Precursor

"Nice work Boruto! I think you're really getting the hang of it." Sarada exclaimed, having seen Boruto finally understand how to produce the Shadow Clone-Rasengan after having been practicing for 2 weeks. The two of them were in the backyard of the boy's home, Boruto in the field with multiple copies of himself mastering the technique, and Sarada sitting upon a tree trunk observing her friend. Boruto and his clones looked over to his companion, and all versions of him grinned back at her compliment whilst giving a thumbs up with their left hands and holding a sphere of aura in their right. "He-he, yeah. Not to shabby eh?" The boy said, placing down his thumbs up to replace it with a chest bump in a cocky manner. With that, his clones dissipated into puffs of smoke, and the sphere wilted. "Cool, now do that while glowing orange and looking like a badass instead of a obnoxious brat." Boruto just continued grinning, ignoring his friend's sarcasm. "At this rate, I'll be stronger than my old pa in no time. Screw Hokage, and screw that dumb geezer." Boruto shouted, before lying down upon the grass with his arms folded behind his head. Sarada sighed, and propped herself off the wood. Walking over to her friend, she looked down to see he had closed his eyes, and was smirking. "You know Boruto, you give you're dad too little credit."

Pffft. Boruto replies, spitting into the air. "As if," Boruto adjusts himself. "What has he ever done? All he does all day is sit around in that big room of his, writing and signing papers. Never have I seen him be doing anything BESIDES that shit." Sarada crossed her arms, visibly ticked. "Oh my! It's as if being a diplomatic leader requires you doing that. Craaazy." "Oh Sarada, you know what I mean by that!" Sitting upright in the field, Boruto placed his arms upon his knees. "I mean, he's never home. Dad doesn't seem to take days off. Not for my birthday, Himawari's birthday, heck, not even mom's birthday! Even when everyone else's parents are off celebrating some big holiday, my dad decides that he has to keep himself in that damn room. It feels like he cares more about that job than he does about his own damn family. Like, it makes me so mad I just- huh?" Boruto cut himself off, feeling a hand upon his right shoulder. He turned to see Sarada kneeling beside him, smiling. "Listen, I know how it's like to have a dad who is never around; more often than your dad is, even. That doesn't mean he has no care for his family." Sarada paused, waiting to see if Boruto had any response. "And, well, being Hokage is something that not everyone can do. Personally, I can't imagine being held up with hours of paperwork to do everyday with almost no help. Give Naruto a break, will ya?" Boruto sighed, and nodded his head towards his pal.

"Hey, Boruto!" The two looked ahead to see a person running towards them and causing heavy dust to flow behind. "T-Tayori?" The two stand up, and watch the postal officer bolting towards them. Stopping infront of them, the man bent over, taking a breather as he panted heavily. The pair looked at each, confused at what was going on. After a couple seconds, the postman regained his composure and stood upright. "Hey Sarada! Hey Boruto!" "Uh, hey Tayori. What's up" Boruto replied. The postman dug around his sachel, and after a moment pulled out a green envelope that had a gold Hokage emblem stamped on it. Tayori extended his arm out towards the boy, and gave him a smile. "For you sir." Boruto slowly placed his grip on the envelope. "Uh, thanks Tayori." The postal officer released his grip, and saluted the two. "Alright then. See you around kids!" With that said, the mailman jogged away, off to probably deliver more mail. Boruto and Sarada blinked, not sure of what happened. "Welp, it's getting late Boruto. I have to get me what that was about tomorrow!" With a rustling sound, the young girl vanished. "I... guess this has to be important..."

