Notes:
I hope you like it because here there will be another jump to the past, more specifically to a certain event that defined the twins' present, and as you can see from the title, you already know who the protagonists are this time.
I also want to tell you that I already modified chapter 07 and chapter 11, in these I already added Choso in the plot of this story, so here he is Yuki's infiltrator in Zenin residence. Long live chosoyuki❤
Anyway, I hope you enjoy it as it is somewhat long this chapter ✨.
Chapter 14. The Fushiguro Siblings
07:50 p.m.
That festival was full of colors as well as people.
The esplanade of the sanctuary was filled with couples, groups of friends and families enjoying the last night of the festival. They wandered around, enjoying the game places and the delicious variety of aromas and flavors emanating from the food stalls.
That last night of the Yoiyama was being fun especially for the twins, who were very happy that Yuta was sharing time with them.
But their guest's heart shrank every time the twins called "daddy" and showed affection to the other man who accompanied them that night.
"Dad, now we want to go here!" said Yurika, taking Megumi's hand and jumping up and down.
"Dad, can you buy me some onigiri?" asked Yuudai as he hugged Megumi's leg.
"Daddy Gumi"
"Dad!"
"Dad!"
Said again and again Yurika and Yuudai who behaved affectionately with Megumi Fushiguro, holding his hand or tugging his shirt to get his attention or even hugging his of surprise from time to time.
Those children really loved that man as if he were their real father.
When he heard them call him by that name, the spiky-haired jet-haired man looked at them serenely, gave them a small smile, stroked their hair and in passing bought them whatever they asked for or went wherever they wanted to go.
From time to time, the children's witticisms would provoke a disapproving grimace or a call for attention from Megumi, assuming a paternal role in front of them.
Far from being indifferent, hearing the word "dad" and watching Fushiguro assume a paternal role with Yurika and Yuudai detonated a mixture of negative feelings and emotions in Yuta.
He even felt jealous, since Fushiguro knew quite well the twins' tastes and preferences, as well as knew by heart those specific ingredients that they did not like and that was demonstrated when he ordered food for them.
"No mayonnaise please" said Megumi when he ordered a dish for Yuudai, because he knew that this ingredient was not liked by this boy.
"Please omit the almonds and use a different spoon than the one you used with them" ordered Megumi when they bought some desserts, because he knew Yurika was allergic to that nut.
A shiver ran down Megumi's back as he felt Yuta's heavy gaze and overwhelming energy settle on him. His high school classmate exuded a palpable aura of jealousy as a father.
But the sorcerer who came from abroad tried to control himself and not to let himself be carried away by those negative feelings. He had to be wise and he had to learn from everything he saw and heard from Megumi to get to know his children completely.
But still, it was a little hard not to be jealous of the heir of the ten shadows in that situation where he seemed to be the perfect father to his own children.
08:20 p.m.
Even Megumi knew the personalities of these children inside out, as well as how they behaved when they were playing in some stalls.
Like at that moment, where both children were at a stand where they had to throw marbles into holes with certain numbers in order to receive a prize.
"Don't cheat, I'm watching you" commented Megumi seriously.
"Of course we've never cheated!" Yurika reproached.
Megumi raised an eyebrow at the girl's words.
"I say it especially for you Yurika, sometimes you like to make small "advantageous" moves in this kind of games and I don't want you to throw punches if you don't win!" he commented crossing his arms over his chest.
"That's not true! I don't behave like that!" the girl pouted and raised her face in indignation.
Instead, Yuudai let out a mocking chuckle because they were calling attention to his sister.
"And what are you laughing at, crybaby?" asked Yurika with total annoyance.
Yuudai stuck his tongue out at her, "I'm making fun of you, you cheater!"
"You'd better shut up and concentrate on beating me!" Yurika replied as they both started throwing those marbles.
"Of course I'll beat you! I have a better eye and better aim than you!" Yuudai mocked.
Yuta and Tsumiki, who were only a meter away from them, laughed a little at the behavior and words of those children.
"What does Megumi mean by what she said about Yurika?" Yuta asked curiously.
Tsumiki smiled as she answered the sorcerer. "Yurika happens to be a very "witty" child, so to speak. She gets her way in curious ways. She's smart, yes, but sometimes she likes to do things her own way, even if that borders on "cheating". And in that sense, she is very stubborn. If she gets desperate, she resorts to force. She's even gotten into fistfights with other kids when they really piss her off" she sighed resignedly.
"Like Maki?" asked Yuta with a smile.
Tsumiki let out a slight chuckle at the comparison, "Like mother, like daughter."
From that game, Yuudai was the winner, demonstrating a greater capacity for observation and analysis than his sister. Thus winning a nice toy as a prize.
After that game, the five moved to another place, where the game consisted of knocking down a pyramid of cans.
Yurika was the first to play and just as Tsumiki had said, she was a strong girl. Her throw of the ball managed to hit those cans, which shook. However, the force of that throw was not enough to knock them down completely, as only two of them fell to the ground.
"DAMN!" She said quietly, wrinkling her nose in anger.
Yuudai was the next to throw that ball, but he didn't even make it past the starting line. Thus proving that he was a very weak child.
"You really don't know how to pitch!" his sister commented mockingly.
"Shut up! It's just that the ball slipped" he pouted in annoyance.
Seeing this, Yuta decided to help his children.
"Let me try to do it for you" he offered, stroking the heads of both, making the children smile at his offer.
Yuta threw that ball and managed to throw that new tower of cans, making those children get excited and jump with happiness to see how strong that man was.
"Choose the prize you like" said the owner of the stall.
"Could I choose two? They are twins and one prize would not be enough for both of them" asked Yuta, placing his hands on each child's shoulder.
"I'm sorry, but that's the rules, you can only choose one" commented the man seriously.
"Yurika, Yuudai, how about bringing a gift for your mother" suggested Tsumiki, winking at the two little ones, "You could say it's from the three of you"
Yuta smiled at that suggestion, which made the children look at each other, again they seemed to exchange a few words mentally and made a yes with their heads.
"We want to take that one to her!" they said in chorus, pointing to a stuffed lion. Because they knew that this animal was one of their mother's favorites.
08:47 p.m.
After a little more wandering around the festival, the five arrived at another of the games typical of such places, which was a target shooting place with toy guns.
