Zhen stopped Mikoto on her way home and brought her to an empty lounge in the Hokage's Office.
Mikoto sat uneasily on the sofa, her gaze darting toward Zhen before quickly avoiding him again.
"Hokage... what did you want to see me about?" she asked, forcing herself to remain composed and maintaining an outwardly calm demeanor.
Zhen directly asked the question that made her heart seem to skip a beat.
"Whose child is it?"
"..."
Zhen stared intently at Mikoto, and that piercing gaze made her feel as though needles were pricking her back.
"Whose child is it?" he asked again.
Mikoto forced a smile. "The Hokage gets news quickly. I only just found out myself... Of course it's Fugaku's."
She was already struggling to keep her voice steady. To Zhen, that attitude was clearly an attempt to conceal something.
Zhen took out a sheet of paper and placed it on the table. Mikoto looked closely and saw that it was her hospital examination report.
"It's already been two months."
Mikoto refused to look at him and continued, "It's Fugaku's..."
Zhen nodded. "In that case, give birth to the child. I imagine Fugaku will be very happy to hear the news."
Mikoto's face instantly turned pale. She felt as if she could barely breathe, forcing an ugly smile onto her face. "Fugaku and I... don't plan on having a second child for now."
Zhen said, "Then why have I heard Itachi say several times that he wants a younger brother?"
"Children don't understand..."
Her voice grew softer and softer, and she became even less willing to meet Zhen's eyes.
Her recent physical discomfort had left her deeply unsettled. Going to the hospital and discovering that she truly was pregnant had made her even more lost.
Thinking back, she and Fugaku