Three words I couldn't say

Part 4 - Children

"So, what is this?" I looked at the carefree man in front of me and a kid who has the complete opposite attitude standing beside him.

Satoru covered the ears of the child who couldn't even bother to stop his antics. "That's rude, Aiko-chan. This is a child."

I rubbed the bridge of my nose and exhaled loudly. "Gojo. Please don't tell me you went and got yourself a child."

"Hah?! What do you see me as?!"

"An idiot."

Satoru pouted. "I'm not. And I'm way too young to have a 6-year-old kid."

I turned my head towards the small urchin and crouched down in front of him. "What's your name?"

"Fushiguro Megumi."

"So Fushiguro-kun. What are you doing with this man here?"

"He's a Zenin kid." Satoru interrupted. "He's meant to be sold to them but," he just smiled.

I have no idea what this man was thinking. For all my life, I knew Satoru lived a life on a different pedestal than all of us. It even solidified my belief when I spent more time with him. But making a rash devision involving a child is just too much.

"So short story, you're adopting him?"

"No. But I'm going to take care of them."

"Them?"

"Yup. Him and his sister."

"Let me make this clear." I stood up and stood closely to Satoru and spoke in a whisper. "You're gonna "take care" of two kids that were supposed to be sold to the Zenin-

"Tsumiki isn't a Zenin." I looked at the kid and then back at Satoru.

"You're taking responsibility for two kids with one of them supposed to be sold to the Zenin clan for whatever reasons you have."

"Correct." Satoru enthusiastically answered.

"What are your plans? You can't just raise kids like they're pets."

Satoru sighed at me. "I already know that. But it's not like I'm their father nor I'm related to them. So I'm just gonna provide everything they need. That's more than enough, right?"

I just stared at the man like he'd grown two heads but at the same time, if this kid got sold to the Zenin clan, it's a sure bye-bye to a proper childhood. At least with Satoru, he'll at least have a normal childhood before entering the messy world of Jujutsu.

"For now, what exactly are your plans?" I asked more calmly now.

"He can continue school with his sister." Satoru looked at Fushiguro through his eyeglasses with eyes clouded in emotions.

"What about their house? You can't just leave kids on their own."

"Why not? They used to live on their own just fine before I came."

And that snapped something in me.

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"So here's where I live. I rarely come home cause of work but now I'll try to be at home as much as possible. And maybe take more jobs within the country instead of overseas." I let two kids enter my home with their bags with them. "I'll also hire a caretaker whenever I'm not home so you don't have to do much other than basic chores."

"We can take care of ourselves. You don't have to hire a caretaker." "Megumi!" Tsumiki scolded her brother and bowed at me. "I'm sorry. He's just a grumpy kid but he means well."

"Ah~ you don't have to worry." I sat in front of them. "I'll try to take care of both of you the best I can but you don't have to feel indebted to me. Just think of this as your home. And if you don't want a caretaker, that's fine." I smiled and Tsumiki mirrored it while Megumi just stared at me.

"But before we get anywhere. I'm Aiko Sasaki. Aiko is fine."

"I'm Tsumiki Fushiguro." Then she nabbed at her brother to introduce himself.

"It's fine. I already know his name. But is it fine to call you by your first name?" Both of them nodded but with different enthusiasts.

"Then, Megumi, Tsumiki, welcome to your new home."

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