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...༻❁🝮❁༺...

Hashirama Senju sat behind his desk, his fingers steepled and his brow furrowed in frustration. The usually lively Hokage's office felt oddly stifling, the weight of bureaucratic duties pressing heavily upon his shoulders. His eyes darted over the papers strewn across his desk, but the sight of them only deepened his annoyance.

"That horrid woman should pay for the medical payments!" a man in front of him shouted, his face flushed with anger.

Hashirama sighed and maintained a calm demeanor, forcing a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "How about I pay for them personally?" He attempted to soothe the irate citizen, understanding that emotions were running high. "Y/N is currently away—"

"I couldn't, Hokage-sama! Make her family pay for it!" the man interrupted, cutting off Hashirama's response with palpable indignation.

Hashirama's mind briefly flickered to your mother, the head of the Okkotsu clan. He knew well how she cherished her fortune above everything else, and the thought of asking her for help was absurdly impractical. "I'm afraid such a thing won't be possible," he began, a dry chuckle escaping his lips. "The Okkotsu clan is unable to donate any sum of money..."

Before he could finish his sentence, a third voice spoke up, adding an unexpected layer of tension. "I'll pay for the costs," Madara Uchiha said firmly, his presence commanding the room.

Hashirama turned to see Madara standing tall, with Koko peeking shyly from behind his legs, her wide eyes filled with trepidation.

"The moment I took this child under my roof was the moment she became my responsibility," Madara continued, firmness accentuating his words. "And this small problem was caused by her."

The man's eyes widened in disbelief. "No, I couldn't possibly accept money from you, Uchiha-sama!" he protested, sweat pooling on his forehead as he glared at Koko, who instinctively backed away further behind Madara's legs.

Koko gasped, clinging tightly to the fabric of Madara's pants, her innocent fear melting Madara's stoic mask just a little.

"Why can't she just pay it herself when she comes back? It is only a trip of three days, correct?" Madara asked, shifting his gaze back to Hashirama, as if challenging the ongoing argument.

Hashirama nodded slowly, yet doubt lingered in his heart. "You are right, but..."

Hashirama erupted into laughter, slamming his fist on the counter. The sound echoed through the room like thunder. The laughter was infectious, a moment of levity in the midst of rising tensions.

However, the commotion was interrupted when a soft tug at his pants caused him to pause. He looked down and felt his heart melt at the sight of a small girl covered in dirt, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears.

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