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Chapter Text

Chocho Akimichi could be said to be many things, but self-conscious? Never. Not once in all her years had she ever felt that she needed to change, not even that time when her favorite movie star had body-shamed her. No, she was perfect the way she was. So what if she had a little extra weight than the other girls in her class, so what if she was thicker? She always told herself that not all guys could handle a beauty like hers, so why should she be offended if she faded into the background every time she was beside her best friend?

Sarada was beautiful, her pale skin was a contrast to her dark hair, and she had a positive aura that drew others in. Chocho could see why Boruto was head over heels for the Uchiha girl. And he wasn't the only one either, other guys would give a lot to talk to Sarada, to have the girl's attention on them. She was the Uchiha heir and the only one who possessed the Legendary Sharigan apart from her dad. So Chocho understood why Sarada was always the focus of everyone's attention even when Chocho was right beside her. Then there was Sumire, kind and beautiful Sumire who everyone admires.

Chocho wasn't bitter, she swore she wasn't. It was just that she started noticing the subtle changes in her character quite late. She was never aware of how her self-confidence began to dissolve gradually over the years as they bloomed from their childhood selves into Teens. Now that she knew what attraction really was, she began to look down at herself. Maybe she wasn't as beautiful as she had thought, maybe she was just meant to blend into the background always and let her friends shine instead. Chocho was always a romantic type, now more than ever she wanted someone by her side, someone who only had her in his eyes and would always put her first. She wanted someone who loved her just like Boruto loved Sarada.

The Uzumaki boy only ever saw Sarada. He was an idiot but even Chocho had to admit that he was indeed very romantic, he treated Sarada like the Queen she was and Chocho was very happy for them. The first couple in the class, but everyone already expected them to end up together so it wasn't really a surprise.

" Hey chubs, what's up with you? "

" Nothing "

" You've been distracted " Shikadai must have noticed her absence as well. He was always very observant

" I said it's nothing. I'm just thinking about something my dad said "

" Well stop thinking until we get this Mission over with "

Chocho glares at Inojin, but she knows he was right so she doesn't curse him out this time. She looks around them, a forest, mist everywhere. She could hear the sound of flowing water somewhere close by. That's right, they were in Water Country right now trying to retrieve some stolen Scrolls for Konoha. It was a C-rank mission so they didn't really need any guidance. Plus they were all Chunins now, so this Mission should be done and over with very soon.

Chocho sighs, she runs her hand through her wet orange hair. It had grown so much that it was almost touching the back of her knees now, she had thought of cutting it so many times but Sarada always said that her hair was pretty. It was the only thing that made her stand out now. And she had fallen so low to the point that she would cling on to the little compliments she could get. So even though her hair was a bother, she would keep it.

" Chubs!! " Inojin called out to her as Chocho felt herself being pulled aside. A loud sound echoed as the Sound Ninjas who had been hiding in the trees surrounded them. There were Shurikins embedded in the place she had been standing just now, if Inojin hadn't moved her then she would have surely gotten hurt. " I told you to snap out of it Damnit! "

" Right, I got it "

" This is your last chance kids " The leader of the Rogue Ninjas stepped forward. They all had their face covered by a mask so Chocho couldn't see what he looked like. " Give up and go away, or else we will be forced to hurt you! "

" You can try, I doubt you'll succeed, " Shikadai said with a lazy smirk, he cast his shadows and four of the Rogues were already down. Before Chocho knew it they were fighting, Inojin with his art and her with her partial expansion. A technique that made her fatter, urg! Why did it have to take so much energy to use the butterfly mode?

If she had her heart in the fight, it wouldn't have been much trouble to take down that damn puppet Ninja, but then again these days she found herself unable to focus. Chocho didn't notice it but she was separating from her teammates. The puppet that attacked her looked weird and a bit scary, plus it kept throwing Shurikins at her and Chocho already had a collection of cuts on her skin. She was both frustrated and helpless. She didn't even want to come on this stupid mission in the first place, she should have just stayed at home today.

" I heard that the InoShikaCho trio were a force to be reckoned with " The Puppeteer was getting too cocky for his own good. He was watching her struggle from his position perched on a tree branch close by. Chocho wanted to smash his face in, who the hell does he think he is? " But I guess you can't keep up with the rest of your teammates. You are slowing them down. Ugly and useless he he"

" Shut the fuck up! "

" Oh, so you can talk? " He doesn't seem affected when Chocho smashes the Puppet to pieces. He lands smoothly in front of her, and before she can try to attack him he grabs her arm and twists it painfully behind her back. Chocho whimpers at the pain, she knows that this guy could break her arm if he wishes, and she also knows that she could easily take him out if she gave her all. But what's the point anyway? Would it make a difference? It won't change her? Ugly and useless. " Hm, I have to say, you smell a lot nicer than you look "

Chocho shivers in disgust as she feels him press against her. She could feel the obvious bulge against her lower back. " What are you doing?! Get the hell away from me! " She tries to struggle against him but he adds pressure to her arm which causes her to scream out in pain. He buries his face into her hair, the same hair she got so many compliments for. It seemed the Bastard also found it attractive, now at least she had a good reason to cut it off.

" I suppose we can have a bit of fun before I kill you. What do you think? "

" Get away! "

" Why don't you say please " He runs his tongue along the stripe of her neck " I like women who beg "

Chocho tried hard to get her beating heart under control, she could feel panic building in her chest. She sees the cliff a few feet ahead and she realizes that there is a river beneath it. She obviously didn't have the strength in her to fight this guy, it would be too exhausting. So if she could jump down then she could easily get away from him.

Chocho managed to catch a glimpse of the man harassing her, he had taken his mask off, and he was young and a bit good-looking. Still, that doesn't make her forget the fact that he was currently trying to rape her. When she felt his hand on her thighs, Chocho finally couldn't keep calm anymore. She moves her head forward and then smashes it back against his nose. He groaned and finally let go of her. The Akimichi however didn't expect the bastard to have another trick to his sleeve. He had summoned another puppet and she only noticed it when she felt pain in her arm, where a Kunai had cut her.

She jumps back and edges closer to the cliff. The Ninja glared at her, his nose was bleeding. Chocho smirks at him in satisfaction, she takes one more step back and feels herself plunging down. The water was cold against her skin, almost freezing. Chocho hadn't expected the river to be this deep. Chocho struggles to swim to the surface and she takes a deep breath of air. God, this had to be the worst Mission ever.

The Akimichi can't help but shiver from the cold as she swims her way to the riverbank. Her hair felt so heavy and it kept getting into her mouth which further boosted her annoyance. When she pushed it aside, she noticed that her arm was no longer hurting. There was no injury on her arm. " How weird " Chocho looks closely but still doesn't see anything. Finally, she gives up, she doesn't care enough to find out how she had healed so quickly.

It's not long before her teammates find her. Inojin isn't very pleased with her disappearance, and Chocho tells him to kindly fuck off. They make their way back to Konoha, it would take a few days to get back. By then she hoped her depression would go away.

Chapter Text

She felt like her body was on fire, her skin felt too warm for her comfort. Chocho had only ever felt like this when she had visited Sunagakure with her teammates. It wasn't long after they returned from the land of The Mist that she decided that she might have caught a fever on the mission. Maybe jumping into that River hadn't been the best idea. Chocho groans and does her best to hide her discomfort, the last thing she wants is to be asked to go to a hospital, she is sure her worrywart of a dad wouldn't stop breathing down her neck until she does so. It would be fine as long as she took proper rest, she wouldn't even feel it tomorrow, she was sure.

" Chocho " Sarada waved at her from the back of the Cafe they had agreed to meet in. Chocho had rushed here the moment she was back from her Mission to see Sarada, the Uchiha girl had told her that she had something important to tell her. Shikadai hadn't been very happy with her skipping out on the mission report to the Hokage, but Chocho was sure he and Inojin could handle it just fine. " I'm so happy you are back, how was your Mission?"

" It went down easy. Nothing very interesting, as expected of a C-rank mission " Chocho smiles as she opens the bag of chips Sarada had kindly brought her. It was the Salted Potato flavor, the one that used to be her very favorite. Now Chocho found that it tasted rather bland, maybe it was because she didn't care for it anymore. Her younger self would probably have a heart attack if she heard Chocho dissing her favorite chips. But the Akimichi had to admit that she was no longer the carefree girl who believed that every handsome guy in Konoha was simping after her. Reality was a bit bitter, and Chocho had awakened to reality a while ago. " You had something you wanted to tell me?"

" Oh right, it's..." Sarada's face turned a crimson red as she pondered over what she wanted to say. Chocho already knew that it must have something to do with Boruto Uzumaki. Sara's only got flustered like this over the blond boy. " Something happened between us while you were on your mission?"

" What happened? You two didn't break up right?"

" What? Of course not. Why would you think that?"

Chocho shrugs. She doesn't want to think that. It's just the first thing that popped into her head. Maybe there was a sick part of her that wanted to see her friends break up, maybe then she wouldn't have to suffer the bitter loneliness that overwhelmed her whenever she saw them together. Sumire and Kawaki as well, although those two hadn't announced their relationship, she could still see the way Sumire gawked at Kawaki, and in return, the adopted Uzumaki boy was always a lot softer towards Sumire. They were a good match. And Chocho was a horrible person, she knew she was. In as much as she tried to deny it, she was indeed a bit jealous. It's easy to get someone to like you if you look as beautiful as Sarada and Sumire. They had the looks, physique, and personality, all Chocho had was the false confidence she puts on and the bags of chips she drowned her sorrow in.

" Don't take it seriously, I was just joking "

Sarada eyes her, she must be thinking deeply about the matter but she doesn't address Chocho's insensitive question. That's right, Sarada trusted her enough to expect only the best wishes from her. She would never think that Chocho was the bitter person the Akimichi knew she was inside. Sarada leans closer to Chocho, her eyes darting around as if looking for anyone who might want to ear drop on their conversation. It must be important then.

" Me and Boruto made out "

" So? You guys make out all the time "

Sarada blushes again. Boruto was a hot-tempered male who was in love with Sarada, if it came to him he wouldn't mind making out with Sarada in public, in fact, he wouldn't mind doing it in front of Sasuke Uchiha, even though he knew the other might likely kill him for it. But Sarada was a rather shy girl, she only ever went out on dates with Boruto during the night time, and in secluded areas where they could have some valued privacy. Chocho only knew about the making out because Sarada had told her. It was the couple's favorite thing to do. Chocho had thought it was very romantic, she dreamt of the day she would also have someone like that, someone she could go on secret dates with and who she could kiss until she ran out of breath. Someone she could love wholeheartedly.

Sarada was biting down on her bottom lip worriedly, and Chocho knew that there was more to the story. " What else happened between you two?"

" We...We took things a bit farther "

" Sarada " Chocho gasped " You did not "

" No no, we didn't take it that far. It's just that Boruto used his f..fingers and I...I used my mouth to get him off..."

Chocho looks at her friend not knowing what to say. Honestly, it's not like she had any right to tell Sarada what or what not to do. They were both Seventeen for goodness sake, and they could choose to do whatever they wanted. As long as Sarada and Boruto loved each other then it's nothing bad. " It's not that serious. As long as you both liked it then I don't see anything wrong "

Sarada sighed, she was obviously worried that Chocho might judge her for what she did. She was very happy that her best friend was very supportive. " I think we might take it all the way soon. "

" You need to be prepared though. Use proper protection "

" I know this. Me and Boruto will go to the store later to get the things we might need, just in case. " She said. Chocho gives her a nod and places a chip in her mouth, chewing softly. " Thank you for this Chocho. I was dying to talk to someone, I feel like a burden has been lifted off my shoulders "

" No need to thank me, that's what friends are for. I am very happy for you and Boruto. Just know that I will always be on your side, tell me if anything goes wrong "

" Alright " Sarada smiles softly, she looks very beautiful like this. Chocho can see the guys from the table across from them looking at Sarada with admiring eyes.

Chocho smiles and thinks that her best friend is really popular with the men. She always stood out no matter where she went. Chocho was proud of her, proud and a bit envious. But that was her problem to deal with. She gets up from her seat and stretches " I have to go home and rest, the mission might be a C-rank but it was still very tiring. I'll see you tomorrow"

" Alright, take care of yourself "

Chocho walks out of the Cafe and the cold wind of Konohagakure blows into her hair. She was reminded once more that she needed to do something about it. Her dad might not be very happy if he found out that she wanted to cut off her hair, after all the members of her clan were known for this particular trait. Even her mom had grown her hair longer.

" Oi Chocho " A familiar voice called out to her. Chocho looks up to see Boruto and Mitsuki walking towards her. They were probably also going to the Cafe to see Sarada. Boruto was anyway, Mitsuki just went wherever his Sun did. " What's up with you? Shikadai has been whining about you not going to report your mission to my old man "

Chocho snorts " I already told him to handle it. I had to speak to Sarada "

Boruto's blue eyes brightened at the mention of his girlfriend " Is she still in the Cafe?"

" Yeah "

" Right, see ya later then "

Chocho watches his retreating back then she turns to look at the golden-eyed Mitsuki who for once didn't follow Boruto. She frowned at the way he was looking at her, his usual bright smile wasn't there, rather his expression was as blank as a sheet of paper " What is it Mitsuki?"

" Did something happen on your mission?"

" No, why do you ask?"

" You smell different," He said. Then in a style that only he could manage, he reaches for her and pulls her against his chest, his nose buried at the crook of her neck to take more of her scent. " It's definitely different "

Chocho froze at the action, the moment she realized that they were still standing out in public and people were already looking at them, she pulled herself away. She glared at Mitsuki with an accusing look " What the hell is wrong with you? Is that any way to treat a woman!?"

Mitsuki doesn't look remorseful at all. His only response was the closed-eyed smile she was so used to. Chocho rolled her eyes and walked past him, she could feel his eyes boring into her back but she didn't look back at him. Damn that Mitsuki and his lack of respect for personal space.

When Chocho got home that night, she cut her hair by herself. It wasn't the best haircut out there, she had only used a pair of scissors and a comb after all. But it also didn't look too bad. Now she didn't have the weight of it to pull her down. She thinks that she would look less pretty ( if she ever was pretty in the first place ) without it. But it was one less thing to worry about. The burning sensation beneath her skin had cooled down gradually, and when she went to bed, she felt light-hearted.

* * *

Chocho had a dream that night. She dreamt of a pool of water and a beautiful golden fish swimming inside. She saw herself standing at the edge of the pool when she reached out to touch the water, a voice whispered in her ears, words which were too muffled to make out. She was so startled that she woke up. She found that it was already morning outside. As the morning sun cast a gentle glow through Chocho Akimichi's window, she slowly stirred from her peaceful slumber. Stretching languidly. her long, dark brown curls cascaded down her back like a cascade of rich mahogany, Chocho of course she didn't notice this, not until she went to brush her teeth and saw her reflection in the mirror

Chocho dropped the toothbrush in shock, she rubbed her eyes several times to see whether she was still asleep. The person who stared at her through the mirror looked like her but at the same time too surreal to be her. Her chocolate complexion was now a light caramel tone that seemed to glow in the morning light, and as she met her own gaze, chocolate brown eyes watching her, Chocho couldn't help but scream.

Her Plump, pink lips curved into a horrified arc. High bridge nose, rosy cheeks, smooth skin, and the most shocking thing was the hourglass figure. Chocho's hands went to cup her plump breast, much bigger than her own from before, this could almost rival Lady Sunade's. Her slim waist accentuated her wide hips and plum backside. Chocho had never seen someone so beautiful and eerily perfect in her life. For a long time, she wondered if she had ended up in someone else's body. But there was still the resemblance, no, this girl looked a lot like her.

" What the hell is going on?!"

Chapter Text

What do you do when you go to bed and wake up in an entirely different body? Chocho had no idea what she was expected to do, she was still half convinced that this was all still a dream. But her arm was already burning with how many times she had pinched herself, she wasn't waking up, this wasn't a dream. Yes, Chocho would agree that this version of her might have a chance of being the most beautiful woman in all of Konoha, hell maybe all five Nations. But she was creeped out and a bit scared. She had no idea what was going on, how did this even happen?

Chocho didn't remember getting in contact with any scroll that might have caused it. Apart from the puppet Ninja she had fought, she hadn't gone against anyone else. So how did this happen?!!

" Chocho? Are you awake yet?" The Akimichi heard her mother's approaching footsteps. The sun was already up and Karui would probably want her to help with the house chores. Chocho usually wouldn't have a problem with that, she liked helping her mom out, especially with cooking. She could proudly say that she was an even better cook than her mom now, but Karui would kill her if she said it out loud. Today, however, the last thing she wanted was to go in front of her mother looking like one of the Hokage's sexy jutsu clones. " Chocho?"

" I'm awake Mama, I'll be right there "

" Hurry it up. Your dad needs to be out early "

" Alright, I got it " Chocho sighs when she hears the fading footsteps. She looks back at her reflection in the mirror and panicked. What the hell was she going to do? If she didn't go out soon then her mother would come to find her again, how would she explain this? Knowing her mother, Karui would think that she had gotten possessed by an evil spirit while in the Mist. She would report the matter to the Hokage and then everyone else would find out. What would they think of her then? Would they think she had done this to herself just to look as beautiful as her best friend and the class rep? Yes, it sounded so pathetic just thinking about it.

" Oh No " Chocho's hands dug into her skull, she felt like ripping out her hair in frustration. She was surprised at the feel of the silky strands, her hair had always been soft, but it was so thick before that she could hardly run her fingers through them. The once orange curls were now a pretty shade of brown and it fell in wavy curls down to her waist. It was beautiful, it wasn't her hair. She felt sick. " How do I fix this?"

She didn't want anyone to know about this transformation, especially not her classmates. It would be good if her parents didn't find out as well. So the only other person she knew who might be able to help her was the Hokage. Lord Seventh was the most powerful Kunoichi she knew, surely he would have a solution to this. And since he had a very good experience with being possessed by an evil fox, he would know whether she had gotten in contact with a spirit, he would understand her predicament.

" Chocho! I'm not kidding right now! Come downstairs and help me " Karui's voice echoed through the house.

Chocho took it as a cue to get the hell out of there. She grabbed a Sweater that used to fit her snugly, but now that her body was different it was big on her. It helped hide the curves which she knew for sure would draw attention if she went out in tight-fitting clothes. She grabbed a sun hat as well and then went out of her room through her window.

Her parents home was located at the entrance of the Akimichi clan compound. So even though Chocho tried to be discreet, she still ran into some of her clan members. Thankfully they were all older members of her clan who barely even recognized her. Chocho made it out of there safely and she breathed a sigh of relief. The street of Konoha was filled with people all hurrying to get to their various workplaces, Chocho was happy because it made her blend into the background.

The bustling streets of Konoha were alive with the usual energy, but Chocho found herself lost in her thoughts as she strolled through the familiar paths.

In the beginning, she had been sure that it was the best option for her to go and see Naruto Uzumaki regarding her, not little issue. But she suspected that his finding out would just mean that her parents would as well, and her mom would be pissed at her for not telling them first. Plus, the Hokage was a busy man, his mountain paperwork gave him enough challenge each other, and she didn't want to burden him any more than necessary. So she had to find someone else to help, someone who she could trust enough to not say anything to others, and who might also know something about her condition. A particular blue-haired boy came to her mind. 'You smell different '

Mitsuki had sensed something yesterday, but Chocho had waved it off as him being his usual weird stuff. But maybe he had been trying to tell something this whole time and she hadn't bothered to listen.

" Stop him!!" A voice screamed causing her to snap out of her thoughts. Startled, Chocho's eyes darted to the source of the commotion. Amid the chaos, a figure sprinted towards her, oblivious to everything in his path. Before she could react, the man collided with her, sending her sprawling to the ground. The impact was jarring, leaving her momentarily disoriented. She caught glimpses of alarmed faces and panicked expressions on the people around her. Something was amiss, and the urgency in the air was thick. " Stop him! Thief!!"

Chocho almost has the urge to roll her eyes. So it turned out that it wasn't anything serious. She could already see some Chunins going after the man. Her butt hurt from her fall and her sun hat had been tossed to the side. The Akimichi was getting looks from passersby, some were even pointing at her with wide eyes. She wondered if it was because of her appearance or because she was still on the ground.

" Miss, a..are you alright?" Shaky hands reached out to Chocho. She stares at the pale hand and then looks up at the boy. Brown eyes widened as they made contact with her and the entire boy's face turned red.

" Magire? No way "

Chocho doesn't even remember the last time she saw him. At that time he was still stalking Sumire, she had told him to come find her whenever he wanted to confess his feelings. Because Chocho's younger self had been convinced that the Concealment Ninja had feelings for her. But eventually, she had realized that there had to be a reason why Sumire was the one who Magire was stalking, so she hadn't bothered to think much about why he never came. She thought about how Sumire was with Kawaki and she felt bad for Magire, he must have been heartbroken about it.

Magire's hands were still shaky even as she reached forward to hold them and pull herself to her feet. Chocho let's go of him and brushes off the dust on her body, Magire's eyes follow her movement and his face goes even redder. Still as shy as ever. " I...have we...m..met?"

" Oh come on, don't tell me you forgot about me " Theres a high chance he did forget, after all, they hadn't seen each other for years. But Chocho was still upset, was she really that average? Seeing that there was no recognition on the Kunoichi's face, Chocho rolled her eyes. " It's me, Chocho Akimichi. We met years ago, you were stalking Sumire back then "

" Oh " Magire's brown eyes looked down at her, and she saw the shock in them. His face was growing redder and Chocho was almost afraid it would start dripping blood at any time. She reaches forward to cup his face, really so pale. He hadn't changed much, just grew taller and his hair grew longer too, he was just as handsome as she remembered. It was too bad this guy liked Sumire, he would have made a lovely boyfriend. Chocho sighs, she doesn't notice the way Magire swallows hard when her fingers brush his lips, accidentally of course.

" I know I look different. It's a long story. Anyways, it's nice to see you again, I'll catch you some other time "

" W..wait " Magire held her hand before she could pull away. His hand was still shaking and he looked nervous. Yet he didn't let go of her. " Are y..you trying to hide?"

" What?"

" T..the hat " He pointed at the discarded sun hat. Right, she forgot about that " I f..figured you don't want anyone seeing you "

" Well yeah. Until that asshole blew my cover "

Magire's lips twitch up in a smile. " I can help you, I.. I mean I can get you where you wish to go...without anyone noticing you "

" Right. Your concealment. That would be very much appreciated, thank you so much Magire " Chocho reaches for him once more and links her arm with his, she knows he needs physical contact to share his chakra. She is very relieved at the thought of not having to blend in the background anymore. She looked at Magire and he had turned a bright shade of red again, he was still as cute as before. " There's an apartment. I can show you the direction "

" O..okay "

" Magire?"

" Y...yes?"

" You don't need to be so shy. Your stuttering is cute and all, but be a bit more confident. Confident men are very attractive, you know"

" I understand "

" Good! Let's go"

" Okay "

* * *

Chocho has always known that Mitsuki was a boring person. But seeing how uninteresting and colorless his apartment was, she couldn't help but sigh. Apart from the picture of Boruto by his bedside, there was really nothing special about his room. And seeing the photo makes Chocho want to cringe a bit, seriously though, what's up with Mitsuki's obsession with that idiot Brouto? If Mitsuki was a girl, Chocho would think he might like the Uzumaki heir

" Is it really okay to be here?" Mature asked and Chocho remembered that she hadn't come alone.

" Don't worry about it. Mutsuki wouldn't mind "

" But why did you need to sneak into his apartment?"

" Because I don't want anyone to see me "

" Why?" Chocho sighs and Magire quickly flushes red, he is afraid that he has offended her somehow. " I.. I am sorry..I didn't mean to..."

" It's fine Magire. You must know already that I...well I don't look like this. I'm not even sure what the hell happened, I just woke up this morning to find myself looking different. It's scary. But I think Mitsuki might be able to help me "

Chocho is startled by a loud banging sound. She looked back at the brown-haired boy to find that he was no longer standing beside her. He was flat on the ground, eyes closed, and nose bleeding. " Magire!!" She rushes to his side in panic. " What the hell is happening? Why did you faint so suddenly? Magire? Magire! "

The Akimichi leans forward to place her ears on his chest, she sighs in relief when she hears his steady heartbeat. Her entire body froze when a shadow fell upon her and the unconscious Kunoichi. Chocho looks up to see Mitsuki standing there, looking at her with a blank expression.

" Hello Mitsuki , Chocho says dumbly.

Chapter Text

Mitsuki stares at her for a long time, those golden eyes of his seemed to be peering into her very soul. When he leans closer, it's so he could take in her scent. Chocho knows the clone likes to do weird stuff like that, however this time it really makes her uncomfortable. Because is sure that Mitsuki was taking in her scent to see if she was the Akimichi he knew or an intruder. She is afraid that if her scent had changed along with her appearance then Mitsuki would go all sage mode on her, and she might likely end up in a hospital. Then everyone will come to know the truth of what had happened, all her efforts would be in vain.

She chews anxiously on her bottom lips, at this time she had forgotten completely about poor Magire. Mitsuki however notices the other boy, his eyes narrowed dangerously at Magire. " Akimich-san, good morning "

" Really? That's all you have to say?" Chocho gasped at him. She looks down at her hands then touches her hair, just to ensure that she was still in the strange body she had woken up in. Mitsuki blinks at her innocently, like he had no idea what she was talking about. Then those predatory eyes glimpsed down at her chest briefly and Chocho turned the brightest shade of red.

Gosh, she once thought that Mitsuki was very innocent, unlike the other boys in her class he didn't fawn over girls, she doubted he even went through the stage where all he could think about we're boobs and how a girl's body felt. She had overheard Inojin saying something about it, apparently he also thought Sumire was pretty. Chocho had wanted to punch him right in the face. Not because he had a bit of a crush on Sumire, but because he told her to exercise more and maybe then guys would actually like her. Chocho had never felt so insulted, and coming from her best friend, it hurt a lot. But now Chocho was beautiful, attractive enough to be a model, but she still wasn't happy. Because this version of herself creeped the hell out of her.

" You look different " Mitsuki's voice brought her out of her thoughts. Chocho found that he was still undressing her with his eyes, he probably didn't even notice what he was doing.

" No shit Mitsuki. I feel different too " Chocho almost has the urge to poke her plump boobs. She had them big before but not this big. They felt heavy and somewhat comforting. There's something about knowing how attractive you are, Chocho might be scared shitless of the situation, but she can't deny that there is a part of her that enjoys this.

" How did this happen?"

" I went to bed, then I woke up like this "

" That's all?"

" That's all "

Mitsuki nods " And him?" He looks at Magire once more and his eyes narrowed. They would always soften when he looked at her, then the next second it would look like he was about to murder Magire. Chocho doesn't think both guys had had any encounters apart from that incident with Sumire years ago, so what exactly was Mitsuku's deal? She was becoming anxious with each passing moment and she couldn't help reflexsively moving closer to Magire so she was blocking Mitsuki's view of him. The air suddenly felt cold, and there wasn't even an air condition in the room she could blame it on. Mitsuki gave her a smile. " Are you on a date with him Akimichi-san? In my house?"

” Eh? Don't be weird Mitsuki! This is not a date. Magire was just helping me by getting me here unnoticed. "

" Then he can leave now "

" Mitsuki!! " Chocho was quick to catch Magire who was almost tossed through the Window by Mitsuki. She was so angry that she almost bit Mitsuki's outstretched hands. " Cut it out! Can't you see he is unconscious? I...I don't know what happened, he suddenly fainted. Can you help me put him on the bed?"

" Of course" Mitsuki walks over and picks Magire off the floor, rather effortlessly. Then he placed the boy on his bed, a bit roughly. Chocho glares at him for it but quickly goes over to position Magire properly. She really has no idea why he suddenly fainted, could it be that he had exuaghsted his chakra while trying to help her? If that was the case then this was her fault, she felt bad for making him do this in the first place. " Why did you come over here?"

" Because I thought you could help me. I..I have no idea who to turn to Mitsuki. I'm afraid my parents might think I am an intruder or that I was possessed. And if my teammates find out about this, they will never let me hear the end of it "

" You think me worthy of helping you, I am very happy, Akimichi-san "

" Ah, don't look so smug. It's also because you said I smelt different yesterday, so I thought you must have known what was going on "

" Do you not like it?"

" Like what?"

" The way you look now" He tilts his head and his eyes run over her body. " doesn't this make you happy, Akimichi-san? "

' He's right, you should be very happy. You are now more beautiful than all of the girls you envy combined. What reason do you have to complain '

" Huh?"

" I said that..."

" Not you Mitsuki. Be quite for a bit "

This wasn't the first time she was hearing that voice today. At first it was a whisper in the back of her mind, telling her to hold Magire's hand, suggesting that kissing the boy was a good idea. Chocho had ignored that voice, because she that it was only her subconscious doing the talking, but that voice kept getting louder with each passing message it conveyed to her. She didn't even know how to describe it, it felt like a part of her was trying to take control, to cone to the surface. But she had no idea what that part or voice was. Considering that she had woken up looking different, growing a split personality wouldn't be the weirdest thing to happen to her.

' Aren't you happy, chocho? '

" Akimichi-san " Chocho blinks and snaps herself out of her thoughts. Mitsuki was standing close to her, a bit too close, but then again he was never the kind to respect personal space. " Are you alright?"

" No, I don't think I am. I...I need to fix this, whatever it is that's happening to me "

" I suggest we go see the Hokage "

" He's going to tell my parents " Chocho whines

" They are your parents. I think they deserve to know if something is going on with their daughter "

" Wow Mitsuki, you sound so normal now "

" And you still smell Wonderful, a bit stronger now " Mitsuki says, he leans forward and takes a sniff. Chocho sighs, maybe not as normal as she would have liked. She opens her mouth to give a snarky response but her entire body suddenly froze, it felt like she had been electrocuted. It wasn't a painful sensation, it just surprised her and left her skin tingling

There's a shift, a slight bang on the bedside table, the vase comes crashing down, the sound it makes as it shatters to a thousand pieces echoes through the room. A broken vase.

" Chocho?" Mitsuki looks worried at this point. His golden eyes searched hers as if he would find the answers to her weird behavior in them.

" I...I'm fine. " She forces a smile, hoping to assure him. But Chocho was having an inner battle with herself. Just now she felt like a movie was playing in her head, it was like the action was happening right in front of her. She glances at the single vase on the bedside table beside Mitsuki's bed and finds it in perfect shape. What was that about? " We can go see the Hokage, but first we need to ensure Magire is alright "

As if on cue, a painful groan came from the Kunoichi on the bed. Chocho feels relief as she saw Magire stir from his unconscious state. She approaches him and Mitsuki goes back to glaring. Before she could settle on the bed beside Magire, she sees him move on the bed, his left leg accidentally hitting the bedside table, and then the single vase on it came crashing down. Chocho reaches for it and steadies it before it could fall off the table and Shatter into a thousand pieces. She places it back on the table.

