Kei-Kei Yuki: Hey everyone! This is the final chapter of Hashi and Madara's flashback story, so get your tissues. I tried my best with this chapter, so I hope you enjoy and Oh-I made a playlist for this chapter if you wish to listed to it while reading, the link will be down below.

Link:/ youtube playlist? list=PLadhOOYsRhNGursYlmlkqbR6luAx1rBcL&si=TFNLji1Z2WV_A-J-

Our Story: I'm Sorry

A composed Hashi sat while the man before her bowed and began to introduce herself. The Lady Hokage wore a formal light green kimono with cherry blossoms decorating the sleeves. Her face, which showed neither happiness nor anger, held a touch of light makeup, specifically on her lips and eyes.

Her brown hair was left free and unrestrained as it fanned out on the ground where she sat. She was the vision of beauty, and any man who caught sight of her would instantly fall for her.

"My name is Uzumaki Mito. It's a pleasure to meet you, Lady Hokage-Senju Hashi."

Mito greeted her with politeness and a gentle smile on his face. Hashi did not care for appearances, but she had to give the Uzumaki credit for having picked such a handsome lad to be her betrothed. Since the moment they met, his eyes showed nothing but kindness with a layer that kept some of his emotions hidden.

Just like with all Uzumakis, his hair was a bright red and long, fastened into a braid he wore behind his back. By all rights, Hashi had wanted to be mad at the man before her. She didn't ask to be put in this situation. He wasn't the one her heart longed for as flashes of a scowl and raven hair appeared to her.

Hashi tried to appear cold and emotionless for the duration of their forced acquaintance, refusing to speak despite Mito's best efforts to hold a conversation with her and his kind intentions. In her heart, she knew her actions weren't right, and Mito did not deserve her ire. That as clan matriarch and leader of this village, the wishes and will of the people and her clan came first. But never in her entire life did she want to reverse time, or better... just run away.

She only lightened her treatment towards her betrothed when a late-night conversation shared with sake shed some light, and Hashi knew she wasn't the only one whose hands were tied behind her back.

"I had dreams of becoming a great shinobi, someone who can help shape this world to a better future—a leader in my own rights. In hopes there will be less bloodshed and war, I wanted to be someone who could reunite people."

Hashi knew the cause behind Mito finally laying bare all his pent up feelings was mainly because of the sake, but hearing him share his pain and dreams made her feel a bit closer to him.

"But, the day the elders came to me, ordering that I will be shipped off to Konoha to become your husband, my opinions and words became dismissed. My grandfather told me my only role was to become a dutiful husband who followed his wife."

The shield that he always put up was lowered as Hashi saw past the gentleman and saw the sorrowful eyes of a young man whose future was stripped of him. Both of them were stripped of their own rights, bound by the obligations of their clan. Those sad eyes made Hashi pity him, and she stopped placing her hate on someone who didn't deserve it.

"You and I hold more in common than I expected." These were the very first words Hashi said to him before taking a swing of her sake. Staring out the opened window of the room, her eyes were drawn to the moon that illuminated the dark skies. Her mind drew back to that day in the flower field when she directed her question at Madara.

But instead of tackling the truth, Madara, that coward as she had been secretly calling him lately, stayed silent and stormed away.

'Madara, I can't wait for you forever.' Hashi longingly stared at the moon.

Days passed, and soon, word got out all over the village about the Senju Matriach's upcoming wedding to the Uzumaki Prince. People from young and old had begun gossiping about the pair, having seen them talking a stroll throughout the village.

Many of the women praised the Uzumaki Prince for his dashing looks and gentlemanly demeanor; though things were tense in the beginning, people saw how, lately, their relationship had begun to improve for the better.

"Huh? I thought the Lady Hokage and that Uchiha, you know the one with the scary mug, were hooking up?" gossiped an old construction worker to his wife one late night.

"Sshh! No way would the Senju allow our Lady Hokage to marry that Uchiha! Besides, I think Mito-sama is a better fit for her than that cold man," said the wife, bypassing a certain young flower girl whose opinions differed from the old woman.

Recalling that day, she had the honor of encountering their Lady Hokage and that Uchiha man. Though she found him a little scary, she thought the two made a cute couple.

In no time, everyone in the village expressed their happiness towards the news. All except for one, who stalked the new couple from the shadows. Just like now, crouching on top of a rooftop, miles away from the busy streets lit up by street lanterns.

