Mikoto, the very image of a gentle wife, had long since mastered the art of cooking.
In just a short while, she had prepared a delicious and comforting meal.
Arata ate heartily, his mind drifting as he thought about teaching Mikoto how to make braised pork, pickled fish, mapo tofu, and four-happiness meatballs ..... dishes he hadn't tasted in a long time and dearly missed.
Mikoto sat beside him, smiling tenderly as she watched him eat, her eyes full of warmth.
She kept telling him to slow down while refilling his bowl and passing him dishes.
After finishing a whole pot of rice, Arata finally put down his chopsticks with a satisfied sigh.
Mikoto quickly cleaned up the table, then made him a cup of hot tea to help with digestion.
As Arata sipped his tea, he remembered what she had said earlier.
"Sister Mikoto," he began, "you said there was something you wanted to tell me.
What was it? Are you sure you're not sick?"
Mikoto sat beside him again, her face filled with gentle affection.
"Arata-kun," she said softly, "I'm pregnant."
After saying those words, she fell silent, looking at him expectantly.
Arata froze. Mikoto's gentle voice echoed in his mind over and over .....
"I'm pregnant… pregnant… pregnant…"
He was completely stunned.
The cup slipped from his hand, spilling hot tea on his leg, but he didn't even flinch.
Mikoto watched him quietly, her eyes shining like stars.
She didn't speak, just memorized every little reaction of the man before her.
After a long silence, Arata finally came to his senses.
He grabbed Mikoto's hand tightly, his voice trembling,
"Sister Mikoto, is this true? When did this happen? Are you really pregnant?"
Mikoto smiled softly, not even minding that he was squeezing her hand a little too hard.
"It's been two days.
I've been feeling strange lately ...sleepy sometimes, restless at night, and even nauseous when I smell oil. I'm almost certain."
Before she could say more, tears began to stream down Arata's face ..... heavy, uncontrollable tears. He hugged Mikoto tightly, crying openly.
"Thank you, Sister Mikoto… thank you…"
Mikoto froze in surprise. She hadn't expected this kind of reaction.
She thought he might be excited, maybe even nervous or shy ..... but not crying like a child.
Yet here he was, sobbing as though all the pain in the world had poured out at once.
She gently patted his back and stroked his hair, whispering softly,
"Don't cry, don't cry… you should be happy, Arata-kun. You're going to be a father now. No more tears, okay?"
What Mikoto didn't know was that Arata wasn't originally from this world.
Since arriving here, he had lived every day in fear ....always on edge, always hiding who he truly was.
He had no one to confide in, no family, no belonging.
He had always felt like a stranger here, a soul out of place.
Even the first time he killed someone, he didn't react like others.
He didn't vomit or panic ..... he just felt empty. People praised him as a "natural-born ninja," but deep down, he felt hollow.
But now ....knowing that Mikoto was carrying his child .... he finally felt different. For the first time, he realized he had a family here.
He was no longer alone. He finally belonged to this world.
At that moment, the world no longer felt distant or unreal ... it was alive, vivid, and real.
And so, Arata cried .... tears of relief, emotion, and reconciliation with this world he had resisted for so long.
Mikoto held him for a long time until he slowly calmed down.
When he finally pulled away, he noticed that her chest was soaked with his tears.
His face turned red in embarrassment .... he hadn't realized he'd cried so much.
Seeing his shy expression, Mikoto couldn't help but tease,
"I guessed you'd be excited when I told you, but this is a bit too much, don't you think?"
She pointed playfully at the wet patch on her clothes.
Arata scratched the back of his head awkwardly, blushing hard.
Mikoto smiled and gently pulled his head against her chest again.
"Arata-kun," she whispered, "I don't know why this hit you so deeply, and I won't force you to tell me.
But I can feel that you've been carrying a heavy burden.
Just remember ... if you ever feel tired, my arms will always be open for you."
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