Archer, the Sorcerer Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Days of Our Lives

Days like this were not hard to go through.

It all just felt like a routine that she was comfortable with, whether she was home or whether she was at school.

The bell rang, signaling the end of another school day. Students at Saitama Urami East Junior High began to shuffle out of their classrooms, chattering excitedly about plans for the evening or the weekend ahead.

Tsumiki Fushiguro, now a senior and one of the school’s most admired students, sat at her desk, her chin resting lightly on her hand as she gazed out the window.

The sunlight streamed in through the glass, casting warm golden patterns on the classroom floor. Outside, the school grounds buzzed with life—students playing sports, others walking home in small groups.

It was a familiar scene, one she had watched countless times over the years. But today, her mind felt adrift.

She sighed softly, brushing a lock of her dark hair behind her ear. The view from her window was the same as always, but her thoughts were somewhere far away.

How long had it been since she found this life to be comfortable to begin with?

Her mind drifted toward her childhood, where she had been abandoned by her mother and her step-father from such an early age that she barely even remembered their faces.

Being left all alone with nothing but her step-brother.

Yet, she had never truly felt melancholy about her state of being. Tsumiki had always been cheerful, always found ways to look on the bright side, even when the world seemed unkind. She wasn’t alone, not really. She had Megumi. Her younger stepbrother had been her rock, even back then, though he didn’t quite understand it. 

The memories of that time were fragmented—small hands clutching Megumi’s as they stood together on the threshold of an uncertain future. 

The two of them were a team. They leaned on each other, helped each other. It was that bond that had carried them through those tough early years, even as they started elementary school and faced the small cruelties and challenges that came with it. 

And then… everything changed. 

She remembered the first time she had met Satoru Gojo and his little brother, Shirou. They had entered their lives like a whirlwind, bringing with them a sense of chaos and wonder that neither she nor Megumi had been prepared for. 

That day, Satoru had smiled and said something that changed the trajectory of their lives:

“Don’t worry! From now on, I’m here to take care of you. Both of you.”

Tsumiki’s lips curved into a faint smile as she thought of Satoru. Despite his carefree attitude and endless teasing, he had been a pillar of strength and stability for them.

He’d been the one to provide anything they needed, from food, caretaker, and even pocket and lunch money for Tsumiki and Megumi to enjoy.

And then there was Shirou. 

Shirou had been different from Satoru in every way. Where Satoru was loud and confident, Shirou was quiet and intense. At first, she hadn’t known what to make of him.

He had been an enigma, someone who seemed much older than his years, as though he carried the weight of lifetimes on his small shoulders.

He reminded her of Megumi in that way. Both of them seemed determined to shoulder the burdens of the world, leaving little room for their own happiness. 

But that was why she was here, was it not?

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps approaching. 

“Tsumiki!” a cheerful voice called. 

She turned to see her friend Fujinuma approaching, her bag slung over one shoulder and a bright smile on her face. 

“You’ve been staring out that window for ages,” Fujinuma teased, plopping down in the seat next to Tsumiki. “What’s so fascinating out there?” 

“Nothing, really,” Tsumiki said with a small laugh. “Just lost in thought.” 

Fujinuma raised an eyebrow. “Lost in thought? That doesn’t sound like you. What is it that you’re truly looking, huh? I wonder…” 

Fujinuma looked out the same window that Tsumiki had been staring as well, intending to find out what it was that her friend was kept looking on.

She looked down to see some sophomore students gathering around the football field, playing a friendly match of football together.

It was just a normal scene of a bunch of middle-schoolers playing and having a fun time together. Fujinuma thought that the scene she was looking on was nothing out of the ordinary.

But then, she looked at the one who was playing as the goalie.

His white hair was a stark contrast to the other guys that were playing, where they were sporting either dark or some with brown hair, his tanned skin also was slightly darker than most, and his height was significantly taller, sporting a couple inches more than the rest who were playing.

Fujinuma, being the socially aware person that she was, knew who this was, and also knew why Tsumiki was staring so much out the window.

The mystery was finally resolved, as the one that Tsumiki had her eyes on was none other than one of the most popular boys in this school; Shirou Gojo.