The objects to be knocked down, colorful and of different shapes, swayed gently hanging from a structure. Excitedly, each child took a gun and prepared to test their aim. Doing their best to shoot down these figures.
In this game, Yuudai also demonstrated a good, but not perfect, aim, as he only managed to knock down 4 figures.
On the other hand, Yurika showed that she was also a good shot, as she managed to shoot 2 figures in a row, but being very impulsive, she shot too insistently and her toy pellets ran out quickly.
Once their turn was over, these children quickly turned to the adults accompanying them.
"Dad, we want you to play too!" said Yurika, passing the toy gun to Megumi.
"Me?" Megumi raised an eyebrow.
"Yes you! And we also want Yuta kun to play against you!" Yuudai commented looking at the special grade sorcerer and handed him that toy weapon.
"What? Me?!" came out of Yuta's throat with too much surprise.
"We want to see which of you two is better at shooting!" commented Yurika with a big smile.
"Yes! We want to see you two in action!" Yuudai commented somewhat excitedly.
Tsumiki laughed slightly when she saw the surprised face of both men.
If those little ones only knew the truth, that Yuta was their real father and that they were actually confronting their stepfather, their surprise would surely be huge. However, she knew that those two children would not stop and would continue to push the rivalry between the two men in that game.
"We don't need to do this, senpai" said Megumi respectfully.
Yuta took that toy gun.
"You don't have to worry Fushiguro kun. It will only be one game and let it be without rancor"
The sorcerer of the ten shadows sighed at such a comment, took that toy gun and prepared to shoot at those objects.
"Ok, no hard feelings Okkotsu senpai"
"All right, ready in three, two, one, start shooting" commented the owner of the stall, giving them the signal that the competition between the two adults could begin.
At that moment both sorcerers fired their first shots and those rubber balls began to hit those targets.
"Let's go, Dad!" Yuudai encouraged, raising his hands.
"Come on Yuta kun, you can do it!" Yurika shouted, waving her little hands excitedly.
Those children were very excited to see those two men trying to shoot down those objects in their next shots.
"Yurika, Yuudai, who are you supporting in this game?" asked Tsumiki, bending down slightly to look at the two.
"I want Papa Gumi to win!" Yuudai commented with a big smile.
"I want to support both of them, but at the same time I would like Yuta kun to win!" Yurika pouted.
Still, both children looked at each other and continued to scream louder.
"Come on, Dad!"
"You can do it Yuta kun!"
"You can do it, Papa Gumi!"
"That's the way to do it Yuta Kun!"
After a few more shots, Yuta and Megumi were tied. They had each knocked down two figures.
But the cries of those little ones became louder and louder that even echoed in Yuta's head, as they both repeated one word in particular, showing who they supported more in that game.
"Dad!"
Hearing those two say daddy to Megumi, made Yuta lose concentration and in his next shots he missed. Thus ending his bullets.
Instead, Megumi with his last ammunition managed to take down one more target, ending up with a score of three against two.
Yuta lowered that toy gun in dejection as he watched Yurika and Yuudai run to embrace Megumi.
"That was amazing, Dad!" said Yurika happily, hugging him.
"Yes, that was too cool! That means we Fushiguros have a talent for being good marksmen!" Yuudai commented too happily, hugging him and staring at him.
"I'm proud to be a Fushiguro for this and more!" Yurika said, also looking at Megumi with admiration.
Instead, Yuta felt his heart break as he heard those words coming from his children, who were still hugging Megumi.
Despite feeling jealous of Megumi at that instant, the special grade sorcerer, sighed and lowered his shoulders. He was aware that much of the blame for what was happening to him rested on himself.
Tsukimi looked at that scene. Hearing how those two children were proud to carry the Fushiguro surname, she felt sorry for Yuta.
He knew it was his complete fault that those twins bore that surname, so he had to apologize to Okkotsu.
Megumi quickly looked at his superior. He noticed how Okkotsu looked sad about everything the twins were saying about him, so he quickly decided to change the subject.
"Well, I think Okkotsu senpai actually did better than me" said Megumi looking at those kids, "Although if you ask me, I remember that the one who was good at this gun shooting was their aunt Mai. So rather than being from the Fushiguro's side, I think you two inherited this from your mother's side of the family"
Megumi looked at Yuta, and made a slight nod of his head to apologize to him for everything those kids said.
"That's true, Yuta kun didn't do too bad" commented Tsumiki with a smile, "And yes I remember it very well, Mai chan was excellent at shooting with her pistol. It was almost a hundred percent certain that she hit the target"
"Are you talking about Aunt Mai?" Yuudai asked in confusion, "Mom's twin?"
"That's right, your mother's twin was very good at shooting guns, so they inherited it from her" said Megumi looking at the children.
"I don't really remember anything about Aunt Mai" Yuudai pouted.
Yurika shook her head slightly to one side, "I have a very, very faint memory of Aunt Mai. It's kind of fuzzy, but I feel like I did know her when I was younger. I even think I remember her voice..." she commented, bringing her hand to her chin.
"If you still remember her, it is because she did spend a lot of time with you when you were a baby, and she spoiled you too much Yurika" answered Tsumiki affectionately, stroking the girl's hair.
"Anyway, I must admit it was a great game" Yuta approached those three and extended his hand towards Megumi.
The sorcerer of the ten shadows returned the gesture chivalrously
"It was a pleasure to have played at your side, Okkotsu senpai"
Yuta smiled at those words.
Tsumiki tousled her nephews' hair a little.
"Well, the fireworks are about to start, let's hurry to get to our favorite place to see them in the front row" she suggested looking at those four.
She was also doing that, because she wanted to talk to Yuta alone, so she had a plan that she would put into action after seeing that show.
09:05 p.m.
The fireworks were a sight to behold in that part of the sanctuary.
Those five had gone to their favorite place to admire that nighttime spectacle.
Those children were very happy looking at those lights as they each held one of Yuta's hands.
That adult watched with tenderness as his children's golden eyes lit up and filled with emotion at the sight of those lights above their heads.
He first looked to his right, where Yurika was, and then turned his head to the left, where Yuudai was. Both children gave him a big smile as they raised their free little hands to the sky, opening and closing them as if they wanted to take those lights in their hands.
Yuta pursed his lips a little and blinked a couple of times to clear his tears before looking up at the sky, which was still illuminated by those beautiful multi-colored lights.
