The Assassin, Mugino

Synopsis
Himawari makes and decorates a flower vase for her mother's upcoming birthday. Boruto has yet to decide on what to give her, and intends buy her something when he gets payed for his missions later that day. Team 7 discusses Konohamaru's sudden departure for an urgent mission, so the genin have to go on missions without him. Sarada intends to take leadership in his absence. Walking through the village, Boruto sees a woman with a flower bouquet, and considers it as a gift for his mother. Boruto sees Mugino running by, and upon catching up with him, discovers he's running from restaurant owners, who want him to pay up the money he owes them. They know today is payday, so Mugino offers them his wallet, which barely has a coin in it. Mugino claims he gave his month's earnings to a kid with a sick sister. Boruto ends up having to pay for Mugino's debt, and is doubtful when Mugino says he'll pay him back next month. Mugino asks Boruto to take him to eat, spending the last of his money. Boruto questions why he doesn't ask Konohamaru for money as they've been friends for a long time, and is incredulous when Mugino says he considers it unethical, pointing out how he avoided paying the restaurant. Boruto is surprised that Mugino is like this, having previously found him to be serious and reliable from how he acted during missions. Mugino invites Boruto to his place to ask him for a favour. Mugino's apartment is poorly kept and sparsely furnished. Mugino explains he doesn't like the feeling of needing anything, or feeling like he doesn't want to lose thing, and wants to live as he was born, without any possessions. The apartment does have a nice view of the Hokage Rock, and Mugino explains he looks up to the Third Hokage, who looked after him after his parents died in a war. Boruto asks him to tell him about it. When he was a child, Mugino had been tasked with assassinating the Hokage when he visited a refugee camp. At night, Mugino tried to give Hiruzen flowers he picked, and opened his window. Mugino tried stabbing him while he looked for a flower vase, but Hiruzen blocked it, having figured he was an assassin by the way he moved, like he was being watched. Hiruzen noticed he had a cursed seal on him that could kill him at any moment. He allowed himself to be stabbed so Mugino's handlers lowered their guard, and used a shadow clone to defeat them. Mugino was shocked by it, and cried as Hiruzen apologised for creating a world where children were used as disposable weapons as he was. Hiruzen gave him a signed letter so that Konoha would welcome him, and wishes he would meet his grandson, who is of similar age to him. By the time, Mugino went to Konoha, Hiruzen had died, but he was able to enrol at the Academy. Mugino says not even Konohamaru knows this story. Boruto notices Mugino has a turtle, which Mugino explains he got roped into getting by a fortune-teller. He says the fortune hasn't come to pass, and the favour he has to ask is for Boruto to feed his turtle while he's away at a mission with Konohamaru, investigating a crash near the border. Mugino is sorry Boruto can't buy his mother a gift. The kid from Mugino's story comes by and thanks him for giving him money which he used to buy medicine for his sister, and gives him a basket of flowers. Mugino gives Boruto the flowers, as they'll wilt while he's gone. He also gives him a key to his apartment so he can feed his turtle. Boruto tells him to look after Konohamaru. Katasuke provides Naruto with his latest prosthetic hand, and is excited to hear about what Naruto thinks of it. Naruto and Shikamaru discuss Katasuke's disposition, and muse over still not knowing who put him under genjutsu. Naruto intends to test the prosthetic sparring with Boruto. Boruto arrives home and shows Himawari the flowers, saying their mother will have plenty of flowers to put on the vase Himawari made her.