She turns to see both Mitsuki and Magire watching her, a bit taken aback by her sharp reflexes. Chocho shrugs at them, she wants to explain that she had known the Vase would come crashing down even before it did, but that would only make her sound crazy. It was weird, she has no idea how she does it, but she does. And it's pretty cool too.

Chapter Text

Chapter Five

The Hokage couldn't believe his eyes. He stared at Chocho for a long time with his mouth wide open. " How did this happen?"

" I told you already, I have no idea " Chocho wasn't very happy with being gawked at, especially not by the Hokage himself. She just knew that her dad would look at her this way as well. Plus, this was the third time she was explaining the events that led to her sudden change to the man. " I returned from the land of Mist, I went to bed, and then I won't up looking like this "

" And you fell into a river during your mission, correct?"

" Yes "

" Hm, maybe there was a hidden curse there. I don't know. I'll have someone investigate it " Naruto Uzumaki said. He stares at the pile of papers on his desk and reminded himself to add Chocho's case to the top of the list. He didn't really think what happened to her was anything dangerous, he would have sensed it if it was. Maybe this was something like his sexy jutsu, only lasted longer. " Is there any side effect I should know about "

" Well...I keep seeing images flashing in my head "

" What kind of images "

" I'm not sure, events, accidents. Earlier I saw the vase in Mitsuki's room break, and a few minutes after that, the vase actually came crashing down. Then on our way here, I saw a kid tripping on a rock and bruising his hands, that also happened as well, thankfully I stopped it. And now, In a few minutes Uncle Shikamaru is going to come through that door and inform you of a fire outbreak at the outskirts of Konoha "

Naruto blinks at her, stunned at her rambling. Then he laughs, and Chocho does her best to not get offended, she expected this reaction. If she heard someone also predicting the future she would think they were crazy. She stole a glance at Mitsuki who had been standing by her side silently all this, it would be embarrassing if even he didn't believe her, after all he had seen her catch that was vase right?

But as expected Mitsuki had his usual smile, which could be both real or fake, she didn't even think even Boruto who was closest to him could tell. But of course Boruto was a dumbass, sometimes the only person he ever seems to care about was Sarada and he barely paid attention to anyone else.

" I'm not lying " She whispered to the blue head boy " You believe me right?"

" I do " Mitsuki tells her, there was sincerity in his voice and Chocho felt warm all over. Even if the Hokage didn't believe anything she was saying, at least there was someone who believed her.

She turned to look at the Hokage who was going through some stark of papers. He seemed to have found what he was looking for and raised his eyes to look at them. Just as he was about to say something, the door of the office was pushed open and an anxious Shikamaru walked inside the office. " Naruto! We have a situation "

" What's going on?"

" There's a fire outbreak at the edge of Konoha. I have already sent some Jonins to handle it, but I am afraid it might get out of hand. What should we do?"

The Hokage's serious expression gave way to a confused look. He looked at Shikamaru and then glanced at Chocho who couldn't even bring herself to be smug about how right she had been. There was still a fire outbreak and she was afraid people would get hurt. " You said a fire?"

" Yes, Lord Hokage " Chocho said quickly, because she saw that Uncle Shikamaru was about to give a harsh and snarky response " You should probably go check it out yourself "

" Right, of course " Naruto shuffles from his chair " Chocho, go home first. I will inform your parents and we shall investigate whatever is wrong with you. We'll talk about this new found power of yours some other time " He walks out of the office after saying this. Chocho thinks that the Hokage hasn't been very helpful to her. Maybe she should have just remained in Mitsuki's house.

" Chocho, is that you?" Her uncle gaps at her, he only seemed to notice her just now. The Akimichi sighs, she knows she has to narrate her story again. She tells Uncle Shikamaru what happened and then he sends her home. Chocho has to go seperate ways with Mitsuki, but he promises to come see her later

* * *

" I still can't believe this " Karui has been standing in Chocho's room for the past hour now. " What has happened to my cute baby girl? " She shook her head in remorse. Chocho wants to laugh, because her Mama and papa were the only ones who would comment on how ugly she looked like this. To them she had been the most beautiful girl in Konoha before, now they thought she looked too mature to be their daughter.

" I get it Mama. Don't worry about it too much, this is just temporary. The Hokage will find a way to reverse this "

" I sure hope so, or else he'll have me to deal with " Karui was easily intimidating, especially to Natuto who she had once beaten to a pulp. " Alright, I have to go see Sakura today. Are you sure you will be fine on your own?"

" I will be fine. Have fun Mama "

The Akimichi heiress came over to place a kiss on her daughter's forehead and then she walked out of the room. When Chocho heard her Mother's footsteps grow distant, she laid back on her bed a sighed. She recalled what the Hokage and Shikamaru had told her. They both didn't know what kind of curse she had encountered, but they believed it had originated from the land of Mist. Naruto said he would contact Chojuro and they would try to find a way to change her back. Thankfully it had no negative effect on her, apart from her ability to now predict the future, there was nothing else.

It's been two days already and she hadn't left her house since then. Mitsuki didn't come to see her as he had promised, she wondered if he was on a mission, he didn't seem like the type to break his promises. She sighs as her eyes fell closed, it was such a headache. She just hoped no one noticed her absence, it's not like she was that relevant anyways.

She wasn't aware when she had fallen asleep, but she woke up several hours later with her entire body burning. " Oh Kami " Chocho groaned as she pushed herself on shaky feet. What the hell was going on now? She was find it difficult to breath. " Mama!? Papa?! "

Even though it was sundown, both of her parents were still out. She was the only one at home and it felt like she was going to burn out. Could it be that she was being affected by that curse again? Why was it acting up now after several days? The first person who came to her mind was Mitsuki, she hadn't seen him for two days, but surely he would be willing to help her out. She just hoped that he was home right now.

She sneaked out of the house through her window. Konoha was less busy today and she was thankful for not having to bump into several people. It seemed with each step she took her body burned up more. And to her horror she found that all the heat settled in her lower stomach, she felt her underwear get wetter the more she moved around. It was like she had taken the most powerful Aphrodiasc.

Chocho knew she was drawing attention to herself, even as she leaned heavily against the wall of a Ramen shop, people who passed her gave her all sorts of looks. Maybe it was the heavy breathing, or the fact that her legs was shaking. Or that she looked too seductive with the way her clothes stuck against her frame and her hair was dishevled, her face flushed and her pink tongue hanging out of her mouth as she tried to catch her breath.

" Hey " Chocho hadn't noticed the man approaching her until he was standing right in front of her. He had shoulder length white hair, his skin was pale and his eyes were a bright purple colour. He was good-looking, and he must think she was good-looking as well, because his gaze raked over her form which was leaning against the wall for support. " Are you alright?"

" I...I'm fine "

" I hate to break it to you, but you don't look fine. You are kind of drawing the attention of every single person passing by "

" Why?" Chocho asked. She raised her hand to wipe away the sweat on her forehead. It was cool and smelt a bit like flowers, which was weird. Was this a side effect too. Chocho raised her gaze from her hand to look at the handsome guy once more. There was something wrong with the way his eyes had darkened while watching her. " I'm not doing anything "

" You are doing a lot, trust me "

" I'm sorry, but can I help you with something?" Why was he talking to her anyways? And why did she feel like leaning towards him and running her tongue across his skin?

" I was hoping I could help you out " He reaches for her hand, and his skin was cool, so cool that she couldn't help leaning against him. She moaned at how good it felt, it took away the burning sensation from her skin momentarily. The stranger chuckled and wrapped his arms around her. " How about we go somewhere private, people her watching "

' Go with him, he can help you. I promise you will enjoy it '

" Okay "

He beams at her in satisfaction. He leads her forward, Chocho can hardly pay attention to her surrounding, but she knows he had a car, a fancy looking one. And when they were both seated in the backseat as his driver drove them towards wherever the stranger wanted her, he leaned forward and kissed her. Chocho kissed back, because his lips were cool and sweet, and she loved it.

Chapter Text

' Don't play with fire ' Her father used to tell her when she was a child ' Fire burns. Play with water instead '

Chocho wants to laugh now when she thinks back on the man's words. Her papa had been so worried when she had told him how fascinated she was with learning Fire Jutsu, only because she saw Sarada use it once and it looked so cool. Choji had insisted she learned Water Style Jutsu instead, even though Chocho didn't have the abilities for that either. Now she hadn't even played with fire, she had stuck with water. Wasn't that why she had jumped into that river? Because she thought the water would keep her safe? But now she felt like she was burning from the inside out.

Her body was slick with sweat and the sheets beneath her felt damp as well. Chocho's gaze was fixed on the ceiling, her fingers buried in the white mop of hair that stuck out between her legs. Oh Kami, he used his tongue so well. Inasa ( as she learned his name was ) had her legs around his shoulder, and when he sank between her legs and gave her her very first tongue fuck, he didn't come up for air even once. It seemed he was enjoying himself far more than she was. He sucked, licked, and nibbed at her cunt, making her moan so loudly that if there hadn't been in a penthouse of a fancy building, someone would have no doubt heard her.

She couldn't hold back her cries of ecstasy as he sucks at her clit and hungrily lavishes her entrance with his skillful tongue. Chocho's hips buck upwards of their own volition to force his tongue deeper into me. Inasa was exceptionally good at this. She was so fucking sure his tongue had some grown longer as it shouldn't have managed to go as deep as it did now. She rocked against his face, riding his tongue like it was her life's mission. Inasa chuckled at her action and it sent a pleasant sensation through her pussy.

" F..fuck..yes " her vision starts to blur, and the tension in her core builds dangerously high. It felt like her climax was mere seconds away from her as she arched her back from the bed, my mouth falling open in a silent cry. Inasa's blunt fingers dig into her supple thighs as he holds back a groan of his own. Chocho screams out as her entire body slackens and falls back on the bed, the heat of her orgasm washing through her and making her feel like she was floating on clouds.

" Fuck, that was so hot " Inasa moans out as he pulls himself from between her legs. His chin and lips were covered in her juices, his tongues darted out to greedily lick away the residue of her arousal. Chocho swallows hard as she follows the movement of his tongue. Inasa grins and leans forward to kiss her cheek. " You have no idea how good you taste "

" I...I don't really know how to respond to that "

He chuckles. The sound sends a pleasant vibration through her. Now that the heat in her body was gone, she could pay close attention to the man in front of her. He was very good-looking and had a warm personality, he didn't seem to be a Kuniochi, not like that matters. It was the way he looked at her that made her inside churn, his eyes would haze over whenever she met his gaze, it was like he thought she was the most beautiful thing she had ever laid eyes on. It was strange to have someone look at her like that, She had seen lots of guys give Sarada and Sumire similar looks, though not quite as heated or genuine, she never thought she would be the object of someone's desire. And Chocho had to admit that she didn't dislike the thrill it sent through her. She loved the attention, craved it even, it made her feel powerful

" What can I do?" Chocho asked reaching out a hand to brush the white strands of hair that fell across Inasa's face. It felt smooth and silky to the touch, almost like she was running her hands through water.

Pale hands reached out to hold her own, and Inasa held her palm against her cheek, leaning into her touch like it was something he craved. His eyelashes fluttered " What do you mean?"

" I...I mean that you've helped me...with my...Well...do you want me to repay the favour "

" Hm, you don't have to. You've already done a lot. "

" I want to " Chocho can see the tenth in his pants. He's already given her the most pleasure she had ever experienced in her life, and she was raised to always repay a good deed with another. Also, she felt curious. She had only heard about things like this in whispered voices, Konoha was a traditional town after all and things like sex weren't discussed in loud voices. She was 17 and she was damn curious. " Can I?'

" If you want to " Inasa smiles at kindly, it's a huge contrast to lust burning in his eyes. Slowly he guides her hand which had been cupping his face to the heat between his legs. The Akimichi flushes red when she feels the hard warmth beneath her hand. Curiosity, she lets her finger run over the wet spot on the head of his length. Inasa groans as he throws his head back. He looked like he was about to tip over the edge, and Chocho hadn't even touched him yet. Once more she feels the surge of power run through her.

" Could you sit at the edge of the bed?" Inasa doesn't even question her. He nods as he moves to sit at the edge of the bed like she wants him to. Chocho feels the cool air of the conditioner against her naked skin, even the marble flooring feels cold against her knees as she kneels in front of Inasa, between his legs. Her hand came up to run across the smooth skin of his stomach, she felt the hard muscle under her fingers. He might not be a Kunoichi but he must work out as well. Chocho's hands trail down to the waistband of his pants. " Take this off "

" Yes Ma'am," Inasa said with an amused smirk. He rose to his feet and then shrugged off the last piece of material on his body. When he sat back on the bed, Chocho finds herself faced with the sight of his Cock. It was big and long, a slightly darker color than the rest of his body. " You've never done this before " He observed.

Chocho swallowed back her nervousness " There's a first time for everything "

" You don't have to do this if you are not sure "

" You did the same for me "

" It's not a favor you need to repay. I enjoyed eating you out " His wet tongue ran across his lips, and his eyes glazed over at the memory " A bit too much even. Fuck, you were just that delicious. I wouldn't mind doing it again and again if you want me to "

" Maybe some other time " It's crazy, but she was actually considering letting him do the things he had to her again. Because it was the best feeling ever and she might be addicted to it. She was such a pervert. " Right now, I want to know what you taste like "

She takes him into her hand, and Chocho can feel him tense under her touch. He feels heavy, her finger grazes over the wet precum leaking from the tip of his cock. The salty scent of it made her want to get a taste, to see whether he tasted just as salty as she thought. Chocho doesn't hold herself back. She leans forward and her tongue darts out to lick a drop of precum on tip. Inasa swore under his breath and his fingers came to tangle in her hair.

She hums in satisfaction, liking the taste of it and wanting more. She parts her lips and sank down on Inasa's cock, taking more of him into her mouth. The feeling of having her mouth full felt intoxicating, she felt like testing herself further to see how much of him she could take. And she guessed it helped a lot that she didn't have much of a gag reflex, not after years of stuffing so much food into her mouth that she could barely breathe before swallowing. She leaned back from him, his cock pulling out so that only the tip remained in her mouth, then she sank all the way until her nose was buried in pale blond hair.

" Shit " Inasa cursed, his words came out broken and hoarse, she loved the effect she had on him. So Chocho established a rhyme. Slow and deep, making sure to take Inasa's dick into her mouth completely. And when the salty taste of precum exploded in her mouth, she knew that he was close. His hand which was buried in her hair tugged her back, off his cock " Fucking hell!" he gasped as his hand came to fist his cock in fast motion, and soon there was a burst of white all over Chocho's face. It was a lot of cum, and it got into her hair, mouth, and some even streaked down her chest. It was safe to say that her upper body was covered in Inasa's spent, and she kinda didn't mind.

" Oh Fuck, look at you. So gorgeous " Inasa's lips attacked her own. He kissed her deeply like he needed her to breathe. There was so much desire pouring from one man, and a part of Chocho's head buzzed with pleasure. He wants her, this handsome rich guy wants her. And did it really matter that she looked different now? If she got this much attention, then her change might not have been so bad after all

Chocho moaned when she felt Inasa's fingers rub against her wet cunt. The kiss between them got even hotter as they both fell back on the bed, and Chocho rubbed against his cock, feeling the warm shaft spring to hardness between her thighs. She was forced to pull away from the kiss however, Inasa groaned in displeasure as he chased after her mouth.

" Someone's coming "

" What?"

" There are people outside the door, " She tells him already pulling herself from beneath him. Inasa opens his mouth to protest but the sound of loud knocks interrupts him.

" Mr Yuziko " A voice calls from the door. Loud and eccentric. Chocho would recognize that voice anywhere, she felt her body freeze. She quickly shuffles to her feet and scrambles for her clothes. She knows, she just knows that wherever Boruto goes, a certain blue-haired clone will always be behind him. And Boruto might be easily deceived with a false lie, Mitsuki on the other hand was much too smart for that. He could read Chocho like an open book, she hated it. Which is why she needed to get the hell out of here before any of them would know about her presence, or what she had been doing.

" What's wrong? " Inasa watches her with concern in his eyes " I'm sorry, I totally forgot about the appointment I booked with the Hokage's son. But I can ask him to come back another time, you don't need to leave "

" No, I think it's best if I go. Thanks for the fun " She tucks her hair behind her and makes her way to the window, it's a high jump, but Chocho was the heiress of the Akimichi clan, she could do this with ease. Inasa chases after her, but he doesn't go near the window, maybe for fear of being seen naked by his neighbors, that would be very embarrassing.

" Will I see you again?"

" If you want to. I don't mind "

" Then, I'll find you," He says with a fond smile on his face. Chocho returns the gesture and then makes her way swiftly out of the open window. She landed rather gracefully on her feet. She was almost about to give herself a pat on the back when she noticed two familiar figures standing not too far from her. She cursed under her breath and tried to sneak away, but her jump from earlier had already alerted her teammates of her presence.

" What the hell?" Chocho's wrist was grabbed before she could get away. She turned around to meet stunned blue eyes watching her. " Chubs, where the hell have you been and...." His gaze ran over her body, this must be the first time she saw her sharp-tongued teammate speechless " So this is what he meant by change huh? Wow "

" Nice to see you too Inojin. But if you excuse me, I have somewhere to be "

" Somewhere to be?! Do you know how fucking worried your parents have been? They've even set off a search party for you, everyone thought that weird seal affected you or caused you to disappear! And yet you're here, prancing around and covered in....what's this shit anyways?"

Inojin reaches a hand to her face which she quickly dodges. Chocho realizes with horror that her face still felt wet and sticky, probably from all the....oh Kami! She wrenches her hand away from Inojin and dashes away as fast as she can. She ignores Inojin and Shikadai calling for her. She knows she has a lot of shit to deal with at home.

Chapter Text

Chocho only managed to slide through her windows and wipe off the dried cum on her face before her mom came bursting through her door, probably having sensed her chakra before she even made it into the house. Just seeing the furious expression on Karui's face she knew she was in for the trouble.

" ChoCHO!! "

" Mama, what happened?"

" Don't fucking bullshit me! Where have you been? Do you know how worried I was? I nearly sent the Ambu after you !"

" I just went out for a little bit " Chocho tried to explain. She hadn't meant to stay out too long, but she had found herself losing track of time, and expression with all the heat and pleasure. She found herself flushing as images of her moments with Inasa flashed through her mind. Her mom was still angrily prancing around the room. Mumbling stuff about what she would have done to the Homage if any harm had come upon her daughter. The Akimichi felt bad, she really hadn't wanted to make her parents worried " I'm sorry Mama, I didn't mean to..."

" I don't care what you meant to do! Do you have any idea the danger you could have put yourself in? We still don't know what the hell happened to you or how to change you back. And...just look! Your hair color changed again! What if something worse happens and we aren't there to help you out?"

Chocho blinks at Karui. Her hands came up to tug the now-white strand of hair that fell heavily behind her. She hadn't even noticed it, but the once light brown hair was now a pale shade of white, just like Inasa's. When the hell had this even happened? Why did it happen? Does this mean that she would continue changing like this or did it have something to do with what she had done with Inasa? It was all too confusing to her and she had no idea what to think.

Seeing the confused expression on her daughter's face, Karui's anger faded and it was replaced by concern. She hadn't meant to yell at Chocho, she had just been so worried about her. It didn't make matters any easier that even Naruto had no idea what this seal was, none knew if it was dangerous. The dark-skinned woman walked forward and wrapped her arms around her daughter's curvaceous body. " Just clean up and come downstairs. Inojin and Shikadai are on their way, they must be worried "

Chocho held back a groan. No, she definitely didn't want to see her teammates again, she didn't know how to explain the encounter between them earlier. And Inojin was always prying into stuff that didn't concern him, sometimes he was even more annoying than Mitsuki. " Alright, Mama. I'll be down soon "

She watched as her mother left the room and closed the door behind her. Chocho went to her bathroom and stared at herself in the mirror It seemed that even her eyes had changed, her golden pupils were now a bright shade of purple. Now she knew the change really had something to do with Inasa. She just didn't know why or how it had happened.

" This is all bullshit " She hissed under her breath as her hands worked to peel her clothes off her body. She stepped into her shower, she turned the temperature of the water to a heat that turned her skin to a light pink shade. This might help her clear her head. Chocho didn't take much time in the shower, she got dressed and did her best to tame her wild white hair in a messy bun. Then with a heavy sigh, she made her way downstairs where she knew she would have to answer a lot of complicated questions.

" It's not her fault..." She heard her father's voice say. He didn't finish his sentence as he had already noticed her arrival before she even stepped into the living room. All eyes turned to look at her. The first one Chocho noticed were golden eyes which almost matched hers, used to almost match hers anyway, now her eyes were purple, and she must have made quite the sight.

Mitsuki was seated beside Shikadai and Boruto. Inojin was standing next to Choji, and her Mom was occupying a one-seater, her arms wrapped around her midsection and her gaze unsteady. A very helpless look that Chocho had only ever seen a few times on her Mama's face. Don't make this complicated, it's not like she was dying or anything. It was just some hair color change, she was confident that the Hokage would figure this out sooner or later and she would be back to the way she was.

" Woah " Boruto's mouth fell open as he regarded her with wide eyes. Chocho rolls her eyes and makes her way to curl up on the only available Sofa in the room. Her hair was still wet, she wished she had stayed behind to dry it, it would have given her enough excuse to stay away for a bit.

" How are you feeling Nin-suki? " Choji asked as he watched her worriedly. Chocho smiled at him.

" I'm fine Papa, sorry for worrying you "

" Yeah right," Inojin scoffed " Why were you with the Yuziko heir anyway? There's no way you could have known about the mission "

" Yuziko ?"

" Yuziko Inasa " Mitsuki so kindly provided. Chocho glanced at him briefly before turning her gaze back to Inojin's frowning face.

" It's a coincidence "

" Is it?"

" You kids play nice " Karui warned, sensing that the atmosphere between them was growing a bit tense. " Chocho, why don't you entertain your friends? Your father and I need to see the Hokage "

" Fine "

" Don't make it sound like we're such a drag "

" Honestly, you all kinda are. I mean this is nothing serious, I don't know why everyone keeps making a fuss out of it "

" Oi, this doesn't look like something small to me. " Boruto Uzumaki chipped in " I mean, Sarada has been worried about you. You failed to come to see her yesterday. She talked my ears off about it "

" Oh, I think I forgot. How about I go see her right now? You all make yourself comfortable "

" Not so fast Chubs!" Inojin grabbed her arm and yanked her back on the Sofa. Chocho glared at him through purple eyes. It was weird, usually Inojin shouldn't have enough strength to be able to pull a stunt like that. She was far stronger than he was when it came to physical strength. When had she grown this weak? She didn't have much time to dwell on her thoughts, because Inojin was in front of her the next second, he was standing a bit too close so she shuffled back to create some space between them. His frown deepened. " Why didn't you tell us about this? And don't you dare say it's not important? Your hair is fucking white!"

" I did tell someone, I mean Mitsuki knows "

" You told Mitsuki, but not your own teammates?"

" I thought he would know what was going on with me. Why is it a big deal? "

" She told Magire before me, " Mitsuki said, and Chocho saw a scary expression come over Inojin's face. Thanks a lot Mitsuki

" Seriously?! That fucking invincible Ninja? "

" Stop cursing, it's such a drag "

" Shut up!"

" Can you stop panicking Inojin? Why does it matter that I didn't come to you first? You know about it now, right? I want to go see Sarada, I really don't have time for this okay " She stood up from the Sofa, pining Inojin with a glare and daring him to try to stop her again. He got the message.

" I'll go after her, " Mitsuki said. Inojin glares at him, clearly not thrilled with the idea, but he knows when his teammate needs space. Maybe he shouldn't have acted so harshly before.

" Bring her back home safely "

" I understand "

Inojin sits back on the couch as Mitsuki walks out of the room. He glares at Shikadai who had been giving him a pointed look all this time. " I messed up, I know "

" Try reaching out to her with a clear head next time "

" Whatever "

Chapter Text

What the hell was wrong with that blond idiot!? No, Chocho wasn't talking about Boruto this time. She had no idea why her teammate was making such a big fuss about the issue, sure she hadn't told them what happened to her, they had to hear it from someone else. And honestly, she hadn't planned on telling them at all, at least not until she sorted everything out. But that was only because she was afraid that they ( pointedly Inojin ) would make fun of her. Inojin had no filter, she knew most of the things he said to her were meant as a joke, but it didn't make it hurt less.

Chocho stood outside the Uchiha compound, now that she thought about it, Sarada didn't know about her change as well. Would her friend be angry that she hadn't spoken to her about it? Or maybe Sarada would make a joke about her appearance as well, or even try to convince her to remain like this. Chocho knew she was prettier like this, hell, she had been getting looks everywhere she went. This was basically her wish coming true. Yet, she only wanted someone who....well, she didn't even know what she wanted. She was such an idiot.

No, there was no way she was going to see Sarada right now, she had no idea what to tell the girl. She turned on her heels only to smash face-first into a hard chest. " Damn it Mitsuki! You don't have to stand so close to me "

" My apologies. I take it you no longer want to see Sarada "

" I will see her, just not now "

" Then, where do you want to go now?"

" Not home. Inojin and Shikadai are probably waiting for me back there. Let's just walk, since you obviously plan on following me "

Mitsuki didn't say anything, but Chocho was aware of his presence behind her, and for some reason, he decided to not walk beside her. She wanted to ask, but then Mitsuki probably had some weird reason that only he could understand.

Konoha was a beautiful place, seeing how the civilians went on with their day with no care in the world, it made her feel a bit more relieved. Sometimes she used to wonder how it would feel like to live an ordinary life, she would have no use for her chakra or even the countless trainings she had to go through daily to perfect her technique. At one point her dream had been to surpass her dad, but gradually that dream faded, now she just wanted to be strong enough to protect her clan once her dad passed it to her. She knows she doesn't deserve to be the clan chief, not when there were others in the Akimichi clan who were far more gifted than she could ever hope to be. But she was still Choji Akimichi's daughter, and a lot was expected of her.....

" Warhh!! " A panicked squeal escaped her when Chocho suddenly felt herself yanked backward. Mitsuki was there to catch her, however, " What the hell Mitsuki, you nearly gave me a heart attack "

" I think you should look where you are going, Akimichi-san " Chocho followed Mitsuki's line of sight. There, right in front of her was a snake curled up on itself, it was small and had green scales that glistened when touched by sunlight. She would have probably stepped on it if Mitsuki hadn't pulled her back.

" Is that one of yours?"

" No " And just to emphasize his words, Mitsuki presented a hand in front of her, there was a pale snake wrapped around his wrist, and the little thing hissed at her. Of course, only someone like Mitsuki would carry snakes around. She still wasn't sure where he kept them most of the time, they just seemed to appear out of nowhere. But even she had to admit that his snakes were pretty cute, dangerous, but cute.

"Okay, but this little thing is so cute. I wonder why it's here all by itself " She reaches out a hand to pet the small creature, Mitsuki's hand tightens around her, but he is still holding onto her. With their position, she couldn't crouch down at all. " Um...do you mind?"

" It's poisonous " His words were muffled due to the fact that he had his face buried in her hair. Chocho has always known Mitsuki was a strange person, the fact that he wasn't a person at all might have contributed to his weirdness. But they had all gotten used to his bluntness and lack of personal space. The past hair might have even assumed that his actions were confessions of love towards her. Plus, Mitsuki was very good-looking, she might have had a crush on him when she was younger, but so did half the girls in her class, so it was no biggie.

Chocho was forced to push Mitsuki's intruding hand away when it edged close to her chest, she knew he didn't do it on purpose, or perhaps he did, but she didn't really get the guy. " Alright, Mitsuki! You can let go of me now "

" Does it make you uncomfortable ?"

" You couldn't make me uncomfortable even if you tried! " She huffed " However, someone might walk in on us and paint the wrong picture. As Ninjas, keeping our image clean should be our top priority. I know you can't help yourself around a beautiful woman like me, but please, practice restraint "

Mitsuki's chuckle was deep and sinfully seductive. Chocho hated to admit that the sound of it had set off butterflies in her stomach. After so many years, she was sure that she had overcome that silly crush. Mitsuki had no idea what love was, he learned what true friendship was not long ago, so there was no way he might have reciprocated her feelings. It was just easy for him to imitate others, Mitsuki was a blank page, he constantly had to rely on Boruto to understand human emotion.

" Akimichi-san, I am happy you are changing back to your old self "

" What do you mean?" Chocho asked with a small frown, Mitsuki probably couldn't see it since she had her back to him. She was startled at the thought that someone had noticed her....no, she didn't want to call it depression. She just hadn't been in the happiest mood lately. " I've always been like this "

" Hm," Mitsuki doesn't want to prove her wrong. He was right about the fact that the Akimichi girl didn't wish to open up about her feelings, he wouldn't be the best person to talk to anyway, he was still new at understanding human emotion. But right now, with Akimichi-san in his arms, he felt at peace. If it was possible, he never wished to let go.

" Mitsuki?"

" Yes?"

" What do you think about me?"

" I think you smell very nice. You are good to hold as well, very soft..."

" I didn't mean that! Ugh! I meant what do you think about my appearance? I've noticed how everyone keeps telling me that I look great, by the looks of it, it seems they all prefer it when I look like this "

" You looked beautiful before, and you look beautiful now. You should do whatever makes you happy " Chocho can't help the smile that makes it across her lips at Mitsuki's words. She could always count on him to tell her the truth, even though he was a bit strange and stuck to Boruto too much, he always did have a way of cheering her up. She opened her mouth to thank him, but Mitsuki's next words made her words die in her throat " It will be a lot to say that there aren't added benefits to your new look "

Shamelessly, his hand moved to cup the underside of her boobs. Chocho hadn't expected the sudden movement, only when Mitsuki's hand moved further up, as if trying to size up her chest, did Chocho yank herself away from him. Her face was beet red. " You...You are such a damn pervert "

Mitsuki smiled brightly. " I can't deny that "

" It's Boruto isn't it? He's corrupted you "

" I've always felt this way toward Akimichi-san "

" Huh?" She blinked at him in confusion. Mitsuki's smile widened, but he did not emphasize what he had meant. Chocho felt like he was messing with her again so she chose to ignore it. " Let's go back, it's getting....did you hear that?"

She had been walking aimlessly before with no particular location in her mind, which was why she and Mitsuki had ended up in one of the forests that surrounded Konoha, it still wasn't far away from town, but most Civilians chose to stay away from areas like this due to the fact that it was usually used as training grounds for Shinobis, it was a way of avoiding any incident. But just now, Chocho had heard a female scream, it was low enough that if it wasn't because of her skills she wouldn't have heard anything. It was very odd that she couldn't sense any chakra as well. She looked over at Mitsuki to see whether he could sense anything.

" There is a woman and a man, deeper in the forest "

" Is it....are they..." if this happens to be a case of two couples messing around, she wanted no part of it. But the smile on Mitsuki's face was nowhere to be found. He would have teased her if that was the case

" I believe the woman might be in danger "

" What?! Why didn't you say so sooner? Let's go help her "

" Why?"

