Boruto got up. He had plans for today. His team and Team 10 were to meet up for Barbecue. There was really only one reason for doing so, and that reason was that a rumor had started swirling around about a new limited-edition candy bar, sold only at the Konoha Barbecue Shop! Such a delicacy made ChouChou eager to go, and made her drag five people with her.

He brushed his teeth and strolled groggily down the stairs. As he was strolling down the stairs, he overheard a conversation between his father and his mother.

Hinata and Naruto sat on the couch, making small talk. Their chat was a fake version of their usual happy conversations. They were sad. They were broken. Their beloved daughter was gone. After the conversation dwindled down, Boruto was about to interfere. However, Naruto managed to ask Hinata the question he had been waiting to ask before Boruto's interference.

"Are you alright?" He asked, Naruto's cerulean eyes interlocking with Hinata's lavender ones. She didn't respond. She only looked down. She didn't want to lie to her husband, but she didn't want to worry him, either, so she just remained silent. "There's no way you could be. I worded that horribly. I'm sorry." Boruto shifted uncomfortably on the stairwell. It was uncommon for his father to ask this, or to be so formal.

"I-it's fine." Hinata stammered out. "What were you attempting to say?"

"I was trying to ask..." He pondered. "Well, how do I word it..." He didn't find the perfect way to word it, but attempted to say what he meant. "If Boruto went on a mission... would that be alright?"

"To retrieve Himawari, I assume?" Hinata's eyebrow rose. Boruto smiled on the stairwell. He wanted to retrieve Himawari and was shocked that his father was willing to let him do it.

"Yeah." Naruto stated. "It's fine if you think you won't be okay with out him. It really is. Just, I don't think Boruto would be too happy if I created a scout team for her and didn't put him on it."

"I can see how that would be a concern..." Hinata attempted to smile, "But believe me. I'll be fine."

"I'd feel bad leaving you here, home by yourself..." Naruto began.

"I'll be fine, Naruto." She said, grabbing his hand. "I can fight for myself."

"You can..." Naruto admitted. "You're so strong it's scary."

"Scary? I don't think it's scary..." Hinata stated.

"Yeah! It's scary but also badass! You can fight and stick up for yourself!" Naruto cheered enthusiastically.

Hinata slightly chuckled. "Are you stating that I should go into fights and on missions?"

"I know you'll beat 'em up if you do so!"

"If I'm such a good fighter..." A small smirk emerged from her lips. "Could I go on the Himawari retrieval mission?" Hinata asked innocently. Boruto stood there, flabbergasted. His mom leading the mission? That would be interesting.

"What?" Naruto asked, shocked. He wasn't expecting Hinata to ask something like that.

"I could be a major asset. I could help. I could fight. I don't want to be sitting around this house, doing absolutely nothing, waiting anxiously for the return of my daughter and son. I feel like I'll become much worse if I stay here." Hinata said, which surprised Naruto even more, as she was not one to say long statements.

But, he already knew the answer. "No, Hinata. You can't go." Boruto grunted in annoyance.

Hinata wanted to retort. She wanted to be like 'What?! Why?!' but knew she couldn't. That's just not the type of person she was. "O-oh. Alright then..."

"It's not because you're weak. I just said you were really strong, didn't I?" Naruto stated something that shocked the Hyūga next. "It's because I am."

"W-Wha?" She asked. Hinata and Boruto were very confused.

"I'm so weak that I can't let my entire family go." Naruto stated, downcast. It was then when Hinata could see him how stressed the situation was making him. Of course, she saw him, heartbroken in the Hōkage's office, but she didn't see him like this. She didn't see him so worried that he wasn't himself. Boruto had however. He had turned around in the Hōkage's office and saw his father break down. "I can't let you go, Hinata. I love you and I worry about you. If you go, that worry will pile up. I know that's just me being selfish, but it's something I strongly feel. If you go, I'll have a desire to go, to protect my family and I can't do that. I'm sorry."

Hinata smiled sweetly. "Alright. I love you too, Naruto." She didn't push her request, although she wanted to. She wanted Naruto to stay strong. If she could help him here by doing that, she was more than happy to stay.

He then began to discuss with her possible members for the retrieval mission, but Boruto interrupted.

"Hi!!" He exclaimed, waving his hands.

"You're up...." Hinata looked her son up and down. "and excited?" Hinata questioned.

"Yeah! It's barbecue day!!"

"Barbecue day?" Naruto questioned.

"Yeah, Team 7 And Team 10 are meeting up for some good BBQ!"

"Oh, dang. That makes me remember the good old days." Naruto reminisced.

Hinata giggled. "Yeah, that does bring back some memories."

"And you're going with Inojin...?" Naruto questioned.

"Yeah.." Boruto responded in a confused tone. What was important about him going with Inojin?

"Oh my god. You going with Inojin is making me remember when Sai and Ino first met!" Naruto recalled the memory.

"What?"

