(Edited)
Although Kagami rejected the marriage request, Hashirama still cared about Uchiha Kagami's marital status. He mentioned that he hoped Kagami would get married soon and not keep his fiancée waiting too long. As he spoke, Hashirama's gaze shifted to Masaki, making his heart race.
The other clan heads exchanged glances and smiled warmly. Even though Masaki was young, he was still a clan head, ranking higher than other ninja heirs. Everyone knew of Masaki's insistence on postponing his marriage. Hashirama's focus on him now seemed to suggest that he wanted Masaki to marry soon as well.
Masaki was momentarily startled but nodded slightly, agreeing to marry in the coming days. He had already agreed to the marriage, but no date had been set. With the Uchiha clan's departure, Hashirama seemed anxious to resolve the matter.
Seeing this, Uchiha Kagami suggested to Hashirama, "Why not have both of us marry on the same day?"
Hashirama clapped Masaki on the shoulder, saying joyfully, "That's a great idea. What do you think, Masaki?"
Fumori Masaki hadn't expected Kagami to suggest such a thing. He glanced at him with amusement, but he didn't mind the idea and nodded in agreement.
With this, Hashirama felt a weight lift from his shoulders. The meeting had been a success. The crucial takeaway was that the relationship between the Senju and Uchiha clans remained stable in the eyes of the other clans. Though a marriage between the Uchiha and Senju hadn't materialized, this reassurance meant that the other families didn't have to worry about escalating conflicts between the Uchiha clan and the village.
After the meeting, the other clan leaders left in groups, chatting as they went. Uchiha Kagami walked over to Masaki. The two of them took a path together, each with something on their mind.
"Kagami-kun," Masaki said, glancing at him, "you really surprised me with that idea. Marrying on the same day?"
Kagami chuckled. "Why not? Hashirama-sama asked us to marry soon anyway. If we set the weddings on the same day, the whole village can celebrate together. The atmosphere in the village has been pretty tense lately—this would be a chance to lighten things up."
Masaki smiled. "I don't mind. But I was a bit surprised when you turned down Hashirama-sama's proposal. Weren't you tempted? Marrying Hashirama-sama's daughter would have cemented the Uchiha clan's position in the village."
Kagami's expression grew serious. "Of course I was tempted. I know how beneficial it would've been for the clan. But I couldn't betray my fiancée."
He paused, thinking. "When Madara-sama refused Hashirama-sama's marriage offer, he quickly found me a fiancée. I was young then, and I didn't fully understand Madara-sama's growing resistance to the village. But I knew one thing: since she was my fiancée, I had to treat her well. Over time, she became a part of my life. I couldn't just abandon her, no matter how enticing Hashirama-sama's offer was."
Masaki understood. The Uchiha were a clan that deeply valued love, and the power of the Sharingan came from the pain of losing those they cherished. The Uchiha could sacrifice everything for love, just like Madara, who was willing to reconcile with Hashirama after the death of his brother, only to oppose later on, whether it his own personality or Manipulated by black Zetsu. Masaki silently wished Kagami happiness, knowing that even someone as gentle as Kagami could become twisted if he ever lost the one he loved.
"Kagami-kun, I truly wish you happiness," Masaki said quietly.
Kagami blinked in surprise but smiled. "Thanks. I hope the same for you and your future wife."
Masaki smiled, accepting Kagami's kind words.
As they continued walking, Kagami suddenly said, "By the way, can I start calling you Masaki?"
Previously, Kagami had always added "-kun" to Masaki's name. Dropping the honorific implied a deeper friendship.
Masaki considered this and nodded. "Sure. Then I'll call you Kagami."
"Of course," Kagami said with a smile. "Since we're getting married on the same day, it feels like destiny. So let's make a pact."
"A pact?" Masaki frowned, sensing Kagami was about to say something unusual.
Kagami grinned mischievously. "If our children happen to be a boy and a girl, how about we arrange for them to be engaged?"
Masaki almost stumbled in shock. "You're already thinking about that? The children aren't even born yet, and we haven't even had our weddings!"
Kagami laughed. "I think it's a good idea. You and I are friends, and our weddings are on the same day. It would be a great connection between our families."
Masaki shook his head, amused. "Even if I agreed, what about your clan? They wouldn't be too thrilled about your child marrying the child of an outsider, right?"
At this time, most clans with inherited bloodlines preferred intermarriage within the clan. Although the Uchiha weren't as strict as the Hyuga, who allowed marriage between close relatives, they still weren't likely to accept the child of a lesser-known clan like the Fumori.
Kagami waved this off. "Your fiancée is from the Senju clan, right? Your child will have Senju blood, and I remember she's closely related to Hashirama-sama. Not directly, but close enough. If it's not direct, there shouldn't be any problem."
"Then why not propose a marriage with Hashirama-sama's grandchildren?" Masaki asked. "That would make more sense and keep the bloodlines even purer."
Kagami hesitated, then admitted quietly, "Madara-sama's departure was a big blow to me, and I know it caused trouble for Hashirama-sama. I just don't feel right asking to marry into his family."
Masaki understood. Kagami didn't want to further complicate the relationship between the Uchiha and Senju by making such a request. In his own way, Kagami was trying to bridge the two clans, and Masaki was the right candidate to help with that.
After a moment, Masaki said, "I believe children should choose their own paths. Deciding their future for them might be too much. But we can certainly raise them together and see what happens."
Kagami smiled warmly. "That sounds like a fair deal."
With that, the heavy topic was set aside, and the two of them returned to their usual banter. They discussed training plans and joked about their future children until they reached Masaki's home.
Masaki watched as Kagami walked away, shaking his head. A lot had happened today. Turning around, he opened his door and stepped inside.