" Mitsuki " Kami, she had thought they were at least past that stage now. Surely Mitsuki knew that what they did as Ninjas was to protect the village and it's people " It's our job "

Mitsuki stares at her blankly for a few minutes. Eventually, he seemed to have made up his mind to help out. Chocho blinks as he suddenly disappears from her sight, she looks around in confusion until she notices him perched on a tree branch some distance away, he is watching her with obvious amusement. Chocho mutters a curse and goes to join him, but the Clone doesn't give her the time to catch up. It's like he enjoyed showing her the difference in their power and skills. She rolls her eyes, but still, she can't fight back the fond smile that makes it way across her lips. Boruto was becoming too much an influence on Mitsuki.

It didn't take them long to locate the couple, or whatever it was they were. Chocho quickly realizes that the reason she hadn't sensed any chakra level was because the man pinning the woman on the ground was masking it, he was a shinobi, and a skilled one at that.

" Akimichi-san " Mitsuki was looking at her curiously from their position on the tree, they were perched very close to each other. " What do you want to do?" Mitsuki could hide his Chakra signals perfectly, however,, Chocho couldn't hold her's for long, and it would only be a matter of time before the Shinobi would notice. It was best to act now.

Chocho didn't respond, she leaped off the tree and landed effortlessly on her feet, Mitsuki was beside her in seconds. The enemy ninja was quick to take notice of them. He was middle-aged, dressed in dark clothes, his long brown hair fell down his back. He wasn't wearing a headband so Chocho doubted that he worked under the Hokage. The man's gaze shifted from Mitsuki to herself, Chocho didn't like the way his eyes brightened when he looked at her.

Chapter Text

" What do we have here?" Brown eyes filled with malicious intent stared directly at her. The ninja's gaze moved over her body and his smile widened in satisfaction. To think he had gone through so much trouble to get the trash common girl crying at his feet when the hidden leaf held such beauty. He could just imagine the kind of good cash she would fetch him.

" Help me! " The girl screamed out. She tried to struggle away but the pervert's hand tightened in her hair and yanked her back in position. Helpless tears ran down her face as she thought of how worried her mother would be when she came home and didn't find her. All of this had happened simply because she had been anxious to come to the forest to find flowers. " Please help me!! "

" Let go of her!!"

" Are you willing to take her place? "

Chocho glared at the rogue, she didn't even need to know why this scumbag was bullying a young girl in the middle of the forest, whatever the reason was it couldn't have been good. And to think she could have easily missed the girl's screaming if it wasn't for her enhanced senses. She gave Mitsuki a look from the corner of her eyes which spoke volumes. ' you really should have said something earlier Mitsuki '. Mitsuki, whose gaze hadn't left her for one minute merely shrugged.

" Let her go " Chocho stepped forward, her fists clenched by her side " Or I am going to beat you up so badly that even your mom won't recognize you!!"

The rogue blinked, momentarily taken aback by her words, and then he threw his head back and cackled. It was a loud sound filled with mockery, and it made Chocho's blood boil in fury. Was he underestimating her?!

" You are a Ninja, aren't you? It's surprising, that someone so beautifully....made would waste her time being a mere tool for the likes of the Hokage. Why don't you come with me pretty girl, and I'll show you more fun and recognition than you've ever dreamt of "

" I have no idea what the hell you are talking about "

" Akimichi-san, I think he wants you to be a lady of the night "

" What?! " Chocho's entire face flushed red, both in anger and embarrassment. She's been called a lot of things, but no one had ever mistaken her for a whore before! What part of her showed that she was into that kind of thing? Even if she wasn't a ninja who got paid a large sum of money occasionally, she was still a princess of one of the most powerful clan in the village, when had she ever lacked funds? This made her feel more anxious to bash this bastard's head into the ground. " Baika no jutsu!! "

Chocho quite enjoyed the way the enemy's smile fell from his face when he saw her fist grow four times bigger than its usual size " An Akimichi " Oh Kami, just think of the profits he could make. A grin more dangerous and predatory than the one he had given her before fell onto his face. Despite herself, Chocho felt a bit bothered by the look. The girl who had been in trouble managed to get free and she ran away, the enemy ninja didn't even glance at her as she escaped, let the bitch go, he's found someone a million times more valuable " Now I have to get you "

" You can dream asshole," She said as she launched herself at him.

She had underestimated the bastard completely, he was able to leap out of the way of her attack so easily, his movements were firm and graceful. Chocho unleashed her Baika no Jutsu, causing her body to expand and gain incredible strength. If the bastard was going to play a game of cat and mouse with her, then she needed to take advantage of the space around them. From the corner of her eyes, she saw Mitsuki, the jerk, watching the fight in silence. He wasn't even going to try helping her! Whatever, it's not like she needed him to win anyway.

As the battle commenced, Chocho's movements were swift and precise, utilizing her enhanced physical abilities to dodge the rogue ninja's attacks effortlessly. With a mighty punch, she sent the rogue flying across the forest, leaving a trail of dust in their wake. The crunching sound he made as he hit the ground was satisfying. However, he was quick to get on his feet. He brushed off the dust on his clothes and gave her a smirk, almost like her hit hadn't affected him much

She learned the hard way that the rogue ninja was not one to be underestimated. He retaliated with lightning-fast strikes, trying to catch Chocho off guard. However, the damn bastard was a lightning user, and each of his kicks and blows sent a painful jolt of electricity through her, She cleverly used her size and strength as much as she could, however, she just wasn't fast enough. Plus, she had gotten so used to fighting with her teammates that she often forgot to harness her skill. In the back of her mind, she always expected Shikadai's shadows and Inojin's birds to aid her, it was a terrible habit.

" Oof!" A pained groan escaped her as a hit to her lower back sent her to her knees. She had lost control of her jutsu momentarily, and before she could try pulling herself together, A hand grabbed her by her hair painfully and dragged her to her feet. She felt a body glue itself to her behind. There was a kunai held to her throat, and when she tried to pull away, the sharp edge of the blade dug deeper against her skin, not enough to cut, but it was a warning. She froze.

" Well, darling. Do you admit defeat?"

" Like hell, I would! Just let me go and I'll fucking show you how..."

" Yes, so feisty. They are going to love that " He leaned forward and took a deep inhale of her hair " I bet they would give up their fortune to have just one night with you, my dear. I know I will "

Chocho's entire body froze as she felt his other hand which wasn't holding the kunai move to her chest, he thrust his hips forward and Chocho realized to her horror that the hard thing poking her ass hadn't been another weapon but rather...

She was momentarily forced to close her eyes as something bright flashed passed her. There was the eery sound of shattered bones as the man behind her was sent slamming hard against a tree. When Chocho opened her eyes, she found Mitsuki standing next to her, his golden eyes fixed dangerously on the man who lay bloodied and unconscious on the ground a small distance from them. There was so much blood, that she couldn't look directly at it without feeling sick. Instead, she chose to focus her gaze on Mitsuki.

" You didn't have to do that. I could have taken care of him "

" I am sure you can, " He said, the usual smile creeping its way across his face. Mitsuki's mood swings were worse than a girl on her period, sometimes she just didn't know what to make of them. But she'd known him long enough to look past his weirdness and see what a decent person he was. In his heart, he cared about them all, from his teammates to the rest of their group, he just showed them the wrong emotions sometimes. If that made any sense. " Akimichi-san is so strong "

Chocho rolled her eyes, but not out of annoyance this time. She brushed her hair out of her face, a bath should be the first thing she got when she was home. " You know, you can call me by my name Mitsuki. Akimichi-san makes me sound so old?"

" Didn't you prefer it that way?"

" Huh?"

" When we were younger, you always said you wished to be addressed like the mature woman you are. So I complied with your wishes, to make you happy "

" You are such a sap. That was ages ago, I'm surprised you still remember "

" I remember everything about you Chocho. You are important to me "

Chocho stared at him with wide eyes, for a long time she had no idea what to say. " Wow. You really are in love with me "

" I see "

" What do you see?"

" Your condition has gotten worse "

Chocho laughed, she laughed so hard she felt like crying. Truth was, only Mitsuki had ever treated her the same, nothing changed even now with her current appearance. It was the familiarity she had been longing for all this time. Chocho doesn't even realize when she hugs him, but Mitsuki holds onto her like he wants her there, hugging him and almost crying In his arms. It felt right, like everything was going to be okay.

Chapter Text

( chocho and Mitsuki take the rogue to the Hokage, they find out the man was trafficking girls from the village and auctioning them in the hidden mist. The Hokage asked Chocho and her team to go to the hidden mist and investigate the matter. At night, chocho could hardly sleep, so she goes to see mitsuki )

She thinks she is in love. That must be what she was feeling recently. She's never looked at the blue haired boy in this light before. Now he seemed even more beautiful and attractive than before. Standing behind him made her heart beat fast in her chest. Mitsuki must hear it, because he keeps glancing at her from the corner of his eyes, and his smile was a lot softer than the usual ones she had seen in the past.

" Chocho!"

" Huh?" She raises her gaze and sees Naruto Uzumaki's blue eyes peering at her. Right, she and Mitsuki were still in the Hokage's office to make a report " Sorry, what did you say?"

" Can you try to listen? I was telling you about the Rogue Ninja you brought in. There have been reports of him kidnapping women from the nearby villages, however his identity has always been a mystery. We believe he is involved with a secret organisation in the Land of mist, a human trafficking organisation that kidnap girls and sell them to powerful and rich men all over the five villages "

" That's terrible "

" Indeed. Now that we have a lead, we can't let this go, we need to alert the Hidden Mist about this. I would like you and your team to go and..."

" I can't go on missions like this! " Chocho is quick to turn down the idea. She was horrified just thinking about how that would go, she hadn't even had the guts to face the rest of her friends yet. If she goes on a mission like this, then not only will everyone in the village know, but it might spread to the rest of the four villages.

' Right. Like you're that important ' She hates that part of her that still assumes the entire world cares about what happens to an ugly Akimichi princess. Even the civilians in the Leaf were mostly obsessed with the Uzumaki, Nara and Uchiha family. So why the hell was she worried? Perhaps she was just too damn lazy and the idea of working was repulsive.

" Chocho " Naruto called her name slowly, almost like he was talking to a twelve year old version of her. " I know we still haven't found answers to your...condition. However, this shouldn't stop you from performing your duties as a Ninja. "

" You could send literally anyone. Why does it have to be team 10 "

" Because I trust the InoShikaCho trio to handle this mission the best. Think about it Chocho, there are so many girls suffering out there due to that organisation, and they need to be taken down. I assure you that when you come back, we will have a solution to your situation. Believe it!"

She stares at the blond man, the bright smile on his face which had always been a source of motivation for the younger generation now only seemed to mock her. She knows the Hokage is confident that he would be able to help her out, but in her heart, she doesn't believe it. Maybe it was because of that constant voice in her head, at first she had thought it was her over-thinking things.

But...it couldn't be so easy. There was something seriously wrong with her. She could see the future, even though no one seemed to believe her, even her dad had laughed it off when she mentioned it to him. And then there was the change of hair colour. That too had been brushed off by Shikamaru Nara as a side effect of whatever seal she had gotten entangled with.

" I believe it " She admitted, forcing herself to sound as genuine as possible. Naruto beamed at her words.

" That's good. You'll have two days before you set out. I'll inform the rest of your team "

" Alright "

The Hokage gives her some words of motivation which she barely pays attention to. Chocho turns around and leaves the office, Mitsuki follows her silently. Sometimes, she even forgets he was there at all. When they were younger, Chocho would always whisper to Sarada about how the clone boy was more like a shadow than a person, Boruto Uzumaki's shadow clone. That was before she had found out that he wasn't a real...person. She'd never made that joke again after that little episode.

' He wasn't Boruto's shadow anymore. He was her's. Her shadow '

" Mitsuki "

" Yes "

" What do you think about me?"

" You are a...female "

" And?"

" You are a beautiful female"

" Ahh!!" Why doesn't he just come out and confess his feelings?! If he likes her, then just say it so they could start a relationship or something. Chocho likes him, she really does, however she'd rather bite off her tongue than be the first to confess her feelings. A younger her would have probably asked Mitsuki out, but now she was older and lacked the confidence she once had. She wanted him to ask her out, and if he doesn't...well...nevermind that

" Is there something you want me to say?" Mitsuki's golden eyes peered down at her, the confusion in them is genuine. Chocho rolls her eyes.

" I'll see you tomorrow "

She walks away before Mitsuki could say anything else. She feels him staring after her, she kept hoping he would follow, but he didn't, and Chocho doesn't turn back to look at him even once.

When she makes it back home, she finds Inojin and Shikadai waiting for her. Apparently, the report of their upcoming mission had reached them even before she got out of the Hokage's office.

" Are you fine with coming Chubs? I know how sea sick you can get "

" You don't need to worry about me whitey, I'll be just fine. Besides, this mission is an A rank, we need to prepare ourselves "

" What he meant to say was, we are all worried about you. Ever since....whatever the hell happened to you in our last mission, you've been distant. I know you must be feeling scared, however as your teammates you can always...."

" I am fine you guys. Can we not just talk about this?"

Inojin snorts and Shikadai merely shrugs. Both of them refrained from bringing her condition up, and Chocho is thankful for that. She still feels that Inojin might have more to say, yet he held himself back. It was odd because Whitey usually had no filter. When they were done with the mission briefing, Shikadai gave her a small wave as he left, Inojin ignored her completely. Chocho could hardly care, it hurt, but it wouldn't be the first time he hurt her, and perhaps she might hold a slight grudge against him for his mean comments, but it's not like he gives a damn what she feels.

" Chocho, come watch TV with papa, " Choji Akimichi says to his daughter. He was already digging into his third bag of chips

" No papa, maybe next time. I need to rest "

" Are you feeling alright, Ninsuki?"

" I'm fine Papa " She hurries the rest of the way to her room. Chocho makes a beeline to her mirror, she stares at her reflection in both surprise and relief. Her hair had changed back to it's usual colour, not her real orange locks, but rather the brown one she had woken up a few days ago with. Thank God, she was afraid her hair would remain white. At Least in it's brown form, she wouldn't attract that much attention.

' You better get some rest. You don't want to make more people worried, do you? '

With an exhausted sigh, she crawls onto her bed and shuts her eyes. Please, just fall asleep

* * *

Mitsuki didn't lock his window so it was easy for her to get into his apartment. Chocho was almost tempted to scold him of how dangerous his carelessness could be, but then again Mitsuki was one of the strongest guys in her generation, what did he have to fear? Chocho doesn't know why she came to his apartment again. It was past midnight and she could hardly sleep, at least not without having those strange dreams that both terrified and made her curious. She came because Mitsuki was the only person who understood her.

Mitsuki laid motionless on his bed, his breathing was even, Chocho didn't even know he slept. " Mitsuki " She called out to him softly as she tiptoed towards his bed. The soft bedding sank under her weight. " Mitsuki, are you awake?" She reaches a hand to poke his cheek, his pale fingers encircling her own before she could touch him. Golden eyes stared into her's " Do you ever sleep?"

" Once in a while "

" Do you dream?"

" Yes "

" About?"

" The sun "

Blond hair, blue eyes. Boruto Uzumaki was the first person that popped into her mind. The sun huh? No wonder Mitsuki was so obsessed with him. Someone so cold would need warmth once in a while. She was almost jealous.

Mitsuki doesn't get up, so Chocho lays on the bed, her head resting on his chest. A pale hand wrapped around her pulling her close. " You couldn't sleep "

" No, I keep getting nightmares, voices, images. I don't know what to make of it. I don't want to sleep anymore "

" Don't be scared, Akimichi-san, I'll protect you from whatever it is you are afraid of "

" But why?"

" Because..."

" Because?"

" You are my Moon. You are familiar. Being with you...it's peaceful. It makes me feel alive "

" You do love me " Chocho can't hold back the smile on her face. She pulls away from Mitsuki's arms and straddles him instead. His golden eyes were like the sun, warm and radiant. She liked him, she liked him so much " I always knew it "

" Your condition has gotten worse " He smiles up at her. Mitsuki's hands trail over to her thighs and he urges her to lean forward, Chocho does so and their faces were only a mere inch apart

" Admit it, Mitsuki. You love me. I won't accept you until you tell me. I want to hear it "

" Akimichi-san, I really like you "

Chocho giggles, it sounded childish but she didn't care. He likes her, that was all that mattered. She closes the little space between them, a moan escaped her at the cool feel of Mitsuki's lips against hers

' Finally. He admits it '

Chapter Text

She kisses him sweetly, and to her surprise Mitsuki responds all too eagerly. His hands come to her hips and hold her there. Their mouths move against each other's, nibbling, biting and sucking on each other's lips. Mitsuki smells of something earthly, she can't exactly pinpoint what it is, but she doesn't hate it.

" Oh Mitsuki, " She moans into his mouth. When she breaks the kiss, it was because she needed to catch her breath. Mitsuki watches her, face blank apart from the slight wideness of his eyes. Chocho gives him a smile she hopes comes off as seductive, she isn't very good at this sex of a thing, and her first experience had been with Inasa. However, she knew that she wanted more of Mitsuki, she wanted to taste him. So she leans down once more and her lips connect with his collarbone. The skin beneath her tongue is almost tasteless, except perhaps the flowery aftertaste of a Shampoo. Mitsuki doesn't sweat, so there's no salty taste. An interesting discovery.

Chocho lapse at the skin of his neck the same way she would kiss him, she sucks and nibbles until she finally draws a groan of pleasure from the clone. Her lips curled up in satisfaction when she felt the swell of something hard beneath her ass. She had to admit that during her crushing phase she had always wondered whether or not this part of him was functional. It wasn't that she was a pervert, it was simply that she was curious, and she had once been a horny teenager who got off on thoughts of her and Mitsuki...hmm, yes, those fantasies she thought would never come true. Yet here she was, grinding down on his dick and feeling like she was on top of the world

" I left a mark " Chocho pulls back to admire the hickeys she had left on Mitsuki's neck. They were more prominent due to Mitsuki's complexion. " Do you mind?"

" You are marking me "

" Of course I am, hmph!"

Mitsuki's lips curl into a smile " I don't mind. " His hand which was held onto her hips travels to her lower back and he pulls her forward so he could kiss her again. This time he doesn't bother going slow, Mitsuki kisses her like he wished to swallow her whole, Chocho can't help giggling at his urgency. She manages to pull back before she would pass out from lack of air, despite this she is still very much satisfied with him. He wants her just as much as she wanted him, this thought thrilled her and it made her want to take this as far as she could.

" Come up, I want to try something, '' Chocho straddles him. She watches as Mitsuki rises to a sitting position, she kneels on the floor between his legs.

" It's beautiful, '' he says, just as her hand wanders over his chiselled chest. With all the baggy kimono he wears, one would never be able to imagine how fit he was. His body wasn't very built like Boruto's was, but he was strong. The strongest guy Chocho knows. Her fingers are met with hard muscles and pale skin, so pale. She has the sudden urge to leave marks all over him so when others see him next they would know what....no, she wasn't that prudish. She would do that, but only after She and Mitsuki have established their relationship.

" What is?" She looks up at him curiously under long lashes

" You, on your knees for me "

" Wow Mitsuki, a fantasy of yours?"

" Thoughts..."

" You can tell me about them, but only after "

Mitsuki raises a curious brow at her, but he doesn't say anything. He lets her do as she wished, the level of trust he had in her made her giddy. Chocho shuffles closer to him onful her hand could easily reach him. She's feeling a bit nervous and even her hand kept twitching uncomfortably. She hadn't felt like this with Inasa, but that was probably because she liked Mitsuki, Inasa had just been an easy relief. Chocho cringed at the thought, and felt so rude and disrespectful towards the Yuziko heir.

Mitsuki's body tenses when her hand brushes against his hard length. She dips her hand into his pants and wraps it around him. He felt warm, not as warm as she thought he should be, but it was the only part of his body which carried even a bit of heat. And the size of him made her mouth almost fall open, she had to see it with her own eyes. Chocho leans forward curiously as she brings Mitsuki out of his soft pyjama pants. He was big, all pale flesh with a flushed head. Clean shaven as well, no, perhaps he had no hair there to begin with.

" Is there something wrong? " Chocho must have been staring for a long time, Mitsuki's voice carried a hint of amusement. His fingers ran through her hair lovingly

" You're big "

" Does that displease you?"

" No, it's good. This can be...useful " She licks her lips thinking about just how useful Mitsuki's big dick would be, how far he would reach. She couldn't wait to find out, but not today. Today she wanted to see him cum in her hand.

The Akimichi princess moves her hand in a jerking motion and a groan escapes Mitsuki once more, his hand freezes in its movement. He's not very vocal, but she knows he must like what she is doing. His length had grown considerably harder and his tip was leaking so much precum. She couldn't help leaning forward and wrapping her lips around the tip of his dick to taste.

Mitsuki's grip tightened in her hair, his his thrusted forward making his length to slide deeper into her mouth. Her eyes widened at the feeling of him hitting the back of her throat, choking her. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head when the first spurt of cum filled her mouth. Salty, cold, it tasted so good, it felt even better. She tries to swallow but there's so much. Mitsuki pulls out of her mouth and Chocho is able to breathe again. Mitsuki is heaving, his face and chest is flushed slightly red, his eyes are wide and his golden irises are focused on something behind her.

Chocho uses her hand to wipe away the remainder of him from her lips, then she brings it up to her mouth and sucks the cum from her digits greedily. So good. If she knew he tasted like this then she would have done this a lot sooner.

" Well, how was Mitsuki. Was it the best you've ever had?"

Mitsuki blinks at her, he is silent for a bit as if her words still hadn't registered to him. Chocho beams in pride at her ability to make the usually snarky boy air-headed. He came quite fast too, it could be that she was very good at giving or head or Mitsuki hadn't gotten himself off in a very long time.

" It's a first "

" Huh? You mean your first blowjob or...." He tilts his head at her, the look in his eyes blank. It was the only answer she needed " You've never done this before. Not even with your own...hand "

" I never thought about it before. Except for the research I have done before, I've never really felt the need to...."

" And now?" She leans closer. Her tongue darts out to lick her bottom lip, she can still taste him even now. Mitsuki's golden eyes follow the small action, something hungry and predatory flashes in his eyes. " Would you want to do it again?"

" I've never wanted anything more "

Chocho beams at him " That's good. We can...think about it more tomorrow. I feel sleepy " She moves past him and lays on the bed. Truly, she felt so exhausted now. Her insides were warm and comfortable, it was almost like she hadn't felt restless before. " Wake me up early tomorrow. I want to be back home before Papa comes to check on me "

" Alright "

" Mitsuki?"

" Hm?"

" Come sleep with me " She taps on the space beside her. Mitsuki obliges, he lays beside her and wraps his arm around her as she cuddles against his side. She didn't think she'd ever felt more comfortable than at that moment.

Sleep comes fast to her, though she is very aware of Mitsuki kissing her, mumbles words in a whispered tone, she isn't able to pick up whatever he said, but she thinks it beautiful nonetheless

* * *

She finds herself floating in a white empty space. There was no sense of direction and she had no idea how long she had been staring into the vast whiteness wondering what the fuck was going on. She was convinced this was a dream, those kinds of dreams that felt scarily too real and were hard to wake up from. Chocho had pinched herself three times, she pulled a strand of her hair out, all in hopes the pain would make her wake up. But Alas, she was still here.

It wasn't until she saw a figure approaching that she tried to shuffle to a defensive stance. The fact that she couldn't feel her chakra wouldn't stop her from protecting herself if need be.

" Body of Sakyu " It was a man, that much was obvious, and his voice echoed around the empty space. Chocho could feel a dark aura surrounding him, however she didn't back away.

" Who are you? And what the hell is the body of Sakyu?"

" Oh dear, you have no idea do you. You unfortunate mortal "

" Mortal?" He was standing right in front of her now, however whenever she tried looking directly at his face, she felt so dizzy that she might have passed out. The only thing she could look at were the long white robes he wore, snow white hair flowed behind him in a manner that was similar to the manner she had seen in those romantic rom coms she used to watch. Where the hero was a powerful master and the heroine was merely an average mortal girl. Chocho scawls, what the hell was her life turning to. " I'll ask this once again, who the fuck are you?"

" I am merely an informant "

" An informant for who?"

" You will come to know this with time " He says, she can feel his eyes peering into her, too bad she couldn't look him in the eyes as well. She kept her gaze on his robes

" This is a dream. It's not real "

" Believe what you wish, woman. However, you are not blind to the transformation "

" What transformation?! Look, if you have nothing better to say, float back off where you came from "

" Body of Sakyu '' Something cold grabs her arm. Chocho tries to pull herself away but the man has an iron grip on her. His skin was so damn...weird. It was sizzling with a chakra unlike anything she had ever felt before " Prepare yourself "

* * *

" Fuck " Chocho kicks at the blanket wrapped around her body. She looks around herself, feeling relieved to find herself once more in Mitsuki's room. It took her a while to calm herself down, she kept telling herself that the strange dream she had was just that, merely a dream.

Mitsuki wasn't in bed, but she could hear the shower running. And since the sky was still dark outside, she didn't feel the urge to make a fuss about it. She feels grateful when she notices the glass of water Mitsuki had left on the bedside table. She leans over, lazily reaching for it. But there's a sudden movement from her part, not voluntarily, her arm stretches.

FUCKING STRETCHES!!

There's a good distance between the table and the bed, but all of a sudden the glass was in her hand. Because her arm had stretched to an abnormal length to reach for it. Chocho was from the Akimichi clan, she was used to changing the size of her body to suit her needs, it was her thing. But this....this was so fucking new!! This was...Mitsuki's!!

The glass falls from her hand, the sound of it shattering echoes in the room.

Chapter Text

She stares at the pieces of glass on the floor, then slowly her gaze shifts to Mitsuki who was standing at the door, hair and body still wet from his shower with only a towel wrapped around his waist. Mitsuki stares at her in silence, his brows are furrowed in a small frown, the first real emotion she had seen on him today. Chocho knows he is looking at her hair, not the broken glass. She had caught a glimpse of rge light blue strands when she had woken up but chose to ignore it.

She had figured out that her hair changes colour to match whoever she had gotten intimate with, and then after an hour or two it goes back to normal. But never had she thought she would be able to imitate someone else's chakra as well. Just now, the skill she had performed was Mitsuki's, and her hair was also the same colour as his. She knows Inasa is merely a civilian who had no chakra, perhaps that was why she hadn't gotten any skills after they had.....done stuff. She doesn't like to think about it.

This was so fucking embarrassing. If someone else finds out about this, how the hell was she supposed to face them? They would know she had sex with Mitsuki and Inasa, well not penetrative sex, she wouldn't go that far, but still, this was terrible!! She would go see the Hokage the moment she got home, he needed to give her answers. She couldn't go on living like this! Chocho hopes with all her heart that Mitsuki wouldn't say anything about her hair. He's smart, she's sure he'd already figured it out. But please don't say anything!

" Do you want to shower first?" The heavens must have heard her prayers, Mitsuki doesn't comment on the change. He was just so considerate, he must have noticed how uncomfortable she was and decided to ease some of her tension. It caused her to sigh in relief, the romantic feelings in her chest blooming to life.

" Yeah, but I don't have a change clothes "

" Would you want to wear mine?"

Chocho was about to refuse, but then she cringes at the thought of wearing her dirty pyjamas. After what she and Mitsuki did the night before, she was sure sweat wasn't the only thing she had to worry about. She hadn't been able to swallow him all, and it had spilled on her clothes. Chocho likes Mitsuki, a lot, and she doesn't mind having him in her mouth or elsewhere, but wearing clothes stained by his jeez wasn't very appealing.

Besides, it was still early morning, and hopefully she would be able to make it home before the sun came up. Who the hell would know anyways?

" Alright then, I'll be quick "

Mitsuki nods and goes to retrieve his Kimono. He has a whole collection of those, he never wears anything else. She admires his body once more before making her way into the bathroom. She strips her clothes and hops into the shower. On more than one occasion she catches a glimpse of herself in the glass of the shower stall, Her hair is longer and less thicker, Her ass looks a bit plumper as well, she can't help but poke at the excess flesh. And her skin...she could swear had turn a lighter shade than she remembered. But Chocho was used to seeing these changes in herself, the Hokage had assured her that all this was just temporary changes, nothing she needed to worry about. She will be back to her normal self very soon.

Chocho wraps a towel around her chest when she is done. Once more she experiences the abnormal stretching of limbs, this time it's her legs, her heart catches in her throat and she nearly collapses, however she catches herself before such an accident can happen. She hurries out of the bathroom. Mitsuki is already dressed when she walks back into the room. Golden eyes peered at her as she made her way over to the bed to grab the blue kimono and trousers he had laid out.

" Can't change here?" Mitsuki asked her as she was preparing to walk back into the bathroom. There is amusement in his voice. " I figured after what occurred last night, you wouldn't see any need to be shy "

" Keep in mind Mitsuki, I saw you, you didn't see me. So Of course there's a need to be shy "

" Perhaps you should rectify that. It's a bit unfair Akimichi-san "

" Don't be childish, Mitsuki '' She rolls her eyes, though she can't help the fond smile that makes its way across her face. She goes back to the bathroom and dresses. Mitsuki's clothes are baggy on her thin yet busty frame. However, the clothes feel very comfortable, she loves how easy it is to move in them. She used to criticise Mitsuki's fashion choices, blue was such an overrated colour, Chocho sees the sky everyday, she didn't need to see anymore of that colour. But now she saw the appeal to everything he does. As long as it was Mitsuki, Chocho finds it endearing

" You look good in my clothes " Mitsuki comments when she walks back into the room. He was standing right at the entrance and she nearly bumped into him.

" I look good in everything, and nothing "

" Yes, I can imagine "

" Mitsuki " He has his arms wrapped around her in seconds, his tongue traces circle on her neck. Chocho's fist tightens by her side " I...I think we should get going..."

" Hm " Her eyes roll to the back of her head when he sucks on a particular spot, she moans as he backs her against the door. His tongue feels cold against her heated flesh, and against her will she feels herself getting wet. Kami, this wasn't the time for...

" Mitski, no. I have to get home before my dad realises I've left " Chocho manages to pull herself from Mitsuki's grip. He lets her go, but there's a mischievous glint in his eyes which Chocho doesn't trust. She's afraid that if she stays in his bedroom any longer he might just convince her to stay and do more naughty things with him. Seriously, who ever thought Mitsuki was such a pervert. She heads towards the window, she gets out of the apartment easily, the same way she had gotten in the night before. Mitsuki lands gracefully on his feet beside her, together they make their way through the empty and dark streets of Konoha

" When are you leaving for the land of Mist?"

" What?" Chocho gives him a stunned look, it takes her only a few seconds to understand what he was saying. The Mission, right. She had nearly forgotten about that " Oh, in a day or two. There's still a lot of paperwork to sort out before we can go, and we all know the Hokage is lazy when it comes to paperwork "

" Are you looking forward to it?"

