Notes:
The wait is over, both in this chapter will be the long awaited reunion between Maki and Yuta, as well as find out when is the birthday of Yurika and Yuudai. And some more information and clues about what happened to Maki to escape of the Zenin clan.
Plus you'll see the interaction between Megumi and the others with those adorable kids ❤.
Actually, I wanted to upload this chapter last week but time consumed me. Still, I hope you like it.
Anyway, I hope you enjoy it ❤️
Chapter 09. Reunions Under The Fireworks
July 14th
03:55 p.m.
"Dad!"
Yurika and Yuudai shouted with great excitement when they saw Megumi enter the front door of that house.
Both children hugged him with so much affection and strength that even that made the adult take a step backwards, with his suitcase.
"I'm glad you're here!" Yuudai said, jumping up and down with joy.
"We missed you so much!" said Yurika looking at Megumi with a big smile.
"Yes, we wanted to see you again!" Yuudai also commented with a big smile.
"We have so many things to tell you!" said Yurika, still smiling.
Megumi let out a sigh and his face softened, a small smile appeared on his lips at the sight of those two hugging him.
The joyful way in which they addressed Megumi and the way they embraced him only showed how fond those twins were of that adult, whom they loved as if he were their real blood father.
"And I missed you guys" answered Megumi fondly stroking the heads of those childs. Combing their hair a little as Gojo sensei used to do with him when he was a little boy grumpy.
"Mom, Daddy Gumi is here!" Yurika shouted in the direction of the courtyard.
"Dad's home, come on!" Yuudai shouted.
Both children shouted excitedly to warn the other guests who had arrived.
Most of the time, Megumi still felt uncomfortable when those twins called him "Dad" even though they knew the truth about him not being her real father. But their stepfather in the eyes of the law.
"And is there no greeting for me?" asked a cheerful female voice, which had also arrived with Megumi.
"Aunt Miki!" shouted Yurika and Yuudai with great excitement when they saw her.
Both children let go of their father and went to hug Tsumiki, who had come in behind Megumi also with a suitcase.
Both adults had brought enough luggage to stay for several days as they were accustomed to do on those dates in July.
"I'm glad to see you again too, and tell me, How have you been behaving? You haven't been getting into mischief, Have you?" she asked with a big smile as she squatted down to caress their cheeks.
"We've been very Good!" Yuudai replied, letting go of his aunt and waving his arms animatedly.
"Even in school we've been doing well! We got very good grades in math and Japanese" Yurika said with a big smile while still hugging Tsumiki.
"Besides, we have a new friend!" Yuudai replied, waving his hands.
"I'm glad to hear that" Tsumiki replied as she stood up and stroked both of their hair, "For getting good grades, I'll bake you your favorite cookies" she had a soft smile on her lips.
Those words made both little ones shout louder with joy.
"Thank you so much Aunt Miki!" the twins said in chorus as they hugged her again.
Those shouts of joy made the mother of these two laugh a little at the scene before addressing her guests.
"I'm glad you're here" Maki did not take long to appear, she had entered through the glass door that led to the courtyard. "You two were the only ones to arrive so we could start preparing to leave for the festival"
Behind her came in three other adults, who were perhaps even more excited than those children to see the other guests there.
"Oh!, it's Megumi and Tsumiki chan!" said Itadori with great joy.
That athletic adult was carrying a ball in his hands as he was playing with those twins in the yard, when suddenly those little ones felt Megumi's energy a few minutes before.
"Although this time we can admit that we beat them in getting there first!" Nobara replied with a big smile on her lips. Her right hand pointed at Megumi while her left hand went to her hips.
"Tuna!" Toge raised a hand in triumph.
"What the hell are you three talking about?" asked Megumi somewhat annoyed, raising his eyebrows at such words.
Instead, Tsumiki brought her hand to her lips to try to still the knowing laughter that wanted to come out.
"We are saying that this time we beat you to Fushiguro kun" replied Itadori, clashing palms with Nobara and Inumaki.
"You always came first, but this time we beat you" Nobara clapped.
"Salmon!"
"Inumaki senpai is right, now you must fulfill the bet for being late," completed the orange-haired girl.
That made Yurika and Yuudai smile too, as they knew that between those three adults they had made a little bet and had agreed to arrive long before their father and aunt just to annoy Megumi.
"And since when did this become a stupid bet or a race to see who gets here first?" asked Fushiguro with annoyance, he even had a little twitch in his eye, "Besides, we didn't bet anything, you trio of idiots!"
"Actually Fushiguro, we had already agreed since last night! That's what you get for not reading the messages in the group chat!" replied Itadori happily while he continued playing with Yuudai and Yurika, making those two little ones jump to try to reach the ball he had in his hands.
"And by the way, we agreed that we will do this from now on for the rest of the year!" Nobara snapped her fingers.
"And it was agreed that the last one to arrive will make dinner for the others! And since we won this time!" she had a big smile on her face.
"Megumi, tomorrow you'll have to make dinner for us!" she commented in a tone of triumph.
"Salmon!" Inumaki gave a thumbs-up.
Megumi just closed his eyes at the words of those idiots.
On the other hand, Tsumiki could no longer bear the laughter and burst out laughing, because she knew that those three said that to annoy her brother. She knew that everything those three said was a lie, there was nothing of what they said in the chat.
Even Yurika and Yuudai laughed when they saw their father's annoyed face.
They were also joined by the laughter of Nobara, Itadori and Toge. In truth, the atmosphere inside that home was pleasant and cheerful most of the time.
Really, Megumi seemed very upset with that stupid prank inside her "house".
"You fell for it! We were only joking Fushiguro kun!" commented Nobara patting him on the shoulder, "You should have seen your face"
"The last one to arrive won't make dinner" replied Itadori, also going to pat him on the shoulder.
"Tuna!" Toge waved his hands before clapping him on the shoulder.
Megumi just took a deep breath to try to calm down, while Yurika and Yuudai went to hug him.
