Naruto: Vertex

Shikadai opened his mouth, but the words didn't come out immediately. The situation was truly frightening, and a doubt drove him to test them both:

- And what's in that door? - he asked, pointing to the door next to the one leading to the kitchen.

- The pier. - Hanami replied, her voice breaking. - Where we made that promise. But..." her eyes filled with tears. - You don't remember, do you?

She watched the boy, seeing him bite his lip. Of course he didn't want to hurt her, but it seemed that with every question she asked, that was exactly what happened. How could he remember, after all, if he'd never had the chance to meet those two?

Luckily, Shin noticed the tension and tried to ease the situation:

- That's enough, Hanami. He's not the Shika you know. Get it out of your head and leave the guy alone. He's already being more than kind. - Then, turning to Shikadai, he added: - Thanks, Shika. We'll see you tomorrow morning.

Shikadai bit his lip again, looking sad and embarrassed, and said goodbye to the two brothers. As he put his hand on the doorknob, he turned briefly to speak:

- Maybe you already know, but I'd better tell you.

Hanami, visibly irritated, replied:

- We already know. We can't leave.

Shikadai opened and closed his mouth, not knowing what to say. He mumbled something incomprehensible, shook his head affirmatively and left, leaving them behind.

It was 8:30 in the morning when Shikadai and Boruto arrived the next day. When they entered the kitchen, they found Hanami sitting at the table, while Shin finished frying eggs, wearing an apron.

- Look at you, you look great in that apron, blondie. - Boruto didn't miss the chance to tease, entering the room with his hands behind his head.

- If you think an apron is just for women, you're an idiot, kid. - Shin retorted, without losing his composure.

- Good morning, everyone. - Shikadai intervened, trying to calm the situation. - How are you, Hanami? - The question sounded strange, and he felt a twinge of discomfort. There were no memories, just a feeling of emptiness. Hanami just shook her head politely, but didn't answer.

Shikadai and Boruto pulled up chairs and sat at the table, watching the brothers eat in silence.

- Something strange has happened... - Shin said, interrupting the silence as he sat down. - I didn't dream that night.

Boruto and Shikadai looked at each other, as if he had said something completely out of the ordinary.

- I'm sorry, Shin, but... - Shikadai began, confused. - How could that be important?

- It was strange, Shika. - Shin insisted, looking at him with a serious countenance. - It was like I blinked and suddenly the whole night had passed. That's never happened before.

- Maybe it's just tiredness... - Shikadai commented, trying to play it down, without attaching too much importance to the subject.

- Right, let's get on with it. - Boruto said impatiently. - Have you thought of anything, Shikadai?

- I think confronting your father will be pointless, Boruto. If all this is true, he'll probably deny it anyway. - Shikadai said, trying to remain calm.

- At least I'll catch him red-handed. And show him that I know he's an asshole. - Boruto said, clenching his fists with determination.

- Stop calling my father that! - Hanami suddenly stood up, her voice full of anger.

- He has another family, and I can't call him an asshole? - Boruto replied, irritated.

- You're an asshole if you really think my father would do something like that! - She shouted, before running out of the kitchen. The two of them watched her leave through the door that led to the pier.

- Hanami! - Shin shouted, desperate.

- I'd better go after her, Shin. - Shikadai stood up slowly. - In case she goes any further.

- She wouldn't do that, Shika. - Shin replied, trying to stay calm.

- You never know. - Shikadai said, with a serious expression, before walking towards the exit, leaving the two blondes sitting at the table.

- What do you think we should do? - Boruto asked Shin, with a worried look on his face.

- "Man... I really can't believe my father started another family. But... - Shin hesitated for a moment, looking at Boruto. - Well, you exist. And you're here, in front of me.

- That's right. - Boruto grumbled, his tone lower now, reflecting his own frustration.

- I'd like to talk to him alone. - Shikadai said, trying to remain calm.

- No!" Boruto slammed his hand on the table, his voice firm and defiant. - I want to see his face.

- It's like Shikadai said, you know? - Shin commented, biting into a piece of bread as he thought. - If that's really true, he'll deny it. So I don't think it's a case of "confronting" him. What we need to do is demand that he decides what we're going to do from now on. Say that we don't accept the situation, that sort of thing. Now... - he sipped his drink - as for when my father could have another family, I really don't know. He doesn't stop working and, when he's not working, he's at home.

- Oh, and all the times he says he's working and really isn't? - Boruto replied, looking skeptical.

Shin laughed, trying to defuse the tension.

- I'm sorry, Boruto, but there's no such thing. When he's not working, he's at home, as I just said. And he lives at home.

- What are you talking about? - Boruto asked, not understanding.

- The hardest thing is getting my father out of the house. He makes our coffee and dinner every day, rain or shine. He's never spent the night away from home, except on a mission - which is rare. I can remember, I don't know, five or six times in my life when I went to bed and he wasn't there.

Boruto looked down; his chest tight. He felt his tears begin to form, anger burning inside him. So that was it. His father loved that other family more than his own. He was always absent for him, but present for those two. What was so special about them that he and Himawari didn't have? The image of Shikadai returning with Hanami brought Boruto out of his thoughts.

- I've got an idea! - Hanami exclaimed, smiling back, clearly more excited. Something Shikadai had said to her seemed to have transformed her mood significantly. - What if we went to your house, Boruto, and pretended that none of this was happening?