The room instantly fell silent.
The grief on Minato's face froze. Only after a long while did he manage an expression that looked almost like crying.
"Kushina... how could she possibly... become your wife?"
"Xuandou, stop joking with me. This joke isn't funny at all."
"Tell me everything you said was a lie..."
By then, Minato's voice was even choking up, his words breaking off as he struggled to speak.
His usually sunny, cheerful face was filled with sorrow.
He already believed the truth of Xuandou's words. It was just that neither his emotions nor his reason would let him accept this fact.
He might lose Kushina for good.
At the thought of that possibility, his heart felt hollow, as though a wind were rushing into it, leaving his entire heart empty.
How could this happen?
At that moment, Minato deeply regretted those days when Kushina had urged him to come home, only for him to be either handling government affairs or teaching his students...
He had thought things would get better after a while.
Just a few more days.
Given a little more time, he would be able to chat and take walks with Kushina, prepare boxed lunches with her, and knit sweaters for their child with her...
He had never expected that before he could make the time, the Nine-Tails' Catastrophe would erupt, separating them in life and death-
He had completely lost his chance to spend time with Kushina.
He regretted it...
Tsunade patted Minato's shoulder, the junior she had placed such high hopes in.
Her voice unconsciously grew softer:
"Accept reality, Minato. You've been gone from their lives for far, far too long."
Too long?
Minato stood stiffly in place, slowly lifting his head as a glistening trace slipped from his eyes.
There were so many