A/N: Sooo I decided to take a break from lemon oneshots for a while, hope you guys don't mind.

I included some Boruto characters in this special oneshot. Sorry if they seem out of character, I haven't watched Boruto yet :((

Anyways enjoy!

ʕ•ﻌ•ʔʕ•ﻌ•ʔʕ•ﻌ•ʔʕ•ﻌ•ʔʕ•ﻌ•ʔʕ•ﻌ•ʔʕ•ﻌ•ʔ

⚠ Warning: Extremely heartwarming and touching!⚠ (lol)

Boruto's POV

We all ate our food quietly, not the quiet in comfortable silence, but the quiet that indicates everyone knows what's up, and yet they pretend to ignore and mention about it.

That includes me.

No words were exchanged with each other, excluding the loud clinking noises of the utensils. My little sister, Himawari who sat beside me, was close to breaking down into tears, her blue eyes glassy, yet she chose to stay quiet as she munched on her rib steak unenthusiastically. Mom sat across from me, trying to distract herself from the eerie silence by pouring the pitcher of water on our glasses, yet I knew what was running through her mind right now. She bit on her bottom lip, her eyes glancing at the empty chair beside her every so often. My blood boiled as my attention focused on the seat beside her.

Someone didn't come home for dinner again.

Finally, I couldn't take it anymore. I shot up from my seat abruptly, slamming my fists on the table harshly. Himawari gasped at the unanticipated moment, while mom remained apathetic, as if she were already expecting me to throw a tantrum.

"Where the hell is dad?!" I demanded furiously.

"B-Big brother..." Himawari whimpered, her tone telling me to stop, but I was too blinded by rage to my father.

That stupid old man..

Mom shot me a stern look, but I didn't back down as my eyes narrowed intensely, refusing to back down from our stare down. She placed her utensils down and sighed softly.

"Boruto sweetie, we've had this talk before already." She reminded, her tone clearly angry but I could tell she was trying to stay calm.

I shook my head vigorously. "No! I'm absolutely done with you telling me the same excuse every single time!" I protested, my body shaking in fury as my teeth clenched together.

"I'm not the naive child you knew anymore who easily believes everything you say! Because I'm not your little boy anymore mom! I'm not--"

I was abruptly cut off when I felt a painful sensation on my cheek. I stared in utter shock as mom wore mixed emotions; hurt and rage. She had her arm raised diagonally, glaring daggers at me. "Is that what we've taught you throughout your whole childhood, Boruto?! To grow up being discourteous to your parents?!" She fumed with fiery lavender eyes.

My eyes widened for a fleeting moment. It's not an everyday occurrence for me to witness mom's wrath, considering the fact that her demeanor is usually approachable and gentle. For some reason, I keep forgetting how her anger is something that no one would not want to witness. One time, when Himawari caught a cold, dad and I fought over on what she should eat for dinner, and that is until mom interfered our argument and kicked us out of the house out of pure rage.

And trust me, she's much scarier than Auntie Sakura especially with the imaginative dark aura she emits.

I hissed in pain, rubbing my hand over my cheek which I'm sure had a noticeable red hand imprint. Mom's eyes softened a bit, dropping her bad temper. "It's not easy to be in your father's shoes, it never is. I thought you understood that already." I flinched slightly when she emphasised the last sentence with exasperation.

"The whole country rests upon his shoulders and everyone was relying on him. So he had to... No, he wanted to fulfill his role as the Prime Minister and muster every bit of his strength to protect Japan. You have to understand that your father has been working hard even if he had to take a night shift. That's enough proof that he cares about us." She reasoned.

My expression hardened.

There she goes saying, he's the Prime Minister and all that stuff all over again.

It makes me feel sick.

"He cares about us?" I said, my voice laced with sarcasm. "Think about it mom, he comes home in the middle of the night, never spends time us and he's always tired and sleepy whenever we see him!" I yelled angrily as I left the dining room, not bothering to finish my now cold dinner.

"Boruto!" Mom pleaded, standing up from her seat.

I halted my pace at the bottom of the stairs. "Sorry, I lost my appetite. I'm just gonna stay in my room." I muttered coldly before storming upstairs, leaving my crestfallen mom and little sister.

I threw the pillow harshly on the wall as I sat on my bed, mumbling curses under my breath.

"Prime Minister this, Prime Minister that! Dammit all, everything's always about him!" I growled, thrashing around in my bed.

I was too engrossed on beating the crap out of my pillow while yelling a bunch of obscenities about dad that I failed to notice a warm tear strolling down my cheek until it dripped down to my hand.

I stopped my actions, a shell-shocked expression crossing over my features. Memories flashed through my mind, when our family used to complete and happy. Dad used to be by our side all the time before he became President; he'd build a snowman with Himawari and I during winter, and we would go to different places during summer vacation. I remember how mom was happier at that time, all because dad was always attentive and affectionate to her, but now my parents had grown distant.

I was aware of mom's current behavior, the sadness she hides deep down, yet I knew she was trying to stay strong for the family. Because she believes that dad's working hard.

My attention landed on the picture frame displayed on top of my desk. It was winter in Konoha City at that time so we were all wearing winter clothes, the four of us equally smiling brightly at the camera. Another tear slipped from my eye.

Why do you keep leaving us alone, dad?

Sarada's POV

"I'm back, mom!" I called out, removing my shoes at the doorway before walking in, carrying a thick book in one arm.

Footsteps coming closer was the first thing I heard as mom appeared in the living room, holding up a spatula. She beamed at me. "Took you long enough to get home from the book store, Sarada." She teased, placing a free hand on her hip.

I huffed. "Well, I had a hard time choosing a book because I basically can't decide and wished that I had a whole lot of money to grab every novel from the book shelf." I admitted, following her to the dining room.

