Self Redemption

Tobirama was awakened by the sound of birds pecking at the glass.

The warm morning light joyfully poured into the room through the large window, illuminating the entire space and making every breath feel light and carefree.

But his nerves were on high alert.

Someone was beside him.

He didn't make a sound, but instead maintained the rhythmic breathing of someone in slumber, feigning still being in a dreamlike state, quietly observing the person beside him.

The first thing he saw was a head of black hair. It sprawled recklessly, even forming an attractive curve; a pale face, with a furrowed brow, impatiently locking the space between the brows, those eyes—

He suddenly leaped up and tackled the person next to him to the ground.

The bed was forcefully knocked aside with great strength. His arm ached, the needle buried in his arm was pulled out, and fresh blood poured from the wound, but he didn't care about that.

Tobirama squinted, his bright red eyes glaring fiercely at the person he had pinned down. The weapon in the person's hand had also been taken from them and was now held inches away from their neck.

"Why are you here? You're not—"

You're not...

Not what?

He froze.

At that moment, the door burst open. A young man with a tied-up braid stuck his head in, witnessing the scene inside. He widened his eyes in shock, Tobirama turned his head in bewilderment, locking eyes with the young man.

"You're not also..."

?

The words were on the tip of his tongue but just couldn't come out.

He could only stare blankly as the young man pulled his head back, and not long after, the voice echoed throughout the room.

"Hashirama! Your brother is trying to murder my brother—"

-

A figure with long hair dashed into the room.

"Tobirama!" he exclaimed in fear, upon seeing the scene, he cried out in even greater terror, "Madara!!!!"

"Hashirama! Stop screaming and come help me!" the man pinned under him yelled, taking advantage of Tobirama's momentary shock to push him off.

Tobirama reflexively tried to resist, but his body didn't cooperate as he'd hoped, and in no time, a group of people had collectively pinned him back onto the bed.

Madara, who had been inexplicably threatened with a fruit knife and massaged his neck in annoyance, looked displeased at the person back on the bed.

"Is your brother crazy?" Madara fumed, "I was just peeling an apple, and he acted like I was trying to poison him?!"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Hashirama clasped his hands apologetically. "It must be that Tobirama was too nervous... Are you okay?"

Madara coldly snorted, "I'm fine, but you should have someone check your brother's mind."

"Don't be like this..."

Hashirama sat on the edge of the bed as he responded. Since he entered, Tobirama's gaze had been fixed on him, and when he turned around, Tobirama carefully scrutinized this man.

He had round eyes with pupils that were a mix of black and a hint of brown, giving a sense of warmth at first glance. Despite having long hair, it oddly suited him.

"Tobirama, are you okay?"

A deep and gentle voice gently tickled his ears, and for some reason, he felt his eyes welling up. He lowered his head and said, "I..."

Hashirama looked at him expectantly.

"I..."

He said in a daze, "I... can't remember anything."

-

Tobirama Senju, male, twenty-six years old.

After studying abroad for several years, he had just returned to his home country and was hit by a car.

"There's no blood clot in your brain; it seems to be psychogenic amnesia... In simple terms, it's a response to stress, where your brain's self-defense mechanism makes you forget many things."

Tobirama looked at himself in the mirror: a pale complexion, short white hair, bright red pupils, and one side of his face wrapped in gauze. He felt like he should be older than twenty-six, yet the reflection in the mirror looked young, definitely not older than his mid-twenties. He hesitantly touched his cheek on the unbandaged side; there seemed to be something missing there...?

Hashirama, who had just seen off the Uchiha brothers, looked at his younger brother with great care.

He gently touched Tobirama's shoulder, saying, "Tobirama..."

Tobirama raised his head, gazing at the person in front of him, a trace of pity in Hashirama's expression.

Those identities made him feel incredibly unfamiliar.

But as long as he looked at Hashirama, his drifting heart would immediately settle down.

"It seems like I trust you a lot," he said frankly.

"Tobirama," Hashirama held Tobirama's hand, "We are brothers."

Tobirama furrowed his brow slightly, looking at the person before him, his "elder brother"... but, "We don't look alike," he cautiously pointed out.

