Ding-a-ling-a-ling.
The crisp alarm clock rang, and Eichi skillfully slapped it off, yawning as he walked into the bathroom.
Because he had stayed up too late the previous night, Eichi groggily finished washing up and was about to go to school when he realized it was the weekend.
For a moment, Eichi had an impulse to smash the alarm clock.
Sitting on the sofa, Eichi began to ponder what to do today.
"Forget it, I'm not thinking anymore. Time to exercise."
Sometimes, once you fall into thought, the time you spend thinking will far exceed the time you spend doing.
For example, in his previous life, Eichi loved to find a novel or a livestream to watch while eating before meals.
Then he would eat for ten minutes and spend half an hour looking for a novel.
Sometimes it was the same with ordering takeout; he didn't want to just order anything to eat. If he was going to eat just anything, he might as well make instant noodles at home.
The result was opening the takeout app, then ordering for half an hour, delivery for half an hour, and eating for 10 minutes.
Time just quietly disappeared like that.
By chance, Eichi stumbled upon a video by Teacher Luo: if a person doesn't know what to do and feels lost, then he should read, exercise, and enrich himself.
Once he finds what he wants, he should strive for it, not just lie there doing nothing when he feels lost.
Only then can he seize opportunities in a state of Perfection when they arise.
Eichi felt that made a lot of sense.
Changing into his sportswear, Eichi began to exercise according to the methods he remembered.
First, a few sets of movements to warm up.
100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups, and finally 100 squats.
The simple workout exercised the muscles in his chest, abdomen, and legs.
Warm-up complete, Eichi exited and turned left, beginning a ten-kilometer slow jog.
It was already winter, and since it hadn't started snowing yet, not all the leaves had fallen from the trees.
Around four or five in the morning, sanitation workers would clean the streets in advance, so there weren't many fallen leaves on the road.
In his boredom, whenever Eichi saw leaves, he would adjust his pace, seemingly casually deviating his running path a little to step on them.
People are sometimes so strange; when the trees are full of leaves, they don't look, but when only a few leaves remain on the trees, all their attention focuses on those few leaves.
Perhaps the slow jog was too boring, and Eichi also developed this mindset at that moment.
After finishing the ten-kilometer run, it was nearly noon, and Eichi decided to go to Toji's house for a while.
"Excuse me."
Eichi, who had changed into slippers and entered the room, saw a scene that made him chuckle.
"Don't pull, kid."
"Toji, you can't be rough with children."
Toji was sitting cross-legged on the sofa, with a soft pink blanket on his lap. Megumi Fushiguro in the middle of the blanket was curiously staring at Toji with wide eyes.
Tsumiki Fushiguro was sitting on Toji's shoulder, making "wah-wah" sounds, occasionally grabbing Toji's hair to maintain her balance.
"Find a place to sit."
Toji looked up at Eichi, then returned his attention to the two children.
Toji's arms were raised high, trying to catch Tsumiki Fushiguro, but he was afraid of hurting her if he used too much force, so he could only keep his hands steady around Tsumiki Fushiguro, gently touching her if she looked like she might fall.
His crossed legs weren't idle either, gently swaying up and down, like a cradle, coaxing Megumi Fushiguro on his lap.
His clumsy movements and conflicted expression made Eichi chuckle a little.
"Sister Minako, I'll help."
Toji, noticing Eichi's gaze, glared fiercely at Eichi.
Eichi immediately turned his head and walked towards the kitchen.
"No need, lunch will be ready soon. Eichi, just sit and wait."
"I'll help too. Don't worry, my cooking skills are pretty good."
Eichi replied with a confident expression.
"Then chopping vegetables is up to Eichi."
Fushiguro Minako, seeing this, couldn't refuse and put down the vegetables in her hand to start preparing the fish, which was a bit more difficult to handle.
This must be for stir-fried bean sprouts, tofu, and these ingredients, miso soup, tomatoes… all home-style dishes, what to make was clear at a glance. After assessing the situation, Eichi began to work.
So far, Eichi, who had been single for two lives, had quite a bit of experience with cooking. You ask why? After graduating from college, he couldn't afford takeout anymore.
Housing, utilities, phone, internet, heating… after paying all sorts of fees, did he still expect three takeout meals a day?
He simply couldn't afford it.
What Eichi ate the most were the steamed buns from the breakfast shop downstairs; 3 buns and a cup of soy milk for 7 yuan would fill him up.
Later, when he got tired of buns and stir-fried noodles, he started to research cooking himself.
Three stir-fried green vegetables, one pan-fried fish, and a bowl of miso soup accompanied each person's rice.
"I'm eating." X3
After a hearty meal, Eichi sat on the sofa, next to Toji, who was lounging lazily.
Fushiguro Minako was holding Megumi Fushiguro in her left arm and playing a small game with Tsumiki Fushiguro with her right hand, a contented smile on her face.
Fushiguro Minako, Toji's second wife.
If Megumi Fushiguro's mother, Erika Fushiguro, hadn't died, Megumi Fushiguro should have called her his maternal aunt.
If Toji hadn't died, Fushiguro Minako would probably have been very happy.
Fushiguro Minako and Erika Fushiguro were cousins, and they always supported each other in life.
Erika Fushiguro was cheerful and somewhat cool, while Fushiguro Minako was gentle and quiet.
It's just a pity that fate played a joke on them both. Fushiguro Minako's husband died in an accident not long after their child was born, leaving her a widow.
Erika Fushiguro also died unexpectedly not long after giving birth to Megumi Fushiguro; both of their fates were unfortunate.
Later, because Toji was completely incapable of taking care of children, Fushiguro Minako took Megumi Fushiguro in and cared for him alongside Tsumiki Fushiguro.
Two people whose lives were shattered came together and rebuilt a family.
Toji would go out to work and earn money, which was not difficult for him, possessing a complete Heavenly Restriction.
By the time he left the Zenin Clan, Toji's strength had already reached Special Grade. With such strength, even if he went to do manual labor, he wouldn't have to worry about not making money.
Not to mention that Old Man Naobito Zenin hadn't completely cut ties with Toji; if Toji needed to, he could also find out about some money-making channels through the old man.
Thus, Toji found his home and gradually learned what love was.
Fushiguro Minako also found support, an beloved partner who could shield her from wind and rain, and lively, healthy children.
In other worlds, Toji and Fushiguro Minako might have had an ending that, while perhaps not a Perfection, was at least decent. But unfortunately, he was born into the world of Jujutsu Kaisen.
The important characters penned by the Blind-Eyed Cat are characterized by being beautiful, strong, and tragic.
Some have tragic fates, some have tragic endings, and some have both.
Toji is a character who has both.