The sky gradually darkened, and the twilight reflected off the pool's surface. After soaking in the water all day, the students were exhausted in both body and mind.
They leaned against the edge of the pool, watching the dusk, witnessing the setting sun, and staring at the sunlight sinking beyond the coastline.
At the top of the cruise ship, above the observation deck, Boruto and Mitsuki silently lit a bonfire and grilled the results of their afternoon's hard work over charcoal.
They sat on the ground, their eyes fixed on the grilled fish atop the flat roof of the observation shelter. The grill, propped up by Wood Release, supported the fish perfectly.
Incidentally, the grilled fish was about as long as Boruto was tall, and Mitsuki's was roughly the same size.
"Does Boruto like fish that much?" Mitsuki could not help asking. The moment they had boarded the ship, Boruto had dragged him into the sea, and his sole purpose had been to catch fish.
"Not especially." Boruto expertly sprinkled on seasoning, flipped the fish over, and grilled it over the charcoal, making sure every part was cooked.
"Then why... spend half the day soaking in the sea?" Mitsuki was clearly puzzled.
"To catch fish, and to practice swimming while I was at it," Boruto said.
Seeing that, Mitsuki asked no more questions. He formed hand seals with both hands, extended sharp wooden spikes, and placed his own grilled fish on the rack as well. Wood Release wrapped in Chakra was immune to ordinary flames.
Thick smoke billowed up, easily drawing everyone else's attention.
When they saw the outrageous stunt the two of them had pulled, they were utterly dumbfounded. They widened their eyes and silently watched the smoke rise as the fragrance of grilled fish wafted over, stirring everyone's appetites.
"Hey, Boruto! We want grilled fish too!" Iwabee waved his hand and shouted at Boruto.
"Yeah! Travel committee member, we're hungry too!" Chōchō shouted despite herself as she smelled the aroma.
The voices reached the two of them. Boruto clicked his tongue and looked at the figures approaching on the deck. After thinking about it, he decided he did not mind.
"Well, Mitsuki, if you don't mind, let them share your fish. The three of us can eat mine together," Boruto suggested.
"I don't mind. And who's the third person?" Mitsuki's expression remained calm. To him, it did not matter what he ate.
Boruto sighed. This guy really was not a picky eater... or maybe he was simply above worldly desires.
The observation shelter soon welcomed its third guest. Long purple hair swayed in the wind, and tiny droplets of water slowly dripped from her strands.
"Sumire Kakei...?"
Mitsuki was somewhat surprised. In his understanding, the class representative was no different from the other students, at most just another classmate.
"Yeah, she'll most likely be one of our companions." Boruto nodded to Sumire Kakei and gestured for her to sit down.
Mitsuki studied her with a few curious extra glances. Sumire was a little embarrassed as she stiffly sat beside Boruto.
A group on the deck silently held plates and sampled the fresh, delicious grilled fish. At the same time, they watched the drama unfold with curiosity, looking toward the three people in the observation shelter—or rather, toward Boruto and Sumire, sitting close together.
"Boruto...?" Sumire called softly.
Boruto speared a large chunk of fish with his knife and fork. The hot oil sizzled, thick smoke carried the rich fragrance through the air, and he placed the fish onto a plate before handing it to Sumire.
"Let's all get acquainted first," Boruto said to Mitsuki.
"Mm." Mitsuki nodded.
They were all fairly familiar with one another. Sumire had once nearly caused unrest in the Hidden Leaf Village, and Boruto had told Mitsuki about it. As a guest from Otogakure, Mitsuki naturally drew curiosity.
Moreover, since he and Boruto were so close, Sumire had privately looked into him before.
The two exchanged smiles. Boruto also cut Mitsuki a piece of grilled fish, though the portion on Sumire's plate was slightly larger.
"Mitsuki's father is Orochimaru, so he should have a better way to improve Nue," Boruto explained. He also cut himself a plate of grilled fish.
Soon, quiet chewing sounds echoed beneath the canopy. The seaside scenery was exceptionally beautiful. The golden afterglow dyed the shore red, and the crimson sunset glow painted their fair cheeks.
"Mm." Sumire brushed aside the bangs in front of her face and blamed the sunset for the blush on her cheeks.
