"No, no, that's fine! I can do it—I'm really good at this."
Tsumiki spoke up quickly, a little panicked.
The sudden turn of events left her dazed.
Out of nowhere, her stepfather had come home—and now she and Megumi had somehow gained an uncle too.
From the looks of it, that stepdad of hers seemed… kind of afraid of said uncle.
"No need, little niece. Just sit tight and wait to eat. From now on, cooking's his job."
Jinsuke's irritation toward Toji only deepened when he heard Tsumiki say she was good at cooking.
Look at her—still a kid, yet she's juggling school, taking care of her brother, doing laundry, and cooking on top of that.
And that so-called father? Out gambling and wasting his life away.
"Don't let his attitude fool you—your dad's actually pretty good in the kitchen."
He should be, considering Jinsuke had forced him to learn as a kid.
All to prevent situations like this.
"Alright," Tsumiki said softly, slowly accepting the reality.
If Megumi's father stayed, maybe he'd feel a little less lonely.
She didn't really mind Toji living with them—it might even be good for Megumi to feel what a father's presence was like.
Megumi, on the other hand, seemed completely indifferent.
He wasn't exactly close to Toji anyway.
As long as Tsumiki didn't object, he had no reason to.
"Um… Uncle," Tsumiki said after a pause. "Can I ask… did my mom come back with you?"
Jinsuke froze for a moment, unsure how to respond.
He'd already asked Toji about that on the way here.
Toji's answer? He didn't know where Tsumiki's mother was either.
Back then, he'd only married into the Fushiguro family because they were wealthy.
Her mother had been divorced with a kid, looking for a partner mostly for stability.
Toji had seemed like a decent fit, so they'd married.
Once the kids had company, the adults drifted apart—each busy with their own lives, barely in touch.
It had felt more like a business deal than a marriage.
"We don't really know where she is," Jinsuke said finally, choosing his words carefully. "Maybe she's busy with something important. She'll probably come back in a while."
In truth, she and Toji had surprisingly agreed on one thing—how to treat the kids.
No wonder they'd managed to get along at all.
He made a mental note to have Toji look for her later.
A child without a mother… that wasn't something to ignore.
"I see."
Tsumiki smiled faintly, not pressing the issue.
After that, Jinsuke chatted with the two kids. They were young—easy to win over—and before long, both had accepted this "uncle" without much fuss.
From today on, they could finally say they had a guardian to show up at parent-teacher meetings.
Not long after, Toji finished cooking.
His passable skills in the kitchen helped ease the awkwardness between him and Megumi, if only a little.
Jinsuke's goal for this visit—mostly—had been achieved.
There was still plenty of time ahead.
Eventually, things between the four of them might start to feel like a real family.
After dinner and a bit more conversation, Jinsuke took his leave.
Toji went back to pack his things, preparing to move in with the siblings officially.
With his brother's pressure hanging over him, disobeying wasn't really an option.
By the time Jinsuke returned to the Zenin estate, night had already fallen.
As he pushed open the gate, he spotted two little girls sitting on the front steps.
It was the Zenin twins—Maki and Mai.
The moment they saw him, Mai jumped in shock, scrambling to her feet and hiding behind Maki, eyes wide with fear.
"Sis, it's that scary guy again! Let's run!"
For some reason, Mai seemed absolutely terrified of Jinsuke.
Jinsuke's mouth twitched. He strode over in a few long steps, ignored Maki completely, and grabbed Mai by the armpits, lifting her right off the ground.
"Who are you calling scary?" he said, scowling. "When you see me, you call me Cousin. Got it?"
"Waaah! Sis—help! The scary guy's gonna eat me!"
Mai burst into tears, kicking wildly. Snot and tears streamed down her face as if Jinsuke were some man-eating beast.
He blinked, momentarily thrown. Was he really that terrifying?
Sure, Mai was timid, but this was extreme.
Was he seriously scarier than a Cursed Spirit?
"Stop crying. If you don't, I really will eat you."
"Hmph—hmph!"
At that, Mai clamped both hands over her mouth, still sniffling through her nose.
She was scared out of her mind, but even more scared of being eaten.
Originally, she'd just been wary of Jinsuke.
But earlier today, Maki had asked their mother why everyone in the Zenin Clan seemed afraid of him—
and Mai had overheard the answer.
Their mother had called Jinsuke a monster.
So now, in Mai's young mind, he wasn't even human. Just something that looked like one.
She'd convinced herself—this cousin of hers was no different from a Cursed Spirit.
"Next time you see me, no crying. Understood?" Jinsuke said firmly.
"Mm-hmm!" Mai nodded hard, still covering her mouth.
Inwardly, she swore she'd never come near this place again. Not even with her sister.
Satisfied, Jinsuke set her down and turned to Maki, who stood calm and unflinching.
He raised an eyebrow. This one was different—far more composed than her sister.
Made sense. In a family like the Zenin, only the quick learners survived.
"So," he said, folding his arms. "What're you doing here? Didn't I warn you this morning?"
"I want you to teach me."
Her tiny fists clenched tight, her eyes unwavering.
She wanted strength—the kind that would shut the whole Zenin Clan up.
She couldn't use Cursed Energy, let alone a Cursed Technique.
But she had to find a way to make those who mocked and bullied her afraid.
And the man in front of her… he knew how.
He couldn't use Cursed Energy either—yet even the Zenin Clan feared him.
Even Naoya Zenin, who always made fun of her, lost that smug look the instant Jinsuke's name came up—
replaced by nothing but respect and fear.
"Teach you what? How to get stronger?" Jinsuke asked, eyeing her.
Her expression told him everything—she meant it.
"Yes! To get stronger! You can make me stronger, can't you?"
Her eyes shone with determination.
She might just be a little girl, but she already understood the weight of power.
That alone made Jinsuke… a bit interested.
"Not bad," he said slowly. "I can see your resolve. But sorry—I'm not looking to train kids."
Train a brat? What a joke.
What was he supposed to do, drag a tiny Maki around for workouts?
Smack!
Before he could finish scoffing, Maki dropped to her knees.
The sudden motion startled Mai into silence.
"Sis—what are you doing?!"
Maki didn't answer.
Her gaze stayed locked on Jinsuke's as she lowered her head and knocked it to the ground.
"Master," she said clearly, "please accept your disciple's bow!"
Her small, earnest voice echoed through the courtyard—
leaving Jinsuke completely stunned.
Had he just traveled back in time or something?
Since when did kids start kneeling and kowtowing like it was the feudal era?!