Chapter 43
The sun hung low over the quiet village, its golden light casting long shadows across the rooftops. Unlike the war-torn lands Ryouhei had grown used to, this place was untouched by conflict. The air was clean, the people moved about without fear, and the sound of children laughing filled the streets. It was a place where bloodshed had no home—a place that felt almost unreal to him.
Mei stood by the wooden railing of their home, her long auburn hair catching the breeze. She had been quieter than usual, her usual teasing smile absent. Ryouhei noticed the way she kept glancing at him, as if debating whether to speak. He had known her long enough to recognize when something was on her mind.
She turned to face him, her expression unreadable. "I need to tell you something."
Ryouhei's sharp eyes studied her, searching for any hint of what was coming. Mei was rarely hesitant. She was direct, strong, and unshaken by most things. But this time, her voice carried a weight he wasn't used to hearing.
"I'm pregnant," she finally said.
The words hung in the air, almost unreal. For the first time in a long time, Ryouhei felt caught off guard. The calculations, the strategies, the contingency plans—none of them had prepared him for this. He stared at her, his mind racing.
Mei waited, watching him carefully. He knew she expected a reaction, an answer, something. But what was he supposed to say? He had built weapons to kill shinobi from every nation. He had designed wars, torn down systems, and created chaos that shaped the world's future. And now, he was going to be a father.
His first instinct was to consider the risks. Mei was a high-ranking kunoichi from Kirigakure. If word spread, her enemies could use this against her. If anyone connected him to her, it could jeopardize everything he had built in the shadows. There were threats he had not accounted for, vulnerabilities he had never considered.
Yet despite all of that, a strange warmth settled in his chest.
He stepped forward, closing the distance between them. His fingers brushed against her hand, the smallest gesture, but one that felt heavier than any battle he had ever fought. "Are you sure?" His voice was quieter than usual, stripped of the cold calculation he often carried.
Mei nodded. "I wouldn't tell you if I wasn't."
Ryouhei let out a slow breath, his grip tightening just slightly. "Then we'll make sure both of you are safe."
A smile finally tugged at the corner of Mei's lips. "Both of us?"
He exhaled through his nose, shaking his head slightly. "You think I wouldn't include my own child?"
She chuckled, stepping closer and resting her forehead against his chest. "I was wondering if you'd panic."
"Panic?" Ryouhei scoffed. "I don't panic."
Mei laughed softly, her arms wrapping around him. "Of course not."
For a brief moment, the war, the plans, the weapons—it all faded into the background. Here, in this quiet village, Ryouhei was simply a man with the woman he loved, awaiting the birth of their child. He knew this peace wouldn't last forever. Eventually, he would have to return to the shadows, to the work that defined him. But for now, just for now, he allowed himself to live in this moment.
And for the first time in years, the future felt uncertain in a way that had nothing to do with war.