She chuckled, slipping on some mittens before turning off the stove. Gently, she placed the hot pot of beef udon on the table. "As much as I admire your devotion in reading, try not to drown yourself too much on books. At least do some stuff that normal girls do! Like shopping, slumber part--"

I shivered in disgust. "Ugh, I don't wanna hear it mom. Those kinds of things are just not my preference." I protested, placing my newly bought book on an empty chair beside me before taking a seat.

Mom rolled her eyes playfully, copying my actions. "You'll change your mind once you reach your teenage years."

I filled my bowl with a few scoops of udon soup. "As if."

The playful conversation went on as we ate, with Mom being enthusiastic and giddy as usual. Despite that, there were instances where she would engage in a serious chat, being fully aware of my mature and adult-like attitude at such a young age. Soon after we finished our meal, I volunteered to wash the dishes while mom went upstairs to do some cleaning.

Eventually, I was done doing the task after a while so I sauntered to the living room to find some good shows on the television. I grew slightly irritated at the fact that the remote had gone missing.

"Where the heck is it?" I asked particularly to no one, letting out an exasperated sigh as I checked under the throw pillows on the couch.

After searching for what seemed like forever while fighting the urge to rip out leather fabric into shreds, I finally found it laying at the side table beside the couch. Sighing in relief, I was about to grab it until my attention landed on the picture frame displayed on top of the table. The purple frame was designed for a collage picture, on the left was me as an infant, my body wrapped around a blue blanket so I looked like a burrito with only my head popped out. I chuckled at that. Mom was on the right, smiling cheerfully as usual with a hand on her hip. Lastly, in the middle was my father.

My jovial mood automatically disappeared, a grim expression soon replacing it. His features were similar to mine, onyx eyes and raven black hair. He wore a black suit, probably his business uniform, and his expression was rather apathetic and emotionless. I gripped onto the frame tightly.

When will you come home, dad?

Suddenly, something strange caught my eye. A fragment from the frame at the top side and on the top left corner of mom's picture has been chipped for an unknown reason. What's more peculiar is that dad's photo seemed like it has been tucked under mom's. I raised an eyebrow.

Did mom just put hers and dad's separated pictures together?

I can hear my heart pounding loudly in anticipation as I reached over to pull out dad's photo. The next thing I saw made me feel betrayed and devastated. Dad wasn't alone in the picture, there were three people accompanying him. On dad's left is a man with white shoulder-length hair, grinning widely which revealed his shark-like teeth. Beside him was a rather tall man with orange spiky hair that matched the color of his eyes. And last but not the least, on his right was a woman.

A woman who looks exactly like me.

With her red hair and eyes and black rimmed glasses that matched mine, there is no exception about it. My irises shrunk, disbelief written all over my face.

No way...

My brain couldn't process everything at all. I've always believed that the reason why dad never comes home at all was because he's working abroad in Canada, or so mom says. But I guess that's just a lame excuse for a clueless child like me to believe in when in reality, he's having a secret affair with the mysterious woman.

And with her features, there's no doubt that she might be my biological mom. My grip loosened on the frame as it landed helplessly on the floor, placing my hands over my mouth as tears began welling up in my eyes. My knees became wobbly from trembling so much as I collapsed on my knees.

Now I understand why mental pain is much worse than physical pain. It felt like as if my heart was being ripped away from my chest at the anguish emotion that I'm experiencing right now. More tears strolled down my cheeks, realization hitting me hard.

How could they lie to me? Especially mom, why did she treat me as if I were her own child?

My hands balled into fists, my knuckles turning white from clenching them too hard. Faint footsteps made me snap back to reality as I hurriedly slipped dad's picture back to its original place before putting it back on the side table.

"Sarada, what's going on? I heard some loud noise down there." Mom asked as she climbed downstairs.

My teeth clenched as I glared daggers at her, my fists shaking at my sides as if I were itching to punch someone. Worry and confusion contorted her features as she slowly sauntered towards me.

"What's wrong? Is everything okay?" She looked like she wanted to give me a hug but she stopped herself, eyeing me worriedly.

I clicked my tongue in annoyance. "Is everything okay?" I repeated her last question with a hint of sarcasm as I narrowed my eyes at her dangerously.

"Oh, everything is just fine, mom. It turns out my life has been a lie all along and I absolutely have no clue about it at all!" I yelled furiously, jabbing a thumb to my chest. Mom flinched at my sudden loud, aggressive tone.

Her green eyes widened as her expression grew panicky. "Sarada! What in heaven's name are you saying?! You're acting weird!" She exclaimed, taking a step forward.

Instinctively, I took a step back quickly. "Stay away from me! I won't forgive you for hiding something from your own daughter!" I shot back defensively.

The confused look on her face made me want to slap her so badly.

Hah, someone's a good actress.

She sighed, rubbing her temples. "Sarada, whatever is troubling you, can we at least talk without screaming? That way, we can understand each other better." She pointed out.

I raised an eyebrow at her skeptically but decided to follow her wishes. I'm not the type of person who blindly releases his rage, I can be logical too.

I crossed my arms as my glare remained. "Fine. You know where dad is and what he's doing now, right?" I inquired rather in a rude tone, but I didn't care.

She frowned, as if she'd dealt with my question for the hundredth time. "That again?" Her expression changed into a longing one as she stared off into a distance. "Hmm, I wonder what he's doing right now."

I felt my anger intensifying, but I forced to keep it inside. "Everytime I ask that question, you keep saying that you don't know. And you call yourself his wife?" I snapped coldly.

"Sarada..." She said softly, she looked at me with pleading eyes, wordlessly telling me to stop. I snorted.

I was telling the truth here and she's trying to run away from it?

I shot her a forbidding look, letting her know how serious I am about this conversation. "Mom, are you really dad's wife?"

This seemed to trigger her reaction as her eyes widened briefly before changing into an infuriated one. "What's with this so suddenly?" She asked, growing vexed up.

"It's not sudden!" I defended sharply. "What's weirder is your relationship with him. And it's not just kinda, but a lot!"

