leave. Sumire walked him to the door, where Boruto, without hesitation, took her in his arms and kissed her forehead.
— "I'm off," he said, then quickly walked away.
....
Boruto walked through the village streets, his bag slung over his shoulder and his thoughts scattered. The morning sun warmed his face, but in his heart, he felt a weight he couldn't explain. Momoshiki, like a persistent thought, began whispering in his mind.
— "Why are you in such a hurry to leave, Boruto? You left behind someone who seems to care about you. But you know it won't last, don't you? People change. She'll leave you, just like everyone else."
Boruto shook his head, trying to drown out Momoshiki's voice.
— "Shut up! You don't know anything about her," he muttered angrily.
Momoshiki laughed, a cold and sarcastic sound.
— "Oh, but I do. I know better than anyone. She loves you now, but when she sees the truth about you, when she sees the darkness in you, she'll run. They all do."
Boruto clenched his fists, feeling the anger rising within him. He didn't want to hear this. Not now. Not when he had just started to believe that there could be something good in his life.
— "She's not like them," he said, his voice trembling. "She… she understands."
Momoshiki laughed again, more viciously this time.
— "Understands? Understands that you've killed people? Understands that you're full of hatred and darkness? No, Boruto. She knows nothing. And when she finds out, it'll be too late."
Boruto stopped abruptly, feeling his breath grow heavy. He looked around, but the streets were empty. No one was there to hear him, to see him struggling with his own demons.
— "Why are you doing this?" he asked, his voice filled with pain. "Why are you trying to destroy everything I have left?"
Momoshiki seemed to calm down for a moment, then replied in a softer, almost melancholic voice:
— "Because that's the truth, Boruto. You can't run from it. You can't hide. The darkness is a part of you, and the more you try to ignore it, the stronger it becomes."
Boruto lowered his head, feeling tears fill his eyes. He didn't want to believe it. He didn't want to accept that the darkness was a part of him. But with each passing day, it became harder to lie to himself.
— "Then what should I do?" he asked, his voice barely audible.
Momoshiki paused for a moment, then replied:
— "Accept it. Accept that the darkness is a part of you, and use it. Only then will you become strong. Only then will you be able to protect those you care about."
Boruto closed his eyes, feeling Momoshiki's words echo in his mind. It was such a tempting idea, but also so dangerous. He knew that if he gave in to the darkness, he could lose everything he had left. But if he didn't… if he didn't, he might lose it all anyway.
...
When Boruto reached the village gate, he realized his team was already waiting for him. Sarada approached him with a worried expression.
— "Boruto, where were you last night? Hinata called mom to see if you'd gone to her."
Boruto didn't answer. His thoughts were still stuck in the conversation with Momoshiki. He looked at Sarada but ignored her. Instead, he walked over to Konohamaru, who looked just as concerned.
— "What's the mission?" Boruto asked coldly.
Konohamaru looked at him with a serious expression.
— "We need to capture ten ninja who killed an orphanage full of children," he said heavily.
At these words, the entire team's faces darkened. Everyone looked at Boruto, who seemed the most affected. Konohamaru continued:
— "We'll just capture them. And besides, it's a very strong team, so someone else will be joining us."
Boruto said nothing. His thoughts were still stuck on the image of the innocent children who had died. Momoshiki whispered to him again:
— "See? This is humanity. If those children had power, they wouldn't have ended up like this."
Boruto closed his eyes, feeling the darkness within him grow. He knew this mission wouldn't be easy. He knew he would have to face not only the enemies but also his own demons.