"Forgive them, Dad!" pleaded Yurika.
"They just wanted to play a joke on you!" Yuudai pleaded.
"Don't get mad at our uncles!" Yurika commented, making puppy dog eyes.
"Please don't kill them!" Yuudai also made puppy eyes.
Megumi sighed. "All right" he replied sharply, "But the next time I won't forgive them!" he only did it for those twins.
Those children hugged him more as a sign of gratitude.
A round of applause caught the attention of everyone present.
"Well, at last the whole family is together once again!" commented Maki with a smile as she looked at her guests, "It's time for us to get ready for the festival"
Her children jumped up and down with excitement when they heard those words.
They both looked at each other for a moment and exchanged a big smile. There was still one more adult to introduce them to.
That adult who was also an important member of that family.
Meanwhile. On the traditional side of Kyoto, more specifically in an old cemetery.
04:12 p.m.
Yuta's heart stopped momentarily. His hands went slack, dropping to his sides abruptly.
His breath caught as he read the name written on that cold tombstone.
"禪院真希" (Zenin Maki).
It said that cold earthenware written with a black as penetrating as the night.
"I was too late..." His voice broke. That cry was one of pain and pure regret.
Yuta collapsed, falling to his knees as he saw that the grave was real. It was not a bad dream from which he wanted to wake up.
He read again the name carved in the stone. It had the same characters with which he knew the name of the woman he loved so much in his youth was written.
Even the tuobas tablets, which already looked very old and worn by the passing of the years, had on all of them that posthumous name that had been given to that girl. Where the word "Strength and Beauty" stood out together with her name.
"Maki! Forgive me!" Yuta began to cry inconsolably. His hands became fists.
"I should have gone after you that day! I should have gotten off that stupid train to go after you! You don't know how sorry I am!" Yuta cried out heartrendingly.
Even Kasumoto, who was a few steps away from his boss, wiped away his tears at the sight of such a scene.
He never imagined seeing that man like that. The one considered to be the successor of Gojo Satoru was breaking down in such a way that he didn't seem to be himself.
Kasumoto even feared for his life. Both because of that scene, and because of the information he had found about that grave.
"You don't know what I would give to see you one more time! Maki! I want to apologize for the idiot I was for letting Satoru drag me away! I should never have walked away from you!" his hands caressed the tombstone where the ashes of his beloved were buried.
For a moment he took the necklace with the two rings he always wore around his neck "I wanted to ask you to marry me that day! I should have told you that I loved you a thousand times more!" he tightened his grip on those rings as he continued to cry.
"Forgive me Maki, I never stopped loving you and now I've lost you forever!" his cries echoed throughout the area, and even the crows flew away.
The tears of that sorcerer were as bitter as the sea. His wailing was heartbreaking and his body wanted to die so he could be with his beloved at that moment.
Yuta clung to that tombstone as he continued to cry inconsolably. He did not want to move from there. He felt his heart wither as his tears fell on that cold stone.
Kasumoto did not want to interrupt him. So she let him cry over that grave for a while while he accompanied him in silence.
He even felt guilty because he sensed that the sorcery headquarters had something to do with it.
05:05 p.m.
After nearly 45 minutes of crying, screaming in fury and wailing from the pain of losing the woman he loved.
Yuta finally began to calm down. But he was still in a state of shock as he sat on the side of the tomb.
Kasumoto returned with a bouquet of flowers, bought some incense and borrowed a small wooden bucket and a small "shovel" in order to clean and purify the tomb as the tradition said.
"Sir" the attendant called out to Yuta to offer him a bottle of water, "would you like some water? By the way, I have brought you this" he lifted the bucket and the bouquet of flowers, "to pay proper respect to this tomb" he showed everything he had gotten.
Yuta just sighed, took that bottle and opened it to take a sip. Drinking that water that his throat needed after screaming and crying like never before. Even his eyes were swollen and even his dark circles under his eyes were super highlighted.
"Thank you Kasumoto" Yuta said in a muffled voice. He got up from the ground, shook off the dirt and took off his sweatshirt.
And just as their traditions dictate, Yuta began that ceremony, starting with the Osoji.
First he took the water from that bucket with that small shovel, in order to begin with the purification of that tomb, pouring little by little the water on that tombstone, making it acquire a tone between gray and bluish due to the moisture that penetrated into that stone.
He felt that he should do it in silence to honor Maki's memory, and as he purified the grave with that water, Yuta began to remember the good times he spent with her in life.
He remembered the first time they met, their first mission, their training, their first kiss, their first outing together, he remembered the day when they formalized their relationship, as well as their first date, he also remembered the times they slept together, as well as their first time in intimacy and sex, he remembered the three birthday parties they spent together and he also remembered the last vacation they had before separating and thousands and thousands of other memories bombarded him while he finished pouring that water that purified sins.
Once the initial part of the ritual was over. Yuta started the next step, which was the Osenko and Ohana. That consisted of putting flowers and lighting incense to place them on the supports that the tomb had in front of it.
Kasumoto helped him to light the incense, which was placed on the two pillars of the tomb.
The flowers that his assistant bought for him were beautiful and came in shades of pink, yellow and white.
Yuta arranged them in such a way that they adorned that tomb.
"These flowers remind me a lot of you Maki san" a slight smile appeared on his lips, "Although I know you never liked flower arrangements because you thought they were too cheesy and said it was a very fleeting gift" said Yuta wiping his tears and clasping his hands together in prayer.
And so he began to do that last step of the whole ritual, the Oinori. Which consisted of making prayers and giving thanks.
Kasumoto accompanied his boss in silence, clasping his hands together in prayer.
Yuta thanked Maki for making him happy during his years at the academy, just as he kept begging for forgiveness for abandoning her and not coming back for her. He asked for forgiveness for having been a "coward."
"Thank you so much for everything you gave me in life Maki san, all the good times as well as the times of struggle and challenge that made me the man I am today" he said bowing.