Mom lost her cool as she came at me, gripping me by the shoulders. "Sarada!" She exclaimed angrily, her fiery green eyes rooted on me.

Tears brimmed at the corner of my eyes as my vision turned blurry. I've never felt so betrayed in my whole life, worse, by my own parents. It's frustrating how mom wouldn't just tell the truth instead of scolding me like I was the one who is wrong.

Shocked by her own actions, she quickly recoiled back, shell-shocked. She placed a hand over her mouth as realization struck her. "S-Sarada, I'm sor--"

"I'm going upstairs, I think I'm in the mood to start reading my new book." I seethed, regarding her with a death stare before storming upstairs, tears strolling down my cheeks like an endless waterfall.

Why did you lie to me, dad?

Boruto's POV

I watched in curiosity as Himawari was marking something on the calendar displayed at the wall above the couch using a red marker.

"What'cha doing, Hima?" I asked, letting out a yawn as I had just woke up to get ready for school.

Himawari, who was humming softly to herself, stopped to spare me a glance. "Oh! Good morning, big brother! Well, I just remembered that it's almost Father's Day so I decided to mark the date for us to not forget!" She chirped happily with a grin.

I frowned.

I bet dad wouldn't even take a glance at the damn calender.

I immediately forced a smile. "I see. As usual, you're doing a great job in putting up a reminder, Hima." I complimented, patting her on the head.

She giggled at my gesture. "Thanks, big brother! Breakfast is ready by the way, mom prepared some waffles!"

My mouth watered at that. "Ooh, sounds good!"

By the time we arrived at the dining room, mom was already seated on her usual chair. On the table were a bunch of waffles with whipped cream, blueberries, and maple syrup on top.

"Is your dad awake yet?" She inquired as Hima and I sat beside together at the dining table. I frowned but didn't say anything.

"I'm awake." A deep, raspy voice said behind me. Walking in the dining room was none other than dad, his messy bed hair looked like a bird's nest. His blue eyes were droopy and his dark eyebags were very noticeable. A bit of dried drool was even seen on his chin which disgust the heck out of me.

God, he looked like a zombie.

Mom smiled softly at him. "Good morning, dear." She greeted sweetly, pulling the empty chair for him.

Dad mirrored her smile, taking a seat next to her as he scratched his cheek awkwardly. "Good morning, Hinata."

I stopped myself from shooting up from my seat to give him a good punch on the face.

He doesn't even say any cute nicknames to her like normal couples do and he calls himself mom's husband?!

Although, mom didn't mind it as she gestured to the meal in front of us. "I made waffles for us, I hope you like it."

Dad's eyes sparkled, his mouth watering. "Wow, thanks Hinata! You're the best cook in the world, believe it!" He exclaimed, grinning at her childishly.

A faint blush crossed over mom's cheeks. "Anything for you, dear."

Himawari clasped her hands together.  "Thanks for the food!" She chirped before chomping down on the waffles happily. Mom and dad copied her gestures but I remained quiet, glaring at the food despite knowing that it's an unmannerly action.

Dad paused munching on his meal to look at me. "What's wrong, Boruto? The food's gonna get cold." He blinked innocently when I shot him a glare.

"Whatever." I said aggravatedly, grabbing my utensils with unnecessary aggressiveness.

Himawari pouted at my behavior, her cheerful attitude gone instantly. Dad raised an eyebrow skeptically while mom heaved a sigh.

"Well, you better hurry up. You're gonna be late for school." He reminded.

I ignored him, stuffing the waffles in my mouth hurriedly and in a matter of seconds, I was finished.

"After I take a shower, I'm gonna leave." I said bluntly, placing my utensils on the sink before heading to the bathroom.

Mom stood up abruptly. "Wait, Boruto. At least give me time to prepare your lunch." She suggested.

I yawned, scratching the back of my head with a bored look. "No, thanks. I have spare money for Thunder Burger."

"But you've been eating that every single day, too much oily food is unhealthy." She pointed out.

Thankfully, my back is turned to them so I rolled my eyes in annoyance. "I'm gonna be late mom, I don't have time for the you-need-to-eat-healthy-food talk." I snapped, giving her an annoyed glance.

Mom was getting worked up with her features twisted into an infuriated one, but I could tell she didn't want to ruin the mood early in the morning from the way she was biting on her bottom lip. Dad could sense the tension in the atmosphere as he stared at me gravelly. He gave mom a we-need-to-talk-later glance before clearing his throat, changing his expression into a friendly smile.

"Boruto, do you wanna head to Ichiraku's with me after school? Shikamaru was kind enough to give me a free time in my schedule." He said, flashing me his signature grin.

But I wasn't gonna fall for that. I knew too well that he's lying beneath that fake cheerful attitude.

He's just doing that to cheer me up.

Well, guess what? That's not gonna work on me anymore.

He keeps saying that many times, but whenever I'd expect him in the front door, he isn't coming home at all.

It's the same as always.

I turned to face him, arms crossed. "Really, dad? Do you think that same old trick would work on me again? I thought you can do better in acting up the fake fatherly attitude." I mocked.

Dad's eyes widened, shock replacing his lighthearted expression. "What are you talking about? I'm serious about it." He defended.

I huffed. "Yeah well, last time I checked, you said the same thing for like a hundred times and you didn't come home during dinner time at all."

He shook his head vigorously. "It's different this time, I promise that I'll come home at dinner tonight."

I let out a derisive chuckle, surprising my family even Himawari, whose fighting the urge to burst into tears. I knew she hated conflicts in the family,  but right now, dad needs to know how much I'm suffering because of his absence.

"Since when do you ever keep promises, dad?" I demanded, shooting him a disdainful look. Before he could open his mouth, I smirked. "Oh, right. You never did."

With that, I left the kitchen, ignoring his voice calling out my name desperately.

