Konohamaru clapped his hands. "Well then! In celebration of a chuunin on each newly graduated genin team, tonight, your teachers will treat you to barbeque!"
"I wish it was Thunder Burger..."
"Boruto!" A sharp elbow pierced his ribs.
He casually brushed Sarada's nitpicky self off and started towards the table. "Yeah yeah. Let's eat, Konohamaru sensei!"
Tears ran like waterfalls from Konohamaru's eyes. "He finally," he said sniffling, "he finally called me sensei!"
It wasn't just team seven; nearly every team from Boruto's graduating class was present, all seated at one long table in groups. Udon sat next to Metal, Moegi sat next to Cho-Cho, Hanabi sat next to Wasabi, and Konohamaru next to Sarada. Sumire was helping out Katasuke in the labs, and Sai's team was on a mission for the black ops, so neither of them were able to make it.
"What do you say," Moegi said with a smirk, eyeing the menu. "Should we go with the extra spicy chicken for old times sake? We could include the kids in an endurance test..."
"Oh! Good idea, Moegi nee-chan!" Boruto pumped his fist in the air. "Spicy food for everyone!"
"Eh? I'm bad with spicy foods," whined Namida.
"I don't mind them," replied Wasabi. "I'll eat your share so you don't have to, Namida!"
"I'm not particularly opposed to the idea," said Tsubaki.
"Mm." Iwabe swallowed. "Spicy. Sure. I can handle that."
With a few more comments, Moegi waved the waitress over. "Miss! One order of ghost pepper chicken skewers for everyone! And sake for the adults!"
"Cruel as ever, aren't you Moegi..." Konohamaru sighed. "Oh well. It'll be a memory for everyone, I guess."
It wasn't too long before there was one fiery red chicken skewer in front of everyone, each kid staring wide-eyed at their plate.
"Alright guys... On the count of three!" Boruto picked up his skewer. "One..."
The rest of the kids picked it up. "Two..."
Saliva formed in all of their mouths at the anticipation of the burning flavor. "Three!"
Everyone, with the exception of Namida, slid off the first piece of chicken with their teeth and chewed. Some didn't even make it to the chewing.
"HOT HOT HOT HOT HOT HOT"
They reached for the nearest available drink. But then they realized. Waters hadn't made it to the table.
Sarada's eyes fell on the teacher's alcohol. As did Cho-Cho's. And Wasabi's. Metal simply grabbed the nearest cup and threw his head back.
"Hm? This drink has oddly soothed my tongue!"
And that's when the other three decided not to hold back.
"Oi! Sarada! That's dirty! Save me some!" Boruto was fanning his mouth as he looked at her, his vision blurred with tears. But it was too late.
All four students had just chugged an entire shot of sake. Without any previous exposure to alcohol. And the rest of the table was choking on spice.
"Water!" Someone called out. "Water! Please! Waiter! We need water!"
Before long, the rest of the kids had water. But Sarada, Metal, Cho-Cho, and Wasabi had already cleared the spice from their mouth.
"Phew," said Wasabi, wiping the sweat off of her head. "I don't think I can finish this. Sorry Moegi sensei... Hm?" Her head tilted to the side. "What is this lightheaded feeling?"
Konohamaru slid one hand down his face. "It'll certainly be a memory alright... Udon! Get Metal out of here!"
"Huh? Why?"
"Because he--"
Metal stood to his feet, arms dangling limply from his sides. "I am..."
"Oh no."
"I AM NO LONGER NERVOUS!" In one swift axe kick, the table was smashed in half. "LOOK AT ME NOW, PAPA!"
"Now now Metal," Konohamaru's palms faced towards the drunken child as the other children screamed, "calm down--"
"Calm down?" His head tilted. "You want me to calm down? I AM CALM! I'M CALMER THAN I'VE EVER BEEN IN MY ENTIRE LIFE! THE POWER OF YOUTH!" He smashed through the wall. "THE POWER OF YOUTH!" He lifted up one half of the broken table. "THE POWER OF--"
His arms were restrained by Udon and Konohamaru, who were both struggling against him, trying to make him drop the table before he could cause any more damage to the restaurant. "Moegi! Assistance!"