That scene passed with a gentle slowness that Yuta wanted to treasure in his heart. And more so as he felt Yurika and Yuudai tightly grasped each hand that held him, showing their excitement to see those lights.
A scene in which, despite being their real father, those children only saw him as a new friend at that moment in their lives.
09:15 p.m.
The fireworks stopped and once the gray smoke was blown away by the wind over that dark sky, both children let go of Yuta's hands and both ran towards Megumi and Tsumiki, who were a little more than a meter away from those three.
The Fushiguro siblings had made a point of taking some distance during that show so that Yuta could be close to his sons as they admired those lights.
"Dad!"
"Daddy Gumi!"
Both children said in chorus, as they both started to say some things to Megumi with too much enthusiasm.
The sight of that scene made Yuta sigh and just watch them in silence.
"I guess Fushiguro has done everything I could never do... especially marrying Maki and by the way, having all the love of my children... whom I hardly know..." whispered Yuta feeling oblivious to all of them.
He looked down and pressed his lips tightly together.
This reaction was noticed by Tsumiki, who sighed and turned to her brother and the children.
"Megumi, how about you, Yurika and Yuudai go get some dessert? And while you're at it, could you buy some sparklers? Please..." Tsumiki commented with a slight smile while staring at her brother "It's just that we have to share some more time with Yuta kun before the night is over..."
Megumi could read what Tsumiki was trying to say, as she gave a slight shake of her head as she said the latter.
"Okay, Children, let's go buy some things to share with Okkotsu senpai" he said lowering his gaze to those two, "He is your guest and you two must attend him and give him the proper attention"
"Okay" said those twins in chorus and then turned to Yuta.
"Yuta kun, we'll be right back!" Yuudai commented with a smile.
"Let's bring more food and some sparklers!" Yurika commented, waving her little hands happily.
"Of course, be careful" Okkotsu commented with a slight smile as he watched his children leave with their step father.
"Yuta and I will wait for them on that bench" said Tsumiki pointing to a place to sit near a plum tree.
"Now we'll see you again!" said Yuta with great excitement before leaving.
Yuudai took his sister's hand and both children started walking hand in hand towards the festival places.
Megumi just nodded his head yes as he looked at his sister and then turned to walk away with those children.
Okkotsu sighed once he lost sight of them in that sea of people.
"Okkotsu kun, let's go sit down for a moment, I feel like we've already walked a lot tonight"
"Okay" he replied somewhat distractedly as he followed her.
"By the way Yuta kun, what do you think of the festival?" asked Tsumiki, bringing the sorcerer out of his thoughts.
Both adults went to that bench, which was under a plum tree, and as they took a seat, Yuta answered the previous question.
"Well, I must admit that I'm having a lot of fun, although I wish Maki san had also come with us" He exhale, "I admit that I just wanted to spend some time with her and Yurika and Yuudai before going back to Tokyo. Besides, I wanted to talk to her some more and I wanted to ask her some questions about our children and about what happened seven years ago"
Tsumiki lowered her shoulders a little.
"I apologize on her behalf. The poor is still assimilating your return, besides you more than anyone else know that she is a bit "difficult" when she is upset and always shows her anger or her resentment towards others in this way..." She look at the sorcerer –"Just give her some time, please"
"I know, she once told me and I know she can be very spiteful to those she hates" He sigh, "So I just hope to clear all this up very soon..."
"Even so, I can tell that your children are having a lot of fun with you tonight and I can see it on their faces," Tsumiki looked at Yuta with a slight smile. Her eyes reflected too much sincerity "I haven't seen them so happy and motivated to be spend time this way with someone outside the family for a long time. So I can confirm that they feel comfortable with you"
Yuta smiled slightly. "Yurika and Yuudai are very good children"
"Yes they are, I can assure you of that"
The sorcerer sighed painfully.
"Too bad that at this moment they only see me as their "friend" and I suppose that revealing to them that I am their biological father would only cause them confusion..." Yuta lightly pressed his hands on his knees "And Megumi fulfills the role of father better for them than I do. And it shows in how Yurika and Yuudai adore him, love him, admire him and respect him as the father they think he is" he looked to the front as he watched the people walk by. His tone revealed that he was too jealous of that sorcerer.
Tsumiki sighed with sadness when she heard that.
"And I must admit that Yurika and Yuudai loving Megumi as if he was really their biological father is my fault" she said without looking away from the sorcerer, "Yuta Okkotsu, I owe you an apology..."
Those words left Yuta confused "Why do you say that Tsumiki san?" he asked with bewilderment.
Tsumiki looked down and looked at her hands, which were clasped together and her thumbs were moving slightly between them. She always made that movement when she was quite nervous.
"Because I was responsible for your children taking the Fushiguro suname"
Yuta kept silent when he heard that revelation. Although Mai in her letter had commented slightly on the matter of the surname of her children, Yuta wanted to hear the truth from another person who was present on that occasion seven years ago.
Tsumiki took a slight breath and looked Yuta in the eyes once again- "I was the one who convinced, or rather, who forced Megumi to marry Maki and to adopt Yurika and Yuudai as his children. Therefore, it's practically my fault that YOUR children carry the surname Fushiguro instead of the surname Okkotsu..." her voice was breaking – "I simply wanted to save your children..."
The sorcerer remained silent as he continued to listen intently to that woman.
Tsumiki took a deep breath to calm down, swallowed saliva to get rid of the lump in her throat and continued speaking "It all happened seven years ago... in the night when your children were born"
Flashback
Seven years ago.
Night of October 7th.
"And how are those babies doing?" Tsumiki asked with too much anguish.
Both Megumi and she had arrived as quickly as they could at the hospital once Mai told them what had happened.
The news that Maki had given birth prematurely had worried them too much and the bad news seemed to persist.
At that time, the Fushiguro siblings were outside the nursery area, looking through the glass at the newborn babies.
But Maki's children were not in that row of healthy infants. Those twins were in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, which could be seen a little through that big glass.
The NICU was at the back, separated by a glass door, where the staff, composed mostly of nurses and some doctors, devoted their attention and care to these delicate little ones.
From the area where Megumi and Tsumiki were, they could catch a glimpse of the incubator where Maki's children were. Those little ones were receiving oxygen through the nasal cannula and above all, Yuudai was the one who was being monitored the most with the vital signs sensors.