"I'm thankful you were my bright sky on a winter's day" he let out a sigh that carried all his pain.
"I only hope that you forgive me for having arrived too late and I want you to know that I have always loved you and that I have never stopped thinking about you and that I will always continue to love you until the end of my life. Where I hope that in the afterlife you will receive me at the moment of my death" he said once he stopped praying.
Kasumoto pursed his lips when he heard all this.
Yuta lightly stroked the earthenware where Maki's Kanji name was. Yet something was troubling the second strongest sorcerer.
"Kasumoto ..." he named his assistant. He could be seen to be calmer and cooler-headed.
"Tell me, sir?"
"When you came yesterday, did you notice if this tomb was as clean as it is now? I mean, was the grass freshly cut?" Yuta commented, looking around. Because the graves on the sides seemed a little neglected. Some of them even had grass growing all over the rock and some were so neglected that their tombstones They were broken and no longer named.
"Yes sir, also when I asked the people in charge of this cemetery about this tomb, I was told that someone paid every month to keep it clean and cared for" answered the assistant, swallowing his breath at such a question.
"And do you know who this person is? Didn't you get any more reports?" Yuta asked curiously.
Kasumoto shook his shoulders slightly.
"Apparently, from what I have been told, these expenses are being covered by a monetary contribution from a member of the Zenin clan, who pays for the upkeep of his relative's grave every month"
"I see..." he sighed. That confirmed to him that the Zenin clan knew that Maki was dead.
Yuta approached the epitaph on that tomb to observe the information that had been placed on it.
"Zenin Maki" the sorcerer began to read aloud.
"Date of birth, January 20, 2002, date of death, October 07, 2020" He read on.
"In memory of our great friend and sister. A great Sorceress of the first grade of the prestigious academy of Tokyo. The best user of cursed weapons. We will always remember you"
That tombstone said.
Those words made Yuta's heart take more blows. He was trying to accept reality.
"Kasumoto... Do you know what caused Maki's death?" he asked, wiping away his tears.
The assistant looked at his tablet.
"According to the reports I found at the academy," he sighed, "this one was murdered"
"What do you mean murdered?! What did they do to her? Who did this to her?" Yuta asked with a mixture of surprise and annoyance.
Kasumoto began to explain what he had found.
"Well sir, the forensic report that the sorcery headquarters has, mentions that the cause of death of Maki Zenin was a cut in the neck with a weapon without cursed energy, plus they found several other wounds throughout in her body and a stab wound with a special grade weapon in her heart. It was never known who it was and in the place where she was found there were no traces of cursed energy"
"THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE! MAKI WAS VERY GOOD AT HAND-TO-HAND DEFENSE AND EVEN WITH WEAPONS! IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE FOR ANYONE TO BEAT HER! EVEN I ALWAYS HAD A HARD TIME KEEPING UP WITH HER! I REFUSE TO BELIEVE THAT SOMEONE TOOK HER LIFE LIKE THAT!" commented Yuta with surprise as his hands went from side to side.
"I'm sorry sir, but that's what the records I found at the headquarters say about this case" the assistant explained with fear, "Although I also found a piece of information that doesn't fit with all this..." he trembled as he felt Yuta's cursed energy become very dense before that revelation.
"And what is this data?" his voice sounded furious. But even so, his heart ached because of that finding.
At that moment, this sorcerer had a strange feeling. He felt that he should test that man in suit since the doubt was sown since yesterday by Yuki.
Yuta watched as his assistant loosened the knot of his tie. He looked very nervous and the summer heat didn't help either, even though the tomb was near some trees that gave them shade.
Kasumoto began to explain nervously, "I found that the name "Maki Zenin" is repeated in two different reports with the same date and time, but issued in two different places"
"What do you mean, they are repeated in different places? What do you mean by that?" Yuta asked seriously.
"I mean that Maki Zenin's name appears both in the official report delivered to the academy by the coroner, but at the same time, it appeared on a single occasion in a medical report where it is reported that an eighteen year old girl was admitted as an emergency to a hospital in this city..." the assistant began to explain.
"And what does all this have to do with Maki? Did she really die of murder or did she die of some other cause?" Yuta asked annoyed.
"I don't know exactly, sir. Both reports are very contradictory to each other" said Kasumoto in a squeak.
"The report that the academy has as official about the death of this one, mentions that a woman of approximately 18 years old and identified with the name of Maki Zenin, was found murdered in an alley around 05:30 p.m." his voice made an exclamation of surprise.
"But! The medical report that I found in one of the records of this city, mentions that on that day and at approximately the same time, in a private hospital in Kyoto, it is explained that a patient identified by the name of "Maki Zenin" was admitted to their facilities of emergency. Both reports are located in this same city, at the same time but a great number of kilometers away from each other" Kasumoto tried to explain as best as he could.
"So which of these two reports should I believe?" Yuta commented angrily "Are you playing games with me?"
Kasumoto gulped, "No sir, I'm not playing with you!" he shrieked in fear.
Yuta tried to calm himself down, but really his damned energy was suffocating too much.
"Okay, are you trying to tell me that Maki Zenin was in two different places at the same time on the day he died?" Yuta asked seriously.
"It seems so, sir..."
"Explain yourself" Yuta ordered coldly.
"Well..." Kasumoto began to explain, "As you ordered me, I started to search all the civil registries and hospitals in this city and I found a clue about Maki in a medical report with the same date and time as the forensic report we have in the academy" He look at Yuta seriously.
Kasumoto swallowed, looked down at his tablet and went back to explaining his findings.
"And as I explained earlier and according to the reports I consulted, on that day, October 7, almost seven years ago, a woman by the name of "Maki Zenin" had been rushed to a hospital, but at the same time, in an alley in the old Kyoto district, a report had been filed that a civilian had found the lifeless body of the sorceress "Maki Zenin". Both coincided in being women with white skin, honey-colored eyes and dark hair" He look at the grave.