“Ahhhh, I see. So that’s why~. Shirou is always such a looker, I don’t think you’re the only who’s checking him out right now, hueheuheuhe~” Fujinuma teased her friend who was still just looking at the football game that was being played below.

Tsumiki's cheeks flushed at Fujinuma’s teasing remark, but she quickly tried to wave it off, her voice calm despite the slight pink tint creeping across her face. 

“It’s not like that,” Tsumiki said, her gaze lingering on the game below. “I was just… watching.” 

Fujinuma’s grin widened as she leaned closer, resting her chin on her hand. “Uh-huh, just watching. Sure, sure. You know, you’ve got that dreamy look people only get when they’re crushing on someone. So, spill it! How long has this been going on?” 

Tsumiki sighed, turning to face her friend. “It’s not like that,” she insisted, though her voice softened as she added, “Shirou’s like family to me. That’s all.” 

Fujinuma raised an eyebrow, skeptical but curious. “Family, huh? You two don’t exactly look related.” 

“It’s hard to describe it… Shirou’s family is like a… distant relative? Family friend? Something like that.” Tsumiki admitted, folding her arms.

Satoru explained it to her in a really vague and roundabout way about how the Gojo family and the family of Megumi’s father being related in some way.

“But we’ve lived together for years now. He and Megumi both.”

Indeed, it was a surprising turn-around of events a couple of years back. Shirou just appeared in front of their duplex with his belongings and Satoru just proclaimed that his little brother would go to the same school and lived with them as well.

A surprising event, to be sure, but a welcome one for her.

Fujinuma blinked, surprised. “Wait, Shirou’s living with you guys as well?!? I thought it was just you and Megumi!!” 

“You never asked,” Tsumiki replied with a small shrug, a faint smile tugging at her lips. 

“Well, now I’m asking! What’s it like living with Shirou as well?? Most of girls always have their own theories that Shirou is this mysterious boy whose family is like rich mafia or something! I mean, Shirou’s so… intense, and Megumi’s, well, Megumi. Isn’t it, like, total chaos?” 

Tsumiki chuckled softly, her gaze drifting back to the window. “It’s not as chaotic as you’d think. Shirou’s actually really responsible. He’s quiet most of the time, but when he’s around, he makes you feel… safe. He’s always looking out for us, even if he doesn’t say much about it.” 

Fujinuma nodded slowly, intrigued. “I can see that. He’s got that protective older brother vibe, even though he’s a year younger than us. Does he clash with Megumi at home and you being the one who separates them?”

“No, nothing like that…” Tsumiki corrected gently. “They’re always close... always go out together as well.”

She smiled fondly as she thought of him. “Megumi’s… stubborn. He likes to act like he doesn’t care about anything, but he does. Deep down, he cares a lot—about me, about Shirou, even about Satoru.” 

Fujinuma tilted her head. “Who’s Satoru, by the way?”

Tsumiki nodded. “Shirou’s older brother, Satoru Gojo. He’s the reason Shirou came into our life in the first place. He took us in when things were…” She paused, choosing her words carefully. “When things weren’t great. He gave us a lot. That’s why Shirou’s staying with us as well.” 

Fujinuma leaned back in her chair, a thoughtful expression on her face. “Wow. That’s… a lot to process. I had no idea your life was so complicated. You always seem so put together, like nothing could faze you.” 

Tsumiki smiled faintly. “I’ve had a lot of practice. But honestly, having them around makes it easier. Shirou and Megumi might be stubborn and a little rough around the edges, but they’re my family. I wouldn’t trade them for anything.” 

Fujinuma’s grin returned as she nudged Tsumiki playfully. “Okay, but back to Shirou. You’re telling me you’ve lived with him for years and haven’t developed even the tiniest little crush? Not even once?” 

A crush on Shirou Gojo? Someone who was very mature for his age and had such rugged good looks? Someone who had been living with her for years and treated her nicely and made her feel comfortable?

Tsumiki laughed, shaking her head. “No, Fujinuma. Like I said, he’s family… nothing more.” 

“Isn’t it hard to be the eldest female in the house with two little brothers?” Fujinuma asked softly, her gaze returning to the window. “You have to do a lot of things, like do most of the chores, and cook for them, and…”

“Actually, Shirou is the one who cooks most of the time.”

