My Youth As A Sorcerer Sucks, Chapter 49.

Chapter 49: The Wind of Change That I Didn’t Realise.

—OoOoO—

“Hold on, hold on. After thinking about it, please don’t say anything.”

Hachiman immediately changed his mind. His right hand extended forward, creating a 'stop' pose, while his left hand massaged his non-dizzy temple. It was a quick flip, which took Asuka a little taken aback and left her stunned momentarily when she saw the brief change.

Asuka stared blankly at her son, imagining the betrayal he must have felt. However, understanding the meaning behind his mother's gaze, Hachiman quickly corrected himself to not worry her.

“No, I mean, I’m not that stupid that I can’t read the room. Like, just by seeing Gojo-sensei in this house, sitting right next to you, and with this atmosphere, I already have a conclusion in my head.”

Hachiman said his words with his head lowered and his hands tightly clenched. His distorted expression made the voice from his mouth sound heavy and slightly trembling.

“It could just be another misunderstanding on my part, but I’d be so glad if I was wrong. Like, I’d be really, really glad,” the boy added.

His gaze remained fixed on the tips of his feet covered by indoor sandals. Whether it was an illusion or reality, an invisible force seemed to be weighing down his head, restraining his every attempt to raise his gaze. There was a heavy weight holding the boy’s neck, almost preventing him from facing the reality that lay before him. However, the silence that surrounded him disturbed his mind and caused restlessness.

The inner conflict crept slowly, eating away at his mind until his stomach churned. Hachiman knew his actions were cowardly, but it couldn't be helped. However, with a handful of courage he gathered in the depths of his heart, the boy lifted his face, forcing himself to look at the people before him.

“I understand your feelings, my son. But as you thought, Satoru-kun and I have decided to announce our relationship.”

Asuka said in a low but soft voice. Like her son, the woman seemed to have difficulty looking at him. The look in her eyes, which seemed tortured because she felt like she betrayed her children, explained everything in her heart even without any words coming out.

“Since when?” asked Hachiman.

The boy glanced at his sister, who was sitting there in silence. Although the girl's hesitation was evident, her calm gaze showed she already knew the truth.

'So, I'm the only one who didn't know they were dating, huh? No, maybe I already knew it because the signs were pretty obvious, but I always denied the fact and lied to myself that there wasn't anything between them.'

"It's been almost a year. To be exact, our relationship has been going on for almost eleven months," said the mother.

“I see.”

Hachiman replied shortly and slowly. His eyes, which always looked rotten, now looked weak, struggling to organise his confused thoughts.

The boy shifted his gaze to the white-haired man. Although the sunglasses blocked their gaze, he knew that their eyes met.

“Can I talk to him alone?”

Hearing the question, Asuka immediately tried to stop him, preventing him from shifting all the blame to the man. However, Satoru immediately stopped her by placing his hand on the woman's shoulder, which made Hachiman's eyebrows twitch slightly.

“It’s fine, Asuka-san. If that's what Hachiman wants to accept me into this family, then I'll do it. Besides, isn't it one of a father's duties to take all of a child's complaints?"

Satoru replied with a genuine smile. There was no mischievous smirk or annoying, stupid expression like the man always wore, not even the smile he always used to brag about himself. It was something seldom seen, another side of Gojo Satoru.

“Shut it off and follow me,” Hachiman replied angrily.

“You don't need to go.”

Asuka's quick response surprised everyone in the living room. Even Satoru didn't expect it.

“You two can talk here,” Asuka continued with a sigh, “While Komachi-chan and I will wait upstairs.”

—OoOoO—

Following the advice of the host and the head of the Hikigaya family, the two men remained in the living room. Satoru remained in his original position on the long sofa while Hachiman took the single bench that Komachi had previously used.

No one initiated a conversation as the two women left, causing silence to dominate the room. Even so, Hachiman occasionally stole glances at Satoru, but his hesitation caused the prepared words to consistently fail to escape his mouth. Meanwhile, the white-haired man remained calm, waiting for whatever the boy would throw at him.

“Since when did you like my mother?” asked Hachiman, finally breaking the silence.

“Since when, huh?” Satoru muttered.

The man sat on the sofa, his legs spread wide and his arms crossed.

“Well, it must have been about four or five years ago. I don't remember exactly when, though. But I admired her wisdom since I took you in Gojo’s Residence.”

“You already liked my mother, but you also dated a lot of women during that period?” Hachiman asked curtly.

Gojo Satoru was infamous as a playboy who often changed partners and never put his heart on one woman for a long time. His lousy nature, which he liked to play around with women, made him unqualified as an ideal partner. That was why, when rumours of his mother's closeness to Satoru began to circulate, Hachiman didn't care too much because he was sure that his mother would never date such a player.

“I was rejected by your mother, you know? And I’m a healthy young man with high spirits, and sometimes, I need to blow some steam.”

“You bastard, you didn’t even try to make an excuse at all,” Hachiman retorted.

Satoru glanced at the boy from behind his sunglasses.

“Why make excuses? It’s not like I regret dating a lot of women in the past. If anything, I try to be considerate, you know?”

The strange declaration used as a closing sentence made Hachiman raise an eyebrow.

“What do you mean?”

“I was born perfect and have everything. Power, wealth, intelligence, and good looks, I lack nothing. Imagine if I had lived as a pious man from the start, wouldn’t that be unfair to the world because I’d be too perfect?”

Satoru shrugged his shoulders, a casual gesture that seemed to indicate indifference. His face had an apathetic expression mixed with a thin smile full of arrogance, which confirmed his annoying vibe. For Hachiman, the smile was more than just irritating. It was like a thorn stabbing his anger after learning that the man was dating his mother.

His hands were shaking, clenched tightly on his thighs as if holding back a storm of emotions that was ready to explode. However, even though the desire to beat the man was peaking, Hachiman chose to remain silent, trying to control the fire in his chest.

“But seriously, though,” the white-haired man continued, “When your mother rejected me, I thought I could easily find a replacement. Because as the saying goes, there are plenty of fish in the sea. However, with every woman I dated, I couldn’t feel anything. And every time I changed women, I became more convinced that your mother was special and the only one for me.”

