"Yukina, are you really all right?"
In the dim, flickering candlelight, Kushina looked at Chiba, who was absentmindedly picking at his food, and could not help but ask.
What had happened earlier had truly terrified her. She had finished cooking and gone to the old residence for a while, only to return and find Yukina unconscious, with Chiba holding her and wearing an awful expression. The moment she saw that, her heart had nearly stopped beating.
Fortunately, Chiba had explained things immediately and confirmed that Yukina had merely fainted. After taking Yukina back to her room to rest, she and Chiba had come downstairs, leading to their current scene of sitting across from each other by candlelight.
She was asking Chiba for confirmation once more.
"It's all right. There's nothing wrong with her body. She was just too emotionally agitated and fainted. But to be safe, we should still take her to the hospital for a checkup tomorrow."
Hearing Kushina's words, Chiba set down his chopsticks, raised his head, and spoke. His tone, however, was quite cautious.
"As long as she's all right, I'm relieved."
Kushina trusted Chiba greatly and did not doubt him further.
"Mm. I'm sorry, Teacher Kushina. I shouldn't have..."
But upon hearing that, Chiba pressed his lips together. A trace of guilt crossed his face as he spoke in a low voice.
"No, how could this be your fault? Honestly, I hoped you would tell her. The sooner she knew, the sooner she would hurt, and the sooner she could recover. Besides, if you didn't tell her, she would keep thinking about it, worrying over it, and fearing it. That would only become a long-term torment."
Listening to Chiba's guilt-filled words, Kushina shook her head and affirmed his actions. Clearly, her thoughts on this matter were