That statement made Fujinuma almost fell from her place of sitting as the feeling of being surprised and shocked came all of a sudden.

“He cooks too?!?! The hottest, tallest, most athletic, and probably most eligible bachelor in this entire school, cooks as well?!?” Fujinuma asked Tsumiki while being so loud, other students in the class started to look toward them.

Tsumiki had always prided herself when it came to her cooking skills. She started to be comfortable around the kitchen at such an early age, as she needed to be the one to made food not only for herself, but also for her little brother as well but then came Shirou.

The moment he first started to move in with the Fushiguros, Shirou made sure that the kitchen was his most comfortable place to be inside their small place of living.

When she first tried the food that he made, Tsumiki felt like it was the first time she had ever tasted food… and that made her small pride in her small heart torn to pieces.

Even Megumi was always looking forward to his cooking more than hers… that made her pride broke even more.

‘I swear, I’d been the one to cook for him since we were kids. Never had Megumi look forward to my dish like the way he looks forward to his…’ Tsumiki thought while being annoyed a little with this small piece of information.

“Yes… but I help too, of course…” Tsumiki replied Fujinuma’s question while also being a little shy and feeling mixed emotion surrounding the issue… because my god, she couldn’t deny that she always looked forward when Shirou cooked for them.

Down on the field, the game was still ongoing. Shirou, still in goal, caught the ball that was being shot toward his goal with practiced ease, his expression calm and focused. The other players cheered, patting him on the back as they dispersed and started playing again. 

Tsumiki watched him for a moment longer, and then all of a sudden, she stood up from her place of sitting, surprising Fujinuma in the process.

“Hey, where are you going all of a sudden?” Fujinuma asked her friend, who was going toward the exit of their classroom.

“Going downstairs, I have… things I need to talk about…” Tsumiki replied while not looking back as her head was still looking forward toward the classroom’s exit.

Fujinuma was dumbfounded a little, and then she looked out the window to see what Tsumiki had been reacting toward all of a sudden.

It was still the same scenery; a bunch of guys playing a friendly match of football after school was over… but then she looked at the one side of the goal, or to be more precise, a bunch of girls that started to gather there just to watch someone playing the goalie…

“Ohhh, so that’s why… hey, Tsumiki, wait for me! I wanna see Shirou play from up close too!”

---

Days like this were a bit hard to go through.

For someone who was just an ordinary person, it just looked like a routine that a normal teenager would enjoy.

But for him, someone who basically had gone through life twice, or maybe a couple times more, it felt like something that he could not really describe.

He was now fourteen-years old and enrolled at Saitama East Urami Junior High as a sophomore middle-schooler, a stark contrast to what his previous life had been. Not when he had been living as Shirou Emiya, but back when he had become Counter Guardian Emiya.

He had been a safeguard for humanity, a calamity for some, but a necessary evil for most. As a lapdog for Humanity’s Collective Will to survive, an agent for anything that it deemed necessary, and overall, a hellish experience for someone who just wished to save as many people as possible.

He had gone to hell, and now… he was playing football with middle-schoolers… as a goalie.

How did it come to this point, you might ask?

Well, it all started when his overall obnoxious big brother kicked him out of the house and made him live with two orphans… with one of their parents’ death was because of his big brother’s doing.

If someone had looked at such predicament, they would have called child services, or perhaps just felt sorry and empathy for whatever shenanigans Satoru had come up with.

But in actuality, he could find solace and peace with living with the Fushiguros more than living inside the Gojo compound with the rest of the branch members of ‘his family’.

Many were against Satoru’s decision to make him live here, as they had just started to see his ‘growth’ and ‘potential’, something that they thought to be a miracle due to his ‘meager’ Cursed Energy level.

But their worries and objections were not heard by Satoru, or to be more precise, no one dared to question Satoru’s judgment as he had solidified himself to be the family head for not only being the strongest in the Gojo Family, but of all sorcerers.

Should he have been grateful for Satoru though? Not really.

In his mind, Satoru probably just wanted him to experience a normal life and be independent instead of being a spoiled kid living in a huge mansion with many servants… even though Satoru had been one, perhaps still was.

