It was autumn. This year, the Goodwill Event had shifted to a three-day schedule—consisting of individual matches, group battles, and shikigami bouts—all centered around the long weekend for Health and Sports Day. As a result, Jujutsu High found itself with a significant amount of free time throughout September.
For this year's shikigami competition, a specific theme had been set: "Shikigami within three feet in height." Both schools were currently pouring their creativity into working within that constraint.
However, since there was an unusually high number of students at both schools this year, participation was restricted to "third-years and below, excluding Special Grades." This left Naoya Zen'in in a state of perfect, uninterrupted leisure.
While cursed spirit exorcism missions did pop up occasionally, Suguru Geto tended to prioritize them—heading out as if he were trying to "catch 'em all"—and his best friend Satoru Gojo usually tagged along to assist or simply provide commentary. Consequently, a mission rarely ever made its way down to Naoya.
Thus, Naoya had been stretching his wings, focusing on his own training and overseeing the progress of his disciple, Mai Zen'in... right until an emergency contact from Gojo flashed onto his phone.
---
"What's this about? You just picked up some brats? ...And what happened to the village?"
"Suguru was panicking, so I just called the cops for a case of mass child abuse. Then, acting as my guardian, the Zen'in family's connections got a prefectural assemblyman to call the station and push the voluntary questioning to a later date. And that brings us to right here, right now."
"I see. So the boy's sense of duty to protect non-sorcerers took a hit after seein' how much of a pile of trash they can be."
"Suguru is way too serious, for real. Sorcerers and non-sorcerers alike—the world is full of scumbags."
"Hmm, I understood that intellectually, of course. But seeing a literal example makes the heart sink... It leaves me feeling like... 'I really have to protect pieces of trash like this?'"
"You gotta protect 'em from curses, yeah. But you don't gotta protect 'em from the law. It's that simple, Geto-kun."
"I suppose so. Once Satoru reported them, the villagers were all hauled away in police vans... If it's a crime that doesn't involve jujutsu, I guess we have to let the law handle it."
"Exactly. Even Jujutsu Regulations don't grant sorcerers extrajudicial authority outside of curse-related matters. When it's like this, just call the cops. We're specialists for curses and curse users; there's no need for us to do the police's job too."
Naoya, having been summoned to the Jujutsu High cafeteria to soothe a sensitive Suguru Geto, leaned back.
He listened to the story: in a remote mountain village not even found on maps, twin girls with sorcerer talent had been used as scapegoats for a curse-related disturbance and were being abused in a cell. For someone as fundamentally upright as Suguru Geto, it was a harrowing scene.
Fortunately, Gojo—who had tagged along for the ride and for his warping abilities—had summoned the police and seen the villagers bound in ropes. The situation had been resolved without issue, save for Suguru's mental state.
As for the twins, Shoko Ieiri was currently treating them. In all likelihood, they would be taken under the school's protection, similar to Hana Kurusu.
If there was a potential problem, it was that the twins had grown incredibly attached to their rescuers, Suguru and Satoru.
Toji had bluntly refused, saying, 'Those kids have nothing to do with me,' so it looked like either Suguru or Satoru would end up looking after them.
"I'm an only child, and I've never looked after a girl before."
"Like I have? Out of the current students, only Haibara and Naoya have siblings."
"Don't look at me. Ask me to add more brats to the pile, and I'll break. Toji and I are already at our limit."
"Right... Parenting, huh..."
Suguru Geto mused, seemingly having moved past the trauma of the incident itself only to be weighed down by the new problem of childcare.
Suddenly, Gojo's eyes lit up. "Ah!" he shouted, a spark of inspiration hitting him. Both Suguru and Naoya immediately felt a sinking sensation of certainty: 'We don't know what he's thinking, but it's definitely going to be a pain in the ass.'
---
"I see. In that case, I may indeed be able to help! You all have done so much for me and Lady Riko, so please, let me cooperate!"
"See? I told you I had a great idea."
"True enough. Misato-san is already lookin' after Riko-chan, so she's the perfect fit."
"But, Misato-san, you have the cafeteria duties. Won't you be too busy...?"
"Not at all! Even including the faculty, there are fewer than twenty people using the dining hall. I'm usually quite free. Looking after children would be no trouble at all!"
The one offering these reassuring words was Misato Kuroi. Having settled in as a member of the cafeteria staff after the Star Plasma Vessel incident last year, she was indeed the ideal person for the task.
However, for Gojo, who was currently wearing a creepy, smirking grin, childcare wasn't the main event.
"Hey, Naoya. Suguru just called her 'Misato-san,' didn't he?"
"You just noticed? Geto-kun's been makin' moves on her for ages. That's why, isn't it?"
"Hmm. So we've got Papa Suguru and Mama Misato? Man, did I just make a game-winning play or what?"
"Satoru-kun, your delivery is flat. You're a terrible actor."
"Really? ...Well, whatever. Suguru is just so frustrating. A whole year has passed and this serious guy hasn't even gone on a proper date. At first, I thought I'd leave them be, but I've reached my limit. Just get together already, seriously."
"Satoru? I'll kick you so hard you'll fly, so let's step outside."
"I'm not interfering with your romance. If anything, maybe you should get your ass kicked? Keeping an older girlfriend on the hook while acting like a cool, handsome type—that's practically a crime."
"He's right. Misato-san is probably at the age where all her friends are gettin' married and she's startin' to feel the pressure."
"...Well, that is... yes. But Suguru-san is still only seventeen..."
"Here's a fun fact, Suguru: there's no age limit on an engagement."
With Gojo pushing aggressively and Naoya providing cover fire while revelling in the drama, Misato Kuroi used her maturity to "softly agree with their opinions while keeping a distance."
Completely surrounded, a rare blush crept onto Suguru Geto's face. In a fit of desperate resolve, he ended up asking Misato for a relationship with marriage in mind.
It goes without saying that her answer was "yes."
And it also goes without saying that Suguru Geto—the special grade creep with the middle-aged-man bangs—was now destined to be teased about those bangs for the rest of his life.
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