"I don't care what she's like. I only care that she's a woman! Wuwu... Kirito, you know I like you, so why did you go for someone else? If you want something, you could have come to me… Wuwu..." Izumi cried until she was utterly exhausted, leaving Kirito in a bit of a panic. He looked down and realized that she had fallen asleep in his arms, completely worn out from the emotional turmoil she had been through.
It was obvious that she hadn't slept properly since overhearing the conversation about Mikoto. Both physically and mentally, she was drained.
Kirito was torn. Should he let her sleep in his arms? But no, he couldn't afford to favor one person over another. His wife, Mikoto, was pregnant and needed him the most during this insecure time.
Seeing Izumi's tear-streaked, haggard face, Kirito felt a deep pang of guilt. He carefully laid her down on the bed, covered her with a blanket, and quietly closed the door so she could rest.
Afterwards, Kirito headed to Mikoto's room.
As a skilled ninja, Mikoto had heard Izumi's sobs clearly. Konan had also heard everything, but she remained quiet until Kirito entered.
"For your mission, I can ask the leader to send a shadow clone on your behalf this time," Konan said, looking at Kirito intently before leaving the room. It was clear she understood the weight of the situation.
Kirito nodded in appreciation, then immediately created a shadow clone and sent it off to follow Konan.
Once alone with Mikoto, Kirito sat beside her on the bed.
"I'm sorry. If it weren't for you and Izumi, I wouldn't have let things get to this point," Mikoto whispered as she avoided Kirito's eyes. Her voice trembled with guilt and confusion. She couldn't face Izumi, her former student, after everything that had happened.
Kirito shook his head gently and pulled Mikoto into his arms. "I'm the one at fault. If I hadn't been greedy and pushed you into this situation, none of this would've happened."
Mikoto's eyes brimmed with tears as she leaned into Kirito's chest, letting them fall silently. For a while, they sat together in silence, both grappling with the weight of their actions.
After some time, Mikoto bit her lip and finally broke the silence. "Kirito, maybe... maybe we should end this. I'm too much older than you. After the baby is born, I'll..."
Before she could finish, Kirito placed his hands on her shoulders and said sternly, "Don't say such things. I'm not giving up on you or our child. As for the age difference..."
He reached for the pink cord around Mikoto's neck, pulling out the pure gold ring he had given her. Since the ring was too conspicuous, she had worn it around her neck instead, per Kirito's suggestion.
"Do you remember this ring I gave you?" he asked.
Mikoto nodded, wiping her tears.
Kirito smiled and, with a flourish, he summoned Kyoka Suigetsu from his storage, plunging the sword into the ground to block any outside perception.
"This isn't just an ordinary ring," he explained. "It's made of a rare metal that can delay aging and keep someone youthful and healthy. It's called pure gold. As long as you wear it, you won't age—your appearance and body functions will remain the same for hundreds of years."
"Two or three hundred years?!" Mikoto gasped, her disbelief evident as her eyes widened in shock.
Kirito gently covered her mouth and made a "shh" gesture. "Do you still think you're much older than me now?"
Mikoto blinked, processing this revelation, and slowly shook her head. But then she asked, "What about Izumi?"
Kirito sighed, glancing towards Izumi's room, sensing her even, quiet breathing. "Let her rest for now. I'll explain things to her later. Honestly, I didn't want to reveal the truth to her so soon. I wanted her to enjoy a carefree childhood a little longer. But it seems that's no longer possible."
Mikoto nodded, sympathy in her eyes. "You've been through a lot, Kirito."
Kirito gave a bitter smile. "I deserve it," he replied, before shifting the topic. "When did you find out you were pregnant?"
Mikoto blushed and lowered her gaze. "It must have been that day."
"Which day?" Kirito asked, trying to recall.
"The day Konan came over, and Izumi invited her for tea. You used genjutsu that night..." Mikoto's face flushed even more, turning a deep shade of red as she recalled the event.
"Oh, so that day? Then that means you're about a month along now, right?" Kirito said, finally piecing the timeline together.
Mikoto nodded shyly.
"Well then, after the baby is born, we'll try for another," Kirito teased with a grin.
Mikoto playfully swatted him, biting his shoulder lightly. "Go to hell!" she muttered.
"Ouch!" Kirito yelped, though the bite didn't actually hurt. He dramatically pretended to be in pain, making Mikoto giggle.
"You deserved it," Mikoto said with a mischievous smile, the laughter lifting her spirits.
Seeing her laugh, Kirito couldn't help but smile mischievously. Mikoto noticed the look in his eyes and immediately grew wary. "What are you planning? Don't forget, I'm pregnant!"
Kirito laughed. "Don't worry, I won't do anything reckless."
Later that evening, Kirito left the room, satisfied, after spending some quality time with his wife. He decided to cook dinner, something he hadn't done in a long time. First, he prepared a portion for Mikoto, then he took the rest to Izumi's room.
"Hey, Izumi, wake up. It's time to eat," Kirito said softly, waking her with a gentle nudge.
Izumi blinked her eyes open, looking a bit more refreshed after a good nap. Her face had regained some color, though there was still a hint of sadness. She glanced at Kirito briefly, stood up, and fixed her clothes before saying, "Thank you," in a soft, distant tone.
She then walked out of the room.
Watching her go, Kirito felt a pang in his chest. Izumi's "thank you" had been polite, but it felt far too formal, too distant. It had been years since she'd spoken to him like that.
Had the situation with Mikoto caused an irreparable rift between them?
Kirito couldn't help but feel that he was paying the price for his actions, knowing that one relationship was suffering because of another. But that price… it hurt.
Just when Kirito thought all hope was lost, he heard Izumi's voice from the bathroom. "Put the food on the table and cover it for me. Since you rarely cook, it'll taste bad if it gets cold. I'm going to shower first."
Kirito's spirits lifted immediately. There was still hope.
"Got it. I'll go do that now," Kirito replied, rushing to the kitchen with a smile.
(End of this chapter)
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