“You shitty man. If that was your reason, why didn’t you just say so instead of beating around the bush?”

“Oh, do you want me to change my mode into Gojo Satoru serious version, the man of Virtue and Wisdom, Hachiman-kun?” Satoru replied teasingly.

Hachiman glared at the man with a turmoil of emotions he kept trying to suppress. He wanted to hurl curses and insults at his face, but his upstairs mother would definitely hear him. He didn't want his mother to think she couldn't instil manners in her son. That was why the boy needed to act mature. It wasn't difficult for Hachiman, who liked to live a relaxed life. However, this was the first time he hated being an adult.

“Stop it, that sounds disgusting.”

Hachiman said as he turned his face away, feeling nauseous. However, it didn't last long, and Hachiman looked back at the man after combing his hair with his fingers.

“Why my mother? What makes you like her?”

“Don’t you think your mother looks like Inoue Waka, Hachiman?” Satoru snapped back.

Hachiman, who was unprepared for this response, could only stare blankly, showing his stupid expression.

“What? Who's that?” asked the guy.

This time, it was Satoru's turn to be speechless because of his conversation partner's ignorance.

“Inoue Waka, you know, Inoue Waka. A famous actress who debuted as an idol in 2002.”

“You mean that Inoue Waka?” Hachiman asked, asking for confirmation.

“See? I knew you must know her. There’s no one who doesn’t know her in this country, after all.”

Hachiman felt like an idiot when he saw a side of Gojo Satoru he had never known. No one expected that the strongest creature on earth also had a fanboy side that didn't match his image.

“I don't see any resemblance between the two of them.”

“No, no. What I mean is not the physical resemblance, but the aura. The vibe, you know? The vibe,” replied the man with sunglasses.

Hachiman was increasingly confused about what his mentor meant. However, before he could comment, Satoru spoke up.

“Well, if we’re talking about looks, of course Asuka-san is thousands of times prettier than Inoue,” he said in a tone that seemed to belittle his idol, “In fact, her light seemed to have dimmed when she got married in 2012.”

Hachiman snorted at the insult.

“You know what, you sound like a gachikoi who’s holding a grudge because his idol left him to get married.”

Gachikoi literally meant 'serious love'. However, in idol culture, gachikoi was a term given to fans who really loved their idol. To some extent, it could be interpreted as a diehard. However, many gachikoi were harmful, even to the point of stalking their idols.

“Nah, nah. Don’t compare me to those lowly humans,” Satoru replied, waving his hand dismissively, “What I’m talking about is a fact, you know? After starring in the ‘Soko Wa Nantoka’ series, she’s rarely been cast as a key actor. I wouldn’t even be surprised if 2018 would be the end of her career as an actor.”

"You’re surprisingly well informed about this," commented Hachiman.

It was a short and seemingly indifferent response, but the boy silently agreed with Satoru's point. However, he wouldn’t allow himself to be distracted by the topic.

“So, you’re just saying that you’re attracted to her looks?” the guy asked.

Satoru didn’t answer the question immediately. Instead, he stared at his interlocutor with a sharp gaze, though obscured by black shades, that seemed to be able to penetrate the depths of thought. His facial expression remained flat, almost unreadable, until suddenly, a mischievous grin graced his lips.

“Oh, do you want to hear a more philosophical reason like in dramas?” the white-haired man teased.

“Nuh-uh. Such a shallow reason actually suits your personality much better.”

The sharp sarcasm left Satoru with a flat smile. He then shrugged with his palms facing up. Although Hachiman's taunt indirectly belittled his level of thinking, the man didn’t feel offended. In fact, the angry and annoyed reactions of someone made the man like to tease others.

However, even Satoru knew the time and place. Although he wanted to continue teasing the black-haired boy, he understood it wasn’t the right moment. Moreover, when it came to why he fell in love with the woman he adored, Satoru couldn't help but smile to himself like crazy when he remembered it.

—OoOoO—

2008 was a busy year with many events and conflicts happening. Many things made many parties monitor each other's movements. The relationship between the three big clans, especially, seemed to be getting worse. After the fierce feud between the Gojo and Zen'in Clans last year over the custody of Fushiguro Megumi, now, the young leader, Gojo Satoru, had created another commotion by granting asylum to the Hikigaya Family, a family that had recently stolen the spotlight in the Jujutsu Society.

Perhaps it sounded trivial. However, considering that the daughter of the Hikigaya Family inherited Abe no Seimei’s cursed technique and the recently revealed fact that they were distant descendants of the legendary figure, many people think that Gojo Satoru wanted to hoard young talents for his own clan. After all, Fushiguro Megumi's Ten Shadows and Hikigaya Komachi's Cursed Spirit Manipulation would be a great power if cultivated properly.

Despite many accusations, Gojo Satoru never denied or even explained the background behind his actions. But alas, that was what worried Asuka.

What exactly was the man's goal?

'Okay, I think that's enough for today.'

A woman with black hair down to her back put the pen she had been using to write her diary. She took off her glasses, then massaged the bridge of her nose with her eyes closed, hoping it’d ease the stress a little. Long sighs and groans filled with fatigue were occasionally heard from her mouth, showing how mentally drained the woman was.

Hikigaya Asuka, that was her name. Born into a family of sorcerers living in a remote village in Chiba Prefecture. Even so, she, who didn’t have a cursed technique, with a track record that the sorcery skills passed down in her family were getting weaker from generation to generation, made her conclude that her family's legacy would end in her generation.

Moreover, her parents' passing while she was still in high school made her think she wasn't obligated to continue the family business. Because of that, she went to the city to realise the everyday life she had dreamed of.

At first, everything went according to Asuka's expectations. Met her soulmate, got married soon after, gave birth to her first child at twenty, and became a happy wife and mother. However, things started to go wrong when her son began to awaken his cursed technique. Her ex-husband, who had no idea about the supernatural world, began to sense the strangeness. And the peak was when her daughter also showed talent in jujutsu sorcery by awakening the Cursed Spirit Manipulation technique.