He felt his blood boil each time Hashi would bestow the Uzumaki with her smile and laughter. Possessiveness burned his veins from how close the two would stand next to each other. But what made him want to erupt was that look that Uzumaki would point at Hashi every time her back was turned. Those soft and longing eyes, Madara knew all too well.

He had seen Izuna sporting those same eyes towards that blonde civilian girl who managed to capture his baby brother's heart. Not to mention... he too... once looked at Hashi with those very same eyes.

"Nii-sama, you can't keep stalking them forever. I do not approve of the Senju woman, but either state your intentions... or move on." Izuna stood next to his brother with eyes that held a hint of pity for the man he admired and for the heartbreak his older brother was experiencing seeing the woman he loved have feelings for another.

"Don't speak foolishness, Izuna. I do not harbor such feelings for Hashi. Besides, how can I fall for a naive woman who preaches peace but is oblivious to the darkness that still braces this world," Madara harshly rebuked Izuna, unaware of how Hashi had pinpointed his location and sprouted a cherry blossom flower, allowing her to hear everything he had to say.

As the approach of her wedding moved closer, the relationship between Hashi and Madara began to deteriorate at a fast rate. It became worse with every passing day; the two would even get into yelling matches during meetings, ending with Madara storming out of the room and Hashi clutching at her chest with fiery eyes.

Whenever Madara roamed the streets, he hated whenever people spoke of Hashi's wedding, and with every fiber in his body, he detested that Uzumaki. But what hurt the most was how his heart would clench at the sight of them together, happily enjoying each other's company. It made his eyes burn, triggering his Mankgekyo Sharigan without his awareness.

He even started to have weird dreams whenever he slept. In these dreams, he would become someone else yet heartbreak still lived. Even in his dreams, he still felt that antagonizing pain in his chest as if someone was squeezing it, yelling words at a blonde woman whose figure was blurry, yet Madara felt a connection to this woman. The very same one he had with Hashi.

"How can you bind yourself to him despite knowing your heart belongs to me? Did our promises mean nothing to you, _!" A yell of a name that Madara could not hear escaped from his lips.

Since those dreams transpired, Madara felt himself spiraling, especially with the wedding so close. He began losing his faith in Hashi when he noticed the control of the elders of the Senju clan was starting to seep into other clans. Their eyes were beginning to change. Though they did not outright isolate the Uchiha's, they didn't fully trust them either, and Madara could only fear the outcome this would lead to one day.

"I share your dissatisfaction, nii-sama. If things were different, I would follow you in a heartbeat. But things are different now. My wife is expecting a child. I... I can not leave her side."

Izuna, guilty, stared down at his lap. Madara felt foolish for trying to talk his baby brother into his plan. Unlike him, his little brother was starting to set roots and moving forward to a better future. Only he was stuck in the past when it was just him and Hashi dreaming of a better future.

It hurt to see her slowly give her heart to another. To see her, the girl-turned-woman, who held half of his heart, give her own to someone else. The hollow empty feeling in his chest reminded him of the day he almost lost Izuna. He couldn't stay here any longer.

"Madara, I'm not trying to isolate the Uchihas! It wasn't my intention to leave you in the dark! I was going to tell you, but the other clans—"

"While I may trust you, I can't trust the other Senjus and clans. Our views are starting to diverge Hashi. This village was our dream. You were my—" Madara stopped himself from finishing that statement. "I will protect my brother and clan in my own way. Without you, Hashi. So, I'm leaving to follow my own path."

Madara stared down the woman before him, shattering something in Hashi.

"Leave?" She took a staggering step back. "You gotta be joking!" Hashi felt the air get thicker. And was hit with a sense of deja vu as if she once heard such similar words before despite this being the very first time. Her chest pain was worse than usual. This time, it felt as if Madara just took a kunai to her lungs and stole all of the air in the room.

'It's just like that dream I had!' Hashi clutched at her chest, trying to regain her breathing as she recalled how her soul somehow took possession of the body of a glowing blonde woman. In the dream, the woman desperately called out to a man whose long raven hair reminded her of Madara.

Despite knowing how unreasonable she must've sounded, Hashi screamed as tears trailed down her cheeks. "You can't leave me! I-I refuse to let you go!" For a second, Madara was touched by Hashi's tears, hands longing to wipe them away, but he was a stubborn fool.