💝👪💝

As usual, science class is downright boring, especially when our teacher, Orochimaru keeps regarding us with a creepy stare, which in fact didn't help our class in focusing at all. I've also noticed Sarada's strange behavior even before class started. I was able to perceive it quickly since she's my seatmate.

Whenever Orochimaru would call her name for recitation, she couldn't answer his questions correctly at all. Moreover, despite of her serious and mature demeanour, she looked even more gloomy and somber. I find it odd because she's the top student in our class and has a tendency of provoking about my stupidity and recklessness.

I decided to push those thoughts aside, maybe it's a family issue or whatsoever. Plus, it's not my place to ask what's troubling her, even if I'm her childhood friend.

After what seemed like eternity, the bell finally rang for lunch period. I sighed in relief. I was about to head to Thunder Burger when a group of people approached me. It was my friends.

"Yo, Boruto." Shikadai greeted lazily, hands on his pockets. His long black hair was tied into a ponytail as his green eyes bore into mine.

I was confused. "What's up? I thought you guys are going ahead to Thunder Burger?"

Inojin waved a hand dismissively. He had long dirty blonde hair, his hairstyle similar to Shikadai's, only that his ponytail was lower. His light blue eyes were too bright for me to look at for some reason. "We have the luxury time to go there. What's important right now is the surprise we're planning."

This peaked my curiosity. "What surprise?" I asked.

"For Father's Day, of course." Suddenly, Mitsuki came out of nowhere, sitting on my desk casually. He had white shaggy hair and yellow eyes.

I let out an unmanly shriek. "Mitsuki! Get off of my desk!"

Cho Cho, Sarada's bestfriend walked up to her desk. "We should plan this surprise, Sarada! It'll be exciting!" She exclaimed. Her long chestnut hair is styled into twin half-ponytails which matched her eyes, her skin complexion is rather dark and not to mention her appearance is a bit chubby.

However, Sarada remained unfazed as she wore an apathetic expression. "Sorry, count me out. I need to study at the library." She deadpanned.

Cho Cho gave her a puzzled look. "Study? But we don't even have exams or quizzes coming up!"

Sarada stood up from her seat, refusing to make eye contact with the brunette. "I have to be prepared in case of pop quizzes." She reasoned as she rose from her seat and left the classroom before Cho Cho could say anything else. My expression softened.

Sarada...

Cho Cho sighed. "I know for a fact that Sarada's a devoted student, but she wouldn't just back down from a surprise for a stupid pop quiz!"

Inojin looked troubled. "As much as I want Sarada in this since she's a good strategist other than Shikadai, I guess it leaves us no choice."

Cho Cho was lost in her own thoughts. "Sarada's not like herself today."

Shikadai placed a hand on her shoulder. "Whatever is bothering her is none of our business. I'm sure she'll come around."

She pouted, her head hung down sadly. "I hope you're right."

"So, any ideas for a suitable location?" Inojin inquired.

But I wasn't listening to their conversation anymore, my attention drawn to the door where Sarada had left. Her talking to Cho Cho without her usual enthusiasm is an evidence that something is indeed bothering her. And from the way she automatically backs down from a Father's Day surprise. It could only mean one thing.

Both Sarada and I are not in good terms with our fathers.

"Oi, Boruto!" I was snapped out of my train of thoughts when Shikadai waved a hand in front of me.

"W-Wha...? What's going on?" I asked, looking back and forth at the trio.

Inojin sighed. "We're asking if you're in for the surprise."

Suddenly, I find myself staring at my desk solemnly. Dad isn't even paying us any attention so why can't I return that favor?

For me, all the hard work in the surprise wouldn't be worth it if that stupid old man is involved.

I stood up, hands tucked in my pockets. "Sorry guys, but I'm out as well." I said, walking to the exit of the classroom.

I could tell that my friends looked equally shocked. "What?! Not just Sarada, but you too?!" Cho Cho yelled.

"Boruto, at least tell us why." Mitsuki said calmly.

I halted my pace once I was at the doorway. I glanced over my shoulder, eyeing their bewildered faces.

"Because I hate him." Without giving them a chance to say another word, I walked out of the door.

💝👪💝

Thankfully school ended after a few hours of getting my brain tortured with boring lectures. After successfully dodging my friends like a ninja who were frantically searching for me, I decided to just roam around the city to kill some time. I was about to leave the school gates when a man around his thirties sauntered towards me.

His raven hair reached down to his neck and covered the half of his face. His eyes were onyx, eyeing me apathetically. He wore a black suit and was carrying a suitcase.

"Um, may I help you?" I asked nervously, his demeanor is seriously intimidating.

"You're Boruto Uzumaki, right?" He inquired in a deep, gruff voice.

I nodded stiffly. "How do you know my name, sir?" I mentally cursed to myself from acting so anxious.

"My name is Sasuke Uchiha, Sarada's father."

My eyes widened. So that explains why their features seem so similar. I heard from Auntie Sakura that he never comes home since he works abroad in Canada and is quite a busy man. Now that I got a good look of him, he actually looks cool.

Definitely much cooler than dad.

Sasuke cleared his throat. "So, is my daughter here?"

I shook my head. "Sadly, she already left."

He sighed, failing to hide his disappointment. "I see, well I'll get going now." He said and spun on his heel.

My expression grew frantic. "Um, hold on Mister Sasuke."

He stopped abruptly, glancing at me. "What is it?"

I scratched the back of my head bashfully. "I heard from mom that you and dad were childhood friends." I didn't know what else to say, but my question in mind might've been to embarrassing to ask. I sputtered a bunch of incoherent nonsense, unsure how to form it into a sentence without being rude.

Although, Sasuke seemed to read my mind as he cracked a small smile. "I suggest we have this conversation in somewhere more suitable."

He was kind enough to offer me a ride in his black expensive-looking car and headed to a nearby cafe in Konoha High. Once we were settled to our spot after giving our orders, Sasuke began his storytelling about dad.