Hashirama cheerfully responded, "Tobirama looks like our mother, though."

Tobirama lowered his eyes and whispered, "Mother..."

Hashirama softly said, "Mother passed away... a few years ago, and father too. Now, there are only the four of us siblings in the family."

Tobirama felt like his chest was a pool of water with ripples being stirred, and it took him a while to respond.

"...siblings?"

"Itama and Kawarama," Hashirama's tone remained gentle, "They are very worried about you... But they have to go to school, so they'll probably be back in the evening."

"Itama and... Kawarama..." Tobirama repeated Hashirama's words. His throat tightened, and he couldn't help but grasp his own collar.

"I don't know why..." he mumbled in confusion, "Whenever I think of them, I just feel... like I can't breathe..."

Even upon learning that his parents had long passed away, Tobirama felt only a faint sense of melancholy, without much emotion. However, when the two younger brothers were mentioned, it seemed as if an unrelenting sadness was brewing in his chest.

Hashirama was taken aback, his expression serious, and Tobirama's heart also tensed. Had something happened? Itama and Kawarama...

"...Is it because Itama and Kawarama forgot to give you a birthday gift?" Hashirama asked solemnly.

The serious atmosphere was instantly punctured, and a wave of helplessness washed over Tobirama. Could forgetting a birthday really elicit this feeling? But with this distraction, Tobirama also felt somewhat relieved. He sighed, “Just take what elder brother said as the truth.”

As he said it, he felt a sense of déjà vu.

"Do I often say things like this?"

"Huh?"

"Never mind..."

Tobirama reclined, allowing himself to sink into the soft pillows and bedding. The room had a high vaulted ceiling, and the overhead light was gentle, not too glaring in the sunlight.

Hashirama's face came close, with anticipation in his voice. "Tobirama, would you like to have an apple?"

Of course, Madara, upon learning that Hashirama's brother indeed had a bit of an issue with his mind, generously left behind the apple he had been peeling.

As for why they had appeared here, Hashirama hesitated, "Because I couldn't handle it on my own, so I asked friends to help..."

Tobirama gazed at the neatly arranged and beautifully peeled rabbit-shaped apples on the plate and couldn't help but say, "I really didn't expect..."

"...Does Tobirama have any recollection of Madara and them?"

"No, not at all," he replied with confusion, "It's just a feeling that they shouldn't be here."

"I see..."

Hashirama pondered.

Tobirama speared a piece of the rabbit-shaped apple. The flesh was sweet and slightly tart, with abundant juice, and he unconsciously finished it.

It wasn't until the fork's tip hit the empty plate, making a crisp sound, that he realized the plate was now empty.

Tobirama's hand remained suspended in mid-air for a while before he slowly lowered it.

A sense of melancholy washed over him, and restlessness simmered deep in his mind, making him fidget, unsure of what to do.

Instinct told him he shouldn't be sitting here. He should...

He should... what?

It felt like standing on an empty street, covered in thick white fog, with the path ahead swallowed by darkness, and the route from which he came had vanished entirely into obscurity. Only the occasional echoes of the wind hinted at the existence of something there.

This loss of control made him extremely uncomfortable.

Tobirama suddenly said, "If I never remember—"

His unfinished words dissipated into the air.

He felt himself enveloped in the warm embrace of his older brother.

An unprecedented sense of comfort surrounded him, and with it, the tangled thoughts drifted away, calming the inner restlessness.

Tobirama leaned against his elder brother's chest, able to hear the steady and soothing heartbeat. His back was gently patted to soothe him.

"It's okay, it's okay," Hashirama whispered gently, "It's okay, even if you can't remember... I'm here... Tobirama, just rest easy..."

"Mm..."

It was like soothing a baby to sleep.

His body was not yet fully recovered, and the rhythmic movements naturally induced drowsiness. Before long, Tobirama once again drifted into slumber.

The morning sun blazed, and the branches outside the window glistened in its light. The sky was a clean, cloudless expanse of azure, a rare and beautiful day.

Hashirama's gaze extended to the distant blue sky as he continued to pat Tobirama's back.

"It's okay to forget... I'm here..."

A small smile curved his lips.

"Tobirama, you don't need to worry about anything."