Boruto: The Tale Of The Brothers

The battle with the Furoako Clan had finally ended, leaving the streets of Konoha littered with debris and dust. The villagers worked together to clear the wreckage, and the shinobi returned to their respective posts, ensuring everything was back in order. Kikidori, on the other hand, felt as though he had been through a war, physically and emotionally drained from the chaos.

After the chaos of the past days, Kikidori found himself alone in his room, lying in his bed, his body sore from the constant combat. His eyes closed, and despite the chaos around him, he quickly slipped into a deep, uninterrupted nap. The exhaustion of the battle weighed down on him, and he felt like he hadn't slept in days.

He was out like a light.

Meanwhile, the village was slowly getting back to its normal routine. The rebuilding efforts began, and there was a sense of relief that the threat was over. However, for Kikidori, things were not quite as easy. The wounds he carried from the loss of Ere'ana still gnawed at him. The pain of her death was still fresh, and he wasn't sure how to handle it.

A few days passed since the fight, and Kikidori had made the mistake of deciding to challenge a random shinobi from the village to a sparring match. He figured he could use the opportunity to hone his skills further, to deal with the rage and grief that was still simmering inside of him.

But things didn't go as planned.

The shinobi he had picked out wasn't much older than him, a fellow teenager who had trained hard but wasn't a seasoned fighter. Kikidori figured he could beat him with ease, but the fight ended up being a disaster. His emotions clouded his judgment, and his movements were erratic, as though he wasn't entirely focused on the battle.

The shinobi, whose name was Hiroshi, took advantage of Kikidori's distracted state. Within moments, he landed a solid hit, knocking Kikidori back with a well-timed strike. Kikidori fell to the ground, his pride bruised more than his body.

"Nice one," Kikidori grumbled, getting back to his feet, his cheeks flushed with frustration.

Hiroshi smirked, offering a hand to help Kikidori up. "You okay? You were distracted, that's all."

Kikidori took a deep breath and, despite himself, accepted the help, getting back on his feet. He wasn't used to losing like that—at least, not in such a sloppy way. But deep down, he knew the real reason he had failed: his mind wasn't on the fight. His thoughts were all tangled up in the past few weeks, in the loss of Ere'ana, in the village's recovery, and in his ever-confusing relationship with his father, Naruto.

Before Kikidori could say anything, a familiar voice interrupted them.

"Well, looks like you're getting rusty, huh, Kikidori?" Naruto's voice was loud, brimming with that familiar sense of fatherly teasing. He approached the pair with a small smile, his arms folded.

Kikidori's jaw tightened. There was something about Naruto's voice—something about the way he always seemed to think he had the answers to everything—that made Kikidori's blood boil. It was the same way he had felt for years. Sure, Naruto was the Hokage, and he was a legendary shinobi, but Kikidori couldn't help feeling like his father always treated him like he was just another kid in the village.

Kikidori's fists clenched at his sides as Naruto stepped closer, seemingly oblivious to the tension building between them.

"You've got to stay focused, Kikidori," Naruto said, his tone light but filled with that unmistakable lecturing quality. "It's not just about power or ability. Being a ninja is about understanding your own weaknesses and learning how to improve. The path of a shinobi requires more than just raw strength—it's about discipline."

Kikidori clenched his teeth, feeling a wave of frustration wash over him. He had heard this speech a hundred times. And for some reason, it always irritated him.

"You've got to learn to think through your moves, understand the battle, and be ready for anything," Naruto continued, clearly not noticing Kikidori's growing anger. "Otherwise, you'll end up like this." He gestured toward the now-quiet Hiroshi, who was still standing awkwardly nearby.

Kikidori's face turned red with frustration. "Shut up, Dad!" he snapped, his voice loud and sharp.

There was a moment of stunned silence. Hiroshi's eyes widened in shock, but Naruto didn't react immediately. He blinked, as if the words hadn't quite sunk in, and then his expression shifted to something more hurt than angry.

"Did you just…" Naruto started, his voice softer than usual.

Kikidori didn't care. His face burned with embarrassment and rage. "Yeah, I did. You're always lecturing me! Telling me what I should be doing, how I should be acting, but you never listen to what I actually need. You're never there, and when you are, you don't even notice! You think everything's fine, but it's not!"

Naruto's smile faded, replaced by a look of deep, wounded sadness. Kikidori's words had struck a chord. He opened his mouth to respond, but no words came out. His chest tightened. He didn't want to say those things, not really, but the anger had spilled out before he could stop it.

The awkwardness between them hung thick in the air, and Kikidori felt his heart pound. He had just yelled at his father—his Hokage. And worse, in front of the whole village. Boruto had wandered over by now, standing at the edge of the training field, watching with wide eyes.

The tension in the air was unbearable. Kikidori didn't want to stick around for the awkward silence, so he turned on his heel and started to walk away, not sparing another glance at his father or Boruto.

But just before he left the training field, he heard Naruto's voice again, softer than before.

"Kikidori…"

Kikidori didn't turn back. He couldn't.

And as he walked away, his anger simmering beneath the surface, he couldn't help but wonder why he always felt so conflicted. Naruto loved him. Kikidori knew that deep down. But despite all of that love, Kikidori had never been able to return it.

Not yet, at least.

The end of Chapter 14