Inside the room.
Kushina's face was filled with astonishment.
If she had heard this familiar voice before, she would have been ecstatic.
Then, she would have eagerly run to the door and opened it.
But now, hearing Minato Namikaze's voice, Kushina's reaction was completely different. Her mind went blank, and her heart was filled with only panic.
Without a second thought, Kushina hastily stuffed the medicine from the table into a nearby drawer.
Then she rushed to the dressing mirror. Because she was in such a hurry, Kushina almost fell to the floor.
Panting lightly, Kushina looked at her slightly flushed face in the mirror and hurriedly combed her messy hair.
Last night, Uchiha Kai had been in her house for the entire night.
And Uchiha Kai particularly liked to pull her hair, which was now a complete mess.
She was afraid that Minato Namikaze would notice.
In fact, at this moment, Kushina didn't even know what she was afraid of, but her instinct was not to let Minato Namikaze know.
Like an ostrich, she hoped that what had happened to her could be delayed for another second, just one more second.
Outside the door, Minato Namikaze, with a joyful face, waited for a while. Seeing that Kushina didn't open the door for a long time, the smile on his face gradually froze.
But he quickly recovered his smile and thought to himself.
'It's probably because I came back too suddenly, too early. Kushina must not be out of bed yet.'
The timing of his return was not good; he had to leave again in a little while, which made him feel even more guilty.
After several minutes, Kushina finally reached the door, took a deep breath, and opened it.
But the door did not open completely as Minato Namikaze had imagined, nor did he see the happy smile he had pictured in his mind when Kushina saw him.
The door was like an invisible chasm, only opened a crack, stuck between the two of them.
Minato Namikaze could only see Kushina with her head lowered through the crack in the door, her red hair almost completely covering her cheeks.
For a moment, Minato Namikaze thought he had seen the wrong person.
In his impression, Kushina was outgoing and always like a happy-go-lucky person.
Even a little rough.
He had never seen Kushina like a delicate young woman, and he was stunned for a moment.
He didn't even know when the smile on his face had faded, and his mood inexplicably became a little heavy.
After a moment of hesitation, Minato Namikaze slowly spoke.
"Kushina... what happened?"
Kushina still kept her head down, not daring to look up at Minato Namikaze, her voice somewhat insincere.
"No... nothing happened. I just haven't been feeling well lately."
Kushina's tone was a bit stuttering.
At this moment, she even wanted to cry.
She wanted to tell Minato Namikaze what had happened recently and accept his concern as she always had.
But after opening her mouth several times, Kushina couldn't get the words out.
She couldn't possibly tell Minato Namikaze about such a thing.
Not to mention, she was pregnant now.
Kushina just kept her head down, holding back the tears in her eyes.
Minato Namikaze didn't overthink it and immediately became flustered upon hearing her words.
"Not feeling well? Are you sick? What's wrong? Have you seen a doctor and bought medicine? Have you taken it?"
Minato Namikaze's tenderness at this moment was like a sharp sword, constantly stabbing at Kushina's heart.
She wanted to respond to his concern, but she couldn't open her mouth.
She felt that she no longer had the right to answer.
After taking a few deep breaths, Kushina finally managed to regain her composure.
She looked up, her gaze floating to both sides.
"Mi...nato, you're back so suddenly? Did something happen?"
Although Kushina looked guilty, and Minato Namikaze noticed something after seeing her, he still answered her honestly.
"I came back this time to report to the Hokage, and also to take some reinforcements to the front lines. Oh, right, my three students will also be going to the battlefield with me this time."
"Obito and the others?"
Three figures came to Kushina's mind.
Over the past month, Uchiha Obito and the other two had come to see her many times.
If it weren't for their company, Kushina might have gone crazy long ago.
Minato Namikaze smiled and nodded, "Yes, the three of them. Let me tell you, don't look down on Kakashi's age. He already has the strength infinitely close to a Jonin. All he lacks now is experience."
Kushina was also surprised to hear this.
Kakashi was only in his early teens at the time. To have the strength of a Jonin at such a young age, she couldn't help but feel happy for Minato Namikaze.
But the atmosphere between the two of them quickly grew cold again.
Minato Namikaze had a million things to say, but he didn't know where to start.
Kushina's mind was a mess; she had no idea what to say, or what she could say.
This oppressive atmosphere made Minato Namikaze feel extremely uncomfortable.
He wanted to do something, but it felt like he couldn't, a feeling of powerlessness.
Kushina, on the other hand, felt more awkward.
In this atmosphere, Kushina was the first to break. She took a deep breath, mustered her courage to look at Minato Namikaze, and urged softly.
"Don't you have a mission to report to the Hokage, Minato? You should go quickly. I'm fine. Don't keep the Hokage waiting."
At this moment, Kushina was exceptionally gentle.
When had Minato Namikaze ever seen Kushina like this? He had also thought that it would be nice if Kushina were a little gentler someday.
But when that day truly came, Minato Namikaze felt his heart clench.
After a long pause, Minato Namikaze finally spoke in a hoarse voice.
"Okay, then. Remember to take your medicine. Wait for me... to come back."
Hearing the word "medicine," Kushina inexplicably thought of the medicine hidden in the drawer, and her head lowered even further.
Minato Namikaze believed that the relationship between him and Kushina had changed because he had been away for too long.
But now, the war had entered a critical moment, and there was no time for romance.
Minato Namikaze secretly swore in his heart that he would end the war as soon as possible so that he could come back to accompany the woman he loved.
Unexpectedly, before Minato Namikaze could finish speaking, the door was closed by Kushina.
Minato Namikaze's pupils shrank. Looking at the closed door, he raised his hand but didn't let it fall for a long time.
Kushina had no time to consider Minato Namikaze's current feelings. At this moment, she had no idea what attitude to use to face him.
In just a short while, she felt like she was sitting on pins and needles.
At this moment, she even began to worry about Uchiha Kai.
'If Minato Namikaze finds out about Kai's existence, what should I do?'
'Will Kai be in danger...'
After a long while, Kushina finally realized what she had been thinking.
Her whole body stood there as if struck by lightning.
As if all her strength had left her, she leaned against the door and slowly squatted down behind it, tears involuntarily streaming from her eyes.
Kushina's mind was in a complete mess. She didn't even know when Minato Namikaze had left.
A long time passed.
Kushina once again heard a sound from behind the door.
At first, she thought Minato Namikaze had returned.
She quickly wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes and tried to appear calmer.
But when the door opened and she saw Uchiha Kai,
Kushina was stunned.