"How can the same person be in two different places at the same time? And even stranger is how in one place she was reported as dead and in the other still alive?" asked Yuta bringing his hand to his mouth. He was very thoughtful about it all.
"Do you think it is a ritual metamorphosis technique? Or impersonation?" asked Kasumoto.
"I doubt it about the metamorphosis, that technique is very strange and you need a very advanced degree in sorcery to perform it" he waved his hand a little, "Unless someone has impersonated Maki, but who and why would do that?" said Yuta analyzing that information.
"That's why I'm telling you, sir, that this whole case is very strange... something doesn't add up" said the assistant.
Yuta took a long breath to try to calm down.
"All right. And tell me Kasumoto" he was very defensive
"What happened to that other "Maki"? The one who went to the hospital, Why was she admitted?" he asked annoyed. Maybe that was a lie on the part of Kasumoto and the whole headquarters. he thought.
"From the only medical report I found, it says more specifically that she was admitted to the obstetric emergency area" he commented with fear for what he had found and he really didn't know how his boss would take it.
"For what reason?"
Kasumoto took a slight breath.
"Because of premature labor..."
Those words surprised Yuta too much. That even his eyes widened suddenly.
"WHAT?" came automatically out of his mouth. He felt his soul leave his body. That news had hit him like a bucket of cold water.
Kasumoto continued reading, "The report mentions that the "other Maki," the one who was admitted to the hospital of emergency, gave birth on October 7" he observed to Yuta, "And from the little information I found, it is said that it was a double birth"
"Double? You mean she gave birth to two babies?" asked Yuta with confusion. He couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"That's right, according to this information "that other Maki" gave birth to two premature babies at 33 weeks. Twins to be more exact, but the sex of the babies is not specified" Kasumoto explained.
Yuta was in shock. Was there a possibility that the Maki he loved and abandoned was pregnant at the time he left the country?
All this stirred Yuta's feelings even more, making him feel more confused and even guiltier for having left.
"What if Maki was pregnant when I left?" he wondered aloud, his eyes filled with tears again and he felt that the guilt would tear him apart and drive him to madness if it turned out to be true. "What if the real Maki was the one in the hospital and not the one in the alley?" he brought his hand to his mouth again.
But deep down, he felt that something didn't add up.
What if they were just playing with him as Yuki had said? He felt he could no longer trust anyone. It all sounded like a joke, that maybe this information was false. But at the same time, his heart had a suspicion that it was real.
"Kasumoto And what happened to that woman? And more importantly, What happened to those babies?, and Where did you get all this information from?" asked Yuta seriously.
"I apologize my lord, but I took the audacity to circumvent the protocol of the academy and to look for more things about this case on my own by abusing my authority as assistant director..."he made a slight bow, but that did not calm Yuta's discomfort.
"And about what happened with that woman and those babies... Well…" Kasumoto swallowed saliva, "According to the reports, they..." the words could not come out of his mouth. He closed his eyes tightly to try not to cry.
"Did she die? " Yuta asked fearfully, "Did those babies die too?"
"I'm sorry sir... but it seems that way…" said Kasumoto before falling silent and pursing his lips. Fear was stronger than anything else.
"I understand..." He ran his hands over his face, he felt frustrated "If you say that she went in as an emergency and gave birth to those premature babies, that can only mean that all three of them died" Yuta sighed and interpreted that silence in that way.
It seemed that death only stalked those he loved.
That sorcerer once again touched the rings hanging around his neck and, in passing, he looked at the grave of that woman.
"How was it possible for Maki to be in two places at the same time on the day of her death? Which of the two pieces of information was correct? Which of the two Maki's was really the real one?" He mentally questioned himself.
And now, that pregnancy issue was a clue that kept echoing in his head.
"Now with everything you have told me Kasumoto, I have a strange feeling that maybe the person buried here is not "my Maki" said Yuta seriously.
"Why do you say that, sir?" asked the assistant, very confused.
Yuta looked at him seriously.
"I mean, how am I sure you are telling me the truth? Who is really buried here? The Maki from the hospital or the Maki who was found in that alley? And more importantly, who tipped off the Zenin clan and the academy about her death?" he questioned in a harsh voice.
Kasumoto took a breath.
"The report says that the 'Maki Zenin' who is buried in this place was the woman who was found in that alley"
"What makes you so sure it's her?" asked Yuta with annoyance.
"Because the one who identified the "Maki" of the alley was none other than her twin sister, Mai Zenin, she was the one who informed the academy and her clan about the death of her sister..." the assistant explained.
Then he looked at his tablet "And about the other woman and the babies she had, apparently there is no more information, it seems that someone destroyed all the documents and reports concerning her and those little ones, and that is very strange" he answered.
"Oh..."
Yuta once again dropped his hands to his sides. If Mai had been the one to identify her sister then that information was real. The one in that grave was his "Maki".
"So this confirms the rumor that "one twin was alive and the other one was dead" dried some tears "and the one who is dead is the Maki I love..." answered Yuta looking at the ground, he felt defeated.
Kasumoto kept silent.
Yuta felt heartbroken. Perhaps he had to accept that reality.
"Perhaps the hospital's "Maki" is due to a spelling mistake and I have to accept that the real Maki is buried here..." said the sorcerer in a low voice, "Too bad the dead do not speak and their ghosts do not appear when you want them to...
He said with a broken heart.
06:00 p.m.
The sky above them was darkening. And sunset would not be long in coming.
After spending a few more minutes assimilating all this information.
Yuta looked at his cell phone, he had to say goodbye to Maki since that cemetery was about to close and he had to go somewhere else.
"Maki, it's time to go... don't forget that I love you... I hope to visit you again very soon" he whispered caressing that cold stone to say goodbye.
Yuta took a few steps, remembered that there were two people waiting for him and that even if he was heartbroken, he should keep his promise to go with them.