The doctor who attended those babies at birth was talking to those two adults at the time.
"Both babies are currently in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and we will be monitoring them very closely. Although I must tell you that the girl is the more stable of the two little ones, but her brother..."
The woman looked at the two adults with seriousness "The boy is the one with the worst health condition. He was born with low weight and height, and unfortunately he suffered from neonatal hypoxia. In simpler terms, he stopped receiving oxygen shortly before delivery and took several minutes to breathe at birth, so we must monitor him very closely to evaluate his evolution and to find out the possible sequelae he might present after neonatal resuscitation" The doctor was trying hard to remain calm, but the shadow of bad news was reflected on her face – "Even so, I ask you to be prepared in case this little boy's condition does not improve in the next few days. It really was a very difficult delivery for those twins, but especially for that boy who was practically stillborn…"
"It can't be!" Tsumiki put her hands to her mouth with too much anguish when she heard all that. Her tears started to flow down her cheeks.
Instead, Megumi felt his blood rush to the floor from hearing all that. He was in shock and his hands all shaking into fists and trying to control his tears, which wanted to come out of his eyes. The poor guy felt helpless in such a situation.
"As I said, we will keep an eye on the health of these twins, as well as their mother" The doctor looked at the incubator.
"I also want to tell you that, under the authorization of Miss Mai Zenin, we put these twins in the same incubator. We believe that being close to each other could help in the recovery of both little ones. Several studies have shown that physical contact between premature siblings can improve both their physical and emotional development..." She saw Mai in the distance, who was answering a call that had come in minutes before.
Tsumiki and Megumi watched as Mai looked overly worried and even a bit scared while talking on the phone.
"I guess she is also waiting for a miracle..." commented the doctor looking at the papers again.
"And Maki, how is the twins' mother?" asked Megumi with concern.
"She as her children are in intensive care. As I said, it was a very difficult delivery for all three of them, and for her in particular, it was a very painful delivery. The mother suffered a great loss of blood and stopped breathing, which caused her to lose consciousness and she even had a cardiac arrest, where she died for a few minutes." She sighed as she quickly reviewed the medical sheets.
"But for the moment, she seems stable. However, she will remain under observation while she wakes up and we rule out any sequelae due to the resuscitation"
"If only we had always been with them, none of this would have happened!" Tsumiki wailed with too many tears in her eyes.
Megumi, on the other hand, remained silent. He was really affected by all that bad news.
The doctor took a breath and continued explaining.
"I know you must be too overwhelmed by all the bad news you have received tonight, but what I am about to tell you is also very important" she looked at the two of them.
"What's that important thing about?" Megumi asked impatiently.
"I also need you as relatives to register the official name of these two little ones. Especially the last name. I am telling you this more than anything else because of the medical situation as well as the legal situation that Miss. Mai Zenin told me they are going through" The doctor looked momentarily at Mai in the distance. She was still talking on her cell phone.
"For the moment, the aunt of these two has asked me not to register the twins with her and their sister's last name because of a family problem they are currently having and she do not want their other relatives to know about this birth. So I also need you to resolve this issue, mostly for legal and administrative reasons for the hospital. I suppose the best thing to do would be to locate the father of these children and tell him the situation so that he is also aware of what is happening with his children and, by the way, give them his last name because once they leave here they will need it"
Tsumiki and Megumi understood what the doctor was referring to. And both of them did not want those two little ones to bear the Zenin surname either, lest that clan claim them as their own.
At that moment, a nurse arrived to ask the doctor to go check on a patient.
"Excuse me, but I have to leave for a consultation. We will let you know in a moment how the twins are doing and if it is possible for one of you two to come in and see them. We will keep you posted. With your permission" said the woman, bowing slightly and leaving.
Megumi unclenched his fists helplessly "We can only hope that the health of these children and Maki San will improve..."
"Even so, Megumi, we must do something for Yurika and Yuudai, we cannot register them with the Zenin surname..." commented Tsumiki with despair and wiping her tears, which were still flowing from her eyes at such bad news.
Tsumiki called them by their names. Both she and Megumi had already known for a long time that Maki wanted to name her children this way, because she had told them herself.
"I know. But we can't give them the surname Okkotsu either" Megumi answered, running his hands over his face.
"Why not?, we should contact him to tell him about his children! Or at least we should look for Okkotsu's parents and tell them that they are already grandparents!" commented Tsumiki looking desperately at her brother.
"Unfortunately I have not been able to contact him" Megumi had his eyes focused on the cribs as he explained the situation.
"I asked Nitta san to help me find out where Okkotsu senpai was at the moment. I also asked him to let me know if he could find a phone number or any way to contact him. However, apparently Gojo sensei and the headquarters itself have denied him any such information. And that has started to raise suspicions there, so we had to stop our search. It's as if both Gojo and the others at the headquarters don't want anyone to know where Okkotsu senpai is. So we're officially cut off from him"
Megumi sensed that something shady was going on at the sorcery headquarters, as well as at the academy.
He continued speaking –"And it is also not so easy to give them the Okkotsu surname without his authorization or without the approval of his family. To tell the truth, I don't think the senpai's family would want to cooperate, since they didn't want to know more about their cursed son"
Tsumiki looked desperate for everything her brother was saying.
Megumi continued speaking, "I know we must act quickly, especially since we cannot let the news of the birth of these children reach the ears of either the headquarters or the clans. So we must keep it a secret as much as we can"
The sorcerer's blue gaze momentarily shifted to Mai, who was too far away from them at that instant. The poor looked desperate, tears streaming down her cheeks, as if she had received another piece of bad news during the call.
Megumi returned her gaze to the nurseries, where healthy babies were sleeping peacefully.
A mixture of desperation and concern was reflected in his eyes. -
"The only thing left to do is to wait to see if those two children get better... especially the boy... if he makes it through the night..." he murmured quietly, his voice full of pessimism.
"Megumi, I have faith that Yurika and Yuudai will survive, as well as that Maki will recover!" Tsumiki replied annoyed to see her brother's negativity. -
"But even so, we can't just stand idly by, we must protect them from those two clans and all the others!
"I guess the ideal thing to do would be to let Tsukumo know what just happened. She intended to adopt those two once they were born, right?" the sorcerer looked at Tsumiki "I think she is the best option to protect them in case they survive"
With his eyes still on the babies, Megumi made his way to a small waiting room adjacent to that area.