Cursed Spirit Manipulation was a technique that directly involved supernatural monsters, causing them to instinctively try to attack the technique user because they see them as their natural enemy, the number one enemy. With three people in the house who were sorcerers by blood, plus cursed spirits that often haunted them, Asuka's ex-husband's sensitivity began to increase. However, his background as a normal human made him very uncomfortable at home.

'If only he had never taken Komachi-chan to a shaman to seek alternative treatment, perhaps information about her cursed technique would never have leaked out and reached the three great clans like it did now.'

With no knowledge of the world of jujutsu, Asuka's ex-husband assumed that her daughter was being haunted. This led him to take her to a self-proclaimed shaman to find the cause. And that was when things started to get messy, with many people eyeing Hikigaya Komachi's abilities.

'No, I can't blame him. If I had been honest with my husband from the start, maybe things wouldn't have ended up like this. He wouldn't have run away from us, and my children wouldn't have had to suffer like this.'

Lamenting her fate, tears began to flow from the corners of her eyes without her knowledge, along with small sobs that accompanied them. However, Asuka immediately wiped away the traces of tears roughly using the back of her hand.

“If you’re that tired, you can leave everything to me, you know, Hikigaya-san?” a young man said.

Her eyes opened when she heard those words in a cheerful tone.

“Gojo-san?”

The woman muttered as she found a white-haired young man standing outside her room. Only the open window separated them.

“Sorry for showing my ugly side,” the woman continued as she adjusted her sitting position.

However, before the uninvited guest could reply, Asuka spat out her words again.

“I am very grateful for your help in temporarily accommodating me and my children. However, I hope you can be more respectful of me by not suddenly appearing at the window,” the woman said politely.

“First of all, you didn’t close the window, so I assume there’s no private space you’re trying to hide in. Or you could close it if you wanted.”

The young man responded by gently waving his hand as if he wanted to get rid of Asuka's words, which sounded stupid to his ears.

“Secondly, the room you’re using is one of the facilities in the Gojo Clan’s residence. So, technically, every corner of this place is mine.”

Asuka felt hurt by the statement. There was no other choice that could be used to respond. All the woman could do was stare at Satoru silently while hiding her annoyance at the man's arrogance.

“I understand very well that everything here belongs to you. That is why I plan to leave the Gojo Compound as soon as possible. Of course, I will never forget your generosity.”

A reply that sounded so polite and careful came out of the woman's mouth. She was very particular about the words that would come from her mouth. The Zen'in and Kamo clans had targeted her and were after her daughter. The Tsuchimikado family, who were direct descendants of Abe no Seimei, also ended up betraying her by selling information about their meeting to the Kamo clan after she came all the way from Chiba to Kyoto with her children to seek protection.

Although the Tsuchimikado Family was a fairly well-known and influential jujutsu family, they were nothing compared to the three great clans that were the main forces of the Japanese Jujutsu Society. That was the reason they gave up when they betrayed Asuka.

“Are you really thinking of going back to Chiba? After everything that happened?”

Satoru propped his chin up with a hand resting on the window frame. In contrast to the man's excessively relaxed vibe, his subtle sarcasm made Asuka uncomfortable.

“Then what do you expect? There is no reason for me to stay in Kyoto,” the woman replied.

“Didn’t I say that you can stay here as long as you want? I might be in Saitama more often since I’ve things to take care over there, but the Gojo residence is the safest place for your children.”

Asuka snorted softly at the reply.

'In the end, you also want to take my daughter to your clan, huh? You are no different from them.'

The woman's sudden silence made Satoru's smug smile disappear, and the corners of his lips turned down. His free hand pointed at Asuka, his index finger twirling as if he wanted to rewind a missed moment.

“You thought that I was no different from those annoying old farts, didn’t you?”

"I’m deeply sorry for my impoliteness," replied Asuka, who didn't try to refute it.

Satoru snorted at the boring reply. It was wrong of him to expect an interesting answer from someone whose life was on the brink and who could only rely on help from others.

“Kyoto is a dangerous place with many famous clans, but no one’d dare set foot in Gojo’s residence without my permission, not even Zen’in. If you care about your children, stay here until one of them can stand on their own.”

“Then, what? What will they do in the meantime? If locking them up here and depriving them of their freedom is the price, I am more than willing to find a better solution.”

“You weaklings are a pain in the ass sometimes, huh?”

The indifferent comment from Satoru's mouth successfully thickened the veins on Asuka's forehead. Like a pressed switch, the annoyance immediately lit up inside her. However, the woman tried to remain calm and respect the host.

“Even though I’ve provided the best place for your children, without asking for any payment on top of that, you’re still stubborn,” Satoru said with a sigh.

The white head leaned against the window frame, resting it on his crossed arms. His eyes didn't look at his interlocutor as if his interest had disappeared. Meanwhile, Asuka's eyebrows twitched as the impudent words were uttered without hesitation. She wanted to scold the man, not caring that the figure before her was the head of the Gojo Clan. However, her common sense worked well and didn't allow her to embarrass herself.

'Calm down. Don't fall for his nonsense. He's just a kid who hasn't even finished puberty yet.'

“Your offer is too good to be true. It makes it sound like I am dealing with the devil. If it were just me, I might take it.”

Asuka paused her words as she looked at her two sleeping children.

“But when it comes to my children, I cannot take it for granted. I don’t just want to protect their current lives, but also give them a decent future.”

The woman looked back at Satoru. It wasn't the sharp gaze that she gave but the gentle and sincere gaze of a mother.

“I am very grateful that your intervention allowed me and my children to escape from the conspiracy of the Kamo Clan and the Tsuchimikado Family. However, without explaining your purpose and reasons, I cannot accept your kindness any more than this.”

Asuka answered him carefully, weaving her words together as if she were weaving words with gold thread on silk. She ensured each phrase flowed smoothly, conveying her meaning without ever causing offence to the young man. With graceful poise, the mother of two kept her words free from excessive emotion, showing herself as a mature woman of class and wisdom.

Satoru was stunned when he heard the genuineness, but his indifferent attitude seemed to be a mental block that prevented the words from entering his mind.

“Even if I explain it, someone like you won’t understand it.”