I crossed my arms and frowned, expecting him to begin the story with something like dad being a rich spoiled brat since he's the son of the previous president after all. Or maybe something like about his attitude being narcissistic in his teenage years with a huge fan club begging for his attention.

Maybe I shouldn't have indirectly asked him.

But the words that came that came out of his mouth left me gaping like a blowfish.

"Your father was bullied in his childhood years."

At first, my brain couldn't process it at all. My father, the Prime Minister of Japan went through something like that?

There's just no way someone like him could've experienced that.

Not someone like him who's loved, admired, cherished, and appreciated by the public.

Plus, with his current status of being the son of the former Prime Minister, Minato Namikaze, that wouldn't count as a reason for him to be bullied.

So why?

"I know you don't believe me, so I'll get into the details." He said, snapping me back to reality. I didn't say anything, shock still evident across my features.

"Naruto was bullied because he was different from the other kids in the academy. Whenever it's time for them to get home from the playground, Naruto is the only one who isn't fetched by his parents compared to the other kids, thus giving them the advantage to make fun of him."

My eyes widened. "Hold on a second, aren't my grandparents there to fetch him home?"

Sasuke shook his head. "The former Prime Minister and his wife were assassinated at their home right after Naruto was born. But for some reason, the killer spared Naruto's life."

I swallowed thickly. "No way, when I asked dad before, he only said that grandpa died in duty, nothing more."

Our orders arrived as the waitress placed two slices of red velvet cake and a cup of espresso on our table. Sasuke took a sip of his hot beverage. "He probably said that because he didn't want to look uncool to you."

I perked up. "What do you mean?"

"That dobe is the type of person who wants to be seen as cool and admirable by others rather than being pitied. He probably thought that he didn't want to look bad in front of his son because he hates it when someone worries about him. Moreover, he learned from his traumatic experiences that he didn't want the same thing to happen to you and your sister."

I felt a pang on my chest, which surprised me. I wanted this feeling to go away, but I find this guilt-ridden emotion hard to suppress.

"I could tell from your expression that you held a grudge towards him, I guess that loser isn't treating you well." Sasuke said, sighing.

"But let me tell you that he grew up without parents in his whole life. If you think that he was being a bad father figure, then you're wrong. He isn't treating you well because he doesn't know how to. However, he's still trying to understand what it means to be a father. He may be an idiot, but he never gives up on his promises no matter how many times he fails." He said, a distant look crossing over his features when he said the last sentence.

At this point, tears were brimming my eyes, blurring my vision. I wiped them with the sleeve of my jacket, sniffing softly. It was as if I was suddenly seeing dad in a different perspective after what Sasuke had told me. "Thank you for telling me this, Mister Sasuke." I uttered shakily as I struggled to wipe my tears that wouldn't stop streaming down my face.

I heard Sasuke snort in reply. "Hn. You really are Naruto's kid, getting emotional so easily."

Sarada's POV

Rather than eating dinner at home, I decided to go to Ichiraku's instead. After my argument with mom and learning the truth about dad's relationship, I don't think I would be able to last another minute with her presence around.

When I arrived inside the restaurant, I was surprised to see a familiar figure standing in line.

The Prime Minister, Naruto Uzumaki.

Shyly, I slowly walked up to him and tapped him on the shoulder. "Um, Prime Minister?"

He jumped a bit in surprise before glancing over his shoulder to meet my eyes. "Oh, Sarada! It's a surprise to see you here." He said, giving me a fox-like grin.

I chuckled coyly. "I think I should say that to you since you're a busy man." I admitted.

The Prime Minister of Japan is actually my mom's childhood friend. They were both classmates in the same school I attended as well as ex-coworkers. Though I had to admit, my deep admiration and respect for him is one of the reasons why my dream is to become the future Prime Minister.

He scratched his cheek. "Well, I was actually supposed to invite Boruto since my assistant cleared up my schedule for a while, but he rejected my offer." He said, sighing.

My eye twitched in annoyance.

What an inconsiderate jerk.

Anyway, the Prime Minister was kind enough to join him for a ramen dinner which I happily accepted.

"So, I heard that your dad's coming home tonight." He said, slurping on his ramen.

Suddenly, my mood became sour, and all I could ever think was to punch that womanizer across the face. I shook my head, wanting to clear my thoughts.

"I-Is that so?" I asked, looking away from him.

A moment of silence passed by between us before he let out a sigh, placing his chopsticks down.

"Listen, I'm aware that you're not really in good terms with him." He said softly, knowing that the conversation had turned into a personal one.

I blinked at him in surprise. "How...?"

"Your mother kinda called me on the phone this morning about your misunderstanding with her." He confessed.

My expression hardened. I can't believe she'd even share as something as personal with the person I idolize so much, that's just humiliating.

"Don't get the wrong idea, Sarada." He began, as if reading my mind. "I'm one of the people whom your mom trusts deeply which is why she told me about that. But let me clear up the misunderstanding."

I was about to protest when he raised a hand with a stern look. "What you're thinking is not what it looks like."

I sighed in defeat, allowing him to go on. "Sasuke didn't have a secret affair with Karin, the redhead woman or whatsoever."

I stared at him, confused. "Then who was she to dad?"

His features turned grim and serious. "Promise me that you won't be shocked."

I gulped, anticipation written all over my face. "I promise."

The Prime Minister exhaled. "Well, Sasuke was an ex-convict."

I inhaled sharply, of all the things that he would've said, this was way beyond my expectations. I failed to hide my incredulity as I gawked at him. "I... I didn't expect..." I trailed off.

He nodded in understanding. "I know.  After he got released from the prison, he decided to fulfill his dream by working in a corporation as a CEO where his father previously worked." He sipped on the ramen's broth before continuing. "The group you saw with him in the picture was the criminals he befriended in prison."

I looked down with a solemn look, watching as my ramen was starting to get cold. "I see. But why didn't he come home even just once?"

