Sakura knew something was different before anyone else did.
Her child didn't just look at the world.
He studied it.
One night, as she cradled him, she whispered softly, more to herself than him:
"You feel… older than you should."
Boruto stilled.
Her chakra fluttered—subtle, instinctive.
She didn't panic.
She only smiled sadly and pressed her forehead to his.
"Whatever you were before," she murmured, "you're ours now."
Boruto cried harder than he ever had.