Asuka's sanity seemed to be cut when she was slapped by that annoying reply. And when her patience was no longer heeded, she no longer paid attention to her words at that moment.

“I see. So, you’re in that phase. Huh?” the woman commented as she put her glasses back on, “I’m different from the others. I’m the strongest, and no one’s close to my level. Of course, no one can understand this extraordinary of mine.”

The sarcasm was like a blow to Satoru's face. Whether it was a belittling expression or an arrogant smile, there was no trace of anything visible other than the blush on his cheeks. His lips were pursed inward, showing that the mental damage the white-haired man had received was quite profound.

“No, that's not what I meant,” Satoru denied.

“No, no, no. It’s truly as you say. My lowly self won’t understand your amazing way of thinking. And vice versa, your amazing self, who pretends to understand the whole world, but in reality, you understand nothing about how people below you view the world.”

Once again, Satoru was rendered speechless by the string of words the woman had crammed into him. His previously raging emotions slowly began to die down as he digested the meaning of the long sentence. His face, which had looked offended, softened as his logic began to work. For a moment, his mouth would open. However, in the next second, he’d close it tightly as he swallowed back the words about to come out.

Satoru recalled the information he had about the woman. A widow with two children who was abandoned by her cowardly husband. She was dragged into the cruel currents of the jujutsu world, but that didn’t make her give up. Various pressures were given to her just to satisfy the greed of elites, but she could survive with her intelligence that utilised the laws of jujutsu.

Satoru heard directly from Asuka's mouth that she was doing whatever it cost to ensure her children had a decent life in the present and future. Her stubbornness and tenacity, which didn't match her strength, were very different from those he knew, especially when he thought back to the man who sometimes still gave him nightmares.

'Toji has the power to destroy the Zen'in Clan with ease. He also has extensive knowledge of jujutsu. Instead of taking care of his child, he handed him over to Naobito. On the other hand, this woman, Hikigaya-san is….'

Satoru let out a heavy sigh. The harder he tried to deny it, the more it became clear that he didn't understand anything, just like the woman had said. He didn't understand why a strong person, who should had everything, would give up and throw it all away for ephemeral things. Meanwhile, someone who was only on the same level as an assistant manager insisted on achieving everything.

Asuka softened a little and felt guilty when she saw the frustration on the young leader's face. She had initially only intended to retort his arrogance, but who'd have thought her words would be tightly gripped in his brain?

“Humans have mouths, language, and minds to communicate,” the woman said, “If you think no one understands you, then speak up. If you want to be understood, make sure someone listens to your story."

Satoru was stunned by those words. His complicated expression slowly began to unravel as its complexity subsided. Those were simple words, a fundamental concept that made humans called social creatures. Of course, someone as intelligent as Satoru understood it. However, he chose to remain silent and wait for her to continue.

“However, I can understand where that comes from. With me protecting my children all by myself, while all around me are greedy people, there’s no one I can talk to.”

Asuka took a deep breath. Her gentle eyes stared at Satoru intently, leaving him no choice but to listen.

“You feel the same way, right? Inheriting a power that has been worshipped for eight hundred years, considered the incarnation of a god and the saviour of the world. I can’t say I understand your situation, but that loneliness, I can understand where it comes from. You grew up with all the expectations, trained to be the strongest sorcerer without any flaws. And because of that, you feel like people don’t recognise you as the real Gojo Satoru, which ultimately leaves you isolated all by yourself on top of those expectations.”

Satoru was stunned, his mouth agape. He was at a loss for words after the series were uttered straightforwardly, but they sounded soft and soothing to the soul. Her melodious voice gave warmth to his heart. Unconsciously, he bit the corner of his lip to hold back the turmoil that suddenly appeared. Never in his life had Satoru heard such a precise guess. In fact, a friend he thought would accompany him to the top also betrayed and left him alone.

It wasn't like he lived in isolation in the literal sense. In fact, his parents spoiled him a lot. However, that was precisely the problem. They always boasted and praised his talent and strength, making him wonder whether the sweet words they said were for his abilities or for himself as Gojo Satoru. Things that seemed trivial but had accumulated over time made the young man less sensitive to the people around him.

'Maybe, just maybe, if it's this woman, she can give me the answer to that question.'

“Hey, let's say, if Gojo Satoru wasn't the strongest being, what kind of person would I be?”

Asuka opened her eyes wide, not expecting that question to come.

“Well, that’s something only you can answer, right?” the woman replied, not really caring.

However, Satoru's expression immediately turned dull. If only his eyes weren't covered by black shades, Asuka would’ve found the blue gem staring at her blankly. The long-haired woman with glasses sighed. She found Satoru annoying and difficult to deal with, but seeing himself so disappointed with her answer, Asuka thought the man was lost in his search for his identity.

“If by any chance you suddenly lost your power, but you don’t have any legacy, people will forget about you in the blink of an eye. After all, your strong self only lives in the present, your relevance only lasts as long as you live. However, if you have a solid legacy, people will continue to remember you even hundreds of years into the future. That legacy you left will cement your identity. Scholars will try to research your life, and they might be able to see a side of you that people who lived in the same era as yours couldn’t understand.”

Asuka paused momentarily after running out of air in her lungs. It was quite a long pause, but Satoru didn't interrupt her. The man seemed to be in deep contemplation, as if the words had indeed sunk into his soul.

The sound of small movements caught Asuka's ears. She glanced at the bed, finding her children sleeping soundly. Her eldest son's position seemed to have changed with him hugging his sister tightly, as if he was protecting her in a dream. The sight lifted the woman's corner of her heart and warmed seeing her children sleeping comfortably.

“And especially for me, even if you’re no longer the strongest, I’ll always remember you as the person who saved my children. And I’m sure, something you did just on a whim, will change their destiny.”

“What’re you saying? I’ll always be the strongest, no matter what era it is,” Satoru replied quickly and with a frown.

Asuka was taken aback by the response, raising her eyebrows involuntarily. She then rolled her eyes boredly and sighed as if she didn't have the energy to deal with the young man's whimsical behaviour.

“You really are a cheeky boy who likes to ruin the mood, huh?”