Tsumiki looked angrily at Megumi for that comment and quickly followed. -
"Are you listening to yourself Megumi? Do you really want those children to be adopted by that woman?"
"Yes and I think that's the best option" he answered seriously as he turned to look at her, he couldn't even take a seat because Tsumiki caught up with him with those questions.
"I don't think that's the best option!" commented Tsumiki, waving her hands angrily, "Actually, I think that's the worst decision we can make!"
Megumi wrinkled his forehead at his sister's behavior, "Why would it be the worst decision if Tsukumo san is a special grade sorceress and incidentally has enough power to go against the sorcery headquarters if she pleases?"
"Because we would be taking a mother away from her children!" Tsumiki raised her voice slightly.
"But her suname can protect them!" her brother said earnestly.
"But that would not be enough for their care and protection!" Tsumiki commented with annoyance at how her brother was behaving in such a situation.
Megumi gazed at his sister in silence, staring into her crystalline eyes, full of anguish and courage.
"I confess that I don't know Tsukumo well enough to discern whether she is a good or bad woman!" she said, directing a look full of courage to her brother, "However, something in the bottom of my heart tells me that Yurika and Yuudai would not be happy with her, and that all this would be unfair to Maki. Besides, Tsukumo is not part of this family, let alone a close friend that we could contact so easily, and I don't sense that she is completely our ally either... Therefore, I flatly refuse to hand these children over to them..."
Her stepbrother couldn't take his eyes off her, as she had that cold stare that betrayed pure anger.
The tension between the two was so palpable that it could be cut with a knife. It even caught the attention of some people in the room, who, however, preferred to ignore them to avoid getting into trouble.
Megumi took a breath and counted to ten in his mind.
"So what do you propose?" he asked in a serious but firm tone, he hated it when she was like that.
Tsumiki moistened her lips and looked for a moment towards the nursery area. She had come up with a solution that some people might not like, she knew Megumi would hate the idea, but deep down she knew that it would help save those babies from the hands of the Gojo clan and the Zenin clan.
She returned her gaze to Megumi, "We can make them part of our family..." she said firmly, "Let's give those two children the surname Fushiguro"
The jet-haired man's eyes widened with too much surprise and his mouth half-opened.
"WHAT?!"
"Megumi, I said you should give those twins our last name" she raised her voice.
"Have you gone mad?" he asked too cruelly.
"This is the only way I can think of to help Maki and her children!" Tsumiki said raising her voice a little and waving her hands from side to side as she looked earnestly at her brother "Although it may not seem so, I have always believed that the Fushiguro surname is synonymous with 'help'" she brought a hand to her chest, "This surname, in one way or another, saved you from the Zenin clan when you were a child, didn't it? Even your father renounced his clan and took this family name as his own. Even the Fushiguro surname united you and me as a family!"
"The fact that we did not go to the Zenin clan was because Gojo sensei intervened in my purchase" said Megumi, crossing his arms, "In the end, he was the one who helped us in those ten years by being a kind of benefactor, but he was not our father and I never considered him as one"
"But that's what Satoru san taught us, to save others! And we have the obligation to save those two, who are partly from our family, especially from your side of the bloodline, isn't it?"
Megumi let out the air in annoyance. he felt that his sister was talking nonsense "You will always be a "girl goody" who will try to save those who have no salvation"
At such words, Tsumiki slapped her brother hard.
"I AM BECAUSE I AM ALSO CHOOSING WHO TO SAVE, JUST AS YOU WERE CHOOSING WHO TO SAVE UNDER YOUR SORCERER'S CRITERIA!" Her voice was full of anger.
Megumi was surprised at Tsumiki's reaction to him.
She continued speaking "We Fushiguros always choose who to save...and I want to save those two babies..."
Megumi rubbed his cheek, his skin turned red and burned from the cruel blow of reality.
"And how do you plan to give our last name to those two children?" he asked pained by that slap. But he seemed to be more focused, he felt that his sister was right, they should save those two children, just as they had been saved as children from the clutches of the Zenin clan.
Tsumiki rubbed her hand as she felt the tingling in her palm from the slap she had given Megumi.
"I'm sorry... I think I went a little too far" she looked at her brother with some compassion seeing that he was already doing his part.
"The only way I can think of to save them is for you to marry Maki and pretend to be the real father of those children"
"You must be kidding! Now you've gone crazy!" Megumi raised his voice in annoyance.
Tsumiki brought her hands to her chest and, without looking away from Megumi, explained.
"I know this may sound crazy, but it's the only legal and reliable solution I can think of. And by the way, to prevent those children from being left without a father figure, you could pass yourself off as their biological father, although in the eyes of the law you would be their stepfather. Only this way we can give them our surname and save them from the terrible clutches of those two clans, as well as Tsukumo. By the way, marrying Maki would not only benefit her, but also you because of all the benefits of marriage in this country"
Megumi make fists as he continued to listen to his sister.
"And I know you wouldn't do it for love... but" Tsumiki continued speaking without taking her eyes off Megumi "Do it for them, do it for Maki and above all, do it for me, because as a woman I can't help her since this society is still very patrilineal and you, unlike me, your word and action as a man would be more valid than mine..."
Megumi let out a heavy breath.
"You know that the subject of marriage is not to be taken lightly" he unclenched his fists and brought his right hand to his left shoulder, "besides, in theory she and I are related."
"I know, but marriage in Japan is still seen as an institution that serves only to maintain a traditional status with its benefits. Besides, in this country it is allowed to marry between second-degree relatives. Aren't you and Maki supposed to be second-degree cousins? So there would be no legal impediment" she continued, looking seriously at her brother.
Megumi became very serious about that topic-"But I don't want to have problems in the future in case Okkotsu senpai comes back someday and finds out about all this. I don't want to take away this position that belongs to him in the first place"
"I give you my word that I will bear all the responsibility if one day he returns. And if I must go to hell in your place, I will do so knowing that I did everything in my power to save those children" said Tsumiki with a firm voice.
Megumi had never seen her so determined in her life.
"And by the way, I am doing this because Maki san will need all our help now that Yurika and Yuudai are born. We can simply start from this moment with this surname thing to help her out of this first problem. Please, Megumi... do it for me..." Tsumiki begged.