" Obviously not. I don't want to go on missions looking like....some expensively customised sex toy! You saw what happened in that forest Mitsuki, the guy just took one look at me and wants to fucking auction me off to be some whore "

" Didn't you always want to look better "

" Looking like this isn't better, Mitsuki. I had no problem with the way I looked before " It's a lie, and they both knew it. But she knows Mitsuki won't call her off on it " gosh, I just hope the Hokage finds a solution to...."

Chocho pauses in her steps.

* *

The smell of smoke is almost suffocating. She can hardly make out her surroundings, it feels like she is going to pass out. Her hand flies to cover her nose, she sees the small figure curled up by the side of the room. Chocho can see the fear in the little girl's eyes as the fire leaks closer to her, and then there's a scream, then the awful smell of burning flesh

* *

" Chocho? "

The Akimichi princess blinks away the blurriness in her eyes, she realises that she had tears in her eyes only when she felt the cold feeling of it against her cheek. Mitsuki is looking at her, gaze filled with uncertainty and worry.

" Fire... "

" What?"

" There's a fire, Mitsuki!! We...can make it if we....that little girl "

" Chocho..."

She's already running before she realises it. Mitsuki is fast on her trail. They take to the skies, skipping through the colourful roofs of civilian homes. Finally, Chocho sees the fire from ahead, the heat makes her face burn even before she reaches it. Surprisingly, she finds that there are Ninja's already there trying to put out the fire, Boruto and Shikadai included.

" Shikadai..."

" Chocho, why are you here? And what happened to your damn hair this time?"

" Forget about that, the little girl, is she out yet?"

" What little girl?" Boruto asked " There's no one in the house, we've checked already "

" There is a little girl in there, we have to get her out before she gets hurt "

" We don't have time for Chocho, we still need to put out the fire" Shikadai raises a confused brow at the glare she sends his way. What the hell did he do this time? Sometimes his teammate reminds him a lot of his mom.

" I have to do everything my fucking self!"

" CHOCHO!! DON'T YOU.....SHIT! She's fucking going to kill herself!!. Mitsuki, do something! "

" She will be fine, " Mitsuki says. He watches Chocho go into the house through the window. She's made a habit of going into people's houses like that. The thought makes him laugh.

Shikadai and Boruto are watching him like he has lost his mind completely. The Nara turns around and makes his way towards the burning building, but one of the chunins blocks his path. " You can't go in there, it's too dangerous "

" Get out of my way! My teammate is in there!"

" There's nothing we can do, we need to call the Hokage first "

* * *

' So damn hot ' Chocho thinks to herself as she pushes her way through the burning apartment. She had to worry about getting burned by the fire and avoid the collapsing ceiling. Her skin feels very cool, and the fire doesn't burn as badly as it should have. She pays no attention to this abnormality, her main focus is on getting the girl she saw out of the building.

It felt like she's been roaming through the palace for years before she finally picks up on a faint cry coming from one of the rooms. Chocho finds the child curled up under a table, fire slowly making its way towards her. " Hey, I'm here to get you out of here " Chocho says to her, she's trying to do a wind style jutsu her dad taught her, but her chakra isn't working, she doesn't know whether it's the smoke or something else. She has to resort to doing this by hand

" I...I can't " The girl curls under the table even more " P...papa says I need to stay "

" Papa?"

Chocho doesn't know who this papa is, but she doesn't have time to dwell on it. She tries to reach for the child, but a sharp pain momentarily leaves her vision blurry. She feels something wet on her face, blood probably, her head is huetung so bad from where the fucking rod had hit her. The man who had slammed the metal rod against her skull must be the so-called Papa. Chocho hadn't sensed him till now, too focused on saving his scared daughter

" Leave us the hell alone!!" The man snaps at her

" I'm here to help, if...if you don't get out now you are both going to die!"

" That's the point " He says, with a crazy look in his eyes " Death, Death is the only way out!! So let us die!! "

' Crazy bastard '

She didn't have time for this shit. Chocho knows the ceiling is going to collapse above them even before it does. She manages to grab both father and daughter by using that weird stretching limbs technique, ( Thanks a lot, Mitsuki!). She might have accidentally ( purposely ) knocked the crazy man unconscious as she flung all three of them out of the house. Someone manages to catch the little girl, but Chocho and the other guy aren't so lucky. Gosh, her entire body hurts so badly

" Chubs!!"

Chocho feels herself being hoisted up by somebody. She sees the familiar mop of blond, brunette, blue and...okay, she was literally surrounded by her classmates at this moment.

" Give her some air!! God, you are so fucking stupid! You could have gotten yourself killed " Shikadai says in a voice that sounded pissed, yet at the same time so very concerned. Chocho blinks twice before she is able to see their faces, Inojin included, and his dad's

" How do you feel? "

" Obviously she's not okay, Dad! She...she's bleeding, and the burns....Mrs Uchiha should have come instead "

" I am fine, really, it doesn't hurt that much "

" Amazing, your healing skills are impressive " Sai compliments. Chocho looks down at her hands to see that the little cuts and burns she had there were fading. Everyone stares at her in silence, it seems only Inojin's father is unaware that Chocho didn't know shit about healing. Her chakra wasn't suited for that

" Chubs....what the hell is going on?"

She decides that this was the perfect time to get the hell out of there. Chocho flees faster than she had ever had to, and her friends are too stunned to even think about following her. She goes straight to the Hokage's office.

Chapter Text

Chocho doesn't knock on the Hokage's office, she doesn't care how disrespectful she might seem, the rage that boiled inside her couldn't be contained. Naruto wasn't a bit startled when she slammed the door of his open and walked in, he slumped at his ramen with the usual tired expression.

" You said you would fix me!!"

" First of all, nothing is broken in the first place Chocho "

" ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!! Do you even know what happened today?!"

" Oh, yeah. I heard you saved two civilians. Congratulations Chocho, I will talk to your father about it later in the evening. Hopefully, he takes you to that ramen store he and I used to visit as kids, you deserve a treat "

Chocho respects Naruto, she really does. But just like his son, he could be a total annoyance sometimes. What part of her showed that she was interested in a treat? She was fucking sick and needed someone to find out what the hell was going on. First, it was the hair, then the chakra, now she's a fucking healer? None of this made any sense whatsoever.

" Have you found a solution or not? "

" Chocho, we are still working on it. Shikamaru says that your problem isn't a curse, it's not a seal either. And your chakra remains the same, physically there is nothing wrong with you. Which is why it's taking us a longer time to find the source, but once we...."

" You've been saying that for a week now!! "

" Yes, but this time..."

" Just fuck off! Tell me to my face that you don't know what you're doing!"

Blue eyes narrowed on her, and Chocho could feel the irritation sizzling off him. She knows it's not fair to yell at him, he was doing his very best to help. He was the Hokage, of course, there were a lot of things that needed his attention as well. But Kami, she felt so tired and helpless, she just wanted to be normal. She wants things to go back to the way they were before!!

" Now Chocho, that wasn't very nice. I am doing my very best alright? Believe it!"

" I believe I'm going to die like this. Perhaps then all of you will take me seriously "

" That won't... Chocho wait..."

She ignores him, and Chocho ensures to slam the door hard while leaving. When she steps outside the Hokage building, the cold burning air helps calm her down. The sun was up and the streets of Konoha were already bustling with activities. Chocho gets looks, Of course she does, but she keeps her gaze ahead. She goes to her favourite shop, this was where she came with her Mama whenever Karui felt like getting something from the land of Clouds. The grandma who owned the store was a good friend of her Mom, so Chocho didn't think the woman would mind if she crawled under a table at the very back of the store and cried her eyes out.

She doesn't sob, of course, she's not a damn baby. In fact, she doesn't wish to cry at all, what's there to cry about? But the tears betray her, they keep falling down her face no matter how many times she angrily wipes them away. She's tired, so damn tired. She didn't think she'd ever been this depressed before. And what hurt most was that she had wished for this. She had prayed to Kami to give her a glow-up, perhaps lose a bit of weight, and get a nice haircut as well. But this...this was so not the change she wanted. A lot is going on with her that she doesn't even understand. And there was no one there to help her out, she felt more alone than she had ever in her life.

" So this is where you've been hiding "

" Fuck off " Chocho stares at the familiar black sandals in front of her. She'd noticed his chakra from the moment he walked into the store, but she was hoping if she ignored him, he just might go away and let her wallow in her misery.

" Bruh, that's not very nice "

" Your damn face isn't very nice! Now leave me alone!" Boruto snorts. He reaches out and grabs her leg and then proceeds to yank her from under the table. " Hey!!"

" Alright, I know you're going through whatever emotional episode girls go through. However, you shouldn't run off like that, you made us all worried. Shikadai and Inojin went to your house to look for you, Mitsuki went to check Sarada's house, and I had to go to my dad's office. Luckily I picked up on you "

" I just want some time alone "

" I get it. Why are you crying?"

" Your Dad doesn't know what's wrong with me "

" He's pretty useless, isn't he?"

Chocho's gaze snaps up to look at the Uzumaki boy, Boruto doesn't even look like he's joking, which just makes it funnier. She can't help the laugh that escapes her. " Yeah, he is "

" Don't worry about the old man, he might be fucking lazy, but I'm sure he's going to find a way to help you out. Besides, it's not like you look bad or anything. The hair colour change is a bit weird, but everything else looks good "

" Did you come here to look for me? " She asked. Chocho chooses to ignore Boruto's compliment completely. He's probably saying that to make me feel better

" Yeah, I…I wanted to ask for your help"

" With what?"

" Uh, Sarada and I were supposed to go out yesterday, but something came up and I couldn't make it. I told Mitsuki to inform her, but he said he forgot " Boruto frowned " It's weird, usually Mitsuki never forgets stuff, ever "

Chocho doesn't say anything, because she knows exactly where Mitsuki was yesterday and what he was doing. Maybe he hadn't forgotten, simply he had chosen to not go to Sarada's house. The fact that he would rather spend time with her warmed her heart. " Sarada is mad at you?"

" Yeah, I tried to apologise, but she's stubborn. So I'm planning on getting her something so she has no choice but to forgive me. Believe it!"

" You seriously plan to buy her something from a cheap grocery store?!" no offence to the nice grandma who owned the place.

" No, I'm going to get her Big Fish Pagoda "

" What? "

" Big Fish Pagoda "

" A fish "

" No, I said a big fish pagoda "

" I know what you said!! " God, she can already feel a migraine coming up. Chocho sighs and rises to her feet. " You think Sarada is going to value this big fish pagoda?"

" Of course she is! She's been talking about how delicious it is. Apparently, when you cook it right, it tastes like heaven. So I am going to catch one for her "

" And you want me to come with you?"

" Yes, What do you say?"

Sure, it's not like she has anything better to do.

* * *

" Fuck! "

Turns out the Big Fish Pagoda was more of a bloody shark than a fish. Boruto failed to mention that the fucking thing was a man-eater. Those sharp teeth and the bloody look in its eyes as it nearly bit Boruto's legs off were as amusing as it was scary. Plus, the thing was so damn big, there was no way they could drag it back to Sarada's house even if they managed to kill it.

" I think we should go back to the store, I'll help you pick out a nice necklace for Sarada "

" No! We already came here, let's show this fish brain who's boss! "

When Boruto dives into the river with a kunai in her hand, he doesn't come back up. Chocho runs to the small cliff and peers down at the water. That damn idiot, did he get himself killed?! What the hell was she going to tell Sarada? She was preparing to jump into the water and get him out when the blond broke through the surface of the water. Chocho quickly reaches to steady him as he lands on the edge. There's blood in the water, and Boruto's clones are cursing at him.

" My leg!! It bit my leg! " one of them shrieks

" You damn coward! You ran away and left us!! "

Boruto sticks his tongue at them, the clones don't appreciate that much. One of them throws a shuriken at him, he shrieks as it stabs him right in the ass. He doubles backward and plunges back into the water, unfortunately, he manages to drag Chocho along with him.

" Damn, I'm sorry "

Chocho laughs so hard her stomach hurts. Boruto watches her, his blue eyes seem to take in every detail of her face. Her laughter dies down when the blond reaches forward to tuck her wet hair behind her ear.

" You are beautiful, " He tells her. He sounded so sincere that she was almost convinced he meant it. But this was Boruto Uzumaki, she didn't take his words seriously.

" Get serious " She ignores him and starts swimming towards shore. Boruto's clones have already dragged the now-dead Big Fish Pagoda to land, and one of them waved at her to come over. Only when Chocho was out of the water did she realise that Boruto hadn't moved a muscle, his gaze was still fixed on her, confusion evident in his gaze, there's another emotion in his gaze, but Chocho couldn't decipher it. " Come on, we need to get this thing to Sarada. "

" Sarada?"

" Yes, idiot. This is an apology gift, or did you forget "

" Right " He brushes his wet hair from his face. He sounds a bit distracted, unlike him. " Sarada "

Chocho merely rolls her eyes.

* * *

Sarada is surprisingly happy with the gift. She hugs her boyfriend tightly and profusely thanks both of them. It turns out that Big Fish Pagoda was Sasuke Uchiha's favourite and since he was coming to visit, she was thinking of making it for him.

Throughout the conversation, Boruto seemed distracted. Chocho caught him stealing looks at her on more than one occasion, he looked away every time she caught his gaze. Very weird. She doesn't think too much about it, perhaps Mitsuki's weirdness was rubbing off on the Uzumaki. Chocho hugs Sarada and bids the couple farewell. She walks home feeling satisfied and cheerful.

When she returns home, she is surprised to find an expensive car parked in front of the compound. She wonders if her Papa had some visitors over. The moment she walked into her living room and saw her papa seated beside Inasa, her entire body froze. No wonder that car looked so damn familiar

" Chocho " Her papa waves her over before she can think of running away " Someone is here for you "

Chapter Text

" What are you wearing? " Choji was quick to notice her clothes, or Mitsuki's clothes to be exact. Chocho tells him that she was just coming from a mission and that her clothes got damaged so Mitsuki offered her some of his spare. There's a lot of plot holes in her stories and Choji obviously picked up on them, but he doesn't wish to question his daughter, especially not in front of a guest.

" Hello Chocho "

" Hello Yagami-san "

" Wow " Inasa chuckles, he reaches for her hand and holds it gently in his " I think we are past the first name stage now "

" Right " She gives him a smile that shows too many teeth. She must look so awkward right now. It's not like she was feeling uncomfortable around Inasa, it was just that her dad was still present in the room. And the last thing she wants is for him to find out just how well Inasa knows her ( parts of her ). Choji must still think she was his innocent baby. " I...I am sorry for not...reaching out "

" Don't be. I said I would find you "

" I don't remember you saying that "

" Oh " Inasa looks thoughtful, well, it looks like he hadn't said it truly. " Yes, but it was hard forgetting someone like you. Even if I had to search the whole five nations, I wouldn't have minded "

" If I may ask, how do you know my daughter Mr Yagami "

" He was my employer once!! Yeah, we protected him...or....yes, bodyguards "

Choji and Inasa stared at her sceptically. The Akimichi chief clearly wasn't buying her story, but when Inasa confirmed that she had indeed served him, Choji had no other choice than to dismiss his suspicion. Chocho's face was flushed even as her father left the room after instructing her to show the Yagami heir around the compound. Apparently his team was going to be in charge of renovating the compound. She hadn't even known her dad was planning on making any changes.

She leads him out of the room with the intention of showing him around the compound. The first place they visited was her mother's garden. Her mom liked growing fruit trees and there was a very beautiful peach tree that was in full bloom. It was silent between them as they stood under the tree, Inasa seemed a bit anxious, and he kept staring at her like he wanted to say something but was afraid to. Chocho spoke up first, asking him how much her dad was paying him to renovate the Akimichi compound

" I offered to do it for free, " Inasa said when she had asked him. That would explain a lot. " It's a project, my father is a fan of the Hokage, and so when I offered to renovate the home of the main clans in the village, he was thrilled by it. Of course it was simply an excuse to see you. I knew you belonged to one of the clans in the village, but I had no idea which one "

" How long did it take you until you got to the Akimichi clan?"

" A few days "

" Must have cost a lot of money "

" the money hardly matters, you are much more valuable "

Chocho is in awe. She'd never thought someone she only met once would go through so much effort to see her again. " It's the sex, isn't it?"

" What?"

" Was my mouth really that good?"

Inasa blinks at her, at first he was confused by her words, but when the realisation fell on him, his face flushed. Chocho smirks, it's hard to think this was the same guy who had his tongue buried inside her a few weeks ago. " Don't get me wrong, the sex was good, but it's not all about that. I...I like you. After that day, I couldn't stop thinking about you. I was supposed to leave the village two days ago, but I just couldn't leave without at least finding out who you are "

" You like me?"

" I do, very much "

" But...you don't even know me "

" I would like to, if you give me a chance. Please don't think my feelings are superficial " Inasa takes her hand and places it on his cheek. His skin feels warm against her palm. " It's only been a short time, but I genuinely like you "

Chocho doesn't think Inasa is lying about liking her, she sees the affection and joy in his eyes the moment their gaze met. However, she likes Mitsuki, and even though Inasa was very handsome and rich, her version of a perfect man, her heart belonged to someone else. She already feels bad, she didn't want him to think that she had used him. She hadn't been in her right state of mind back then, but she had still enjoyed it.

Chocho sighs, she was about to tell Inasa that she already liked someone else when she sensed something coming, she pulled Inasa forward slightly just as a peach smashed against the spot Insas had been standing. " Don't you have better things to do!?" she yelled up at the three where she had noticed her figure hiding. She could literally feel Inojin rolling his eyes even before he jumped down and landed gracefully before them. Inasa was the only one who seemed startled. " Why are you here?"

" To tell you that we will be embarking on the mission tonight "

" Why so soon? "

" Because this is a fucking A rank mission, and the hidden Mist requires a three days trip " Inojin says to her with enough sass that could rival her own.

" I'll be there " Chocho says, she gestures between the two men " Inasa, I believe you already know who this douchebag is "

" Yes, we've met. It's good to see you Inojin Yamanaka "

" Same " Inojin says dismissively. His eyes are ice cold as he looks at Inasa. He brushes past Chocho without saying anything else to her. She watches him leave wondering what the hell was going on with him.

" Don't worry about him, he gets pissy before a stressful mission "

" I can imagine. Does it mean you will leave tonight?"

" Unfortunately " Chocho is regretful, mostly because she knows they would be going to Kirigakure by ship. She also feels bad because Inasa has gone through all this trouble to find her and she couldn't even spend much time with him. Just because she doesn't like him romantically, it doesn't mean she can't entertain him. She plans to take him out and then explain to him politely why she can't date him. " The mission shouldn't take long. If you are still here by the time I get back, we can hang out "

Inasa brightens up quickly at her proposal. " I will wait "

* * *

Inojin doesn't think he's ever seen his teammate as anything more than a sister figure. He's known her all his life, he's seen her grow, and they've been together since they were born. It was anticipated by their parents and everyone else that they would end up in the same team, they fit perfectly together after all, and their Jutsus were compatible. He cares about the Akimichi girl more than he's ever cared about any other girl in his entire life.

He was known to have a sharp tongue, some might even call him an asshole, he would happily agree. And Chubs was used to his jabs, when he made fun of her hair, or her weight, even her looks, she must have known he was joking. He didn't think she would go as far as....well, changing it.

He doesn't believe in any bullshit curse or seal. Inojin knows that Chocho must have done something to herself to make her look like this. It was in her clan's genres to be able to alter their appearance, though he never thought it would include....damn it! Perhapes she was practicing some forbidden without anyone knowingly, the thought made him worried, and fucking guilty. Because if she was doing this to herself, then it was because someone had made her self conscious, and Inojin was one of those people who taunted her. He never meant it, but how the hell was she supposed to know that.

Now she looked like something out of a fucking dream, and she's been attracting the attention of every fucking guy she walks pass, and Inojin is pissed. He wants her to go back to normal, but he doesn't have the heart to confront her, not after all the bullying. She was his teammate, he was ashamed to have behaved like that towards her. Instead of protecting her he had put her in harm's way.

Whatever that she was using was messing with her real bad. The hair changes, the eyes, the body, how mentally drained she looked, like she was going to fall apart at any moment. And worse of it all, the guys. Apparently she'd been too comfortable with that Yagami heir, he had suspected that much, but he didn't think she'd go as far as sleeping with the guy. And now Mitsuki. Inojin's eyes were cold as he watched her wrap her arms around the clone, pulling him into an embrace. This wasn't fucking jealousy, he was just worried about her.

" Alright Chubs! Round it the fuck up so we can leave!" Inojin snapped in a voice that came out more malicious than he'd wanted.

Chocho glanced over her shoulders at Inojin and snorted. She doesn't let go of Mitsuki. Sarada, who was standing beside them waiting for Boruto, rolled her eyes. " What's wrong with him?"

" I have no idea, and honestly, I don't care " Chocho says, she directs her gaze to Mitsuki and her eyes softened considerably " I hope you won't get bored without me "

" Your mission will only take three days " Mitsuki says, he doesn't deny that he was going to miss her. " Be safe "

" Of course I will "

" Gosh, you two are so cute together " Sarada coos. Boruto soon arrives and Chocho goes over to her teammates while Boruto says goodbye to his girlfriend and best friend. Chocho still doesn't know why he was coming with them on the mission, the ino-shika-cho trio were more than enough to take care of an A rank mission.

" Hey Boruto '' The Akimichi greet as Boruto comes over to them. The blond boy tenses, an unfamiliar emotion flashes in his blue orbs as they settle on her. He gives her a smile that seems a bit fake and then hurries along to board the ship with Shikadai.

' That's weird ' Chocho thinks to herself. She catches Inojin glaring after Boruto and then back at her, he scowls and walks ahead to join his two friends. ' Men are weird '

Chapter Text

Water scared the shit out of her, so one could guess she wasn't very thrilled that their mission would be taking place at Kirigakure, she would have even taken the Hidden Sand instead, but whatever. She figured some distraction might help her.

" Do you guys want to play some games? I'm sure we could find something at the Common area " She proposed to the boys. Chocho didn't expect them to flat out reject her proposal

" Nobody wants to play games right now, Chubs " Inojin says, he brushes past her rather rudely and disappears below the docks. Boruto is a lot more polite with his excuse, though there is a trace of awkwardness in his voice. He goes after Inojin and Chocho is left standing alone with the only normal member of her group.

" Don't bother about them. Go get some rest, it's going to be a long wait until we get to Kiri "

" Okay then, I'll see you later I guess "

She goes to the middle deck where a room was assigned to her. Shikadai, Boruto and Inojin would be sharing a single cabin, she doesn't know whether or not to feel lucky at having her own space. Her room was comfortable, it featured a plush bed, comfortable seating, and calming decor, there was even a bathroom in here. The Hokage really went out of his way to make this trip as Comfortable as possible, perhaps he felt guilty for his incompetence

Nah...she was being a bit too harsh on the guy. He did have other responsibilities to take care of. It's still a bit too early to go to bed, but Chocho was feeling awfully drained. She crawled under the sheets and before she realised it she had dozed off

* * *

Chocho is once more in the endless white space only her consciousness could conjure up. This time when she sees the white figure with a devastatingly dark aura, she doesn't try to shuffle back, she just lets herself float around knowing that this was all just a dream and she was bound to wake up at any moment.

" Body of Sakyu " His voice was a soft, threatening whisper that felt like it was speaking directly to her mind. It was very deep and slow, and its calmness made the danger it hinted at even more frightening. The voice seemed to know her thoughts and made its words appear in her mind, leaving Chocho feeling uneasy and scared. But she doesn't let her emotions show. She still doesn't know what Body of Sakyu means.

" Are you here to tell me something, Informant? "

" Merely to check on your progress " A pale hand reaches for her, before she can avoid it, he already holds her face, tilting it sideways to get a better look. He hummed in satisfaction. Chocho shivers and pulls away, it's not only because his skin was ice cold. What the absolute fuck?! " It's only a matter of time "

" You know, nothing you fucking say makes any sense! You can't keep invading my dreams if you don't tell me who the hell you are and what you want from me! I know you have something to do with whatever the hell is happening to me "

" Calm yourself child. You should consider yourself lucky that you have been graced with this ability. Even though I don't see how a mere mortal is a perfect vessel for Sakyu, surely there could have been others. But it's not my place to pry "

" Then why the fuck do you keep stalking my dreams! "

" You will find out..."

" When the time is right " She rolls her eyes and sticks her tongue at the very white figure, she still can't make out his appearance. She gets dizzy whenever she so much as tries to steal a glance at his face " You've said that before you ass "

" Impudent " He says with a dismissive scoff " You will learn "

The Akimichi princess watches the figure disappear from sight. And then seconds later she is overcome with such a high level of nausea that she has to close her eyes to try to control the sudden urge to puke. When she pries her eyes open, she is met with the sight of a familiar ceiling. The Nausea is gone and she feels even more drained than when she had gone to bed, there's no way she would be able to fall asleep again.

A gentle rap on the door breaks the silence, and Chocho hesitantly rises from her bed, curiosity piqued. She approaches the door, her hand reaching for the handle, and pulls it open to reveal a familiar face - Boruto, his bright blue eyes sparkling with a mix of determination and something else she doesn't recognize. A hint of a smile plays on his lips, and his spiky blonde hair seems to shimmer in the dim light of the corridor.

"Sorry" he says, his voice low and urgent, " Did I disturb your sleep?"

" No, I've been awake for a while now. Is something wrong?" She worried that something must have happened, why else would Boruto be standing outside her room this late at night

" Nothing bad happened, I...I just needed someone to talk to. I was hoping you could, you know, accompany me up the decks "

" Sure, it would be a nice way to pass time "

Boruto visibly brightened. Boruto guides Chocho up the decks, their footsteps echoing off the ship's wooden planks. They ascend higher and higher, the salty sea air filling her lungs, until they reach the uppermost deck. She watched Boruto lean over the railings, gazing out at the endless expanse of turquoise water below. The Akimichi doesn't dare venture too close to the edge of the ship, she knows just the sight of the water would make her sick. But she keeps close to him, knowing that whatever he might want to talk about would be personal, and perhaps it had to do with her best friend.

" You're really afraid of water, aren't ya?" Boruto says with a grin, having noticed how she winced whenever he leans too close over the railing.

" I'd like to keep that on a hush "

He chuckles, the amusement obvious on his face " I think everybody already knows. The last time we went to Kiri, you were sick all through "

" Yeah, it's not a pleasant memory. So, what exactly did you want to talk about? "

" Um.."

" It's about Sarada, isn't it?"

" Well, it's not really a big deal " He sighs in a manner that shows it was indeed a big deal. Boruto liked to downplay a lot of things " I just...It seems surreal, you know?"

" You both dating is surreal? C'om, you were like the most anticipated couple in class. Everyone knew you were gonna end up together "

" Yeah, I know. But still...sometimes I feel like I'm just not good enough to be by her side. Sarada is amazing, strong, smart and ambitious, she's more like my dad than I am. And it's a bit overwhelming, I'm always afraid that she's gonna realise how much better she could do. And perhaps I just want someone who I can be on equal grounds with, someone who doesn't always take my dad's side over mine. Goddammit! I'm talking your ears off "

" Well, I don't mind. " It's surprising to hear all this from Boruto, she'd always assumed he was the most carefree of the lot. But it seems even Mitsuki's Sun had insecurities.

Chocho ignores her impending Aquaphobia and approaches her friend. She places a comforting hand on his shoulder, but Boruto went all tense at the touch so she deems it unwelcomed and tries to retrieve her hand. The Uzumaki holds onto her hand, preventing her from pulling it away. Interlacing hands with her best friend's boyfriend feels a bit too intimate for her, but she just assumes it's a way of comforting him, nothing more.

" Sarada is amazing, but you are too. You're possibly the strongest person I know, even her dad acknowledges you. And Sarada loves you so much, the both of you make the cutest couple I have ever seen. So trust me when I tell you that you've got nothing to worry about Blondie "

" Damn, I didn't think you were this amazing " Boruto says, he reached out and gently wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into a warm embrace. Chocho's eyes widened in surprise, but she didn't resist, her body relaxing into his as she felt the warmth of his hug. Boruto's arms encircled her, holding her close, his chest pressed against hers, and his face buried in her hair. " Thank you Chocho, this means a lot "

" Don't worry about it. I want everyone to be happy "

" Are you happy? "

" It's... Complicated. But I'm sure I'll figure it out "

" If you need anything, just let me know, I'll do whatever I can to help "

" Okay, thank you "

They stayed like that for a while before Chocho playfully nudged him away. Boruto still had a fond smile on his face as he watched her leave after excusing herself. Chocho went back to her cabin, she didn't think too much about the encounter, Boruto was just a friend who needed some encouragement.

But later on she's going to think back on this and laugh at her own stupidity.

Chapter Text

Despite the bumpy journey and countless attacks of sea sickness, Chocho was excited to be in Kirigakure. The last time she was here, things had been bumpy with those groups of kids who wanted to become the Seven swordsmen of the mist. But that was in the past, she was willing to give the Mist another chance. Plus the sea food in Kiri was top notch, and the fact that there was no chance of running into someone she knew was just delightful. This was her chance to unwind and have some fun.

" We are not here to have fun "

Chocho averted her eyes from the delicious roasted squid to look at Shikadai. Right, they were here on a mission, it's best not to forget. There would be time to taste some delicacies later. Chocho returns to her teammates but she feels a hand tug her hair. " You hair is so pretty "

It was a little girl with light blue hair ( that reminded her of Mitsuki ) and forest green eyes. She looked around 5 years old and was dressed in a cute pink kimono. Chocho felt her heart flutter at the sight of the girl. " Aww, thank you so much " She leans down to pat the girl's fluffy hair which made her giggle " Yours is so pretty too "

" Are you from around here Missy?"

" Well, no. I came here with my friends, the grumpy guys over there " Chocho points at the boys who were still arguing over something and didn't notice her absence. " We're here on a mission "

" Oh wow, are you ninjas "

" That's right "

" You look too pretty to be a Ninja "

" hey, Lot's of Ninja's are pretty, you should see my friend Sarada, she is simply gorgeous "

" I like you " The girl squeals and hugs Chocho's lower body, she can't help but coo at how adorable the little Angel is. " Daddy will like you too, he likes pretty girls "

" Oh " Well, that was a rather weird thing to say, but then again kids say weird things all the time, Chocho didn't take it seriously

" Nara, Sweetie " A male voice calls, the girl in chocho's arms turns around and runs into the arms of a very handsome man. Chocho initially thought it must be the girl's brother, but then Nara calls him daddy, and that was a surprise. The guy barely looked older than Chocho, he had blond hair and pretty blue eyes, the kind of soft good looks that chocho would have easily simped for. " I'm sorry Miss, Nara always runs off like this "

" Uh, it's fine really " Chocho returns his smile. " Maybe keep a closer eye on her, it won't be nice If she gets lost "

" Of course "

" Papa, isn't she pretty?"

" Well, I..." The young dad looks at Chocho and his face flushes red. Akimichi can't help laughing at his reaction, he's cute.

" My name is Chocho "

" I'm Riyu, Are you from the hidden Leaf "

" Yeah, how did you guess?"