As the sea fish on the grill was continuously carved up, its size rapidly diminished. With their appetites stirred and the atmosphere warming, the conversation gradually opened up.
Amid the scent of fish and the glow over the sea, she suddenly asked, "How much does Mitsuki know about Boruto's abilities?"
Boruto quietly took a bite of fish without interrupting. He listened as Mitsuki said unhurriedly, "Boruto is very skilled in all kinds of powerful ninjutsu, including Kekkei Genkai and Wood Release."
Sumire raised her brows slightly, her interest piqued. "What else?"
"And..." Mitsuki glanced at Boruto. Seeing that he did not seem to care, Mitsuki roughly guessed that Boruto did not mind him revealing a few more secrets, so he added, "Powerful ocular abilities. I heard they are the ultimate evolution of the Byakugan, possessing the power to destroy and create worlds."
"The Tenseigan," Boruto added.
"Oh." Sumire froze for a moment, and her expression subtly changed. The shine in her bright eyes dimmed as well.
The gap... an unbridgeable gap. She sighed inwardly.
"There'll be a special event tonight. When the time comes, I'll need the class representative to help watch over the other students—or provide us with cover," Boruto said mysteriously.
"Mm, okay." Sumire blanked for a moment, then hurriedly answered after understanding.
"No need to be nervous. Mitsuki and I are planning to have some fun in the sea. Maybe we'll find some nice treasure in these waters."
"Huh? What could be in the sea, a shipwreck?" Sumire asked curiously.
"The seafloor is actually pretty mysterious. Maybe there are even fish that can fly. But this time, we're looking for a turtle with three tails."
Boruto narrowed his eyes and said with a grin.
Um... Mitsuki roughly understood that the purpose of this trip was to capture a Tailed Beast. That meant Three-Tails Isobu might be swimming beneath these waters.
"It's not really a big deal. Just fishing. The willing fish will take the bait," Boruto said with a laugh as he continued tearing into the fish on his plate.
The delicious aroma spread through the air, and night quietly fell. A few people still stood on the deck watching the observation shelter, where Sumire sat beside Boruto as they admired the moonlight together.
The moonlight was bright and pure. Its pale glow shone over the two of them, draping them in a hazy veil of light and lending them an added air of mystery.
"Do you think... they're... dating?" Chōchō Akimichi asked quietly, biting into a potato chip.
"I think... probably," one of the girls answered.
The seawater gently rolled in waves, and the sea was calm. The students on deck silently returned to their cabins, leaving that beautiful moment to the two on the platform.
All the students had gathered in the lounge. The journey was long, and after half a day of exhaustion, only the boys still had the energy to keep playing games.
A few close classmates gathered together, holding exquisite cards in their hands as they competed with one another.
Shikadai, Iwabee, Denki, Metal Lee, and the others were all playing. Boruto had stayed outside to admire the moon, and they naturally knew better than to disturb him. Mitsuki, meanwhile, quietly sat by the window.
"Do you think Mitsuki might blame Sumire for taking Boruto away? Out of all of us, he's the closest to Boruto."
Iwabee played a weaker card from his hand and spoke with a grin.
"Uh..." Everyone froze slightly.
They turned to look at Mitsuki sitting by the window, his arms hanging at his sides as if he were lonely while gazing at the moon. His light blue robe looked somewhat thin, even... desolate.
"Looks very likely!" Denki gave an affirmative answer.
"Is this just Boruto being Boruto? He actually picked up girls behind our backs!" Metal Lee joined in.
They jokingly chatted as they laughed and played their card game. Mitsuki could naturally hear their conversation from the window, but he merely chuckled without reacting.
He understood that they were worried about him, so they had deliberately brought it up to test his reaction.
However, Mitsuki turned back with a soft smile. With the moonlight at his back, he said calmly, "It doesn't matter who he's with. We'll always be friends."
"..." Everyone nodded vaguely, seeming to understand after a moment of dazed reflection.
"Well, whatever. Just don't make things too troublesome," Shikadai said helplessly, shaking his head.
Mitsuki turned back again and stared at the undulating sea, where ripples spread across the surface. Maybe there would be a storm later.
Before you continue