It was a solemn day today. Back ramrod straight and eyes facing forward, Senju Itama did his best to ignore the burning sensation at the back of his eyes as the child-sized coffin was lowered into the ground along with an adult-sized one. In the end, his efforts amounted to nothing, and he brought his arms to his face, trying to hide his weeping. Even the sensations of his older siblings—Tobirama and Hashirama—standing alongside him could not sate his tears.

When he hiccuped a particularly large sob, the a crisp, cold voice whipped him back into silence, "Enough of that. It's shameful."

Shocked, Itama flinched away from his white-haired brother, Tobirama, who had spoken.

"How could you say that?" another voice—Anjou Mariko, the girl who Itama had spent his childhood with—cut through the chilly air, disbelieving and filled with grief. "Tobirama-sama—"

"Don't fight." Hashirama flicked his gaze toward them. "This isn't the time." Without waiting for any replies, he stepped forward, and Itama couldn't help but feel overwhelmed when the mournful silence of the funeral was interrupted for the first time. The boy stood quietly as Hashirama made the speech that he had practiced many times when he thought others in the house couldn't hear (but paper walls for unfortunately very thin and not suited for privacy).

Tobirama's head bowed low at the end, as did Itama's and Mariko's.

When everything was finally over, the Senju brothers walked home in silence, Mariko trotting after them a little distance behind. Her family served the Senju—it was how she and Itama had come to be friends.

"Who could have done this?" Hashirama asked abruptly as the clouds thundered above them, threatening to rain. The guards at the gates of the clan compound merely nodded to them as they passed through.

"What do you mean?" Tobirama growled. "We already got the official report. Otou-sama and Kawarama were killed by Konoha." Still, though, he somehow sounded more unconvinced than his tone let on.

Hashirama fixed him with a stare. "Maybe. But why? And just within a week of the Ame spy getting outed. He was put to death not even five days ago. It sounds all too convenient to me."

"It is common knowledge that many of Ame's inhabitants have Konoha origins," reasoned Tobirama, ignoring how Mariko had crept closer to them and was now holding Itama's hands, squeezing his hand in comfort as his tears dried. They toed off their shoes as they entered the house, Mariko conflicted as to whether to enter along with them or return to the servant's quarters. In the end, she followed Itama in, and was not scolded. "It would only make sense if they were allied in some way, even if no official peace treaties have ever been signed between them."

"It all makes sense, doesn't it?" Hashirama hummed. "Inevitably, we will war with them. But..." His eyes became faraway. "That doesn't have to be."

"Enough. Clearly, your grief has gotten the better of you. Go rest in your room. You, too, Itama. It's been a long morning."

Neither brother contested Tobirama, knowing that it was probably for the better.

"If only she would write back nicely," Itama muttered under his breath, when Hashirama was gone.

Tobirama snorted. "Fat chance of that ever happening. Our brother is head-over-heels in love with her, but I doubt she'll be returning his boyish affections anytime soon."

"I don't think it's boyish," opined Mariko.

"In any case." Tobirama's gaze slid to her for a moment in acknowledgement. "Let's not hope for any miracles."

九月十八号 , 晴

今天我和妈妈在房子后面看她的花。我觉得妈妈的花很漂亮，有很多颜色。有蓝色，红色，黄色，和白色。

真的好玩！明天想要再和妈妈看她的花园。

。

五月三号 , 晴

今天是我的生日。今年我六岁。妈妈说明天我得要开始好好学习，但是我觉得学习很无聊，所以今天我一定会跟我得朋友玩很多东西，吃很多寿面和吃很大的生日蛋糕。

。

八月十号 , 下雨

我不要学习政治！为什么我得要读那么没用的科目？妈妈说我得要知道怎么做好好的公主，这样我们的城市才能繁荣。但是。。。我觉我不应该做我们的城市的公主。对我来说，我太喜欢跑来跑去，太喜欢在外面跟我的朋友打球了。我最好的朋友小兰跟我说她也要做公主。有时候，我觉得她是真的公主；我是假的公主。

。

。

。

六月七号, 下雨

千手柱間想要跟我结婚。他给我发了一封情书。

我告诉他："不准"。

哼。

A/N: I stretched out the age gap between Itama and Hashirama and Tobirama. Hashirama is twenty-four, while Itama is merely twelve. Tobirama is twenty-two.

Yes, the second part is written all in Chinese. There is a reason for that. It's already been established that all current nations have Japanese as their "Universal Standard" but I've been putting in tidbits of Chinese culture everywhere, especially when it comes to the Uzumaki and their fallen nation. This will be the only time I will ever write in a different language, so please bear with me.

Additionally, Mandarin Chinese is my third language, and I only know how to write in simplified Chinese. If I make any grammatical errors, please tell me, and I'll correct them. The diary is meant to sound child-like to reflect the writer's status as, well, a child. Until the last diary entry anyway.