"He figured that you would be persistent about how and where he has been. He wanted to come home at the right time when you're ready to face the truth about his past. You could say that it's evident that he cares about you, though he just doesn't show it."

My eyes widened. "Do you really think so?"

He held up a thumbs up. "Of course! Sasuke and I have been friends since we were little, and I know for a fact that even if some view him as emotionless and doesn't care about anything, it's just his way of showing that he cherishes his loved ones. He may seem cold-hearted, but that doesn't mean there's no room for him to have a soft heart."

I quirked up a smile, finding myself to believe in his words. For some reason,  his tone sounded genuine, and I couldn't bring myself to detect any lies in those words.

"Thank you, Prime Minister."

He smiled coyly. "You know, it's unnecessary to address me so formally when I'm not even at work. Besides, I've known you since you were wearing diapers."

I chuckled. "I guess you're right."

💝👪💝

Boruto's POV

"So, what's the plan guys?" I asked, walking inside Inojin's room, joining my friends' circle by sitting beside Sarada on the floor.

The day after my encounter with Sasuke, I changed my mind about the upcoming surprise my friends had in store for all the fathers we know. Earlier at lunch period, I approached my friends about it, and I had to stop myself from laughing out loud at their shell-shocked faces. As if on cue, Sarada approached them as well, which this time, surprised me. It was like both of us completely changed our minds due to a certain similar reason.

Anyway after school, Inojin invited us to his house to commence our plan for the surprise. Thankfully, his dad is downstairs, helping out his mom in the flower shop that they owned.

Inojin looked pleased at seeing our group complete. Oh, and not to mention that he's the mastermind behind the surprise. He crossed his arms. "Well luckily, we already found the perfect location which is at Shikadai's basement." He explained, jabbing a thumb at the lazy boy beside him.

Sarada pushed her glasses up to the bridge of her nose. "What exactly is the surprise all about? I don't think you guys have explained it to Boruto and I yet." She pointed out.

Shikadai let out a yawn. "Well, it's troublesome to explain but apparently, Inojin insisted in having us form into a band and create a song dedicated to our dads." He said bluntly.

I hummed softly, letting them know it captured my interest. "Sounds cool, so will someone assigned our roles in the band?"

"Not necessarily." Inojin said. "It's up to you whatever which instrument you're skilled at. In my case, I'm good with the piano."

Shikadai placed a hand under his chin in thought, looking bored as usual. I stifled a laugh. "Hmm let me guess, you can't play any instrument because you think it's too troublesome." I said jokingly, grinning triumphantly.

He shot me a glare. "Don't be ridiculous, even someone like me has a hidden talent."

I frowned. "For all I know, all you're good at is getting high grades."

Shikadai snorted. "Well to let you now, I can play the drums."

He smirked slightly upon seeing my agaped expression. "Say what?!"

Cho Cho clasped her hands together. "Ooh! That's the first time I've heard that. But I didn't see any drum set at your house though."

Shikadai scratched the back of his head. "Well, I've only started attending a drums workshop until recently so that's where I learn."

"That certainly is a surprise." Mitsuki added.

He groaned. "My mom practically dragged me there everytime so it's nothing to be so surprised about."

I burst out laughing, pointing a finger at Shikadai. "Knew it! You did it unwillingly! Just imagining you playing the drums is so un-Shikadai-like!"

His eye twitched, growing vexed up. "Shut up, are you mocking my talent?"

Inojin waved his hands in front of him, smiling nervously. "Now, we should focus on the main topic. What instrument can you play, Mitsuki?" He inquired.

An awkward silence followed by and for a moment, Mitsuki wore a blank expression.

"Because you know I'm all about that bass, 'bout that bass, no treble.
I'm all 'bout that bass, 'bout that bass, no treble." All of a sudden, he just started singing out of nowhere enthusiastically which looked so out of character in his case.

My eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets, and I was fully aware that everyone was gawking at him in surprise. I tried to stop my lips from twitching upwards, but it was hard to suppress it after witnessing such a hilarious scene.

"BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!" My loud laughter broke through the defeaning quietness and everyone found themselves mirroring my actions as they all collapsed on the floor, laughing like total maniacs.

"Mitsuki... singing... can't... breathe!!" Cho Cho uttered out, sounding like she was hyperventilating.

Sarada wiped her tears that brimmed at the corner of her eyes. "What I've heard cannot be unheard." She admitted.

"Damn, it's stuck in my head!" Shikadai exclaimed, rubbing his temples.

Inojin exhaled, trying to calm himself. His usual pale face was now completely red from laughing too much. "I think that was unnecessary, Mitsuki."

"I have a feeling I'm gonna get nightmares tonight." I groaned, shaking my head.

After we recovered from our long, laughing session, Inojin went back with his questions. "How about you, Cho Cho?"

Cho Cho clasped her hands together, smiling delightfully. "Violin has always been my forte since I was little!"

Sarada smiled, impressed. "I did remember you performing in a recital, you're really good."

"Heh, thanks Sarada."

"Sarada?" Inojin inquired with a knowing look.

"Oh, I guess guitar is my cup of tea." She replied with a bashful smile.

This vexed me up, shooting her a glare. "Hey! I was supposed to take that role! Don't tell me you did that on purpose!"

Sarada rolled her eyes, glaring back at me with her fiery onyx eyes. "Oh, please. It's far from that, Boruto. Aren't you just being childish?"

"I'm not!"

"Fine, how about a match then between guitarists?" She asked, eyeing me in a challenging manner.

I didn't back down from her intense stare, cracking my knuckles. "You're on!"

Shikadai sighed. "You know if that's the case, you can just both play the guitar."

We stopped in the middle of our argument, staring at Shikadai blankly.

"Why didn't you say that before?!" Sarada and I yelled in unison, our heated stares now focused on Shikadai.

He sighed. "You guys are too noisy to give me a chance to speak."