Where was he again? Oh right, playing a game of football with his classmates.

The game was mostly played around the center of the field, and him being the goalie made him just standing in front of the goal to watch over it from being scored.

He stood at the goalpost, his arms crossed loosely as he kept an eye on the game. The midfielders were busy scrambling for possession, and the ball rarely ventured near his area. He didn’t mind. It gave him time to think—not that thinking brought him any comfort these days.

The sound of footsteps crunching on the gravel behind him pulled his attention away from the game.

“You’re not here to play, are you?” Shirou called out, his voice carrying easily over the distance. 

He didn’t glance back to see Tsumiki approaching the edge of the field, her schoolbag slung over one shoulder. Her usual calm and warm expression was tinged with something contemplative.

Tsumiki smiled, shaking her head. “Not today. I just thought I’d come by and talk. Can I stand here, or am I breaking some sacred goalie rule?” 

“You shouldn’t stand there. Sometimes a loose ball comes along and can hit your face,” he reacted a bit dry but chuckled softly. “Besides, we don’t want the Student Council President to have her face being hit by a ball now, do we?”

Even with that warning she stepped closer, settling near the goalpost but out of the players’ way.

“Don’t worry, I’ll be quick,” Tsumiki replied. “And in a few months, I’m not gonna be the Student Council President anymore, so you don’t have to worry about it.”

“Whatever you say, President,” he made sure to leave that mark behind for her to hear, as she was always annoyed when he called her that, but he found it a bit fun to tease her on it.

For a moment, neither of them spoke, the sounds of shouting and laughter from the field filling the air. 

“You’re getting popular,” Tsumiki said after a moment, her eyes flicking toward the small group of girls gathered near the sidelines, all clearly watching the one who was playing the goalie. 

He followed her gaze and shrugged. “It’s nothing. They’re probably just curious about the guy with white hair. Stands out, I guess.” 

Tsumiki hummed in acknowledgment, though her tone was teasing. “That, or they want to see the most eligible bachelor in our school playing football for once as he rarely plays any sport or even goes to any extracurricular clubs.” 

“They basically forced me to play as they were a man short… I think that was just an excuse because someone from the football club once saw me playing as the goalkeeper for gym class and I excelled at it,” he explained and then arched an eyebrow at her. “But I’m surprised you thought of me like that.”

“Like what?” she rose her eyebrow at him while brought forth her question.

“The most eligible bachelor in school.” 

Tsumiki was shocked; her cheeks flushed and then laughed, a soft, melodic sound that always seemed to make things lighter. “It’s what the girls like Fujinuma nominated you to be, I just happen to be the one informing you of it.” 

“I think Megumi fits that title better, don’t you think?” he let out a small sigh while still just standing, not having any action from the game whatsoever.

“I guess, the males living with me are really too popular for their own good,” she replied while sporting her usual smile.

Tsumiki’s smile then faltered, and she glanced down at the ground for a moment before looking back at him. “I’ve been thinking about the future. About what’s next.” 

“For you?” he asked, leaning back slightly against the goalpost. 

Tsumiki nodded. “Yeah. This is my last year here, you know? After this, it’s high school. I have figured out where I’m going.” 

“The school you talked about once?” Shirou said, his tone matter-of-fact. “I thought it wouldn’t accept admissions if you were not enrolled in their middle school.” 

“I thought so as well, but turns out they accept special admissions for those that are high-achieving and has a stellar experience in junior high.” Tsumiki gave him a small smile, but there was a hint of uncertainty in her eyes.

“Stellar experience, huh…” he repeated, his brow furrowing slightly. “Well, you being the Student Council President certainly fit that, but are there other requirements?

“The usual; Straight A grades, achievements, and I need to submit an essay about my background and aspirations,” Tsumiki said, her voice did not gain a touch of determination. “That last one is a bit hard, considering I’m an orphan with a 20-something year-old as a legal guardian. Doesn’t exactly sound like a model student coming from a prestigious or highly-achieving family, does it?”

That part could be hard for one to hear, Tsumiki Fushiguro had truly been a model student all throughout her life in junior high, but her background of being an orphan living with her step-brother and their legal guardian was overall, not exactly a stellar adult as well.