That sorcerer continued to view his sister seriously. A part of him struggled to follow his ideals, but another part deep inside him knew that what Tsumiki said, as crazy and immoral as it might sound, was the best thing they could do.
He really felt in a dilemma.
"Excuse me" a nurse interrupted the conversation of the two siblings, who quickly turned around when they were called.
"Sorry for the interruption, but we need a family member's authorization to perform some tests and samples on both babies, especially the boy. I'm telling you becausethe twins' aunt, Miss Mai, has just left, mentioning that she had to go somewhere urgently" explained the nurse.
"Why didn't she let us know she was coming out?" Megumi asked with confusion.
"Where did Mai Chan go?" Tsumiki asked uncertainly.
They both turned to look at each other in this situation.
But they assumed that perhaps Mai might have gone out to rest or that she might have gone somewhere important to take a break from everything that had happened that day. So they paid no attention to that Mai Zenin's departure at that time.
"Back to the subject, I need the authorization of a family member to come with me to see the procedure we will perform on the babies" explained the nurse, "how are you related to these children? I asked you because I saw them talking earlier with Miss Mai and with the doctor who is attending this medical case" she asked.
"We are..." Tsumiki was interrupted.
"I am the father of those twins" Megumi said quickly in a firm tone, "My children's names are Yurika and Yuudai Fushiguro, so please do whatever it takes to keep them alive" he bowed slightly.
"All right, this way Mr. Fushiguro, I need you to come with me" commented the nurse starting to guide Megumi to the NICU.
Before leaving, Megumi looked at Tsumiki, who looked at her with crystal clear eyes and a small smile.
"Thank you..." she said in a whisper because her voice would break if she spoke any louder.
The jet-haired man just nodded his head yes and then followed the nurse to that area.
Back to the present.
"And since that day, Megumi started to behave as if Yurika and Yuudai were his biological children" said Tsumiki looking at Yuta, "I just want you to understand that we did all this to protect your children"
Yuta remained silent while Tsumiki kept talking. That woman looked at the starry sky for a moment.
"Two days later, Maki san was released from intensive care and that was when Megumi proposed to him..." A slight chuckle escaped her lips as she recalled the moment, which seemed to have been a somewhat awkward memory- "It wasn't the most romantic proposal nor the "best" in the traditional sense, there wasn't even a ring. But still, Maki accepted with her and her children's welfare in mind. So from the bottom of my heart Okkotsu, I want you to know that this decision was made solely for the purpose of saving Yurika and Yuudai" She Sigh "So I'm the one who owes you a big apology... as I said I was the one responsible for your children taking the Fushiguro surname..."
Yuta let the air out suddenly when he heard that. He had several mixed feelings at that moment. Still, he knew she hadn't meant it in any bad way.
Then the sorcerer looked up at the sky. While Tsumiki kept talking.
"So, if you must hate someone because of your children's current surname and Maki's marriage to Megumi, then hate me... I don't ask you to forgive me if you don't want to... But please, don't hate my brother for this..." Tsumiki bow her head.
Yuta addressed Tsumiki gently
"There is nothing I should forgive you for because I know you didn't mean any harm," he smiled, "On the contrary, I must thank you and Megumi for taking care of my children since they were born"
Yuta's eyes lowered to the ground –"And if there is someone you should hate, that someone is me for not having realized from the beginning that everything was wrong, and above all for not coming back soon for all of you"
"But you're back and that's the important thing. Besides, the children love and adore you"
"Yes, but they only see and love me as a friend... not as what I really am to them" Yuta said sadly slurring those words as his voice trailed off.
Tsumiki smiled slightly "I know that when the time comes to tell them the truth they will understand..."
That conversation between those two adults had to stop quickly because the children and Megumi had already returned.
"Yuta Kun, look what we brought!" Yurika came running and stood very cheerfully in front of those two adults on the bench.
"They are flares and long ones, the kind that take a long time to extinguish" Yuudai commented happily, showing those sticks.
"We also brought more food, but first we want to share these sparklers with you" said Yurika happily.
"Come on Yuta, let's light them up!"
"We want to share this moment only with you!"
Each child took a hand from that adult to get up and go with them to turn on those lights.
And so they did, Yuta carefully lit those long sticks and between the three of them they began to see those bright lights that were being consumed, while the sorcerer treasured that memory.
Instead, Megumi and Tsumiki watched that scene sitting several meters away from them.
Both Fushiguro siblings looked at each other for a moment. At that moment, Megumi understood everything that Tsumiki wanted to tell her but the lump in her throat did not let her speak, so she communicated what she felt first with that characteristic smile of hers, and then she started to cry silently.
10:50 p.m.
"I had a lot of fun tonight" Yuudai said happily as he took his aunt's left hand and walked quietly.
"Yes, I had a lot of fun too!" commented Yurika, who was holding her aunt's right hand, and the girl was moving around a lot, jumping up and down happily.
"I'm glad to hear that. Besides, I know her mother will like that gift you won for her" Tsumiki winked at them as she walked with them.
Several steps ahead of those three, Megumi's dog Shikigami was walking. He was sniffing the road and watching for curses in the streets they were walking home, because it was already very late and the whole street was empty.
Although that residential area was quiet and safe, Megumi always took extreme precautions to protect those children and his sister.
Instead, the heir of the ten shadows, as well as the sorcerer carrying the queen of curses, were several meters behind them. This was to protect them from behind.
At first, the two went without speaking to each other, walking side by side, until Yuta decided to break the awkward silence.
"Yurika and Yuudai don't seem to run out of batteries" He commented with a slight smile.
Megumi scratched the back of his neck, "There are days when those two don't seem to get tired. That's when it's hardest to send them to sleep because their energy doesn't run out" he put his hands in his pants pockets.
"I guess..." Yuta sighed.
Again, both sorcerers were silent. The discomfort on Yuta's part was evident. But he still wanted to thank the man for caring for, raising and protecting his children.
"While we were waiting for you three, Tsumiki told me a little bit about what happened when Yurika and Yuudai were born and how you decided to give them your last name"
The jet focused his gaze on his superior and took a small breath.
"An apology for that, sometimes Tsumiki can be a bit impulsive" - commented Megumi seriously and remembering when they talked about that topic and when she slapped him seven years ago – "But yes, she was the one who came up with the idea"
"Still, I want to thank you for taking care of Yurika and Yuudai since they were born. Even now you're still doing it" He said looking at the Shikigami ahead of them.