Inojin cleared his throat, making us turn our attention towards him. "Anyway for your information, some of our classmates are up for the surprise too. That includes Sumire, Namida, and Wasabi."

"What will be their role?" Cho Cho questioned.

"They offered to be the technical team. Although, Sumire also volunteered to flash some pictures of us with our dads at the projector during the performance."

"Sounds interesting, that's a good idea Sumire came up with." Mitsuki said.

"I agree. Now moving on to our main discussion." He began, pulling out a notebook from his drawer. He tossed it in the middle of the circle. "We need to think of our song's genre and of course, the lyrics."

Automatically, I raised my hand, an idea coming to mind. "Oh, I know! Say, how about we do an upbeat one? And then we'll put a bunch of raps there and there, I'm sure all dads love something as cool as that." I stated proudly.

Sarada facepalmed. "As usual, your ideas are ridiculous as ever."

I growled. "What did you say?!"

"I assume that you have an idea as well, Sarada." Shikadai said.

She nodded. "I think we should go for a song that sounds pleasant so how about pop but at the same time, slow and mellow? Of course we wouldn't make it sound boring, it's always possible to make a few adjustments and add-ons that can make our song sound catchy."

Inojin's eyes lit up. "Great idea! That way, our song would sound different compared to the usual pop songs that we hear nowadays."

Cho Cho nodded in agreement. "Yeah, and it's a total jackpot for originality!"

"So, who's gonna write the song?" Mitsuki inquired.

Sarada raised her hand, grinning proudly. "I will."

I huffed, looking defeated. "Sheesh, your ideas are really something. I guess I'll help you out by finding the right tune for our song. I can just test it out in my guitar."

Sarada smirked. "Aww, look who's being unusually nice." She said in a sickening, sweet voice.

I glared at her. "Shut up, four eyes."

"Wait! We forgot something!" Cho Cho exclaimed in a frantic voice.

"What is it?" I asked.

"We don't have a singer yet."

Inojin smiled. "That's easy. Boruto and Sarada will have a duet."

Sarada and I shared a stupefied look. "Eh?!" We yelled in unison.

"Oh, come on. Your fathers are pretty famous around Konoha City, so you two should take the initiative in singing the lyrics by heart."

I rolled my eyes. I just can't imagine myself singing.

Moreover, singing a duet with my long time rival and childhood friend.

💝👪💝

I mumbled a few curses to myself as I wiped my palm across my blue polo shirt for what seemed like the hundredth time. I hear a chuckle beside me.

"Nervous?" Sarada asked, smiling mischievously.

I snorted, adjusting my guitar strap carefully which carried my black stratocaster. "Hah, as if. I'm just making sure that my hands are clean."

She chuckled. Her black guitar strap carried a red shiny epiphone, which matched the color of her red sweater. "I don't recall you being a clean freak."

I rolled my eyes. "I guess you're blind then even with your glasses on."

Her features turned into a scowl. "What was that?" She taunted.

Someone sighed behind me. "Would you guys just give it a rest already? My mom is already leading our dads to the surprise and here you are, bickering right before our performance. You'll end up blowing our cover." Shikadai said, who was boredly sitting behind the drum set. Suddenly faint footsteps and murmured conversations were heard coming from upstairs.

Cho Cho shushed us. "Guys, I think they're here!" She whisper-shouted.

Inojin focused his attention to the table beside our mini stage, a soundboard displayed on top of it. "Technical team, are we game yet?" He inquired.

Sumire raised a thumbs up. "The video is ready to go. We'll be waiting for your cue." She answered.

Shikadai's dad who was blindfolded, Shikamaru along with his mom, Temari, were the first pair to arrive downstairs.

"What's going on?" Shikamaru inquired, looking around cluelessly.

Temari chuckled. "You'll see, my love."

The next pair were Inojin's parents, followed by Cho Cho's, then Mitsuki's creepy dad, Orochimaru which made me feel really uncomfortable. Even with the blindfold, it feels like he's staring straight at us as a white haired man with shark teeth guides him downstairs.

When Sasuke appeared at the stairway with Auntie Sakura guiding him, I felt Sarada stiffened beside me.

"Dad... He really came..." She whispered, her eyes filled with longing and hope.

I smiled, patting her shoulder. "Let's do our best, Sarada." I said genuinely.

She mirrored my smile, nodding her head in agreement. "Yeah."

And last but not the least, dad was slowly climbing down the stairs, still in his black suit, with mom and Himawari. He would let out a nervous chuckle whenever he'd almost trip over the stairs.

"Uh... Hinata? What's this all about? I still have work to do. " He asked, holding onto her hand.

Mom smiled, caressing his palm sweetly. "Just wait, honey. I think you're gonna love this. And there's always time for that. For now, this is something more important than work."

"Dad..." I uttered softly, a smile subconsciously making its way to my lips.

Altogether, our moms removed the blindfold off of their respective husbands. When they saw us on stage, their mouths were left hanging open.

"Sh-Shikadai?!" Shikamaru exclaimed in shock.

"Ohh! You're looking good with the violin, Cho Cho." Choji said, giving Cho Cho a thumbs up.

Orochimaru hummed. "I don't remember teaching you the bass, Mitsuki. But I guess you taught yourself while I was away, eh?" He said, smiling creepily at his son.

Sai smiled, though we all know it's fake. "You better explain what you're up to this whole time, Inojin." He uttered emotionlessly which made us all sweatdrop.

Sasuke looked apathetic as ever, much to Sarada's displeasure. "Hn." Was all he uttered, staring at his daughter intently.

"Boruto...? What's going on?" My attention landed on dad, who had a bewildered and stunned look on his face.

I sent him a quick smile, walking up to the mic stand in front of me. "To all the dads out there, this one's for you."

On cue, my fingers focused on the fret board of the guitar and began plucking on the strings gently. After a few hits of the notes, Sarada joined along in doing her rhythm part in her guitar.

