?????? ????? (Boruto x oc) ?

His lips twitched into a half-smile. "Best friend, huh? That’s all?"

Her cheeks flushed faintly, and she looked away, suddenly finding the scrolls on the floor incredibly interesting. "Don’t push your luck."

He chuckled, sitting up fully. "I’m just saying. You don’t have to hold back, you know."

Itaki rolled her eyes but couldn’t hide the small smile that crept onto her face. "You’re impossible."

"And you wouldn’t have it any other way," he quipped, his grin widening.

As the afternoon sun filtered through the windows, the two fell into a comfortable silence, the unspoken bond between them growing stronger with each passing moment.

As the day wore on, the atmosphere in the house became peaceful. Boruto and Itaki spent the afternoon practicing, but the tension between them lingered, unspoken but felt in the small gestures—like the way they would meet each other's gaze for just a moment longer than usual or the accidental brushes of hands when they reached for the same tool.

After dinner, when the house was quieter, Boruto found himself on the porch, staring up at the stars. The cool night air was refreshing, and the sky stretched out in a blanket of glittering lights above him. Itaki came out to join him, leaning on the railing beside him, her eyes following his.

"You’ve been quiet," Itaki said, breaking the comfortable silence. "What’s on your mind?"

Boruto shrugged, his gaze still fixed on the sky. "Just... thinking about things. About how weird this whole situation is."

"It’s a lot to take in, I know," Itaki replied softly. "Time travel, meeting our younger selves... It’s strange, but I’m glad we’re here."

He turned to look at her, the soft glow from the house casting light on her face. "Yeah, I am too. I’ve been thinking about that, too. About how much things have changed, and how different everything feels."

Itaki gave him a sideways glance. "You mean me?" she teased, her voice light. "How much different I am from when we first met?"

Boruto smiled, his gaze lingering on her a moment longer than usual. "Well, yeah. You’re not the same Itaki I first met, but in a good way."

She raised an eyebrow, not expecting that response. "In a good way, huh?" she asked, her tone curious.

"Definitely," he said, his voice suddenly quieter. He turned to face her fully, and there was a shift in the air between them—an unspoken understanding that had been slowly building.

For a moment, the words seemed to hang between them, but Boruto didn’t back down. "You’ve always been strong, but now... I don't know. It's like you've become more than just a fighter to me. More than just my best friend."

Itaki’s heart skipped a beat, and she quickly averted her eyes, suddenly feeling self-conscious. "Boruto, you’re... you're my best friend, too. You know that, right?"

"I know," he said, taking a step closer, his voice steady but soft. "But I think it’s more than that. It’s always been more than that, hasn't it?"

Her breath caught in her throat, and she tried to fight the heat rising in her cheeks. But Boruto’s eyes—those intense, warm eyes—were too much. She felt the pull between them, stronger than before, and for the first time, the distance that had always existed between them seemed to disappear.

"You don’t have to say anything, Itaki," Boruto added, his hand gently brushing hers. "But I want you to know I’m here. No matter what."

Itaki swallowed, trying to compose herself, but the softness in his voice and the sincerity in his eyes made it hard to ignore the fluttering in her chest. She had always admired him, always trusted him—but now, something more had formed, something neither of them had expected.