He remembered the time when Satoru picked up their rapport cards.

“As their big brother and the backbone of the family, it’s been very hard finding time to raise them while working multiple jobs at once. Rest assured, though! They really are good kids and all of their needs are provided by little-old me~”

He remembered that Satoru kept repeating that line three times to three different homeroom teachers, making it sound like they were barely making it through… even though it was the polar opposite.

“It’s one of the best and most prestigious schools in Tokyo, so their requirements can be hard to be met,” he said, while no longer thinking about his big brother’s absurdity. “But perhaps, with your background and all, it can be an inspiring experience that you can write about and touch the ones who read it. But why are you so fixated to go there?”

“Megumi will be in Tokyo when he graduates, and you too, right? You’re both planning to attend that… exclusive vocational school that you and Satoru talk about. If I go to Tokyo, I want to be close and we all can still see each other…”

He blinked, caught off guard by the honesty in her words. For a moment, he didn’t know what to say. 

“I mean,” Tsumiki added quickly, her cheeks coloring slightly, “it’s not the only reason. Tokyo has some of the best schools, and it’s a chance to experience something new. But… I want to make you proud… all of you! Yeah. That’s part of it.” 

He let out a breath, his expression softening. “Tsumiki, you don’t have to make decisions based on us.”

For years, he and Satoru had been guarding a secret about Megumi being a Sorcerer, about the world of Jujutsu as well, as Megumi was very adamant that he did not want Tsumiki to know or be a part of it.

He and Megumi had been training with Satoru for years as well, not telling her that they were fighting Cursed Spirits and training their abilities to her, just saying it to be a ‘man-trip’ or something.

Tsumiki didn’t question it, as she was happy that all of them were in her life to begin with. But deep down, she knew they were hiding something from her… and it made her feel left out.

“I can be a little greedy, right? I want to go to the best school while also being near Megumi and you,” Tsumiki tilted her head, a thoughtful smile tugging at her lips. “And what if what I want is to stay close to the people who matter to me?” 

Before he could respond, the ball came hurtling fast. It was a powerful shot from afar, but because of said distance, it wasn’t going toward the goal, but toward Tsumiki instead.

Instinct took over, and he lunged to catch it in such a fast and instant manner that anyone watching didn’t have time to react, his left hand closing around it with ease.

The players cheered, and one of them called out, “Nice save, Gojo!”

The girls who had been watching him play was a little bored and downright jealous that all Shirou Gojo, arguably the most popular boy in school, was doing was just standing and talking to Tsumiki Fushiguro, who was arguably the most popular girl in school as well.

Shirou Gojo was always the topic for the girls to talk about. As someone whose facial features were unique and head-turning like his white hair and tanned skin, with also physical features such as his height being taller than most, and also his very defined abdominal muscles that they were able to sneak a peek in during gym class, of course, he was popular.

But Tsumiki Fushiguro, being someone who was called ‘naturally beautiful’ with her being quite tall, developed physical features, and sporting a cute face while also being a model student and the student council president, was equally as popular for the populace of this junior high.

For them to be spending time together not only was being opinionated to be ‘perfect for each other’ or ‘dream couple’, but also a target of jealousy for most as well. And now, in this football game, with Shirou saved Tsumiki from a loose ball that was about to strike her, made the crowd a bit wild.

Some shouted “Kyaaaaa!” others had a different reaction such as, “Damn it! It just had to be him/her!” the rest just shouted other kinds of words that were not audible.

He tossed the ball back into play, turning his attention back to Tsumiki. “I warned you it was dangerous for you to be standing there.”

“Right… you did,” she nodded, agreeing with his statement while still being a little shocked with what had just happened.

Her face was more than flushed, her heart was beating loudly, and her eyes were looking at him more intently as her line of thought after being shocked by the loose ball was how fine he looked with his hair down due to playing this game for awhile.

He studied her for a moment, his expression unreadable. Finally, he said, “That means you should step aside now, and not just stand there looking like an idiot.” 

“That’s quite rude of you, Shirou,” Tsumiki pouted, her bearing was growing and no longer was she just standing in a dumbfounded way. “Thank you, by the way…”

He didn’t reply, but just hummed along after Tsumiki thanked him.