"Are... you... serious?!" Boruto roared, angered at the contents of the envelope. Boruto had finished reading the paper in his bedroom, accompanied by his sister, Himawari. Enraged, he crumpled up the message inside and tossed it into the trash, and pounded on his bed. "What's wrong big brother?" His sister wrapped her arms around her upset sibling, trying to calm him down. Boruto collected himself, and tried to formulate something his little sister would be able to comprehend. "It's another thing from dad, Himawari. He wrote to tell us that he is off on another of his visits to Sunagakure to discuss adult business. He will be gone for a week, that's all." Himawari was evidently upset, and began to cry. "Daddy said he would take me out for ice cream Tuesday..." She let go of her brother, and hopped off the bed to start wailing in the hallway. "Momma! Daddy lied to me!" Boruto heard Himawari saying constantly, with her heavy footsteps thumping about. He was now slumped over, having his vision at the wooden floor. Why pa...Why do you always have to hurt us? Boruto clenched his hands into fists, angry at his negligent father. You're never around! Never! He thought to himself, holding back tears of pain. "Fuck, dad! All the time!"

Boruto heard light footsteps going towards his room, and he growled. "Himawari! Don't bother me! Go to mom!" His fists were still clenched, and he was gritting his teeth. "Boruto, it is mom." A soft voice replied, half calming and half sympathetic. Boruto turned around, and saw his mother standing by the entrance in her light purple short-sleeved jacket and maroon shorts. "Oh... sorry..." Hinata lightly smiled, and sat beside her son on the bed. "It's alright son. I know you're very upset." Boruto looked towards his mom, then gazed back to the floor. He took a deep breath, and sighed. "No shit mom. Why wouldn't I be." Boruto took another sigh. "I honestly don't get it. What's dad's deal? Why can't he take more than, like, 20 days off a year to be with us? And I'm not talking about him sending clones home, I'm referring to him and his hokage ass!" There was a silence in the room after that, an intense silence that seemingly chilled the area. Finally, Boruto's mother spoke. "Yeah, I feel that way too Boruto. Trust me, he is my husband after all. It's quite irksome to me that he spends more time with Shikamaru at night than me." Hinata said it in a joking tone, but she noticed Boruto only felt more upset from that statement. "Look at me sweetheart." Hinata placed her right hand upon her son's shoulder. Boruto looked to his left, and met his mother's piercing gaze. "I can't deny how much I wish Naruto would take more time with us. I get it Boruto. I get why Himawari was crying earlier. Even I cry sometimes over the fact I don't see him more often home. But," Hinata took a pause, and smiled. Boruto was stunned at his mother's translucent eyes and how they seemed to be gazing through him, and into his soul. "Your father has to do this. He's living his dream, after all those years of pain he went through. Daddy got all the way to what he wanted, and mommy is proud of him. Sweetie, you can't fault your dad for being so focused on doing his job right. Think about it, he's not only having to look after us as hokage, but the entire Leaf Village. Imagine how stressed he always is, being forced to be alone for hours without being able to see us, thinking about us as he is off saving the day another time. In fact, I'm sure he's more upset than you are having to go on this 7 day trip away." Boruto remained speechless, awestruck by his mother's gaze and truthful words. Boruto huffed, and thought for a moment before speaking.

"I suppose you're right mom. I'm sorry I got so upset." Hinata laughed, and pinched her boy's cheeks. "M-mom! Stop!" Hinata giggled in her gentle tone. "Don't worry about it Boruto. It's not your fault." Tears welled up in Boruto's eyes, no longer able to hold back his emotions. He leaped towards his mom, who held him in an embrace. "I love you, ma." Hinata held her child close, placing his head upon her chest. "I love you too, darling." Hinata kissed her boy's hair. Sobbing, Boruto began to sniffle. "Y-you know. Pa said that while h-he's gone, I'm the man of the house." Hinata kissed her son's hair once more. "Oh really? Man of the house huh?" The two let go of the embrace, and Hinata clasped her hands together as Boruto wiped his eyes with his black sleeves. "Y-you know it mom." Hinata smiled, and helped dry Boruto's face. "Let's see how much of a man you are this week, hm? Show mommy how much of a man you are then." With his eyes mostly dried, Boruto sniffled before showing his cocky grin. "You bet I will mom, I'll show you how much of a man I am! Believe it!" Hinata laughed, hearing her boy say her husband's old, goofy phrase. "Alright then, we'll see about that." Hinata got off the bed, and began to walk out the room. Boruto watched as his mother's figure swayed away from him, closing the door on her way out. "I love you mom!"

I'm more of a man than dad ever will be! I'll show you, mom!