" Well, I've been there before. And I've worked with the Akimichi clan in the past, you are the chief's daughter "

" Huh, that's right " She had no idea her clan was this popular. " It's nice to meet you Riyu " Chocho stretched out a hand and Riyu shook it with a smile while balancing his daughter with his other hand. The sight of the caring father just made her heart soft. She was about to ask him whether he was a Ninja, she could sense some unusual chakra on him, but before she could she heard Inojin yelling her name. She turned to see her friends looking at her with dark expressions. " I have to go, it was lovely meeting you "

" You as well. Take care " He waves at her as she leaves.

" Chubs, Why the hell do you keep talking to strange guys? "

" I was just saying hi "

" In case your stupid brain couldn't keep up, we are here on a mission, not to interact with civilians "

" Okay, what the fuck is your problem whitey! What the hell do you want?! "

" Both of you, that's enough " Shikadai scolds them with a cold look. They both glare at each other but obediently refrain from insulting each other. Chocho noticed Kagura standing beside Boruto for the first time, both blonds watching her. Kagura with confusion and Boruto with a...she couldn't even place the emotion.

" Hello Kagura, good to see you again "

" Same " Kagura gives her a polite smile, but it's clear from the looks he's been giving her that he has no idea who she is. Chocho sighs knowing very well that it was going to be a long day.

* * *

The A-rank mission had high possibilities of turning into an S-rank, it was why the Mizukage had graciously offered to help them out if they faced any serious challenges. But there were four of them, all were skilled, plus Kaguya who had also offered to help, Chocho was confident they could take out the enemy.

Now the problem was, they had no idea who the enemy was. Sure the Rogue had given snippets of information about the underground organisation, but the man had turned up dead, stabbed himself in the heart. Their only source of information was gone. They had to start from scratch, hoping to find at least one person who had been a victim of these terrible men, that was harder said than done.

" This is just draining "

" Don't give up hope, It's only been three days " Kagura says. Chocho hadn't actually been referring to the mission, she was simply whining about the pool of....slick between her legs. It was awfully embarrassing.

she's been feeling off since yesterday. Her body would heat up and she would feel so tempted to slip her hand between her legs and get herself off. She just knew it was an effect of her curse, this was similar to the way she had felt on the day she met Inasa, if only a Little better. Her arousal took the fucking worse time to mess with her, she was on a damn mission for goodness sake. Thankfully, It was an on and off thing, she simply had to wait it off and avoid grinding on the sofa she was sitting on until it passed. She took a gulp of her cold sofa and almost moaned at the cool relief. Her life was so damn fucked up.

" Whatever, it's not like she's been much help anyways " She sees Inojin glaring at her from the corner of her eyes. Chocho ignores him, she'd just zoom out whenever he opens his mouth to spit out garbage. Her silence seemed to piss Inojin off more than any insult she would give in return.

Kagura eyed them both awkwardly, obviously not used to teammates being uncooperative with each other. He doesn't say anything about it however, instead he draws closer to Chocho. " I want to apologise once more for not recognizing you. I didn't mean to come off as rude "

" It's alright really, I know how different I look from before "

Kagura smiles. Chocho blinks at him slightly in awe of his good looks. No wonder every girl in Kirigakure was crushing on him. He had both skills and Looks, awesome. Her heart might be with Mitsuki, but even she couldn't help admiring beautiful things when she saw them. " By the way, would you mind if I ask what happened?"

" Puberty " She blurts out, a bit irritated

Kagura's entire face goes red. " I'm sorry...I didn't mean to..."

" It's fine " Chocho fans herself with her hand, suddenly she feels like she is burning up. " It's... Something personal. "

" I understand "

" I....Excuse me for a moment "

Shit! Why was it so damn hot? Chocho rises from the Sofa and flees the room, she even shoves past Shikadai along the way and he grumbles at her to be careful. When she got to her room, She couldn't help punching the table to let out her frustration. Unfortunately the wood ended up collapsing due to her strength, the noise alerted Inojin who was passing by.

" Chubs! What the hell are you doing?" Chocho quickly took several steps away from the door as Inojin pounds on it. No, not him, anyone else but him. " Chubs!"

" I...I'm busy, just go away!"

" You don't sound... Are you alright?"

" I'm fine, just..." her speech breaks up into a whine as her legs threaten to give up under the waves of arousal that run through her. " Oh Kami "

" Chubs!"

" Fine! Come the fuck in!" She turns her back to the door and starts stripping off her clothes. She hears the door opening behind her and then Inojin's gasp, she ignores him and hurries to the bathroom, hopping into the shower, the cold water does nothing to help her and she feels like crying at this point. Inojin had followed her into the bathroom, he watched her with wide eyes from the door before stepping forward.

" Chubs..."

" I'm burning "

" What?"

" I'm burning and it hurts! You..you come over "

" I don't... "

" Just get in the fucking shower or get Shikadai for me!! "

" Shit, fine. Just keep your voice down "

Reluctantly, he steps into the shower. Inojin blinks at her, he refuses to look down at her wet body but Chocho can see how flushed he was. Kami, this was the last situation she wanted to be in, but the heat was making her brain mushy, all she wanted was to touch the blond and have him touch her back. She pushes away from the wall she had been leaning against and slowly approaches her childhood friend. Inojin frowns as she touches his arm, then his waist, and soon she is pressing her naked, wet body against his still clothed one.

" Chubs..." He groans when she leans forward to kiss him, his arm draped over her shoulders and pulls her back. She can see the lust twirling in his eyes `` Chocho...we...This isn't... "

" Please " He won't let her kiss him again, so Chocho makes use of her mouth elsewhere, sucking and lapping at the skin of her neck. " I need this '' Her hand slides down between them to palm his erection " I need you "

That was all it took to have Inojin kissing her passionately, pressing her against the tiled walls of the bathroom.

Chapter Text

There has to be a rule out there against fucking your best friend. But at that moment, she was too far gone to think about the consequences. Inojin was so good to her, his hands caressed her body. She had him between her legs, eating her pussy so good like a man starved of food. She remembers Cumming on his face, how his tongue had darted out to lick away the residue of her wetness from his face.

Chocho went on her knees for him, something she's ashamed to think about. The burning sensation in her body had gotten so overwhelming that she hadn't cared about the fact that the cock fucking her mouth belonged to her childhood friend. She wanted it so bad, she had moaned so filthily for him, and when he came down her throat with a pleasure groan, Chocho had gulped him down. Only when she had the taste of cum in her mouth was she relieved from the earlier heat. And her fuggy mind had gradually cleared. She soon realized what a terrible mistake she had made.

There was no time to think about it, Inojin had her against the wall once more, their bodies pressed together as he kissed and sucked on her lips. His eyes glazed over with lust, It was the first time she was seeing him like this. She was urged to push him away because she hadn't meant for this to happen, she hadn't been able to control herself. And now....she's pretty sure she's ruined their friendship.

" Inojin " She's trying to pull away, but he wouldn't let her go. He was like a starving man finally getting a taste of delicious chips, or food in this case, whatever. If she didn't know better, she'd actually think his kisses meant something. But Chocho liked to think she knows both of her teammates like the back of her hand, they grew up together and she'd had enough time with them to piece together their likes and dislikes. She knows for a fact that Inojin felt no attraction towards her, just the way she knows he has a secret crush on Sumire. So whatever's going on with him, it's all on her. She's somehow messed him up. " Inojin, stop "

" What? " Light blue eyes blink at her, Chocho looks away as her entire face flushed. She can't even look him in the eye now, great. Inojin runs a finger across her flushed cheek, unfortunately even her skin tone couldn't hide her shame. " Why are you shy?" he asked, sounding very amused " Chubs, You had my dick in your mouth "

" You Jerk! Why do you have to be so Vulgar?"

" Me, Vulgar?" He caught the hand she was about to use to push him away. Inojin brought it to his lips and trailed a tongue across the patch of skin. With wide eyes, Chocho realized that he was licking away a residue of himself from when she had given him a hand job. She wanted to hit her head against the wall or something, anything to make her pass out and not have to be in this situation any longer. " I'm not the one who kept begging to be ' flooded so good that she'd be dripping of my cum for days'. That was all you. Not like I'm complaining, though "

She opens her mouth to protest, but what could she say? She did remember spitting out those words while her mind was still clouded with heat and lust. She's never going to live this one down. Inojin leans forward to kiss her and Chocho quickly backs away, her eyes darting to the door. " Someone might walk in "

The Yamanaka rolled his eyes, " I doubt that. But sure, I guess I must have tired you out, " His lips curled into a smirk as she scoffed at him.

Chocho turns on the shower and stand under the hot water, still clad in her clothes. Inojin is not leaving, and she needs to wash off all the evidence of what transpired between them from her body. She feels dirty, like a scumbag cheater. She stares down at her feet, she rubs the pad of her toe against the blue tile that eerily reminds her of Mitsuki, the boyfriend who was probably waiting for her to return. She feels so ashamed of herself, despite knowing that her lust was something she wasn't able to control, it was part of her curse.

" I'm not going to rat you out. You don't need to act like the world is falling apart " Inojin sounds very much offended.

" I know you won't. I...I'm just afraid I've ruined everything "

" Trust me, You haven't "

Chocho doesn't say anything. Her silence and behavior irritates Inojin to no end, he was used to seeing her so confident and full of life. " Chubs " He reaches out to hold her hand, but Chocho evades his touch. Inojin's lowers his hand slowly. He watches her momentarily, lips pried open like he wanted to say something, but then he turns around and leaves. Chocho can hear him slamming her door shut. She runs her finger through her hair, wincing slightly at the ache. Her mind conjures up memories of Inojin's fingers in her hair, holding her in place as he fucked her face. She can still taste him heavily on her tongue.

* * *

Nothing goes back to normal after that. Chocho takes to pretending that She and Inojin had never gotten intimate, but her Teammate is always staring. He uses every opportunity to touch her, hands brushing against her arm, waist, thigh, and even her behind. He doesn't snap at her anymore, rather, his eyes are always filled with Lust every time she catches his gaze. Yep, she's broken him for sure.

Thankfully, they were still on a mission which means that they barely spent time together. They've been shared into groups of two. Inojin, Shikadai and Kagura do most of the investigation, digging for clues from the Victim's families, she and Boruto mostly stay on standby. Watching over the most beautiful girls in the village, or those they suspected might fall victim next to the dreaded organization.

Boruto's been very quit lately, His usually sunny personality was seemingly gone. Chocho was always the one to initiate conversations, and occasionally she caught him staring at her weirdly whenever he thought she wasn't looking. At first, she thought he was having some issues with Sarada and he wanted to talk to her about it but didn't know how. But when she asked him, he brushed her off and told her nothing was wrong. Chocho didn't understand men, not one bit.

Today, they were both perched on a tree, watching over a group of young girls cheerfully picking flowers and conversing. Chocho was telling Boruto about the time she and Sarada nearly set Chocho's house on fire trying to bake, A Shuriken was lodged against the tree, a small distance from her face. If Chocho hadn't seen it coming, she would have likely not been able to avoid it. Boruto had grabbed her just as an explosion had occurred. The girls shrieked and took to their heels just as four men, dressed in dark robes and spouting animal masks appeared.

" Well, at least something finally happened " Chocho says to Boruto. His lips curled up in an amused smirk, and she almost cheered, finally she was able to make him smile.

" You " One of the men pointed at Boruto " Hand over the Woman, and we'll give you a merciful death "

Chocho frowned, glancing behind her to see if any of the girls hadn't run away yet. " Oh, You're talking about me?"

" Why don't you come and try to take her yourself! " Boruto spat, his hands wrapped firmly around a kunai and ready to attack. his eyes fixed on the four rogue ninjas before him. They sneered, confident in their numbers. The leader charged first. Boruto dodged his attack with ease, countering with a swift kick that sent the man crashing into a nearby tree.

The second ninja, holding what appeared to be a poisoned dagger, darted in. Boruto caught her wrist, twisting it to make her drop the weapon. He then used his Shadow Clone Jutsu to create multiple illusions. Fists were swung, Kunais and seals were used, despite being outnumbered, Boruto dominated the fight. Chocho couldn't help admiring him from where she was standing. Well, since he had everything under control, she might as well go after the girls to ensure they might it out alright.

Chocho turns around and ran towards the direction she had seen the women disperse. She wasn't able to get far before a figure appears in front of her, she barely managed to evade the sword thrust at her. Dammit, these bastards were hiding themselves! She was surrounded by about a dozen of them.

" Surrender " one of them says " We wouldn't want to damage the merchandise "

" Fuck You!"

" Get her "

Chocho cracked her knuckles, ready for the fight, They charged at her together, She countered with a swift kick, infused with her chakra, sending the first attacker flying into a nearby rock, she used her Expansion Jutsu to inflate her arm, blocking an attack. They were fast and brutal, but Chocho was far stronger than she had ever been, turns out her curse could be a blessing as well. She landed a series of quick, chakra-infused punches, each one landing with precision and power. She was so confident in her victory that she got sloppy, she wasn't able to dodge the Kunai that made it's way towards her.

Chocho's eyes widened as the kunai pierced her shoulder, its tip coated with a paralyzing poison. She gritted her teeth and pulled out the weapon, but her strength began to wane. Her vision blurred, and her legs trembled beneath her.

"No...not now," she muttered, trying to fight off the effects of the poison.

Her opponents, seeing their chance, closed in for the finish. Chocho raised her hands, attempting to summon her chakra, but it was too late. The poison spread quickly, rendering her unable to move or defend herself.

Boruto came to her rescue. He carried her in his arms and retreated swiftly. " Are we running away? " Chocho asked, watching the people chasing after them warily.

" They're after you, and in your weakened state, you can't defend yourself "

" Why are they after me?"

" How the hell would I know?!"

" Do you think, it's because of my immeasurable beauty?"

Boruto scoffed " Not the right time, Chocho "

" We can't get away " The realization made her body numb. If he keeps carrying her like this, they would both get caught. She was a burden to him. " I think you should..."

" Don't you fucking dare " Boruto glares at her. She snaps her mouth shut. She watches with dread as the enemies grow closer, one of them throws multiple kunais and one of it explodes, the blast causing them to stumble to the ground. Boruto takes most of the impact of the blast, coupled with the injuries he sustained from fighting earlier, he is already weakened. There is nowhere to run to, behind them is a large waterfall, typical of the mist to have those seemingly everywhere

Chocho can hardly feel her limbs, but she manages to crawl over to Boruto, thankfully his injuries weren't that severe.

" Well, Not so tough now are you " The Rogues had blocked their only path of escaping, not like she and Boruto could run away at this state. The leader points at her once more. " Come over, and we'll let your friend live "

" What do you want from me?"

" That's for us to know Kid. I'm running out of patience "

" Run " Boruto says, he groans as he tries to push himself to his feet. Chocho let's him, She'll need him standing for what she was about to do. " I'll hold them off "

" Don't get cocky Uzumaki! You don't need to waste your strength protecting the Bitch. All She'll ever be is a Whore anyways " The man said with a mocking chuckle.

" Oh, you plan to sell me? " That was a relief, she almost thought it had to do with her curse. Turns out these guys were just after her for her looks. She edges closer to Boruto, pressing herself to his side. The Uzumaki went tense.

" What...are you doing?"

" Hold me tight, and don't let go." Chocho wraps a weak hand around him. The familiar warmth of her chakra made her body ache more. Boruto does as he is told for once. His gaze ran over her face worriedly. Chocho smiles as Colorful Wings sprought from behind her, wrapping them both in a protective cocoon. She hears the Leader cursing as they approached them. Chocho closes her eyes as she let's them both tip over the edge of the waterfall. Ensuring that her butterfly cacoon would protect them both from the impact

Chapter Text

Chocho wakes up cold. Her entire body aches and it feels like life drained out of her. It took a lot of strength to pry her eyelids open. Boruto is there, holding her, his worried eyes running over her figure. " Fuck, you scared me " He exclaimed, he pulls her into a tight embrace.

" Are you a..alright?"

" Why the hell are you worried about me?! You were the one who...I thought I lost you for a moment there! Don't you ever do that shit again "

Chocho laughs, Boruto still doesn't let her go. She knows he was worried about her, at that time she had only wanted to keep him safe, her own health hadn't mattered. " I just exhausted my chakra, it's nothing life threatening " She tells him, hoping to calm him down. She needed to get him back to Konoha, to Sarada. That was all she had thought about while fighting the Rogues.

Chocho summons enough strength to pull away from Boruto's arms, the close proximity was a bit uncomfortable. The Uzumaki didn't seem to notice her discomfort however, he laid a hand on her arm, like he was afraid her body would give out at any moment. " I think those bastards were captured, but we can't be too certain. We need to return to the village. Can you walk?"

" I...I don't think my legs can hold my weight just yet. But if you give me some time, I can try to..."

" Chocho " She looked at him, Boruto was watching her with those bright eyes of his, she didn't think she'd ever seen them hold so much emotion before, this was nothing like the way he looked at Sarada. " You are amazing "

' Yes, but only because I'm different now '

She doesn't word out her thoughts, merely gives Boruto a warm smile. His gaze drifts to her lips momentarily before clearing his throat. He squats and asks her to get on his back, Chocho does so. She leans against him, a bit grateful that she didn't weigh as much as she used to, it would have been much more difficult for him to carry her so easily. Chocho was just being sensitive Of course, she knew Ninjas were capable of carrying thrice their weight, she was over thinking things.

It wasn't easy finding their way back, as they had apparently ended up at the very end of the village. Boruto was persistent on carrying her all the way, even though Chocho had offered to walk back. They met some Shinobis on their way back. They had been missing for hours and the Mizukage had sent out a search party for them. Chojuro was both delighted and relieved to have them back.

The Rogues have been captured and the kidnapped women have been found and set free. Everything was going to be alright. They were asked to write a report, and after everything was settled, she had recovered enough of her strength to walk on her own. Thank God, she was almost afraid that Boruto would continue to carry her. Chojuro had them taken back to their residence, and he offered to take them all out to celebrate later that night. But first, she would need to return to their teammates who probably thought she was dead.

Chocho wasn't even surprised whe the boys had crowded around her the moment she walked through the door with Boruto. " Fuck, Chocho! We thought you were dead!"

" We've searched for you everywhere Chubs! You can't just fucking jump down a Waterfall like that! You could have gotten yourself killed "

" I'm fine " She wiggles her way out of their embrace " Besides, I had Boruto with me, he's got my back "

" Hell yeah, you can trust that I won't let anything happen to her"

" Well, that's very reassuring man " Shikadai says, he slumps down on one of the Sofas with a groan " Worrying is such a drag "

" Kagura should be here soon, I'm gonna go catch up on some sleep " Shikadai makes a dismissive gesture and Chocho tries to walk past Boruto to her assigned room, he holds her hand.

" Are you sure you're alright?"

" Huh?" She glances down at their joined hands. He's getting a bit too touchy feely. It's fine as long as Sarada doesn't see it, she didn't want her best friend thinking she was making a move on her man. The thought almost makes her giggle. Yeah right, like Boruto would even regard her in such a manner. " I'm fine Blondie. You can repay me back for saving your life when I've gotten some beauty rest "

" Right, Of course " He reluctantly lets go and Chocho bypasses him. She didn't even notice Inojin following her until she was standing outside the door of her room.

" Chubs "

" God " She gives him an irritated look " You guys really don't need to baby me! I'm fine alright!"

" No shit! How the hell am I suppose to believe that when your hair is fucking white again!" Her mouth opens to spit out curses, but she is so tired. She hardly noticed her hair changing colour again. The truth was, she wasn't very comfortable around Inojin, not since..., it was a damn mistake, and it was all her fault. She'd gone and ruined her relationship and she felt horrible about it. Inojin sighed on seeing her deflated look, he reached forward to cradle her face. Her eyes widened in surprise at the contact but she didn't pull away. Inojin pressed their foreheads together. " I was worried, I still am. I have this horrible feeling you're avoiding me and I don't even know what I did wrong "

" You didn't do anything wrong. It wasn't your fault at all "

" Is this about...what happened in the shower? Do you regret it?"

" I didn't want to make you uncomfortable. But in a way, I'm glad it was with someone I could trust. I just don't know what I'm going to do now "

" Now, you need to learn to stay the fuck away from trouble. And you need to sleep " He pulls away from her. He doesn't give her time to speak before walking away. She feels that there's still a lot of things left unsaid, but she knows they'll figure it out eventually. What happened between them was a mistake, and it was best if it remained a secret. She's sure Inojin would forget everything the moment they get back and he has Himawari by his side again.

* * *

Chojuro takes them out as promised. It was a high class restaurant that served the best sea food fish in the whole of Kiri, they were told to get anything they wanted, The Mizukage was willing to foot the bill. Despite the free food, Chocho found herself not enjoying the outing much.

" Damn, did this curse affect your appetite as well?"

" He's right dude, you're not eating much "

Chocho makes a face. She knew she should have sat with Shikadai instead, but Inojin and Boruto had opted to sit on either side of her for some reason. And they kept mothering her around. Yes, she didn't have as much appetite as she did then, but that was only because her body worked differently now. She didn't need food to perform her jutsus, she just needed a different sort of substance. And as embarrassing as it was to admit, she was figuring it out. She just needed someone to cum down her throat and she was good to go! Thankfully only Mitsuki knew about that.

To appease her friends, she took a bite of her meal, but ended up having a coughing fit due to swallowing too fast, it went down the wrong hole. She was presented with two glasses of water, from both of the guys beside her. Chocho reached blindly for Inojin's glass and downed it, the way his face brightened and the smug look he gave to the slightly put out Boruto was concerning. Shikadai and Kagura exchanged looks, but opted to keep whatever they thought to themselves.

' Kami, this was weird '

There was something off with these two, she just couldn't place a finger on it. Whatever....

* * *

Being in Mitsuki's arms is like being enveloped in a warm, comforting embrace. His arms wrap around her, making her feel safe and protected. As she snuggled deeper, Chocho took in his familiar scent. Mitsuki's arm cradles her with a tender firmness, his hand gently stroking her hair, His touch sends shivers down her spine, but in a reassuring way, like a gentle breeze on a summer day.

" It's good to have you back " Mitsuki whispers into her ears. Chocho pries an eye open and takes in her boyfriend's stunning looks. She sighs dreamily at the sight of him, so good looking, and he was all her's.

Her arms tightened almost possessively around his waist and she spoke with a cute pout. " Did you meet any girls in my absence?"

" Hm, does Sarada count?"

" What?! You are hooking up with my best friend? That is rather bold of you Mitsuki "

" Your condition got worse " Chocho snorts in amusements and pushes Mitsuki's hand from her forehead. She clings to him once more and bask in the feeling of comfort. " Did something happen during your mission?"

" Apart from the usual? No. Why do you ask?"

" They are staring "

The Akimichi chances a glance behind her. Boruto is with Sarada, the Uchiha was leaning against him, a cheerful smile on her face as she whispered something to him. He barely seemed to be paying attention, because he was constantly looking over at their direction. Inojin on the other hand doesn't even try hiding his scowl as he glares daggers at her. She averts her eyes and flashes Mitsuki an akward smirk.

" I'm sure they are both just tired. "

" Hm, and your hair?"

" What's wrong with..."

" It's turning yellow "

her gaze darts to her hair in panic. Indeed, when she looks closely at the edges of her hair, she could see the yellow tint, it seemed to be spreading. The sight of it left a bitter taste in her mouth. " It does that, I'm sure you know. It doesn't mean anything, ha ha "

Mitsuki's face is a blank canvas, Chocho can never read him when he get's like this. He drapes an arm around her and leads her forward, Chocho is tense throughout the walk home.

Chapter Text

" Sarada?"

" Chocho " Sarada offered her a smile as she slowly approached the Uchiha. " I didn't expect to see you out soon. Shouldn't you be resting after your mission?"

" It's already been three days, I think that's enough rest. Besides, Mama wouldn't get off my neck unless I ran some errands for her "

Sarada nods her head in understanding. Both girls look over the wares displayed at the stall. The Uchiha opts for two apples and hands one to her best friend, Chocho accepts gratefully and places it in her shopping basket. " How are things with you and Mitsuki?"

" Good. Mitsuki has been wonderful, in his own way "

" Right, you really got him good, I've never seen him invested so much in another person " Chocho smiles briefly at the thought of her boyfriend. They do talk and hang out, but she always feels there's unresolved tension hanging in the air. Sometimes, Mitsuki would just stare at her for a Long time with no expression on his face, it was like he was looking directly into her soul and was trying to dig out the secrets she kept buried there. A few days ago, Chocho would have asked him what he was thinking, because then she had no secrets that might destroy the good relationship they had.

" It reminds me of when me and Boruto first got together, he was so obsessed and insisted on following me around. I doubt he even realised there were other girls at all "

Chocho saw the dreamy smile on Sarada's face and tried not to cringe at the mention of the Blond boy. Boruto Uzumaki contributed a lot to the list of baggage she carried on her shoulder. It weighed so heavily down on her that she feared the guilt would one day eat her up. Especially when she had to act all friendly around Sarada after what she had done. She hadn't meant to do it, she swore the fault wasn't her's. But she doubted Sarada would understand that.

" Yo! " At the mention of the devil, the devil appears. Chocho didn't know where Boruto had come from, she didn't even perceive his Chakra, but at the next moment she saw him stalking towards them, his hand which was buried in his pocket came to wrap around Sarada who had immediately thrown herself into his arms. Chocho never knew her friend was this clingy. " Hey babe "

" Boruto, I thought you'd be training with Mitsuki "

" We were, but Mitsuki had to go home briefly "

" Oh " Sarada nods, she believed Boruto effortlessly. Chocho fought back the urge to point out the obvious lie, she'd seen Mitsuki only early that day, and apparently he should still be training with Boruto at this point, unless the Uzumaki had decided to cancel it. Mitsuki surely didn't change his plans so abruptly. " Did you come here to see me?"

" Uh...Yeah " Boruto gives his girlfriend a smile as she cuddles against him. His gaze darts to Chocho who stood awkwardly to the side. Blue eyes meet her Golden orbs, and for a long time it seemed that nothing else mattered, atleast to Boruto. Chocho narrows her eyes at him and looks away. Boruto sighs. " Something like that "

' He can at least try to pretend. He's being too obvious '

Chocho's mind goes back to the event that transpired between them yesterday, and once more she feels herself almost overcome with guilt. She should have pushed him away, really

* * *

Flashback.....

Chocho was with Choji in his office. He usually asked her to join him there while doing his paperwork. The logic was that since Chocho would likely be the chief of her clan after her father retires, she needed to be aware of how these things work. Though she hardly sees anything remotely difficult in putting a stamp on letters and business offers, except for the fact that she was expected to read through every one of them. That would be incredibly boring.

" Chocho San!" One of her Father's workers came into the office. He was an older man who Chocho had known since she was a child.

" Mr Sano, is something the matter?"

" The Hokage's son is here to see you "

Now that was a bit strange. " Boruto came to see me?" She hadn't seen him since their mission two days ago. Chocho looked at her father who was still invested in his work, clearly not taking an interest in Boruto's visit.

" Go ahead Ninsuki, don't keep him waiting. Just be back here when you are done "

" I will " She likely won't, but Choji didn't need to know about that. Chocho left the office and went to the small garden her mother had nurtured, Boruto was leaning against the Blooming Sakura tree, his gaze was fixed on seemingly nothing, he looked lost in thought. Chocho slowly approached. " Boruto?"

" Hey " His gaze visibly brightened as he noticed her. She stood in front of him, Boruto was tall so she had to tip her head back to meet his gaze. His gaze darted to her hair momentarily before meeting her again. The yellow stubbornly refuses to fade away, even when she had made out with Mitsuki more often now just so it would. She reasoned it was the reason Mitsuki looked at her strangely now. " How are you feeling?"

" Find. My chakra is fully recovered now "

" It came back faster than I thought "

" That's one of the small perks of being like this, I suppose, " Boruto hummed. There was a moment of silence between them and Chocho had to speak up again to prevent things from getting awkward. " Did you...want something?"

" Yeah " Boruto leans away from the tree. He places a hand on her shoulder and guides her to take his position. She had her back pressed against the tree with Boruto facing her directly. She raised a brow at the position but doesn't comment on it. Not when Boruto looked so conflicted. " I've...been thinking a lot "

" About?"

" Our mission, the events before that. It's just one big mess, and I feel like I'm going to fuck everything up. I don't even know why I feel like this. I'm not supposed to "

" Hey, don't beat yourself up about this. I believe you came here because you knew you could talk to me about it, so talk "

" Actually, I came here because...I...I wanted to see you, and I needed to let you know "

" Boruto...?"

" You are the most amazing person I've ever met " Boruto shifted closer, Chocho would have backed away to put some more space between them, but there was nowhere to go. Her eyes widened in shock and confusion as Boruto's hand came to cradle her face. Their nose was nearly brushing as he whispered against her skin. " I think...I have fallen for you "

" What?" She only managed to get that one word out before she felt the press of soft warm lips against her own. There was a strong hand on her hips. Chocho's mind went completely blank, she couldn't stop eyes from closing, a small moan escaped her as he nibbled against her lower lip. Her arm came to wrap around his neck and drew him closer.

' This feels good. This is perfect '

The thought seemingly came out of nowhere, and it was what had her snapping out of whatever trance she had been in. She pushed Boruto away, the horror sinking deep into her. No no no! Oh kami, No!

" How could you!"

" I'm sorry, I...Chocho, please don't panic "

" How could you do this to Sarada? And Mitsuki!? Your friend "

" Don't you think I know how badly fucked up this is? It's not like I haven't tried to stop liking you! It's just not that easy"

" Boruto, listen to me please. Whatever you think you feel, it's not real..."

" You don't get to tell me whether my feelings for you are real or not, Chocho " He was closing the distance between them once again, it scared her. " I like you..."

" No, no "

" Hell, I know it's wrong. But I can't help it. I like you Chocho, I really do "

" And Sarada? What about her?"

" I'll tell her " He says " I'll tell her now if you ask me to. I don't feel the same way towards her anymore...she deserves to know "

Chocho stares at him for a long time, speechless. And it just doesn't make sense, Boruto having romantic feelings towards her didn't make sense. And now, as she thought of the bad possible ways this could turn out, she panicked. " Fuck off!" And Chocho fled

* * *

End Of Flashback....

Her grip tightened on her shopping basket. Sarada was still cuddling Boruto, unaware that the Blond no longer had any feelings for her and had even kissed her best friend. The thing was, Chocho didn't doubt the fact that Boruto did like her, he wouldn't possibly joke about something like this. And he wasn't exactly being subtle either, even if he doesn't tell her, it would only be a letter of time before Sarada sees, and Chocho would never forgive herself.

" I need to go " Chocho spins on her feet and starts walking away

" Chocho! Did you buy everything?"

" I did, Sarada. Don't worry about it "

She didn't buy everything, and her mama berates her for it when she returns home, but thankfully Karui lets her get off without having to do any extra chore, and she doesn't ask her what happens either. She gives her space, and Chocho would always love her mother for being this understanding.