The game continued behind them, but he hardly noticed. For a moment, the weight of his complicated past and uncertain future seemed to fade, replaced by the simple, grounding presence of the present. 

As Tsumiki was about to go away from the goal post, someone shouted something that made the game stopped midway.

“Yo, guys! Megumi is beating the crap out of people, again!!”

That made both him and Tsumiki to sigh and release a heavy breath in the exact same manner and in the exact same time.

“We should check that out, don’t we?” Tsumiki asked.

“Whatever you say, President…”

---

Days like this were really hard to go through.

It wasn’t like it was one of those days that made you not want to go up, or one of those days where there was so much going on.

Not because they were particularly challenging or taxing—far from it. But because days like this meant dealing with people who didn’t know when to back off.

People who didn’t know how to leave others alone. People who thought they could push others around just because they were bigger or had numbers on their side. 

The field was quiet now, save for the faint groans of the defeated gang of bullies sprawled across the ground.

Megumi Fushiguro sat casually on top of one of the unconscious boys, his expression neutral as he rested his chin on his hand. He looked as though he were bored rather than having just taken out an entire group of would-be tough guys. 

Megumi sighed, closing his eyes briefly. It wasn’t like he went looking for fights. In fact, he avoided them… sometimes.

But most of the times, idiots insisted on crossing lines they shouldn’t. And when that happened, well… he wasn’t the type to just stand by and let it happen. 

“Do you guys know the basic rule you have to follow to get along with strangers?” he started his monolgue, not even glancing at the unconscious bodies around him. His uniform was spotless, not a scratch or speck of dirt on it, as though he’d just stepped out of class. 

One of the boys groaned, trying feebly to get up. Megumi’s sharp eyes flicked toward him, and the boy immediately slumped back down, deciding it wasn’t worth the effort. 

Megumi sighed again, this time louder. “I don’t.” 

 “’I will not kill you, so please don’t kill me either.’ You can replace “Kill” with whatever you want,” Megumi continued with an unreadable expression.

“Basically, you draw a line so that you’re able to respect one another’s dignity. Through this process, both parties can make this ‘rule’ a reality,” no one was listening to him as he continued his point, as they were below him in a state of pain.

“Breaking it, or being arrogant enough that you don’t need it…” he then started to stand, not sitting on the back of his opponents anymore. “…must have felt really pleasant.”

“So, I’ll kill you if you do that in front of me again.”

Megumi didn’t look backward while saying it, not even caring anymore if they had even listened to his way of thinking.

“What did we… ever do to you?” one of the guys that Megumi beat up asked him, while he just kept on walking.

He wasn’t proud of what he’d done, but he wasn’t exactly ashamed either. These guys had been harassing some younger students—first with words, then shoving them around. Megumi had stepped in to tell them to stop. They hadn’t taken him seriously, and, well… things had escalated. 

“Think for yourself,” he answered while kept looking forward as a faculty member was coming to the scene of chaos. “That, or go die.”

Of course, Megumi got reprimanded for beating these wannabe thugs and bullies by the faculty member, but he didn’t care one bit.

After some talking, Megumi walked out of it with no punishments whatsoever, as it was a ridiculous scene to even fathom; a single sophomore beating half a dozen of seniors and their lackeys.

Megumi kept walking, entering the school building with no care whatsoever. He then passed three students; the ones that got hassled by the group of bullies a few moments before Megumi ‘intervened’.

“To-to-to-today I’ll definitely Ikezawa and the others that I’m not their errand boy!”

“Good luck, Aidashi!

“But I may become their next target after you, so don’t luck out, Aidashi!”

Megumi passed them without acknowledging them or what he did or anything whatsoever, he just kept walking past them while his hands were on his pocket.

“Fuck you, you fatass! I’ve changed my mind, I’ll tell them that this damn fatso is gonna replace me from now on!”

“You would sell out your own friend, Aidashi?!”

“Guys… aren’t Ikezawa and his gang knocked out over there…?”

In the end, the ones he saved were not even worth the trouble to begin with. ‘Idiots, all of them…’ he thought as he walked away from them and from the crime scene he had created.