"Now that I think about it, I never asked how they met." Hinata sat quietly for a moment. "Did it have something to do with barbecue?"

Naruto laughed. "Yeah. Well, actually, they met at the hospital visiting Kakashi, but they didn't introduce themselves 'til we had lunch, or dinner, I don't remember..."

"Was it a funny meeting?" Boruto asked.

Naruto told Boruto to sit down before proceeding to tell him the story.

••

"....So then, Sakura thought 'He's going to call Ino ugly! Yes!!!' but then guess what he said?!?" Naruto recalled enthusiastically.

"What did he say?!" Boruto asked excitedly. He was gnawing on the edges of the pillow about to fall out of his chair with interest. Hinata was listening intently to her husband talk, her eyes widening when a part of the story was surprising.

"He called her gorgeous!!" Naruto exclaimed.

Hinata smiled, "They were meant to be."

Boruto sat there in awe. "The Sai that was emotionless at the time?!"

"Yeah, Yeah! It was hilarious!! Sakura sat there in fury, Ino sat blushing madly, I was relieved he didn't mess up, and Sai smiled innocently."

"Sounds accurate." Hinata commented.

"That sounds like it was entertaining to watch." Boruto added.

"It really was..."

"Did they start dating soon after that? Or?" Boruto asked, interested.

"Nope." Naruto sighed, "Took 'em three years, more or less."

"Yep." Hinata smiled. "They gotten together just a few days before our wedding."

"That's right!" Naruto exclaimed.

•••

Time passed, and Boruto eventually went to the barbecue place. As he was walking, a green jumpsuit man bumped into him.

"Metal?" Boruto looked at the person that ran into him. Sure, the person looked like Metal, but didn't really give him Metal vibes. He was more downcast than usual.

"Boruto?" The boy finally looked up. "Hey."

"Metal? Ya okay?" Boruto asked, concerned.

"Fine." Metal replied in a monotone voice.

"What's up?"

"Oh, nothing." Metal stated, shoving the blonde away.

"Seriously. What's wrong?" Metal had already begun to walk the other way by the time this question was asked. Boruto was following behind him, consistently bothering him.

"Well, I know Himawari's disappearance is very hard on you and I don't really want to bother you with my issue, Boruto." Metal stated.

"It's fine." Boruto smiled weakly. Was Metal really worried about bothering him?

"Really?" Boruto simply nodded in response to Metal's question. "Well, Himawari is my ever-so-youthful rival! And if she's gone, I don't have anyone to rival my youthfulness! So, my youthfulness disappears!"

Boruto laughed. "So, you're being adult-like because my sisters gone?"

"I don't know... I guess?" Metal pondered the idea. He didn't think he was being adult-like, he just thought he wasn't being himself.

"Then, why don't you help me retrieve her?"

"...Wha?" Metal asked, confused.

"You'd be more youthful if you're trying to find my youthful sister, wouldn't cha?"

Metal thought about the idea, but then simply smiled. "Yeah. Alright."

Boruto hesitated. "Now, we need a way to get my dad to agree!"

"I think I know how." A voice said, before plopping down from their spot on a tree.

"Mitsuki?!" Boruto exclaimed.

"You were listening?" Metal asked, shocked.

"Well, doh. I'm always with Boruto."

"Always..?" Metal asked hesitantly.

"Yes." Mitsuki smiled his usual closed-eye smile. "All the time."

Metal had several thoughts in his head, so he didn't respond or retort. Boruto just simply asked Mitsuki what the plan was.

Mitsuki's plan was surprising, but they decided to go through with it.

The trio arrived at the barbecue place. When they got there, it was only ChouChou and Sarada. "Where're the others?" Boruto asked, standing at the end of their booth.

"They bailed. Inojin said he had something ever-so-important to do, and to tell you guys he's sorry, Shikadai said it would be troublesome." ChouChou stated, before devouring her piece of pork. "I don't really care though. That means more barbecue for me!"

Mitsuki smiled at ChouChou, "Of course you'd think like that."

"What's that supposed to mean?!" ChouChou exclaimed.

"ChouChou- calm down. You know Mitsuki's bad at talking to girls." Sarada told ChouChou, slightly throwing shade at Mitsuki in the process.

The three boys were still standing. "Well, if you think like that, then I'll be off, ladies." Mitsuki states with a smile; before waving and leaving.

"Wow... Can't believe he left." ChouChou commented. "What a wimp."

"I bet he never had any intention to stay in the first place." Sarada added.

"Y-Yeah, we actually came by to tell you we have something to do... so we can only drop by." Metal finally said.

"Oh?" Sarada rose an eyebrow. "If that's the case, then go along then."

Boruto looked at her confused. "Why aren't you asking us why?"

Sarada glared. "Do you want me to?"

"No."

"Then don't ask." Sarada smirked. "Bye." She shooed them off. She had really been wanting some girl time, of just ChouChou and her hanging out, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity to have that hangout.

They went their separate ways, but little did they know they'd be reunited in due time.