In Naruto, I Have an Affair with Mikoto and Kushina

 ...

The Next Night

Souta arrived at the clearing alone.

The night was calm, just like before. He sat down on the same smooth rock, stretching his legs out in front of him.

He wasn't expecting her. Not really.

But a part of him wondered.

Minutes passed. Then, just as he was about to lie back, he sensed it—someone approaching. 

Mikoto.

Souta smirked to himself but didn't turn around. He waited.

Soon, she stepped into view, her expression composed as always.

"I thought you weren't coming," he said lazily.

Mikoto folded her arms. "I found the teashop closed. You weren't there."

"So you just happened to come here?" Souta teased.

Mikoto gave him a flat look. "I figured you'd be here."

He chuckled, patting the rock beside him. "Well, since you're here, might as well sit."

For a moment, she hesitated. Then, she stepped forward and sat down—not too close, but not far either.

Souta leaned back on his hands, looking at the sky. "Didn't take you for the type to get curious about a story."

"I'm not."

He glanced at her, raising an eyebrow.

She exhaled, looking at the river. "But I do want to know how it ends."

Souta smirked. "That's called curiosity."

Mikoto ignored him.

Souta tilted his head slightly. "The queen kept meeting the traveler," he said, picking up where he left off. "Not because she had to. Not even because she meant to. She just… did."

Mikoto didn't react, but he noticed the way her fingers tapped lightly against her knee.

"She told herself it didn't mean anything. That she was just passing time." Souta smiled. "But deep down, she knew."

Mikoto finally turned to look at him. "Knew what?"

Souta met her gaze. "That she wasn't just a queen anymore."

The wind stirred between them, carrying the soft rustle of leaves.

Mikoto looked away first, her expression unreadable. "…Hmph."

Souta chuckled. "What? Not a fan of the direction?"

"It's foolish," she muttered.

"Yeah." He grinned. "That's what makes it interesting."

She didn't respond right away. Then, after a pause, she stood up. "It's late."

Souta smirked, standing as well. "Same time tomorrow?"

Mikoto glanced at him, then at the river. "…We'll see."

And just like last time, she walked away.

A Week Later

The meetings had become routine.

Neither of them acknowledged it, but they both knew.

Every night, without fail, Souta would go to the clearing. And every night, Mikoto would arrive shortly after. They never arranged it, never confirmed it, but it happened anyway.

Their conversations were never dramatic. Just quiet discussions, bits of stories, and the occasional teasing remark. But something about the way the nights stretched on made it clear that neither of them wanted to leave first.

Tonight was no different.

Souta leaned back on his usual rock, arms folded behind his head. "I was starting to think you wouldn't show."

Mikoto gave him a mildly annoyed look as she sat down. "I had things to do."

"Ah, duty calls." Souta smirked. "Must be nice having such a predictable life."

She glanced at him. "And what do you call this?"

Souta chuckled. "A habit."

Mikoto didn't argue. Maybe because she knew he was right.

For a while, they just listened to the water.

"The traveler left," Souta said eventually.

Mikoto looked at him. "In the story?"

He nodded. "He didn't mean to. Things just… happened."

She frowned slightly. "And the queen?"

"She stayed. Of course."

Mikoto exhaled quietly, her eyes darkening just a bit. "Of course."

Souta watched her, noting the way her fingers traced faint patterns against the fabric of her sleeve.

"But," he continued, "he came back."

Mikoto's eyes flickered toward him, but she said nothing.

"Things were different then," Souta mused. "The kingdom had changed. The queen had changed. But that didn't matter. Because when he saw her again, he realized something."

Mikoto didn't take the bait. She just waited.

Souta smiled. "She had been waiting."

The river whispered between them, filling the silence.

Then, softly, Mikoto spoke. "That's foolish."

"Yeah," Souta agreed, watching her carefully. "It is."

She looked away, her posture stiff. "He shouldn't have come back."

Souta tilted his head. "Maybe. But he did."

For a long moment, she said nothing. Then, finally, she stood up. "It's late."

Souta smirked. "Same time tomorrow?"

She hesitated, her expression unreadable. Then, quietly—so quietly he almost didn't hear it—she said, "We'll see."

And just like every other night, she walked away.