The afternoon sun painted the sky orange, but the day's heat was already starting to fade, leaving a cool breeze that tousled Megumi's messy black hair. He walked along the cracked sidewalk, his skinny arms struggling with the weight of a grocery bag that looked bigger than him.
The plastic stretched dangerously, the handles cutting into his little fingers as cans of tuna and two packs of rice swung inside. At four years old, Megumi wore a serious expression and a perpetually furrowed brow.
Beside him, Tsumiki—one year older and a few centimeters taller—carried two smaller bags, one in each hand. Her short hair, tied back in a loose ponytail, bounced as she tried to keep a steady pace. One of the bags held a bunch of green onions and a packet of instant noodles; the other, a liter of milk with some fruit, which slipped with every step, forcing her to adjust her grip with a little grunt of effort.
"Megumi, be careful not to drag the bag on the ground!" she warned. "You're gonna tear it, and then we'll lose the rice!"
Megumi shot her a sideways look, the kind that said 'I know what I'm doing.' "It's not gonna tear," he muttered, though the bag was dangerously close to scraping the sidewalk.
Tsumiki shook her head and asked, "Are you sure? If it's too heavy, I can carry it."
"You've got two," Megumi retorted, brow furrowed. "And I'm strong."
Tsumiki rolled her eyes, but a small smile escaped, softening her face. "Okay, tough guy."
The two walked in silence for a few steps, the rustling of plastic bags mixing with the distant hum of cars and the occasional chirp of a cicada.
Suddenly, a cheerful voice cut through the air behind them. "Heeey, you're Fushiguro Megumi-kun, right?"
They stopped abruptly. Megumi turned his head slowly, eyes narrowing in suspicion, while Tsumiki turned completely around. A tall man with messy white hair and dark sunglasses stood a few meters away. He was grinning from ear to ear, hands in the pockets of a black high-collared uniform. There was something absurdly relaxed about his posture, as if the world spun around him.
He pulled a comical face, his mouth forming a dramatic 'O', which only deepened Megumi's suspicion.
"Who are you?!" Megumi asked in a low voice. "And what's with that face, huh?!"
Tsumiki shot her brother a reproachful look. "Megumi, don't talk like that to grown-ups!" She turned to the man, her face softening in apology. "Sorry about my brother, he... doesn't really like strangers."
The man closed his mouth, adjusting his glasses with a swift motion. "It's okay. You just reminded me of someone... that's on me." He put his hand back in his pocket. "So, about Megumi's father. He comes from a ridiculously powerful line of sorcerers—the Zen'in. But, man, those guys are such scumbags it makes me sick."
The two listened to the stranger speak, with Megumi catching pieces of what he meant while Tsumiki wondered if they had just run into a lunatic.
"And that's why your father ditched the family and had you," the man went on, pointing at Megumi. "You're one of the ones who can see things, right? I bet you've already started to notice the power inside you."
The man took a step forward and crouched down to their level, his glasses slipping slightly down his nose, revealing eyes unlike anything the two had ever seen. "The Zen'in family loves big flashy powers," he said, spreading his arms with a flourish. "Most of them discover their techniques between the ages of four and six. That's the perfect age to... sell a child."
Tsumiki's eyes went wide, her heart pounding. 'Sell?! He's a criminal! We have to run!' she thought in a panic, tightening her grip on the bags.
"So, Megumi-kun, you were the ace your father kept up his sleeve against the Zen'in clan! Annoying, isn't it? Being used like that," the man asked, his smile fading. "Then your father came to me and I ki—"
"I don't care," Megumi said, cutting the man off. "Doesn't matter to me where he is or what he's doing. It's been so long since I last saw him, I don't even remember his face. But I got the gist of what you just said."
As the boy spoke, Satoru's Six Eyes stayed locked on him, identifying what technique lay dormant. 'Oh? Are those shikigami in his shadow?... Ah! Got it.'
Megumi looked at Tsumiki, who seemed lost in thought, staring at the ground while biting her lip. "It's been two weeks since Tsumiki's mom stopped coming home too. But that doesn't matter. As long as we stay together, we'll be okay."
Satoru stood up abruptly, the sudden movement startling Tsumiki, who took a step back. "Well, never mind. If you want to know more about you father, just ask me." He placed one hand on his hip and raised the other. "Now, the main thing. What do you want to do, Megumi-kun? Do you want to go to the Zen'in?"
Megumi frowned, his dark eyes sparking with determination. "What will happen to Tsumiki? If I go there, will she be okay? That's what matters."
Tsumiki snapped out of her trance when she heard her name. "Huh?! Separate us? No way!" She stepped in front of Megumi, her bags falling to the ground as she stared at the giant man with a courage she didn't even know she had. "I won't allow it!"
Satoru tilted his head, a soft smile forming at the gesture. "As for your question, Megumi-kun… No, absolutely not. One hundred percent no." He raised his hands and gently placed one on each child's head, ruffling Megumi's hair and smoothing Tsumiki's. "I think I've got my answer. Don't worry, I'm not going to let anyone separate you two."
With that said, Satoru bent down and easily picked up the bags from the ground and from Megumi's hand. "Come on, I'll help you with this."
The two children stared at the man, unmoving.
"What's with those suspicious faces? I'm the good guy here," Satoru said, sounding offended.
Tsumiki shook her head, arms crossed and brow furrowed. "I don't get it. Who are you, really?"
Megumi, for his part, kept his eyes fixed on Satoru.
Satoru sighed. "Okay, okay. You two are tough, huh? I like that." He paused, choosing his words carefully. "I'm Gojo Satoru, and I didn't come here to complicate your lives. I came to help."
"Why?" Megumi asked immediately, eyes narrowed. "Nobody helps without wanting something in return."
Satoru laughed. "You're sharp, Megumi-kun. Way too sharp for your age." He looked up at the sky, falling silent for a moment. "The reason I'm helping you is… I think it's unforgivable to steal a child's youth."
"..."
"..."
"You didn't get anything I just said, did you?" he muttered, defeated, as the kids continued to look at him suspiciously. "Okay, new strategy! How about I buy you something sweet? Chocolate, mochi, anything to get you to stop looking at me like I'm a movie villain!"
Tsumiki's eyes widened. "Candy? From you?" She shook her head vigorously, her ponytail whipping with the force of it. "Mommy said never to take candy from strangers!!"
'...this is harder than I thought'
***
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, images or songs featured in this fic. Additionally, I do not claim ownership of any products or properties mentioned in this novel. This work is entirely fanfic.