She cast a concerned glance in Wasabi's direction before standing up to help the boys. "Jeez! You both are so helpless!"
"Leave the rest of the kids to me," said Hanabi as she stood to her feet, "just get Metal home before we end up spending all of our savings on repairs!"
"On it!" The former team of three dragged Metal through the hole he had created, leaving Hanabi to return to the destroyed table and worried kids.
"Wasabi!" Cho-Cho pointed a chubby finger in the green clothed girl's direction.
"Huh?!"
"Your face looks funny!" She bust out laughing, holding her stomach.
"Oh yeah?! Well you look fat!"
The comment only made her laugh harder. "Inojin!" She cheered and pointed her finger over to him. "You have no pupils!"
"What the--?! Chubs!"
"Shikadai!" Her finger made it one seat over. "Your head looks like a pineapple!"
"What a drag... Oi, Inojin, do something about Cho-Cho, will you?"
Inojin reared back, his hands digging into the floor behind him. "Me?! You're the smart one Shikadai, you do something!"
"Inojin looks like a girl..." She started giggling, her hand reaching up to play with the ends of his ponytail.
"CHUBS!"
Meanwhile, Wasabi had stood to her feet and turned to the first person her eyes met after being insulted. "Iwabe!"
"W-What?"
"Kneel."
"Huh?!"
"I said!" She stomped her foot and hovered menacingly over him. "Kneel before me, you coward!"
"Who the heck would--"
In seconds, she had Denki's neck in her grasp. "If you don't, I'll put an end to his life."
"WHAT THE--"
"Iwabe-kun," said Denki, clawing at his captured throat, "I can't breath..."
His eyes darted from the table, back to Wasabi, back to Denki. "Darn it Denki, you owe me for this!" He slammed his head down on the floor. "I'm kneeling, stupid cat woman! Release Denki!"
"Fine... Both of you, kneel!"
The moment Denki was released, he was on his knees. Wasabi's foot stepped hard onto his back as she cackled, her nails turning into claws.
Hanabi viewed the situation with her byakugan before taking a deep breath. "I think my only option is to knock them out... Oi, Boruto! Is Sarada ok?"
Boruto watched as Sarada pouted, her eyes on her chopstick. She poked the end with her index finger, hair shielding her face.
"I don't really know... She's not... normal?"
"Try talking to her."
He gulped, hoping she wasn't going to be anything like the other three. "Hey... Sarada..."
She flopped her forehead onto his shoulder. "Borutoooo..."
"W-What?"
"Why... Why didn't my chopsticks break evenlyyy..."
"Are you... crying?!"
She only continued to bawl, her fingers digging into the front of his jacket, the chopstick clenched in her hand.
"Oi! Sarada-ttebasa!"
Her head lifted, only to flop back against his shoulder over and over again. "Why," she whimpered, "why did I have to mess them up?"
"S...Sarada?"
"Boruto.... I'm a failure at lifffeeee!"
He blinked a few times, slowly reaching up to pat her back. "I don't think she's ok, Hanabi nee-chan!"
"Dang it.. I can only carry two. If I knock her out, will you and Mitsuki take her home?"
"K-knock her out?!"
"If I don't, she's just going to cry!"
"I'll take her home," he said, picking her up onto his back, "but I don't think you need to go as far as--"
"I SAID KNEEL!"
"WE ARE KNEELING!"
"Chubs, quit touching my hair!!"
"But it's sooo sofffttt!"
Boruto shifted Sarada on his back. "Or not... Come on Mitsuki, let's get out of here."
Two swift chops later, Hanabi had knocked both Wasabi and Cho-Cho out.
"Oi," said Shikadai, staring up at Hanabi. "You know how heavy Cho-Cho is, don't you? You sure you can handle her and Wasabi?"
"It shouldn't be a problem," said Hanabi, picking up Cho-Cho with one arm. Or rather, attempting to. "...Iwabe."
"I'M NOT TAKING WASABI HOME!"
"...Please? I underestimated Cho-Cho's weight..."
"Come on, Iwabe-kun," said Denki, "It shouldn't be that bad... Her house isn't too far from here, remember?"