Taking a deep breath, I went closer to the microphone and began singing.

Boruto:
He doesn't fight crime
Or wear a cape
He doesn't read minds
Or levitate
But every time my world needs saving
He's my Superman
Some folks don't believe in heroes
'Cause they haven't met my dad

After singing my last line, I sent a genuine smile at my dad, whose blue eyes were widened in shock. Slowly, his features softened, smiling back at me. Pictures of my younger self and dad flashed on the projector behind us, making the crowd say a bunch of 'awws' in the background.

Sarada leaned in to the microphone, her eyes rooted on Sasuke with a nervous smile.

Sarada:
He loves his workshop
And rock 'n roll

Sasuke blinked in surprise after Sarada sang the last line before he whispered something in Sakura's ear, his face noticeably red. I held back a chuckle. Dad bursts out laughing, pointing a finger at Sasuke and making fun of him for an emo like him to be into rock n' roll.

He's got a hot rod
And a heart of gold
And you could say he's a man of few words
But he talks a lot within
And even though I'm a little taller
I still look up to him

Sasuke had a bashful look on his face, scratching his cheek awkwardly. He sent a small smile at Sarada, which she happily returned.

Boruto and Sarada:
He built me a house in the arms of a tree
He taught me to drive and to fight and to dream
When he looks in my eyes I hope he can see that
My dad's a hero to me

Dad's blue eyes twinkled, taking a step forward. It's as if he were itching to run up to me but stopped himself, waiting for the performance to end. Sasuke finally lets himself smile but didn't say anything.

Boruto:
Rust ridden fenders
And doors full of dings
Somehow he can fix about anything
I didn't think he knew how to cry
'Til our dog died that year
He doesn't always say I love you
But I can hear him loud and clear

Dad mouthed something under his breath, but I couldn't make out those words because of the music.

Boruto and Sarada:
He built me a house in the arms of a tree
He taught me to drive and to fight and to dream
When he looks in my eyes I hope he can see
That my dad's a hero to me

I smirked proudly as my fingers moved from one fret to another expertly, doing the guitar solo neatly. Whoops and cheers were heard from the crowd as they swayed slightly to the beat of the song.

Boruto:
He built me a house in the arms of a tree
He taught me to drive and to fight and to dream
When he looks in my eyes I hope he can see
That my dad's a hero to me

Boruto and Sarada:
My dad's a hero to me
My dad's a hero to me

As soon as the song ended, I placed my guitar on the stand before jumping off the stage. Dad already had his arms open wide as I ran up to him and hugged him, my eyes brimming with tears.

"Dad..." I uttered shakily, my tears soaking his suit. "I-I'm so sorry about everything..." I said, sniffing as I struggled to hold back my tears.

"I'm sorry for being such a spoiled brat, I'm sorry for being inconsiderate and insensitive, I'm sorry for talking rudely behind your back, I'm sorry for assuming that you're a bad father, I'm sorry for not seeing the things you've done for our family, I'm sorry I'm not the kind of son you've always hoped for, a-and... I'm sorry for being ignorant about how much you cared about us..." I sputtered out, the words flying straight out of my mouth before I knew it. My grip tightened around his waist, my face buried in his suit.

"I-I don't deserve to be your son at all! You probably think that I'm such a disgraceful, ill-mannered, and heartless son of the Prime Minister." I said, dejection written across my features.

Dad was quiet for a moment, letting me weep for as long as I want. He rubbed my back gently, his other arm wrapped around my shoulders protectively which effectively soothed me.

"Boruto." He uttered softly after my sobs had died down. His hand reached down to gently tilt my chin upwards, meeting his soft blue eyes. "What you've done wrong doesn't matter to me. What matters more was the message you've given to me through your song." He said, smiling sincerely at me.

"Besides, I should be the one apologizing to you." He said solemnly.

I shook my head vigorously. "You have nothing to be sorry for, dad! I know that you're trying to be the best dad for us in your own way, so what's the reason for an apology?" I pointed out, flashing him a grin that's very much similar to his fox-like features.

His eyes widened momentarily, before a bright grin replaced his shocked expression. "Thank you, Boruto. And I've probably haven't said this in a while but..." He trailed off, scratching the back of his head awkwardly as a faint red hue appeared on his cheeks.

He pushed the back of my head closer to his stomach, bringing me in to a tight hug. "... I love you, son." He said genuinely, kissing the top of my head gently.

My heart soared at his words, the three words I've been waiting for him to say it. And finally hearing it after so long was truly a blissful feeling. I sobbed quietly against him, tears streaming down my cheeks like an endless waterfall.

I flashed a contented smile despite the tears strolling down which I didn't bother to wipe away, too engrossed with our heartwarming moment. I felt a heavy burden in my chest slowly disappearing, as if the guilt that has been eating me up deep down has finally vanished.

I didn't regret one bit for joining in my friends' surprise, because it gave me the feeling I've always longed for.

A father's love.

To me, nothing else matters than to be in the strong, protective arms of a person who have always protected, supported, cherished, and loved me ever since I was born into this world. All the memories I've shared with him will be forever carved in my heart no matter what. There may be times where are relationship would have a rough start, but what matters is the bond that forms between us as time passes. And slowly but surely, it will become unbreakable that nobody can even get in the way and break it apart.

I clutched onto his suit tightly, afraid that he would evanescent if I let him go. "I love you too, dad." I whispered, but I know that he heard it loud and clear from the way his heartbeat picked up its speed after I said those words.

ʕ•ﻌ•ʔʕ•ﻌ•ʔʕ•ﻌ•ʔʕ•ﻌ•ʔʕ•ﻌ•ʔʕ•ﻌ•ʔʕ•ﻌ•ʔ

A/N: So that's all for the special oneshot! To all the fathers out there, Happy Father's Day!

Here's a cute Naruto and Boruto pic for y'all!

Word count: 9,537