“Megumi!” Tsumiki’s exasperated tone reached him first. Megumi groaned internally.

‘Great. Just what I needed,’ he thought while looking back at Tsumiki, who was standing with a scowl on her face and holding a small carton of milk.

Of course, being the obedient and loving brother that he was, Megumi replied back with the same manner of scowl on his face.

“Something that you want, Student Council President?” Megumi asked sarcastically while lacing his voice with a not-so friendly attitude.

Of course, being the caring and loving sister that she was, Tsumiki scowled even more after hearing Megumi’s question.

“I thought you said you wouldn’t fight anymore,” Tsumiki said to her brother in an assertive voice.

Her line of assertiveness certainly made Megumi scowled even more as well. All in all, both Fushiguro certainly had a bad mood at this time around.

“Don’t act like you’re my guardian,” Megumi replied, lacing his voice with more animosity.

In his mind, Megumi had done what he’d done because he saw something that was one of the things that he hated the most; bad people.

Megumi hated ‘bad people’, they disgusted him to the very core; those with empty imagination and lack of sensitivity, acting like they were superior for it.

When he saw Ikezawa and his group of thugs just harassing other students that were weaker than them, Megumi couldn’t control himself and let them had a taste of their own medicine.

But then, Tsumiki came to berate him for it. This was also classified as one of the things he hated the most as well; ‘good people.’

For Megumi, ‘good people’ could forgive ‘bad people’ and act as if forgiving others was such a dignified thing to do. Basically, he couldn’t stand it, and he couldn’t stand them as well.

‘Tsumiki is a typical good person.’

“You gross me out,” Megumi summarized his disdain toward Tsumiki with those words and said it to her while turning his back against her, not wanting to argue even further.

All of a sudden something hard and wet hit him on the back of Megumi’s scalp. It did not hurt him whatsoever, but he was certainly shocked.

“Ah, sorry…” the one who apologized was none other that Tsumiki, the culprit who had just thrown her small milk carton that was opened and was not empty. “I thought I finished it.”

Megumi knew he had crossed the line a little by telling his sister that he ‘grossed him out’. A reaction like this was understandable, but when he heard her apologizing, it just solidified his stance on his disdain with ‘good people’

“What happened to the milk you just got from the vending machine?” Out of nowhere, a manly voice was heard coming from the corner and lo and behold, this guy appeared.

Megumi knew he wasn’t just some guy, he’d heard this deep voice often from the duplex he’d been staying for most parts of his life.

His white hair, tanned skin, and a bit of sweat that he was mustering around his face… it was all too familiar.

‘Great, and he appears as well,’ Megumi thought while looking at the man appearing beside Tsumiki; Shirou Gojo, someone who he’d known for ages.

“Uhmm… it’s there…” Tsumiki replied his question while stammering a bit and pointing at Megumi’s wet head.

He looked at Megumi with his eyebrows a little, and Megumi only narrowed his eyes even further.

“If you want to punish your brother for fighting again, don’t you think that’s a little much?” he said.

“I thought there wasn’t any milk anymore! I just wanted him to take his promises to me more seriously, and it just… ughhh.” Tsumiki tried to defend herself.

Everything that he just said made Megumi scowled even further.

“’Punish’? ‘Promises’? Stop acting like you’re my parents. Both of you are acting like you’re so mature and all, but in the end, it only makes me sick,” Megumi voiced his disdain, looking at both of them with narrowed eyes and lacing his voice with more strain.

“You’re the one who got into trouble, so of course we have to be the mature ones considering this isn’t your first time, or second time, or third…” Shirou Gojo replied Megumi’s disdain with his own sarcasm and lack of delicacy.

“And what would you have done in my place?” Megumi asked him straight on.

“I would have minded my own business, considering most of your fights are not because people are harassing you, but because you don’t like how they act in front of you and trample on others… I’m guessing that today’s circumstances were the same thing, were it not?”

It really grinded his gears to hear that he always guessed the right thing, and always acting all high and mighty from Megumi’s point of viewing.

“You really are a hypocrite. Perhaps you should look in the mirror and see that you’re the one who always meddle in someone else’s affairs,” Megumi walked toward him slowly while looking at him dead on.