"Ugh, fine." He threw Wasabi over his shoulder. "You owe me a burger for this later, Hanabi-sensei."
"Consider it bought." With a smile, she left some money for the tab and carried Cho-Cho out of the restaurant through the hole Metal created, leaving a flabbergasted restaurant staff.
. . .
"Well, my house is this way."
"Mitsuki! You're just going to abandon me with this?"
Mitsuki smiled. "Get her home safely, Boruto!"
"You traitor! Get back here! I don't want to be the only one listening to--"
"Boruto hates meee!" Sarada sobbed into his back.
Mitsuki simply turned and began to walk away without a care in the world and a smirk on his face. "See you later, Boruto."
"Mitsuki!"
"My chopstick broke! I put on the wrong shoes yesterday..."
"Oi, Sarada... It's ok, so can you please stop crying? Breaking wooden chopsticks unevenly isn't the end of the world, ya know..."
Her feet dangled limply as he walked towards her house. "I can't be like mama... Or papa..."
"...Sarada..."
"Boruto hates me..."
"I don't hate you!"
"Hm? You don't?" She lifted her head and peered over at him.
He blushed at the sudden realization of what he said and how close she was to his face. "Not entirely."
"Then..." She laughed for the first time since drinking that dumb stuff. "Do you like me?"
He froze. "Huh?!"
"If you don't hate me, do you like me?"
"How does that put you in a better mood?!"
"Yayyy Boruto likes me!"
"And how did you come to that conclusion!?!?!?!" He began jogging towards her house. "If this is what you were going to turn into, I should have had Hanabi nee-chan knock you out..."
She sniffled.
Oh no.
"You hate me?"
"I already said, I don't hate you! Jeez! Get a grip!"
Suddenly, he caught sight of his savior on their way home from work. "Hm? Boruto?"
"Sakura oba-san!"
"What happened to Sarada?!"
"She drank some sake at the BBQ place after eating a piece of chicken covered in ghost pepper... And now she's making up nonsense and won't stop crying!"
"I see..." Sakura smiled gently at her sniffling daughter and reached out. "I'll take her from--"
"No." Sarada buried her head back into the collar of his tearstained jacket.
"..."
"I want Boruto to take me." She swung her legs like a small child.
"Why?!"
"Cause! Let's go! You're my new horsey." She tapped her dangling ankles against the sides of his knees. "Giddy up!"
He blinked back his horror. "I am not a horse!!"
Sakura's laughter filled the space around them as she gently relieved Boruto of his duty by lifting her daughter off of his back. "Now now," she said, prying Sarada's clenched fists away from his jacket. "Boruto has to go home too. His mom will get angry if he's not home soon."
Sarada stopped wailing at the mention of the emotion. "Angry?"
"Yes. Angry."
Sarada's facial features crumbled as Sakura picked her up and held her against her chest like a toddler.
"I dun wan her to be angry."
"Good girl. Let's go home."
She whimpered, holding out her hand over her shoulder towards Boruto. "Bye bye, Boruto."
He turned and waved a hand over his shoulder. "See ya, Sarada."
. . .
The next morning, the four in question woke up with searing headaches. The teachers visited and apologized profusely to the parents, explaining what had happened. Because Hanabi paid the restaurant bill, she got left out of the repair fee.
Wasabi tried to apologize to Iwabe for throwing up on him, but he hid behind Metal, knees shaking, and told her to get back.
Cho-Cho's memories were fuzzy, but Shikadai filled her in. As he was talking, she reached up and rubbed Inojin's head with her hand (much to his horror), deciding that his hair was, after all, soft. And then she went about her life like normal.
Metal apologized profusely to the restaurant staff, and from that day on, he became even more nervous.
And Sarada's memory had been completely wiped. Boruto decided to tell her she hadn't done anything weird. But when she found out from Sakura what had actually happened, she couldn't look Boruto in the eyes for a week, much to Mitsuki's amusement.
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Hope you enjoyed this random story! Big thanks to HinataNazyalenksy and Tsukasaamane16 for making me bust out laughing with their comments. Every time one of you guys reads a story of mine it always makes my day xD <3