"Kasumoto, I need you to let Satoru know that I will be taking a few days off this case. You should take a break too. This whole thing is weighing me down" Yuta walk beside him, while the assistant trails behind him.
"As you say, sir"
"And by the way, I need you to take me to a certain area of the city. I promised two little people that I would see them at a certain festival" Yuta ordered.
Those words made Kasumoto stop abruptly.
"Is you going to see those two children?, did he meet them again? Yurika and Yuudai?" he asked intrigued.
"Yes. Yesterday I met them while walking in a certain neighborhood and I promised them that today I would go with them to a festival. So I want to get there early to spend as much time as possible with them as I promised"
"I have something important to tell you about them!" Kasumoto again behaved strangely. He seemed nervious.
"What did you say?" Yuta turned around and stared at him.
"Sir, I was investigating those two children and I have found their surname! Which is Fushig!" he was interrupted very aggressively.
Yuta let Rika free, who quickly trapped Kasumoto in her hands like a cage, threatening to crush him.
"I told you clearly that I didn't want you to investigate those children out of respect for them and their family!" Yuta shouted angrily.
"But there is something important I must tell you about them!" Kasumoto plead.
Rika let out a horrible growl in his face.
"Yuta wants you to shut up!" growled the curse with the assistant in her claws.
"Mercy!" pleaded Kasumoto, "I swear I only did it because I suspect that those two are something important to you!" he said in a cry.
Yuta looked at him with a murderous look.
"The truth, you are starting to give me enough reasons to be suspicious and think that I can't trust neither you nor Satoru nor anyone at the headquarters!" he commented very annoyed.
"Please don't hurt me, I swear you can trust me!" Kasumoto begged in tears.
"You have given me more reasons to believe otherwise..." Yuta made a sign with his head, making Rika let go of the assistant, who abruptly fell to the ground.
"Now, I order you to take me to the place I am asking you to take me to, and I want you to leave those children alone!" he turned around very annoyed, "If you want to resign from being my assistant, you can do it. Because I am also thinking very seriously about resigning from this case" he commented, walking towards the exit of the cemetery.
Kasumoto only trembled because of the fear Yuta provoked in his. Still, he decided to accompany him and take him to where he asked.
07:20 p.m.
Night had already fallen in Kyoto and the first night of the Yoiyama festival had already begun.
There were too many food stalls and games. In addition to many families, groups of friends and couples enjoying the evening.
Most people brought comfortable Yukatas for the summer.
You could see all these people coming and going and having fun in that place.
And that was the same for that family, who went from one place to another having fun among the games and food stalls.
"Now I want to go to that game!" commented Yurika pulling her aunt Nobara's hand.
"This way! Come on, Uncle Yuji! Uncle Toge, don't stay behind!" said Yuudai, also pulling the two adults' hands.
Those two children were wearing beautiful yukatas. Yurika's was in lilac with small white flowers and Yuudai's was a green with gray dragonflies.
"Come on!, don't fall behind!" Yurika shouted excitedly and started running.
At her side was her brother, while Nobara, Yuji, Toge and Tsumiki trailed behind them.
"Run faster!, or I'll beat you!" said Itadori snatching up those children away.
"It's not fair!" Yuudai shouted.
"Yes, that's not fair! Uncle Yuji is so fast!" said Yurika sticking her tongue out at him.
"Salmon!" Toge also ran to the side of the children.
"Don't leave us behind!" shouted Nobara, who was going at the same pace as Tsumiki. Slow but sure.
These adults were also dressed in colorful Yukatas. Itadori was wearing a sky blue one. Toge was wearing a black one with a white belt. Nobara was wearing a white one with beautiful red roses and a purple belt, while Tsumiki was wearing a beautiful pastel pink Yukata with white and gold details.
Maki, who was several meters behind them all walking at a leisurely pace, just laughed to see how everyone was having fun. She was wearing a beautiful bright blue Yukata with a pretty red bow on her back.
Instead, Megumi sighed when she saw that scene as she walked next to that green-haired woman. This man was wearing a Yutaka in royal blue.
"Those children should not wander so far away from us, it could be dangerous!" he said in a tone of annoyance and concern.
"Calm down Megumi! They know how to take good care of themselves and by the way, this area has always been very safe even with a lot of people" commented Maki, giving him a light punch on the arm to calm him down, "For a father of 'lies' you really behave like a real father"
Megumi rubbed his shoulder. That blow hurt even though Maki didn't use her full strength.
"Tsk! I'm only saying that because I'm worried that something might happen to them. Besides, you of all people know that we still have to be careful with the Zenin clan." he looked at her seriously, "And not only from them, but we also have to watch out for other sorcerers and we must not let our guard down, especially now that there is a rumor that a 'new sorcerer killer' is on the loose"
Maki rolled her eyes.
"About that assassin, it's just a stupid rumor, I don't think he'll do anything to us" she lied and shook her shoulders disinterestedly, "And about the Zenin clan, you know they all think I've been dead for six years"
"Not all of them, and you know that very well" Megumi replied with a grimace.
Maki clicked her tongue.
"I know, you don't have to remind me that stupid Naoya found out three years ago that I was still alive and to keep his mouth shut, you had to give him your place as the next leader of the Zenin clan and by the way, Mai had to go with him to make it a fair deal" she sighed letting the air out angrily, "I really hate it! We were really careless 'that' day!"
"Yes, but luckily on that occasion Tsumiki had taken the children and he did not discover them, so practically neither he, nor the clan, nor the headquarters know anything about them and that is the important thing" commented Megumi looking from afar as his sister took the hands of those twins, who looked very happy with her.
"I know and believe me, I am super grateful to all of you for what you are doing for Yurika, Yuudai and me" Maki look at Megumi "Although sometimes I think you regret a little bit giving your leadership title to Naoya, otherwise you would have been the current leader three years ago" replied Maki with a sigh.
Just as those words said.