—OoOoO—

The flashback that suddenly played in his head made Satoru smile to himself like crazy. He stared at the boy intensely with eyes like a dead fish. Seeing him, who had grown into a fine young man, he realised that time had passed quickly. Seeing the boys who had now grown beyond his expectations made the man think that the era of Gojo Satoru might be coming to an end.

“Hey, what did you just say? The reason I like your mother is shallow?”

“Isn’t that a shallow reason if you only like her because of her looks?” Hachiman quickly replied.

The smile on Satoru's face seemed to grow wider upon hearing the accusation.

“Well, there are many reasons why I fell in love with Asuka-san, but I won’t tell you them now?”

“What?”

“I’ll tell you my love story with your mother later, along with you, Komachi-chan, and your new future sisters.”

Hachiman glared at the statement.

“You say it as if I’ve already given you my blessing.”

"But you do, don't you?" Satoru replied quickly.

Before Hachiman could reply, Satoru immediately beat him to it.

“Well, at least, if you were really against it, you wouldn't waste your time asking those things.”

Hachiman's mouth felt instantly locked by the statement. His throat felt tight, blocking the words he wanted to say. The boy turned his face to the side as if he wanted to avoid the reality of what Satoru said. It annoyed him when his habit was used as a weapon at such moments. However, what was worse was that Hachiman couldn't find the words to refute him.

“My mother has sacrificed so much just to raise me and Komcahi. And I’ve sworn to repay her kindness, make her happy, and make her the noblest woman on earth. I don’t want to be an ungrateful child who hinders his own mother’s happiness after all her sacrifices so far.”

Hachiman clenched his fists tightly as if all his emotions were accumulated in those fists.

“But why did it have to be you? I respect you as my master, but you’re a filthy bastard. You’re selfish and hedonistic. The things around you’re nothing more than playthings to you. With all that, I can’t imagine you could make my mother happy.”

Satoru was stunned to hear all the insults. There was no longer a mischievous smile or silly expression on his face. Hachiman's feelings were overflowing. He didn't want to consider it something worth making fun of. The feelings of frustration, annoyance, and anger, Satoru would accept it all as a man who entered the guy's personal life.

“I do have my ugly sides although they shouldn’t be as bad as you say, you know?” Satoru said with a bit of a joke to lighten the mood, “But well, more than anyone else, you know that I’m a man of my word, right?”

The words entered his head without resistance or resistance. Although Hachiman hated the childish things that the man often did, one of the things that made him respect Satoru so much was that he always found a way to keep his promises. He was a man of integrity, worthy of being a role model. However, fear and worry weren’t things that could be lifted so quickly, especially when they concerned the interests of the family.

But still, Hachiman wanted to put his mother's happiness above all else.

“If you make my mother cry, I’ll kill you.”

Satoru raised his eyebrows in surprise, but his expression returned to normal, and his usual smile reappeared.

“Sure.”

“If you marry my mother later, I want her to stay here. I don’t want her to go to the Gojo clan, change her family name, or whatsoever,” Hachiman continued.

The sudden requirements left Satoru speechless. He never expected that the topic would be discussed. Noticing the white-haired man's silence, Hachiman immediately looked at him questioningly.

“What?”

“No, nothing. I was just surprised to hear you suddenly talk about marriage,” Satoru said.

“Did you approach my mother without any plans for that? If you’re just playing around, I’ll kill you right now.”

Hachiman had seen many cases of women who had been harmed because they entered into relationships without any legality. Marriage wasn’t just a spiritual bond formed by vows made in the name of God. More than that, it was a relationship protected by law. In other words, whatever happened after the two people were married, everything could be legally accounted for.

Even though the person before him was Gojo Satoru, a figure who could cheat the law if he wanted, Hachiman would ensure his mother could get her right to be happy.

“If you keep your word, you must have the courage for a serious relationship, right?” Hachiman asked.

Satoru smiled at the question.

“Don’t worry. Actually, Asuka-san and I have already talked about these things. The conditions you mentioned have also been discussed by Asukan first.”

“I really want to kill you right now,” Hachiman said softly.

However, Satoru paid no attention to him. He moved his body closer to the boy and then roughly stroked his hair, but Hachiman immediately brushed him away.

“Well, since we’ve come to a mutual understanding, we’ll discuss the details further another time. For now, please call Asuka-san and Komachi-chan, there’s one more thing I still need to tell you.”

“What? Why should I?”

“Oh, do you want me to call your mother upstairs? I don’t mind at all, tho," Satoru replied with a mischievous smile.

Hachiman was annoyed when he saw that expression, even more so when he imagined the man meeting his mother. Even though he had agreed to their relationship with various conditions, it didn't mean that the boy wanted to see them being affectionate in any way.

With a clicking tongue and a sharply knitted brow, Hachiman stood up and got up from his seat. Without saying a word, he left the living room.

—OoOoO—

Satoru had never been happier in his life. He had always expected Hachiman to approve of his relationship with his mother, but when it finally came, he had no idea it’d feel like he had the world and everything in it. To say that he was the happiest person in the universe was no exaggeration. In fact, many ideas had flooded his head about how he’d celebrate the blessing he had received today.

'Going on a picnic with just the two of us in the morning with Asuka-san, then getting acknowledged by her children. I can feel that good things will keep coming from now on.'

The man leaned back on the sofa with his arms spread out. A wide smile full of satisfaction was beautifully carved on his handsome face, and a sigh of relief escaped his mouth as if showing that the man was overwhelmed by his happiness.

'But I can't let myself get carried away. There's still a lot of work to be done. And I don't think I can rush things either. If I want to retire in peace, I’ve to make sure to take care of the troublesome things before passing the baton to Hachiman, Yuta, Maki, and Megumi. And that also includes how I’ve to free Yuuji from Sukuna and eliminate that creature once and for all.'

The sound of footsteps could be heard. Satoru knew who they belonged to without having to confirm it. But still, the man turned to greet them.

Hachiman was the first to appear from the stairs, leading the two women who followed behind him. Actually, it was a little later than Satoru expected. However, seeing the boy who had changed his clothes from the blue jersey he had been wearing for training since this morning, he changed into a more casual outfit.

