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10 | Answers

For the first time since he came back, Hashirama resumed his duties as the Hokage.

It would help take his mind off the whole matter about Madara, he hopes. Besides, he is the Hokage. He should be the one responsible for the welfare of the village.

When he told Tobirama about his plan, they had a very long argument about it. Tobirama wants him to rest still. Hashirama argued that he's had enough 'rest' and that staying home was not doing him any good. In the end, the younger understood his point and consented.

It was a surprise for him when people approached him as he was on his way to the Hokage Tower this morning. They asked him if he's alright. Apparently, his odd behavior during the past few weeks was not overlooked by the people around him. He apologized for his absence and reassured them that they have nothing to worry about and that he's fine—a lie, of course, but what else could he say?

When he arrived in his office, Toka stared at him for one whole minute as if she'd seen a ghost. She told him that she was not expecting that he'd come back this soon but she's glad for his return anyway. He managed to force a smile.

By noon, Mito came to visit him. She still looks at him in a certain way as if she sympathizes with his pain. Of course, she couldn't possibly know about his predicament because the only person he's talked about it was Tobirama. Still, he appreciates her concern. Her heart is as good as how she looks, he muses.

Surprisingly, they had a quite long chat, mostly about their villages and their shared liking to nature. Hashirama discovered that like him, she also has a garden of bonsai's back in Uzushio. He laughed a little when she said that she misses them—her bonsai's—and swore that she's going to make his brother suffer her wrath if she finds out that he's not taking good care of them while she's away. Hashirama couldn't imagine Mito beating up somebody.

She excused herself after lunch, telling him that she's going to help Tobirama with a research. When asked what it's about, she simply said that it's 'for a friend.' To this, Hashirama innocently said, "okay."

In the afternoon, a messenger bird arrived. It brought a letter of invitation from Kirigakure, asking his audience about an important matter. It was not clearly stated in the letter what it is specifically about though. Taking this as a chance to build a good relationship with the said village, he immediately wrote a letter of reply accepting the invitation.

The rest of the day was mostly uneventful—he only had to sign a number of records and review the documents Tobirama asked him to. With nothing else left to do, it's hard to keep himself from thinking about a certain someone.

The day after he discovered that he and Madara were friends, he went to Tobirama and asked him questions. His younger brother only told him what he knows.

Hashirama learned that he and Madara met when they were kids. They became good friends but had to fight each other because of the war. But although they were fighting, he repeatedly tried to convince Madara to bind their clans together in an alliance. Madara refused, even when Izuna, his younger brother, died. Madara was enraged by this and fought him. In the end, he defeated Madara and finally convinced him. The Senju-Uchiha alliance was formed and they—he and Madara—founded Konoha.

Hashirama thought these should explain why he had that sense of familiarity around Madara when they fought weeks ago.

However, these are not enough to explain why he cried when he first saw him in the Valley of the End. He also wonders if his recurring dreams had actually happened, since he has now come to realize that the raven-haired man he kept seeing in it was unmistakably Madara.

If so, then that means their relationship had been more than friends.

But why did Madara leave? What led him to threaten the village—their village? Furthermore, it was still a complete mystery how he forgot Madara and his memories of him.

His mind was about to drown with these thoughts again if not for Tobirama suddenly arriving in his office.

"How's your first day back, anija?" He asks with a weird tone in his voice. Thoughtful and loving as he is as a brother, Tobirama is not the kind to ask him about his day. He also looks painfully uncomfortable about this new behavior.

Nevertheless, Hashirama couldn't help but be touched. Tobirama is seen by most people as stern and serious, grumpy even. He's not good at showing his affections and Hashirama thinks that it's nice that he now tries to.

"Not as busy as I thought it would be," Hashirama sighs. "How about yours?"

Tobirama rubs his eyes with his index and middle fingers. "It's...fine," he replies, but fails to suppress a yawn.

Hashirama narrows his eyes. He is aware that Tobirama is busy these past few weeks but he can see that it's starting to take a toll on him.

"When was the last time you slept, Tobirama?"

"Doesn't matter," the younger shrugs.

Hashirama shakes his head. He looks at the time and says, "Work time is over. Let's go home and I'll make dinner."

He stands up and grabs Tobirama's wrist as they exit the office. "After dinner, you will get some sleep," He tells him the same way a parent does to their five-year-old child.

-----

There is a thump when the body of a lifeless person hits the ground.

Madara nonchalantly stares at the dead bodies around him, scattered on the earthy surface. They were dressed in the same way as the group of shinobi that attacked him and Hashirama before.

He walks past two or three bodies then stops beside that of a man's.

The man is still breathing, albeit barely hanging on. He has a deep wound on his lower left chest and had already lost a lot of blood. His eyes widen in horror when he saw Madara looming over him.

"P-please," he stutters nervously, "spare my life."

Madara scoffs. "Tell me who sent you," he commands.

Gathering information and connecting them one by one for the last few months, he already had someone in mind. All evidences point out to him. However, one can't be too sure so he demands a confirmation.

The man shakes his head hopelessly. He begs, "N-no, no, please. Anything but that." He momentarily pauses, only to cough, choking in his own blood. "He'll kill me."

Madara frowns at him in a mixture of pity and disgust. This man is already a few breaths away from death's door, yet he's still scared of whoever it is that sent him. He raises his sword to end the man's suffering, having lost both the point and the patience to argue.

Just as the blade was about to land on his body, the man shouts breathlessly. "W-wait! Wait! I'll tell you! Please don't kill me."

A smirk slowly creeps up on the corner of Madara's lips. "Very well," he says, putting his sword down. "Speak."

-End of Chapter 10-