Chocho goes up to her room, closes the door and tries to wipe off the tears that ran down her face.

" Did you hurt yourself?"

" Oh God! Mitsuki!"

" Sorry, I should have said something sooner "

" Or you could have come through the door, or even stood somewhere I would immediately notice you! "

Mitsuki gives her a tilted look. He's standing by the corner of her room, easily hidden by the shadows, the room was dim due to the thick curtains. But she has no doubt he can see her perfectly. As he covers the space between them, his eyes glow golden, the slits appear in his pupils once in a while, Chocho has long gotten over the spookiness of his predatory gaze whenever he gets like this. Emotional.

Mitsuki holds her hand, his usual smile is gone. " Akimichi San, Do you know, I've never liked something this much before. Not even when I first met Boruto "

" I...I'm flattered mitsuki "

He presses her hand against his cheek, his skin is cold and dry, almost scaly. " And I think that it's not enough, the effort I put in. Akimichi San is so perfect and shines brightly, it's bound to draw attention. It makes me want to tie her up and put her somewhere only I can see her "

" Mitsuki, what are you talking about "

Her boyfriend smiles, a small curl of his lips that makes him appear very detached and out of reach. " If I try harder, to be normal, more human, would you...like me the most?"

" Oh Mitsuki " A sob breaks through her. " I am so sorry"

Chapter Text

It’s not like she wants to be like this. She never wanted to have sex with Inojin, or kiss Boruto. She didn’t want to betray her best friend! But even if she tells them this, no one would believe her. Chocho realizes for the first time that she is in big trouble.

This curse, whatever it was, made her do unspeakable things! She had always thought of herself as considerate and upright, so why then did she let Boruto fall for her? Why did she make Mitsuki so self-conscious?

“I’m sorry,” she mutters once more, as if the words themselves could change everything bad she had done. She felt so dirty, not just in her mind but her body as well. She didn’t want to be this kind of person. Chocho would rather die than be a man-stealer, a friend-betrayer, and a cheater!

‘But there’s not much you can do. You’re already like this, you can’t change it. Even if you tell Sarada now, she’ll never look at you the same way again! You kissed her man, you betrayed her friendship, now you’ll have to live with the consequences! Ha ha…’

No! Sarada couldn’t find out. Chocho would just have to talk to Boruto. She’d have to convince him to forget about his feelings. He belonged with Sarada; they were the perfect couple, the most shipped pair in their class. They even had a fan club, for goodness’ sake!

“Akimichi-san.” Mitsuki had his arms wrapped around her slim waist. He whispered into her ear in a low voice, “I will be very happy if I’m the only one.”

That’s the way it should have been. Mitsuki liked her, and she felt the same way about him. They were an odd pair, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t make things work. She was the only problem here. Her tendency to draw unwanted attention and get herself in trouble needed to be dealt with.

No matter what, Chocho Akimichi would not be that kind of person!

“Yes, Mitsuki. You’re the only one.”

Mitsuki’s lips curl up; he doesn’t look as detached as he seemed earlier. And even though he might not believe her completely, he was willing to look past everything else and simply remain by her side.

Mitsuki stays with her far into the night. She tells him about the mission, the heroic way she had saved Boruto, and the delicious food she had in the Mist. While mentioning Boruto, she notices how Mitsuki’s gaze darts to her hair (still yellow—it stubbornly refuses to change), but he makes no comment.

Karui comes to check up on her. Chocho laughs at how easily Mitsuki evades her mother. The way he easily blends into the dark corners of her room is both fascinating and creepy at the same time. Mitsuki has a mission the next day, so he leaves her room after a brief kiss. Chocho lies on the bed and closes her eyes. She doesn’t even fall asleep completely when the dream starts...

It’s the usual endless white space. The annoying figure, whose face she still can’t decipher.

“Body of Sakyu.” The figure moves around her, seeming to observe her closely. Chocho isn’t sure what he sees, but he hums in satisfaction. “Soon, you will be ready.”

“Ready for what?”

“Absorption.” He clicks his tongue, then proceeds to disappear. Chocho blinks her eyes in confusion. She looks around but can’t spot the person anywhere.

Slowly, her eyes pry open and she finds herself in her room. “So weird,” she sighs. Nothing in her life makes sense anymore.

Chocho usually didn’t go out of her way to avoid people; she hated drama the most. But when she did, she did it pretty well. Days went by, and she had successfully managed to not come across either Boruto or Inojin. She skipped out on group missions, using her curse as an excuse. And because the Hokage still felt guilty about not being helpful, he let her off.

Today, Chocho was in the market. Her mama asked her to pick up some groceries for dinner. She would have invited Sarada along, but these days she felt too guilty to face the Uchiha girl. Besides, wherever Sarada was, Boruto wasn’t far off. Chocho had heard last time that the two of them were spending a lot of time together—they even helped each other out on missions.

She was relieved. This clearly showed that Boruto was merely infatuated with her before, and now that they hadn’t come across each other, he had gotten over his emotions. Sarada was his true love; she should be all he thinks about. The Akimichi princess was more than happy to stay in the background and watch their love story blossom.

Chocho’s body went still as she sensed a familiar chakra. She didn’t dare breathe as she prayed that the person would walk away without noticing her.

“Chubs,” a cold voice sounded right behind her. Chocho sighed as she turned around slowly and met fierce blue eyes. She forced a smile on her face.

“Inojin! What a pleasant surprise. Who knew we would run into each other today?”

“Cut the crap.” He scoffed; Inojin saw right through her. “You’re very good at avoiding people. If only you’d avoid trouble this way, our lives would be much easier.”

“What do you want, Inojin? As you can see, I’m very busy.”

“You won’t even deny it?”

“Deny what?”

“That you’re avoiding me, damn it!”

Chocho thought about it. What’s the point, anyway? He’d figure it out eventually. “You already know the reason why. Things have been awkward between us ever since…” She didn’t even want to think about that day. “Anyway, I think it’s better if we stay away from each other for a few days. When things get back to normal, we can go back to being all close and friendly.”

“Do you really think things will ever be normal?” Inojin took a step toward her, his gaze almost burning a hole through her head. “We fucked, Chubs. How can that ever be normal?”

“We did NOT have sex!” She ensured to put as much emphasis on the “not” because Inojin needed to get it through his thick skull that Chocho was not that kind of person. She was not a cheater. “We did not fuck.”

“Fine. You had my dick in your mouth, and I made you come on my face. Big difference!”

“Why the hell are you so vulgar!?”

“You think this is vulgar? I beg you to listen to some of the fucking ideas I have in my head! Just let me hold you down and fuck you properly. Let me show you just how vulgar I can truly be!”

Chocho’s eyes darted around in panic. Due to their yelling, they were drawing attention to themselves. A marketplace wasn’t the ideal place to have this kind of conversation, especially when she didn’t know who she’d run into next.

“Let’s talk about it somewhere private.” The princess paid for the things she bought and hurried home. Inojin followed behind her at a steady pace. She could feel him staring at her back.

“Inojin, I didn’t know you were coming.” Karui was surprised to see the Yamanaka. She looked behind him, almost expecting Shikadai to pop up as well; these kids always travelled in groups of three.

“I won’t be here long. I just had something to discuss with Chubs.”

“We’ll be upstairs, Mama.”

“All right. Call if you need anything.”

Chocho nodded and led the way upstairs to her room. Inojin closed the door behind him, and they stared at each other. “What you feel, it’s not real, okay?” She had already told this to Boruto; Chocho didn’t think she’d have to explain it to Inojin as well. She was already expecting him to confess to her. “It’s just an effect of the curse.”

Inojin rolled his eyes. “When did I say anything about catching feelings?”

“Then… what is it?”

“The issue here, Chubs, is that you’re avoiding me, and I don’t like it. If you hated the thought of us… doing that, then why did you beg me that day? Why did you let me hold you, touch you, taste you? Why didn’t you ask me to stop?”

“I couldn’t!”

“Why not?”

“I… I just…” She couldn’t control herself. It felt like she would burn out if she didn’t have Inojin touching her, but she doubted he’d understand even if she explained herself. He’d probably think she was making the whole thing up. “What difference does it make? It happened, it’s in the past now.”

“Are you afraid I’ll rat you out?”

“No, I know you wouldn’t.”

“Then why are you so afraid?”

“Inojin…” He was closing the distance between them. His eyes were heated, and Chocho knew that they were going to repeat the mistake of that day again if she didn’t try to stop it. “We can’t do this… It’s wrong.”

He paused in his steps. His gaze narrowed on her as he watched her thoughtfully. His long lashes formed a canopy over his cheeks. He looked a lot paler than she remembered. Chocho couldn’t help thinking about how soft and fragile her teammate looked at that moment. She always made teasing comments about his almost feminine appearance, but now his looks were even more beautiful.

Damn, she was going insane!

" Chubs, I...I really want to...make you cry "

" What? " She was so stunned that she didn't react when Inojin pulled her forward into his arms. He leaned forward and kissed her, biting on her lips hard enough that she tasted blood. Tears sprang to her eyes at the pain.

Inojin pulled back to watch her, an emotion passed across his face when he saw her blood stained lips. He gently licked away the red from her plump lips. Chocho's eyes widened in shock. What the hell? Since when was Inojin like this?

He had both arms wrapped around her waist and she was almost lifted off the ground. Chocho moaned at the cool sensation of his tongue against her skin. It felt nice...she was slowly losing her sense of reasoning. Why had she been against this in the first place...?

The faint sound of footsteps echoed. Both of them froze as they took in the familiar chakra. Chocho was the first to react, she pushed Inojin away right as Shikadai pried the door open. They stared at each other.

" Damn, You're both being a drag "

Chapter Text

“Damn, you're both being a drag,” Shikadai regarded them with scrutinizing eyes. “Now that I think about it, this is the best time to settle this issue.”

“What issue? And don’t sit on my bed! Mama just made that!”

“Calm your horses. Don’t take out your anger on me.” Chocho withdrew the finger she had been pointing at him accusingly. Shikadai saw right through her; he had always been the most perceptive one in their group.

The fact that she had once again failed to control her desires bothered her. Here she was, going down the same rabbit hole that had caused this whole drama in the first place. One look at Shikadai and she knew he had read the situation—he must know everything by now.

God, she only hoped Mitsuki wouldn’t find out. Hadn't she just promised him earlier that day that he would be the only one in her heart? So this is what it felt like to be a scumbag! Chocho wanted to bury her face in her pillow and cry.

“All right,” Shikadai sighed. He looked at both of his teammates with a serious expression. “We grew up together, so there’s probably very little we don’t know about each other. I’m not going to interfere in whatever’s going on between you two...”

“But there isn’t anything going on!”

“However,” Shikadai gave her a pointed look, ignoring her denial.

Inojin had been eerily quiet throughout the conversation. She chanced a glance at him and found his gaze fixed on her. He hadn’t even acknowledged Shikadai’s presence. Couldn't this guy at least try to be discreet? For goodness’ sake, she didn’t need any more scolding! Her conscience was already doing a hell of a job bringing her down.

Shikadai, noticing that he was being ignored, couldn't help but regret coming here. Relationships were such a drag! It was always advisable not to date a teammate. Sakura would have plenty to say about that rule.

“Things are getting ridiculously tense between you two. There’s no way in hell I’m putting my life at risk on a mission when my teammates can’t get their heads straight. We’re way past this teenage phase!” The Nara sounded exasperated. While Chocho felt guilty, Inojin merely scoffed.

“What’s going on between you two?”

“I...” She tried to speak, but Inojin interrupted her.

“Isn’t it obvious?” Inojin walked forward, directly in front of her. She was a bit stunned by the close proximity. Surely, he wasn’t stupid enough to try something in front of Shikadai, right? “See for yourself.”

Then he leaned forward and kissed her. It was just a brush of lips, lasting a few seconds. When he pulled back, there was a cocky grin on his face, and she heard Shikadai sigh. Chocho was so angry that she didn’t hesitate to bash her forehead against Inojin’s perfectly straight nose!

The crunch sound it made was very satisfying.

“Chubs! Are you crazy?!”

“You think this is crazy? Try that again, and I’ll kick you where the sun doesn’t shine, asshole!”

“This is troublesome,” Shikadai muttered. He really shouldn't have come here. He’d even rather listen to his nagging mom at this point than stay in the same room with these two. Was it too late to change teams? “Enough of this. Both of you, calm the hell down.”

Both Yamanaka and Akimichi briefly glanced at him before turning back to glare at each other. Shikadai knew nothing he said would get through their thick skulls at this moment. He headed for the door and dragged a reluctant Inojin with him. “We’ll talk about this next time. Give her some space,” he whispered so only Inojin could hear. The blonde didn’t protest further. “We have a mission tomorrow. I came here to talk about it—will you come?”

“I’m not coming.”

“Then take care. Maybe the next one?”

“Maybe.”

They greeted Karui on their way out. She insisted they stay for dinner, but thankfully, Shikadai came up with a good excuse. The sun was setting, and most civilians were retiring to their homes. Konoha, at this time, looked peaceful and less lively.

“There’s something up with her,” Inojin said. He’d noticed for a while that Chub’s chakra levels kept fluctuating, and she had been sluggish lately. She barely participated in missions and didn’t even bother using her jutsu anymore. “Do you think...?”

“What?”

“It all started when she got together with that weirdo. What if he’s done something to her?”

“Mitsuki likes her probably more than you do. He wouldn’t hurt her.”

“But…”

“Don’t let your jealousy overrule your better judgment.”

“I’m not jealous!”

Shikadai patted his shoulder good-naturedly. “Whatever you say.”

It’s all such a drag anyway, Shikadai thought. He just hoped whatever was going on within their circle of friends wouldn’t affect him.

---

It took her hours after her teammates left to compose herself. Thankfully, her parents were there to help take her mind off things. Chocho went to bed early that night, though she didn’t fall asleep immediately.

Due to the strange recurring dreams, she was very reluctant to fall asleep. After nearly two hours of tossing and turning, she was almost dozing off when a sound woke her. Her bedroom window was pushed open, and a figure crawled in.

The only reason she hadn’t panicked was that she recognized the chakra signal. The person remained rooted next to the window.

“Sarada?”

The Uchiha slowly sank to her knees. Chocho got out of bed, alert, and turned on the light. Sarada was still in her day clothes, her short hair disheveled. Her head was bowed, so Chocho couldn’t see her expression, but she knew something was wrong.

“Sarada…” Chocho walked cautiously toward her friend. “What’s wrong? What happened?” Could it have something to do with Sasuke? She knew how much Sarada worried about her father, who was basically never around. Could he have gotten himself captured again?

Sarada raised her head, not wearing her glasses, so Chocho could see how puffy her eyes were from crying. Her voice was low and hoarse. “He... dumped me.”

“What?” Chocho was stunned. “I don’t understand, who dumped you?”

It can't be… no way.

Tears ran down Sarada’s face as she buried her face in her hands. “Boruto. He dumped me!”

---

Almost everyone in their circle knew about the breakup. Chocho didn’t want to interact with their former female classmates in this condition, but as Sarada’s friend, she needed to be there to protect her from prying questions about the breakup.

“I still can’t believe Boruto-kun would do this,” Sumire said in disbelief. Sumire, Namida, Wasabi, Sarada, and Chocho were having a girls’ day out, planned by Sumire to help cheer Sarada up. But the plan wasn’t very fruitful, mostly because they kept talking about the very subject they were supposed to help Sarada forget—her now-ex-boyfriend, Boruto Uzumaki.

“He’s such a scumbag! Does he think Sarada-chan won’t find someone better? The audacity!”

“Calm down, Wasabi,” Chocho was, surprisingly, the voice of reason in the group. She also had the biggest guilty conscience. She had even worn a hideous hat to cover her blonde hair so she wouldn’t remind Sarada of Boruto. “We still haven’t heard his side. It could be that... he’s going through a lot, maybe he just needs space!”

“Chocho, since when did you start supporting that idiot?” Wasabi narrowed her eyes at her.

“I’m not defending him!”

“Maybe he’s found someone else,” Namida said. Sumire shook her head in pity. Chocho just wanted to hit them all! Couldn’t they see they were making things worse?

“Namida’s right,” Sarada croaked, her voice hoarse from crying. “He told me… that he’s found someone else and that he could no longer pretend to love me.”

“Damn, I wonder who the bitch is!” Wasabi was itching to get her hands on the woman who had stolen Sarada’s man. Chocho subconsciously leaned back in her chair, trying hard not to think about her last encounter with Boruto. It couldn’t be.

“I still think he didn’t mean it. There’s no other woman, girls. Boruto is just being weird.”

“Then why don’t you talk to him?”

Chocho glared at Sumire. “What for?”

“I think you’re the closest to him aside from Sarada. Perhaps you could convince him to reconsider this... breakup.”

“Come on! Are we begging men to stay with us now?”

“Wasabi, mute yourself for a moment.” Sumire turned to Chocho again. “Will you do it?”

Chocho should have said no. She knew meeting up with Boruto right now was a disaster waiting to happen. But Sarada was looking at her with such pleading eyes—how could she possibly refuse? If there was a way to help the Uchiha and Uzumaki reconcile, then she’d give it a shot.

“Okay. I’ll go talk to him.”

She excused herself and left the restaurant. As she was wondering where the hell she would find the stupid blondie, she coincidentally ran into his brother on the way.

"Kawaki! Do you know where to find Boruto? I need to speak to him urgently."

The adopted Uzumaki glared at her for absolutely no reason, but she didn’t take it personally. Kawaki was known for being gruff and vulgar, a complete loner.

"Why?" he asked.

"Like I said, I need to speak to him urgently."

She was met with silence. Kawaki's gray eyes stared at her intently, as if he were studying her. Chocho immediately felt self-conscious around him.

"Never mind," she muttered, trying to walk away. She suspected he might know something.

Just as she passed him, her hand was suddenly grabbed. Kawaki spat out a few words in a nonchalant manner.

"It’s you, isn’t it?"

"What?"

"You’re the one he likes." His gaze trailed down her figure momentarily before meeting her eyes again. "I understand now."

"What do you understand?!" Chocho wrenched her hand away. "Do you have proof of what you’re saying?"

Kawaki stood with his arms crossed, his gaze steady and piercing. He had always been like this—cold and aloof. Chocho didn’t know how Sumire could stand him. He was so distant.

He tilted his head ever so slightly, his expression unreadable at first, but then his lips curled up in a smirk. The smirk wasn’t friendly—it was more of a knowing look, as if he were blatantly telling her he knew all her secrets.

When he finally spoke, his voice was low and firm, almost teasing. "No."

Chocho took a step back. "Then shut up." She turned around and disappeared into the crowd. She could feel Kawaki’s piercing gaze on her back. She thought about what he said and prayed to the heavens that it wasn’t true.

Please, Kami, let it not be because of her.

Chapter Text

Boruto isn't easy to find. He's a master at concealing his chakra flow to the point that he couldn't be sensed by those who weren't experts at tracking. Chocho paid a visit to the Hokage's house, but unfortunately, Boruto wasn't there either.

"He might be at the training ground, the one at the edge of the village. He goes there often these days," Himawari explained. There was more to her words, but Chocho didn’t bother asking.

"Thanks a lot."

The training ground at the edge of the village is where they all used to practice before they were split into teams. She knew Boruto and the rest of Team Seven still trained there from time to time. She spotted a tuft of blond hair from a distance, making her pause.

She had agreed to see Boruto today on behalf of Sarada, but she couldn't completely ignore how messy things had been between them, especially after that awful love confession that had come out of goddamn nowhere!

"Are you gonna come down anytime soon?" Boruto's voice echoed through the quiet area. Chocho hadn't concealed her chakra, so Boruto must have sensed her coming from a mile away. She took a deep breath to calm her wild emotions.

She leapt down from the tree branch and landed effortlessly a small distance from the Uzumaki. Boruto looked at her briefly, his eyes darting behind her as if expecting someone else to pop up. His attention shifted back to the lump of wood, which had multiple kunai and shuriken embedded in it.

"What are you doing?"

"Practicing."

"But why? Your aim is already so good."

"It's harder to focus now, too many things to think about."

"You know, Sarada is the best when it comes to giving an open ear. She's a good listener. If there was something you wanted to talk about, you could have—"

"Is that why you're here? To talk about my ex?"

"Boruto, Sarada doesn’t want to be your ex! She clearly cares about you a lot. Whatever's bothering you, you could talk it out with her."

"You know very well what's bothering me!" The next shuriken Boruto threw split the stump in pieces from the force behind the hit.

Chocho had only a moment to regret coming here before Boruto's eyes turned to her. His gaze was icy, frigid and unrelenting, a storm of fury swirling beneath the sharp blue of his eyes. There was no warmth, only a biting intensity that cut like a blade—cold and dangerous. She'd never really seen him like this before.

There was no sign of the cheerful and mischievous boy she grew up with. Now, Boruto was turning out a lot like his sensei. Some downside of training with Sasuke Uchiha, she supposed. This breakup clearly hadn’t been easy on Boruto either; he looked more worn out than she had ever seen him.

At first, she had been angry at Boruto on Sarada's behalf. But now, seeing him like this, she knew there was more to it than they had thought. Boruto cared about Sarada a lot. Even their parents were best friends. There would be no reason for him to break her heart. Not like this.

"What's wrong?" She closed the distance between them with a few steps. Chocho was careful enough to leave some space; the last thing she wanted was to make him uncomfortable. "If you can't tell Sarada, then you can at least tell me, right?"

Boruto looked away, his jaw tightening. He didn’t want to hurt Sarada, and he didn’t want to involve Chocho in this mess either, but here they were. He could feel her eyes boring into him, waiting for an explanation. There was no doubt she already thought of him as a scumbag. What else did he have to lose?

“I didn’t want to hurt her,” Boruto said bitterly, his voice barely above a whisper. “The longer we stayed together, the harder it was going to be. I thought it’d be easier if I just... distanced myself. Maybe the feelings would go away. Of course, they didn’t.”

Chocho frowned. Everything was still unclear. “So that’s why you’ve been acting like this? You’re just going to push her away? You won’t even try to talk about what the issue is? Why are you hurting her?!”

Boruto’s fists clenched at his sides, his nails digging into his palms. “What else can I do? You think I want to hurt her? I don’t want to hurt anyone!”

Chocho hesitated, her voice shaking with fear and uncertainty as she spoke. She needed to be certain of one thing. “Does this… does this have anything to do with me?”

Boruto’s eyes widened in surprise. “What?”

Her lips quivered, and for a moment, her usual confidence wavered. She wanted to be anywhere but here. “I just... I can’t help thinking that it might be because of me. Please... tell me it's not! You said you liked me the last time. I was hoping it was merely attraction, something you would overcome with time. But please... tell me I’m not the reason you broke up with my best friend.”

Boruto stared at her. Her eyes were pleading with him; she wanted him to tell her that none of this had anything to do with her. And if Boruto hadn't been as selfish as he was, he would probably lie to her, make her feel better. But he felt that this was an opportunity for him, an opening that, once missed, could never be gotten back again. He cared about Sarada deeply... but he couldn't keep lying to himself. He couldn't pretend anymore. He liked someone else now.

“Isn’t it obvious?” Boruto said quietly, his voice no longer filled with despair. At that moment, he felt a bit relieved. “Of course, it has to do with you. Everything does.”

Silence hung between them like a heavy cloud, thick and suffocating. Chocho shook her head and took a step back. She felt her eyes tearing up as the self-blame kicked in. "No, no, no, no!" Had it been all her fault? Was she the cause of Sarada's suffering?

"Chocho, I'm not expecting you to reciprocate my feelings. You're with Mitsuki, and he... he's my best friend. But I can't help it... I really like you."

"You don't. You can't do this to me! Do you know what everyone is going to think of me when they find out?! I really don't want to be this kind of person!" Her face was wet with tears. She'd never been more scared in her entire life.

"I know. And I am sorry." Boruto had closed the distance between them sometime during her breakdown. He cupped her face as he tried to comfort her. "I never meant for things to turn out this way..."

"It's not real... none of it is. You're only attracted to my body, maybe my face... I don't know. But what you feel is not love..."

"Damn, don’t make me sound so shallow." The Uzumaki smiled dryly. "I do like you. Why is it so hard for you to believe?"

"How come you've never shown any interest before I got cursed?"

"I never really... thought about it before... but it doesn’t mean the feelings weren’t there."

"I don't believe you."

"Then... let me kiss you just once. I'll know whether or not it's just a physical reaction."

Chocho was stunned at the suggestion. Her face took on an ugly expression at the mere thought of kissing her best friend's boyfriend. She tried to step away, but Boruto’s hand tightened around her.

"Please. Just... let me know, okay? Just one kiss, that's all."

'No, don’t do it! That's a terrible idea!'

But he looked so sad and lost. He was just as uncertain as she was. Besides, she was confident that it was only attraction, and that could be solved. As long as he didn't have romantic feelings, they could work something out. She would find a way to get him back together with Sarada.

"Boruto..." Chocho swallowed back a wave of anxiety. She was almost at the brink of breaking down again. "I'm scared."

She was scared of ruining other people's happiness, of being labeled a backstabbing cheater, of being hated by the people she cared about most. And most importantly, she was scared of being the cause of a rift between her friends. She didn't want to cause drama. She hated drama.

"It's alright. I won't let anything happen to you. Just one kiss... just one..." Boruto placed a kiss on her forehead. It was sweet and loving. Slowly, her eyes slid closed. Just one kiss...

"Okay."

When she felt his hot breath fan her face, she didn't move away, her own breath steady but shallow. Before either of them could think further, Boruto leaned in, his lips brushing against hers in a hesitant, almost uncertain touch. The world around them seemed to blur—the trees, the sky, the village—they all disappeared into a haze of colors. Nothing else existed in that moment except the warmth of his lips and the way her hands gently rested against his chest.

Chocho’s heart pounded in her chest as she closed her eyes, sinking into the kiss. There was a sweetness to it, something tender and unspoken. His lips moved softly against hers, and she found herself leaning into him, savoring the passion that surged between them.

Time felt like it had stopped. All that was real was the feeling of his lips on hers, the way his fingers lightly touched her face, and the fluttering in her stomach that she couldn't control.

When they finally pulled away, breathless, their foreheads rested against each other’s, eyes half-closed, still lost in the moment.

Boruto smiled softly, a hint of nervousness in his eyes. "That… that was…" he started, but paused. The smile on his lips fell as his gaze darted behind her.

Chocho felt a sinking dread in her chest, a bad premonition swirling in her gut. She slowly turned around, her eyes widening in horror as she spotted the familiar figure watching them from a short distance away.

"Sarada..." Chocho's voice barely made it past her lips. Her mind went blank. This couldn’t be happening. "It's not... I would never..." She stumbled over her words, panic gripping her. "No, wait! Sarada! Please, wait!"

But Sarada didn't even glance back at her. Her expression was unreadable, her eyes cold, as if every part of her was shutting down. Without a word, she took off, disappearing into the trees before either of them could react.

Chocho tried to chase after her, but Boruto held her back, grabbing her wrist firmly.

"What are you doing?" Chocho asked, her voice frantic, almost desperate. "We need to explain things to her… she might misunderstand…"

"It doesn't matter," Boruto said firmly, his voice steady. "You're the one I like. I'm certain of it now."

"No..." Chocho took a step back, her face paling as the weight of his words hit her. A mix of horror and guilt settled deep in her chest, making her feel as though she could hardly breathe.

What had she done?

She turned, shaking free from Boruto's grip, her heart racing in panic. She couldn’t stay here, couldn’t face the consequences of what just happened. She needed to find Sarada, to make things right—before it was too late.

Without looking back, Chocho ran into the woods, her legs moving on autopilot, her mind consumed by guilt and regret.

Chapter Text

She couldn’t catch up with Sarada; the girl seemed to have disappeared. The Akimichi could only search around helplessly before retreating home, her heart lodged in her throat. Knowing that she’d messed up badly, she couldn’t imagine how she would escape this situation unscathed.

“How could I have been so stupid?” she mumbled to herself bitterly. She thought she was only trying to help Boruto get his emotions straight; she’d thought he was smart enough to distinguish between love and fiery lust. But who would have thought Sarada would walk in on them at that very moment? The Uchiha was skilled enough at stealth, which was why Chocho hadn’t sensed her, but Boruto should have. Why hadn’t he said anything?

Because Boruto was a piece of work! He probably wanted Sarada to walk in on a scene like that. Never would she have thought the Uzumaki was this hypocritical.

It didn’t matter. What was done was done, and now all she could hope for was to explain things properly to her friend. But, of course, that was going to be a lot harder now.

She made her way back to the Akimichi compound feeling numb, not knowing whether to laugh or cry at her own foolishness. There was nobody else to blame in this situation; she’d been the stupid one, letting her indulgence get the better of her and ending up in such a big mess. And Boruto... he’d probably reconcile with Sarada sooner or later, leaving Chocho as the “traitor” who’d kissed her best friend’s man.

“Ninsuki, what’s wrong with you?” As she entered the house, she ran into Choji Akimichi, who was in conversation with two of the clan elders. He must have noticed the grim expression on her face. Chocho respectfully greeted the clan elders and waved away her father's concern.

“Sarada-san was looking for you.”

“I know. I ran into her,” she replied, though it was more accurate to say that Sarada had run into them. She really didn’t want to think about it right now.

Chocho hurried further into the house, hearing her mother Karui in the kitchen but choosing to ignore her. She was startled to find a certain blue-haired clone waiting in her room; he seemed to have just arrived, seeing as he was closing her window and pulling the curtain down, very meticulously.

She realized that Mitsuki was one of the last people she wanted to see right now. But what exactly was she supposed to do—drive him away? He wasn’t as easily deceived as her parents. Mitsuki, with his sharp instincts and piercing gaze, made her feel so guilty that she was on the verge of breaking down.

“Why... didn’t you use the door?”

“Habit,” he says with a shrug. He’s without his usual smile, and there’s an eerie, almost static air around him. Having seen his Sage Mode before, she could relate the pressure in the room to his suppressed powers. But why would he... no, never mind that. Whether he was about to go all Sage Mode on her or not would depend on how he took the news she was about to give him.

Chocho was now a “man-snatcher,” a friendship-breaker, and perhaps even a “slut,” but she didn’t want to be a liar, too. She took a seat on the edge of her bed. “There’s something I want to tell you. Why don’t you sit first?”

“What is it?” He edged closer to her but remained standing. Like this, he towered over her, making her feel a bit intimidated. She could feel the sizzling energy in the air around him, and Chocho suspected he probably knew something about what happened, or else he wouldn’t be like this—so cold and... off-putting.

She chewed her lip anxiously, pondering over the best way to explain what had happened. But then again, there wasn’t really a way to phrase this that would make it any better. Just peel off the bandage and get it over with. “I kissed Boruto, or he kissed me. I’m not really sure who started it first, but it happened. And I’m very sorry.”

Chocho waited for him to respond, but Mitsuki watched her with unblinking golden eyes, his expression blank and unreadable. The silence between them felt almost suffocating. A chill crept up her spine; this silence was scarier than any rebuke she could have received from him.

