After spending a fun day in Tokyo with Mimiko and Nanako, Suguru arrived at Tokyo Jujutsu High.
Standing before the mountain gate, Suguru was filled with emotion.
The years of adventures they had shared.
The time they had spent together.
And the friends who had always stood by him.
"Is this Tokyo Jujutsu High?"
Of the two sisters, the lively Nanako pointed at the gate and asked.
"That's right."
Suguru nodded, then picked up both Nanako and Mimiko.
The path up the mountain was long. It would have been tiring for the two children to walk the whole way.
Mimiko leaned quietly against Suguru's chest, listening to his heartbeat and feeling his warmth.
Nanako, on the other hand, looked around curiously, taking in the place Suguru often talked about.
"Nanako, if you move around too much, a Cursed Spirit will come and carry you away instead."
Suguru's gentle voice sounded beside her ear.
"No, I only want papa to carry me."
Nanako immediately tightened her arms around his neck.
"Then be as well-behaved as Mimiko."
Suguru gently twisted his neck to relieve the itch where her hair brushed against him.
'I'll change how they address me when they're older.'
Being called "papa" in his teens still made Suguru feel awkward.
But under the tearful pressure of both girls, he had temporarily given in.
Just like that, the three of them made their way into Tokyo Jujutsu High.
"Geto~"
As they reached the classroom, a white blur flew at him from the sky.
"Satoru?!"
Suguru quickly crouched and set the two girls down.
"Stay here."
After cautioning them, he stood up and spread his arms.
There was no time to dodge.
"Long time no see~"
Satoru pounced and landed straight into Suguru's arms.
Suguru caught him and spun on his feet to dissipate the impact, turning in circles with Satoru still in his arms.
Satoru's legs swung back and forth over Nanako and Mimiko's heads.
Driven by inertia, Satoru was flung outward, but their hands were still clasped, causing them to spin around face to face.
"Satoru, you…"
Suguru was about to scold him.
But then he saw Satoru's teary eyes, full of longing and joy, and he couldn't bring himself to say anything.
Satoru made the next move first.
As their spinning slowed, he used the strength in his hands and waist to tightly wrap himself around Suguru like an octopus.
This way, he wouldn't accidentally kick the girls, and he could continue to cling to Suguru.
Perfect.
"Satoru, stop fooling around."
Suguru looked helplessly at the white-haired cat wrapped around him, rubbing its face against his.
He couldn't pull him off, and he couldn't bear to be too rough.
All he could do was give in.
"Be good, Satoru. Come down first, then we can talk."
Suguru stroked his hair with one hand, coaxing him in a gentle tone.
Normally, Nanako and Mimiko would obey immediately when he used this tone.
But this time, the target was Satoru.
Upon hearing the doting tone, Satoru only rubbed against him harder.
"No."
"Satoru, everyone is watching."
Suguru's eye twitched uncontrollably.
'Why is he harder to coax than Nanako and Mimiko?'
He grumbled inwardly.
"No, ignore them. Let's keep going."
Suguru clenched his fists.
'Don't lose it, don't lose it. He just missed me too much. Just treat him like Nanako. Just coax him, just…'
"Stare~"
Suguru spotted a neat row of heads peeking from behind the classroom door.
'Shoko! I saw you take that photo!'
Suguru finally snapped.
Grabbing Satoru with both hands, he began trying to force him off.
"Get off me, Satoru."
"No."
"Come down."
"I don't want to."
"Get off." x2
"Hmm?"
Hearing a new voice, Satoru looked down.
What he saw were the two little ones, Nanako and Mimiko.
Each had grabbed one of his legs, trying to pull him down from Suguru.
"Your daughters?"
Satoru turned his head to ask.
"Yes. Let me introduce them. The one with black hair is Mimiko Hasaba, and the blonde one is Nanako Hasaba."
Suguru answered, still tugging at him.
"You abandoned me for them?"
Satoru, who had been losing strength under the combined assault, suddenly said that.
"Huh?"
Suguru was stunned, and his hands paused for a moment.
Taking the chance, Satoru clung to him even tighter.
'Plan successful.'
"Hiss~"
"Hiss!"
"Is it true? Are Geto and Gojo actually a couple?"
Everyone at the door gasped.
The next second, several heads gathered to whisper excitedly.
"You guys, I can hear you. And Satoru, stop saying things that cause misunderstandings!"
Suguru tried pulling him down again.
Suddenly, faint sobs reached Suguru's ears.
Looking down, Nanako and Mimiko looked tearful and wronged.
"Don't cry, I'll handle him right away."
Suguru quickly comforted them. Mimiko was easier, but Nanako was always stubborn.
"Suguru, are you going to hit me over another woman?"
"Huh~"
Suguru stared wide-eyed at him.
'Still going?'
The girls' eyes sparkled with even more tears.
Faced with three crying children at once, Suguru panicked.
"Don't cry, Nanako. Remember the Uncle Gojo I told you about who can do anything? He's just joking around."
Once the girls finally calmed down, Suguru narrowed his eyes again.
"Satoru."
"Hmm?"
A bad feeling crept up on Satoru.
"Let's go talk over there."
'Did I go too far? But Suguru's asking, so I'll go.'
That day, Tokyo experienced minor tremors.
Even Masamichi's sunglasses couldn't hide the twitch in his eyes.
Tokyo Jujutsu High's civil engineering team began immediate repairs on the training ground and classrooms.
While repairs were ongoing, Choso quietly watched his two younger brothers who had incarnated and enrolled this spring.
Kechizu and Eso had entered as first-year students.
Choso himself had advanced to second year.
Eichi and the others were now in their fourth year, preparing to graduate. (Tokyo Jujutsu High has a four-year system.)
At this moment, Choso's mind kept replaying a scene from earlier.
Except now, he imagined himself and his brothers in that scene.
In the vision, a tired Choso returned home after work.
His two younger brothers ran to him and hugged him tightly.
"You must have been lonely. It's okay. Oni-chan is back."
The three of them hugged for a long time.
"What's wrong, Oni-chan?"
Eso, who had been carrying wood, looked at Choso curiously.
"No, it's nothing."
Choso immediately blushed and turned away.
(To be continued.)
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◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 200 Power Stones.
◇ You can read the ahead chapter on Pat if you're interested: p-atreon.c-om/Blownleaves (Just remove the hyphen to access normally.)