“Ever since we were kids, ever since we went out the first time together, ever since you moved in with us…” Megumi elaborated further. “You think you always know the answer and tell us what to do, but clearly, you don’t do it yourself.”

Shirou Gojo had always been a weird one, ever since they were kids and even until up to this point in Megumi’s eyes.

He was the top of the food chain on the kind of what kind of people that he hated; ‘good people’ that acted like they weren’t. Someone who wasn’t true to himself, someone who always told people to do the ‘mature’ thing while he did the ‘right’ thing; a hypocrite all through out.

Every time Megumi looked at the person who was named ‘Shirou Gojo’, it was like looking to the mirror and seeing someone like him, someone with conviction, but at the same time, someone who didn’t want others to live out said convictions.

A mature man that felt like he’d lived more than him, had many experiences, acting like he was the oldest in the room, even though Shirou was the same age as him…

It made Megumi comfortable that he wasn’t like the others, that he was trustworthy, wise, had a sound mind, and had all the answers, but at the same time, it made him sick looking at his stupid white-hair and his stupid tall visage.

Shirou looked at Megumi dead on as well, not breaking eye contact with him whatsoever.

“You’re right… perhaps I should be like you and act like a brat acting out.”

That made Megumi grinded his teeth and made a fist.

“Both of you stop it!!”

It was a shout that deafened both of the males’ ears, a cry of desperation, begging, and command all in once, coming from the only female there.

They both looked at Tsumiki who was basically on the verge of tears.

“We’ve known each other since we were little, we’ve both been living together for years… I don’t want to see us fighting… I don’t want this…” Tsumiki poured her heart out for Megumi and Shirou to hear.

It kind of made them feel a little guilty.

“…fine, whatever. Sorry, I guess.” Megumi muttered those words softly, like it was out of reflex.

“No, the fault is on me. I just judged too quickly and told you things that you didn’t want to hear,” Shirou’s voice was more direct and clear, making himself the bigger man and took all of the responsibilities.

It was a really turn around of events as they both just folded from their animosity, all clearly because of Tsumiki.

“Just… don’t fight. If you both want to direct animosity, direct it towards me, not on each other,” Tsumiki said while no longer being on the verge of tears, but her voice was still softer than them,

This… this was exactly why Megumi hated people like Tsumiki, who barely had any faults yet were willing to put the blame on herself and not on others.

“Tch… whatever,” Megumi uttered those words while putting his hands on his pockets, walking away from them in the process.

Megumi had enough of this situation, just wanting to be at peace now and be done with it.

“Tsumiki!!!!”

All of a sudden, a shrill and feminine voice was heard coming from the corner.

It was Tsumiki’s friend, Fujinuma, who joined all there of them standing in the corridor.

“The hell are you two even doing?! Oh- Hey, Shirou! I thought you were playing football but when I got there, you and Tsumiki weren’t there, teehee~” Fujinuma said with uncertain tone of voice, as it just went downward and upward at the same time.

“I was just done and we checked up on Megumi, that’s all,” Shirou answered, summarizing everything short and simple.

Megumi walked away from them, not intending to be in their vicinity any longer.

“Oh, hey Megumi, ciao!~” Fujinuma said to Megumi’s visage, who was walking away, and then blew a kiss toward him.

Megumi did not have any reaction whatsoever and continued to walk away from them. They then started to converse while Megumi just listened to their voices coming from his back.

“By the way Tsumiki, are you going to take the test of courage or what?” Megumi heard Fujinuma asked his sister, but he just kept walking and not showing care on the matter.

“Don’t want to, but I’m worried and considering the new Student Council members are going to attend, so I’ll go,” he heard Tsumiki answering her.

“What’s this about a ‘test of courage’?” he then heard Shirou as well.

“It’s kind of like an old ‘rite of passage’ for new Student Council members and also a goodbye for those who are leaving. It depends whether we vote yes on the matter or not. Some years they—“

Megumi walked away even further from them. The topics they were discussing were not being heard any further.

He only just heard about the ‘rite of passage’ that Tsumiki was going to go to that night and had no care about it whatsoever.

All in all, it had been a day in his life that he thought would never be mentioned again.

Oh, how wrong he was.