Hashirama sighed as he leaned back into his office chair, his eyes scanning the cluttered desk before him. The weight of disappointment settled heavily on his shoulders as he thought about Yuno and his failure to help her remember the attack on the Hidden Sand Village.
Despite his best efforts, the plans he had meticulously crafted for her success seemed to continuously fall short. He had tried everything he could think of, from gentle hypnosis to specialized memory retrieval techniques, but nothing had worked. Yuno's mind remained a blank slate, and the truth about the attack remained hidden.
Hashirama felt like he was letting Yuno down. As the leader of the Hidden Leaf Village, he had a duty to protect its citizens, and that included Yuno. But he was failing to do that. He was failing to help her heal, and he was failing to bring her attacker to justice.
He closed his eyes and rubbed his temples, trying to push away the negative thoughts. He couldn't give up hope. He had to keep trying, for Yuno's sake.
He stood up and walked over to the window, looking out at the bustling village below. He thought about all the people who were counting on him, and he knew that he couldn't let them down.
Hashirama sighed as he turned to look at Yuno, who was sitting in a chair in front of him. "I'm sorry, Yuno," he said. "It looks like another failure today."
Yuno looked down at her hands. "I know," she said. "I'm so sorry."
"It's not your fault," Hashirama said. "We just haven't been able to find a way to help you remember." It's alright, don't blame yourself; some cases just can't be solved, and what happened to you eight years ago is most likely one of them. Sometimes, the truth remains elusive, no matter how hard we search for it. We must accept that closure may never come and focus on finding new ways to move forward. Let's not dwell on the past, but instead channel our energy into preventing future attacks and protecting others from experiencing the same pain.
"But it seems like all our efforts have been in vain. Yuno's inability to recall any details of the attack has left us with no leads to pursue." Hashirama's voice was heavy with disappointment.
Yuno slouched in the chair, her shoulders slumping. She felt like a weight was pressing down on her chest. "Despite their best intentions and meticulous planning, they are left empty-handed and unsure of how to proceed."
"Overall, I guess you're right," she said softly. "But still, if that's really true, then I don't think I can handle not knowing what happened."
Her voice trembled as she spoke. She had been so hopeful that this time they would finally be able to break through the barrier in her mind and uncover the truth about the attack. But once again, they had failed.
"I need to remember," she said, her voice rising in intensity. "I need to know what happened to me."
She clenched her fists tightly, her nails digging into her palms. She felt a surge of anger and frustration coursing through her veins. Why couldn't she remember? Why was her mind blocking out the truth?
Yuno understood the importance of moving forward, but the weight of uncertainty still burdened her heart. The thought of never finding out the truth left her feeling a deep sense of loss and longing for closure.
Lord First sighed heavily, his frustration evident. "I understand that, but I can't help but feel like we've hit a dead end. We've exhausted all possible avenues and still come up empty-handed. It's disheartening."
He paused and looked at Yuno, his eyes filled with compassion. "We've recently gone back to the Hidden Sand Village to the balcony where you were attacked," he said. "But there was nothing new, of course, since it has been so long. The case file they have on the incident came back inclusive as well."
Yuno's shoulders slumped. She had hoped that by returning to the scene of the incident, they might be able to trigger some new memories. But it was of no use. The past remained a blank slate, and the truth about her attacker remained hidden.
She felt a tear trickle down her cheek. She quickly wiped it away, embarrassed by her own weakness. "I'm so sorry," she said, her voice trembling. "I know you're trying so hard, but I just don't know what else we can do."
Lord First's shoulders slumped as he continued, "I had hoped that revisiting the scene would spark some new leads, but it seems we are no closer to finding the answers we seek. It's as if the truth has vanished into thin air."
Yuno listened intently, her heart sinking with each word. She had been hoping for a breakthrough, but it seemed that the mystery of her attack was only deepening.
The weight of the unsolved mystery hung heavily in the air, pressing down on Hashirama's and Yuno's shoulders like a suffocating cloak. The frustration of their fruitless search gnawed at their souls, leaving them with a bitter aftertaste.
Yuno stood up, her eyes filled with sadness and determination. "I understand, Lord First," she said. "I should be on my way now. I do have a group of Genin to attend to."
Hashirama nodded solemnly, his gaze fixed on the ground. "Thank you, Yuno," he replied softly. "Your assistance has been invaluable. We will continue our investigation and hopefully uncover the truth soon."
With a heavy heart, Yuno bid her farewell and left the room, leaving Hashirama to confront the daunting task ahead of them.
Yuno closed the door behind her with a soft click, the sound echoing in the silence of the empty hallway. She leaned against the door, her shoulders slumping in relief as she finally had a moment to herself. She closed her eyes and placed her hand on her chest, feeling the rapid rise and fall of her heartbeat. She took a deep breath, inhaling the cool air and slowly exhaling, trying to calm her racing mind.
The sound of her heartbeat filled her ears—a pulsing rhythm that seemed to drown out everything else. She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't notice the presence of someone walking up to her until they cleared their throat.
Yuno's heart pounded in her chest, its erratic rhythm echoing the familiar voice that had replaced the sound of her heartbeat. She opened her eyes slowly, her vision blurring as she tried to focus on the figure standing in front of her.
It was Tobirama Senju.
"Oh, Tobirama," she whispered, her voice hoarse. "How are you?"
She straightened her posture and took a step back from the office door, her eyes never leaving his.
Tobirama smiled faintly. "I am well, Yuno. How are you holding up?"
Yuno's lips quivered, struggling to form words. "I...I've been better," she admitted, her voice barely audible. She could feel her emotions welling up inside her, threatening to spill over. Yuno swallowed hard. "I'm... I'm okay," she said. "Just a little shaken up."
Tobirama's voice echoed through the empty office, his words heavy with disappointment. "I see. I guess there's still no progress yet."
Yuno sighed, her shoulders slumping. "No," she said. "Hashirama, er, Lord First said that it's most likely the case won't be solved since it's been eight years already since what happened." She corrected herself mid-sentence, knowing that Tobirama had always insisted on her using formalities when addressing him.
Tobirama nodded, his expression unreadable. "It's fine, Yuno," he said. "You don't always have to correct yourself. When talking about Hashirama with me, you can call him by his name."
Yuno smiled gratefully. "Thank you, Tobirama." She took a deep breath and continued. "Lord First said that the chances of finding any new evidence are slim and that even if we do, it's unlikely to be enough to convict the perpetrators after all this time."
Tobirama's jaw tightened. "I understand."
"Well, then I will be on my way," she said, standing up and brushing herself off. "Now I have to go check up on my students and make sure my son and Ichiro haven't killed each other yet."
Yuno's voice was light and teasing, but her eyes held a hint of worry. She knew that her son, Haru, and Ichiro, another one of her students, were always getting into trouble together, bickering with one another. But she knew that despite them being at odds most of the time, their teamwork was quite spotless.
"I'm sure they're fine," Tobirama said with a smile. "But it's always good to check up on them."
"Yes, it is," Yuno agreed. "Especially on days like today." She took a deep breath and turned to leave. "I'll see you later, Tobirama," she said.
"Until then," he said.
Yuno's footsteps echoed through the empty corridor, her mind racing with thoughts of her students. She couldn't wait to see Haru, Ichiro, and Yuki and make sure they were okay. She felt guilty for always being called away during their training time, knowing that they must be frustrated with her.
As she approached the training fields, she could hear the sound of sparring blades and the shouts of her students. She took a deep breath and stepped out into the sunlight.