Almost seven years ago, Maki had hidden her pregnancy very well from both the headquarters and the Zenin clan, and with the help of Yuki and Mei Mei, they had removed all medical records of Yurika and Yuudai's pregnancy and birth, information that they were supposed to have kept secret. That is until Kasumoto found out that afternoon.
And to pass herself off as dead, Maki together with Mai had devised a plan to make the Zenin clan think that the older twin had been killed.
But what they didn't count on was that Naoya would one day find out that she was still alive, but so that he wouldn't say anything, Megumi intervened once again for his relatives and he gave up his title as the next leader of the clan to protect Maki and her children, but in exchange, Naoya also decided to take Mai with him so that " both would have one of the Zenin twins" and if they did not meet his requirements, Naoya would warn everyone at the sorcery headquarters to apply capital punishment to Maki and the others involved.
There were really many people behind all this. Even the Zenin clan and the Gojo Clan had also intervened a bit to separate Yuta from Maki as there were political interests involved.
Megumi sighed, "I didn't really care about that title. I never considered myself a Zenin"
Maki smiled at those words.
"You would have made a great leader anyway, Megumi"
Megumi continued talking while still walking next to Maki. "Even so, we must be vigilant, I also heard a rumor that Okkotsu senpai returned to Japan"
"Who?" Maki feigned dementia at the sound of that name.
"Okkotsu Yuta. You of all people know who I'm talking about"
Maki rolled her eyes.
"I know who the hell you're talking about, but you know that as far as I'm
concerned, that idiot is already dead"
"And what will you tell Yurika and Yuudai the day they ask you about their real father?" He questioned seriously. "You know he is not a ghost"
"Agh!" Maki growled, "Well, they know so far that their 'real father' was a coward who abandoned me before they were born. Even so, I told them that I will tell them everything about him only until the day it is necessary. But for the moment I don't want to talk about that idiot, who only gives me a headache!" She replied, annoyed.
"And what are you supposed to do if one day you meet him on the street? I heard he's currently here in Kyoto" asked Megumi curiously.
Maki kept a slight moment of silence at such an answer. She really didn't know how she would react if she saw him again one day.
Would she run to hug him? Would she run to hit him? Would she say anything to him? Would he recognize her? These and more questions were running through Maki's mind.
"mmm I don't know, I guess I would kill him" she would bite her tongue a little bit when saying that "Now Megumi, stop talking about that idiot or I swear I will hit you too"
Megumi only sighed.
"OK"
"Dad!" the twins shouted in chorus.
Maki smiled at that Word "Well Megumi, 'your children' are calling you, go attend to them" she pushed him slightly.
He just rolled his eyes at that, but still he always calmly addressed and attended to those two little ones.
That small talk left Maki thoughtful and more that she had a strange feeling.
Could it be that Yuta was getting closer?
Almost half an hour after walking around that festival, Yuudai and Yurika would ask their mother's permission to go look for their friend. Both children felt that Yuta was already in the area.
Again it was as if the blood was calling them. Those children felt as if Yuta's energy was a kind of thread in shades of red and purple that crossed everywhere until it led them to him. That was what warned them that he was near.
"Mom, can we go look for our friend?" Yuudai asked.
"Yes, Mommy? Please! It's a super special person we want to introduce you to and he said he would come and meet us around here!" answered Yurika.
"We sense that he is already close by!" Yuudai commented.
At that moment, that family was very close to the temple where the first fireworks of the night would be launched. Those children always liked to see that show and more in that area, which was always quieter and without so many people.
At that moment, the adults were eating some traditional dishes they had bought and were sitting on the benches on the small hill outside the temple, waiting to see the spectacle over their heads.
Maki sighed a little. "All right, go, but don't take too long, the fireworks will be launched soon. So I want them here soon" she said stroking her children's hair.
"Thank you, Mommy!" the twins said in chorus and began to run through the crowd, following their instincts.
They felt that Yuta had already arrived.
"Are you sure they should go alone?" asked Megumi about to summon his shikigami in the form of a dog.
But Maki stopped him.
"They'll be fine, plus they're going to go look for a friend they made. A Little boy"
"Are you sure?" asked Megumi seriously.
"Yes, they are my children and I trust them. I don't think anything bad will happen to them!" she replied, taking a bite of her skewer.
Megumi sighed.
"I have a strange feeling..." he said softly, accompanied by a sigh.
Maki just rolled her eyes at that comment she overheard, but decided to ignore it. Big mistake because unfortunately, Megumi was always right.
08:25 p.m.
Yuta had already arrived at the festival. He wandered around the food and game stalls.
He watched wistfully as all the people there were having fun and tried to avoid looking at the couples, because of the pain that the memories with Maki caused him and even more so now that he had confirmed that she had "died".
As he walked, for a moment he took out the necklace where he had those two engagement rings. He looked at them in the palm of his hand and felt their metallic texture against his skin.
"First it was Rika... and then Maki..." sigh "Maybe I'm cursed in love" he said with discouragement, squeezing for a moment those rings.
"What if Maki was pregnant at the time I left? God, I must have been the worst boyfriend!" he lamented. That question did not leave him in peace and even more since he knew that information about the other Maki and those babies.
He was so lost in his thoughts that he did not notice that two small children had been chasing him for a few meters. So lost was he that not even the other cursed energy could detect him.
It was the voices and laughter of those two that brought him back to reality.
"Yuta kun!"
Those shouts made the sorcerer stop and turn to look at them.
He felt his heart recovering a little of the courage and life he had lost hours ago. He did not understand why, but whenever he met those children, he felt an inexplicable peace and joy.
"Yurika, Yuudai!" He smiled a little at the sight of them. It had taken him a few seconds to react when those children ran up to him to hug him.
He squatted down to greet them. Those children hugged him so tightly, the sorcerer let out a few tears as he stroked their hair.
"Yuta kun, are you all right?" asked Yurika when she saw him with glassy eyes.
