In the quiet study.
Under the bright lights.
Junlin handed the paternity test report to Izuna and explained the information on it in detail.
"You mean Tobirama couldn't bear to see Yanbai living all alone after everyone else died, so he used somatic cells to artificially create three children?"
Izuna looked conflicted.
Junlin nodded and said calmly, "Yes. You can ask him about this yourself. As long as he doesn't lie, that's what happened."
"Even if you're an Artificial Human, shouldn't you be my big brother and Yanbai's child?" Izuna looked utterly anguished. He felt as though he had betrayed his brother, and it hurt terribly.
"Oh, Muye and Silver Moon are..." Junlin said quietly. "Father, do you really hate my existence that much?"
Izuna stared blankly at Junlin for a long moment. "This Muye and Silver Moon you mentioned-are they Big Brother and Yanbai's children? Artificial Humans like you?"
"Yes." A perfectly measured, bitter smile appeared on Junlin's face. "Please don't blame Mother. Tobirama did this on his own. Mother only learned about it after the children were born."
"And please don't blame Tobirama, either. He gave us life, and we're very grateful to him."
Watching Izuna sink into thought at his words, Junlin felt nothing.
Junlin had called Yanbai "Mother" right from the beginning.
Yanbai had never denied it, either.
Junlin had never gotten along with Tobirama, who was responsible for every shadow hanging over his childhood.
Junlin acknowledged Yanbai, but not Tobirama.
Not even blood being thicker than water could change that.
Junlin was certainly not the sort to let Tobirama bully him simply because they shared blood.
Junlin was doing this deliberately. He had evidence proving he was Izuna's child, but none proving he was Yanbai's as well.
In fact, Junlin had never specifically insisted that