For anyone who has followed my story, sorry for the false alarm if you were hoping for a new chapter. I just corrected my ridiculous mistake of writing Tajima Uchiha's name into Itama Uchiha. Itama is still that Senju kid, who is not present in this story. (sorry, too little background information about those brothers.) I hope there will be no more confusion now. Enjoy (for the ones who hadn't yet read this chapter) and review!

For the following weeks, Hashirama kept escaping school to spend time with his new friend. His schoolmaster nearly slapped him across the face when he realized he was back in the classroom, but he somehow restrained himself. (Probably because hitting students wasn't permitted, but he saw the schoolmaster hit someone else, so why on earth is the schoolmaster letting him get away with everything?!) Somehow, his father didn't know about his escapades, which was downright strange. Every time he met Madara on the streets, he took her to different parts of the city. They went to different shops, restaurants, and also his favorite spot on top of a tower (the Hokage tower. He never understood the name. Why did they name it the Fire Shadow tower when there wasn't any fire except for the barbecue restaurant there? Maybe they wanted to encourage the place to burn up?) Madara seemed to like it a lot, although she wouldn't admit it. Hashirama had figured out that she was quite proud and had a huge ego, but he still found himself attracted to her more and more.

"Ne, Madara. Have you ever liked someone else before?"

"What do you mean, like someone?" Madara asked as she leaned on the railing. They were currently on the top of the Hokage Tower, with the sun setting in the background. Madara had gotten a longer break today, so they managed to stay until sunset on the tower. The orange glow of the sun casted deep shadows on her pretty face, softening her features.

"Like, liking a boy."

"Uh, no," Madara answered confusedly. Hashirama gave her a sad smile, but said nothing. "You've liked a girl before, then? What is she like?"

"She? She is quite proud, smart, and pretty."

"She sounds really nice." Madara said softly. "but I don't think she'd like you, though, with that bowl-cut hairstyle." She added, snickering. Hashirama sank into depression, wondering what exactly is wrong with his hairstyle. Ten years he had worn his hair this way, and his family had said nothing, but here was this girl who just wouldn't leave his hair alone.

"You've got to change that ridiculous depression habit of yours. She won't like you for that either."

"I can't. It's integrated into me."

"Fine." Madara said, getting off the railing. "My time is up, so see you next time. Good luck with your girl, Hashirama!" Hashirama looked up, staring at the dazzling smile on Madara's face, which was made even more dazzling by the sunset. Beautiful.

"Sure, Madara. Bye! See you tomorrow!"

"Okay! Bye!"

When Hashirama got back home, he immediately noticed something was amiss. His brother Tobirama was giving him a few apprehensive glances, and his parents' voices was loud enough to resonate through the walls.

"Onii- sama, what exactly did you do? Father was literally steaming."

"I don't know, besides I escaped school for a lot of times."

"Probably that's what it is. You –"

"HASHIRAMA SENJU! GET IN HERE THIS INSTANT!"

"Good luck, onii-sama. You'll need it."

"WHY DID YOU ESCAPE SCHOOL, YOU FREAKING IDIOT?! WHILE MEETING A GIRL, NO LESS?!"

"How did you-"

"YOUR AUNT SAW YOU! ANYWAY, FROM NOW ON YOU WILL ATTEND SCHOOL THOROUGHLY, OR YOU WILL BE PUNISHED. SEVERELY!"

"Yes, otousama."

"and the girl. Who is she?" Batsuma asked, his anger lowering from explosive to simmering.

"Her name is Madara. I don't know her family name."

"YOU IMBECILE! Do you know about the Uchiha Corporation, our rival company? SHE is possibly the HEIRESS!"

Hashirama stared at his father in absolute horror. Now he really messed it up. This was even worse than escaping school. His father was going to kill him before. Now he was going to squish him into a pulp and burn the scraps into ashes.

"YOU WILL NEVER GO NEAR HER AGAIN! DO YOU HEAR ME?"

"But Father! Let me meet her one last time!"

"NO!"

"Father! Please!"

"I SAID NO!"

"I promised her I would!"

"Your promise is irrelevant to me!" Batsuma growled as he glared at his eldest son with venom in his eyes. "The Uchihas are crafty and devious. They are probably plotting about how to kidnap you!"

Hashirama cowered away from his father, terrified. His father had always hated Uchihas, especially Tajima Senju, the head of the Uchiha Corporation. He could only imagine what his father was feeling when his son played with his supposed-nemesis' daughter every week.

"You will go without supper today. No objections. Plus you will stay in your room for the weekend." Batsuma said coldly, grabbing Hashirama by the collar and hurling him out. "You are unworthy of the Senju name!"

The next day, Madara waited at the same place, only to find out thirty minutes later that Hashirama didn't come. At all.

"Did that idiot get lost? No, that's impossible. He knows these streets even better than I do. Or maybe I was a bit harsh to him? Nah, he doesn't seem that fragile." A thousand possibilities ran through her head, before she settled on one: Hashirama didn't want to spend time with her anymore.

"Well, I'm not a great person, so that was expectable." Madara thought. She was sad, surprisingly, and feeling, strangely, betrayed. Well, he had called her a friend, but he had abandoned her. "He could have at least told me…" Gently, she plucked her red barrette in her hair and held it close to her chest.

"At least I have something to remember him." She thought as she trudged home, her barrette back in its original place, deep in her ebony locks.