The boy returned wearing a long-sleeved grey shirt rolled up a few centimetres below his elbows. Meanwhile, his lower part was still wearing the same training pants. However, the guy seemed to have washed his face first. No wonder it took him a little longer to call his mother and sister.

Hachiman immediately took the seat next to Satoru without saying anything, the position previously occupied by his mother. Then Komachi followed him, following her older brother to fill the three-seater sofa. The two adults in the room looked surprised at the behaviour, but Hachiman immediately looked at Satoru with lazy eyes.

“You won’t mind me sitting next to you, right?” the guy asked.

“Do you miss your future father that much, Hachiman-kun?” Satoru replied, putting his arm around Hachiman’s shoulders.

The young Hikigaya wanted to curse, but his mother was nearby, forcing him to watch his language. Ultimately, he could only push the arm away with a sharp glare directed straight at the man.

Meanwhile, Satoru peeked at Komachi through his shades. The girl had never shown resistance like Hachiman regarding her relationship with their mother. Even when she accidentally caught them flirting in the living room a while ago, she didn't immediately tell Hachiman. So, it was a little interesting to see Komachi, who also closed off her mother's space to sit on the same couch as Satoru.

However, seeing her slightly embarrassed attitude while looking away, the white-haired man could conclude that the youngest Hikigaya was only following her brother out of solidarity.

'They’re really interesting.'

On the other hand, Asuka could only sigh at her children's behaviour, but she didn't mind it too much and immediately sat on the only remaining sofa.

“So, is there anything else you guys want to talk about?” Komachi asked as soon as she saw her mother sitting comfortably.

The girl seemed to want to break the tension between her brother and the man who would be her father.

"Actually, this is another matter," Asuka replied as she looked at her lover, who was still teasing Hachiman, "It will be better if you tell him to come here."

“Well, I think so too.”

Satoru then took his iPhone from his shirt pocket. He seemed to be operating something on the screen. And without waiting long, the man put the smartphone to his ear.

“You can come in now. Use the key Asuka-san gave you,” Satoru said to someone on the phone.

It seemed like an absolute order that left no room for question. However, the man did not turn off the communication device, and a slight change was visible in his expression.

“Yeah, I can see her presence. That’s a bit unfortunate, but it should be fine. I’m sure she can keep a secret.”

Not long after, Satoru nodded as if he agreed to something without saying a word, even though the other person couldn't see his reaction. However, he immediately ended the call without paying attention to such trivial matters and put his phone back in his pocket.

Seeing this, Hachiman immediately scanned his house, trying to feel a foreign presence around him. He silently cursed his habit of continually lowering his guard whenever he was with Satoru, which made him late in realising their presence until finally, the faint sound of the door opening entered his ears and was followed by a scream that sounded quite familiar.

“Excuse us.”

Hachiman recognised the cheerful baritone voice. He may have only met him once, but the memory was deeply imprinted in his mind for some reason. His body stiffened as the image of the voice's owner's face flashed through his mind, making the boy daydream, floating in his own world.

“Itadori and…. Haruno-san?”

Hachiman muttered without blinking his eyes when he saw the figures of the uninvited guests, at least, not to his knowledge.

“Well, what I really wanted to talk about was Yuuji, but I’m also curious about why Yukinoshita is here,” Satoru said.

The Strongest Sorcerer had actually noticed Haruno's presence from the start, more precisely, when he was having an important meeting with Hachiman. However, even though he didn't expect her to be there, Satoru couldn't pause his important conversation with the eldest Hikigaya.

Haruno noticed the stares on her. It was an awkward situation, to be sure. She could totally understand if anyone was suspicious of her for showing up at an inopportune time. After all, it was no wonder everyone was wary of each other.

However, Haruno was a perfect woman who could master any situation well. She was known to have a thousand masks for a reason. Ignoring Satoru's probing gaze, which he managed to hide well, Haruno looked at the host with her usual smile.

“Nice to meet you, Mrs. Hikigaya. My name is Yukinoshita Haruno. This is our first meeting, but I have visited here once before.”

The woman immediately bowed after making the brief introduction.

“Nice to meet you, Yukinoshita-san. Yes, Komachi-chan told me about it when you visited here. As a mother, please allow me to properly thank you for helping to look after my daughter while Hachiman and I were busy.”

Asuka also bowed her head out of politeness in return. And both straightened up after their brief exchange of pleasantries, but the conversation didn't end there.

“Ah, no. Please don’t worry about it. It’s nothing compared to the help Hikigaya-kun has given me all this time,” said the Yukinoshita girl.

Asuka knew the conversation would keep going in a loop if it kept the same pattern.

“I see. Then, come visit here often. Let me treat you properly next time.”

Haruno nodded with a big smile on her face.

“Of course, mother.”

Asuka and everyone else in the room were surprised by how Haruno responded. Unlike her initial impression of being so graceful and mature, the young girl seemed to give a slightly flirtatious reply. However, seeing such a drastic change in attitude reminded Asuka of someone.

'Ah, she’s another kind of Satoru-kun, huh?' the woman thought.

“Uh, you know she's not your mother, right, Haruno-san?”

Hachiman joined the conversation after hearing the girl's affectionate nickname for her mother. However, the defendant, who was the centre of attention, seemed indifferent to the stares of the people around her.

“But there are three Hikigaya here, right? It would be a little awkward to call mother by her surname, but it would be too impolite to use her given name.”

“But that doesn’t mean you can call her ‘mother,’ does it?” Hachiman pressed.

“Oh, do you want me to call her something else? Like, you know what I mean, right?”

Haruno replied teasingly, immediately sending a jolt down Hachiman's spine. The boy felt goosebumps as if he knew what the crazy woman was thinking.

“No, please don’t,” the boy said resignedly.

A faint blush appeared on Hachiman's cheeks. He avoided eye contact with Haruno, showing how frustrated the boy was. It was an interesting sight, especially for Satoru, who wanted to join. However, he had to restrain himself because there was something more substantial.

“So, what brings you here, Yukinoshita?”

Haruno turned to the man in shades. However, instead of immediately clarifying, she seemed to open her handbag and take something out of it.