“Mitsuki, please...” She took his hand, urging him with her eyes, silently begging him to say something—anything. She knew she was wrong, and Kami knew how much she already hated herself for it.

He finally spoke, his voice low and cold. “You’ve been too indulgent.”

The words hit her with unexpected weight. Why did those words make her sound like some cheap woman who took joy in doing unreasonable and dirty things? She wasn’t like that—truly. “I... I didn’t mean to...” Chocho stammered, unable to form a coherent response.

Mitsuki withdrew his hand. She could feel it—his presence bearing down on her, dark and oppressive. Her pulse quickened as Mitsuki’s expression shifted, his eyebrows knitting together, golden eyes narrowing, dilated, and intense. His chakra flared wildly, pulsing around him in a way that was both mesmerizing and terrifying, a thin layer of blue sparks flickering at the edges of his aura.

“Mitsuki...” Chocho swallowed hard, chewing anxiously on her bottom lip. The air around him felt charged, crackling with energy that made her skin prickle. Mitsuki stepped forward, his gaze never wavering. His usual calm had morphed into something cold and unsettling, making Chocho feel strangely small under his stare.

“What is it?” he asked, his voice steady but chilling. He edged closer, though he remained standing, his height forcing her to crane her neck to look up at him. “Say it again.”

“I kissed Boruto,” she blurted out, wincing as the words escaped her lips. Saying it a second time made her feel even more lecherous, and everything felt so unreal. She’d kissed her best friend’s lover, her boyfriend’s best friend, someone she’d known since childhood. Her gaze dropped to the floor, her voice softening, laced with regret. “And... I’m really sorry.”

Silence fell over them, heavier than before, as Mitsuki absorbed her words. She risked a glance up, dreading his reaction, but his face was shadowed, his expression unreadable. The blue sparks continued to flicker around him, growing in intensity, as though his chakra itself was reacting to what she’d confessed.

Chocho braced herself, her heart pounding in her chest, waiting for whatever came next. The danger was still there; for the first time, she felt afraid of Mitsuki. She almost forgot how easily he could silence her at this moment. Slowly, she rose to her feet and tried to put some distance between them, but Mitsuki grabbed her arm, the heat from his palm seeping into her flesh like holding hot coal.

“Mitsuki... L-Let go... it hurts!” she muttered, her voice strained as she tried to wrench herself free. But instead of releasing her, his lips curled upward in a twisted, almost mocking smile that sent a chill through her.

“Why?” he asked, his voice colder than she’d ever heard it. There was a sharpness there, like he was daring her to answer wrong. There were bound to be consequences.

“It... it was an accident,” she stammered, desperate for him to understand, to soften even a little. She couldn’t recognize this side of him, and she didn’t know how to reach him. “You’re... hurting me.”

He stared down at her, his gaze as unrelenting as his grip. “The sun and the moon,” he began, voice low, “can never coexist.”

The words lingered in the air, heavy with unspoken meaning. The blue sparks around his body ignited even brighter, flaring with an intensity that made Chocho’s heart pound wildly. She could feel the raw, uncontrolled power swirling around him, a suffocating heat that sent her into a silent panic. Her knees nearly buckled, the weight of his chakra pressing down on her until her own fear was all-consuming.

It was the first time she’d truly been afraid of Mitsuki. Even when faced with enemy ninja, she’d never felt so certain that she was on the brink of something painful. Tears streamed down her face, and she couldn’t hold back her pained scream any longer. Her arm was beginning to go numb from the overwhelming pain.

Just then, the door to the room pried open, and the sizzling energy around Mitsuki dissipated in an instant. Chocho didn’t need to turn to see who it was—she recognized her father’s voice, firm and questioning.

“What’s going on here?” Choji’s gaze darted between them, his eyes narrowing as he took in Chocho’s trembling form. She steadied herself, trying to stand a bit taller, and forced a small, uneasy smile.

“It’s nothing, Dad. I can handle it,” she said, her voice shakier than she’d like, betraying the way her body still trembled. She was trying to sound confident, but it was clear she was rattled.

Choji’s attention shifted to Mitsuki, his tone threatening and firm. “Mitsuki, I think it’s time for you to go.”

Finally, Mitsuki released her arm, his intense gaze leaving her to focus on her father instead. He bows slightly, expression slipping back into the mask of politeness. “Forgive my intrusion.”

Without another word, he steps back, his movements graceful and measured as he walks past Choji and exits through the door. Chocho watches him disappear, holding herself together just long enough for the door to close.

The moment he’s gone, her knees buckle, and she stumbles toward the bed, barely managing to sink onto it before her legs give out entirely. She lets out a shaky breath, hugging her arms close, still feeling the painful pressure of Mitsuki's grip.

Choji steps closer, his voice softened with worry. “I’ll go talk to Naruto and see if we can figure something out. There’s gotta be a way to make things right.”

But Chocho shakes her head, her voice quiet, almost defeated. “It... it might already be over, Dad.” Even if she finds a way to lift this curse, it won't change the fact that she'd messed things up. Boruto likes her, Sarada hates her, and now Mitsuki....he...he...

Choji reaches out, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “We all make mistakes,” he says, his voice warm and comforting.

Chocho nods, even as her heart weighs heavy in her chest. Mitsuki just now, It seemed he was trying to kill her...

Chapter Text

Chocho takes a shower to calm her nerves. Afterwards, she stares at herself in the bathroom mirror for a long time. Her golden eyes are reflected back at her from a face that is familiar yet unfamiliar all at once. Her thick blond hair sticks to her wet body; the color is almost as dazzling as a certain Uzumaki's.

"Isn't it funny? The seed of your infidelity is obvious for everyone to see."

The mockery and delight in those words make her frown in displeasure. Her reflection in the mirror smirks at her, eyes narrowed in contempt. Chocho blinks in surprise, but she feels no fear or strong shock on seeing this. Isn’t her life already shrouded in mystery? Why should this be shocking?

"What kind of demon are you? And why the hell are you doing this to her of all people?" She'd always thought this kind of thing could only happen to important people, maybe Sarada or Sumire, who are popular and… well, better than her. Guess not; this lousy demon chose to destroy the life of a side character! Apart from being liked by Mitsuki, there was nothing special about her.

"You are a perfect fit, a lucky vessel."

"Vessel for what? Apart from copying other people's techniques, maybe seeing snippets of the future, there's really nothing up with this lousy curse! Thanks to you, I’m now a homewrecker! Whoever you are, you better hope I don't get my hands on you."

"He he," the voice chuckled darkly, seeming to find dark humor in her desperation. The bitch was probably somewhere watching her messed-up life right now, just like how Chocho used to watch those stupid romcoms in the past. "The body of Sakyu has many stages of manifestation. Believe it or not, this is just the beginning. To be desired by others but unable to be with any… this is just the first stage. For now, you are merely a tool that brews discord between even the closest allies."

Oh, it's just like she had expected. The sudden change in her appearance, the attention she gets from others… it was all because of this person, or demon, whatever. She was meant to sow discord between her friends? But why? Nothing was making sense; she just didn’t understand. But she won’t let herself be used so easily either.

"If I can't get you to leave me the hell alone, then I'll just settle for one person. After all, I still have a man. Mitsuki might be mad at me now, but he'll understand once I explain it to him. If I remain with Mitsuki… then Boruto would easily get over his infatuation, Inojin too. I'll explain everything to Sarada; she’ll understand."

"Stupid girl," the voice scoffed coldly. "Your ignorance disgusts me."

Chocho's lips curl up in a dry smile. Her fingers subconsciously rub her arm; the bruised skin burns under her touch. Mitsuki would understand…

Sarada too…

She merely needs to explain everything to them. It really wasn't her fault; she didn’t want to become like this either…

---

Naruto flicks through some papers which Chocho knows for certain have nothing to do with her problem. He's nervous; she can see his fingers twitching, and the way he'd rather stare down at the tiny fonts on paperwork he hated doing rather than meet her eyes meant he was feeling guilty.

To put it simply, Naruto Uzumaki had no solution to her problem, no progress whatsoever, and he simply didn't know how to tell her.

Chocho leans back in her chair and watches him solemnly. She wasn't surprised at his lack of progress, she didn't blame him either. She just felt a bit helpless in this case. Thank Kami she had turned down her dad's offer to escort her here; she'd hate to deal with the worry and disappointment on his face.

"So, what am I expected to do now? Since there's obviously no cure to…"

"There might be!" Naruto quickly cuts her short, always the enthusiastic one in the room. "Just not in Konoha, but I've contacted the other villages; it'll only be a matter of time before one of them can give us more information. Don't give up hope just yet."

"Huh."

The other villages? She wasn't very confident in them. Maybe the Hidden Mist might know something about it; after all, she had only started being this way after her mission in Water Country.

"Lord Seventh, are you familiar with the Sakyuu?"

"Sakyuu? That's… well, I don't know. This is probably something you should ask Shikamaru." He was simply good at fighting; his assistant was the almighty bookworm, so surely the Nara head would know about this.

Seeing that the Hokage couldn't provide much help to her, Chocho was prepared to take her leave. However, after some careful thinking, she paused at the door, slowly closed it back, and turned her curious gaze on Naruto, who had already gone back to sorting his paperwork.

Sensing her gaze, he looked up at her in confusion. "Is there something else, Chocho?"

Chocho took a step forward, her gaze locked onto Naruto. She lingered, studying him. Golden eyes met blue ones, and the Hokage’s expression shifted from confusion to something a bit more flustered.

"C-Ch-Chocho?" he stammered, clearly taken aback.

The young Akimichi paused for a moment, then moved in closer, leaning against the table separating them. Her hand gently rested on his, sending a spark of surprise through him. Naruto’s eyes widened, his cheeks deepening into a blush as he looked at her, almost dazed.

"W-What are you doing?" he managed to ask, his voice barely steady.

"Just seeing if I can seduce you." She admits. She had thought of it before, the possibility that every guy around her, her childhood friend included, seemed to have taken some kind of liking to her. It had all begun right after her mission. And now, she wanted to test that theory. "Lord Hokage…"

Naruto’s gaze flickers up to meet hers, a dazed look crossing his face as though he’s caught off guard. He begins to lean in, bit by bit, nearly closing the distance between their faces. His warm breath fans her face; seeing those blue eyes up close, she can't help but be mesmerized.

Fingers move almost instinctively, first playing with a strand of her yellow hair, which is much brighter than it had been that morning. His hand then drifts to cup her face. His blue eyes dart to her lips, as if drawn there without a second thought. Chocho blinks in shock, just as she feels the soft brush of lips against hers.

Just as her heart starts pounding, Chocho pulls back abruptly, jolted to her senses, just as the office door swings open. The moment shatters like glass. Thankfully she had sensed the chakra ahead; if not, how would she possibly explain the situation?

"What's… happening?" The woman who walked into the office was a Jonin. She came to hand over the report of her mission. But seeing the dazed expression on the Hokage's face, his hand still hovering midair as if reaching out for something that wasn't there, she looked at Chocho with confusion and alert.

"He's…" Chocho racked her brain to come up with a good explanation, but she came up blank. Thankfully, Naruto seemed to have recovered. He cleared his voice and addressed the Jonin. Chocho used the opportunity to carefully slip away.

Blue eyes followed her departing figure. The Hokage stared at the space in front of him where the Akimichi had just been. He lowered his eyes and dismissed the Jonin with a casual wave of his hand.

---

It turns out, the situation was worse than she had thought! The little scene with the Hokage confirmed her thoughts. If she assumed there might have been a chance Inojin and Boruto had romantic feelings for her before, then how could the Hokage, someone who was like a godfather to her, possibly see her in that manner?

It wasn't love, it was just attraction. The curse made her the object of desire for the guys around her, and perhaps the regular heat circle she experienced was just to get intimate with one of them, and then she would copy their techniques, their chakra.

Somehow, she felt a bit better knowing that Boruto wasn't actually in love with her; he was just attracted by her curse. Thankfully, nothing had happened between them. She just needs to find Sarada and carefully explain the situation; her best friend would know what to do.

Chocho walked faster; she wanted to meet Sarada as quickly as possible to explain everything. Who knew that she didn't even walk ten steps before seeing her best friend's familiar figure walking towards her.

"Sarada!" She waved anxiously at the Uchiha and ran towards her. Sarada's face remained blank even when she saw Chocho; her complexion seemed much paler than she remembered. When Chocho was in front of her, she hurriedly tried to explain. "I have something to tell you! What happened with Boruto was…

SMACK!!

Chocho’s cheek burned, a raw, stinging heat spreading across her skin. Her vision blurred for a moment, and she staggered, tasting the sharp tang of copper on her tongue. She blinked, the taste of blood lingering, and stared up at Sarada in shock, struggling to process the slap that had left her reeling.

The world around them seemed to freeze for a moment. Passersby who witnessed the sudden slap couldn't help but pause, their curiosity piqued as they watched the unfolding scene.

Chocho was stunned, hurt, but even more than that—she was confused. She looked at her best friend, unable to fully comprehend how things had escalated to this point. “Sarada… I… I…”

“You did it on purpose, didn’t you?” Sarada’s voice was cold, devoid of any warmth. Chocho couldn’t help but think that in this moment, Sarada looked exactly like her father. “You took him away, to prove a point?”

“What? No… I would never do…”

SMACK!

The second slap hit harder than the first. Chocho winced as she accidentally bit her tongue from the impact, a sharp pain shooting through her jaw. Blood seeped from the corner of her mouth, and she quickly spat it out. She opened her mouth to explain again, but the third slap left her vision blurry, her ears ringing, and her cheek throbbing with pain.

“Sarada… please listen to me…” she pleaded desperately. “Just give me one chance, and I’ll explain everything.”

But her words were of no use. Sarada’s eyes were so red they seemed to glow, her Sharingan active and full of anger. She raised her hand, preparing to strike again, but before she could, a firm hand gripped her wrist, stopping her.

“Enough,” a deep voice commanded.

Chapter Text

Sarada’s head snapped around to see who had intervened, and her eyes widened slightly as she took in Mitsuki’s stern expression. He held her wrist firmly but gently, a silent warning in his gaze. "Sarada-san, it’d be wise for you not to strike out again."

"Mitsuki?" Sarada overcame her shock, now just angry. She wrenched her hand out of her teammate's grip, leveling him with a disapproving glare. "Don’t tell me… you still want to defend her? I know you hold Chocho in high regard, but what she did was unforgivable! She betrayed both you and me!"

Chocho lowered her gaze, unable to look directly at her friend. Anger and shame burned in her chest, more painful than the sting on her cheeks. The bruises would heal, but she doubted she'd be able to mend the friendship she and Sarada once shared. Even if she explained, would the Uchiha be willing to listen?

Her eyes burned with unshed tears, but she didn’t want to appear pitiful. She deserved this; even if she hadn’t meant to betray Sarada’s trust, she should never have let Boruto entertain such thoughts toward her. It was all her fault.

Unlike Sarada, who was getting emotional, Mitsuki remained cold and detached. His voice didn’t fluctuate, nor did it reveal any distress. It was like he was addressing a subject that had nothing to do with him. Chocho realized that she had somehow broken him. Even when he first joined the Academy, he hadn’t been this detached from human emotions. It was almost painful to see.

"If you are facing problems with Boruto-san, it’s best to address it with him directly. Don’t resort to violence."

"Problems? Clearly, she’s the problem!" Sarada exclaimed. "Boruto wouldn’t do this to me! I just… I just wish it was someone else, Chocho. I wish it was someone else! I didn’t expect you, of all people, to… to… ugh!"

"I didn’t mean to, I swear! It’s all a misunderstanding. Please, just let me explain..."

"SHUT UP! I want you to stay away from Boruto, stay away from me!" The Uchiha turned around and shoved past Mitsuki. She was still seething with anger but knew better than to make a scene.

Chocho watched her best friend walk away, feeling aggrieved. She knew better than to follow Sarada; the Uchiha might just end up attacking her. "Mitsuki," she called out as her boyfriend was about to walk away, but she couldn’t let him go without trying to explain herself. "Mitsuki, please, you have to believe me… I swear, there’s nothing going on between me and Boruto! I would never hurt you or Sarada."

"Akimichi-san." Mitsuki stood there, his face expressionless, his eyes distant and cold, letting out a small sigh, barely meeting her gaze. "I’m sorry," he said, the words slipping from his mouth as if they were foreign to him. "For last time."

Chocho searched his face for any hint of genuine remorse, but his expression remained unreadable. There was a distance in his tone, as though he were merely going through the motions, his apology devoid of warmth or feeling.

"I didn’t mean to hurt you," he continued, each word sounding calculated, almost mechanical. It was so scary and heartbreaking at the same time. "I hope you understand."

Chocho wanted to cry. She didn’t understand at all. This apology felt more like an obligation than remorse; she’d have preferred it if he was angry at her—at least it would mean he actually felt something.

"I believe it would be best if we keep some distance from each other for the time being. I do not wish to hurt you again."

"No, Mitsuki, no…" Chocho finally couldn’t hold back her tears. She stepped forward, wrapping her arms around Mitsuki, clinging to him desperately as if she feared he might disappear from her sight at any moment. Her voice broke as she pleaded with him. "Please, Mitsuki, don’t leave me," she whispered, her words trembling. "I promise… I’ll stay away from Boruto and everyone else. I’ll change—I’ll be better. You’re the only one who truly loves me… genuinely. I can’t lose you. I just can’t."

Her tears fell freely now, her heart laid bare as she clung to him, desperate for a chance to make things right. For a moment, she felt his heart rate pick up, his tense body soften against hers as his hands rested on her shoulders. She was almost certain he would pull her close and never let go.

But reality is often disappointing. Mitsuki pushed her away, only slightly; there was no force behind the push, as if he were reluctant, like it took everything in his power to make that single movement. Chocho cried as the world seemed to crash around her. She tried to hug him again, but Mitsuki avoided her like the plague.

One moment, he was right there in front of her, looking pale, cold, loving, and then, the next moment, he was gone. The Akimichi stared at the empty space before her, staring for a long time until even the tears on her face had dried. Slowly, she lowered herself to a crouching position, her arms wrapped around her knees, letting the sadness and pain wash over her.

‘This is what happens when you fight it. You end up losing everything. Just accept… accept what you are…’

But what was she, exactly? Why was she this way? Which god had she offended? Chocho desperately wanted to know. It seemed to her that these past few weeks had been a torrent of drama, pain, and sadness. No matter how she tried, she just couldn’t escape it. It was like everything around her was destined to crash and burn.

A shadow fell upon her, obstructing the bright rays of sun that burned warmly against her skin. "Hey, are you okay?" She looked up to see a man, who looked only a few years older than her and was wearing the signature Konoha green vest and headband. He tilted his head, his purplish eyes looking at her curiously.

"I’m fine," she assured him dryly. The man offered her a hand, which she took, and she was soon hoisted to her feet. The brush of skin caused her to tingle in delight—another side effect she had almost gotten used to by now. The man, however, wasn’t. Chocho saw the flush that took over his face as his gaze traveled down her body.

She smiled bitterly. "Thank you."

"Is… there anything you need?"

"No." She walked away before the situation might escalate further.

‘Do you see? Why bother yourself with one man when you can have as many as you want? You can have your pick; just choose one, and he shall be yours…’

But she didn’t want someone else. She wanted Mitsuki.

‘The body of Sakyuu is a vessel; it belongs to none in particular. You belong to none…’

Why? Just why was this happening to her? What the hell was Sakyuu, and what did it have to do with her?

---

The night was cold, the moon bright in the sky. Chocho Akimichi sat atop the Hokage monument, watching the moon and thinking deeply about the person it reminded her of.

Now that he’d clearly broken up with her, was she expected to let him go? Would she stand aside and watch him move on, fall in love with one of those girls from their class who had a crush on him? Would she attend his wedding one day? Would he even invite her in the first place? And kids… would he have kids with someone else?

Chocho bit down on her arm to stifle the frustrated scream that threatened to escape her. She knew she hadn’t been fair to him, but God, the world hadn’t been fair to her these past weeks, either! She couldn’t just stand aside and watch her man slip right out of her fingers. She loved Mitsuki, loved him so much that she couldn’t imagine being without him. She didn’t want him moving on. No way!

She swiftly rose to her feet, determination burning in her gaze.

Chocho skipped from rooftop to rooftop, the cool night air blowing against her face and hair. She arrived at Mitsuki’s apartment complex and perched outside his window, hesitating briefly before pushing the glass open; it gave way easily. Could it be that he was expecting her to come?

Hope bloomed in her chest as she entered the room. The lights were off, the room dim, only highlighted by the moonlight streaming through the window. Chocho found her vision was more profound than it used to be.

"Mitsuki, I know you’re mad at me, furious even, to the point you probably want to punch me. But I really didn’t mean for this to happen; I don’t want us to break up." There was no response from her boyfriend, so she edged closer to the bed, her gaze lowered, not wanting to see his disappointed look. She knew he was in the room; she could feel his familiar chakra and hear his light breathing. "I’ve come up with a solution."

Her hands reached to her clothes, and she slowly started stripping them off. "If we can’t settle this with talking, then let our actions do the settling. If you really don’t want to admit your love for me, then there are other ways you can show your love."

"He’s not here."

Her fingers paused; she had already taken off her blouse, though her lace bra was still
intact. Thank God. She raised her eyes to meet golden eyes. "Oh!" Chocho quickly drew back her shirt to cover herself. "You’re… Mitsuki’s brother, Log."

"Hmm."

SILENCE...

Damn, this was so awkward!

"Where is Mitsuki?"

"Gone."

"What do you mean gone? Where did he go?"

"He was summoned by our parent."

"How long has he been gone?"

"Two hours."

Dread settled deep inside her. Two hours… gone… How could he leave like that? Without telling her? She looked at the older clone helplessly, hoping with all her heart that this was some sick joke. But Mitsuki never joked. He didn’t understand the concept. So she doubted his brother, who was technically just an older version of him, would.

Log looked at the woman carefully, his head tilted, golden eyes gleaming in the dark. Slowly, he stepped forward, inching closer to Chocho until he was towering over her. A hand came under her chin to tilt her face upward so she was staring directly into that familiar face.

"You are his woman?"

‘Used to me. Used… to be. Please, no...’

"Beautiful," the clone mumbled, more to himself than to her. The woman’s eyes glazed with tears; she looked very vulnerable and pitiful at that moment. Log traced a finger over her plump lips absentmindedly. "The cave close to the Northern Border."

"Huh?"

"You will find him there." He paused before adding, "Tell him to find me at our usual place when he is ready."

"I… understand, thank you."

He gave her a dismissive look, and Chocho hurried out of the room through the same window she entered. Log watched the figure disappear into the night, his lips curling up in a smirk. "Not bad, Mitsuki."

Not bad at all…

Chapter Text

Chocho leapt from roof to roof, her movements swift and fluid, like a shadow in the night. The city slowly gave way to open fields, and the cool wind kissed her face as she raced onward. Soon, the hard rooftops beneath her feet turned into the uneven ground of a forest.

Trees stretched high above, their branches whispering in the breeze. Moonlight filtered through the leaves, casting shifting patterns of light and shadow on the forest floor.

Her pace slowed as she approached the hill. At its base, the mouth of a cave yawned wide, dark and foreboding. Jagged rocks jutted out around the entrance like sharp teeth, damp with clinging moss. The ground beneath her feet was stony and uneven, scattered with loose pebbles and patches of dry grass. From deep within, the faint sound of dripping water echoed, adding to the eerie stillness.

Chocho hesitated at the entrance, her heart thudding in her chest as doubts crept in. Was it a mistake to come here? she wondered. Would he even want to see me?

The uncertainty gnawed at her, but there was no turning back now. Taking a deep breath to steady herself, she forced her legs to move, each step slow and deliberate.

“Mitsuki?” she called softly. Her voice echoed back, sharp and hollow, sending a chill through her blood. A Shinobi’s eyesight was sharper than most, but in the pitch-black cave, even she was blind. The darkness pressed in on her like a shroud, concealing whatever lay ahead. “Mitsuki? Are you in here?”

She stood there for nearly ten minutes, desperately trying to sense Mitsuki’s chakra. But there was nothing. As someone with Sage Mode, Mitsuki was far beyond her league in terms of raw power and skill. If he truly wanted to hide his chakra, there was no way she could detect it.

Just when she was considering retreating, the entire cave lit up. Blue flames, the same color as his hair, flickered around pale fingers. Mitsuki snapped his hand, and the pile of wood stacked on the side was suddenly engulfed in fire. Chocho watched the flames, captivated. She wondered if she could ever do something like that. It was so cool. Her boyfriend was cool.

“Mitsuki?” she said again, edging closer. He sat a small distance from the fire, his head lowered so that his pale blue hair obscured his face. He wasn’t wearing his usual kimono. Instead, he wore dark pants, a turtleneck with long sleeves of the same shade, and a black vest. There was something different about him—his presence felt heavier, colder. Chocho almost didn’t recognize him.

She frowned, frustrated. Damn it. I don’t understand anything anymore!

Seeing that he wasn’t responding, she moved to sit beside him, kneeling halfway. For a moment, she glanced at him, but quickly shifted her gaze to the fire. The blue flames danced hypnotically, their glow reflecting in her eyes.

A lifetime seemed to pass between them in silence. Chocho finally couldn’t take it anymore. “When… are you coming back to the village?”

He didn’t look at her as he replied, his voice calm and distant. “It depends on how long I’m needed.”

Despite his willingness to even entertain her question, Chocho felt no relief. “It’s not going to be like last time… is it?” Her voice faltered slightly.

Mitsuki raised his head and met her gaze. Brown eyes locked with yellow, and they both understood what she meant by last time. He gave her a single, simple answer: “No.”

Chocho stared at him meekly. Her lips trembled, and her eyes burned with unshed tears. “My uncle has been writing to me for the last six months. He wants me to come to Kumogakure. I know it’s nothing like Konoha, but… there’s no drama over there.” She hesitated before adding, her voice dropping, “No Boruto. No Inojin. It would just be the two of us. We could stay for a bit, at least until everything goes back to normal. We…”

“It’s not possible.”

Chocho’s frustration boiled over. “Look, I know I messed up! It’s my fault, all my fault! But please… just… don’t leave me, okay?”

Mitsuki’s gaze softened slightly. He cupped her face, his touch featherlight, and spoke in a gentle voice. “It’s not your fault. I know this. Akimichi-san, I was wrong.”

Chocho’s shoulders slumped, defeat sinking into her bones. No matter how much she tried, she couldn’t change his mind. She leaned into him, pressing her forehead to his chest. Mitsuki, I love you so much. I’m sorry things turned out this way.

“Kiss me,” she whispered, her voice trembling.

His hand rose, his fingers brushing her cheek in a touch so gentle it sent a shiver down her spine. She couldn’t look away, couldn’t move, captivated by the way he seemed to drink her in, as if she were the only person in his world.

“Mitsuki…” she murmured, barely audible. But that was all it took.

He leaned in, resting his forehead against hers for a fleeting moment before his lips found hers. The kiss was soft and slow, a quiet promise spoken without words. His lips were warm, a contrast to the cool evening air, and the way he held her—firm yet tender—made her feel safe. Cherished.

Her hand instinctively rose to his chest, feeling the steady rhythm of his heartbeat beneath her fingertips. Time seemed to stand still, the world beyond the cave fading away.

When they finally pulled apart, Mitsuki’s eyes searched hers again, as if memorizing every detail of her face.

Chocho rested her hand against his chest and gently nudged him back. Mitsuki, confused, relented.

She pushed her hair back, her hands trembling slightly as she began to undo her dress. “Mitsuki, I want you to love me.”

Mitsuki blinked, surprised. “But I do.”

“I want you to love me in a different way,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “Be physical with me.” She runs her fingers through his soft hair, her lips brushing the tip of his nose.

The Akimichi pulls back briefly to see her lover's reaction. Mitsuki looks at her with pupils that have shrunk into slits. Satisfied, she closes the distance, but Mitsuki kisses her first. This kiss is nothing like their earlier one—it’s rough and passionate. She feels his hand on her body, aware of his fingers working at the loose ends of her shorts. She remembers vividly the feel of his skin against hers.

The moans, mostly hers, echo in the cave. He looms over her, her legs wrapped firmly around his waist as he slowly enters her. Chocho bites her lip to hold back a cry.

“Hush,” he coos, placing a gentle kiss on her lips. Chocho arches up into his touch. Mitsuki is pushing deeper inside her. She likes the feel of him, but it’s the total control he has over her that makes her euphoric.

“Fuck,” he breathes, his hand trailing to her waist, but he doesn’t go faster. She lays back and takes what he gives her, eyes half-lidded and lips parted, pleasure evident on her face.

“So good,” Mitsuki murmurs, his moist tongue licking his bottom lip as he stares down at her through half-lidded eyes. “So good for me.”

Wet sounds fill the cave. His hand grips her waist tighter, her warm core gushing around his hard, piercing cock, and he almost can’t stand it. This is new to both of them—new and so very pleasurable.

Mitsuki kisses her, whispering sweet promises in her ear. He tells her he will come back to her, that he will always love her. These words send her over the edge. She cums with a loud cry, her head thrown back.

Her boyfriend’s hold tightens around her as he shivers in delight at how tight her walls clench around him, but he doesn’t give in to the pleasure. He waits, and when he finally has her permission, he switches their positions.

Chocho moans as she is thrown onto her knees. He buries his face against her neck as he floods her insides with his seed. They remain like that for a while until they catch their breath. Mitsuki pulls back and stares down at her, his face still flushed from the sex. His eyes trail over her face, like he’s trying to memorize her every feature. Then he leans down and kisses her—soft, fond, and loving.

“You came inside,” she states.

“Yes,” he says vacantly.

That...should be worrying, shouldn’t it? But Chocho is tired and too blissed out from her first time to dwell on it. She lets Mitsuki maneuver her body until she is straddling him. She feels him brushing against her entrance, hard and pulsing.

“Um...Mitsuki?”

“Hmm?”

“You...how many times can you actually do this?”

His lips curl up, eyes glinting an eerie gold. “Do you want to find out?”

“Okay.” Chocho hugs her man, burying her face in his neck. “I gave you my first time. I’m willing to give a lot more, so...so you have to come back to me, okay?”

“Okay.”

“You promise?”

“I promise, Akimichi-san.”

Chocho smiles. Soon enough, Mitsuki has her on her back, her legs wrapped around his waist while he brings her over the edge again and again. She isn’t sure how many times she cums, screaming his name, but eventually, the exhaustion weighs down heavily on her, and she dozes off.

When she opens her eyes, the sun is almost peeking over the horizon, and Mitsuki is nowhere to be found. She sits there absentmindedly, staring at the empty cave and then down at her own body, which is clean, the smell of sex and Mitsuki long gone.

Chocho rises to her feet and reaches for her clothes, which have been folded neatly by her side. Something white flashes beneath the layers of fabric. Her eyes widen, and she reaches for the pristine white snake—small and pale, golden eyes staring intently at her.

“Oh,” she murmurs, holding the little snake closely. “He left you behind too, huh? Don’t worry, you’re in safe hands now.”