"It's not only me you should thank. Actually, all of us in one way or another have been looking after them, taking turns to take care of them and to protect them" Megumi replied, looking at his superior with respect.
"Anyway, I want to thank you exclusively for being their father figure and for being there with them in these almost seven years... I have noticed, they love you too much" he sigh sadly – "Seriously, it seems that you are an excellent father for my children"
"Stepfather" Megumi answered quickly and watched as those little ones continued to talk very happily with Tsumiki.
"Huh?"
"Yurika and Yuudai know that I am not their real father" he replied looking at Yuta, his voice sounding sincere.
"How?!" came out of Yuta's throat from the surprise of hearing this, since neither Mai nor Tsumiki had told him about it.
Megumi let out the air and began to explain, "What I'm trying to say senpai is that Yurika and Yuudai have known for a year now that I'm not their real father" he looked at the starry sky above them for a moment, "This was decided because I didn't want them to live a lie their whole lives about who I was. So they actually know that I am not their biological father as their birth certificates would have them believe"
"Oh... now I understand why when I met them they called you Papa Gumi" -that really surprised Yuta, he even took a few seconds to assimilate everything he had heard.
"Megumi, may I ask how was this news revealed to you?"
Megumi relaxed his shoulders a little. He did not notice any hostility in the sorcerer beside him.
"A year ago, exactly around this time in the summer, Maki and I decided to tell Yurika and Yuudai the truth. She didn't agree at first, as she didn't want them to ask her about her real father. However, eventually the four of us sat down and explained to them that I was not her biological father, but only ther stepfather. We also told them that Maki and I had known each other since high school and that we were friends. We also chose not to reveal to them that I am actually his mother's nephew-cousin, to avoid causing them more confusión"
"I understand" deep down, Yuta was somewhat relieved to hear that – "And Yurika and Yuudai, how did they take this revelation?"
Megumi pursed his lips slightly and after taking a breath, began to answer the question.
"At first, the revelation shocked them. I would even say it was a bit awkward. I noticed that the news broke their hearts, they were very sad and cried a lot that day. However, Yuudai and Yurika are very intelligent children and even somewhat wise for their age. I guess they already suspected that I was not their biological father.
He kept looking at those children who were several meters in front of them and who he knew were not listening to them –"I say that because they assimilated the news quickly. And they continued to behave affectionately with me and feel comfortable by my side, even after knowing that I was not their real father. Maybe it was a relief for them to find out at once, since sooner or later they were going to find out on their own. In spite of everything, they still call me Dad or sometimes they call me Papa Gumi"
Yuta began to mentally question whether it would be a good idea in the near future to tell his children the truth about him, he was really afraid of how they would react.
"I admit that I wanted them to know the truth before, in case you came back one day, senpai" -Megumi looked at him as he spoke, "I still respect you, and out of that same respect I want them to know the truth about me. I don't want to take away the role that is really yours with those two"
"Thank you very much for all that you tell me Megumi, and for attending during these seven years the position that corresponded to me. However, it is I who, on my own merit, must earn the trust and love of my own children before telling them the truth" Yuta sighed, "Now, with your answer, I am afraid to reveal to them who I really am. I don't know if it would be convenient for them to know, especially since they have lived a quiet life so far and my return could put them at risk"
Fushiguro pursed his lips a little at those words his senpai had said because he knew they were loaded with truth. They didn't know how those two little ones might take that revelation.
"By the way, what has Maki told you about me? About their real father..." He ask with some uncertainty.
The former sorcerer sighed, it could be seen on his face that he knew Maki had not said good things about the biological father of those children.
"From your face I can guess that nothing good has been said to them about me..." replied Yuta with a few drops of embarrassment running down his forehead.
"Well... she has only told Yurika and Yuudai that her real father was a coward who abandoned her before they were born. Although she has also told them that when the time comes she would tell them the whole truth about you" Megumi answered trying to sound kind.
A face of deep sadness was reflected in Okkotsu –"Auch... I'm definitely going to have to earn the love of those two and Maki for them to forgive me. Still, I feel that telling them the truth will have to come later"
"Definitely that revelation will have to wait a little longer. I guess you're going to have to talk and settle things with Maki first so you can then tell Yurika and Yuudai the truth" Megumi replied.
At that moment, a curiosity began to rise in Yuta's chest. He wanted to know something about the "relationship of those two."
"I'm sorry to ask Megumi but, in all this time where you have been married to Maki, did anything else happen with you and her? I mean, if you and her..." he was interrupted.
"I can assure you that there was never anything romantic or sexual between us" Megumi answered quickly before Okkotsu could make wrong assumptions about Maki and him.
"Still, I'm sorry to ask, but have you two slept together? Or have you really appeared to be a couple in front of the children?" Yuta asked seriously.
Megumi scratched the back of her neck uncomfortably.
"I admit that Maki-san and I are not like other parents. The children have never seen us kissing in front of them. However, in these years, we have maintained a cordial relationship, similar to what we had in our high school years as simple friends and relatives"
He sighed and continued speaking. He was too tense, but he had to answer that question.
"And about whether we slept together, well, we both did get to sleep in the same bed, especially when we were taking care of Yuudai after he was discharged from the hospital. We had to keep an eye on him, because there were nights when he was having trouble breathing or when we had to make sure he didn't convulse. So we both slept in the same room until he was almost four years old. After that, we've each had our own room. Also, I live most of the year in Tokyo and only come here from time to time. Still, nowadays everyone sleeps in their own room. We try to make sure that the children only see us together outside those romos"
For a moment, the face of Megumi seemed to reflect a memory as a result of what he had said. His lips tightened slightly and his eyes avoided Okkotsu's for a few seconds, as if he had remembered something important, an sinful event that happened between him and Maki but he couldn't quite say it. Even so, Megumi had the serenity to look him in the eyes again and answer calmly.
"But there is one thing I can tell you for sure and that is that Maki was very hurt by your departure, yet, all these years, she seemed to wait for your return. I know that she loved you and even although at this moment she acts stubborn, I know that she still feels something for you" he seemed very firm when he said that.
Yuta sighed when he heard those words. "I doubt she feels anything for me nowadays and she has every reason in the world to hate me... it took her too long to come back for her..."