"Why are you sad?" Yuudai asked, concerned when he saw his dark circles under his eyes.
"Why are you crying?" asked the girl.
"I'm fine" Yuta dried his tears, "I just had a bad day, it's just some adult stuff," he lied "It's nothing for you to worry about" he showed a serene smile, "I'm happy to see you again"
Yurika and Yuudai smiled at that.
"We also wanted to see you again!" answered Yurika, hugging him again.
"I'm glad you were able to come. We're glad you kept your promise" Yuudai replied, hugging him once again.
Yuta reciprocated that gesture. He felt that his heart found peace and comfort in that embrace.
At that moment, the sky began to light up and a great roar began to attract everyone's attention. The fireworks had already started.
"Quick Yuta!" Yurika took off from him and grabbed his hand.
"Our mother is over here! We want you to meet her!" Yuudai commented, also taking Yuta's hand.
"And our whole family too!" said Yurika with a big smile.
"Is your whole family here?" asked the sorcerer as he was pulled by those children, each one holding his hand.
The three of them were walking fast through the sea of people. While the fireworks continued to light up the sky.
"Yes, we also want you to meet our uncles and our dad!" Yuudai replied.
"We hope you get along well whit them!" Yurika replied.
"Maybe they will accept you as part of our family!"
"And we hope you can also come and celebrate our birthdays!"
"So we could spend more time with you, Yuta Kun!"
Those words filled the sorcerer with curiosity as they walked away from the sea of people.
"Of course I would like to spend more time with you! By the way children!" Yuta paused for a moment as he saw that they were heading to a part near the temple, "When is your birthday?"
Those children stopped to answer that question. Those three were already very close to where Maki and the others were waiting for them.
"October 7!" said the twins in chorus.
That answer made Yuta's eyes widen in surprise.
"WHAT?" It came with difficulty out of his throat. That date seemed like another strange coincidence with those children.
"We said we were born on the seventh of October!" Yuudai commented with a big smile.
"in fact, we were to be born months later" explained Yurika. "We were born a little smaller than the other babies, because we were born months earlier" she moved her hands a little as if she was cooing to a baby.
"Did they were born prematurely? Does that mean they two were born prematurely?" asked Yuta with surprise.
He remembered the case Kasumoto had told him about the "other Maki and those premature babies".
"Could they be?" he thought.
"Yup. Actually, we were going to be born by the end of November, but we got ahead of schedule" Yudai replied.
"It's better if Mom explains you about that!" Yurika began to look around.
"Okay, and one more question before I meet her mother" said Yuta with some curiosity, he felt that those children had something to do with that case of the other Maki "What is her name?"
"When you see her we'll tell you!" Yurika smiled.
Yuudai also seemed to be looking for those adults with his eyes and making binoculars with his little hands.
"Where are they?" Yurika also looked for them with her eyes.
Instead, Yuta felt a strange hunch, the kind of presentiment you get when you sense something unexpected is going to happen.
The fireworks continued to thunder in the night sky. The noise was deafening and even Yuta began to feel dazed.
"There they are!" Yuudai shouted excitedly as he saw the group of adults admiring the fireworks while standing up.
"Mom!" shouted Yurika running towards them. Calling the attention of all her relatives.
"It's them Yuta kun!" said Yuudai pulling that adult by the hand. "Come!"
Yurika also took him by the hand, "This way," she said, running towards the adults.
Yuta was following the twins. But the closer he got to that "family", his face began to show surprise and disbelief.
His heart skipped a beat as all those adults turned to look at him.
Their mouths and eyes opened in such a way that it was as if they had all seen a ghost.
They had frozen at the sight of the person who came holding hands with those children.
Tsumiki brought her hands to her mouth. Itadori dropped the banderilla he was about to bite.
Toge's eyes widened like saucers and even his rice ball dropped.
Nobara's jaw dropped in surprise and Megumi froze.
All those adults were surprised to see that man there after seven long years.
"Mom!" Yurika and Yuudai shouted in chorus.
Maki turned around when she heard the screams of her children calling her. But quickly her face paled, it was as if all her blood had rushed to the floor at the sight of that sorcerer she also thought was dead.
"Mom, he's our friend from the mall!" said Yurika with great joy.
"He's the one we wanted to introduce you to!" Yuudai said catching his breath.
The sorcerer who returned from abroad could not believe his eyes.
He started to stop dead in his tracks. Yuta's brain wanted to short-circuit, because only a few hours ago he had visited "her grave". But that woman in front of him was not a ghost. It was the same woman he had known and loved for years.
Both children stood in the middle of Maki and Yuta. They were less than a meter away from each other.
"Mom, this is our new friend, his name is Yuta Okkotsu!" Yurika introduced.
"Yuta Kun, she's our mother, her name is Maki Fushiguro!" Yuudai said excitedly.
After seven years, Yuta and Maki stood face to face, finally seeing each other once again. It seemed that at that moment time had stopped, while over their heads the fireworks exploded, illuminating the night sky with a thousand colors.
Both children looked first at their mother, who was pursing her lips and her face was slightly red. She seemed to be upset and even her hands were balled into fists.
Then they turned their heads toward Yuta. His eyes were wide as wide as saucers and his mouth was slightly open.
The fireworks stopped flashing in the sky.
The atmosphere was so tense that no adult present spoke a word.
"Hey, what's up?" asked Yurika with a grimace.
"Why doesn't anyone say anything?" Yuudai asked, confused by the behavior of these adults.
Yuta couldn't believe what he was seeing. His Maki. The woman he loved was still alive. It was really her.
Maki looked at her children, it seemed that they were not aware of who this man really was. So she decided to pretend a little.
"It's a pleasure to, Mr. Okkotsu" she said with a hint of contempt. Her lip turned up slightly in a false smile, "I see that you are a friend of my children"
"Maki, is it really you?!" the words barely came out of his mouth.