“It's my earphone case,” Hachiman replied, recognising the object.

“You left it in the car. Well, even I only realised it when I returned the car to Momoshiro-san’s place.”

Hachiman ignored Haruno's explanation. He immediately took the sling bag he had placed under the table when talking to Satoru earlier. His hands opened the zipper without a beat and rummaged through the contents. Only his smartphone, charger, and wallet were all he could find. Showing that his earphone case was really not in its proper place.

“I tried to reach you on the phone, but you didn’t pick up my calls. However, when I was dropping it off here, who would have thought that I would actually meet someone who was rumoured to have died?” Haruno said as she glanced at Yuuji.

Hearing the explanation, Hachiman immediately turned on his phone and found several missed calls. However, he just realised that his phone was in 'do not disturb' mode because he used it to play Among Us with his peers.

“Sorry, I didn't realise that,” the boy said.

Haruno smiled sweetly upon hearing that. However, she immediately turned her gaze to Satoru.

“By the way, don’t worry about what I saw. My mouth is sealed.”

“Yeah, it’s a bit of a shame because I was planning to surprise a lot of people with Yuuj’s comeback, but it can’t be helped, right?”

Satoru didn't seem too bothered that one of his biggest secrets and conspiracies was known to someone outside his inner circle. However, the man believed Haruno wasn't a cheap girl who would sell such information. It wouldn't be a big deal even if that happened since he could adjust.

While everyone was fixated on Haruno's presence, a girl sitting at the end of the sofa looked confused. Her furrowed brows showed she couldn't stand the small talk any longer.

“Uhm… so, who is that boy?” Komachi asked,

However, before anyone could reply, the girl stood up from her seat and pounced on Haruno.

“Ah, before that, take a seat, Haruno nee-san. You must be tired after coming all this way to deliver my brother’s belonging, right?”

Komachi dragged Haruno by the arm past the back of the single seat her mother was sitting on and made her sit in her previous spot. The girl's initiative made Hachiman, who was forced to sit next to Haruno, uncomfortable. The boy wanted to move from his spot, but Komachi naturally blocked him by standing before Hachiman.

“Thank you, Komachi-chan,” Haruno said with a meaningful smile.

“Oh, no problem. This is the best I can do as a host,” she replied.

The girl immediately turned her gaze to Hachiman.

“Don't you think so, Onii-chan?”

The boy's cheeks flushed again as he turned his face to the side. He didn't respond in words, but his reaction satisfied Komachi.

Satoru and Asuka seemed to enjoy the lively interaction in another corner. It was rare to see Hachiman frustrated so many times in a short time. The only one who could do that before was Satoru himself, but it’d always be followed by a sharp retort from Hachiman. However, seeing the boy wholly lost for words, caused by Haruno alone, gave a refreshing impression to the grown adults.

'I can't stand up and offer my seat to Komachi-chan, can I? If I do, he'll definitely slide over here,' Satoru thought.

The man actually wanted to go get a chair at the dining table, but he didn't want to waste the little girl's efforts by making way for Hachiman to get away from Haruno. Therefore, Komachi had no choice but to do the job herself.

“Be right back,” Komachi called out.

Meanwhile, Satoru wasn't so cruel as to let the youngest Hikigaya take two seats by herself.

“Yuuji, go help her.”

The pink-haired boy, standing still without knowing what to do, immediately put on a salute pose.

“Roger!”

—OoOoO—

The Hikigaya family was a relatively small household with only three members. As the head of the family, Asuka didn’t have much time to make many friends even though she had a reasonably vast network. Thus, almost no significant number of guests they had ever entertained. Even if there were, they were Komachi's friends, who preferred spending time in her room rather than the living room.

Therefore, Asuka felt that a three-seater and a single-seat sofa were enough to decorate the living room. However, she never imagined that the entire family would gather to treat three guests at once. Leaving Komachi and Yuuji without a seat, the two wooden chairs at the dining table had to be pulled into the living room.

“My name is Itadori Yuuji! Thank you for having me, mother!”

“Who the hell did you call mother, you little shit?” shouted Hachiman.

“Eh? Didn’t you allow Haruno nee-san to call Mrs. Hikigaya that?” Yuuji chirped awkwardly.

“Hachiman, language.”

Asuka immediately refuted the boy, making him turn his face.

“Satoru-kun had told me your past. You can call me mother if it makes you feel at ease, Itadori-kun,” she added.

The young man lowered his head as low as he could, making his body almost touch his thighs.

“Thank you so much for your kindness. And I am honoured to have the opportunity to visit Hachiman-paisen’s home!” the boy continued after raising his head.

Hachiman, whose name was called, seemed to furrow his brows in annoyance because the guy had casually called him using his given name. However, the strange behaviour that the guest showed was enough to attract his attention. Yuuji seemed to want to say something, but his eyes, which occasionally glanced at Satoru, showed hesitation.

“And honestly, I don't know why Gojo-sensei brought me here.”

Apart from Asuka, all eyes in the room immediately turned to the white-haired man. They looked at Satoru with tired eyes as if they were fed up with his habit of always dragging someone along without giving an explanation first. However, Satoru didn't waver at all, even though people looked at him as if he was the culprit.

“Well, simply put, Yuuji will be staying at Hikigaya’s residence for a while.”

Like a bomb dropped in the middle of the ocean, the information made everyone's eyes widen, except for Asuka, of course. Their mouths were agape comically as if their souls were spilling out. Even Yuuji didn't escape the shock.

"Huh? But why?" Hachiman asked, his voice rising without him realising it.

“After Miura Yumiko was tricked into going to Tokyo Jujutsu High this morning, which led to a heated argument between Shizuka-chan and the higher-ups, she decided to do something to prevent the association from doing more and more things their way.”

“And then?” Haruno pressed impatiently.

Satoru gave a small smile as he looked at the woman sitting on the same end of the couch as him.

“To ensure that I stay quiet no matter what she does next, she’s willing to do me a favor in return.”

“And that’s with Itadori-san staying at our house for a while?” Komachi asked.