"Let's just hope the grudge doesn't last forever..." commented Megumi once again putting his hands in his pockets.
"Now it is my turn to win her love and trust... both hers and my children's..."
At that moment, while both continued walking. Megumi wanted to take the opportunity to ask something to that sorcerer who had returned from abroad.
"By the way Okkotsu senpai, I heard that you went to the Zenin residence yesterday, is that true" asked Megumi seriously.
Yuta looked down at the ground, watching his steps.
"It seems that news about what I do travels too fast..."
"Within the sorcery society, bad news and rumors travel very fast. That's also how we learned of your return"
"Does that mean you're still working for headquarters?" Yuta asked seriously.
Megumi shook his head.
"For Yurika and Yuudai's safety as well as our own, we all resigned from the academy before they were born. However, I retain a contact within the institution who keeps me abreast of what is going on there"
Yuta was beginning to confirm what Mai had told him in her letter about everyone quitting the academy. But there was something else he wanted to check.
"I see, and do any of you still have contact with Satoru san? Because since I got here, it seemed like he didn't know anything about you guys for years...and what about Utahime sensei... she definitely seems to have lost her memories"
Megumi kept silent, his face reflecting absolute seriousness.
"It's been seven years since we've had contact with him" he stared at the children and his sister who were still ahead of them, "But I don't think he's been sitting on his hands"
"I understand" Yuta commented at that answer, which made him more doubtful that Satoru had been lying to him about more things.
"And back to the main topic, yes, yesterday I went to that place and the truth is, I don't want to set foot in there again" Yuta looked at his children –"By the way, do the children know anything about that clan or the Gojo clan?"
Megumi shook his head.
"They don't know and hopefully they never will for their sake. They only know that there are people who also see what they see and remove curses, but we try not to talk about it too much and we are also trying to keep them away from the world of sorcery. Still, we have to be prepared in case they have inherited some technique. Above all, we keep hiding from the Zenin clan"
Yuta remembered a little the words that Naobito had told him about Megumi being the leader of that clan. He knew that he had all the gifts to be a good leader, but he also understood that Megumi had given up that position for the sake of him and his children.
So the sorcerer who came from abroad, decided that he would ask him later about what happened so that he would have to give up his position as the next leader.
This conversation had to stop because the family had already arrived at the Fushiguro's house, where Maki was already waiting for them.
Besides, Yuta had something more important to do that night and that was to talk to Maki. Who was already waiting for him too.
The good thing was that the children had invited Yuta to sleep that night, which would be a bit long for him and Maki.
The road to the truth would not be easy, but both were willing to walk it together and for that they had to unravel the past head on.
Coming soon...
"All right, let's talk. What do you think if we each have a turn to ask what we want to the other?" proposed Maki with a slight smile, trying to remain calm.
"That's fine with me. Initiate, I'll give you the first question"
Maki took a deep breath, preparing for what was to come. She crossed her arms and, with a direct look into Yuta's eyes, asked:
"When you were abroad, did you sleep with another woman?"
Yuta swallowed saliva with difficulty.
[...]
"Well, now answer me, how did you realize you were pregnant? And why didn't you tell me right away?" asked Yuta, looking her straight in the eyes. His tone of voice was serious, but genuine curiosity could be seen in his eyes.
Maki sighed as she put her hands on the table. She felt cornered, but she had to answer whether she wanted to or not. If she had spoken seven years ago... maybe everything would have been different.
[...]
"Now you answer me, why seven years ago did you want us to come here in Kyoto on our anniversary?" asked Maki, with her eyes fixed on Yuta. Doubt gnawed at her, and she needed an answer.
Yuta took off the necklace that hung around his neck, where he had both rings. "The answer is here" he said in a barely audible voice, as he reached across the table to put down what he should have given her seven years ago.
[...]
"So?" Yuta questioned, with a seriousness that chilled the blood. His eyes, fixed on Maki's, left no room for doubt.
Maki swallowed saliva, trying to calm the waves that threatened to drown her. A lump formed in her throat, and the words refused to leave her lips.
"And then... who spoke to me at the station seven years ago was..." she finally said, her voice trembling and her gaze lost in Yuta's eyes.
[...]
"Please stop doing that..." whispered Yuta, his voice barely coming out in a trickle of hot air against Maki's face. His eyes glittered with a mixture of desire and shyness as his hands gently clasped hers.
A shiver ran through his body, electrifying his every sense, as his lips drew dangerously close to hers.
Maki looked at him with a mischievous smile, her eyes full of mischief. A warm blush tinged her cheeks, and her heart pounded in her chest, "Why, don't you like it?" she asked in a husky, barely audible voice.
Yuta swallowed, struggling to control the tempest swirling inside him. "It's not that..." he murmured, his voice hoarse with passion. "It's just that... You'll make me lose my mind"
Maki leaned closer, her lips were just millimeters away from his. "I clearly remember that this is one of your weak points, isn't it" she whispered with a seductive smile as she heard that. "Okktosu, you're making me do this..." she whispered playfully, her eyes sparkling in the light coming through that glass door that led to the courtyard from that kitchen.
"Then... you make me do this…" Yuta could not resist any longer. His lips met hers in a passionate kiss, full of fire and desire that still lingered after those seven years.
To be continued...
Notes:
I hope you liked it❤
How are you liking this story? 👀
As you saw, Megumi's canonical event was to follow in Gojo's footsteps in taking those two children under her care haha.
As you read, Tsumiki was the one with the idea of giving the Fushiguro surname to Yurika and Yuudai, although I confess that at first I wanted Megumi to tell this to Yuta, but I felt it would have more impact coming from Tsumiki.
Also how do you see Yuta's jealousy towards Megumi 👀Because I can assure you that he will continue to feel jealous of the bearer of the ten shadows for a while longer.
Also, one of the twins will become suspicious of Yuta. Which of the two will it be? Place your bets.
Just like the revelation about who talked to Maki seven years ago is coming 👀although I feel that some of you already sense who was the person who talked to her, so soon you will be able to confirm if your suspicion is true.
And tell me, what did you think of this preview of what will happen next?
What's coming in the next chapter will leave you wanting to read more. Above all, because the moment is coming when these two will talk about the past and let themselves be carried away by the feeling that still persists in both of them.
For that last one, I want to thank Pablo Alboran's music, thanks to his songs is that I've been inspired lately❤