"And tell me how did you three meet?" asked Maki, crossing her arms. Her face looked very serene even though inside she was dying of courage. "And I want you to tell me the truth, Yurika, Yuudai"
Hearing Maki pronounce those names made Yuta feel a thousand emotions. He could hardly assimilate that she was still alive and that she was now the mother of those two.
It seemed that fate hated him and was playing with him.
The twins looked at each other and then looked at their mother while at the same time clasping their little hands together, they knew that after that they might be punished.
They had no choice but to tell the truth.
"It's what, days ago when we were with Grandpa Ui at the mall..." Yuudai started explaining.
"In an oversight we got separated from him and got lost and then we fell into the trap of a curse..." Yurika completed.
Maki's eyes widened in surprise when she heard that. Megumi and the others were also surprised by what they were hearing.
Even Yuta was shocked to learn that his suspicion with that man was real.
Ui Ui in his carelessness had endangered those two. And that, made Maki clench her fists.
"But Okkotsu kun saved us from that curse!" Yuudai said, raising his voice.
"That's right Mommy!, we owe our lives to him!" explained Yurika.
"If he had never come, that curse would have eaten us and we would never have seen you again!" Yudai completed that sentence, waving his hands and raising his voice.
"Besides... grandfather Ui asked us not to tell you..." commented Yurika lowering her eyes.
"That's why we didn't tell you anything...until now…" said Yuudai also lowering his gaze.
At that moment, Maki continued to look at Yuta. Hearing what she did for her children made her let out a sigh while her hands were still folded on her chest.
"I suppose I should thank you for saving my children" she said coldly.
"I only did what I thought was right... as I have always done" replied the sorcerer seriously.
"Ha!, yes, as you say..." whispered Maki with annoyance and her eyes rolled back in her head.
Then she looked at her children. They went to hug her.
"When we get home we will talk about all this. It was very bad that they lied to me and hid what happened to them at the mall" she looked at them while her hands caressed their cheeks "I will also talk to Mei Mei and Ui Ui... This will not stay like this" said Maki very seriously.
"Sorry Mommy..."
"Sorry..."
"It won't happen again"
"We promise"
Said both children hiding their faces in their mother's belly.
On the other hand, Maki and Yuta kept looking at each other. There were so many combined feelings in their gazes that it was perceptible to everyone else.
Tsumiki quickly decided to intervene.
"Well, children, what do you say we let your mother talk to Mr. Okkotsu?" she said, standing in the middle of the adults.
"The night is still young and I think you two have some things to talk about before we go home" Tsumiki look at those adults first.
Then she turned and looked at the children, "What do you say we go buy some sparklers and a little more food, what do you think?" she took the twins' hands.
"But Aunt Miki, I think we're grounded" said Yurika, taking her aunt's hand.
"They are not punished yet, we will talk about that at home" Maki sighed, "Now, please children, I want you to go with your aunt to buy the flares. I need to talk to "your new friend" she said, still looking at Yuta seriously.
Both children looked at those adults. First they looked at their mother and then they looked at Yuta.
The twins could sense something between those adults who seemed somewhat defensive, but at the same time, they seemed to be hiding something else. A feeling difficult to explain.
Yurika and Yuudai looked at each other. They seemed to have exchanged a few words mentally. Then they nodded their heads in agreement.
"It's okay" Yuudai said, taking Tsumiki's hand.
"Let's go get the flares!" Yurika replied with a big smile.
"We'll be right back" commented Tsumiki, making a small signal to her brother. Who understood the situation.
Once everyone saw that Tsumiki walked away from there with those children at a fast pace.
Maki sighed and put her hands to her face, "This can't be happening!" she said in annoyance.
"I'm surprised too..." replied Yuta staring at her and they had even forgotten everyone else.
"Maki san!" shouted Nobara, who was about to approach her. But Megumi quickly stopped her by taking her by the hand.
Fushiguro also stopped Toge and Itadori from approaching those two. Making his frog Shikigamis stop him in his tracks.
"OKAKA?" asked Toge with annoyance.
"Why don't you let us approach them, Fushiguro?" Itadori asked in confusion.
"Why are you stopping us Megumi?" Nobara asked very annoyed. "Let me go and beat up that fucking special grade sorcerer! I forgave him at the time that because of him I couldn't come to Kyoto in our school years because he won the exchange! But right now I won't forgive him for what he did to my best friend! Did you hear me Okkotsu!" she started shouting, "I won't forgive you for ditching my best friend! You traitorous bastard!"
Megumi intervened. "Why this reunion does not concern us!" he looked seriously at those three, "Those two have a pending account and they should talk about it in private. So we should not get involved in that conversation" He looked at Maki and Yuta, who were several meters away from them.
Nobara sighed in annoyance as he felt Megumi holding her wrist too tightly.
"Anyway and for Maki's safety we will stay close in case she needs help and by the way, let's try to keep Yuudai and Yurika away from them. As I said those two should talk in private" he answered seriously releasing the orange-haired girl.
"All right. But if that idiot makes Maki cry again, I swear I'll hit him with my hammer!" Nobara commented, rubbing her wrist and observing how Maki and Yuta were still standing, facing each other, looking at each other seriously while their children returned.
It was time for these two to talk after almost seven years of not seeing each other.
Notes:
What did you think of the chapter? Surprised?
Well, I hope you liked it, the truth is that even I got excited writing and translate these pages ❤
Already in the next chapter the two of them will have to talk. what do you think those two will talk about? Do you think the children suspect something? I want to read their theories because I see that they agree with some of you 👀
Anyway, I hope to update soon, this because as I said in a statement, soon I will leave my city in November for vacation and if all goes well and luck is on my side, for December I will leave my my country of origin for personal matters, so maybe because of all that I will be a little late in updating. But I hope to make some progress before I leave.
Anyway, what do you think of this story? I can only say that more and more revelations are coming.
If you want to support this fic you can do it by recommending it to other fans of the ship, that would help a lot ❤❤️