OBLINE, KUSUO SAIKI.

Ψ. maybe something like jujutsu kaisen.

Ψ . . . KU-CHAN, YOU HAVE TO HELP your papa! He's dying!"

Good grief, it's about time.

"Please, Ku-chan! He's suffering terribly!"

Saiki sighed. He let his mother drag him upstairs and into his parents' bedroom, where Kuniharu lay under a pile of blankets.

"Dear, I fear I don't have much time left," Kuniharu wheezed. "I'm sorry to leave you like this."

As Kurumi bawled, Saiki made his way over to his father. Don't be dramatic. I'll restore your body to how it was yesterday so you can go to work.

"Don't!" Kuniharu seized Saiki's hand. "Kusuo, I need you to do a favour for me."

Absolutely not.

"Respect your papa's last wishes, Ku-chan!" Kurumi wailed.

"I need you to pretend to be me and go to work for the day."

I can heal you. You're not going to die.

"I can't go to work," Kuniharu whispered frantically. "One of our managakas has been severely behind their deadlines, and I'm supposed to straighten them out. But I've already tried twice before, and they've just shut me out."

So how am I supposed to make a difference?

"You're more forceful than I am. Just check in at the office, and then go visit the mangaka. As long as they give you something resembling a new manga concept, you'll be good."

Good grief, you should just lose your job.

"Please, Kusuo! He's one of your favourite authors, Akutami Gege. He wrote that series you like so much, Silent Cyborg."

Saiki paused. Silent Cyborg was one of his favourite mangas. Like a lot of people, Saiki had been anticipating Akutami's new series for a while. Would it be so bad to visit him? He would get to see Akutami's workplace in person. Maybe even glimpse the new series before anyone else.

Fine, Saiki said, sidestepping before his dad could hug him. But just this once.

- Ψ -

Using hypnosis, Saiki was able to disguise himself as his father and then teleport to his dad's office at Weekly Shonen Cognac. From there, it wasn't difficult to get his father's things and then Akutami's address. Saiki was just getting ready to teleport once he left the office when someone called his name.

"Good afternoon, Saiki-san!"

Did Gojo just enjoy wandering around the city? Why was it that Saiki always ran into them when he went out?

"Heading home from work, sir?" Gojo asked. They were carrying a few plastic bags and started rummaging through them. "If it's not too much trouble, would you mind giving these coffee jellies to Kusuo? I owe him for a few things."

Without thinking, Saiki said, No need. I'll take them myself.

Gojo pulled down their glasses. "Kusuo? Why do you look like your dad?"

It's not permanent. I'm doing a favour for him.

"Oh, thank goodness. I thought I'd never see your cute little limiters again. What are you doing? Your dad's a manga editor, right? Are you visiting anybody famous?"

Saiki knew he should have kept this to himself, but he was excited enough that he had to tell someone.

I'm going to meet with Akutami Gege for his new manga.