A silent night, a chilly moon.
Knock, knock, knock~
Kushina opened the door and saw Minato standing outside her home.
The reek of alcohol hit her face, making her dark brows knit slightly.
"You've been drinking?"
"Yeah... with Shikaku, Inoichi..." Minato's voice was unsteady as he spoke, and his body swayed where he stood.
He rarely got drunk to such a miserable state. In his current condition, he probably should not have come to disturb Kushina.
Kushina gripped the edge of the door tightly with one hand. By all rights, she should have let Minato in. Even if they did nothing else, he could at least sit down, rest for a while, and drink some water to sober up.
But she felt deeply resistant to the idea now. Whenever she thought of what had happened during the day, nausea rose within her.
Kushina felt unbearably dirty. She had washed herself over and over, yet the feeling remained. She did not want to be alone in the same room as Minato.
Minato slowly reached out and placed a hand on the doorknob, as though he merely needed it to steady himself—or perhaps as though he intended to push the door open and walk inside.
But Kushina suddenly braced herself against the door.
"Minato..."
Minato blankly raised his head to look at Kushina. She stood with her back to the light, and in the dimness, he could not clearly make out either her features or her expression.
"I... didn't mean anything by it... Then I won't come in." That was all he said before falling silent.
Kushina pressed her lips together tightly, not knowing how to explain herself.
They had once had endless things to say whenever they were together, but now, an awkward silence had descended between them.
The deep night