"I will... as you have already forsaken me. I will bring an end to this cursed cycle of blood and hatred. You can not stop me."

The day after that night, Hashi stood in front of the glass window overlooking the village. She was stunning as she stood in her embroidered pure white silk kimono. Everyone looked so happy. Even half of her heart looked forward to today's event. But only half, as the other half was still mourning. Making her emotions on this special day complicated.

Moved by the feelings of her heart, Hashi recalled an old song her mother once sang while on her sick bed and began singing it.

~Every day, I wait for you in this courtyard,

waiting to hear the sound of your footsteps

Fall gently, behind the image of a setting sun.~

Hashi could still remember the day they first met. She was a young girl, tired of the shackles of her clan that held her down. She hated her own powerlessness but on the bright summer day, she met a boy who taught her how to stand up and conquer her fears.

~If I close my eyes, I can see you, and would

run to you, in a field of blossoming spring flowers

and rest my head on your shoulder on a warm summer's day

after a tiring day of work~

Despite being so fleeting, their time together was a treasure to Hashi. One she would always hold precious to her heart. She would always fondly recall that raven-haired boy who would become flustered and upset at the drop of a hat—reminding her of a cat bearing its fang. Without Madara in her life, she wouldn't have become the woman she was today.

~But, as soon as I open them,

it's as if those days have faded. But today, I look

down and see nothing but brown

and crimson stains of leaves. ~

The day she was forced to stay away from him. Hashi's heart was filled with despair. She didn't want to become separated from him. Madara had become someone special to her. But at last, she was caged once again. This time, however, Hashi was going to fight for her freedom, and she did, breaking the cage that tried to shield her from the harsh world.

"I can no longer hold you back, Hashi. Though I was strict, I only wanted you to be happy. You are my daughter, and I love you very much. But now I know you are a woman who can handle yourself. So be free, my little songbird." Those were the last words her father told her as he rested on his sick bed, anxious to be reunited with their mother.

~Now they are gone, blown away

with the cold wind along with our cherished memories~

A knock on the door drew Hashi's attention, and she turned her head and saw Tobirama standing in the doorway in his formal kimono.

"Nee-sama, are you ready?"

Hashi knew the true answer in her heart, but she lied anyway with a fake smile.

"Yes~!"

"You know how the rest of the story goes. Madara did return, but only to destroy my hard work. We battled on multiple occasions. With him finally returning with the Kyuubi under his control."

During the recount of her story, Hashi's sorrow was detected by everyone in the room, even Tobirama, who couldn't look his sister in the eyes without feeling a sense of guilt. Even now, Hashi could still see their last battle as if it happened yesterday.

"We fought until we were both exhausted. In the end, I landed the fatal blow, ending the life of a person who once meant the world to me."

Hashi held back tears, recalling Madara's bleeding body as she dropped down to her knees beside him. Despite his actions, even now, she wanted to reach out to heal him, but her chakra was depleted.

"You did it in the end." Madara coughed up blood. The Mangekyō Sharigan faded from his eyes. "I guess it's for the best. Congratulations. You and that Uzumaki have started a new life in your womb."

Hashi was shocked at the news, clutching her stomach, but when she moved her gaze back to Madara, her voice froze as his eyes had lost all signs of life and his chest was no longer moving.

"No... No... M-Madara? MADARA!" She shook his chest, emotions spiraling. Overcome with grief, Hashi clutched her stomach and released a soul-wrenching cry beneath the raining gray skies.

"All I wanted was for a world of peace—a world ruled by love instead of hate. You asked me what it means to be a shinobi. You speak of the tragedy that has befallen your clan and the endurance your brother took on. I do not have an answer. I... I never meant for things to be this way."

Everyone watched as the First Lady Hokage, a woman feared by the world and called the Goddess of Shinobi, graced the floor with her knee, issuing an outcry from Tobirama, but she ignored them.

"I wanted a world where children could grow up with their families, Senjus, Uchihas, all clans. So that others, especially children, would never have to experience the heartbreak of burying their loved ones. You poor, innocent child who lost everyone who was dear. Who was given a burden no one should bear."

Hashi bowed her upper body, facing Sasuke, until her forehead touched the floor—shocking everyone, including him.

"Please allow this old woman to say, I'm sorry."