While she gets dressed, Mitsuki’s snake slithers into her mass of blue curls and settles comfortably at the top of her head. Chocho glances anxiously at the brightening sky and hopes to Kami that her parents haven’t noticed her disappearance yet, though that seems very unlikely.

* * *

Chocho makes her way back into town, each step carrying an undeniable energy that seems to bubble up from within her. Her strides are light and effortless, as though the ground itself is propelling her forward.

She’s in a good mood, and for the first time in a long while, she feels untouchable—powerful. The world seems sharper, brighter; every sound, every scent around her feels amplified.

“I bet I could finally beat Shikadai in a match!” she says. Yes, something is different about her today. Could it be the sex? But then again...sex doesn’t usually replenish one’s chakra, does it?

' The only way to find out is to do it with other people—see how much stronger you can get '

“That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard. I’m not just going to screw any random person to test out some dumb theory,” she mutters aloud.

' What do you have to lose? Your lover is gone, your best friend hates you—things truly can’t get worse from here. Why not make the best of your condition right now? The Hokage is...'

“Whoa, shut up! That was just a one-time thing! His son already likes me. You think I’ll...” She quickly shuts her mouth when she feels a familiar presence behind her.

“Damn, you’ve finally lost your mind,” Inojin remarks.

“Inojin? What do you want?”

“We’ve got a mission. Come back to the Hokage’s office with me.”

“The Hokage...?”

“Why? You’ve got a problem with that?”

' Hehe...busted. '

Chocho shakes her head. “Nope.”

Chapter Text

"What kind of mission is this going to be?"

"For the last time, Chubs, I don't fucking know," Inojin says, his voice taut with irritation. It couldn't possibly be over her question, though; she knows he's just taking out some repressed emotions on her. She scoffs and rolls her eyes, comparing her teammate to a girl on her period.

They arrive at the Hokage's office in good time. Seeing the familiar door, the Akimichi girl has memories of a certain scene flashing in the back of her mind. She bites her lips, assuring herself that it had only been a misunderstanding that time. She’s very relieved she hadn’t actually seduced the man. If it hadn’t been for that much-needed interruption, how would she even face the Hokage in the future?

If Inojin notices her being sheepish, he doesn’t mention it. Shikadai is already waiting at the office, and beside him is a familiar blond Chocho hasn’t seen in days. Okay, just pretend nothing happened. It can’t be that hard, honestly. She was used to feigning innocence whenever she emptied the cookie jar Karui left at the top of the fridge when she was younger. And technically, it’s not like there was anything going on between Boruto and her. Again, just a misunderstanding.

Inojin’s greeting to the Hokage snaps her out of her thoughts. She gives a small bow and clings to her friend’s side, her eyes fixed on the flower vase sitting so nicely on the Hokage’s table. The flowers must have been a gift from Mrs. Yamanaka; only her flower shop grows this variety of jasmine.

"Right. Thanks for coming, kids," Naruto Uzumaki clears his throat. He sounds a bit distracted at first, but soon enough, he wears his usual cheerful demeanor. "I know this is short notice, but something came up in the Land of Sands. I’ll be going myself to handle the matter, but just in case it takes longer than expected, your team will come along."

"Lord Seventh, what is the mission target?"

"The group you arrested in Kirigakure. I’m afraid they’ve been linked to another organization in the Hidden Sands. This group seems to have branches in all five villages. If care is not taken, they might revolt. We still don’t have any intel about their movements in the Leaf, but Sunagakure might give us some clues." Naruto briefs them about the mission.

While Chocho listens, she can’t help but feel the Hokage’s eyes trail over to her repeatedly. Well, at least he’s being subtle about it since no one else seems to notice—she hopes.

With the briefing over, Chocho is about to leave, but Naruto asks her to stay behind. Her mind grows uneasy, but she manages not to display any nervousness at being left alone with the older Uzumaki. If she pretends there’s no awkwardness between them, then Naruto will ignore the whole thing too.

The main thing is that he has more to lose if that particular scene gets out. He’s a married man, for crying out loud! And she had tried to kiss him. But in her defense, she was just testing how far she could stretch the whole “attract every man” thing she’s got going on. She was hopeful she could figure things out before Mitsuki returned. Then, they’d go back to being the happy couple they were before this whole mess happened.

"Lord Seventh?"

Naruto blinks, a bit dazed. He’s staring—not offensively, but like he’s trying to figure her out. Unfortunately for him, Chocho isn’t even sure she can figure herself out yet. She doesn’t think she’s ever held his attention this much before. Even as kids, the man always seemed to have too much on his plate.

With two kids, the oldest being stubborn and just a full-blown devil, Naruto always had to keep an eye on Boruto whenever he was left alone with them. Including playdates, birthdays, and the rest. Then there was the whole paperwork thing, which she knows the man hates but still has to slog through. His gaze has always been polite but fleeting, just enough to acknowledge her presence but never more than that. Sarada, on the other hand, has always been in the spotlight—she’s the daughter of his best friend, after all.

Chocho doesn’t mind. It’s similar to how her uncle and aunt, Shikamaru and Ino, treat her specially compared to Sarada, though they do make it as subtle as possible. But still, there’s that.

"There’s a woman in Sunagakure who is very knowledgeable about curses and forbidden jutsus. She might be able to help you."

Note the keyword: might. In other words, she shouldn’t get her hopes up. "Thank you, Lord Seventh."

"Just… let’s stick to Naruto."

"Oh." That’s a bit weird. Even her dad doesn’t address the Hokage by his name anymore. Is it really fine for her to call him that? "Then… Uncle Naruto?"

The Uzumaki cringes, obvious discomfort seeping into his gaze. With a sigh that holds more frustration than she’s ever perceived from him, he waves dismissively, and Chocho gladly steps out of the office. Okay, so he doesn’t like being called Uncle. Not entirely unexpected, seeing as they had almost kissed that one time.

---

"Hey."

Chocho didn’t notice Boruto leaning against the wall just outside the office, which is why she nearly jumps out of her skin at his sudden presence beside her. And if he notices the way her eyes dart around, looking for an escape, he doesn’t mention it.

"Hi."

"It’s been a while."

"Yeah, it has." She’d done a great job avoiding him. If she hadn’t needed to come to the Hokage’s office today, they probably wouldn’t see each other for a few more weeks. But now that she was going on a mission with Boruto, she felt it was better to settle the awkward tension between them. "Um... how’s Sarada?"

Terrible question. Boruto raises a brow at her. "Don’t know. Haven’t seen her since the breakup."

Chocho knows it’s none of her business, but she can’t help herself. Sarada is her friend, and Boruto is a dipshit for doing this to her!

"You... you still haven’t made up?"

"We’re not gonna make up. Not in a romantic sense, anyway."

"But—"

"It’s not happening!" he snaps, annoyance heavy in his voice. A flicker of regret crosses his face when he sees her flinch. His tone softens. "It’s... not complicated, really. I don’t feel that way about her anymore. Even if you don’t reciprocate my feelings, at least don’t try to hook me up, okay? It’s shit."

"You do realize that what you feel for me isn’t love, right?"

"Damn, don’t tell me how I feel!"

"I’m just saying the truth! I don’t even know what the hell you expect from me! I’m with Mitsuki. He is—"

"Mitsuki isn’t in the village, though, is he?"

"WHAT THE HELL DOES THAT MEAN?! You want me to hook up with you behind his back?!"

Boruto scoffs coldly. "Like you aren’t fucking Inojin already."

Chocho’s jaw drops. What the actual—? "You... how—"

"Come on. You think I haven’t noticed how your hair fucking changes color? I’m not dumb."

"Well..." Come on, Chocho, think of a comeback! "Your hair’s yellow too."

"Not that kind of yellow."

"I could’ve dyed it, you ass!"

"Then you must be a fan of blue." Just what the hell was she supposed to say to that? Suddenly, she has an almost uncontrollable urge to shave her head. That’s right, let’s just go bald.

Boruto adds, "You should wear a hat, I think."

"Yeah."

They stare at each other in silence. Eventually, Chocho speaks up. "Sarada doesn’t talk to me. I haven’t seen her in days."

"It’s... my fault. I’m sorry. Not for liking you or anything, but I’m sorry I messed up your friendship. We grew up together. It’s not like I want to see her hurting, shit, but it’s just... I can’t help it, you know? You love who you love."

"I love Mitsuki."

"I know." He does know. He knew it even before risking his own relationship. But it just can’t be helped. "I know."

Silence weighs heavily between them. Chocho watches the Uzumaki for a long time. Boruto is an open book, his emotions easy to read. She still doesn’t believe he loves her the way he claims, but she can’t be selfish enough to keep voicing her doubts. It must hurt.

"It can’t be helped," she says, brushing a strand of blue hair from her face. I do need to start wearing hats. "T... thank you for your... love."

Boruto smiles. "You’re welcome. I hope you can stop avoiding me after this. I’m not going to eat you. Well, unless you’re into—"

"No!" She clamps her hand over his mouth. "Don’t say that."

Boruto pulls her hand away, his lips brushing against her knuckles. He smiles so affectionately at her that the princess’s face heats up. Oh boy. My life is such a mess.

Chapter Text

Rule number one to stealing your best friend's man: Avoid said man.

But since she can't do that, avoid doing anything remotely intimate with him. Boruto, however, is persistent, skillfully using every given opportunity to touch, cling a bit too close, and suddenly develop an interest in a variety of potato chips Chocho doesn't even eat anymore.

"I heard the salmon-flavored chips are good. Try it," he says.

"Ooookay." She accepts the gift, and Boruto slides into the seat across from her with as much subtlety as an Uzumaki can manage. Really, she has long given up hope of enjoying any privacy. She used to go out on these little dates with Sarada, just to eat and gossip about trivial things while they were both free. But Sarada was avoiding her, so she mostly goes out by herself.

Weirdly enough, she almost always runs into one of the guys—Inojin, who just happens to coincidentally run into her, or Boruto, who must think he's so smooth with his advances. The gifts are getting overwhelming. She used to like chips a lot—they were her thing. But what the hell is a salmon chip?

Kami, she can only imagine the fishy stench, which reminds her of the big fish pagoda Boruto had gifted Sarada last time. Boruto is like this—he gives little things to people he likes. It had been Sarada once upon a time, and now it’s Chocho. The thought leaves a bitter taste in her mouth.

Inojin, she can handle. He’s a dumbass sometimes and gets a bit too clingy for her liking. But he’s her best friend, and she’s almost certain he’d back off if she kindly asked him. Plus, he hasn’t confessed his undying love to her yet, and he didn’t dump her best friend because he thought he was in love with her. So, there’s that. Both blondies are unpredictable, always lingering around her like shadows.

And damn, Chocho knows there was a point in her life when she craved attention from guys! She literally wants to bitch-slap her past self right now. Now, she’d give anything to have things go back to normal—to not have Boruto look at her like she hung the very moon in the sky. Sometimes, she just wants to strangle him! Like, if she wraps her hand around his neck and chokes him half to death, would he snap out of whatever fantasy he’s having?

“You don’t like it?” Boruto asks, and Chocho realizes she’s holding the bag of chips like it’s a dead rat.

“Uh...I haven’t tried this flavor before.” And she really doesn’t want to try salmon-flavored chips. She doesn’t even like salmon! But the Uzumaki spends an awful lot of time finding rare flavors for her to try. She tears the seal open and throws a chip into her mouth, because Chocho is just that good of a person. Eating fishy chips that make her want to vomit with a grateful smile on her face. “It’s not bad. But maybe stick to the usual flavors, okay?”

“Yeah, yeah, sure.”

Awkward silence stretches between them, and Chocho eats more chips just to have something to do. Her eyes twitch when she picks up a familiar chakra. Boruto glances behind him just as Kawaki walks to their booth. He slides into the seat beside his brother wordlessly.

“Hello.”

Chocho blinks and blinks again to ensure she isn’t hallucinating. “Hey.”

“What are you doing here?” Boruto doesn’t even hide his irritation. Kawaki brushes him off like one would a fly, making the blond’s fists clench by his side. The tension between the brothers has her wanting to crawl under the table until the world returns to normal.

“Weren’t you helping Sumire with her report?” Boruto presses.

“Finished early. There’s not much to report.”

“Dad asked you to help Aunt Temari with gardening, didn’t he?”

“Finished early. It’s not much of a garden.”

“Tch, try saying that in front of her.”

“Already did,” Kawaki says, then gestures to the purple bruising on his jaw. It’s already healing and hardly noticeable unless one squints. Yeah, that looks like Temari’s work, alright. The whole thing is getting awkward, so Chocho doesn’t think she wants to linger around any longer than necessary.

“Okay, I need to get going now. Mom must be wondering where I’ve run off to. See you guys later.”

“I’ll see you off!” Both Uzumakis exchange looks, probably not expecting they’d both have the same idea. And they echo it at the same time, too. How fucking predictable!

Chocho ignores them and walks out of the café directly. She facepalms at the footsteps she hears behind her. Boruto is still trying to convince Kawaki to leave, while Kawaki finds every reason to stay. Then she spots a mop of familiar purple hair walking their way, and instant relief fills her.

“Kawaki!” Sumire hurries forward, her eyes quickly darting to her boyfriend and then to Chocho. She doesn’t issue her usual cheerful greeting and ignores the Akimichi girl completely. Chocho isn’t even surprised. She knows Sumire and the rest of the girls are pissed at her on Sarada’s behalf. She doesn’t blame them at all. She’d ignore herself too if she could.

“Why did you run off like that? There are still a lot of topics we haven’t covered yet.”

“I’m not interested in reading more of your books,” Kawaki says blandly. And was that annoyance in his voice? He doesn’t even try to hide it.

Sumire must have picked up on it, but with the way she looks at Chocho—like she’s afraid the Akimichi will steal Kawaki away at any moment—she’d rather deal with her boyfriend’s mood than let him remain here. “Then let’s go eat something. We’ll deal with the report tomorrow.” Sumire entwines her arm with Kawaki’s and urges him forward, not even giving him time to react.

Kawaki looks back at her, appearing very reluctant to leave. Chocho glares him down. What the hell is he looking at her for? Couldn’t he see how jealous his girlfriend is acting, even though Chocho has shown absolutely no interest in the other Uzumaki boy?

Sumire couldn’t even trust her around her man, like Chocho was going to snatch him the way she did with Boruto. WHAT THE HELL WAS WRONG WITH THE WORLD?! When had she become a man-snatcher?!

“Hey, uh… Your chakra’s flaring.”

“Thanks.” Thanks for absolutely nothing! If it wasn’t because of you, obviously I wouldn’t be in this predicament!

She ran her fingers through her hair, trying to calm herself down. Suddenly, a stuttering voice called her name.

“Huh?” Magire’s figure came into view as he edged closer. She realized she hadn’t seen him since the fainting incident. “M-Magire?”

“H… Hello.”

“It’s this guy,” Boruto muttered, his voice devoid of kindness. Chocho shot him a glare when she noticed Magire lower his head at the comment. Damn, just when the guy was starting to become more outspoken and confident.

She opened her mouth to comfort him, but a loud “Chubs!” cut her off. They all turned toward Inojin, who had seemingly appeared out of nowhere. The Yamanaka ignored the others standing beside her.

“Chubs, didn’t you say we were training together today? Why the hell are you just wandering around?”

“She wasn’t wandering,” Boruto interjected, placing a hand on her shoulder. The touch was light, yet it held some possessiveness. Wow.

“She was with me.”

“Huh, maybe it would have been better if she was wandering around instead,” Inojin said with a scoff. He grabbed her hand and pulled her toward him. “She’s busy now, so fuck off.”

“Don’t decide for her.” Boruto’s eyes sharpened in the way they always did when he was about to cause serious havoc on some poor soul. “Let. Go.”

Chocho looked between the two blonds, and then at Magire, who looked just as confused as she felt. Wow, she thought. It’s really hard being me.

Chapter Text

"Guys, don't fight," she said. A few years ago, she’d have made a joke about how attractive she was and how the guys couldn’t resist her charms, but now it wasn’t even a joke anymore. With the two blondies glaring at each other, she was afraid they’d start fighting at any moment. Slowly, she pulled her hand from Boruto’s grip. "How about this: I’ll head back home in half an hour, and we can have that training session. But first, I’ll go with Magire to—"

"Uh, t-there’s no need to change your plans for me!" Magire stuttered, glancing nervously between Inojin and Boruto. Slowly, he backed away. "I just wanted to say hi. P-please, go on with your training."

"Magire..." Bro, I’m begging you, don’t leave me with these two! She was practically giving him puppy eyes to stay, but Magire was already disappearing into the crowd. Wow, just look how easily he abandons me. Chocho turned back to find the guys staring at her. "I... I guess I’ll just go home then."

"Great. Shikadai’s already waiting at your place. Let’s go," Inojin said, dragging her along—not without flashing a taunting look at Boruto. The Uzumaki ignored him and returned Chocho’s wave with a charming smile.

"Why not go to Shikadai’s place? I think the Nara compound has the best training grounds," Chocho suggested.

"His mom’s having an episode. She tried to beat him up with that giant fan of hers. And my parents are having one of their cringe date nights. I do not want to be around them when they get all lovey-dovey."

"Aww, I think date nights are pretty cute. And your dad’s sooo handsome. Your mom must feel so lucky."

Inojin glared at her from the corner of his eye. He didn’t say anything, but the warning was evident: Don’t crush on my dad! She flashed him a cheeky grin. Alright, I have enough on my hands anyway.

The house was empty aside from Shikadai, who was sprawled on the living room sofa like he belonged there. Karui was off shopping, and her dad was handling some clan matters. At a time like this, she was tempted to watch some good television, but Inojin seemed serious about the training.

"We’ll be going to the Land of Sands for an S-rank mission. Honestly, who knows what kind of shit we’ll be dealing with," Inojin said.

"The Hokage will be there," Chocho reminded him. Honestly, she thought Naruto chose to bring her whole team along so she wouldn’t feel lonely in the Sands. Even if she didn’t find the cure she desperately needed, at least she’d have two shoulders to cry on, right? Naruto could solo whatever threat this mission posed. "We’re just going there as backup."

"You seem rather relaxed, considering what my cousin had to say about you last time."

If Chocho were a furry animal, her fur would’ve bristled at that jab. It had been years since she’d seen Shinki, and she was glad for that. But the iron user’s degrading words still rang in her head from time to time. He looked down on her a lot back then—maybe he still did. But screw him. Chocho was stronger now. She could see the future! Glimpses of it, at least. And look, her hair could change color. Who cared about why or how? It was still cool.

"Whatever," she said, allowing herself to be dragged to the courtyard by Inojin. Shikadai trailed behind them at a lazy pace.

The training felt more like a routine; they knew each other too well to truly fall victim to each other’s jutsus. Still, it was fun and kept Chocho on her toes—nothing out of the ordinary, until it happened.

Caught in Shikadai’s Shadow Paralysis Jutsu, Chocho struggled to break free. She poured all her energy into resisting, her determination rising as the seconds ticked by. Suddenly, an unfamiliar surge of power coursed through her body.

Without warning, her form began to shift—her skin glowed faintly, and snake-like patterns flickered across her arms. Her movements became faster and more fluid, almost as if she were no longer in full control.

Before she could fully grasp what was happening, a burst of energy erupted from her, breaking Shikadai’s hold and sending him hurtling into a tree.

"What the absolute fuck?!" Inojin screeched.

Chocho blinked in confusion, her gaze darting down to her hands. Seeing the scales on her arms and her black, claw-like nails, she exclaimed, "Uh... Ew, my nails! I just got them painted three days ago!"

Shikadai clawed his way out of the mangled tree trunk. "Yeah, that’s definitely what you should be most worried about."

"Isn’t this... the weirdo’s powers? He pulled this stunt at the Chunin Exams years ago, right?"

Firstly, don’t call her boyfriend a weirdo. And secondly, Chocho didn’t want to have the discussion about how she had somehow absorbed some of Mitsuki’s abilities. "It happens. Just a side effect of the curse."

---

"Sure, but how did this happen? A Sage Mode isn’t something that can just be passed around, right?" Inojin looked over at Shikadai for confirmation. The Nara shrugged, more focused on getting twigs and leaves out of his hair. "You better start talking, Chubs."

"Well, if you must know, I absorbed it through my mouth..." And other places, but did she really need to add that last part?

"How?"

"Do I really need to spell it out for you?!"

"Oh." The stupid blondie seemed to finally understand. His frown deepened. "How come you didn’t absorb my jutsu? What makes that weird snake guy better than me?!"

"Who wants to go around painting?! I can’t even paint to begin with, so what the hell am I gonna use your jutsu for?"

"I’ll teach you. It’s just a seal—even you can pull it off. Absorb my chakra first."

"Ha ha. Go to hell."

"The both of you," Shikadai groaned, "are disgusting."

Chocho rolled her eyes, and Inojin shrugged, not looking even a bit ashamed. Well, he already knew everything.

"Ninsuki!" Choji called from within the house. The princess sighed and walked back inside, her friends following after. Shikadai walked with a slight limp. To think he had left the house to avoid getting beat up by his mom, only to end up bruised by his teammate.

---

Boruto was already waiting at the train station when the Ino-Shika-Cho trio arrived.

"Here." With a smile, he passed her a bag of chips. At least this time it was onion-flavored—not bad at all. She could snack on this while on the train. She thanked him, causing Inojin to scoff loudly.

Boruto and Shikadai started conversing, leaving Chocho alone with her other teammate. The Akimichi then proceeded to talk Inojin’s ear off about the various flavors of chips she’d tried so far. While Inojin looked very uninterested, he did listen and occasionally chipped in an insult, showing her words weren’t just going through one ear and out the other.

Nearly half an hour later, the Hokage showed up. Naruto was apologetic about the delay; he’d had to sort out some paperwork before leaving for fear that it would pile up in his absence. Shikamaru was just as lazy as the Hokage when it came to such things—it was likely he wouldn’t even bother doing them while Naruto was gone.

They were taken on a private train. Though much faster than civilian transports, it would still take nearly ten hours to get to Sunagakure.

Three hours in, Chocho was already bored out of her mind. Shikadai was asleep, Naruto was trying to have a civil conversation with his son (though the younger Uzumaki merely glared at him), and Inojin was painting.

Chocho didn’t know much about art, and watching those pale hands move skillfully, adding each stroke to refine the image of flowing water, just made her feel like sleeping.

She thought about it briefly and then shifted closer to Inojin. "Hey."

"Don’t bother me," the stupid blondie said without looking at her.

"Idiot. I was just about to propose we do something fun." A game she used to play with Sarada—it should be enough to cure her boredom.

But Inojin seemed to have thought of something else entirely. "Unless you’re gonna let me stick my dick in your mouth, I doubt I’d find anything you propose fun."

"You are so vulgar! Uncultured and prudish!"

"Yeah, okay. Now be quiet. Don’t make me mess up my painting."

"Whatever." She folded her arms and put some distance between them. Stubbornly, she decided she wasn’t going to speak to Inojin again until they reached Suna.

Fifteen minutes later, Chocho’s eyes twitched as she drew closer to the stupid blondie again. "That thing… you did with your mouth the other time… in the Mist… c-can you..."

Inojin’s fingers paused, the sudden movement causing a splash of color on his carefully crafted painting. He looked at her with those blue-green eyes, his lips curling into a wolfish smile that might’ve seemed weird if she hadn’t seen it a few times before.

"You’re cute," he said. Then he set the half-finished painting aside and rose to his feet. "Come." He walked off toward the cabin area.

Chocho stared down at her hands, then at the strands of blue hair falling over her shoulder. Dammit, I forgot to bring a hat!

"I’m going to take a nap," she announced, scurrying away.

"Isn’t it too early for a nap?" Boruto muttered, then glanced at Shikadai, who had rolled onto the ground at some point and was snoring loudly. Eh, Team 10’s weird like that.

Chocho stared at the array of doors lining the corridor. She couldn’t pick up Inojin’s chakra and had no idea where he’d gone. As she passed by the first three doors, an arm yanked her into the fourth room. She was pressed up against the wall with soft lips quickly trailing kisses down her neck. Inojin's hands were all over her, squeezing her thigh, her waist and slowly making it's way between her legs.

" H...Hey, There's a b...Mhm...bed over there "

" No need " Inojin sinks to his knees in front of her, his fingers working the bottoms of her shorts. " Here is fine "

Chapter Text

Sex with Inojin is a bit weird at first—this is still her childhood friend, after all. But once she gets past the initial awkwardness, she lets herself fully indulge in the pleasure that comes with being with the Yamanaka.

Inojin is good with his tongue. The way he tongue-fucks her while keeping his eyes fixed firmly on her face, gauging her every reaction, makes her hot all over. His hair feels soft between her fingers, and his fingers dig into her thighs so deliciously. "F...Fuck, Kami...Please."

The wet sounds that echo through the room are obscene. Slowly, she tightens her grip on his hair, nudging him closer. "Yes...Oh God, yes...so good, mhm..." Inojin’s tongue flicks around her clit and then plunges into her, licking, sucking, and swallowing her juices. Soon enough, he has her tumbling over the edge with a muffled cry. He continues to tongue-fuck her through her orgasm until her legs go soft and nearly give out.

Inojin pulls away, licking the residue of her pleasure from his lips. He leans down to kiss her, and Chocho tries not to gag at the taste of her juices on his lips. It’s fucking gross. She doesn’t mind having him cum in her mouth, but tasting herself is just not doing it for her.

"Don’t make that face," Inojin says, smiling fondly and gently nibbling on her bottom lip. "You taste delicious."

"For you, maybe. Just...let me." She palms his straining erection. Inojin hums and places a wet kiss against her throat. The move is oddly intimate, and she tries not to think about it too much. Chocho attempts to go to her knees, but the Yamanaka holds her still.

"What?"

"I don’t want you to blow me."

"Uh...then what do you want?" Inojin rolls his eyes like she’s asked a dumb question. He kisses her again and guides her to the bed. Only when she’s lying on her back with the Yamanaka between her legs, watching her intently as he strokes himself, does she react.

"Um...no."

"No?"

"No, w...we can’t have sex."

"Why?"

"Because..." Was that even a question? "Because we’re friends! We’ve known each other for ages. Having sex would shatter our friendship!"

Inojin scoffs. "And you fucking my face doesn’t count as having sex? Friends shouldn’t know the way you taste, but at this point, we’re too far gone to back out." His hands trail down to her stomach, rubbing little circles around her bellybutton. Maybe the gesture was meant as a distraction, because Chocho feels Inojin rubbing himself against her wet entrance. She whines at the sensation. Inojin kisses her so sweetly—the way any girl would want to be kissed. "Besides, you trust me, don’t you? You want me?"

"I...Inojin..."

"You want me. Tell me."

"I...I want you."

He chuckles, happy and pleased. "That’s right, baby, you do." His hands grip her thighs, and very slowly, he eases into her. "F...Fuck, you’re so...tight."

Chocho’s eyes squeeze shut, her mouth falling open as a soft, trembling cry escapes. "Oh...God," she moans, barely able to form words. A gasp slips out as Inojin sets a rhythm—deep, deliberate thrusts sending waves of electricity coursing through her. Each stroke strikes that sensitive spot inside, making stars explode behind her closed eyelids.

"So good," Inojin murmurs, his voice rough and heavy with desire. His tongue darts out to wet his bottom lip as he gazes down at Chocho through half-lidded eyes. "You’re so good for me."

The wet, primal sounds of their bodies fill the room, Inojin’s weight pressing harder into her with each thrust. His fingers dig into her waist, holding her steady as her core clenches around him, drenched in her arousal. Chocho is nearly overwhelmed by the intensity of it all. A tight knot coils in her stomach, winding tighter with every movement.

Her orgasm crashes over her like a wave, and Chocho bites into the back of her hand to stifle the scream threatening to escape. Inojin groans against the curve of her shoulder, his body shuddering before he releases his warmth inside her.

Minutes pass with them locked in that intimate position. Chocho regains herself first. "You...you came inside me!" she shrieks.

Inojin pulls away, staring at his release trickling down the Akimichi’s thighs. "Yeah, so?"

"You dumbass! What if—"

"You got pregnant? That’s...not a bad thing. Not like I’m gonna abandon you or anything." He successfully dodges a kick that would have sent him flying to the other end of the room. Rolling his eyes, Inojin slides off the small mattress, searching for something to clean up with. "Hey, Chubs, don’t fall asleep. That stuff’s gonna dry up on you if you don’t clean up."

"You do it," Chocho says with a yawn. She feels so tired now. It would be nice to catch up on some sleep before they reach Suna. "It’s your...fault anyway."

"Sure it is."

The Yamanaka retrieves a bowl of water and a cloth. After cleaning himself and the sleeping Akimichi, he brushes a strand of pale blond hair from her face with great satisfaction. That’s right—his color looked much better on her.

* * *

Chocho awakens to sharp fingers digging into her thighs. She is shoved forward against the nonexistent ground before she can even open her eyes. "What..."

The endless white space is condensing, and the faceless figure is much closer to her now than he had ever been before. Kami, she can feel his body pressed against her own. Dark nails draw a bloody line down her thighs. "G...Get off me!!" Chocho tries to shove him away, but he doesn’t budge. Her entire body feels so heavy, and she’s so damn tired, it’s hard to keep her eyes open.

"Body of Sakyuu." Cold lips brush against her earlobe. "Finally, you’re ready."

"What are you doing?! Stop!" She’s desperately trying to struggle, but she can’t get away. Each article of clothing she wore shimmers into nothing, one by one. The figure clearly enjoys seeing the panic-stricken expression on her face. He grabs her by the hair and forces her into an uncomfortable and vulnerable position. "Ahh!!" Her pained cries echo in the endless space.

The hands around her tighten as the figure eases himself into her roughly, showing no care for her comfort or the pained cry she gives. "Not enough," he mumbles in dissatisfaction. But he thrusts forward, humming at her cries. "You will need to work harder."

* * *

Chocho wakes up with a gasp. Her body aches like hell. In panic, she strips down the layers of her clothes, noting with great horror the bruises and claw marks decorating her thighs and hips. Her legs tremble, barely holding her weight as she stands. "Oh God." She feels sick, completely drained, like there isn’t an ounce of chakra left in her.

The worst part is, before she can even pull herself together, footsteps echo outside the room, followed by a series of knocks. "Chubs, we’re here already. Come on."

She takes a deep breath and bites back the pained sounds threatening to escape with each step she takes. It hurts so much. The door creaks open, and she steps outside. Inojin's eyes widen slightly at the sight of her. "Hey, your hair’s back to normal." Of course, that’s the first thing he notices. The asshole.

"Can you...help me out? My legs feel shaky."

"It shouldn’t be like this...should it?" Inojin eyes her trembling form, his eyebrows knitting with worry.

Chocho lies through her teeth. "It’s my first time, so..."

"Oh." He doesn’t say anything else. Inojin wraps an arm around her waist and leads her away from the cabin.

The others are already waiting outside. The Kazekage is there to personally welcome them to Sunagakure, and beside him is Shinki. Just great.