Usually, Hachiman would be the first to comment. However, Satoru's explanation still made it difficult for him to accept the situation. Moreover, when he heard that Hiratsuka was planning something that required her to ensure Gojo Satoru didn't get in her way, the boy's imagination and worries increased drastically.

“Don’t worry, it’s not as bad as you think,” Satoru said as if he understood what the boy was thinking, “Well, it’s still a bit extreme, though. Even I was surprised when I heard her plan.”

Hachiman glanced at the man sitting next to him.

'Does that mean Gojo-sensei already knows Hiratsuka-sensei's exact plan? And with him knowing that, but still agreeing to the proposal, can I assume that whatever Hiratsuka-sensei is going to do is doable?'

Actually, that wasn't Hachiman's only worry. Satoru was the craziest man he had ever met. He had very unusual standards in everything he did. With his habits, hearing Satoru mention Hiratsuka's plan was something extreme, Hachiman had a hard time imagining it.

“Uh, excuse me,” a male voice interrupted, “I don’t really understand the situation. However, if it was an agreement made between Gojo-sensei and someone else, why do I’ve to stay at Hachiman-paisen’s place?”

Hearing that question, it was time for Asuka to join the conversation.

“That's because I volunteered to take you in, Itadori-kun.”

“What? You did?” Komachi grabbed.

Asuka nodded at her daughter's question.

“Hiratsuka-san has been a great help to our family ever since your brother transferred to Sobu High. If I have the chance, I always want to repay her kindness and service.”

“But why did he have to move to Chiba? If Gojo could hide him so well all this time, why did he suddenly have to put Itadori under Shizuka-chan?” Haruno asked.

“Hiding a dead person while still having him go on missions isn’t something that can be done continuously without drawing any attention at all.”

Satoru shrugged his shoulders casually.

“Yoshino Junpei’s case has been the centre of attention lately. Even if Nanami has taken care of it and erased Yuuji’s traces in the scene, but the higher-ups have quite competent dogs, who’re starting to notice there’s something off.”

“O-oh, I didn’t know about that,” Yuuji muttered.

Hachiman, who had been busy with his thoughts, began to understand the ins and outs of the situation. But still, the idea of having a stranger in his house for the next few months made him unable to sit still.

“Then where’ll he sleep, mother? The stop contact in the guest room doesn't work. The lights have been out for a long time."

“Well, for that, I plan to get him a futon and have him sleep in your room. You don’t mind sharing space, right?”

Hachiman widened his eyes.

“What? Of course, I do.”

“Hm? Didn’t you say that you wanted a roommate when we lived in the village?” Asuka asked, tilting her head.

The question brought his memories flying far back in time, to the time when they were hiding in their hometown after Komachi's cursed technique was spread everywhere. It was a peaceful time before things got much more complicated, forcing his mother to take them to Kyoto, only to be tricked by the Tsuchimikado Family.

“Please, don’t remind me of that,” Hachiman said.

'Moreover, at that time, I was really scared because suddenly, many people went after us aggressively,' he added to his mind.

Despite the rejection, Asuka continued to stare at Hachiman innocently. Her large eyes seemed to radiate a sense of pity as if there was worry about her decision. However, above all, Hachiman knew that the gaze that could melt even a rock was a disguise.

However, Hachiman was basically a family guy at heart. Seeing his mother's pleading gaze, he softened.

“Fine, but I’ll add some rules,” Hachiman said as he looked at Yuuji, “And you better obey them or I’ll beat you up, Itadori.”

Yuuji gave a big smile.

“You can count on me, bro!”

“Don't 'bro' me, you little punk.”

Sitting next to Yuuji on a chair taken from the dining table, Komachi rubbed her eyes as if something touched her.

“Oh, Onii-chan has grown up. I never thought you’d learn to compromise," Komachi said, hiding her expression behind her palms, which was a fake impression.

“What do you mean? I’m a person who always compromises, you know?”

“No, no, no. Komachi-chan has a point, you know? When we first met, you always seemed like a hothead,” Haruno replied, poking Hachiman’s upper arm with her index finger.

As if it had become a habit, the boy stopped Haruno's hand, grabbed it, and pulled it down carefully. However, instead of giving in, the woman grabbed Hachiman's hand back, making it look like they were holding hands. Hachiman struggled with a blush, but Haruno didn't let go quickly.

“Come to think of it, you used to dislike it when I called you by your given name, but you don’t protest at all this time,” Yuuji said, remembering their first meeting after Hachiman defeated the curse of the volcano.

'Because I need to maintain my image in front of my mother, you bastard. If not, I'll give you a hard time,' Hachiman thought.

While the youngsters continued to exchange words, Asuka and Satoru looked at them with genuine smiles that never faded from their faces. It was a sight that Asuka had always longed for as a mother. Every time she remembered how her children had received unfair treatment from the jujutsu world in the past, her heart felt like it was being torn apart. So painful that it made her feel helpless. However, seeing them being able to joke around with each other, her wounds from the past were instantly healed.

Hikigaya Hachiman, Hikigaya Komachi, Yukinoshita Haruno, and Itadori Yuuji. A unique combination of four young sorcerers with distinctive backgrounds. Four people with very different personalities, but blending lively in one room. However, little did they know that the gathering that seemed trivial, the children with such diverse natures, one day in the future, the warm atmosphere in the living room would be the starting point for the Hikigaya Family to become one of the leading players in the world of jujutsu.

—To Be Continued—

Author Note: Sorry for the delay. As I said in my latest chapter of One Way Home, I took a week off from writing during Christmas and New Year. And yes, now I'm back with a new chapter.

It was a very long chapter. In fact, if I hadn't cut here and there, it’d have been able to reach 13k. There are a lot of dialogues that I’ve to delete so that they don't become too long. Actually, I could’ve divided it into two chapters, but I want to go back to Sobu High's saga soon.

One of the things I want to write about is the interaction between Asuka and Satoru. I wanted to write more, but I edited it and decided to save it for future chapters. In addition, I wanted to write about the interactions between Hachiman, Komachi, Haruno, and Yuuji. However, it is what it is. Everything I threw away from this chapter, I decided on future content.

Hope you enjoy this chapter. Stay safe and be healthy. See you in the next two weeks.